yj_eugene

Does anyone know if the Oosterdam is due for a refit and update any time soon? We are just off the 10 day Southern Caribbean and she is in need of some love. While she was clean and seemed mechanically sound, the carpets were tattered and the decor was off by a few decades. Just my opinion.

April, when they're also going to ruin the best area of the Crows Nest by wasting its space on a silly art studio.

I'm definitely among the "more sea days the better" crowd.

I wonder if those who are retired are more likely to want port days to have something to do and those who still work want more sea days to relax. I'm not retired, so I like every day I can get to watch the waves and let the sounds of the ocean drown out the workday din that's ingrained in my head.

Has anyone gotten a small personal fan in good shape onto a RCL ship (especially in Europe) without any issues?

We take a dual-powered battery/AC fan, an older model of this one:

http://www.amazon.com/O2COOL-NEW-Battery-Operated-Adapter/dp/B00ATSHMIQ/

on all cruises, including those out of Europe. No problem except once, when it went to the naughty room, but they had no problem once my wife showed them it ran on batteries. I would guess getting an electric only fan might be hit or miss depending on the mood of whomever catches it that day.

Still cannot get the rooms cool enough sometimes.

More than sometimes for us. We always turn it full cold as soon as we get to the room and leave it there the entire trip. We've rarely had a cabin where that was anything more than a good start.

My husband and I are going on a cruise in March on NOTS ... We are trying to think of a creative way to tell them once on board, to make it that much more special. Any ideas?

Doesn't NOTS have virtual balconies? I say don't tell them and when they see their real one, just make a comment like "wow, that virtual stuff's getting more realisitic all the time" or something like that.

It would be nice to see RCCL be able to accommodate some of us larger cruisers

Something I request in every survey, especially taller chairs without arms. I swear sometimes they designed these ships for Munchkins.

The OP should also note that the theater and skating rink will probably be difficult as well. I don't think the Freedom class has any bench seating nor any seats that are loveseat sized or even have arms that flip up in those areas, so she may have to request an armless chair in them also.

No idea, that would be a lot of berths in Port Everglades. Apparently Royal lost the Saturday slot at PC Terminal 1 to NCL. Pretty sure a new big ship will be there next winter. Spirit is here now.

Epic is moving to PC in November with Saturday departures.

Hope to hear something soon, we have a TA booked for April 2017 and would like to know if it is going to be cancelled or changed and what Rhapsody is doing during that period:)

Maybe Rhapsody's now going to PC like originally planned. Now that Empress is back and can be used for Cuba, perhaps Majesty's finally going to Pullmantur. Kind of makes some sense, basically swaping Empress for Majesty so she can join her Sovereign sisters.

We have been in 9576 on several occasions on BR, JW and RD. Very convenient to every where. Noise has never been a problem for us.

Same with us. DW and I are adding 9576 on the SE in a few weeks to complete our set. :D

The balcony is bigger, but not quite as big as it appears on the deck plans. Two chairs, table and one lounge chair

Actually, I think the deck plans show the balcony's size fairly accurately, and that is indeed what you can expect to find on it.

It is a forward facing balcony on the hump, so everyone forward of you can sea you on your balcony.

Now this I disagree with. One of the best things about that balcony is that it isn't a pure wedge shape, it's a standard balcony with a wedge-shaped addition. If you don't want to be seen by everyone else, just set the chair backs near the door glass just like they would be on a standard balcony, and you won't be seen. It's only when you venture out to the addtion that you can be seen, so that's entirely within your control.

Would book it again

Please don't. It makes it harder for us to get it! :p

Goodness, country music would be be torture!:eek:

Hopefully the Geneva Convention addresses that in a section pertaining to cruise passengers... :)

How's the noise on the other side of the hump where it's not open air?

Much better because of that wall, expect maybe for the cabins right across from the openings. That's why we always book a judiciously-chosen starboard hump cabin on a Radiance class. :)

Eugene - wish you lots of luck. Your passport card will not get you on an airplane. It is only good for driving or boat between USA, Canada and Mexico. If you miss the ship in say Barbados on a Friday you will need to wait until Monday morning to show up at the US Embassy.

Um, you misread my post. If I miss the ship in Barbados, I'd have my passport book with me, so no problem catching the next flight. The book I carry in port. The card never leaves the ship until I disembark. Thanks for the luck though.

Finally -- the voice of reason! I am with on this one - my passport is with me off the ship

Totally agree. We carry our passport books while in a foreign country. That's what they're made for. Copies have no status whatsoever. Neither do passport cards, which only have one official purpose, to get you back into the US by land or sea. We do also have the cards, but they're what remains in the safe at all times. If our books are lost or stolen, the cards will get us back in the US, and also make getting replacement books a cinch. Passport books, a credit card each, health cards, ship IDs, some cash, and a little point-and-shoot camera are what goes off the ship with us.

