HappyTexan44

@rudeney Thank you so much! The Royal website has a Sorrento's icon in Dining options. I have trust in your superior first-hand knowledge. So, it is like it halfway has Sorrento's. I think it was you that said that Keys guests are told that they get Chops on the first day, but really it is the Chops menu prepared in the MDR, which isn't the same thing. Speaking of the Casino. Did you happen to notice if they had Learn To Play sessions? That was another thing that didn't list Voyager. But they have a casino so I don't see why they wouldn't. If I do go to the Casino, it would be for Poker or Blackjack. But, thanks for the craps head-up. I had seen that they added staterooms, and I wondered what they took away. I will not mourn the loss of Johnny Rockets. I don't bother to go to one at home.

@rudeney Do you remember seeing Coke Freestyle machines on Voyager? I saw a list of ships that had them, and Voyager wasn't included. But, then I also saw a list of ships that had Sorrento's Pizza and Voyager wasn't on there either. So, maybe Royal is just super slow to update those.

Talk about losing sparkle! Disney World is the poster child of pay more and get less.

Note, I am a complete noob and I just booked our first cruise for Feb 2024 5 nights on Voyager of the Seas (RCCL). It is so far away they aren't even trying to sell beverage or dining packages. We won't be doing any specialty dining, and will likely eat in the MDR every evening for early dining. DH reluctantly wears pants to church and company Christmas parties, and that is it. DH is very uncomfortable in pants because his thighs are big compared to the rest of him. When we got married he wore a formal kilt with a tuxedo-ish kilt jacket. His brother wore DH's second best kilt, and the Elk on the wall wore the third best kilt. He likes his kilts. DH does have a lot of nice shorts that are almost knee-length, and nice shirts. That is what he wears when we go out to eat. Last night I was watching a CruiseTipsTV video on cruise dress codes. DH walked by and said, "They aren't going to expect me to wear pants are they?" I said "Umm ... Maybe for formal night. I am still learning." It hadn't occurred to me DH's normal attire might be a problem. Would it be OK for DH to wear his nice shorts to dinner in the MDR and his formal kilt on formal night? I have a sheath evening gown that I wore to my last HS reunion that I'd likely wear for formal night.

Technically, we are allowed. The French trotted around this treaty to get countries to promise to not use "Champagne". We are doing something even more stupid, Prohibition, so we declined to sign. What really irritates me is when the French try to say something is Champagne because it is from the right area, and then don't use the Champagne Method. But that same logic doesn't apply to say a Pilsner.

This is me. I've gone from, "Me? Cruise? I'd be bored. I am too independent" to planning a cruise. We are 52 with a 12-year-old. We aren't going on a 30-day cruise, but we are planning a very active RCI starter 5-day cruise. Then you add in that aging demographic. The boomers have always been the tail that wagged the dog. ETA: We see how well that marketing idea worked for the malls. That may be what they are thinking, but we don't think it will work out for them.

For example, both parents are needed for a kid to get passport. But the kid can travel with one parent.

As long as I won the money before the last port, I'd think about opening a foreign bank account just to avoid bringing it back. Depends largely on the port. Mexico, No. Most of Europe, Yes.

Thank you for everything, and particularly the Daily Planners!

Nothing quite so formal. It means a negative mark. Like a shopping cart running into a car can ding it. In the employment context, it means a negative mark on someone's employment record. Enough dings could mean sacking.

I am reminded of the 'brilliant' marketing idea in the 80's & 90's of the malls targeting the teen market. The idea was that the teens had control of their parent's wallet and they were the future blah-blah-blah. I was born in '70 and I remember being in a mall in the early-mid 90's and thinking, "I finally have money and they don't want it." This was before there was much clothing buying on the internet. But, this is the Free Market at work, maybe they will find a niche.

I think the 'deodorant sunscreen' is essential. There was one time we arrived at the water park and all three spray sunscreens were empty. I am sure we looked silly but we put the deodorant sunscreen everywhere and it worked. Generally DD and I use it on our faces.

This is my big problem with everything online. Particularly menus. Part of our restaurant routine is to discuss the food options. Moving your eyes from one corner to the next is easy, not so much on an app. I also have lobotomized our smart phones and QR codes don't work. I would use an app more for activities if everything on the daily planner was there a couple of weeks before we left and locked in (excluding port changes). I could then add everything to my schedule that I might be interested in.

Would it possible for you to post a photo of the Daily Activities you get each morning? I am eyeing Cabin#7433. If you happen to wander down to the library could you tell me your impression of that cabin?

Thank you for doing this. I will be watching closely. We aren't really interested in specialty dining but were considering it for Day 1 lunch. Reasons: to avoid the crowds at the buffet I heard that lunch is cheaper.

You tip more than you think. You have obviously never been a waiter. 15% of the waiters tips are passed onto the busboys and bartenders. So, those that stiff wait staff are actually costing them money since the busboy/bartender cut is calculated as 15% of 15% of the total bill. Some places gave the busboys 15% of 15% of the food bill and 15% of 15% to the bartender. Note, 15% was the standard tip was I waited tables, so it might be more now.

I've been thinking about this. What stops someone from scooping up the belongings on all of the chair hog's chairs? Say you get there mildly early and you get the last chair without crap on it. Wait an hour and then clear all the chairs that haven't been visited while you were there. Seems like that would minimize the chair hogs because some of those have probably decided to reserve chairs just because 'that is how things are done, and what you have to do in order to get a chair.' One thing that used to drive me insane back when I travelled for work and took about 30 RT flights a year was the people that would put their carry-on in the front of the plane on their way to the back of the plane. This would be when very people were on the plane yet. They thought it was great because they didn't have to drag their suitcase to the back of the plane. Yet, the person that sat under their luggage often had to have their stuff moved to the back of the plane, and therefore they were the very last ones off the plane since they had to wait to be able to work their way back there. Those people are probably the also chair hogs on cruises. I would take the luggage and just set it on the seat. Later the flight attendant would ask whose luggage that was, I'd say "He went to the back of the plane." Often that luggage was checked.

I apologize for bringing up the old thread. In my defense it had been fairly high in this area. I guess I just got so excited. I can only gamble in home games because of smoking. I just joined and I will be avoiding any Covid threads. Trip is early 2024. I love the trailing boat idea.

So glad to hear this. It hadn't even occurred to me that smoking was allowed in casinos. It should have though, gambling and smoking seems to go together. I had thought I'd spend some time playing poker and I get sinus infections from being around smoke. ETA: Well, shoot, this is still in their FAQ. We are going on Voyager. Harmony was the other option and I was a bit on the fence. Where can I smoke on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship? A Indoor smoking is permitted in the Casino, the cigar clubs on Freedom and Voyager Class ships, and one designated smoking venue on ships sailing from Chinese homeports. Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette and pipe smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas.

I apologize for being such a noob. So, you can connect to the ship's wifi for free while at the departure port? From what I've read, access to the Wifi is what you get when you buy the internet package, right? Does it use your GPS location to determine if you can make the reservations, or is it that you are on the Wifi? My initial plans were to do Anytime dining and to set the dining times around the shows. Although, I'm starting to read that Anytime is a mess with bad availability. So maybe not. Thinking Voyager out of Galveston Feb 2024. Waiting on an answer on whether DD's best friend can go with us before I make the reservations.