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Showing content with the highest reputation on 05/26/2022 in all areas

  1. Hello, I got this tip from a Facebook Group for my sailing and got permission to share the tip. I don’t know if this has been shared before here. It’s a way to see the daily activities for the ship at the current time. I know I'm the most excited for the cruise, but I have a tip if any of you less enthusiastic people are interested. It gives you the current information on the current sailing on the ship so you can get an idea of the activities and menus. You will need the Royal Caribbean app: You will need the Royal Caribbean app: Open app and click on the person icon at the top. Click on select a different sailing Go to bottom and click on get more details on ships we support Click the ship you are going on Click on the sailing with the current date (ie May 22- May 29 2002) If you click on the daily planner you will see all the activities that are planned for this day to get an idea of what is offered. It also says where the ship is right now.
    9 points
  2. I thought this was going to be about botox or some lipo. Not *that* kind of work. I need a cruise.
    9 points
  3. KevinJ

    Donny Downer Here!

    @Reigert2008 To locate your muster station. Use the APP, click the Safety icon in the lower left. It'll show your muster station, note just below that you should see I ship icon with Find on Deck beside it.
    9 points
  4. What can a senior citizen do? Well, let's see: 1. Take up all the seating for dinner between 4pm and 5:30 for the early bird special. 2. Complain it's too cold, hot, and then cold again all over the ship. 3. Complain the shows are too loud 4. Complain cruising isn't the same as it was in the 1970s 5. Complain there are no mints on the pillows anymore 6. Get inebriated and annoy people around them 7. Wear far too much perfume. 8. Sneak in cigarette smoking where it's not allowed (balcony, outside decks in non-designated areas)
    7 points
  5. @deep1With all due respect, and sending the best of vibes, I've never seen a person who could use a TA more than you
    5 points
  6. Day 8 Chania (Souda), Crete We had another early start today, much to DH's disgruntlement. We were in Crete and I had booked us on an excursion to Kournas, Arkadi Monastery and Rethymno. Meeting time in the theatre was at 7 am and I mistakenly assumed that with there being early excursions the WJ would be open at 6 am, like it was in Santorini. Wrong! Saved by the Café Promenade. Moral of the story: always check opening times. For those not taking an excursion, there was a shuttle provided to and from the port to the city of Chania at a cost of $6 per person for the round trip. Tickets could be purchased in the app or at the shore excursions desk. One of my reasons for purchasing an excursion here (apart from the obvious one of wanting to see a bit of the island) was that this was a short port day, with all-aboard at 2.30 pm and just as well, since our bus was the last one back, with the guide getting a phone call when we were a few minutes out to see where we were. And, in fact, we ended up being about 45 minutes late leaving as we waited for one couple who presumably missed the last shuttle and came screeching right up to the gangway in a taxi with a police escort! They were really lucky, as this was the last stop of the cruise. The next day was at sea and then back to Civi. Anyway, excursion today to Arkadi Monastery, Rethymno and Lake Kournas was very nice, although I really don't know why they had us meet in the theatre at 7 when the ship wasn't even due to be cleared till 7.30. This was another one in Spanish, for the same reason as the one in Santorini. Our first stop was at the monastery. After the guide showed us around we had some free time, which we put to good use by sampling some local yogurt with thyme honey at the café. It cost €4 for a huge plateful. I wish I had remembered to take a pic. The monastery: An olive tree in the grounds. The arrow points to a hole made by a Turkish shell at some time in the past (can't remember what date). The next stop was in the town of Rethymno. Again, the guide showed us around a bit and then we had some more free time to wander. In the pic below, just faintly visible to the right of the lighthouse is a mountain with some snow on top. It's over 2000 metres high and the last of the snow doesn't melt until late June. Somehow, you just don't associate snow-capped mountains with the Greek Isles. Our final stop was at Lake Kournas where we got to sample a local speciality, a type of flatbread/pancake-type thing, made with cheese and spread with honey. It wasn't my favourite because I am not keen on sweet and savoury together, but I think I would have liked it more just with some butter. I enjoyed this excursion. I liked that we got to learn about each of the places we visited and then had a little bit of free time to explore them at will. Tonight's MDR menu: We didn't fancy any of the starters on the main menu so we ordered the butternut squash soup from the vegan menu, which was very good. Unfortunately, by the time I remembered to take a pic all that was left of it was a drip on the tablecloth, but hey, it was essentially a bowl of orange-coloured soup so it's not too hard to imagine. My bad. The lobster tails were very nice but also very small so our waiter brought us another one each. AND he took them out of the shells for us, which appears to be something of a dying tradition: The molten chocolate. I swear, I don't know why I keep ordering this cruise after cruise after cruise. It's never, ever molten. (Well with the exception of the one I had in Chops once). At least this one was mildly warm, a step up on the last time when it felt like it had come straight out of the fridge onto my plate. Tonight's show was Showgirl, a typical singing and dancing production show, enhanced with the use of technology and lighting effects. I liked it even though the story line was again tenuous. We went to guest services after the show to exchange our departure tags as the ones they'd given us were too late. I asked what happened to the forms they usually give out so people can say what time they need to be off the ship. Oh, we just assign times randomly now except for the people who've booked our transfers. Seriously?!? I also asked where we could print our boarding passes for our flight home. Oh, we don't have computers and printers for guests' use any more because of COVID. What?!? They had them on Harmony back in September. Oh, well it's a corporate decision. And I also needed to deal with the fact that my credit card company's security system is on steroids and declined the usual hold for my onboard account. It's an issue they have with electronic payments so I gave him the card and it turns out that they don't even have the physical payment terminals onboard any more. So of course when he tried to put it through without me inputting a pin of course it was declined again. Grrrr. Sometimes technology is just too sophisticated. Which means another wait in line tomorrow to try a different card or pay cash. Luckily we're not big spenders! So I would have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed with this interaction and of course made a point of mentioning it on the post-cruise questionnaire. And after all of that, we headed to the casino so that DH could lose last night's winnings. There was particular machine (tex mex oil magnate or some such thing) that seemed to be alternatively fairly generous and very tight-fisted. Tonight it took back all of the last night's winnings in about 20 seconds!
    5 points
  7. Matt

