OCSC Mike

Agree 100%... for all ports. We haven't done an excursion through RC in forever (except when bad weather cancelled something we had booked in Alaska for before the actual cruise and we couldn't replace it any other way, not for lack of trying).

And, as I'm sure you know, you're definitely not alone.

As already mentioned, I prefer to be close to the elevators. Never had a noise problem.

I tried to document my entire experience in the thread I posted above. I don't mean to be rude but everything should be in there. Anything that isn't, I suggest using their live chat to ask questions. As I also posted, they were very responsive and helpful which is part of the reason I chose them over OnPoint. No, they will not ask for insurance. They are not really providing a medical service (although my proctor was a nurse). You are testing yourself; they are merely serving as a witness and providing a document attesting to that.

I didn't use OnPoint so I can't speak for them. Any test granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA is accepted by RT&T. Don't take my word for it, ask them.

I was just giving anyone reading another option. FYI, all tests say that. They are authorized by the FDA under "Emergency Use Authorization", just like vaccines. This is what the FDA uses when they determine the benefits outweigh the risk of going through the full, normal testing process, which would have taken far too long. Technically I should have written "authorized" rather than approved. The point was that they accept any legit test.

Be aware there are other options. For example, if you have any free government tests lying around, you can just use those and pay a 3rd party site like RapidTestAndTrace or On-Point to proctor your test for $15-20/person.

Another local here... it's honestly not worth the trouble, IMO, but I know that's easy for me to say as I can hear the Magic Kingdom fireworks from my house. Solid info above. Additionally, I've heard many people who took a RC excursion to Disney complain about the hassle and how little time they actually spent at the most miserable, err, happiest place on earth. It's your call of course, but rushing to cram what's not enough time to do much at Disney on top of the drive back and forth wouldn't appeal to me, personally.

Congrats to all who reached or are about to reach a milestone in this thread! We'll be 11 points short of D+ counting our only currently booked cruise next June so the wife & I have been trying to cobble together 11 nights before then so we can take our first D+ cruise later that summer. Difficult to move up the ranks when you can usually only cruise in the Summer and don't pay for suites but my wife is no longer a classroom teacher (same school, different position) so she has a bit more wiggle room taking days off. We're just being impatient, of course, but I'm sure most cruisers are when a new level is within reach. Hopefully we figure out a way.

If my wife had admitted to only being emerald before I proposed...

The best hack remains to marry into a high status.

Definitely over the phone. Check your cruise to see if any cabins in your category are available ahead of time so you can be prepared. I told my TA exactly what cabin to switch us to as soon as our GTY was assigned after checking for availability.

That sums it up for me as well.

Yeah, if it wasn't clear, I was just making a general point. I may or may not have played A LOT of BJ in a former life and what you described always annoyed me to no end b/c it's not only rude but mathematically incorrect. I was always hesitant to give someone advice, even if they weren't experienced, so I would phrase my answers (when asked) with something like "the book says to do this but it's your money."

Just like the 2-day GGG sale from a couple days ago. Sure these deals aren't constant but they sure can be worth keeping an eye out for. I used a Friends & Family sale for the B2B I got off of yesterday and would have used a more recent one for a cruise in early September but our schedule did not allow for it.

"Serious" but lacking in the understanding of the math of BJ. When someone at the table makes a play that isn't mathematically correct, they are just as likely to help others as hurt them. If someone doesn't like how you play, tell them to go find another table. It's your money and your right to play however you want. That said, it is obviously beneficial to learn proper basic strategy... but to help yourself, not others.

There are occasionally TA Friends & Family sales with rates that you cannot book yourself.

As you can tell from the responses, deck choice is largely personal preference. We like to be closer to the areas we visit most. Those areas will of course not be the same areas that others visit most (they also vary by ship). I'd be fine with anything above the Promenade although something a bit higher so that it's in between there and the higher decks would be my preference as I prefer to avoid elevators when I can.

Careful, they may become virgin daiquiri addicts like my 12-year-old niece was on Harmony recently. Joking aside, it was fun to be able to "take her to the bar" to grab a drink. The fact that she already knew what a Miami Vice was did shock me a bit though.

Not sure why this hasn’t been mentioned but you can usually find your cabin assignment as soon as you check in using the “bar code trick.” Simply put your set sail pass in your Apple wallet (if you have an Apple device) or scan the bar code with another device. You will see numbers under the bar code. The numbers after the dash represent your cabin number. In rare cases it may change before it is officially assigned but not usually. I knew my cabins for my current B2B 45 days out but they weren’t officially assigned until 16 days out. As soon as they were I was ready to have my TA move them but we won a small RoyalUp for one so she only moved the 2nd (we switched between halves). Hope this helps.

Mostly agree or else I wouldn’t book them but I do prefer getting my official assignment as early as possible so I at least have the chance to move if I want. We would have been fine with the cabin we were originally assigned for the cruise I’m currently on but I moved us just to be closer to the areas we frequent & it’s just that much better.

Sorry to hear. I’ve had nothing but wonderful service in every area on both Harmony 5/29 & the Indy B2B I’m currently on. My bartenders & servers have been as friendly & accommodating as ever.

It can be anytime. On my current B2B I got my official assignments for each half 16 days out. It can technically be up until your sail date.