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They're already up on Walmart of the Seas

"Can someone send me a Cruise Compass from XYZ of the Seas? I am going on the ship next week and I want to do some detailed planning". This request comes up multiple times each month. As a Cruise Planning Addict I know exactly what they are going through. I have the "Cruise Compass" tab on the Royal Caribbean Blog as a favourite on my browser. Last month, I stumbled on a "hack". I hope my brothers and sisters of the "Order of Overly Organized" [OoOO] enjoy this one. I use the Royal Caribbean phone APP that lists all of future cruises I have. Then I: Go to the bottom of the start up screen (it lists all of our future cruises) and press the "Get more details on ships we support" tab at the very bottom. Find your ship that you will sail on ... I know all of them are not there but 23 of them are!. Select the ship you will be sailing on. Find a sailing date similar to the one you will sail on (you might have to do some digging on the Royal Website to find a similar one). I choose the one that is sailing currently or as close to today as possible. Press Daily Planner and ALL of the On Line Cruise Compasses are available for you to view. I am looking at DAY 1 of Independance of the Seas for the NOV 01 to NOV 05 sailing right now. I know there will be these events on these days: DAY 1: 8:00PM Headliner Showtime (in this case Nate Weatherup) ... this was in the past. DAY 2: 9:15PM Ice Spectaclar: Freeze Frame! (V) ... this has not even happened yet (it is 7:49PM in Montreal right now). DAY 3: 3:30PM Name That 80's Tune Trivia (V) in the Schooner Bar I think you get my gist. It is an absolute Disney World for members of the OoOO. It is not as nicely laid out as "real" Cruise Planners', but it will definitely scratch that itch for all my brothers and sisters of the OoOO. I hope this helps, Curt from Canada

The risk of stress related heart disease in men increases by 100% if married....but we still do it

Oops, what’s $30 in loitering cocktails when you’re waiting for vacation to officially commence??

As Matt had said many times, nobody knows for sure what Royal is going to do until they announce a policy change. Until then, this is all speculation, and mostly speculation that is colored by folks personal and political opinions about vaccine mandates.

Also important, and oft-"overlooked," point: COVID-19 causes myocarditis. I didn't dig to find the studies, but there are studies out there that show the risk of myocarditis from COVID-19 is higher than the risk of myocarditis from the vaccine. Some additional source info: Study: Myocarditis risk 37 times higher for children with COVID-19 than uninfected peers | American Academy of Pediatrics (aappublications.org)

Day 3 was pretty good. Some members attempted, that's the key word, to ice skate. It didn't work out well at all. I spent most of the day in either the suite lounge or suite deck relaxing and reading. Too much sun breaks me out, so I tend to mostly avoid it. A stray observation is that the suite lounge fills up at exactly 4:55 and clears out at around 7pm. The view is perfect for having a drink and relaxing, I am usually the only person in there until happy hour. Kristen and Albert always take great care of me. I tried my hand at a bit of trivia but my group didn't do well at all. A few of us went to Dazzles for some bad dancing. I will say social distance is not a thing. Every elevator says no more than 6 or your party. We are 5 and this group of 4 tried to get in. BFF mom is a nurse and a stickler. She always reminds people of the rules. Well yesterday the group of 4 tried to get in with us, they had no mask on and were clearly tipsy. They informed her, proudly, that the number was 10 people and she doesn't have to be a covid bitch. BFF mom closed the elevator but this made her mad, she wanted to tell the captain what happened Dinner at CK was very good, the braised beef gnocchi is divine . My only slight issue is the manner in which they bring out food. I got the shrimp cocktail and braised beef as apps but I received the cocktail 25min after my first app and literally 5min before my entree. My brother ordered the scallop app and the curry soup. His soup came 5min before my shrimp cocktail. I chalked it up to the fact we told our server we weren't in a rush. But it was a bit odd. Most of my party was blown away by the ivory mousse dessert, I was quite disappointed with the chocolate napoleon. But if I am being honest none of the desserts have impressed me.....except the ranger cookies. After dinner we all went to Dazzlers and then I headed to the casino. As I am typing this, I am even. I had a decent run, then some lady sat next to me and refused to stop talking. She gave me bad juju and I lost pretty bad,well everything extra I won. I ended the night with the exact amount I started the cruise with. So the plan is to play with my alloted amount tonight and hope for the best. The captain just announced we have docked at our first port of the cruise, St. Maarten. The plan is to get off around noon and see the port and be back aboard around two. Tonight is also our reservation for the comedy show. Right now I just finished breakfast at CK and I am heading to the NextCruise desk.