    Donny Downer Here!

    You can hide anyone's signature (or all signatures) by clicking top right corner of their signature
    5 points
  8. This a giant pet peeve of mine. It happens all the time and it's incredibly dumb.
    4 points
  9. USFFrank

    Donny Downer Here!

    I don't recall this on my cruises this past November or January, but on my cruise on Explorer of the Seas last week when we went to our muster station we were given a wristband to wear after checking in and we're told we could remove it once we set sail. I would think that was done so the crew members could see who went and got checked in. After a certain time any crew member who sees someone without a wristband would tell them they have to watch the muster video (if they haven't already) and then report to their muster station.
    4 points
  10. I really hate to be a Donny Downer here. But, on my last cruise, Ovation of the Seas, departed Seattle on May 13, 2022, there were about 233 people that, by sail away time, had not gone to their Muster Station to be checked in, a very easy process. This cause the ship to depart pier 91 about an hour and a half late. These people appropriate, vote, drive, breath my air. I have a suggestion for Royal Caribbean and made it to them, at about 30 minutes prior to departure time, cut off their key cards to all of those that haven't checked in at their Muster Station. Make sure that if they are in a bar partying rather than being adults, they can't party anymore, locked out of their cabin, etc. At about 30 minutes past departure, my wife and I got into an elevator and there was another couple already in the elevator. As we entered, the Captain or some other official, made the announcement that XXX passengers have yet to check-in at their Muster Station. My wife and I made comments to each other that it is ridiculous that people can't follow simple and basic instructions and they are inconveniencing thousands of others. The other couple, who were obviously well on their way to intoxication, laughed and said that it seems that they may have not done that yet and need to figure out where to go. We presented them with a great big, "WOW", the elevator doors opened and we left with a final comment, "you're a little late and inconveniencing thousands of other passengers, crew, pier staff/dock workers, and it isn't funny". They looked stunned that someone would talk to them that way, after all, they are entitled, aren't they! Thanks for allowing my vent!
    3 points
  11. While we're at it
    3 points
  12. XtremeGK

    Donny Downer Here!

