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  1. Odyssey October 2021 Italy/Greece. 9 nights with overnight in Athens. Will spend a few days in Rome before cruise. So Excited! This itinerary has been on my radar for a few years. Each year we cruise to celebrate another year cancer free. This cruise will be the 5 year mark. I was given a 15% chance to make it 5 years. I have every intention of making this cruise. Stage 4B endometrial cancer. I also have Lynch Syndrome which is a hereditary cancer gene that puts me at risk for another 12 cancers. So looking forward to living life to the fullest!
    26 points
  2. I actually thought the title referred to a Biblical miracle!
    8 points
  3. Semi live blog, we’ll see how that works out! 10 days to go!!! Crown Loft Suite - Deck 17 Day 1 - Port Canaveral ? Day 2 - Sea Day – Ship stuff – formal night, main dining anniversary celebration planned by TA Day 3 - Sea Day Day 4 - St. Maarten (Anniversary Day!) – Island tour, vow renewal in our suite, Izumi Hibachi, After Party Day 5 - San Juan – Beach Day Day 6 – Sea Day Day 7 - Coco Cay – Overwater Cabana Booked!!! Day 8 - ☹ This will be our second cruise and we will be celebrating out 10th Anniversary on this cruise. Myself, my wife and our 8 year old daughter are in a Crown Loft Suite, My sister in law and mother in law, and 2 other families that we are friends. 11 People total with 3 kids all 8 years old. Since we have the grandma on board so looks like we might have some good child care options for the kids! (not sure if grandma knows that yet though lol) We are flying out of Newark, NJ the day before into Orlando and staying at a hotel near the port. We used to live in Florida so we are very familiar with the areas. I only care about 1 thing at the port, I needs me a Cuban Sandwich. You just can’t get good Cuban food in Jersey. We put in a bid to Royal Up to a 2 bedroom aqua theater suite, that would catapult us into Star Class but I’m not going to get my hopes up too much on that! (but a guy can wish right?) Things I am most excited for to: · The 10 year celebration! We are planning to do a vow renewal. I wish some of my family was able to attend but it just wasn’t in the cards. My sister in law is going to host the service and it looks like we will be having it in our suite. · The overwater cabana! We booked an overwater cabana for our Perfect Day at Coco Cay. It looks like we will be one of the first to get to experience this. Expect lots of pictures! (They are supposed to be opening these up on Jan 31st and we are there Feb second… hope it’s ready in time!!) · Sailing with friends and family! This is going to be great. We should get lots of “adult time” with other people. Our last cruise was just the 3 of us on a Disney Cruise. It was our best family vacation ever but it’s going to be great to experience a cruise with friends on board. · The “suite life”! We were ruined years ago when we upgraded to a concierge experience on one of our vacations, now we can only travel like this. We take full advantage of the perks and it really does add to our enjoyment. I am an extreme over planner. Vacations are my jam. I have a bunch of activities already planned out. To make sure we see as much as possible I have been working on a scavenger hunt that will send us out in teams to take pictures of stuff and activities around the ship. I am very excited about this. So what are some must see things for Harmony? Let’s hear them! Now I just need to finish my vows… Here's the invite my wife made to send to everyone traveling with us.
    7 points
