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Great to know! I check that Cruise Planner every day, even though we sail April 20th!

$20 on day of embarkation to the pool attendant and I've never had an issue finding a chair. I've watched him hover many times while I pop up on the deck and just remove people's belongings after he takes a peek at the post-it note he places on the chair to do the timing.

 

I've laughed at the hogs who come asking where their stuff went. Usually I say "some lady threw it overboard after you dropped it down and took off hours ago."

 

I think I'm 15 out of 15 getting a great pool attendant up front day 1. Even those 11-12 day holiday cruises, the girlfriend and I have never had a problem getting a chair at any time of the day.

Isn’t this their job anyway? It shouldn’t take an extra tip for them to do their jobs. Just my opinion.

You hand your Sea Pass and they scan it and enter the number of towels onto your account.

 

When you return them, they scan it again, and remove them from your account.

 

You can get as many as you want on your Sea Pass, but any that are not returned, are charged to your account at $25 per towel.

 

So make sure you use the same Sea Pass card to return them as you used to check them out.

Thank you, this sounds great!

I haven’t cruise in a few years, and on top of that, the last time I cruised on Royal Caribbean was in 1992. How does the towel charge work? Do you get towel cards like at a resort and exchange the cards for towels at the pool? And then have to return the towels to get your card back, or exchange the towels for fresh ones? And if you don’t have a towel to return, then you get charged $25, yes? I’ve never seen anything like this on a cruise ship before, only at the all inclusive resort we went to last year in Mexico. Upon checkout you had to return the towel cards or there would be a fee (forgot how much, we had our cards so it wasn’t a concern). At the resort they did remove towels from loungers but they didn’t touch anything if a personal item was on the chair, not even if it was one of those small towel clips.

I wish the cruise lines would put in shelves or lockers to put your stuff. Many people just want to use the pool or hot tub but have to put their stuff somewhere so they dump it on a chair.

It would be great if they could do this efficiently, like water parks. But they would need a ton of space because of so many people. Then we would see locker hogs! :')

Yes, it is less crowded on port days and easier to get a chair.

Great, thank you! We will most likely go to breakfast in the dining room most mornings when it opens, and then head right up to the Solarium. It sounds like we will be able to get two chairs somewhere in there, and we are not picky about exactly where, as long as it’s in there. We don’t mind walking a little further to get to the whirlpools and the pool! It sounds heavenly in there and in 270 during the day.

Another option Go to 270 and chill in there during part of the day. Low crowds, very few kids, cafe and bar. They have chairs, swings and clam chair thingies to relax in while you watch the wake. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

 

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Thanks for the tip! This will be nice to do in the afternoon after lunch. I think we’ll spend morning in the solarium, relaxing and going in the whirlpools. Then lunch and then afternoon in 270 to just relax before going back to shower and change for dinner. The reason we are doing this cruise without the kids is just to relax and enjoy some couple time. Can’t wait!

I would do the BOGO - I think that they would work with you to try to get you into wonderland one of the days or maybe even a third day if they couldn’t do the first 2.

 

 

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That’s what I’m thinking! It seems many people have gotten Wonderland without a problem with the BOGO. I haven’t read about anyone not getting it when they wanted it. Chops would be an added bonus! We have no interest in the Italian or Asian restaurants. We eat those cuisines all the time at home!

I was under the impression you only got a Freestyle cup with the soda package. Is this not the case?

The Freestyle cup also comes with the deluxe drink package.

Sorry...I work all the time (and almost always weekends) so I can only binge write on my days off.

I’m sure it will be worth the wait, judging by how entertaining your writing style is! :D

What a nice surprise! You are going to love it!!

I’m still debating whether to just buy the $49 per person dinner at Wonderland, or get the BOGO for $40 per person and be able to go to 2 specialty restaurants the first two nights of the cruise, while paying $18 less total than one night at Wonderland. They choose the restaurants and times, but it can be changed immediately upon boarding so I can switch it to Wonderland if we aren’t given that one. Ideally it would be great to do Wonderland and Chops (we both love a good steak).

