KathyC

I'm on Apex in 2022 - I'll let you know if we get there or not.  ? 

I've been following along with him every day, I like his nice quick videos while I'm having my coffee in the morning.  

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

Welcome to the boards!  You picked a great ship for them.  
One of the suite snobs will give you advice on the suite.  Paging @Lovetocruise2002!  One thing I can tell you is that the passengers in the inside cabin will not be able to access the suite areas.  
I think a special anniversary dinner at 150 Central Park would be a perfect gift for them.  Either as a romantic dinner or the full 5 person celebration.  Lots of items made tableside and makes the experience all the more special. Must try the martini. 
How outgoing are the happy couple?  There is a Love & Marriage game show they can try to be chosen to participate in.  They pick 3-4 couples, all at varying stage of marriage and a couple celebrating their 50th has a good chance of being chosen.  They have to be willing to be celebrities for the rest of the sailing as the show is recorded and shown over and over on the stateroom tvs for everyone who didn't attend.
Other than that, I will leave space for others to chime in.  But I will say she's a big ship with lots to offer - don't try to do it or see it all! 

Welcome to the boards!  You picked a great ship for them.  
One of the suite snobs will give you advice on the suite.  Paging @Lovetocruise2002!  One thing I can tell you is that the passengers in the inside cabin will not be able to access the suite areas.  
I think a special anniversary dinner at 150 Central Park would be a perfect gift for them.  Either as a romantic dinner or the full 5 person celebration.  Lots of items made tableside and makes the experience all the more special. Must try the martini. 
How outgoing are the happy couple?  There is a Love & Marriage game show they can try to be chosen to participate in.  They pick 3-4 couples, all at varying stage of marriage and a couple celebrating their 50th has a good chance of being chosen.  They have to be willing to be celebrities for the rest of the sailing as the show is recorded and shown over and over on the stateroom tvs for everyone who didn't attend.
Other than that, I will leave space for others to chime in.  But I will say she's a big ship with lots to offer - don't try to do it or see it all! 

Welcome to the boards!  You picked a great ship for them.  
One of the suite snobs will give you advice on the suite.  Paging @Lovetocruise2002!  One thing I can tell you is that the passengers in the inside cabin will not be able to access the suite areas.  
I think a special anniversary dinner at 150 Central Park would be a perfect gift for them.  Either as a romantic dinner or the full 5 person celebration.  Lots of items made tableside and makes the experience all the more special. Must try the martini. 
How outgoing are the happy couple?  There is a Love & Marriage game show they can try to be chosen to participate in.  They pick 3-4 couples, all at varying stage of marriage and a couple celebrating their 50th has a good chance of being chosen.  They have to be willing to be celebrities for the rest of the sailing as the show is recorded and shown over and over on the stateroom tvs for everyone who didn't attend.
Other than that, I will leave space for others to chime in.  But I will say she's a big ship with lots to offer - don't try to do it or see it all! 

Welcome to the boards!  You picked a great ship for them.  
One of the suite snobs will give you advice on the suite.  Paging @Lovetocruise2002!  One thing I can tell you is that the passengers in the inside cabin will not be able to access the suite areas.  
I think a special anniversary dinner at 150 Central Park would be a perfect gift for them.  Either as a romantic dinner or the full 5 person celebration.  Lots of items made tableside and makes the experience all the more special. Must try the martini. 
How outgoing are the happy couple?  There is a Love & Marriage game show they can try to be chosen to participate in.  They pick 3-4 couples, all at varying stage of marriage and a couple celebrating their 50th has a good chance of being chosen.  They have to be willing to be celebrities for the rest of the sailing as the show is recorded and shown over and over on the stateroom tvs for everyone who didn't attend.
Other than that, I will leave space for others to chime in.  But I will say she's a big ship with lots to offer - don't try to do it or see it all! 