  4. Day Two - Key West Afternoon Activities After finishing lunch, I decided to make my way to Kermit's to grab a slice of key lime pie. On the way, I stopped by a cute second-hand shop, though I didn't purchase anything. I spent some time looking through the many key lime flavored items at Kermit's, there's so much! Candy, jellies, lotions, soaps, and even some surprises like olive oil and salsa. The also had samples of their limeade, which was delicious and very tart. I got a slice of pie and headed to their outdoor seating area. It's a nice, secluded little place with a koi pond, and a good spot to take a breather. The pie was delicious, I enjoyed every bite! Part of the outdoor area has a relaxing waterfall feature, as well as a koi pond. As I finished my pie, the time was about 3:15pm. I didn't want to go back to the ship yet, but I wanted to make sure I gave myself extra time before the 5:30pm all aboard. This is about the time that I also realized, the other things that were lower on my list of things to do, and wasn't sure if I'd get to, were back where I'd already been. Oops. I decided that I would head back up Whitehead Street once again, so I could take a photo the Mile 0 marker (I had passed right by this on the way to the conservatory and hadn't realized it. The lure of magical butterflies was too strong) and another photo of the Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S. I had seen buses for a free Duval Loop earlier in the day that would have taken me where I needed to go for those two things, but I'm guessing they ended early for the holiday because I didn't see any while I walked. Me & the Mile 0 marker, start of US-1 Finally, I got to the southernmost point. There were many food and drink carts around, where people could get drinks in whole pineapples and whole coconuts for about $15. I did take a photo with the bouy, although I did so from a bench in front of it, rather than standing next to it. This is because there was a very long line of people waiting to take photos standing next to it. Even if I had felt like waiting, I think it would have caused me to miss the all aboard time. Many people lining up to take a photo with the Southernmost Point Buoy I took a couple more photos out on a pier beside the Southernmost House Hotel before heading back down Duval street to get back to the ship. I got back to Mallory Square around 4:40pm and took a couple of photos in front of the ship before coming back on board. After dropping off my bag in my room, I went up to the pool deck to get ready for sail away. The clouds had come back in, so our last sunset of 2019 was not quite as big as I'd hoped. No pier runners today, but there did appear to be someone unhappily waiting with an officer as the ship left the port. Many in the square waved as we departed, and we waved back as we headed back out to sea for our New Year's Eve celebration. Various performers in Mallory Square as we prepared for sail away. Testing out the zoom on my camera to get a photo of this dog in shorts. A subtle last sunset of 2019.
    6 points
  5. @Pookie I said earlier that I’m pretty laid back, and I really am. If i asked for a Seafood Tower to be delivered to the Escape room while we were there and was told no i could roll with that answer. But if I asked for a bag of M&M’s and was told to go the candy store...Me thinks I might not accept that answer. I know that things differ from Genie to Genie and from ship to ship, but that’s an unacceptable response for your simple request. I’m hoping that changes for you!
    6 points
  6. We just got Royal Up’d today ...... 4 days before our cruise on Harmony this coming Sunday 1/19/2020 ....... originally booked a Grand Suite 1 Bedroom ........ got upgraded to an L1 Crown Loft # 1758. I actually didn’t even put in our bid until this past Sunday when we were 7 days out. I got the original email about bidding before Christmas. We bid the lowest bid that got us into the “strong bid” zone on the bid meter.
    5 points
  7. Glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that!! ?
    4 points
  8. Jolly Ogre