It’s a tough decision, because technically I guess nothing is guaranteed with the BOGO. Not sure yet what to do but I have some time to think it through.

Ok some final thoughts.

 

Quantum class. We liked it but not as much as Oasis class. We thought the Esplanade was too small and we missed the energy and atmosphere of the Prominade. We also missed the Aqua Theater and Central Park.

 

We did love that this ship seemed more open to the ocean. On Allure we thought it was hard to see the ocean. How much of this was due to different design vs us having a balcony room? That’s the real question and one I can’t answer.

 

We didn’t care for the Sea Plex I felt out of place and old when I was there (I’m only 33). North Star was ok. It’s fun but not something to book a cruise over. ifly was AWESOME. That is something I would book this class of ship for.

 

The crew was simply amazing. Every worker was SO nice and smiling and they initiated conversation. That had not been the case on previous sailings. Don’t get me wrong workers would always take care of any request but not always with a smile and would talk but only if we started the convo.

 

Windjammer was not as chaotic as on Allure. Maybe we ate at off times. I LOVE the sinks for hand washing. Great move.

 

Food. I know this is subjective but we had way more hits then misses. Highlights were Wonderland, the strawberry bisque, the beef tenderloin, it was the best cooked lobster we have had on a ship, the seafood linguine and the lasagna. And those stupid Windjammer burger and fries!

 

Cabins. The best I have been in. There was so much storage we could of fit another adult’s things in the cabin no problem.

 

Solarium. Our favorite Solarium of any ship class. Loved the cascading pools, and the low loungers where I took my nap.

 

270. Kind of a let down. After reading all the glowing reviews of it I was excited but I didn’t love it. Seemed like a waste of a huge space to me...give me the Aqua Theater.

 

Shows. Again subjective but Sheesh. Usually a strong point for Royal but this was a miss. Spectra’s Cabarte was dreadful, The Gift had no semblance of a plot line (for my Disney friends I wanted to yell “Pick a plot line!” Like Fear from Inside Out) and the comedian was awful. We Will Rock You was good.

 

Bermuda. O.M.G. I have a favorite new island. The people are so nice and friendly, I NEVER felt not safe, and Horseshoe Beach is my new favorite beach. I wish we had another day there so we could of seen the caves and aquarium. Loved the island.

 

5 Day Cruise. Too short. Plain and simple. It was either this or none so we went with this but man did we miss those extra 2 days. I can’t even image a 3 day cruise!

 

Disembarkment. If they would Station crew members at the elevators to help with the confusion that would help but man everything was so smooth after that. I know they don’t handle immigration but it was the most organized and best flowing immigration I have experienced. We could of stayed on the ship for 40 minutes longer and still made it to the train station with plenty of time to spare.

 

You guys. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and responses. It really kept me motivated to keep going and made me happy that you were enjoying my travels and my lame attempt at being a writer.

 

Thank you to everyone who followed along and who commented and brought their own good information to the thread.

 

If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask!

 

Until next time!

Thank YOU for such a great and entertaining review! I enjoyed reading all of it. You are a wonderful writer, and judging by the way you’ve explained everything, you must be a fantastic teacher too and the students must enjoy your class!

Bermuda is my favorite island too. I could go there over and over again, I just love it. Definitely try to make it there again and go see the crystal caves. We did that with our sons in 2015 on our last cruise and we enjoyed it very much. We got the one day transportation pass and did everything on our own. It was amazing! Never been to the aquarium there, but I’ve heard that is amazing too.

The good points of the ship you mentioned are the same ones my parents and my sister mentioned to me when they went in February (my parents) and April (my sister). Really looking forward to Anthem in April, and almost at the 7-month mark!

