hcat

great review so far.. excellent pics.. brings back memories of being there pre- cruise some years ago.. If I had that tub in my hotel room..I'd have to take a soak..esp pre- cruise and after a long flight. I agree with you abt Crab Cakes.. Everyone raved about the ones in EDEN on Ascent..they had plenty of crab but were way salty! Glad I only took a taste! And those ribs oh my !

There is an Lite breakfast/ coffee hr.. Not sure is E plus only or if it includes Elite. Cafe Baccio has am coffee set up to go.

E Class ships will be closer to Royal.. younger, more lively, loud pool games, late night parties But it mostly depends on the ship, itin, time of yr. Diff program for loyalty drinks...Overall in our opinion, X is more upscale and has more personal service. We chose X years ago over Royal . no regrets!

how was your excursion?

hi there.. I'll be looking for your review! Doing a b2b means a return to port and starting anew! Interesting !

Roof top is more casual..maybe not great for a sea day..although we had a perfect night..great food. We loved EDEN! Perfect!

hi Lois.. Welcome Back..long time since Labadee!

i dont think they routinely over book but want every cabin filled ..more concessions to gamblers, groups etc ..reminds me of " Stuff a Bus"

"kids sail free", 4 in a cabin, & the move up program all lead to ships sailing full...packed! Nice to enjoy one's own balcony ; go to the outdoor pools, solarium or hot tubs early, if possible. Do your best to avoid loud and shouty areas! Dine early in MDRs & book specialty dining res for lunch and dinner to avoid lines or beepers. Unfortunately, many people do not get off at certain ports like San Juan or Nassau...so it's hard to get the ship to yourself anymore..but less crowded for awhile. Hope others can share their strategies!

we use Saline spray too..we believe they work....

not just insurance..we had a tram tour on Grand Cayman.. supposed to fit 4 or 5 across the bench seat.m and had a wt limit... having a few oversized folks take up the seats..max 3 across, left everyone else squashed up..was not pleasant...

well worth it all around.. our last porter brought all our luggage up to our car in the port parking garage..and loaded the car.. He earned our gratitude and a Big tip!

we were asked to share our comments add opinions...We think some of the enhancements disfavor AQ guests! Do you have any feedback..pos or neg?

i was there with my parents on a cruise in the 6o's...We loved the warm and wonderful people, but Papa Doc was in charge. Our guide carried a weapon! I was a bit nervous but we not disturbed. Hope things improve but the near term outlook is grim! Gangs, dictators, hard to get aid in there!

that's a win... better than Nassau!

This is another big dilution of AQ Class perks, yet prices for those AQ Class rooms are now sky high! AQ Class was designed initially for healthy dining ( BLU) and a spa like experience. FIRST DILUTION: Allowed suite guests in ("subject to availability"..but they often hop the lines and BLU fills to capacity). Once Luminae was established, BLU should have been back to an AQ Class exclusive. If Luminae is inferior and not popular..why not improve it? SECOND DILUTION: No more afternoon canapes..yet Concierge Class has them..for better or worse. Also more events exclusive for CC Classm THIRD DILUTION: Loss of priority boarding at times to Concierge Class so those pax can get on board for the lunch. NEW DILUTION OF AQ CLASS: Adding suite guest access to Persian Garden and Thermal suite( E Class). No big deal on E Class due to poor design and lack of popularity..But this change will overcrowd the other class ships..and result in more heated lounger hogs etc. And will def overcrowd the Relaxation Rooms..exclusive to AQ Class and those booked into the spa ...already too many sneak in and chat the day away! We just booked Concierge Class on Silho, after loving AQ Class from its inception. In our opinion, CC is a better value at the moment..even factoring in Specialty Dining each night. X keeps changing things so there is no real expectation of receiving what was initially booked..Very chintzy!

Not eliminating telephones, but they will push the chat....like many other companies' cust service connections.

so no personal tel no to call? if one has no cell phone or access to the app.. no chat? some of the " enhancements" are walk backs of cuts! need for an excursion specialist would be nil if that dept functioned better and had more info..

Great photos.. we are considering a land based stay there. looks great! snorkeling is not our main focus anymore..

if these is true. then we wont give extra tips in cash. ither than BLU team...maybe use a generic gift card for Cabin Attendant..can't pool or confiscate that..hopefully

our dtr just had two bathrooms completely re done. Used a slider door in the children's bath along the tub edge...has nice towel bars. Our aunt/ uncle, late 80's had a glass slider in their condo on tub edge, but used a curtain in front of it.. said it was for added privacy and she liked how pretty the curtain looked! And could change the decor for a refresh. In Fla, we have a walk in shower...no door or curtain needed just tile and glass .. In guest suite..it's a pretty curtain with a sturdy liner . BUT: on Infinity we had a curtain..complete with mildew! Ew...it was gross! (The whole shower needed bleach) We asked for curtain to be washed or replaced... downfall of older ships!

here's a link to one abt Japan https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3005641-best-of-japan-millennium-52-515/

There have been several recent reviews with great photos, travel info & commentary.(not precisely Vietnam). If you search them out, it might be a great help.. One is linked in this thread.

thanks..sorry for jumping the gun! def saving that for our next ABC cruise.. pvt booking or thru X,

what beach were you at in the posted photos?