    And unfortunately, it extends far beyond cruising.
    3 points
  13. They should just make it that you cannot sit by the pool, eat lunch or buy any drinks until you do the muster drill.
    3 points
  14. Big thanks @Stephen I managed to get a drinks package for £275
    2 points
  15. Okay, it's getting late and nobody has retrieved it yet, or got it and hasn't said so, or the crew members I entrusted with it lost it/kept it, or forgot about it. But, here is the location and what has to be done to get it. It's located in the pastry/ice cream shop on the Promenade. You have to make sure that either one of the named crew members are on duty, which they say the get off at 5:OO PM nightly. You have to say MY NAME! No not my actual name, you have to say the words "MY" "NAME". That is written on the packaging on the extreme value, or not item.
    2 points
  16. They make it sound like a love tap, not an egregious navigating mistake that it is.
    2 points
  17. I tested negative last night but I did pick up some kind of head cold. Going to test again in a couple of days. Glad your symptoms are not to bad get well soon
    2 points
  18. Here's video of Harmony. There's going to be some jobs on the line with this one as that's not an "oops" type mistake
    2 points
  19. Making you call is a great way to not have to give out so many loyalty rewards. I'm not sitting on hold for a can of Coke.
    2 points
  20. Vintages during the day is a nice place to work, or out on the Royal Promenade.
    2 points
  21. The card room on Harmony doubles as the internet café.
    2 points
  22. You know, when I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I don't have a problem admitting it, I'm human and make mistakes. As much as I hate to admit it, in this case, isn't that I was wrong, and I was, but my wife and I talked about this last night and she informed me that the cruise I was talking about was the Symphony out of Miami, not the Anthem out of Liberty. Although we did cruise out of Liberty on the Anthem but not Star Class. What I hate to admit to is the "Senior moment" that I experienced while engaged in that conversation. So, to be honest and to do a mea culpa I was wrong to invoke Anthem and Liberty in that conversation. Please accept my apology for this error.
    2 points
  23. I guess criticizing an intended humorous comment and humorous person is considered "evening out the universe", now. I see! Sorry if you took my comment/humor as a "stereotype". I took your post purely as humor and said so. But, then the criticism as a "stereotype". But, you are the administrator of this site and you are the boss, here.
    2 points
  24. Evivia is the one we used. We sail this coming Tuesday.
    2 points
  25. Trying to illustrate how delving into age stereotypes is neither accurate nor fair, based on the previous post.
    2 points
  26. I can’t speak for Aust, but imagine it is similar, but for most things there’s is not too many issues especially for food and beverage so there should not be an impact on their availability. Believe me, if Australia or New Zealand ran out of beer there would be riots….
    2 points
  27. In the US there are a lot of new to Royal or new to cruise booking right now. It seems they don't know any better so they are paying our crazy specialty dining prices up here. Royal. as a business, will gladly raise prices if people are still willing to pay it and it seems they are. I'm not, but that's me. I hope you folks down under don't have the same problem.
    2 points
  28. You can't make your selections online anymore (just email preferences about receiving marketing notices). I would try Crown and Anchor Society first. In the US, 800-526-9723.
    2 points
  29. Yes, it counts as a PCR. This can be found in testing details on Royal’ site.
    2 points
  30. EmersonNZ

    Donny Downer Here!

    What worries me is if there is an emergency on board what are the chances these people are going to be able to follow the instructions of the crew. In the case of an emergency the last thing the crew need to be dealing with is passengers who haven’t bothered to do their muster drill and/or passengers who can’t follow instructions. It puts the crew and follow passengers in danger at a time when time and coolness of action could really count
    2 points
  31. @Brialune, @VivK, welcome to the boards. Choosing the one person/two devices option lets you have any two devices connected simultaneously and is almost always cheaper than buying two single user packages. When you get onboard you connect to the app and set up a password. Whoever has the password can connect a device. It doesn't matter who the device belongs to or what type of device it is. If someone tries to connect a third device, one of the other two will get disconnected. If you want to change to a different device, you can actively log out of the one you are currently using and log in on the new one. There is a dedicated Voom desk on board where you can go for assistance, if needed.
    2 points
  32. I think they might be in trouble.... Kiwis and Aussies are pretty price conscious on the whole due to the bargains for holiday travel we have on our door steps (Pacific Islands, South East Aisa… our own countries etc.
    2 points
  33. Done

    Donny Downer Here!