I fully expect kids will be required to be vaccinated after a delay to allow people to get their shots. Richard Fain has always put out that vaccines are the way to get back to "normal cruising" so I don't expect him to back down from that. My son has his appointments scheduled already, and my daughter was in the Pfizer trial, so we just need to have her unblinding appointment. We will be all set for our upcoming cruise in February.

Hi! The system enhances our efforts to price protect our clients bookings by sweeping for new prices usually once per day. However Michelles reply was accurate that most MEI team members work in tandem with clients, and its NEVER a bother if you spot an offer before the system does. This is part of the services we provide and we are so proud to save you money!!!

Good morning from our second day at sea. This sailing has three sea days which I personally love on a seven night sailing. I love taking a little time to go to the aft (back) of the ship to see and listen to the wake as we cruise along. I was able to do just that as I headed up to meet up with Christine, the group leader, and the rest of the group sailing with Autism on the Seas. Another fantastic service they provide onboard is dedicated time at various activities onboard. This means that at a certain time on a certain day, Royal sets aside time at a venue where just the Autism on the Seas group is at that venue or activity. A lot of people with autism have a challenging time waiting in long lines or in crowds especially with a lot of external stimuli in the environment. This also gives the child or adult with special needs that extra time to process any directions and sometimes overcome their own fears. We started on the rock wall this morning. AOTS staff is there to assist the individuals to gear up and then the Royal sports crew assists them with the activity itself. I have always been impressed with the sports crews here on Royal. They are not only patient and helpful but they are great cheerleaders as well! The family did great and it is always fun to see and be apart of. We headed over to the Abyss after the rock wall. The Abyss is a dry slide on the aft of the ship. Two riders can go at the same time and race down 10 stories to the bottom. This can be a bit daunting to some, especially those who have a fear of heights. When you walk up the stairs you are greeted with an amazing view of both the wake out the back and unfortunately for some, the floor is glass so you can see down... There was a little hesitancy from a couple riders but everyone made it down with some encouragement and care. What a FUN morning!! I was definitely ready for some lunch once we had finished the morning activities. . Having the Ultimate dining package is well worth it! It includes all specialty dining and it includes lunch so off to Playmakers we went! These pork sliders and onion rings are worth every bite, hungry or not! This afternoon it was time to ICE SKATE!! No, I didn't partake but watched the staff and families try for either the first time or in some cases first time in a LONG time. This took place in Studio B and again, was only for the Autism of the Seas group for an hour. The staff gets right in there and I was able to capture some pretty cool pics of the families, staff, and individuals. Parents chatting while the kids are skating with the AOTS staff Sunsets are always a must see at sea...tonight we were at dinner when it was setting so I had to settle for it setting behind one of the infinity hot tubs. Still made for a prety neat shot. Dinner was at Hooked tonight. Hooked, as it implies, is a seafood restaurant. They have quite the variety to choose from. It definitely gives off a Cape Cod or Maine vibe with the classic nautical feel. As you can see by the photos, they do offer steak. If you don't care for seafood but want to dine with your friends or family, they will accommodate you with a Turf & Turf option where you can get two filet mignons or a filet and chicken. Tonights activities included two of my all time favorites!!! Adult comedy and the Silent Disco. Comedian Landry Comedians Landry and Gary Caouette had us and the entire audience in stitches for the entire show! Might see them again on this sailing. If you are unfamiliar with the silent disco, its where everyone is given a set of headphones with two channels you can switch between. They are playing different songs. There is no music playing other than what is in your headset. Everyone sings and dances to whatever they are hearing. It is an absolute blast! Tonight I will leave you with a piece of interactive art onboard. The "Dryer-Wig" is located in the boardwalk neighborhood onboard. You put the wig on and there is music playing inside. We danced and sang along getting in a few laughs. We are excited for our first port day tomorrow in St. Maarten tomorrow. Come back to see how we chose to spend our day on the island.