    Adult decks

    I don't see what all the fuss is about. I was topless on Allure in Jan 2019 and on Indy Dec 2019. I always go topless in the pool or hot tubs.
    4 points
  9. So I got totally sidetracked by the title and thought RCI had come up with a new amazing aqua theater show where someone is "walking on water."
    4 points
  10. I've just finished editing my tour video of Mariner! Now I just need some good internet to upload. I'll be in Cozumel on Friday, so hopefully I'll be able to post then. I think you guys will like this! Stay tuned!
    4 points
  11. Day Two - Hemingway Home & Museum After my second go around at the conservatory (where I watched a butterfly nearly hitch a ride out on a woman's straw hat), I decided to check out the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, at the recommendation of my step mom. I started walking down Duval Street, and eventually crossed back over to Whitehead Street to get to the Museum. This sign on the way there made me laugh, and also want one for my apartment. The Key West Lighthouse across the road from Hemingway House had a lot of visitors as well. Entrance to the museum was $15, cash only. A sign at the ticket window asked guests not to pick up the cats that are on property, which was reiterated by the tour guides. I arrived just as a guided tour was starting. It was a very large crowd, not much space in some of the rooms. The guide asked us not to take photos during the tour itself, but rather come back through once we were finished to get photos. This was mostly adhered to by everyone. Tours are about half an hour in length, and what information you'll hear depends largely on which guide you have. You are welcome to ask the guides questions at the end of the tour. I wasn't fully able to hear the guide at times due to the large amounts of people, but it was still an enjoyable tour. At that time, there were 59 cats on the grounds, but it definitely did not feel like that many. Our guide told us that not all of the cats have six toes, but all carry the gene for it. Guests may pet the cats if they come up to you, but again, are asked not to pick them up. I'm not sure how they get all of the cats, if they are rescues or bred for the six toe gene, but all looked to be content and healthy. One cat enjoying the pool area. Relaxing by the entrance. The Hemingway House is built on the second highest of Key West, at a whopping 16ft above sea level. This, combined with the limestone quarried out to build the house, means it has the rare feature of a basement, that the guides claimed has never flooded, even in hurricanes. The whole house is very nice, and I especially liked the second level's wrap around balcony. Part of the wrap around balcony. The lighthouse is off to the left of this photo. Day Two - Lunch at Sloppy Joe's I finished up at Hemingway House around 1:00pm, and was feeling quite hungry, so started back towards Duval Street to have lunch at Sloppy Joe's (my dad's recommendation this time). The atmosphere of Duval Street varies. Down by the conservatory felt a little more upscale, bed and breakfast type, but the closer you got to Mallory Square, the more it took on a party vibe. I briefly stepped into a Walgreens that looks like it had once been an old theater. I wanted to check out what the prices of sunscreen were here, as I had debated if the two 3.3oz bottles I'd packed would be enough before leaving. They ranged from $12-$15 for your typical sunscreen to ~$25 for high end sunscreen. It was cool to see massive trees like this in the middle of a busy area. This bar, and a couple others, were plastered with stapled dollar bills EVERYWHERE. I made it to Sloppy Joe's and started looking for a place to sit, as it was self seating. I don't know how busy it is on a typical day, but for NYE, every single seat was taken when did my first look around. I waited in the gift shop area for about five minutes before going around again, still without any luck. Not even a barstool to be had. I was about to chalk it up as a loss and find somewhere else to eat when a woman approached me and said if I didn't mind sharing, she and her husband had a table at the back with extra seats. I thanked her, and followed her to a table near the kitchen. A margarita to go with my nachos. An excellent combo. I had a lovely conversation with the two, who were from Jacksonville and had spent the past month renting a place in Key West to test out if they could run their business away from home. I told them about my cruising adventure so far, and found out that they had a daughter that was actually visiting Philly that day, at one of my favorite places in the city. The universe makes funny coincidences like that. We went on talking and listening to the live music for about an hour before we parted ways. I'm very glad I met them, and we added each other on Facebook to keep in touch. It's those kinds of experiences that make me happy to do solo travels.
    4 points
  12. Spending most of our day on our balcony!! Just a peaceful day.
    4 points
  13. I'm calling BS. I thought we already proved @Matt holds the premature blogging record... but I guess since it's his site, he gets a pass.
    4 points
  14. I would never start a live blog as early as @Lovetocruise2002 does! She's out of control!
    4 points
  15. 3 points
  16. SteveinSC

    Carolyn Kraft

    Sorry you feel your 50th birthday and honeymoon is "ruined." I can understand the disappointment of reality missing the mark of expectations. That being said, try to keep a positive attitude?! Just saying "we are going to make the best of a disappointing situation" can go a long way in turning things around....that and a few drinks at the bar. Hope it gets better for you. Control what you can control....
    3 points
  17. Yeah, because Royal has total control over the weather, the Coast Guard, harbor pilots.......... I understand your frustration but your anger toward the cruise line is unwarranted.
    3 points
  18. RWDW1204

    Spa

    Found this. Believe it's fairly current. Hope it helps. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cruisewithgambee.com/royal-caribbean-spa-prices-2/&ved=2ahUKEwiKncPQ5YjnAhVlvFkKHW0VCp4QtaYDegQIARAY&usg=AOvVaw05f9MYDfagnWFK_RFoc71F
    3 points
  19. Congratulations!!!!
    3 points
  20. Well I am planning on posting pics from the cabana on Feb 1st. I am considering doing a semi live blog. So make sure you check that sub forum on the 1st.
    3 points
  21. Many are way more out of control than me these days lol. Thank you my fellow bot friend. ?
    3 points
  22. twangster

