I'm staying at the Royal Caribbean, week 1 and 2 (Jan 2019) and here is the little bit of news that I might be adding for those interested.
The Royal Caribbean is still operating as a Royal Resort until April, 2019. I came with "points" that I purchased on a "discover" deal, which was a very good deal (for me) because it gave me enough points so that I could rent a full Villa at the Royal Sands or Royal Caribbean or Royal Haciendas for two weeks...
But when it came time for me to try to make the reservation, I could not get even a few days at Royal Sands or Royal Haciendas (I had hoped to get a few days at Royal Haciendas, to try it out for the first time...) and they said I could only get a suite at the Royal Caribbean... I insisted, I was quite angry, and finally they said I could get a full Villa but I must pay $150 more for extra points, which I accepted, and so here I am.
I was informed (by Armando Millet, head boss of operations) that operations end after Easter, and then they will stop for one year while they "renovate" the Royal Caribbean for about one year... I was also told that owners of Royal Caribbean were paid (or will soon be paid...) 57% of Residual Value, which is about 15% more than they paid to Royal Mayan owners (which I was very unhappy with, as a Royal Mayan owner of 5 weeks).
There is also a rumor that the Royal Caribbean will NOT be renovated as suites, but rather as hotel rooms... if this is true, then the living room and kitchen area will be redone into a hotel room and each Villa will become 3 separate hotel rooms (I would guess that they can be connected if a family would like to rent two or three rooms) and the rumor is that it will be "all inclusive" and closed to Royal Resort members who are not staying at the Royal Caribbean.
So, if this is true... goodbye to Royal Caribbean for the rest of us.
So I am probably at the Royal Caribbean for the last time in my life, and this makes me feel very sad, but that is how it is.
The Royal Caribbean is still operating as a Royal Resort until April, 2019. I came with "points" that I purchased on a "discover" deal, which was a very good deal (for me) because it gave me enough points so that I could rent a full Villa at the Royal Sands or Royal Caribbean or Royal Haciendas for two weeks...
But when it came time for me to try to make the reservation, I could not get even a few days at Royal Sands or Royal Haciendas (I had hoped to get a few days at Royal Haciendas, to try it out for the first time...) and they said I could only get a suite at the Royal Caribbean... I insisted, I was quite angry, and finally they said I could get a full Villa but I must pay $150 more for extra points, which I accepted, and so here I am.
I was informed (by Armando Millet, head boss of operations) that operations end after Easter, and then they will stop for one year while they "renovate" the Royal Caribbean for about one year... I was also told that owners of Royal Caribbean were paid (or will soon be paid...) 57% of Residual Value, which is about 15% more than they paid to Royal Mayan owners (which I was very unhappy with, as a Royal Mayan owner of 5 weeks).
There is also a rumor that the Royal Caribbean will NOT be renovated as suites, but rather as hotel rooms... if this is true, then the living room and kitchen area will be redone into a hotel room and each Villa will become 3 separate hotel rooms (I would guess that they can be connected if a family would like to rent two or three rooms) and the rumor is that it will be "all inclusive" and closed to Royal Resort members who are not staying at the Royal Caribbean.
So, if this is true... goodbye to Royal Caribbean for the rest of us.
So I am probably at the Royal Caribbean for the last time in my life, and this makes me feel very sad, but that is how it is.