I’m the planner in our family too. Even if I do all the planning and paying my kids still veto my desires while on the ship. That’s why God put casinos on cruise ships……to keep me from smacking them upside the head. I get a drink, sit at a machine, and all my worries disappear. You do you. That said, you are wonderful for planning all this for them. Next time they gang up on you, tell them Yesiamthere thinks you are awesome!

It’s Cruise Day!!! Sitting in downtown Miami trying to see Oasis but can’t quiite make her out from this vantage.. Boarding at 11

I already have my kids appointments set for there shots. We will all be able to get off the boat!!

Day 2 lunch was at Chops Grille. Hubby wanted to order lobster but it was not on the lunch menu. Nonetheless, he tried his luck and they surprised him with 2 portions.

Day 2 CocoCay We arrive at CocoCay quite early in the morning, and were cleared to depart right around 8am once all the supply runs were completed. The weather was beautiful all day with just a few clouds and a slight breeze. I took the morning to do the first of my two NorthStar rides. Today was the complimentary ride which is done while in port, tomorrow is the longer at sea ride, which cost $29 but goes out over the side some. Right at my 10:30 appointed time my group was called to head up into the capsule. At this time they are only taking up four people (or one larger group if they are all in the same traveling party) at a time for the 10 minute ride in the capsule. You really get a great view of the island and the ship from the capsule as well as getting to see the other ships docked around CocoCay and NCL’s great stirrup cay. One day they’ll let me try and see if I could actually swim between the two, but unfortunately not today.     After checking out the water and sea grass situation on the various beaches I decided Chill beach was going to be my designated spot for the day. After getting all the snorkel gear out that dream only lasted about ten minutes as both near and away from the shore there were a ton of small jellyfish and I didn’t want to ruin a cruise by getting stung and needing assistance.   Being such a nice weather day I decided to hang out by the beach for a while and then by Oasis Lagoon. One thing I really missed while on MSC’s private island last month was having that pool as a backup plan. Lunch today was at Snack shack, which as everyone will remind you be sure to ask for the secret chicken Parmesan sandwich (basically their regular chicken sandwich plus Marina and Cheese sticks).  I also stopped in the other included venue which is Chill Grill as the Skipper’s grill location was closed because of reduced capacity. Lunch there was the standard fair which is an upgrade from most lines as on CocoCay food is actually cooked there rather than brought from onboard and stuck in catering pans for hours.  Once back onboard I figured I’d take an opportunity while all the other adults were on the island to enjoy the solarium. The solarium on Odyssey is a stunning space with multi level pools and gigantic hot tubs.  I also took that opportunity to use the Royal App to cool the room down for when I arrived back to it. You can control the temperature, curtains, lights, and even the TV from the app while on Odyssey. And a little trick for those with kids who have favorite Netflix shows, you can download before coming onboard and stream them to the TV utilizing its chrome SSE functionality.   Tonight’s dinner took us to Giovanni’s table which is the updated concept/pivot away from Jamie’s Italian for Italian food onboard. The space is much more inviting than the “classic” Giovanni’s of other ships and the service was a warm as the restaurant. My waitress Mary “who they gave the Italian name Francesca” was great all throughout the meal. One thing that always strikes me as inauthentic is when giant corporations do things like Royal has with “Nonna’s favorites” like we can’t put together that there’s no grandma involved but rather the Dining team on Dodge Island Rehoboth did a ton of market research on the update look, feel, and menu.  Dinner started with a bread course and was followed by the Meatball appetizer which I’m certain could feed a small army.   As I’m coming back later in the wake I decided against the pizza side of the menu and opted for a classic dish, Chicken Parmesan. While the chicken was delicious I thought the sauce on the pasta was a little bland.  For a post dinner digestif complimentary Limoncello was served, I know many people love it, but to me it is reminiscent of cleaning supplies.  For dessert I went with the Go Bananas which is a Nutella and banana stuffed Stromboli. The filling was good, but I’m still a much bigger fan when bananas and Nutella are put into a thin crepe rather than a thicker dough.  Tonight’s show in 270 is The Book:Seven Chapters, One Adventure. There was mass confusion from lots of guest in the line thinking that they didn’t need to have reservations. The staff handled it way better than I would have. One gentleman was yelling that the app said no reservations required. But it’s clearly spelled out as the way they have seating blocked off the 270 theatre is only seating 140 right now.  The space itself is visually appealing and a great use of what would otherwise just be windows of darkness while out at sea.  The show was very entertaining, but I’m still not sure what the plot was. There’s no dialogue between characters at all. There’s some memorable songs and way too many occasions of using the Chicka Chicka ow from Ferris Buller. Yeah, I’m not sure how that fits but it’s used over and over again. The soace is a technical marvel with the moving screens and the vista screens taking up the back. I would definitely arrive early as the seats in the middle are taken early.   The second show in my schedule for the evening was the comedy show. This weeks comedian was Stephen Thomas. If you’ve ever been to a comedy show onboard any cruise ship anywhere in the world, you’ve seen this show. The first fifteen minutes of the show was just about cruises and old people and old people on cruises.  As I didn’t see it getting any funnier I decided to head out to the Pub and watch the pub singer for the evening. While there I was able to meet Billy from CrusieHabit @monorailmedic and his wife as we enjoyed the pub singer, Steven Burke. He was very entertaining and outside of a few weird bad request, luckily no “Rocky Top.” After closing down the pub it was time to head up and get ready for tomorrow’s sea day.

