What to do.. Opinions please

[BecciBoo]

Oasis is grand but she is not ICON~  no way I'd give up our booking for any other ship and we've already made over $1000 just in increases.  Couldn't book our cabin today for under $3500 and it's an interior.  So no can do, we keep this one or don't go.  I'm unwilling to wait 2 or 3 yrs to cruise ICON.

 

As far as itinerary, that doesn't matter in the least to us.  We've been to every port 5 times, been there done that, we have not cruised a ship like this one ever.  All things are NOT equal.

Edited August 4, 2023 by BecciBoo

[budmeister]

I think it depends on how much you want to sail on the Icon. If your heart is set on it, keep it. The prices appear to only be going up, up, and up again. 

 

I am not as in favor of the Oasis cruise you mentioned as I would be of a different Oasis or other Caribbean choice. We do not get of the ship in Jamaica anymore, or Haiti , and are not beach people. While the ship as a destination is my normal first reason for my yearly Caribbean cruise, I have grown accustomed to my balcony. It would be hard for me to choose this cruise, unless it was this cruise or no cruise.

 

I would recommend a third option- a less expensive cruise than the Icon- if prices were not so extreme as to be only a bit less on another choice and you did not have  a deposit to lose. With that in mind, I am thinking keep the Icon is what I would do.

 

I made a similar choice myself. I booked the Wonder, a balcony, at 1350.00 b4 taxes, taxes, ext., expecting the prices to go down. They did not. I decided to keep it when comparing to alternatives such as what you mentioned.

[lovesthebeach2]

15 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Idk where the icon stops. So cant compare ports. Imo that's still a lot of $$$. I'd take the free cabin and go. If I didnt get DP340, I doubt I'd have booked these last cruises, makes a big difference. I'm over $200 a day on wonder and utopia, but they are with friends who choose them.

 

I'm shocked by the prices on a couple of what I've booked .. I'm thinking royal is getting to where they are losing bookings at these crazy prices. If I had any offers which I dont, free sounds very nice to me. I just wouldnt pay over $3400 unless it's a suite, then i would. 

Why is the DP340?

[colesc15]

18 minutes ago, budmeister said:

I think it depends on how much you want to sail on the Icon. If your heart is set on it, keep it. The prices appear to only be going up, up, and up again. 

 

I am not as in favor of the Oasis cruise you mentioned as I would be of a different Oasis or other Caribbean choice. We do not get of the ship in Jamaica anymore, or Haiti , and are not beach people. While the ship as a destination is my normal first reason for my yearly Caribbean cruise, I have grown accustomed to my balcony. It would be hard for me to choose this cruise, unless it was this cruise or no cruise.

 

I would recommend a third option- a less expensive cruise than the Icon- if prices were not so extreme as to be only a bit less on another choice and you did not have  a deposit to lose. With that in mind, I am thinking keep the Icon is what I would do.

 

I made a similar choice myself. I booked the Wonder, a balcony, at 1350.00 b4 taxes, taxes, ext., expecting the prices to go down. They did not. I decided to keep it when comparing to alternatives such as what you mentioned.

We'll actually be on Wonder about 3 weeks after this 🙂

[colesc15]

This will potentially be our first ever cruise in an interior room assuming no royal up wins. I've always insisted we have a balcony, but the last handful of cruises, I've found me using the balcony less and less. I'd be out there waking up, but then on a sea day, we head to the pool for the day until dinner. I'd sit on the balcony while wife is gr getting ready, then we'd leave for dinner and not be back in the room until 1 or 2am. Total balcony time maybe an hour? 

 

I like people watching and music, which is why we do the pool deck. I'm really hoping we don't mind the interior because it'd make cruising even cheaper without ever paying upgrade fees. Some casino offers include Balconies, others just interior. This is cruise 18 I believe and first in an interior. 

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

This will potentially be our first ever cruise in an interior room assuming no royal up wins. I've always insisted we have a balcony, but the last handful of cruises, I've found me using the balcony less and less.

 

I probably tell this story too often but...

 

I had never been on a cruise until my honeymoon. My wife cruised as a kid, always with a balcony, so she said we needed a balcony. Did a few more cruises with a balcony (and barely used it). When we were exactly 4 points from Diamond I suggested we go on the cheapest 4-night cruise out of PC (an hour drive for us) in an interior... and if we hated it, we would go back to a balcony on our next 7-night cruise. She ended up liking the interior, especially for how dark and cold it gets for sleeping and her occasional afternoon cat nap. We've gotten interiors ever since (unless someone else is paying).

 

If you don't use your balcony and see the cabin and just a place to sleep, shower, and change clothes (and don't find not having a view of the outside claustrophobic), might as well spend the savings on something else... more cruises, specialty dining, drink package, whatever you're into.

[HBE4]

32 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

This will potentially be our first ever cruise in an interior room assuming no royal up wins. I've always insisted we have a balcony, but the last handful of cruises, I've found me using the balcony less and less. I'd be out there waking up, but then on a sea day, we head to the pool for the day until dinner. I'd sit on the balcony while wife is gr getting ready, then we'd leave for dinner and not be back in the room until 1 or 2am. Total balcony time maybe an hour? 