    Adult decks

    Freedom has a area where it is posted that topless sunbathing is allowed. This was right after she came back from Europe while sailing out Florida. I didn't see similar sign on Indy. Generally the answer is going to be no. On this trip in Antigua the new MSC Seaside was across the pier from us. An older woman on the large side was on her balcony right across from us in plain view as she was people watching on the pier between us. She was completely naked. Some things can't be unseen.
    3 points
  23. Dinner on this night featured a souffle. Back in 2006/07, we went on a Princess cruise where the dessert chef made souffles every night, even doing a savory souffle on one occasion. To this day, I feel like that spoiled us because whenever we get a souffle on a cruise, we’re inevitably comparing it to something from (now) 13 years ago. Unfair? You bet it is. In this case, the souffles were a bit overcooked. It still tasted good, but you could almost imagine Gordon Ramsay throwing a fit and inventing about 20 new curse words to describe the not-perfect souffles. The mains, however, were on point. Kids aren’t big fans of alfredo sauce so we asked to get a red sauce for the linguini – no issues with that substitution. After dinner, we went to see the revue show, “Once Upon A Time”. This was a song and dance show with sets based around popular fairy tales. In a sense, it’s similar to what DCL does with their “Wishes” and “Believe” shows, subtracting Disney songs and any semblance of plot, while adding contemporary music and more choreography. Including what I think was an original disco song to open and close the show. The less said about THAT song, the better. I will not say that it was the most enjoyable show ever, but it wasn’t the worst I’d seen either. But certainly not a show I’ll need to see again, whereas I happily rewatch Blue Planet (Allure) and Columbus: The Musical (Harmony) again. So on my own again, I took another loss at the casino, and then I decided to take in the late night curiosity known as The Quest. I’d heard a bit about this, and after some time to digest this, my main impression is I mean the host calls out some task like “I need 5 different shoes attached together by their shoelaces” and suddenly shoes are raining down onto the Studio B floor and I’m all So yeah, this game is nuts. There are points awarded. But I think, like in Whose Line Is It Anyway, the points don’t matter. I tip my virtual hat to those of you with enough guts to be the captains. My team won, I think. Only the captains win a prize, so I guess I had a moral victory. So, yay? The next day was our final full day on board, as we headed back to Fort Lauderdale.
    2 points
  24. It might very well negate the need for life boats ?
    2 points
  25. I booked a GTY Ocean-View Balcony on Symphony. Received my room assignment 36 days before sailing. We were upgraded to a Grand Suite 1-Bedroom!! This was our first (hopefully of many) cruise on Royal and now I am spoiled by having the Sky Class perks.
    2 points
  26. 2 points
  27. It's a shame you will miss Bahrain. There are lots of interesting things to do there. Last time I was there I went and visited the Crown Prince's camel farm !! Very interesting.
    2 points
  28. Check out a Navigator or Oasis or Symphony cruise compass for typical hours.
    2 points
  29. Ahh, yes.....my old friend.....the "Debarkation Hangover."
    2 points
  30. My wife and I carried on 12 bottles of water when we sailed on Vision back in October. We each had 6 bottles placed in various sections of our carry on bags. When we went through the security scan, the person there asked if it was water or alcohol. We told them water and were on our way. We didn't have to show them or open our bags.
    2 points
  31. Hang out at Captain Jack's on the island. Captain Jack is a bar, but there is live music throughout the day, swing seats and a fun vibe. It's also completely shaded and tends to get a nice breeze.
    2 points
  32. Besides this year's planned ones, my wife is still looking for a Spring 2021 trip. But she's already picked this one out for the fall. Nov 27 - Dec 4, 2021. Eastern, Perfect Day. Miami Symphony Owner's Suite. Like I've said before, my wife is slowly moving us up and closer to Star Class.
    2 points
  33. Everything is cheaper before the cruise....everything......
    2 points
  34. Matt

    Should I pre-purchase wifi?

