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Around here this isn’t considered a problem. It is considered completely normal.

Ok...my name is Jane and my cruise can’t come soon enough! Yes...they are all my posts! Jane

@mom2mybugs Jane--I think I solved your problem. You can even make it a group cruise with @Lovetocruise2002 @Sweety @twangster @Boston Babe @tonyfsu21 etc. And since it's so long, you'll need @JLMoran to relieve @twangster on photography duty. https://cruisefever.net/cruise-lines-newest-epic-cruise-will-visit-75-cruise-ports/ Viking Cruises has announced their latest epic world cruise that will span 161 days and visit 75 cruise ports on six continents in late 2020. The cruise will depart from the Cruise Capital of the World, PortMiami, on December 14, 2020 and will feature overnight stays in 13 cruise ports. Pricing for the 2020-2021 Viking World Cruise starts at $52,995 per person, based on double-occupancy. Guests who book between now and December 31, 2019 will receive an additional $2,000 per person in shore excursion credit for any optional land programs and $1,000 per person in shipboard credit which can be used toward optional tours, spa services, onboard shops and beverages. Viking Explorer Society members who book the 2020-2021 Viking World Cruise or 2021 Viking World Discoveries through December 31, 2019 will receive an additional $1,000 in shipboard credit per person.

Ok.... This just cracked me up.... And then I started thinking about which family member I could bump off for the insurance money!!! Can you imagine how amazing this would be!!!! Jane

Thought I'd share ...

Cruise Radio covered this in today’s (Jan13) podcast. Had a guest who was on board recount the whole thing. Guy was in the medical profession and had nothing but positives to say about how they were treated and how the crew handled everything. Said they were clearly well-prepared and well-drilled on the procedures to follow. Very level-headed discussion and no baiting or trying to steer the conversation in a way that would sensationalize it all. Definitely give it a listen if you’d like to hear a first-hand perspective.

I am with Sabrina on this one. I always try and get to the early shows so that, in case those earlier ones are cancelled (for whatever reason), I can catch a later one. If you wait until the later shows and THEY get cancelled, you are out of luck. The down side is...I guess most people think the same way b/c those earlier shows are usually the most crowded. Don't miss the Fine Line. IMO, it is the best Aqua Theater show of them all. Amazing work on the slack lines.

Lol...I think a lot of us can relate. I'm on here all the time. Helps with research and just the excitement. Also like following blogs hearing other's experiences and seeing ships I haven't been on .

If anyone is wondering. Yes Terminal 29 does have a Global Entry and Suites CBP lines. Just have to ask right before start your way to normal lines. No signage indicating the line and it is normally roped off.

Exactly, you would have a problem if you didn't have anything lined up.

I feel your energy. I think of the quarters of school in terms of cruises. 1st quarter no cruises, 2nd quarter one cruise maybe two, 3rd quarter 1-2 cruises, and 4 quarter one cruise. Summer, multi cruises.

In my case my teens (they are older now) varied. One was mature for her age and more inclined to fit in with a more refined crowd, reveling in the modern luxury over the need for a pack of teens to bond with. There will likely be some other teens just not the numbers typically found on RCI. You know your teen best, as I know mine, or as well as I thought I could know them at the time. Mine wasn't one to bond into a teen group on any cruise. When faced with this question it dawned on me I was the one paying for it, so I approached her, explained the differences and suggested I could find someone to watch her or she could come with me knowing it would tend to run an older, more refined crowd. She accepted that and decided she wanted to cruise. I was after all paying for it so while I took her position into account, it weighed less than my own feelings and why I chose Celebrity on that occasion. By establishing her expectations it mitigated the concerns, at least to a large degree.

Pro tip - The beverage coolers (not fridges) are usually contained within a cabinet. In many cases that cabinet traps the warm air coming off the cooler and prevents the cooling appliance from actually doing much cooling. . Propping the door to the cabinet open allows the warm air to escape and the cooler maintains a much cooler temperature as a result. I use a wash cloth from the bathroom, double over and hung over the cabinet door to keep it from closing but also to keep it from swinging should there be any motion due to waves.. Sadly on newer ships the cooler door is sometimes fixed to the cabinet door so the cooler opens when the cabinet door is opened. This technique doesn't work on these ships since holding the cooler door open defats the potential advantages. On older ships though this technique will yield a much cooler beverage cooler.

Yes... Atlantic Time Zone = San Juan Time = Ship Time = Port Time, which just happens to also be my favourite time ... MIMOSA TIME !!??

So after telling me a few weeks ago, "No more cruises!" my DL now says she wants to go back to Alaska in 2020. BUT, she doesn't want to Radiance again AND wants to see more ports, i.e. some other ports besides or in addition to Skagway and Ketchican. She does want to go back to Juneau and Icy Strait Pointe. I know many of you are like me and create spreadsheets for everything! I'm wondering if anyone has created one comparing Alaska cruises with ports and costs, including other lines besides RCCL? If not, I'll start working on one and share if people are interested. We would deviate from RCCL based solely on itinerary.....

I was on the Grandeur cruise last year that started two days late because of the rudder issue that kept in in Canaveral for repairs and still got the full amount of C&A points for the cruise I booked. (I received 9 points for the cruise that was shortened to 7 nights.) So, I'm sure the passengers will the points they booked for as well.

Tea snob, suite snob...anything else we need to know about you? ?

My two favorite cities. This year I am teaching two social science classes along with Algebra Trig. I use my pictures in my classes. It makes history real to my students.

AKA an interest free loan using your money.

I am happy you are going to Europe. Florence (David) and Rome (Vatican), wine and olive oil.

Yes, they did. They even had red velvet cheesecake.

