Aviendah

Don't forget to consider Maya Key as an excursion. Our kids loved it and it was our favorite stop. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1548960&page=4

Wanted to provide an update on this balcony question. Yes! The balconies do connect but it's a smaller hatch door that opens on the actual divider. The full divider doesn't open but the hatch door does.

We just got off the Breeze traveling with 7 kids/teens. Regarding the slides, they went down them a couple times on the 8 day trip and then they didn't go back. It's Spring break and the lines were long and the pools were full until evening. The 2.0 features are nice but they don't make or break our trip.

I enjoyed the Breeze but I would book Valor again in a heartbeat. The pizza was so much better on the Valor!! :)

The spa balcony rooms have such a fantastic view! The coves seem very confined to me due to the lifeboats overhead. Granted, being close to the water is appealing but being able to see everything is much preferred by my family of 4.

I'll be using it on the Breeze tomorrow and will report back!

Thank you for offering to report back. We're planning to use the app to chat with our group of 13. Not thrilled to carry my phone around but the convenience of the chat feature should make it worth it.

We love the open balconies!!

Loved the view from the spa deck balcony!

I just watched a video on you tube and they show connecting staterooms and a connecting balcony on the Breeze. I guess we won't know for sure until we get on board!

I honestly do NOT see why wearing a tie, or dressing up a bit is such a huge concern for so many people. I will mail a tie to someone going on a cruise that can't afford one

To assume one cannot afford a tie because one chooses not to wear one, is rather presumptuous. When one wears business formal throughout the work week, one does not wish to don formal attire on vacation even when said one can afford a suite.

My DH watched some youtube videos of the views from a cove balcony and that helped him determine the higher balcony level. He too felt the water rushing by might make him more prone to motion sickness. The videos are a good indicator and I'm glad we looked them up.

Unless you are like my DH and even watching something move can make you sick! He can't watch 3D movies or read a map for long in the car.

Honestly however, we book a stateroom as high up (and even forward) as we can go because of the fantastic balcony views. Even my DH chose the spa balcony over the cove because of the view and he's the one that suffers from motion sickness. Meclizine nightly takes care of any sickness he might have unless seas are really rough. I think the coves are really cool and would like to try one someday but for now, we'll go higher for the great views.

Love the spa deck. Makes me feel special somehow. Very quiet, private and away from the crowd. I will always choose a spa balcony as well because of the fantastic views!!

In my search for stateroom photos and descriptions for our friends who are traveling with 3 young children I found this CC post. I already know that the stateroom descriptions do NOT state that the balconies connect for rooms 9247 and 9251. I'm trying to determine if the OP in the following post was confused or if there is some truth to her statement. Kristi, if you're still reading I would love to hear from you! It would be totally awesome if the balconies and rooms both connect though it seems unlikely.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1933060&highlight=9251

We were in cabins 9247 and 9251. The reason I'm throwing that out there is because this is the first inside connecting balconies we've ever had that also had connections on the OUTSIDE, too. The steward opened the balcony right up and we could connect inside and out. It was awesome! We liked this location and really enjoyed the close proximity to Lido.

We were in 1112 on the Valor. I have a review in my signature with stateroom photos. The balcony door does slide. Loved the spa balcony!

1272 6M 230 sq ft

Beds: two twins (convert to king)-single sofa bed

View: window

Bathrooms (2): shower-toilet-sink / junior tub-sink

Features: Interactive LCD TV, telephone, 110 AC current, individual climate control, hair dryer, safe, minibar, 3-closets, desk and ottoman seat, sofa and coffee table

OP, what a phenomenal photo!!! Gratz! I bet John Heald would use it as a cover on his FB page. :)

Thank you jamscckmc.

We were on the Triumph before so the dress code may have been more relaxed.

No slacks for my husband, he doesn't even own a pair. He is the VP of a large construction company here in the DFW area and starched jeans are as fancy as he gets :D

I will have him pack his starched black jeans, just in case, and we will talk to the Maitre d prior to the elegant night but hopefully his tailored shorts will work fine.

We have never been refused entry into the MDR on elegant nights when DH was in tailored shorts. He wears a belt and leather beach sandals, not flip flops. As was stated before, many cruisers aren't aware of the "rules" and fail to bring appropriate attire.

It's rather like when the ladies started wearing pants to church. Now we wear jeans. That was actually a harder transition for me than not dressing formal for elegant night. :D

The only pants my DH and teenage boys bring are for the plane. For elegant nights they wear tailored khaki knee length shorts and nice button down shirts. I wear sundresses most nights in the MDR. I wear suits for work and I enjoy relaxed attire when on vacation. We used to dress very formal on elegant nights but over the years we've become much more casual.

I agree they should combine the Fun Hub app with the premium internet package or at least reduce the fee. We won't be purchasing internet however and will only use the app. I'm looking forward to a week of falling off the face of the earth.

It's too bad the menus aren't in the Fun Hub app yet. Have you used the chat/group chat feature? This is the functionality I believe our group of 13 will find most useful. The kids may also find the deck maps helpful as well.

Great feedback on using VPN for secure site access. Surely they'll get this issue fixed soon as I can't imagine non-geek, non-vpn users will be very happy without https access.

We cruise in March and were wondering if Matt will be on the Breeze. I too have been waiting for this info. Not that the CD really matters but my OCD pressures me to keep looking. :)

Tanceuticals with a mitt. Love that stuff! Pricey but worth it.

We love the spa deck cabins because of the openness and the view. My DH is terribly susceptible to motion sickness; even driving makes him queasy on hilly roads. He starts taking Meclizine at night a few days before before we cruise to get it built up in his system and then he takes a full dose every night when we cruise. So far he's loved the forward spa cabin and our last cruise was very windy. We were just in Las Vegas and the roads by Hoover Dam actually made him ill if that gives you an idea of how sensitive he is to motion. For us, the expansive view is totally worth it!