You have also inspired me to take my husband to Wonderland for dinner. We weren’t planning on any specialty restaurants, but I’m going to surprise him this Hanukkah for his gift, something yet again to look forward to. He’s a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, and also of a nice tasting menu. We once splurged on dinner at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney World and the boys spent the time at one of the kids’ activity centers. It was the best meal we’ve ever had! This seems kind of like the cruise version of that, but more laid back. Can’t wait!

Although, the water parks you get a private area, loungers and chairs and table. Fridge or ice box. A tent like cover.

 

And at some, lunch.

 

These days, I do a cabana if I go to a water park.

There are some ships with areas that have limited access, with a fee. They sell a certain amount of passes to the area and it is much less crowded. I’ve never tried it before, although we’ve gotten the thermal suite pass to have some peace and relaxation while the kids were doing the kids’ activities and we really enjoyed that. That’s a whole different experience than being in the sun though.

DW always thought I wouldn't want to cruise because of my career in the Navy and was surprised to find out that I wanted to give it a shot. That was in 2008 and we haven't looked back. Got a great price on Anthem for next year so we get to give Royal a shot. Great tribute for your mom!

Are you on the same sailing as me on April 20th? We also got a good deal. It was an impromptu booking, first time going on a vacation longer than two nights without the kids. (We went to Foxwoods for our 10th and 15th anniversaries, just for the weekend)

When first implemented, it was four different "free" dining rooms each with a different menu that did not change night to night. No fixed (traditional) seating, it was all like My Time. As time went on, they added more menus and had a "classic" option that added a traditional fixed dining time that rotated through the different restaurants.

Thanks for the explanation. Sounds interesting!

What was dynamic dining?

I'm with you! I am *irisheileen* and MUST have shade and it's hard to find on ships, beaches, resorts. It's not just that I burn, I have a skin condition where I must stay out of the sun. I am always prepared with long sleeved SPF shirts and pants. It gets hot!

Yes, chairs in the shade are hard to find whether on a cruise or on land. We went to our first all inclusive resort last summer, in Mexico, and I did plenty of research to make sure we chose a resort where they had many shaded loungers. Like on a ship, we weren’t picky about location because we can just walk a few extra feet to get to the pool. They give you an hour out of your chair at a resort, as opposed to the 30 minutes on the ships, to be out of your chair before it’s considered “being saved”. Most likely because at the resorts there is usually a swim up bar and people like to spend a good amount of time there. Like on the ships, it is rarely enforced and they won’t move any personal belongings, so people literally place one flip flop on a chair to “reserve it”. Sometimes when they leave the resort for an excursion for several hours!

Next summer we are going to Punta Cana and the resort we are staying at has umbrellas for every lounger, so you can keep the umbrella closed for sun or open for shade. So no worries, we will get to sit in the shade and be able to lounge all day if we want.

Simple solution: Steal their towels! They'll be charged $25 each time. Dont reckon they'll be saving their chairs for much longer after that

The towel charge is a start in making an effort to deter people from saving chairs with a towel. Although it doesn’t really seem to be working. Chair hogs will be chair hogs.

Thank you so much for this wonderful review! I enjoyed reading about your last morning, even though I know how sad it is that last morning. Whenever we get home from a cruise, that afternoon I always think about the people that just boarded “our” ship and just how lucky they are to be at the very beginning of their cruise.

My parents also ate breakfast at Cafe 270 their last morning on their cruise in February. They said it was great and not crowded at all. And they sat comfortably in there, plenty of seats. We will do this as well. We also plan to carry off our luggage when we go in April. My parents had said the same thing you did, that they have it down to a science. They said it was the quickest

exit off a ship they’ve ever experienced in their 25 cruises.

Once again, thanks for such an entertaining review. I enjoyed all of it. Have a wonderful school year!

Frugal, loved your review. I laughed when you said it would take 40 minutes to go ten miles. Native new Yorker here, and we measure trips in time not miles.