You are totally right...teens do totally differ! We didn’t start cruising until my kids were 18, 16 and 13. I wish I had cruised earlier...my oldest was totally pack mentality and would have done well on any cruise. Middle one not so much. The 3rd (15) will have to travel with us no matter what and it truly didn’t dawn on me to simply ask her opinion. When we go on vision this summer (med/Greek) she is expecting not many teens and is ok. I totally didn’t make the leap to present the same as a done for celebrity! Thanks for helping me clarify! Jane

We need to form a winter need a cruise support group. The snow was pretty today but only because I have a cruise in March to look forward to! Jane

Thanks! I am really trying to make sure we hit the oasis class specific stuff since we won’t be on a big one again for awhile (we have vision and rhapsody booked for summer and next spring break). I’m already telling myself that I will have to drag myself out of my deck chair and explore lol! Jane

That's what I hear. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time in 270 and the Solarium.

9 is fine. I'm just happy I don't have to be out by 7:30. It'll probably take 4 hours to get through airport TSA anyway, assuming they still exist in February.

Hmmmm.... I can't see "Should I get the Deluxe Beverage Package?"

Needs more bacon!

I wonder if they are still giving them their C&A points.

So, lesson learned. If cruising with first time cruisers and also wanting to get a little relaxation in for yourself, don’t try a live blog. Instead this will end up as a liveish blog. Sorry for not keeping up, but just had so much going on. Have tons of photos and will be going through over the next few days and putting a day by day blog together.

Good news, maybe, still have one more set if WJ Recon pictures to post. Just happen to have a busy evening last night.

Talk to your cabin attendant. Also an extra gratuity goes a long way. As far as T.S.A. goes. T.S.A. pre check is great to have.

It will be all right together with a million people. Oh to be able to travel not tied to a school year lol! We are so excited for this trip. We are booked to see the Sistine chapel.... Someone needs to pinch me! Jane

Also see if your phone allows WiFi calling. Some carriers/phones allow it. It would be in your settings under carrier. You can try it at home first to see if it works by putting your phone in airplane mode.

Extra for room attendant, fold some bills and put them in the Seapass slot just inside the door, it will be the first thing they see. Bartenders at sea are the same as on land. A nice big tip with the first drink insures the follow-ups will be stronger and he/she may "forget" to charge you for one or two during your time at the bar.

The thing that surprised me the most about Rome was how close everything is...such a small geographical area. It's all just right there together ! So interesting. Never been to Athens. One day....

Last cruise I tipped the room attendant and the concierge with a little something extra, other than that....left it at pre-paid on everything.

Ok...totally hijacking the post lol. I really wanted to do harmony as my first oasis, but allure was cheaper and worked for timing. Have you been on before? Are you doing wonderland? Jane

You'll have plenty of deck chair time on those small ships ?

Anything you post is great and appreciated. I will always be LIVEish as I deliberately don’t get Voom...it’s relaxation time! Welcome home to the snow! Jane

If it gets cancelled, can you book it again, or do you have to do standby line? Just wondering...we are booked night one on allure. @Lovetocruise2002 I'm thinking up more and more Oasis class questions to ask you lol... Jane

That's really sad. How horrible for the family. Every cruise, I give my kids the balcony/railing lecture that results in a lot of eye rolls. I think I'll continue giving my lecture.

I haven't been quiet, but this one is odd to me, 6000+ passengers (Assuming full), 2500 crew, 227 sick (Quoted as 3%), there have been far worse scenarios that Royal and ship passengers have been in, the year of all of the hurricanes come to mind, but on this cruise they refund the passengers everything and I mean everything, my wife showed me a copy of the letter to the passengers posted on the C&A Facebook page, it was very detailed as to what they would get refunded. I'm happy for them, it just seems like over compensation on Royals part, IMHO.

I've been kind of silent on this one for a few days...What I have been wondering through all of this is if this will set the precedence for future cruises where Noro breaks out? This happens from time to time but, this is the first time I recall where they are returning early and issuing a full refund. What happens the next time and the time after that? It's going to end up costing Royal and we all know how that all ends....

Meant to share this earlier, this is from our October cruise on Freedom, I took the pictures because it looks like St. Kitts is building a new pier, Freedom was on one side of the existing pier and a Carnival ship was on the other (Carnival was in the way or I would have gotten a better picture.)

We have B2B in Feb on Anthem and must change cabins. While I wish we could have gotten the same suite for both segments, we are thrilled to be going our first B2B ! Can’t wait !

I'm a tea snob, so I always pack my own tea. But here is sample of the tea in the Diamond Lounge from our last cruise. I have never seen anything other than this variety.

We have solved the hard mattress issue two ways. First - we roll up a 3" mattress topper as tight as we can get it and tie it together. Stuff it in a suitcase and fill the rest of that suitcase with whatever else we are taking. This requires 2 large suitcases for most trips. BUT - the comfort of the softer mattress is worth it. Just remember to take it off of the bed when you come home. Second - if we are flying and can only check one bag - we ask the room steward for 10 extra pillows. We put them under the sheet and remake the bed. We have a "pillow-top" mattress literally!!!

Service animals that have been trained to perform a task are still allowed. Providing comfort/emotional support isn't a task an animal has been trained for, that's the main distinction. Hopefully this is enough to curtail the abusers who are just ordering a vest and certificate online so they can bring Fluffy. The current laws are meant to make it easier for people with legitimate disabilities and needs to get by without being harassed and challenged constantly. Businesses aren't allowed to ask what a person's disability is or why they need a service animal, it'd be like asking somebody if they really need that wheelchair or are they just lazy. People with disabilities put up with enough crap that they shouldn't have to deal with a problem caused by selfish and overly entitled jerks.