Donut23

20 hours ago, Fogfog said:

TY Donut

I didn't even consider the salt-- oh gosh-- it will be expensive to maintain. And Cooling--- yikes

Why oh why would the marine architects do this? OR was this a marketing choice and no one asked the experts regarding upkeep and costs to run the HVAC? 

They probably did it because when the hulls are happy, they are absolutely stunning.

i have often wondered how NCL hulls look up close.  Now that I think about it, we haven’t been nearby an NCL ship in say, forever.

1 minute ago, kearney said:

I am not an expert and I did not even stay at a Holiday Inn... just making an assumption based upon the limited info they provided. But what does Disney do to keep their blue hulls looking so nice?  Doesn't HAL have dark hulls as well? They must have some trick to maintaining the luster of their hulls over time.

Im sure they have clearcoat over

Our last cruise we were docked next to a ship you mentioned and she looked very shabby.

Celebrity’s blue stripe didn’t always look well either.

Then again, last time we sailed on the Radiance of the Seas her hull looked gastly with rust and paint patches.  It would help if they used the same color white and same type of paint.

i think what will get them will be how they repair Boo Boos......fenders rubbing on mirror finishes will make the shine dull, a ding on the pier, a touch of rust.  

On dark hulls any imperfection shows like a red light on The Block in downtown Baltimore.

33 minutes ago, kearney said:

I recall reading that there is something special about the paint on Edge. Between the special paint and the micro bubblers installed and the new/old hull shape... the ship trims 40% of their fuel costs. I assume that they are using this same paint on the other ships. I am guessing that the additives to the paint require the paint color to be something other than white... so perhaps that is the reason for the dark blue color. Just a thought

I can only speak from my yachting experience and this has been around forever.

We had an ablative bottom paint on the yacht I ran.  Basically teeny/micro/mini amounts of bottom paint would wash off as we moved vs. bottom paint designed to leech the copper/anti-fouling properties requiring you to have boat hauled each year to apply more paint.

Ablative paints are super convenient.  The first layer was blue, then 2 coats of black.  We didn’t have to think of hauling her until the blue paint began to show through - generally longer than conventional paint.

these ships don’t haul out each year.  Their bottoms could be seriously fouled with grass by then.  It’s amazing how much a dirty bottom adversely affects speed.

hummmm......the same could be said for people too!  😲😉

44 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

TY Donut

I didn't even consider the salt-- oh gosh-- it will be expensive to maintain. And Cooling--- yikes

Why oh why would the marine architects do this? OR was this a marketing choice and no one asked the experts regarding upkeep and costs to run the HVAC? 

I will be the first to admit that a dark blue (or the dark green hull I ran), when clean, are stunning.   John kept his 56’ Hull pristine.  In a tropical anchorage I was just another white hull sailboat.  John was unique.

Years later I ran a private 59’ Hinkley, deep emerald green.  I used to wash and wipe down, by hand, the hull before the boss arrived and anytime she showed salt.

i remember one trip the boss wanted to dock her.  He doinked the dock and left a scratch through the green paint. Thankfully I had a Green sharpy to cover the white scratch until we got home.

ok ..... how many blue sharpys will the Summy and Milly carry to touch up Boo Boos.  Hahaha

On 1/26/2019 at 10:14 AM, Fogfog said:

The deep blue hull is lovely

 

Really looking fwd to details on public spaces AQ rooms (11 aft) , spa, Blu and any specialty restaurants that may remain

 

Deep blue, from my experience in sailing charters (I ran a 60’ white hull and best friends ran a 56’ dark blue hull)....dark blue rarely looks well after cruising in salty ocean water.  The salt clings to the hull making the blue look faded and blotchy.  My friend used to hose down his hull any time he could.

For the engineers, dark colored hulls are a B..ch in the tropical sun. Those AC units work especially hard keeping up.

If you happen to be in Seattle' date=' there is a whole museum devoted to his work.[/quote']

 

EXCELLENT displays and don't forget the gardens after dark.

 

 

 

 

Here is a walking tour. In the room with the glass overhead I actually walked into the wall because I was totally captured looking above.

 

Enjoy!

Sorry you are very mistaken.

I have had the pleasure of doing DD twice - on Quantum and on Anthem.

And I love it. As do others. As proven by the number of disappointed posts (by those who have done it ) on this thread.

I'm sure Royal would have not decided to scrap DD on Oasis class (and all but Quantum Class) if the DD feedback had been strongly positive. It seems Royal has listened to their guests and made a decision in favor of the majority.

Yippee!

Count me as a happy lady! Hubsters and I enjoy the company of new friends each evening at a great big table. Fun conversation with interesting people---Royal has rarely let us down with table companions.

