gizmo42

Thank you for sharing your cruise! I really enjoyed reading it. Helps pass the time until our family cruise next Feb 2025 (Bella 2 on Wonder). It will be the first time we (my 3 sons, their significant others and I) will sail in Star class cabins. Long wait but we are really excited!!

I love following your reviews! Thank you for taking the time to share your cruise with us. Hope you and your family have a great vacation.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I especially enjoyed all the wonderful pictures! My last cruise was in 2018 but now I have one scheduled for 2025 (the Bella 2 on Wonder; so excited!). Being able to read great reviews like yours helps pass the time until then.

Andrew,

Thank you so much for sharing your cruise with us. It will bring back great memories of the first time my family took a cruise, Freedom in 2010.  Wishing you and Lisa a happy anniversary and wonderful, relaxing cruise!

Hi Jim

So glad you both made it to the ship yesterday. I'm looking forward to following along on all your adventures and seeing your wonderful photos! It is a fun positive way to start my day.  Gail

Charla, thank you so much for doing a live report. I really enjoy your writing style and the great pictures! Reading your live report is a fun positive way to start my day. I look forward to your next adventure. Have a safe trip home.

Thank you for the recommendation. You've asked questions I haven't even thought about! yet!  I will give Steve a call.

I am taking my adult children and their significant others on a cruise and paying for cruise portion (they will probably be paying for airfare and hotel). In calling several places  (travel insurance websites that offer policies from different companies and one travel insurance company) getting conflicting answers for something and would like to know others experience, please.

If we have to cancel cruise, this is what I have been told:

1. To show proof of purchase, family members should write me a check for their portion, writing purpose of check in note field. Then I can just give money right back to them. So canceled check is proof of purchase for cruise.

2. Since the cruise company invoice shows each person individually and how much is paid, this will be sufficient proof.

3. It doesn't really matter but wouldn't hurt to go with option #1.

Any opinions/experiences appreciated. TIA

Thank you for taking us along on your cruise. Looks like you and your kids are having a wonderful time! I'm looking forward to cruising with my three sons and their SOs on Wonder in early 2025. So a looong wait!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I'm enjoying your fun and informative review. Can't wait for more!

Thank you for taking the time to post this wonderful trip report! I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pictures were great, especially you and Gen Z in matching dresses. It was easy to tell you both had a fun time. Safe travels home. Can't wait for your next adventure!

Hi Ken

Thank you for a terrific trip report so far! It is fun learning about ports I've never considered before and a cruise line I've never sailed. Your photos are fantastic, especially the wildlife!! Enjoy the rest of the cruise.

Gail

Hi Jim. Thank you for taking us along on your cruise. Your reviews are always fun and informative. And I really enjoy your fantastic pictures!! A great way to start my day along with morning coffee.

Enjoy the rest couple days of the cruise.

Gail

Thank you again for your wonderful live review and amazing picture!. Have a safe trip home. Best wishes for a successful surgery.

Thank you for a fun, informative review and fabulous pictures. I especially enjoyed sharing all the wildlife photos with my daughter who has a degree in wildlife biology. Have a safe trip home.

Thank you, Jim, for the encouraging words. She is the second of my 4 children with cancer in their 30's. My middle son had a rare oral cancer 3 years ago, is cancer free now. I definitely know the power of a positive attitude and lots of prayers.

Gail

Hi Jim,

Long time lurker here who would like to thank you for taking the time to do a wonderful review. I haven't been doing any traveling since last year. My daughter, who moved back home after graduation(with her 3 cats) was diagnosed with breast cancer last November. It is a long journey, with chemo, surgery and radiation going well, with one last round of drugs that will be over in a few months. So the point of my story is after close to a year of pretty much only leaving the house for grocery pick up and medical appointments it brings me joy to start my morning “traveling” with you and Iain. Your wonderful details and awesome pictures take me to places I hope to see some day. Thank you!!

Gail

Hi,

It has been over a week since I first posted about my experience booking cabins with a NF deposit.

Here is my experience, part 2 (and final):

After my TA talked to 3 different RCCL reps, we finally got answers that made sense. Instead of five of us in a family cabin we now have two couples, each in their own OV balcony; since that left me by myself I talked my two sisters into coming. We were able to add them to a booking with me and we decided to treat ourselves to a Grand Suite (definitely a once in a life time opportunity for me!). Taking Biker19's advise, the TA, RCL rep and I did a three way phone call today and were able to make all the changes I wanted.

Thank you to everyone who responded to my original post. I really appreciated your support and helpful advise.

I can't wait for us to start digging into the next phase of planning; shows, dining, activities, excursions :D:D

Gail

Thanks for your comments andsuggestios.

