Engineroom Snipe

What I am trying to say is, "Welcome to Cruise Critic. We all get to criticize your criticisms. How ironic is that?" Hopefully, honest and free speech is a good thing.

Do not try and defend your position. You gave your honest opinion and others might not agree. You keep posting and we will agree to disagree with your opinion. 😁

Just make sure you do not walk across any subway ventilation shafts and get a "Marilyn Monroe" photograph! 🤢

How much will I have to pay to join? 🤑

@Saab4444 has a point. Even if my cruise contract does not show my address, my TA uses my contact information (to include mailing address) when he fills out my information on RCI's TA Website. RCI still indirectly gets "AN" address about me. 🤔

All of my cruise contracts always include citizenship of all passengers. That might be how they are determining Primary Country of Residence. I am not sure how they would handle dual citizenship if the situation occurred.

Very similar to finding a free parking space that normally cost money to have the parking authority install a new parking meter after they find it! 😭

I didn't think RCI would stuff the 'turkeys' until November. I guess RCI is getting us ready to be plucked. 😮

Ok @Ret MP, we will short-cut "your excursion" off of the ship with the 'triple gold-plated Star Class Block' chained to your neck (I mean, that is where you wear it anyway). You might even get a close look at the fishes on bottom. 🤣

That is what I got out of it. I cannot book prices which are exclusive to a country that I do not reside in. I do not think this latest communication is regarding refund policies around covid which already were published.

Totally agree. The Key was recently available for $16.99/day/pp (40% off) on my cruise. When you deduct the lunch in MDR (which is supposed to be equivalent to a CHOPS lunch), it is cheaper than the standard internet. Everything else is a bonus if you use it. The smaller ships do not have many items you can use the Key to reserve or get priority in line. The Key becomes more useful on the larger ships but then they charge more 🙄.

Nice concise review. Thank you for your time.

There is a total reduced price compared to having all adults. The caveat is that you still are charged gratuities, taxes, port charges and a more expensive category of cabin must be purchased. When I have priced them on many cruises for other people in mock bookings. The extra cost is about 1/2 fare of an adult at the end per child. One cabin of two adults and two qualifying children is about equal to one cabin of three adults. There are savings but RCI really stretches the "Kids Sail Free" quote with many caveats. As others have stated, the final numbers are not as impressive as it seems on first glance.

Most people would not think about children and soda package availability. A very good question and some great answers. Even with the drink dispensers, lines can form. I like the dispensers because I can get ice for free that has gone through an additional water filter without having to find my cabin steward. I do not get beverage packages. Each cabin can bring up to 12 500ml bottles of sodas or non-alcoholic beverages. My wife and I treat ourselves on sea days. Again, your question will help me think about the soda packages if I ever bring the grandchild onboard someday.

I feel there is a delay factor also. A perfect example is RCI offering a bottle of champagne for completing your Next Cruise contract on the first day of the cruise. I normally research my cruises and often book on the first day and I have never seen any "special" consideration beyond what I would have received on any other cruise day. This would tell me that there is some slowing on Next Cruise bookings. If bookings are so solid, why spend more money on incentives? The time reservations books for Next Cruise can be filled with thousands of reservations but that does not always mean they convert into a future cruise. I think Next Cruise Bookings are the canaries in the coal mine as they are giving immediate real-time feedback about how people feel about their current cruises and their values for the money. Something to ponder.

Well done running review. Short and sweet verbal tidbits with great pictures. Thank you for your time.

As the waiter asked his supervisor, "How can I get a -2 rating on a +1 to 10 scale?" Supervisor's response, "That is what we are going to find out. Please take a seat and answer some questions for us." 😬

No, PLEASE, NO cross-pollination of hot button topics on one thread. We could cause a meltdown of emotions, desires, like-to-haves, or never will have agains. On second thought, that might have already happened. Carry-on! 🤣

Yes, certain spices can, when they first hit your tongue, taste somewhat mild and then continue to get more heat as they envelope your whole mouth as you swallow. There are many "Fri Diablo" seafood dishes that are cumulative. I like hot spicey dishes but sometimes I have to have a piece of garlic toast on the side to clear the tastebuds and throat from the heat. 🤯

From what I have read, as the Unlimited Dining Packages (UDP) become more popular, the less reservations are available. For instance, The Enchantment of the Seas only has Chops Grille as a specialty restaurant. There are only so many lunches and dinner seats available. If they oversell the UDP, RCI is not responsible as they do not have any type of guarantee in the purchase that it will be available. One must make a reservation and reservation capacity is limited to the seats available. Imagine paying for a UDP to only find out as your board later on Sunday afternoon of your cruise that the times available for ANY reservations are too early or later than what you would like. On an 8 night cruise on Enchantment, a price of $250 per person plus gratuities is considered a "good deal". Only if you can get a reservation each day for lunch and dinner. It will be the same menu for eight days. The UDP just does not make sense to me in this situation.

I appreciate your opinions. You are balanced and many of your observations agree with what I have observed. You present your opinion without drama. Please keep posting.

Your observations are valuable to me because you do not use hyperbole and try to maintain a balance of what we would like ideally and what is practical. I sail in eleven days and I will try and report what I experience without drama or prejudice (very hard to do but I will try my best). Hopefully, no 🤥.

Do we have an Axiom Ship moment on WALL-E? (Disney Pixar WALL-E)

So much for my Zen moment, let the judgements commence..... 🥺. Good night.

Deep breathe people, take a Zen moment. No solution at this point and we are at an impasse. As Paul McCartney's mother once said to him as he was anxious, worried, and trying to create the next song of a lifetime, "Let it be." She was "Mother Mary comes to me". The rest is history. 😉 We "All Can Come Together." (Beatles).