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Yea..here's your vaccine.. http://

You are aware that this is “fun post” right? One of our “rules” here is to stay on topic. If you are not contributing anything relevant to the topic at hand, perhaps move onto another thread. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/19393-dont-do-any-of-these-things/

Wonderful, Thanks so much everyone! @twangster, @JLMoran@Lovetocruise2002. I will get @Sharlain this loop, as soon as Thanksgiving 2022 hits the availability please HOLD for me 12722, woot woot!! You guys make planning a breeze, I appreciate you all!

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The news of a vaccine that doesn't require extreme storage and distribution temperature is great news for sure. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

Check out deck 14 between WJ and El Loco Fresh starboard side. There is a restaurant with no name. This is where CK is on other Quantum class ships so the assumption is that will be CK. It had better be there otherwise @Lovetocruise2002 can't or won't sail Odyssey.

Do They Allow Loud Laughing in Hawaii Or just A Low Ha?

I agree. Between the Pfizer and Moderna test results, I have a lot of hope. Richard Fain touched on this hope in today's video:

I was literally just thinking this as I read the post by @USFFrank. We're not there yet, but there is a small light. So there is hope.

They list CK on the "Things To Do - Dining" page for Odyssey. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/odyssey-of-the-seas/things-to-do/coastal-kitchen

:: GROOOAAAANNNNNN :: I have to have my kids read this thread. They will suddenly have a deep appreciation for just how MILD my own dad jokes are.

I signed up because, like all of us, we miss cruising. But maybe even a bigger reason was that maybe I could help get us all back to cruising sooner by going thru the process, that would be a good thing.

When I saw this on the menu I figured that it would be bao, and it was. But calling it a fusion taco sounds better. I was appropriately whelmed by it.

Fedex truck ? Make it look routine. Just another ho-hum package.

yes..thats the long term storage....30 days at normal fridge temps which is key...... At this point..I will take any positive news ?

No...not in the article I read...2-8 degrees it has to be kept at and good for up to 30 days at a time..not -80 degrees to be kept at...if true, thats a HUGE advantage and game changer A key advantage of Moderna's vaccine is that it does not need ultra-cold storage like Pfizer's, making it easier to distribute. Moderna expects it to be stable at normal fridge temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 48°F) for 30 days and it can be stored for up to 6 months at -20C.

Better news and results that Pfizer right now...this one seems like it would be much easier to distribute as well based on the fact it doesn't need to be kept at extreme cold temps! Thanks to "operation warp speed" it appears things may get better sooner than was reasonably expected.......cruising in fall 2021 will hopefully be a reality!

Pretty hard to find a country that want to risk their health system to allow people in. The travel advisory is at level 3 ( reconsider travel) or higher for all countries. I am not worried about my own health but everyone I come in contact with.

Much as I find it best to not discuss religion and politics in hostile territory, I have added "cruise industry" to this philosophy.

Thanks for ruining my good drunk. ?

Calling @Lovetocruise2002 #TeamCK I just looked at the deck plans for the Odyssey & can't seem to locate Coastal Kitchen, will there be one on this ship? If so would you venture a guess as to her location? In the cooler months ( I am looking forward to November 2022 as this years of course was a wash) I prefer to be a bit of a cabin dweller, and I take into account preferable locations, this is why I enjoy deck 17 on Oasis class! So, will there be a CK on the Odyssey & if so best guess deck? As always thanks so much!! Another observation: there does not seem to be any connecting Junior Suites, connecting to anything am I correct?

I'm sure like a lot of you, I love talking about cruise stuff. Most of the posts these days are depressing with the current situation. So I thought I'd start a fun post. There is the common question "Are drink packages worth it?". We mostly cruise with our kids so don't purchase it, but DH and I have gone on a couple cruises on our own. On our last cruise we purchased the package for the first time. We have also purchased it for our summer cruise...if it goes as it was a good price (comparing to the standard rate). It's not generally worth it for me price-wise, especially if our kids are on the cruise, but I do enjoy the freedom of grabbing drink and if the price is right, that alone is worth it. DH can break even or make it worth it financially. So I thought for fun...I'd start a post of "what is your day like on a cruise in terms of drinks"? Royal has such fun ones, plus the usual wines, beers, hard liquor. I'll go first (based on the one time we had the package) morning coffee with baileys - grab after breakfast and walk viewing the ocean with it afternoon fun drink by pool or schooner's bar with trivia - mai tai or blue lagoon or some cocktail afternoon ice coffee (maybe) bottled water dinner drink - try a new wine or mojito evening fun drink (usually after the show so I'm not running to the washroom lol) - try something new from menu, or Kraken colada, etc. How about others? Can be with or without the drink package...with our without the suite/diamond lounge (not us).

I honestly don’t know. I was assuming what @twangstersaid about the open space on deck 14 being CK. Odyssey has the Royal Suite class system so I would assume that there would be a CK. Only time will tell I suppose.

I volunteered. I'm in the travel industry (a separate branch from cruising) and have family in the amusement park industry. The sooner we can find ways for people to safely enjoy these activities again the better. And I desperately need to see the "line where the sky meets the sea".

The one big thing why I never just used a birth certificate is from understanding, god for bid I get sick on a cruise and wanted to fly home, this is not possible with a birth certificate. I'm I correct on this statement Gang?

Really looking forward to have something booked going from Barcelona on Harmony, the ship I was on from Florida last August. Don't have to make the final payment until 13th March so we can see how it's progressing by then. However I did opt for the drinks package already as it was only £38 per night. Never seen it that low before. ? Anyone else feeling more upbeat since the vaccine announcements.

All good news, looking very good for the world.

Lets keep in mind that the Healthy Sail Panel protocols are moot in Barbados as is the CDC's tyranny.