If they had decided to refit ships other than Oasis, we would be shopping for a new cruiseline.

BEST news? Sounds like Royal will continue to listen to it's guests----one of the things I have always appreciated about them.

I would like to see them, at least attempt to, return to prior staffing levels. I know every corporation is cutting payroll. "Biggest controllable expense". I wouldn't mind paying a little more to have the ship a little less frantic. Ah heck. I guess I'm an old poop.

I realize it is far more affordable to operate the "big girls" - avg. cost p/passenger is less. However, I would love to see a continuation of the Radiance Class. Hubby and I find the Panamax size is perfect for us. How cool would a Radiance Class ship be with all the new innovations in the last 10-15 years. Yes, old poop again!

Allow DD to go the way of New Coke.

They won't be expected to dress formal every night - just two, the formal nights. Without DD, there will be formal nights. The problem now will be that some folks knowing that DD was to be on their sailing, did not bring any formal wear (they planned to skip Grande) - so come formal nights, the riot will be in the Windjammer.:cool:

I'm sure you have seen what people wear into the MDR on formal night. I doubt attire will be a problem ------ sadly. I liked "the olden days" with tux's' and long dresses. Of course we outgrew all that and just dine elsewhere.

While I agree with that, I just think it's nuts for people to have so much hatred for something they haven't tried. Same for people who LOVE it so much without trying it.

 

I don't need to burn myself & wind up in the hospital to know the stove is hot!

I don't need to see the wind to feel it!

I don't need to get ebola to know I don't want it!

I don't need to have someone steal all my belongings/money to know that it would suck!

 

Trying DD isn't comparable. It's just not even in the same ballpark.

 

I was *convinced* that I would hate cruising. I'd heard about it from family, co-workers, seen TV shows about it, etc. I was sure I would hate it. I didn't need to try it because I KNEW I would hate it.

 

I tried it and realized I was stupid to discount something that I hadn't tried.

First; please do not generalize. Everyone here is an individual with our unique points of view.......thanks :-)

Hubsters and I feel that DD will eliminate part of our cruise experience we enjoy. We like the MDR experience. We have been lucky through our years of cruising to have large tables filled with interesting people. We cannot wait to get to the MDR to listen to everyone 's adventures of the day.

We also enjoy the rapport with our Waiter and Assistant waiter......hearing about where they are from, families, photos of newborns.

Once we found our Assistant Waiter trying to checkin for his flight home from Orlando. We had seen photographs of his BEAUTIFUL wife and adorable young son who was an exact Mini-Me. We knew we were the last of his sailings for two months.

Hubby and I helped sit on his luggage over-stuffed with gifts for his family. All 3 of us had a big laugh and more hugs as he headed home to India.

We DO cheat on our MDR staff with Chops....generally on formal nights. We have been known to mosey back to the MDR after.......to checkin with our table peeps!

DD would eliminate this and for us, it's just a cruise experience we are not willing to trifle with.

We don't HATE DD, it's just not for us and enough to change a cruiseline to avoid.

HOW ABOUT THIS??????

RCI insists that the Oasis will eventually offer DD, after all.....they spent buckets of $$$$$ to modify restaurants.

How about allowing the Oasis to change to DD if they can get the bugs fixed and keep the Allure as she is now. This way there will be options for everyone! (And if Oasis is replaced in the Caribbean, send her replacement out with DD)

Good compromise?

So sorry for the ramble!

ah . . . no.

Two connecting cabins and keep the higher OBC is a pretty good deal.

Get off your pride and enjoy the cruise . . .

Wow! Call me sympathetic but you may want to work on your delivery a teensy bit.

For me, moving to an interior cabin after booking a balcony is unsatisfactory. Then again, I suffer from extreme claustrophobia from a freak accident where I was trapped with limited air. Even have to take something to fly and I used to be a wiz.

Anyway..... It's a big ship. Dangle an OBC in front of a triple cabin.....upgrade......somebody will move for this family. Especially because it was not the guests' fault.

Do the right thing, Royal and you will keep a customer and lots of excellent free PR. Move them down to inside cabins and they will get stinky PR. It's a customer service no brainer.

I was a TA in a former life. Royal can move heaven and earth to make things right. They did some serious customer service help years ago with guests on the Monarch when she ran aground in Phillipsburg. I had 4 couples onboard and a honeymoon couple on next. They " colored outside the lines" for my guests.

I have been having trouble finding a cruise out of Florida for next January. I was looking for at least a ten night but might have to settle for seven nights. I saw much better itineraries on another line but have already left a deposit for Royal Caribbean on the Jewel of the Seas a few weeks ago.

Checkout Serenade - alternating 10 and 11 night Southern Caribbean departing from Ft. Lauderdale. We grabbed a few aft facing balconies (our Radiance Class favorite cabins) at a dirt cheep earring booking price for January 2016. Very happy!