When someone asks how far is that we will state 20minutes with no traffic.

And your mind is very normal to me. I like to be on time at the very least. So i do the backwards calculate what time do i have to leave scenario.

 

I have never taken an uber (and get ripped iff by taxis) can you explain how that works

 

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Native New Yorker here as well! Born and raised in Brooklyn, and raising my kids here too. I laughed when I read this, because yes we have always measured driving “distance” in time instead of actual distance. We also say we will “take the streets” if the Belt Pkwy, BQE, etc. are backed up, and we also measure distance in the neighborhood by blocks, not miles. As in, “the school is about 10 blocks from here”. ;)

I love your story! So sad about your mom, but such a touching tribute to her at the same time. I am looking forward to reading about your upcoming cruise.

I love Carnival too, but it’s time I experience Royal Caribbean as an adult. I went on 2 Royal Caribbean Cruises, one at 13 years old (my first cruise ever), and the second at 15 years old. Even as a teen I loved the fancy dining and service. We went on Carnival starting when I was 17, and then on several Carnival cruises for years after that. This was starting in 1994, and again I enjoyed the fancy dining and service. It definitely has changed over the years.

We’ve also gone on Norwegian but I like Carnival better. I’ve been in Norwegian and Carnival with my husband and our sons. This coming April, my husband and I are going on our first cruise just the two of us, ever, on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas! Even before we had kids, we’ve always sailed with my parents, and on most of our cruises together also with my sister and her family, and sometimes extended family and friends as well.

Can’t wait to read your review and comparison!

Oh and yes, that wind can be fierce! About 5 years ago on a cruise, my kids wanted to play mini golf on the first evening after dinner. So we headed up to the deck to play. I thought I was going to lose my shoe (backless sandals) every time I lifted my foot off the floor, it was so windy! We actually played though. We laughed the whole time, and we still talk about it periodically. My kids called it “Extreme Mini Golf”!

Great update on your last day of the cruise. I’ve been enjoying your review so much. I’m sad that it’s coming to a close soon. You will just have to go on another cruise really soon and write another one! ;)

I’m sorry about what your wife went through at the spa. That absolutely should not have happened. No one should ever put a client down like that.

One of the classes I teach is a cosmetology class. (I’m a makeup artist and hair stylist in addition to being a teacher). I spend a lot of time teaching the students about client communication and etiquette. I teach them about the pressures they might experience by management to upsell if they work in a salon, or if they decide to go the route of esthetician and work in a spa performing facials and other services. This is a reality in the business.

However, there is a way to try and sell products without being pushy, and there are plenty of estheticians, stylists, etc. that just don’t try to sell products and truly believe their client should have a relaxing experience without being pressured. Those are the good ones that get repeat business and regular clients for years and years, provided of course that they also have the skills to match their personality.

Unfortunately a lot of times on a cruise ship or resort, the workers at the spa and salon see it simply as an opportunity to take advantage of tourists that are maybe a little bit more quick to spend money since they’re relaxed and away on vacation. Plus they know that they don’t have to make an effort to please someone so that they become a repeat client. But the spa is supposed to make you relax and feel great, not feel self conscious or feel like you’re being guilted into spending more money.

The pasta carbonara looks fantastic by the way! And the solarium looks like heaven! Can’t wait to spend time there in April.

Were they from NY or NJ? That will answer your question :P

What does being from NY or NJ have to do with it? I’m an outgoing New Yorker and I don’t just talk endlessly, let alone to people that clearly aren’t interested. Not all of us do that! :)

You should be able to book it prior to the cruise but be aware there is a standby line at the entrance and people have reported having very good luck in getting on the NorthStar from the standby line.

 

Steve

Thank you! We would like to do North Star while in Bermuda if possible.

Can you book the North Star before the cruise? Mine isn’t until April so I can’t see any activities or entertainment yet on the Cruise Planner because it’s too soon.