Yes, I see it now also in the CNN article " Moderna's vaccine can be kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Other vaccines, such as the one against chickenpox, need to be kept at that temperature. That means Moderna's vaccine can be kept in "a readily available freezer that is available in most doctors' offices and pharmacies," Zacks said. "We leverage infrastructure that already exists for other" For some reason some other sites give different information

There are 2 things that stand out to me about this sailing. The fact SeaDream did not employ masks at first When there was a positive case, why they put the entire ship on lockdown. If you read through the Healthy Sail Panel protocols, neither scenario was what should have happened. Masks should have been work by crew and passengers, and if there was one case, they should have quarantined and isolated that case. The HSP recommendations do not require the ship to go on lockdown (or even return to port immediately) for 1 case (or 6)

Yes, work with a travel agent to arrange payments between the 3 of you. Much simpler that way. For onboard purchases, each of you can set up your own credit card tied to your onboard purchases during check in. Yup

Fantastic news that another vaccine candidate is performing so well.

You are raising good points , that is why I estimated only 50% of the production will go to the US. Moderna just announced 94.5 success in their vaccine test , so Pfizer is not the only player now.

The Shiplife YT channel is speculating Navigator and Mariner

I'm late to cruising (first one in '15, and I'm 58). I feel like I'm missing a large chunk of time that could have been used for cruising. I've seen the RC crewmembers at work when there was no thing as a Covid virus pandemic, so I have every confidence in their ability to keep me safe. The company officers have spent a LOT of money to ensure adhesion to the CDC protocols and I am sure they know what they're doing; after all, this is their livelihood. I work from home now (thanks, covid), so quarantining won't be a problem if necessary. All I know is that I need to be on a ship. Living in Charleston, we don't have any mountains to jump off!

Y'all get way too defensive about cruising

that is the perfect answer, No one knows. I think we will find out when we find out. I would assume Matt will be on it as he has all the other news he picks up. Thanx again Matt, and who ever he gets his info from.

I think the reality here is that there is virtually no way to completely keep the virus from getting on a ship. The important thing is the timely recognition of it’s presence through testing. Then the mitigation taken to isolate those who are infected and to stop the risk of spread. The Healthy Sail protocols plan for this eventuality by having on-going testing, designated isolation cabins, positive-pressure medical facilities, virus killing air scrubbers, and a robust sanitization protocol to prevent spread by surface contact. Also, by limiting passenger load to help with social distancing. And, of course, masks. Sailing with the risk of Covid onboard is reasonable to me if I know an infection will likely not become an outbreak...and the risk of being held captive in my cabin is lessened by these common sense protocols and practiced reactions which quickly identify, isolate and treat patients while protecting the rest of the passengers and crew. Time will tell. Delaying it will do nothing except further hurt those who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.

In my experience one only need to look at CBP upon return from a cruise; the line for US citizens returning with birth certificate alone is quite long. For the record the state department states 42% of Americans have a passport. I can’t find anything that breaks it down by cruise aficionados alone. Make no mistake, the government is making it impossible to cruise from the US, they could easily make it very difficult for an American citizen to do it from elsewhere. Never underestimate the vindictive nature of the a federal agency.

Tom Hanks as @Matt!! ?

I have family like this. I just smile, change the subject ("Look! Squirrel!!"), and then walk away (not to participate in the convo).

I volunteered because I love cruising, and I am eager to be part of the return to sea. I want to help test the procedures and provide the feedback they need so that we can ALL get back to cruising. If the other cruise lines put out volunteer forms like RCCL, I would volunteer for as many as possible so that I could help with comparison information "xx cruise line did this which worked really well, while yy cruise line did this a little different".

I have worked with the public everyday with my job since the pandemic has started. I wear a mask, use proper social distancing guide lines and wash and sanitize my hands often. I have also followed those guide lines when out in public places like the grocery store. I don't see any differences if I cruise.

Everyone wants their life back. Everyone is sick and tired of this darn virus. The flip side is that the virus hasn't changed. In 2018 13M Americans went on a cruise. 20k+ want to sail on a test cruise now? That's a drop of water in the ocean.

Bikinis are overrated. Parkas are the new thing. Boy do I sound old...

Hmmm...it really depends on what I have planned for the day. If I want to do the "active" stuff like Sky Pad, Flow Rider, Zip Line, etc (I may be a grandma, but age is just a number!), then I don't have my first beverage until I'm done with those things (an injury would definitely put a damper on the vacation!). Typically, something like this: 8:00...escape the snoring log of a husband and stumble down to the Cafe Promenade for a specialty hot tea (life is tough for those of us who don't drink coffee). Get a bottle of water or 2 for good measure 8:30...first breakfast...maybe with a mimosa and another bottle of water 9:00...morning run (gotta burn off all the dessert and drinks!) followed by another bottle of water 10:00...second breakfast when my husband finally emerges. Definitely a mimosa here The rest of the day depends on what I'm doing...if we're hitting up the trivia (don't challenge me at 80s music trivia...I'll win), then it's time to start looking at the specialty drink menus in whatever venue we're in. Fallback drink is a Dark & Stormy. On Mariner, we loved to camp out in the Bamboo Room and try the different rums! 12:30~ish...time for lunch and more water After lunch...pool deck and whatever tiki drinks the very sweet cabana boy will bring me. Along with water. All the water We do late seating dinner, and I usually have a glass or 2 of wine with that. After dinner...time to hit whatever entertainment and a nightcap.

My brother and I thoroughly enjoyed a kayak excursion we took in Sitka. Take your time and take in all there is to see. This activity will meet your love of nature and provide a little less of a herd feeling. We saw a mama bear and her cubs, another adult bear, and at least a dozen eagles. One of those eagles swooped down and plucked a salmon out of the water no more than 25 feet away from us.

You mean this.