LidoBoy

Thanks. I have not kept tabs on recent changes. I typically purchase online, but for some reason I convinced myself to chase down a $5.00 savings onboard. Imagine my surprise when I discovered they add 18% gratuity.

If I wait to buy a 3 night dining package onboard the Navigator, will 18% gratuity be added to the package? I had seen on a post earlier that the 3-night package is only $70, which is sold for $5.00 more online. But if 18% will be added, then I'll buy online where gratuity is not added.

Thanks,

I can count on one hand how many times I have been to a five star restaurant. So I don't find myself comparing the specialty restaurants to five stars. I compare them to the MDR and on RCL they are far better. You bet I am not happy with the increasing prices of the specialty restaurants. I was around when Chops was introduced and remember how cheap it was.

These days after 15 years of cruising on RCL, I find myself hitting up the buffet more times than the MDR for dinner. Most recently I have found what a great experience the MDR is for breakfast. I love the french toast and being served.

Here's another idea. Show up at the cruise port super early and walk around with a sign that says "Will pay for unused drink card!" Of course only offering to give 50% of value. Then sell them for 90% of value on the ship. :tropical-drink: :p

If you buy a drink card (or two) on the first leg of your B2B, can those same cards be used on the second leg of the B2B?

Sorry if this has been asked and answered before.

The OP's question has been a curiosity of mine for a while. At some point during a cruise I will ask my 'friendly' bartender and I have found the answer is typically that the tip you add to your bill goes to the server. If you give cash, it is pooled and shared for that shift or some agreement among the bartenders. I should preface this by saying I normally asked the bartenders this question on the pool or pool+1 decks. So other bars may vary.

Just got off Oasis (9/13-9/17) and the speed is not at Voom levels in my opinion. A Speedtest on various days and times would not even reach half of 1Mbps download. I had better speed on the Freedom last March. On Oasis, I was able to stream audio with minimal disruptions. Streaming a video was extremely painful if not impossible.

The RC site on my computer shows noon update today with no change. Waiting for a 6:00 p.m. update....

Clear your temporary internet files and try again. The site does an awful job of dealing with cached copies of that page. Do you hear me RCCL web site developers. How about adding no-cache & expire headers and meta tags.

The latest tracks have the Hurricane still off the coast of Cuba on Saturday. I am no expert but I would think Port C is far enough north for the Oasis to leave As expected. Ships out of FLL or Miami might be a different story.

Oasis is on a Western itinerary this week and its last two days are Cozumel and then day at sea. The issue is will it be able to return to POC on time. Current prediction models puts Irma in the Oasis return route unless they can be routed south of Cuba, which would cost RCL lots in fuel. But that may be too far for an on time return to POC.

Hang in there folks, the entire story will play out over the next week. I love the suspense. ;);p But then I don't have any skin I the game.

They really need to get that guy off of twitter.:rolleyes:

From the "Hurricane Irma Update" page on rccl.com...

For more frequent updates, please follow our meteorologist on Twitter @JamesVanFleet or visit the Royal Caribbean Facebook page.

I agree reallyitsmema, someone needs to call this guy. And if he was the one that called for a window of opportunity in Galveston, then he needs to be totally off twitter.

Here is the Tweet thread... Seriously @JamesVanFleet? Change ports??

From @AllyKraemer - 7:28 AM - 4 Sep 2017

@JamesVanFleet starting to worry about our honeymoon cruise from Port Canaveral on Sunday, Sept 10. Any thoughts? Thanks!!

Response from James Van Fleet (official RCCL meteorologist) - 7:33 AM - 4 Sep 2017

Gut feeling? Need another day or two to have high confidence in forecast track. If PCN isn't open, I would suggest leaving from another Port. If we can do that, I would expect we make a decision whatever is best option next 1-2 days to notify guests so arrangements can be made. Again, nothing official yet, and still feel too early to make a call and rearrange everything, etc just yet, but we should be communicating a decision tomorrow or Wednesday latest

The key statement in his response is "If we can do that". Seriously James? Are you making these responses up? Please keep to the weather and don't suggest complete logistical nightmares as a solution as a response to a tweet.

If embarking at a different port is actually being considered... OMG.

We are on the Allure leaving the 10th as well. Its my first cruise. I will follow this thread closely. :o

Welcome to Cruise Critic, Sooz77, and welcome to cruising! Hope you enjoy it.

Assuming you are traveling with a SO who is also D+, use that ($40 off) on the remaining days package AFTER you have used the SO's D+ perk to get two days of Surf.

Good point. I like how you think, Biker.

I thought this would be an interesting thread. It drives me nuts when I notice a Diamond Plus benefit that is available to anyone in some form.

Here are a couple...