    Assuming you are below Diamond in Crown and Anchor Society, always prebook. It will cost more once onboard.
    2 points
  35. Day Two - The Butterfly Conservatory One place that I had checked out ahead of time, and knew that I wanted to see, was the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. I spent a little time in the marketplace around Mallory Square before heading up Whitehead Street towards the conservatory. The conservatory itself is on Duval Street, but I wanted to walk up a little more scenic way first. Lots of gorgeous homes, museums, and plant life to be had. I saw a couple of beautiful Banyan Trees. They make such lovely branch structures. Before I got to Key West, I had no idea how many chickens there were roaming freely, so I was quite surprised. Though not as business heavy as Duval Street, Whitehead Street also had many shops and restaurants. After a leisurely walk, I made it to the conservatory. My ticket cost $12.90 after tax, though I believe you can get a dollar or two off if you purchase online ahead of time. The ticket allows you entrance to the conservatory as many times as you'd like all day. I went in first to just experience it and enjoy it, and the a second time after a quick break in the air conditioning of the gift shop to take photos. The butterflies need a higher temperature, humid environment to thrive. I think the temperature was about the same as the outdoors, but it was noticeably more humid. When you enter the doors after purchasing a ticket, there is a informational area with small exhibits, videos, benches, and even some power outlets, if you're looking for a place to get a quick charge. Through there, there are two more sets of doors, taking care to only open one set at a time, as a precaution to not let any of the butterflies out. The conservatory itself was beautiful, and had such a serene atmosphere. It was wonderful to watch so many butterflies zipping around. Everyone there had the biggest smiles on their faces, myself included. It was like being in a Studio Ghibli movie. My camera doesn't have a great action setting, so I wasn't able to fully get the experience of having all the butterflies flying around (and for some people, into) your head, but I did get some nice photos of the sedentary ones. The conservatory also has many birds in addition to butterflies. Crashing my shot to get some fruit.
    2 points
  36. Day Two - Morning in Key West I woke up around 7:00am the next morning. My ear plugs worked wonderfully, but I was woken up partly by what I am assuming were vibrations from the ship coming into port. A little scary at first before I made sense of it. I hopped into some athletic wear to go try out the gym, located above the Viking Crown Lounge. It was quite busy, but I suppose a lot of people had the same idea of getting in a workout before the day in port. I picked out an elliptical, but didn't stay terribly long. I realized that I'm so used to streaming music, I only had about five songs actually loaded onto my phone. That, and the squeaking of my machine, made me want to wrap things up quick and get along with my day. We docked in Mallory Square, along with a Carnival ship. I did not hear the announcement, but we got the all clear to disembark around 8:00am. Start of the day in Mallory Square I went to Windjammer for the first time to grab some breakfast, taking great care to wash my hands. I was happy to find that they had whole kiwi, which is a favorite of mine but I rarely think to buy on my own. I found a nice barstool type area on the left side of the ship, near the entrance and what is the Kids Area for food at dinner time. I enjoyed the waffles and fresh kiwi and much as the view. A much sunnier morning than the previous day. Once I finished up breakfast, I made my way back towards the rock wall. I was excited to try it out, as the last time I did rock climbing was back as a child at summer camp. When it opened at 9:00am, there was just myself and another family there. I got all set up with footwear and my harness, and the staff were very encouraging and helpful with tips on how to best scale it. I went on the easy side and, oh my gosh, I did not think it would be that difficult! All those little kids I saw flying up the wall the day before made it look so easy! The staff helped me get almost to the top before I had to call it quits and come back down. My arms were very tired, I think I was relying on them too much, rather than my legs. Even though I knew I was strapped in to the harness and very safe, when I got to the part where the wall starts tilting back near the top, it was an exhilarating sensation, a little scary. I thanked the staff, and happy that I gave it my best, went back down to my stateroom to grab a shower before heading out. Around 10:00am, I made my way to deck two to disembark and start my day. I did not have a rigid plan of where I was going to go, but had a couple places in mind that I wanted to visit. In hindsight, I should have planned things out just a little better, as I did a lot of back-tracking to areas I'd already been. But, one of the benefits of solo traveling is that you know what pace is doable for yourself. What might have been too much walking in circles for some of my friends/family, was fine with me. A basic map of Key West had been provided with our Cruise Compasses the night before, so after taking a few minutes to orient myself, I started off on my journey for the day! The Empress in Mallory Square
    2 points
  37. Final Thoughts Now that we've been back a few days, I have just a couple of random thoughts to add, in no particular order: - We have always enjoyed the smaller ships and have been afraid the bigger ships would be too crowded. We were wrong! Spectrum is well designed and absorbed the crowds easily. Of course, if you want to get to the sale tables in the middle of the esplanade, it will be crowded, but that happens on any ship. Going forward we won't shy away from the larger ships! - I was surprised how much better the same recipe was when it was prepared in the Gold dining area. Makes me think there might be something to the whole #TeamCK thing ? - I loved the Asian flavor of the ship! Granted, I've lived in the region for nearly 6 years, but please please don't let the fear of the "culturally enriching" cruise stop you from exploring the area. And all signs point to Royal investing more and more in the region - I found it odd there was no drink of the day - There were lots of people from lots of different countries on both our sailings, particularly large family groups. Talking with some of the crew, it seems that people are using this ship for family reunion trips more than in other areas. One Indian extended family of 35, some of them hadn't seen each other in 10 or more years. It was fun to see - This was our first back-to-back. LOVED it, all except the drill ? It's a small price to pay, though, and at least we got a terrific lunch out of the deal! I think that's it. Please let me know if you have questions -- I'm happy to answer!
    2 points
  38. rjac

