Tatka

This is cruise boards right? All cruises sail abroad. Passport by the way is also a Real ID. "A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID Drivers License or ID to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities."

Everyone is aware of cost. I had a child and was buying passport. However it is a trip abroad. Whole World is traveling with passports. It is changing in US too. Gradually. Flying to Mexico and Caribbeans used to be without passports, now you must have it. It is normal to have a passport. If you have 3 kids and traveling abroad with them $500 for 5 years should not be an issue. You are very welcome!

Do you thing adding more expenses and headache is worth it? You cannot even fly straight home without passport. So you will incur more expenses for absolutely no reason, Get passports... they are good for 5 years (kids), 10 years adults. It is not even one time trip insurance spending, but for many years!

We are talking about cruise.. travel, not the last penny to buy grocery. If you need to fly back to States and kids do not have passport, it will be WAY more expensive and problematic.

On 5 days month ago cruise we had it 3 times so you will have it. RCI had a classic section that did not change daily with some items, now they are served, but not daily ... but you know how people get used to things. I think menu is fine. Not totally gourmet, but enough good items. Princess used to be a step above RCI. Maybe not anymore. We had 7 cruises with them.

Our last cruise (New Year 2020 on Crown Princess) featured not so great food, but overall before Princess food was better than RCI. I love RCI but I’d not expect great food, although we always find something good to very good.

I am not sure about this. Princess usually has better food. 13 menus is for example Taste of UK, Taste of Mexico, Royal Night, Taste of France etc. So for your sailing it will be 3 out of 13. Probably Welcome Aboard, Taste of France and maybe Bon Voyage or Taste of Italy. I am completely fine with this change,but some people not liking missing Classic portion of menu which consisted of familiar choices like salmon, chicken, french onion soup etc. Escargots are making appearances on many nights though (used to be every night)

I absolutely loved Saturday Night Fever. I missed original one and a move. After cruise I re-watched it. Cast is terrific!!! Not sure what will be your rotation for menus. There are 13 now... but in Sorrento's do not miss Primavera pizza. It is great, and I try to avoid pizza at all cost to stay in shape 🙂

Liberty has 3 terrific shows 1. Broadway - Saturday Night Fever 2. Circus like: In the Air 3. Ice show. Not sure what you will see.

Agree. Anthem is better suited for colder weather sailing. However IIRC roof of indoor pool is also can be opened I think Odyssey should work better for UK pax... even though it won't work perfectly for us during November - March. I will still be sailing... heck I sailed on Explorer in colder times.

But still because of indoor pool kids were not allowed into Solarium. On our 9 times on Anthem all during colder times families were using pool. I even love Thanksgiving in some ways more than January because more families are on the ship and less in Solarium. In January it is mostly couples so solarium becomes more crowded at times.

Of course because of Indoor pool. Last Thanksgiving about 1350 kids were on board.. Of course some number of them were 16+ so they can be in Solarium... but still many kids under 16. In Quantum and Anthem they would be in Indoor pool.. We should see what happens on Odyssey. Also as there won't be a roof over family pool towel station will be colder place... We are also booked for Thanksgiving 2024 and January 2025 (11 days) 11 Days should be less problematic as most of kids will be in school... still less convenient.

Of course because of Indoor pool. Last Thanksgiving about 1350 kids were on board.. Of course some number of them were 16+ so they can be in Solarium... but still many kids under 16. In Quantum and Anthem they would be in Indoor pool.. We should see what happens on Odyssey. Also as there won't be a roof over family pool towel station will be colder place...

I’m not very happy about first change. Second is fine. We lately cruise on Anthem for Thanksgiving and in January (longer cruise). She has family indoor pool. We don’t use it, but family do use it. Now I expect kids in Solarium and colder passage to Solarium. Towel station will be outside. 😞 Hopefully I’m wrong, but I can foresee described problems

I don't know. WE love Anthem here. Yes, it has same main shows, but RCI is not guilty we sail every year! Shows on largest ships are created for particular ship. They will stay with ships. Other entertainment changes. If you take all 3 pool areas there are ENOUGH loungers, but it is a "winter" ship so part of them should be inside. Give our Anthem back. 🙂 We love her for colder season.

So it is all just announcements? First time out of NJ?

Congrats! I’m not sure I’m going to be upset about free thing (a gift!) in either case, but new type will work for me at least this time around (280 points) as I’m about to receive Anthem’s block again … At least it will be different from 140 points Anthem. 🙂

Before switching almost completely to RCI we loved Princess. It is slightly more premium. Outside of one unfortunate experience (on Crown in 2019) food was better than on RCI. Princess doesn’t have indoor solariums on most ships. Check particular ship as it could be important for Alaska. Also on ship prior to Royal class gym is located above cabins so it’s not open until 7 which could be important (it was for me. If I exercise it is at 6am). Buffets on Royal class are terrific

We sailed on Anthem 9 times now. I hated her first time. I is one of my favorite ships now. It has some flows.. like its Esplanade is not as spacious as Promenades of previous and later ships of different classes. Once you figure out what times to avoid I think you will be fine. Also RCI improved crowd handling since 2016.

I doubt price… It sounds like 10+ years ago card and it was never offered on embarkation. IIRC it was after several days at least.

How does overall cost compare cruisefare + package?

You were a very wise teenager! Well, I am an immigrant (long time ago) and I did not know that technically I could use Naturalization papers in lieu of Birth Certificate so I got passport right away. However I think I'd have done it anyway, because so many things can happen during trips and absence of passports can prevent trips too. It's really under $15 per year to even think about it.

Yes, some people are willing to risk more. As long as they realize what happens in case they will need passport. My parents are risk takers, but there is no reason to risk in this case... when passport is easily achievable. Btw passport is what they are implementing inside of States now as Real Id. So if in any case Real Id is needed Passport is that. Passport is not even insurance you need for one trip, it is potentially much more.

Agree, tastes are individual though. On our recent 11 and 12 nighters we used 11 day menus and always found something we liked. It was 100% match or lower of course. I remember such situations on lines more food oriented like Holland for example. Hopefully poster did not go hungry. Symphony has some other venues. Btw for us Royal was never a foodie line even when we started in 2004 to sail with them on Splendor of the Seas or Explorer of the Seas. Actually I think I like variety better than back then.

Maybe, but $100+ is still small price to pay to avoid risk when traveling after 70. My parents are 70+ and would not travel without passport.