Y'all would be appalled at my "fold into 3rds and stick into the inside pocket of my backpack where they get crimped and slightly torn" method. #itworkedanyway

Surely you're mistaken, as I was under the impression that I was her only client!!

The risk of myocarditis with a COVID infection is 10x greater.

My July Harmony cruise is the new cruise planner but my August Jewel is still the old format.

Loft Suite

And thats perfect! For those who want to be a part of the process. booking then transferring is the best of both worlds. We are happy to have your back and advocate for you... while checking for the best deals! Thanks for your business!

We got stuck in traffic and arrived about 25 minutes late for our check in at Bayonne. They ushered us right to the front.

Started Day 2 with a short gym visit. First time visiting the gym on-board - nice view but no Vitality Cafe in this gym We had breakfast in suite, ordered in from CK. Too much food honestly even though I thought I was quite specific in ordered 1 x Danish (in my mind it’s 1 piece, to the kitchen it’s 1 portion). We were also missing the table cloth but we were too hungry to wait. After breakfast, we went to the helipad at the front of the ship to take some photos. We missed the rain by a little bit! I retreated to the spa for a massage whilst the boys had some fun at the SeaPlex.

A first time for us - we were the first family embarking Quantum of the Seas on 1 Nov! Below is pic of land Genie escorting my son to the gangway. However, it was pouring torrentially (it’s monsoon season in Singapore). So off to Coastal Kitchen for lunch, followed by a quick tour of the ship, then some bumper car action & dinner at Wonderland (will post that later). Our Genie Eli also booked the Sequins & Feathers show for us on Day 1

Cmon dude, that's a rather sensationalist take on Pfizer "Most cases after the vaccine have occurred in younger males and required hospitalization, federal health officials say, though the data suggests cases remain "rare" and typically subside on their own within a day." In all of the scenarios that the FDA modeled, the agency estimated that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine would more frequently prevent COVID-related cases in children than cause "excess myocarditis cases." Most importantly: "After reducing the size of its dose, Pfizer said its trials had turned up mostly mild side effects, no new safety concerns, and no cases of myocarditis or pericarditis." Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vaccine-kids-myocarditis-risk/

Well, gee, I thought all this time, based on the level of service, that Michelle must work ONLY for ME! Just kidding, but add me to the chorus of "wouldn't book a trip without her."

I read elsewhere that this email went out inadvertently to Anthem passengers sailing out of Bayonne. It’s based on the UK protocols (notice that it mentions the UK 2 day requirement), and doesn’t actually apply to US sailings.