    Adult decks

    If you have a balcony cabin, you can pretty much go topless or bottomless whenever the fancy hits you. However, I just wouldn't recommend doing that on a day the ship is in a port.
    2 points
  39. WAAAYTOOO

    Dinner table size

    I think you have a good plan working. I wouldn't completely abandon the idea, however, of having your friends dine with you in the CK one night. As Matt always says, be ok with "no" for an answer, but I would certainly at least ASK the Suites Concierge if you could bring your friends in for 1 dinner. Maybe ask for a late dining time as opposed to the very popular 6-7:30 timeframe and one of the non-event evenings...I would certainly not try it on filet night or a formal night, but one of the other "routine" nights might work.
    1 point
  40. If your not looking for an expensive meal place, we really enjoyed La Taberna Lupulo, I,just looked up the address, it's 151 Calle de San Sebastián. I,wrote a good review last year, we had 8 people, service was good, kind of a pub type place. Portions were large.
    1 point
  41. They have build your own tacos..and a taco salad is basically the inside of a taco, so yes!
    1 point
  42. I can not wait ..... we're on Freedom in March and this is one of the things I most look forward to. Question..... do they also have the fixins for a Taco Salad? That's one of my wife's weaknesses. Also, how are the hours at El Loco Fresh? I'm hoping it stays open relatively late, it would make an awesome late night snack.
    1 point
  43. Congrats! Glad you can make your bucket list!! It is on mine also.
    1 point
  44. Thank you for posting these! ?
    1 point
  45. Sweety

    El Loco Fresh on FOS

    El Loco is very good. We ate tacos everyday.
    1 point
  46. Wow! Thank you for that information.
    1 point
  47. Eat twice in Wonderland , one time on Harmony , we were accompany by my Father and his wife , they loved the experience . I enjoyed most of the food , there are some things which were very good (the short rib , the shrimp , the dessert and one or two others) some were not that good like the fish that I thought was very dry. Some were just OK , they have done allot of effort to present them differently but although they looked very interesting the taste was very normal . We went again on Symphony and although we knew about all the surprises we still enjoyed it , mind the second time was part of BOGO deal. You come there mainly for the experience. As part of the UDP for sure I would try it once .
    1 point
  48. @4everwhiting Visited the Island this past November 2019. Personally I picked and have continued to choose (on my next 2 sailings) beach beds on Chill Island. When we were there this past November the tide was out on South beach and the water wasn't as pretty to look at in my humble opinion. Add to that the construction that was going on right next to that area, they covered the best they could (could not cover the noise though) but I would ask for a "corner" bed in the front row on Chill. I believe the bed is priced for you, as you purchase it for up to 4 people as they have the bed and then 2 loungers next to it. I strongly believe it is all yours not to be shared as you have paid for it, so 2 people are fine. I believe the number 4 comes in to charge additional monies per head if more than 4 are using it. They gave us towels and a little cooler with cold water in it. Enjoy, I wish I was going with you! (also, when you book the bed only attach it to one of your names OR they will charge you for 2 beds.) Happy Vacation
    1 point
  49. Have I mentioned that I really need to sail in the RLS???! lol
    1 point
  50. Standard lawyer speak to sway public opinion that greed or other motives are possibly involved. It does somewhat shoehorn them into a position. He can't settle now unless the settlement involves eliminating the windows. If they settle with an NDA and monetary award it means the stated goal is not true. I'm thinking the lawyer changed his mind. Something like... "It's not your fault, let me represent you in a case against the company to prove you were not at fault".
    1 point
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