It certainty is the captain's decision.

One thing we noticed on our last cruise: at every port of call we docked so the bridge didn't face into the afternoon sun. We wondered if this was done on purpose so they don't have to look directly into the it and/or to keep the bridge cooler, but didn't get a chance to ask. The reason we noticed was that we had an aft, and our balcony was a broiler every port day :(. Might be another factor to consider if trying to guess which side will face the ports.

I bought this before XMAS when they had all sizes including CA King on sale for $29.99 http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2275891/the-big-one-gel-memory-foam-mattress-topper.jsp?color=Blue. Since then, it's been around $50 to $60 though.

Kohls now has these on sale for $29.99 again today, all sizes. I just ordered a couple for us. And don't forget to look online for coupon codes! I was able to save an additional $20 on my order.

It folds in thirds and then fits in a compression bag, and then inside a duffle bag. I just measured the compression bag that we're storing it in and when it's not compressed, it's about 22" long by about 11" in diameter - like a big sausage. :) I compressed it and then put it inside a duffle bag where there was extra room if needed to pack jackets or other soft clothing items. The compression bag is like something that you'd store a sleeping bag in, and has straps that you cinch up to make it smaller.

Do you have a link to the compression bag you use as well? Thanks.

what is your favorite itinerary or port of call? looking for ideas for 2018 cruise.

Itinerary: Alaska. We go every 10 years. 2018 is our next one. Maybe we'll see you there.

Port of Call: Victoria, BC. Quebec City would be 2nd. To be truthful, every Canadian port I've visited has been enjoyable.

Port of (Dis)embarkation: Copenhagen. Fantastic city to spend time in before or after a cruise, and spending a day doing the 'around the sound' loop (Copenhagen-Helsingor-Helsingborg-Malmo-back to Copenhagen) is worth every minute.

It's not as though you are sightseeing from your balcony on the cruise.

On the contrary, sometimes you do. When we did Norway on the BR, my DW came down with Noro and was confined to the cabin for a couple of days. Very glad then to have had 9576 with the extra large balcony so she should sit out there comfortably and more enjoy the scenery at the ports she was not allowed off to visit.

Kraft Mac n cheese, hot dogs, and peas. Yummy. You ca also substitute spam or tuna for hot dogs.

Have eaten the tuna one for ages, adding a can of cream of mushroom soup to make it more like tradtional tuna casserole. Very much one of my comfort foods.

I just got 8586 on Serenade. Not sure how deep the balcony is, but it doesn't appear to be like the very deep ones that are across the hall. I don't care about the shade because I can't sit out in the sun for long periods, so this will be great for us - especially if a lounger will fit in the space.

Here's a picture of those front humps on the Radiance class. The balconies on decks 9 and 10 stick out farther than those on 7 and 8, so they are a bit larger. I've seen pictures of 8586 (highlighted in the picture) both with and without loungers, so one should fit. I'd ask your cabin attendant for one if it doesn't have one when you get there.

"The space will be carved out of the top deck Crows Nest bar, on the port side where currently there is a partly partitioned area."

Rats. That's our favorite spot to relax. Quiet because of those partitions, comfortable because it has the only bench seating in the Crows Next, great views from all the windows, so of course that's where they put this waste of space. With the Oosterdam moving this winter to Tampa, our closest port, I was just thinking this weekend was a good time to make our booking on her. Now, not so much anymore.

"We decided to put it on the top of the ship so there will be lots of light. We are encouraging guests to unlock their creative juices."

That's the last thing I need on a cruise. Every day at work I'm churning out these 'creative juices'. That's what I'm trying to get away from on vacation.

"If it proves a success it will be rolled out across other ships in the fleet"

Heaven forbid.

I think they are aware and don't care

Pretty much the corporate motto of Royal Caribbean these days it seems ...

The inside portion of the Superior is about 20 sq ft larger, it's just the balcony that's not much different.

At least for non-connecting rooms, doesn't the Superior have a full-size sofa while the Deluxe just has a love seat?

I prefer the Vision and Radiance-class ships over the Voyager-class

So do we, which is why DW and I are quite content with our nearest port being Tampa. Nothing bigger than a Radiance class will fit. :D

In that short twelve years formal has become less and less observed to the letter and more and more exceptions seemed to be made now.

That those twelve years also correspond with the airlines adding charges for checked bags is probably not a coincidence.

This issue seems so easy to me. If you want to dress to the nines, do so whenever you want, and enjoy how your party looks and the admiration you'll get as you pass by other guests. If you expect others to dress to the nines for your viewing pleasure, get over it or go sail Cuinard.

Being vegan is a "life choice" but being a meat eater is as well.

Not necessarily. For those of us with salicylate allergies, eating meat and avoiding plant-based food is a medical necessity.