I did not book prior to Sept 30. I booked a sailing for myself and hubby but I know hubby can not go. I put his name on there so in case I find someone else to go I can change names and keep my price. If I book solo and then add someone they would reprice and it could be higher.

Yes, you can. All the passengers on the linked bookings show up on the app and it literally takes just a couple of seconds to do. You can do cancellations too if your plans change on board.

We will be on board over Christmas. I can't wait for the pictures! I personally LOVE the holiday decorations, but HATE to mess with them.

For the Freedom out of Miami, we had 11:30 check in. We arrived about 11:15 and were astounded to see that there was no 11:30 line--just a 12:30-1:30 line. Not a big deal, but just odd. Some others were a little snippy about it, but it was just a little goofy in our opinion.

When I have played in the past with promo chips and won a hand they don't touch the promo chips only put down my winnings next to them. They only touch your promo chips when you lose. I then take the real chips and put them away and keep playing with the promo chips until they are all gone.

Glad to have helped. However, be careful as you travel down the rabbit's hole. I once spent almost 3 hours preparing for 3 future cruises. I now know how Alice felt. Are there others outnthere that schedule each and every Martini they drink each and every day? Curt from Canada

I have a cruise Jan. 31st, and my final pymt is due Jan. 1st.

About the same thing happened to us last month, October. The day before we were set to leave on flight next morning, we took our Covid tests online, at home. We are both vaccinated and had no symptoms. My husband came up positive. We were in shock. Had to cancel the flight less that 12 hours before, plus the cruise, hotels, etc. You never know I guess. Out next cruise is beginning for December for 2 weeks on Oasis. We are not getting together with anyone for Thanksgiving. And very little contact with people 2 weeks prior. I have had about 10 cancelled cruises, and not going to chance this next one.

We always go on a cruise the first 2 weeks of December, and decorations are always up for Christmas. So, I assume right after Thanksgiving is when they redecorate.

I always get travel insurance for any trips, not just cruises. The rates will vary some with different companies. But ours seem to run between $100 and $200 per person. The length of your trip, how much coverage you want, and your age all play a part of what your insurance rate will be.

My sympathies too. Can’t imagine being that close & having it snatched away. I must say you seem to be handling it well. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

@NancyL2648 Check to make sure…but I believe final payment dates have been changed to 30 days prior to your cruise. So your final payment date should be the end of Dec… Even if you paid in full already, you should still get a refund to your credit card.

I get the quickest response by sending them direct messages on Facebook Messenger (on their official Facebook account). I understand they are very responsive on Twitter as well. Another good thing by doing this is that you can print or screenshot their response.

Ours was about $90pp for our last cruise with Allianz' TripAssist Choice Plan. We typically only put the value of the non-refundable items (mostly just cruise fare & flights). We book refundable pre-cruise hotels and shore excursions/ cruise planner items are generally cancel-able so there isn't much else that we might need to be reimbursed for.

CDC just voted unanimously (14-0) to recommend the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11.

We also do an Allianz annual policy. Our policy (July 21 - July 2022) cost $700 total - $623 for coverage and $77 for "assistance" whatever that is. This policy covers all travel (not just cruising) and has a COVID rider. Coverage $$ are below: The bad news is.....we have yet to take a single trip ! So it may have been a wasted expense, but we make a point of keeping the travel policies current (they never lapse) and hopefully we will be traveling again before it has to be renewed for 2022-2023 !!

I do annual policies from Allianz. Covers all trips, not just cruises and it's a one time per year fee. Pricing can vary by state since insurance is controlled at the state level in the US. Also you need to buy coverage for what's important to you. Like car, house, health, dental and life insurance there is no one coverage that fits everyone.

@WAAAYTOOO I will post more later about the Genie+ as I talked to a few other people staying in the actual resorts who had issues as well. With all the kinks it is just a cash grab right now, it also requires you to be on your phone a lot instead of enjoying the experience. Also after some truth or dare trivia and a Effy jewelry demonstration I am in a great mood. I also just had a tequila sunrise and I just got a peach daiquiri while on the deck in the shade. Boat is rocking but I'm only a few drinks in.