• FNDR for $15.00 = Diamond Plus Specialty restaurant BOGO
  
• Deluxe Beverage Package + Surf Stream combo = D+ Deluxe Beverage Package - 30% + Surf & Stream with one time discount.
  

I know there are others... Add to the list.

$40

You are awesome ;)

I may have found the answer that it will be about $40.00 discount from Surf & Stream. The net discount is $18.00 per day * 7 = $126.00 - $40.00 = $86.00. That is 31.74% off a 7 day Surf & Stream package.

What I was attempting to figure out is whether to purchase the Deluxe Beverage package + Surf & Stream combo at $413.00 or wait till I get on the ship and purchase the D+ discounted deluxe beverage package and the surf & stream internet. From my calculations if I wait till I am on the ship it will cost me $423.00. So if my calculations hold up, I can save $10 if I buy it now.

Here is just another example of where a D+ benefit is not a benefit at all since a better offer is available to everyone before sailing.

What is the dollar amount that I will be able to discount from the Surf & Stream package as Diamond Plus.

Thanks.

Robyn, Thank you for this encouraging report. We embark next Saturday and I was dreading the food situation after reading the reports found here. Earlier today I was thinking of adding to my 4 days of specialty dining, but with this news I'll wait till I'm on the ship to make that decision.

Safe travels home.

Tom

On our most recent few cruises the D+ BOGO was restricted to days 1 & 2 (a departure from a number of previous cruises). As a result we wait until we are on board to make those reservations then also typically purchase any other specialty restaurant packages on board to avoid reservation conflicts or concerns. We've never had any issue booking the nights and times we wanted in doing it that way.

 

If you've already purchased a dining package I would just leave nights 1 & 2 open on your planner for the D+ BOGO and book those on board day 1.

Thanks LeaveItAllBehind. Hope to see you aboard and don't disappoint me by telling me you are not coming. :) :D

First D+ cruise and I am aware that D+ benefits include a specialty dining bogo. I also purchased the bogo on the cruise planner.

Do these two offers conflict with each other as I thought the deals require that I use one of the dinners on the first night? I'm prepared to eat in a specialty restaurant the first night, but would like the freedom to select any nights for the other three dinners.

Look forward to your posts. Will be on Navigator in a couple of weeks. I'm interested in the Voom performance. I ordered the stream package on special. Were you able to make wifi phone calls?

I took advice of others on board and purchased two Klymit sleeping pads for my up and coming cruise in November on the Navigator. I hope it works out. I recall the last time we cruised, I awoke most mornings with an achy back. Of course I wrote it on the comment card.

It just amazes me that Royal can get away with this. I don't cruise on other competitor cruiselines, is it the same elsewhere?

You spend 25 to 30% of your vacation on these mattresses. You would think they would not skimp on comfort. Maybe I'm in the minority and others don't mind a firm bed.

I also don't recall this being a big deal 10 or so years ago. At one point I recall Royal having very comfortable beds. I suppose they wear out quicker and require more frequent replacement = extra cost.

Not to start an argument, but I don't like to see accurate information discounted. I see that too much in politics!

This is copied from my November cruise documents about domestic travel. I've highlighted the statement that backs up your comment about a marriage license:

Domestic Travel

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires that all travelers entering and departing the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda must present a valid passport book or other Department of Homeland Security-approved travel document that establishes the bearer’s identity and citizenship.

Open-loop cruises (voyages that begin in one U.S. port and end in another U.S. port) will require a valid passport book or another WHTI-compliant document for entry or reentry into the United States.

Closed-loop cruises (voyages that begin and end in the same U.S. port) allow U.S. citizens to travel with additional travel documents such as a birth certificate plus a government issued picture ID card (i.e., a drivers license).

The name on your travel documents needs to match the name on the cruise line reservation or be linked by other legal documents such as a marriage certificate. A birth certificate, issued by a government agency (state, county, city, etc.), is an accepted travel document.

A birth notice, issued by a hospital or other or other type of medical facility, is not an acceptable travel document. The name on your travel documents must match the name on your cruise reservation or be linked by a legal document such as a marriage license. For more information regarding domestic travel document requirements, visit: http://www.getyouhome.gov/.

Have fun on your cruise!

Tom

I agree, I've not seen a non-smoking night in the casino in several years.

I haven't either. I wonder if they ditched the smoke-free night when they change the ship-wide smoking policy back in 2014. Now the casinos have "smoking sections". I don't recall there being sections, what I do remember are smoke-free tables. At least it kept the person next to you from blowing smoke in your face. Not a very good compromise. :eek:

In general, I expect there to be smoking in a casino. It's just part of the gambling atmosphere. :cool:

If they got rid of it, gambling revenue would drop.

I have a duffle bag that I throw a few 6 packs of water and soda into and attach a luggage tag. Always shows up, even during spring break. My concern is that a plastic bottle will get punctured and make a mess for the handlers.

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