To DACMOM, no my TA does not charge afee. The first RC representative she talked to quoted the $250 feeeven though all the info I found on my booking agreement from thefirst TA and RCL website only mentioned the $100 fee, and only forchanging ship or dates. Luckily the TA I'm working with now believesin the “if you don't like the first answer, call back and talk tosomeone else” philosophy :D

Thank you MikeBTN and Biker19 forsuggestions on how I could handle a call back to RCI for a resolutionto my booking. Both are very helpful suggestions that I hadn'tthought of.

Hi,

I just wanted to share my experiences(so far) with Royal's NRD.

A little background first. I am takingmy 4 kids and their spouses on a cruise Dec 2018 on HarmonyOTS. Idecided to use a TA because I wanted help with cabin selection. (I'veonly been on 2 cruises in the last 3 years; my friend and I booked directly withthe cruise line – Princess). She suggested 2 OV balconies with 2people each and an Ultra spacious OV/extra large balcony for 5 of us(I believe it is currently called a Family OV Stateroom/Balcony). Iexpressed reservations about the size and having to use the pullmans;she assured me it would be fine She did not tell me about or explainI was booking with a NRD. I booked on July 5 so it was a very newpolicy. I also should have asked more questions. :o

Part 1

After getting helpful opinions here in a separatepost about 5 people in one cabin, I decided to change cabins. At thispoint I now have a different TA; the first person moved out of state andI was assigned to someone in a different office. When she called RC,the rep told her I would have to pay a $250 fee per person to change to different cabins. (My original deposit was $250 per person) IfI only changed myself to another cabin, I would pay the $250 plusanother $250. This was because RC only puts 4 people on a bookingnumber even if there are more than 4 in the cabin. I was included inthe 4 person booking number. They would have to move the 5th personto the 4 person booking number but there would be a $250 fee forthat (even though she stayed in the same cabin). This first RC repinsisted that changing cabins and/or booking numbers was the same as canceling thebookings. Needless to say both TA and I are beyond frustrated at this point!!

Part 2

My TA called RC again today.This is what a different person told her. The rep could “slide”the fifth person to the four-person booking number; then “slide”me to the fifth person's booking number . We will have to switchcabins for the 4-person booking because the current cabin is for 5-6people. TA didn't think (but not sure) we could split the 4 people between 2 cabins;we probably need to decide on a cabin for 4. Maybe worth another call to Royal, maybe a supervisor?? I can get my own cabin (ifmy sister can go, I won't have to pay the single supplement). I willbe talking with my kids this weekend to go over options. Hopefully we will have everything worked out next week.

If I had known about the NRD, I wouldhave asked more questions and looked at all the options when booking. :D

Thanks for letting me vent my frustration; feel free to offer comments or opiniions.

Gail

RCLFan,

Thank you for your answer. It was very helpful

Gail

Thank you to everyone who replied. I really value your opinions. They confirmed what I suspected, it will be very cramped:eek::eek:. Definitely going to get 2 cabins in place of the 1 family cabin. I try to take everyone on a family trip every 3-4 years and I want us to be able to enjoy it.

Hi,

I am taking my 4 adult children andtheir spouses for a week on the Harmony OTS in December, 2018. Sincethere are 9 of us, the travel agent I decided to use suggested cabin11172 for 5 of us and two OV Bals for the other four. In thecurrent deck plans 11172 is a Family OV balcony. In the new deckplans for our sailing it is Ultra Spacious OV with large balcony.They both have the same square footage listed on deck plans. I amhaving second thoughts about 5 of us in one cabin so any opinions orexperience you can share would be helpful.

Thanks, Gail

Really enjoying your review. Lots of useful information and entertaining! I have a loooong wait before my family is on Harmony in December 2018. There will be 9 of us, me, my four kids and their spouses.

You mentioned that Adrenaline Beach is rocky. What about Columbus Cove? Did you go in the water and was it also rocky? Would you recommend water shoes if we spend a lot of time in the water?

Thanks for taking the time to do a review; can't wait for more.

Gail

Hi ADPMOM,

Thank you for the very informative review and great pictures!! I am starting to plan a family cruise for my 4 children and their spouses/fiances. My oldest DS and DIL have been on all the Freedom class ships the past 3 or 4 years for heavy metal themed cruises so they want to try another class. We are all interested in trying a Big ship. Your review has convinced me there will be plenty to do and see, even if some of the group doesn't want to spend extra money for excursions. I'm looking at Dec 2018 or into 2019 (2 are attending different universities and of course the academic schedules are different).

The great views from your balcony will help with ideas for rooms.

I'm glad you and your family had a wonderful time and that your husband on the mend. Thank you again for a wonderful review.