Day 1 Sunday Embarkation I parked at 11:15 and was through security and checked in within 5 minutes. After heading upstairs to the suite checkin area, we were directed to specific seats for social distancing. Once upstairs we were told boarding should begin around noon. The waiting area in Terminal 18 at port Everglades is nice, but still pales in comparison to the Waiting area at Terminal A in Port Miami. I’ll get to see how the newer terminal in Port Everglades that now handles Celebrity Apex is when I cruise on her in three weeks. The key objective to getting on early was to ensure I could get time on Ripcord and the North Star booked. Once onboard I was quickly able to get on the ships wifi and arrange for the Northstar for CocoCay day and Ifly for Cozumel day. After that it was time to grab some lunch. Luckily Playmakers is still included with the Ultimate dining package so I was on my way to the SeaPlex for what I’m a firm believer is the perfect place for a Playmakers While waiting for food, I took the time to book my shows in the main theatre and 270. This will only be the second showing of Effectors so. I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on the great work Nick Weir and the Royal Entertainment team have done during the shutdown. Having never done it before, I wanted to be sure to get in line a few minutes early for bumper cars. I have to say I was quite surprised as besides for a few kids I was one of the younger guest in line. Lots of “older” guest who it would turn out sometimes didn’t really like the idea of the cars bumping, but were just looking for a Sunday drive. IMG_6357.MOV While awaiting sailaway I decided to tour the public areas of the ship. The ship is absolutely stunning from deck to deck. Mostly everything seems so well thought out. I’m still undecided about how I feel about a royal Esplanade versus a royal promenade, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out over the next six days. I also checked out the pumpkin carving displays throughout the ship for Halloween. Dinner (or should I say first dinner) tonight was In Teppanyaki. Unlike in other ships that have both, on Odyssey they have split up the two sides of Izumi with Sushi being down on deck 5 and teppanyaki being up on deck 14. I wasn’t sure I would like the location as the deck plan makes it look like Izumi is off of the windjammer, but the location was great. It’s quiet up there in the evenings (this may change when the windjammer reopens for dinner service) and the location has great views for sail-away. Service was good, not great but the food was well cooked and tasty. I went straight to the main course and skipped appetizers and desserts at teppanyaki as “dessert” would be the filet in coastal kitchen. Luckily I had more than an hour to let food settle between eating which gave me some time to stop down in the casino to deliver some gifts to Chris Wong, who you may have seen in his YouTube videos over the years. Chris mentioned socks being something they can always use as laundry facilities are sometimes hard to come by. Chris was dressed up as an astronaut for Halloween which made him easy to spot. The filet in Coastal kitchen was delicious, I just still always miss that bit of flavor a steak gets when cooked with fire. As fire is a no-go on a ship, the CK filet is a nice stand-in and I’d say I prefer it to the one in Chop’s. After dinners, I decided to head to my room, watch some football and rest off an eventful day and take in the calm of the sea going by. IMG_6357.MOV

Look, these posts aren’t in the spirit of the rule to not discuss this topic.

Mayo or miracle whip can cause brutal arguments ……I’ve said too much

Thank you for this question - the system we use is great at tracking fares, but LOTS of things factor into the tracker we use too. did you get booked into one of our group rates, do you have a current OBC that will drop if we adjust the fare, are you looking at non-refundable rates online, but you book refundable deposit rates, is the system working correctly to adjust??? (issue lately) and so forth. I work in tandem with my clients and if they see rate drops, I look at them that day they email - sometimes we have to figure it out together and yes, sometimes the system does flag me of a drop, but the system does not grab things like you booked refundable vs non-refundable that is a big one> Clients are never "bugging me" to ask about prices, but it can take me all day to look into if, cause I may be on the phone trying to get a refund due that is taking 5 months ! Our team values every client - this system flags when a sale happens mostly - so if Royal announces a new sale it does sweep but it does not do it all in one day it does it over the course of the sale. Thank you for the support - and mostly for supporting MATT and this blog - Cheers

If literally everyone onboard is vaccinated AND tests negative prior to boarding, can the masks rule not be relaxed?