I'm passing this along to a friend cruising in March.

My only comment.....as a scooter rider. I guarantee they would give just about anything to walk well without it. I know I would.

I enjoy following the pretty Grandeur. Besides embarking 30 minutes from me, we first met when she was brand new and I was a travel professional. She is a charming little ship.

mdr one night in chops

Ditto!

We bail for formal nights but love, love, love the social aspect of the MDR. I like my servers to know my preferences and with one exception, we have had brilliant table companions. We are generally rushing down at 8:30 to hear about all the daily adventures and enjoy dinner with our newest friends.

When you've experience Dynamic Dining, come back and tell us then. Don't shoot something until you've tried it.

 

If you want traditional dining just choose one restaurant and book the same time every night, same thing.

It's not only the fact that we have little interest in the structure of deciding restaurants and times months ahead, we would miss the overall experience of dining in the Main Dining Room.

Only once have we had anything but absolutely charming dinner companions....we changed tables and problem solved. We always ask for the largest table and second seating. Our tables have included couples from all over, interesting conversation we look forward to every night. We cannot wait to get there and hear what they have done that day. Conversation improves each day as we get to know them.

BIG enough to abandon Royal if this becomes fleet wide....and we were MARRIED on our beloved Radiance.

Highest I have been in is a Cat 3 in my boating days a long time ago. There will be few leaves on the trees, damage could be extensive. If Powerful and Faithful are damaged (tugs currently at the dock in Hamilton) they will have trouble with shipping and tricky channels. Power lines will be affected. Guests in hotels could be using the pools as bath tubs with no power to pump water.

I remember after Huga in St. Thomas the manager of the provisioning company we used ate canned food for almost a month until power was restored. She said she couldn't walk down the supermarket aisle with canned tuna.

The good news? Buildings and homes in Bermuda are generally built well. Hopefully that will cut down on flying projectiles----very dangerous in hurricanes.

If this is a 3 or 4, it may take Bermuda a wee bit to bounce back.

Hard to find people more nice than the people of Bermuda. Keep them in your prayers tonight. It's always more frightening after dark.

My neighbor was on the Grandeur for Easter. She was spitting fire about so many children on the ship. Somehow it was a surprise because she wanted to get away from children. She is a teacher.

In her case the children were just too much.

I wouln't call the aft on deck 10 the worst place on the ship. E

 

Even if it is an inside

Agreed!

We sailed in 1688 and LOVE aft cabins. No one comes back there past your cabin but staff and guests with other aft rooms. It will be wonderfully quiet for the baby!

You are a quick scoot up to the fun decks so the elevator is not needed.

You may like the quiet of being away from everyone. We LOVE our afts!

Go....turn lemons to Lemonaid. Bermuda is going to knock your socks off!

The Royal Caribbean guests who will probably feel the biggest impact will be the guests on the Grandeur of the Seas. She returns to Baltimore July 4. That will put her in the Atlantic, crossing the Gulf Stream on Thursday....in the middle of the storm.

Get out those air sickness bags ..... Talk about a bumpy ride!

Just back from the Radiance in Alaska. Chops was empty-----old menu. There were 3 tables of guests and 2 tables of officers .

If the new menu cannot pull people in it does not look like clear sailing for Chops.

So let me get this right.......

You are upset with Royal because they are standing behind a safety issue by a vendor for a shore excursion?

Have you considered these rules may be in place for a reason......like your precious little one's well being.

Would you also complain about the cruiseline if you booked a private company and God Forbid something tragic happened?

Has anyone ever checked in case of water out of Baltimore?

Yes, no problem.

Case sealed in original plastic and large paper with names , reservation number and room number taped to case.

Always do it. Never a problem.

Most recently, June 6. Seward , Alaska.

Ship water may taste fine to some, I can tell the difference.

I enjoy my cups of hot tea and bring my own tea AND at least 1 case if bottled water. The case is wrapped in original packaging and I tape bright paper with our names, reservation number and cabin number.

NEVER had a problem.

Last time? June 6th-Radiance in Seward, Alaska.

Take your water. It's a snap!

I booked a D1 cabin on the hump of Deck 9 for my 2015 Southbound Alaskan cruise, on the starboard side. I'm going to try and change to a D2 Aft cabin if one is available. If not, will I be missing out on a lot of nice scenery, since the Alaskan coastline will be on the port side? This will be my first Alaskan cruise and I would like to make the most of it.

 

Thanks.

If all booked, keep eyes open for cancellations and be ready to pounce.

Hubsters first aft was on the Radiance in Alaska, caught it about 2 weeks before final payment. He lived it south he wimpers if I consider a different cabin area.