Starry Eyes

You had early dining and were mysteriously switched to MTD. Perhaps someone wanted to blame that mishap on your email to rcldining. That’s just blame shifting, unless you sent the worst phrased email ever so it was misinterpreted as a request to switch to MTD🙄. As your CruiseCritic posts are easily read, that seems highly unlikely.

Speaking of walking (or running)…don’t forget there are windows in the gym, so you can enjoy the view while you are on the treadmill. Have a wonderful cruise.

True but I assume other people read these threads. They are not necessarily on TA cruises yet may want ideas of places to relax if the weather is uncooperative on their cruise.

On sister ships I have seen Dazzles doors open during the day. The venue was quiet or had soft music piped in…YMMV. No bar tender was on duty during the day. Other times the venue is used for private functions during the day or it may be utilized for other gatherings (a dance class for example).

While perhaps not the direct sea view you were envisioning, Dazzles has large windows overlooking the boardwalk and wake.

I’ve done it multiple times, though always when I had cruise(s) booked. So far I’ve always been able to return to my list of cruises.

Try tapping the icon of head and shoulders, then tap select a different cruise. That should take you to your list of cruises (if any) and browse our ships

As I said I rather I doubt Brightline will represent a good option, though we will know more when schedules are out and trains are running to Orlando. Presumably one would catch a shuttle from Orlando to PC. It is not very efficient. Brevard County is lobbying Brightline for a station, perhaps in Cocoa. I hope they eventually succeed.

One way rental car seems most promising. If you are the type who makes friends during cruises, there is a chance somebody will be driving up I-95 and might be willing to drop you off at 520 where you could wait at a local business for an Uber to port. That would depend on the size of your party and how much luggage and your comfort level and charm level, but it would allow you to forgo your rental reservation. I think it would be cumbersome but I will mention that Brightline plans to open high speed train from Fort Lauderdale to their station at Orlando airport in the second quarter this year. No schedule announced yet though. Maybe someday there will be a station in Brevard.

Well, I’d want my TA to do more on my behalf. If you previously had early dining and neither your nor your TA requested a change to MTD, I’d ask the TA to call RCI (a conference call if you have time), point out they flubbed and fix the problem. You did not mention you ship though you mentioned toddlers. On most ships MTD opens later (6:45 or so). You may find you would be seated too late for the little ones if you stay in MTD.

If you did not request the change from early dining to MTD, I’d try to get that sorted out now. Call your TA (if you used one) or Royal (if you booked direct) ASAP.

FYI, your table number will also appear on the app, so you can even check your dining table assignment before you go to your cabin if you wish.

Patience, Grasshopper.😉 You are still 15 days out. You have sent emails 4 and 3 weeks (or perhaps a bit more?) before your cruise. Here on CruiseCritic posters generally suggest you wait until 2-3 weeks before your cruise. The reason: the people who arrange tables work in the cruises in order of departure. When you sent your first email they were working on cruises before yours. Give them time to work in your cruise. I did not get an email response to my request for my last cruise. Still, when we wandered into the dining room to find our table after boarding we found we had a very nice table for 2. Lack of an email is not evidence of denial.

To add to above comments: The first sign of a win will be credit card activity (quickly noted by those actively monitor their card activity; not so quickly by others).

Which ship? They have differing schedules.

The initial post suggests there us is a budget involved. If you are indeed watching the budget, the suggestions of going to a larger suite (while appealing) will likely break that budget as would two balconies. If budget matters, I’d sooner take two inside cabins rather than share a JS. Taking two cabins opens the question of inviting a fourth person for little additional money (if mom has a sister, for example); give it a thought or discard the thought if appropriate. If one of the cabins will be booked solo, I’d put the OP or spouse as the solo to get double points (whichever one currently has more C&A points or if they now have the same number the partner more likely to sail solo or with a friend in the future…as couples points are linked, both benefit when the point leader’s total grows)

I totally agree with everything Rockmom said until this point. Here we might diverge. If your group checks in together, have everyone look on their app for their table number/dining time. They should match if you asked for one large table. Early on day one just wander into the dining room and visit your actual table. If the app shows matching table number and you like the table location you are done, plus you can easily find the table the first evening. If There is an issue, seek assistance. If your group is not together at boarding (or soon after), so you cannot check everyone’s apps, follow Rockmom’s advice, confirming the arrangement at the dining room.

I do not believe cigar smoking is allowed in the casino, so that % would not be relevant. Your math is wrong. Most people who vape also smoke (only 15% of U.S. e-cigarette users are non-smokers-Annals of Internal Medicine, 2018), thus you cannot just add the percentages together; they overlap far too much.

It is nice that alternative are provided. Plus they are working near the DL, not on the DL. The DL may be impacted by noise or dust.

Though that has been said for years, a study says gamblers smoking habits reflect the population. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18276735/ If Royal Caribbean does this remodel on multiple Oasis class ships, the company can do their own “study.” Put smokers in smaller casino on at least one ship and observe the impact on the large casino. In some markets it may make sense to have the large casino be smoking. In other markets, nonsmoking. The US market is moving toward nonsmoking.

I like jazz, though I do not necessarily like the bands playing in Jazz in 4 during my cruises

There are now very few smoking locations on the ships. That means the few remaining smoking location will draw smokers. The smoking side of the casino has become the “smokers lounge” hosting both smokers who like to gamble and those mostly hanging around to smoke. Of course the smoke does not stay on its designated side of the casino. That drives away the nonsmokers who might like to gamble but will not tolerate the smoke. So, let’s do a mental exercise: From the smoking side, subtract all the smokers just hanging out to smoke (not really gambling). To the nonsmoking side add all the nonsmokers driven away by the smoke. Now the crowds have switched; there are more people in the nonsmoking side.

I agree with you….that’s what makes sense for the US market where the % smokers is 12% and falling.

Jazz on 4 is adjacent to the DL. There have been rumors that the jazz clubs will be converted to additional casino space, so that is a possibility.

Everyone with RoyalUp bids gets that email. So lists of those emails and just a few late wins. We put the tags on our bags and they are delivered to the assigned stateroom. In the unlikely event of a late upgrade, you could look there for your bags.