barbeyg

The Healthy Sail Center | Healthy & Safe Cruises | Royal Caribbean Cruises

Unless I’ve completely missed out, a sail away party is wherever you join in these days. I know in the past there were events that were on the app or Compass, but we’ve always enjoyed meeting up with others from roll calls.

We just had this experience today. Voyager, May 6, 2023, cancelled to move to TX. We were given the choice of 3 different weeks on Harmony, price-protected, and a $200 shipboard credit. This was an $1100 savings over the current price of a JS on Harmony so we are content. The only down side is sailing from Miami instead of FLL. Other choices were to rebook another sailing, no shipboard credit; or refund, no shipboard credit.

I’ve already signed up for this on our December cruise. We are tidy, and once a day cleaning is good for us. We won’t tip differently, because even though they are not scrubbing the bathroom a second time, we don’t need a second scrubbing. They will turn down bed, check ice bucket, empty garbage. I also like how you can earn points with Celebrity without taking a cruise. It’s only 1 at a time, once per month, but it gives me a head start in getting those points with them.

This. I don’t see it as pressuring, just a courtesy for those who want to tip additionally. It is not there specifically for the steward, but anyone we would like to tip on top of prepaid tips. We have always had an envelope or two provided.

Just ordered some from Amazon today. $89 for a 4 pack, while Apple has the 4 pack for $99. I have friends who highly recommend.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/royal-caribbean-groups-silversea-cruises-has-acquired-one-of-the-most-expensive-luxury-expedition-cruise-ships-ever-built-for-24275-million/ar-AAZItOh

I know that perceptions can be very wrong, and maybe some of it was that. Or some people can feel slighted once, then everything turns into a slight. However, after NOTHING but a post filled with complaints, you lost all credibility with the “I am not one to complain”. If you ever return, I’m sorry you had a bad cruise.

Not surprised. It’s summer. We sailed once in summer. It was a one-and-done for us.

We have had both soft and hard luggage damaged by the airlines. We are currently using soft luggage.

This. From a financial statement perspective, departments that aren't generating revenue, or new revenue, are just necessary expenses (evils) to the people at the top. I work in corporate payroll, and we are simply an expense on the financials.....but it would be a catastrophe if our 25k employees weren't paid. Management in many companies is already reluctant to put $$ into departments like ours and IT. Add Covid, a shutdown, now a cooling down of the economy, and the website issues will probably get worse before better.

The really bad part about these airline woes is that the shortage of pilots is projected to continue for up to 5 years. https://www.ktoo.org/2022/07/01/pilot-shortage-chaos-travel-years/ The airlines knew this was coming and didn’t prepare during Covid as they mismanaged their bailout money. Now the early retirement of pilots due to Covid has sped up the problem that was going to happen anyway. The ‘pilot universities’ some of the airlines have started are years late, and they are dangerously contemplating (and probably already are) putting pilots into service with much less flying time. I know the press tends to dramatize everything for effect/selling news, but I hesitate to fly even more wondering if the plane I’m stepping into has an untried pilot, or one with years of flying combat missions under their belt. If the airlines saw this coming years ago, then years ago they should have had their pilot universities up and running, instead of burying their heads in the sand over it. And it’s not just airlines. I was talking with our HR VP, and she told me the worker shortage we all see was already coming, Covid just sped it up by about 3-5 years. Baby boomers are retiring (many early) and there just aren’t enough workers to replace us. Not to mention that some generations behind us aren’t as willing to work themselves to death like we have.

That’s tough. We figured this could be the case, after so many testing positive after our end of May cruise on Ovation. I was hoping this wave would be past us by now, but I guess that isn’t the case.

We flew 2 days early cross-country to Seattle for our AK cruise in May, and I still fretted about whether we would make it there. Four of us, two elderly adults, and I had backup plans for alternate airports (that could include up to 6 hours of driving a rental car), and even splitting my husband up with one of the ladies, me with the other, if absolutely necessary. Seattle was a 40 hour drive for us, so there was no way we would make it if we didn’t have an alternate flight available. The stressor with the airlines this year by FAR outweighed any concern about the Covid pre-testing for the 4 of us. We were fortunate, and our flights went as scheduled. And going forward, we plan to drive to Ft Lauderdale for our cruises for at least the next year. The 11 hour drive beats wondering about whether a flight will be cancelled at the beginning of our vacation. I feel bad for anyone having to struggle with this.

Our ‘suite spot’ is JS to CLS. We sail JS on older ships without a Coastal Kitchen, and full suites on ships with more suite amenities. The days of a balcony cabin are behind us, if hubby has his way.

I figure many either have symptoms or need to test to return to work. We both tested positive, but ours was just for clarification when we got sick on the way home. We both had 102-103° fevers that lingered for several days, head congestion, cough, and I lost sense of taste/smell for a week. We tested as a courtesy to coworkers while this contagious variant is going around, and to let our employers know why we were not immediately returning to work. Before this, we only tested to cruise. And we do plan to cruise again. We know the risks. Flying seems like a much higher risk to us, especially when we are on the plane for hours.

For us, it’s Anthem. We love the tribute bands, we love 270, and we really loved, loved, loved NE cruises on her (still bummed they pulled her from that itinerary). I still remember the fantastic cruise we took in Sept 2019, sailing past Lady Liberty before what we remember fondly as the best cruise we’ve sailed to date. And did I mention “We Will Rock You”? Our favorite shipboard show so far. Lots of other shows close, but WWRY is the one we never miss. Of course, put me on a cruise ship, and I love the one I’m on!

We really struggled with which direction. Finally let Ken pick, since the actual trip was my idea. He finally decided to do the fall TA, and the consolation ‘prize’ to losing hours on our way back was that there would be no long flight after the trip. At least, that’s MY consolation prize. I hope you get to do the TA to celebrate your retirement too! . We start saving for ours this month. We figure it will cost us a lot of $$$ to do a Greek Isles cruise, a nice stay on land, followed by the TA. But what a trip that will be!

Yes, I agree with the others above. Negative results were requested, but at the time of our sailing ArriveCAN was not (for sailing to Canada). That has tightened down, from what I understand.

The athleticism was impressive. I agree with your analysis. Can’t wait to see the Effectors in the future, though.

Our favorite too! We don’t ever miss. Cats was probably our least favorite, even though the cat ‘attitudes’ on their faces were amusing. Edited to add: Spectra Cabaret ties with Cats for least favorite.

We plan to do a TA in 2024, for retirement celebration. Will def book a suite on Quantum class or Oasis class. With 2 weeks at sea, and many sea days, we prefer the variety those ships have to offer.

I def understand, and don't see it as a negative. After all, the same parent company owns both cruise lines. We are sailing our first Celebrity cruise this December, after first getting booted from Harmony to Wonder (moved Harmony elsewhere), then having that Wonder sailing cancelled for promotional (read: TAs) and the naming ceremony. The alternative offerings for the same week from RCI for those of us cancelled were....quite crappy, frankly. We decided to sail with Celebrity that week after finding a great Retreat price on Apex. Can't wait till December for the cruise! We don't have an RCI cruise currently booked (also booked Beyond for next November with a ridiculously low price in the Retreat), but we are excitedly awaiting RCI to release the Icon sailings. So far, crickets on the Icon......

I agree. East TN here, and we will drive to ports for now. We flew to Seattle for our AK cruise, but until things calm down with the airlines, we will drive to NJ and some FL ports before flying again.