    I need to go back to bed
    2 points
  34. Some are just way too long and when they are frequent/ very active members is gets tedious. Agree most are helpful, even entertaining but some are just poor netiquette.
    2 points
  35. bobroo

    Donny Downer Here!

    I do not understand why passengers go though a very strict and orderly process to get onboard and yet once a passenger gets their Seapass zapped that very first time; then they are allowed to scatter. If there was only one more step where passengers were required (if not escorted) to their muster station after those first footsteps onboard, then 100% compliance would be guaranteed. After all, the gangway you embark the ship on is very, very, very likely to be the same deck as your muster station. No drink packages, no bathroom breaks, no Sorrentos—until AFTER you’ve reported to your muster station.
    2 points
  36. That’s a game changer! Thanks very much for pointing that out. Just resolved 1 of my top 5 pet peeves and frustrations on this forum.
    2 points
  37. I think they will price themselves out eventually, but I am always doing the math when it comes to value. I know food cost has gone up; I can be a little understanding. With the current "sale" I just paid $250 for the UDP on my Jan 2023 Oasis sailing. It is currently my cut off rate for a 7n dining package on an Oasis class ship with lots of specialty dining options. If I am sailing quantum class or lower, I can't justify more than $185 with grats. I too notice that the prices for a la carte dining have dramatically increased. Chops on that sailing is $68 with a so-called discount!
    2 points
  38. It's no better in the US market ! For the past 8 years or so we have always purchased both the UDP and the DBP but they have priced me out for 2023 and 2024 cruises. I normally purchase both the UDP and DBP at the time of booking (if those are available...sometimes they aren't available yet) and I have -0- packages purchased for 2023 or 2024.
    2 points
  39. We are in the same boat. Unless the Dinning package is about 1/3 that per meal we will be enjoying the MDR. In all but one cruise we've done we've had the Ultimate Dinning Package but at these prices it'll be MDR every night. At the prices for the Drinks and Dining package I really think they have misjudged the Australia/New Zealand market. I have been telling myself these are simply 'put them on the site' prices and they would come down to reasonable prices sometime soon.... now I beginning to think these are the actual prices in which case I think they are going to issues in what is a price conscious market in Australasia. I am sure the RCCL has systems in place to track purchases through the planner and if they see they aren’t making the sales they are expecting will reprice (If not I imagine there will be a lot of onboard sales as the Food and Beverage staff are trying to increase revenue). If I was a new cruiser taking my first cruise from NZ/Aust and saw these prices it would be our last (Ironically the cruise price itself was really reasonable).
    2 points
  40. If the restaurant has a bar you can order the drinks with the beverage package without dining there. Wonderland has a bar on Oasis class ships but not Quantum class.
    2 points
  41. Fingers crossed you can get her out of the house for a week!
    1 point
  42. I did. Just evening out the universe
    1 point
  43. Because of being proactive we were on the ship in less than 15 minutes. With all of the people trying to get there TA they were not enforcing your check in times. That may be different with the new ease of obtaining the TA. One other thing is there was a COVID outbreak on our ship. When we reached Charleston 2 people were transported to the hospital by ambulance. We watched and they seemed to be older but not severe. When we got home 2 days later one of our traveling companions tested positive. We tested negative but will test again today. Several people on board were coughing and not seeking medical diagnosis so I think this may have made the outbreak worse. If you feel bad or are coughing please be considerate and get tested by the medical staff!
    1 point
  44. Call to tell them your preferred amenity
    1 point
  45. Couldn't agree more with the OP. It surprises me at the growing number of people who have a sense of entitlement, lack accountability, and a disregard for the consideration of others. It doesn't help that in many cases, rules rarely get enforced; and therefore no consequence in their actions are felt.
    1 point
  46. Yeah, I wouldn't want to have to be a weather forecaster in FL. I will get "alerts" of impending rain about 5 times a day....then....nothing. What a thankless job it must be !
    1 point
  47. My sister booked a P&O in a bit over a week and wanted me to go ,I’ll tell you. These crazy RC onboard prices are a worry . I don’t know what’s going on ,finance problems ? Have they sold the Ozzie season to cheap?
    1 point
  48. You've never done an Alaskan cruise until you see whale pimple hair.
    1 point
  49. LovetoCruise87

    Corny Jokes

    Last one for today:
    1 point
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