 

I like people watching and music, which is why we do the pool deck. I'm really hoping we don't mind the interior because it'd make cruising even cheaper without ever paying upgrade fees. Some casino offers include Balconies, others just interior. This is cruise 18 I believe and first in an interior. 

 

So in addition to having an "extra" (aka free) cruise, you get to test drive an interior cabin for next to nothing.

 

win-win, you made the right choice!

 

[George C]

1 hour ago, colesc15 said:

This will potentially be our first ever cruise in an interior room assuming no royal up wins. I've always insisted we have a balcony, but the last handful of cruises, I've found me using the balcony less and less. I'd be out there waking up, but then on a sea day, we head to the pool for the day until dinner. I'd sit on the balcony while wife is gr getting ready, then we'd leave for dinner and not be back in the room until 1 or 2am. Total balcony time maybe an hour? 

 

I like people watching and music, which is why we do the pool deck. I'm really hoping we don't mind the interior because it'd make cruising even cheaper without ever paying upgrade fees. Some casino offers include Balconies, others just interior. This is cruise 18 I believe and first in an interior. 

We have an offer for a free cruise on Celebrity, is there a way to upgrade with money ? Our last dozen cruises were suites , haven’t cruised in a inside cabin in 30 years.

[colesc15]

13 minutes ago, George C said:

We have an offer for a free cruise on Celebrity, is there a way to upgrade with money ? Our last dozen cruises were suites , haven’t cruised in a inside cabin in 30 years.

There is, which is what we've done in the past, but to go from interior to balcony on this sailing is like $1400. Not worth it. 

[LuCruise]

If you have your heart set on Icon, then keep it. Icon prices have skyrocketed and you may not be able to book it again for that price for awhile. 

 

If not set on Icon, Oasis is an amazing ship. It's a personal thing and some will say they would never stay in an inside. We have never done a straight inside but did just try virtual one and it was fine. And for a free cruise it's even more appealing. 

Only you know your budget and if the savings of giving up Icon is worth it. 

[cruiseboy89130]

I'm so surprised people are exited about ICON - we will not book her (or that class) at all!

[taglovestocruise]

14 minutes ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

I'm so surprised people are exited about ICON - we will not book her (or that class) at all!

Might be a good choice for a TA, just 5 years out. We have done 4 TA'S on Oasis Class and they are awesome when 1500 kids are not there. 

[cruiseboy89130]

11 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Might be a good choice for a TA, just 5 years out. We have done 4 TA'S on Oasis Class and they are awesome when 1500 kids are not there. 

I don't know - there is nothing on that I would like on her - we like Voyager to Oasis class.

Don't like Wonder either - they changed too many things we like on her.

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

I don't know - there is nothing on that I would like on her - we like Voyager to Oasis class.

Don't like Wonder either - they changed too many things we like on her.

 

And that's why it's a good thing there are many ships and classes from which to choose. Everyone has their own preferences.

 

I love almost everything that separates Wonder from other Oasis class ships.

[Sunshine3601]

12 hours ago, colesc15 said:

I'm pretty positive I should have paid the change fee and not been refunded the difference from the nrd but I certainly wasn't going to question it lol

I have done what you just did and we were never charged the $100 change fee by clubroyale (I hope I don't jinx myself should I have to do this in the future - LOL).    And yes, they will refund you the difference of your NRD and the port fees/taxes.     Glad to hear it all worked out well for you.

 

[BecciBoo]

8 hours ago, colesc15 said:

There is, which is what we've done in the past, but to go from interior to balcony on this sailing is like $1400. Not worth it. 

Depends on the offer....we went from interior to a slam dunk Ocean View Balcony GTY for only $82 difference...a steal!  We look at the price of cabin first and often get interiors if the money's  right.  We've had balconies we hardly stuck our toe on, depending on weather and who we're traveling with but are happy with this cabin on Allure indeed.

[budmeister]

22 hours ago, colesc15 said:

This will potentially be our first ever cruise in an interior room assuming no royal up wins. I've always insisted we have a balcony, but the last handful of cruises, I've found me using the balcony less and less. I'd be out there waking up, but then on a sea day, we head to the pool for the day until dinner. I'd sit on the balcony while wife is gr getting ready, then we'd leave for dinner and not be back in the room until 1 or 2am. Total balcony time maybe an hour? 

 

I like people watching and music, which is why we do the pool deck. I'm really hoping we don't mind the interior because it'd make cruising even cheaper without ever paying upgrade fees. Some casino offers include Balconies, others just interior. This is cruise 18 I believe and first in an interior. 

I have an interior for Greece next month, and did for Alaska too. I used to do only interior, until the lounges at the top front of the ship became high-tier lounges and I lost my read - water- quiet spot. The interiors rooms are really nice and quiet, dark for sleeping, and I did not leave it because I was unhappy with the rooms. I expect that you will be happy. I haver become spoiled with my balconies, but I have found that that lounge has opened up a bit on some ships and may return due to price.