Hello everyone,
My name is Kim and I have been lurking around RoyalCaribbeanBlog for a while and thought it was finally time to introduce myself and see what (if any) I can give back to this wonderful community.
I am from Norway, a male barely clinging on to my forties, and sadly never been on a cruise before. (Overnight ferry to Denmark, Germany or up the coast of Norway, sure, but not a proper cruise).
December 2021 our parents are celebrating their 50-year (gold) wedding anniversary and as a gift my brother and I are giving them and ourselves a cruise in the Caribbean on the Symphony of the Seas in April 2022. It is a life long dream of both parents, and finally they get to go.
We booked in January last year, so it has been a long wait, but we’re finally at under a year remaining. (Then of course the couff hit making everything weird, but surely things will improve this summer / fall, yes?).
We have spent quite a bit of time checking out videos on YouTube and reading reviews and travel tips and of course this blog, but I am sure there is probably a lot we still have to learn.
So, I am writing this to check in with all of you and see if you have any advice for us on how we can make this trip the best possible for our parents (and ourselves). Is there anything on the menu we simple *have* to try out? A show or event that is simply a must to attend?
We are five in our group, so we have booked a regular (interior) cabin and one of the 2 bed grand suites. (Found out with the double price for a single occupancy, it was only slightly more expensive to go for a suite instead of two balcony cabins). Thus, we have a challenge in that the perks are quite different for us and we are looking into what we can do to even things more out. (We do not have to do everything together of course). One thing we are looking into is for the two in the smaller cabin to purchase the Key, so that we can embark and disembark close together, and sync shows (and first day lunch) more together.
But are there anything else we can do, that you know about?
Which leads me to one question I could not find a clear answer to. Is one of the perks of the GS that we get access to the Coco Beach Club area? (The older lists of other pages refer to a similar area on the Labadee location but does not mention the new CocoCay area). My brother and his fiancé are considering whether to buy the day pass to Coco Beach Club, but it is rather expensive, so the question is if it is part of the perk for three of us, and for that matter if it is worth it at all. (The rest of CocoCay looks so amazing as well, after all).
Anyway, thank you for reading through all my rambling and I hope to hear from you.
Murky
 
 
 

Just back from post-op visit #2. Everything is continuing to heal wonderfully, and I’m down down to minimal bandaging (mainly to protect the graft site on the back of my calf. Still a bit swollen in spots, but I’m seeing the finish line. ?
Best part was this exchange:
Doc: “Go ahead. Say it.”
Me: “Say what?”
Doc: “Why the hell didn’t you just do this the first time around?!?”
 
And what other bit of great news. I can finally shower again! Everyone downwind of me is quite relieved, despite my best efforts over the last couple weeks. ?

 

Logically, it makes sense what is happening right now.
Yes, ship hasnt been approved by Israel's Health Ministry, but....
Ship is there this week to presumably get vaccine for all onboard.
The ship returns in a few weeks for shot #2
I would guess at that point, Health Ministry approves.
As stated by others, Cruise Law News loves to highlight any iota of negative cruise news, and glosses over anything positive the industry does.
I think we can find better sources of information on what is happening in the cruise world than CLN. Just my opinion.

I love Quantum class because they are different and offer unique activities not available on any other class of ship.
Previously this class was designed for colder climates but Odyssey differs from her sisters in this regard.
To me the balcony cabins on this class are the best in the fleet.  I prefer Quantum class balcony cabins over Oasis class balcony cabins every time.
Bumper cars, Sky Diving, NorthStar, Two70°, Music Hall and so on.  So much to love about this class.  
 

I called and spoke with the Ministry of Health COVD-19 Helpline this afternoon.

The Travel Authorization is $75 and should be submitted 5 days before.  This is in contrast to the website that says 1-3 days.  It sounds like they are backed up right now so it's taking longer.  You get a PCR test and apply for a travel authorization then wait for the approval before departing.  If you board a flight without an approved travel authorization there is a $300 penalty.

The $75 travel authorization fee includes the airport arrival PCR test as well as the other tests required on day 4, day 8 and day 14. This is premised on travelers staying on the island.   

She told me they haven't been given any instructions for cruise departure guests.  Absent of those I was told of the current process for all immunised travelers involves the tests upon arrival, day 4, day 8 and day 14.  Until they are informed differently this is the process.

As an immunised traveler you are expected to go immediately to your hotel and begin quarantine until the airport arrival PCR test results come back.  Assuming the results are negative you are then free to move about following all COVID-19 protocols and curfews that all residents abide by.   On day 4 you test again and remain free to move about following all protocols unless the test comes back positive.  On day 8 you test again and remain free to move about following all protocols unless the test comes back positive and so on.

What happens if you don't test on day 4 because you are on a cruise?  She didn't know telling me again the process for cruise ship guests hasn't been created yet.  

In retrospect I should have asked where does one go for the day 4, 8 & 14 tests but wasn't thinking about it because I was thinking of being on a ship and not being there to get tested.

Immunised travelers from the UK face other restrictions.

Yes!  Walker and the ship chasing lawyer should get together! One good laugh after another!
 

Bingo.  Stopped reading as soon as I saw the name.

My skies will be a bit quieter this summer...

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

To be honest, it makes sense that they are not approved until the ship arrives.  There is still a lot of time before the first sailing, and this is the time to do those things.  I'm sure once the officials can get on board and see the protocols in person, all will be handled.  

Isn't this the guy that's always trying to stir things up?  Creating drama where there isn't any yet? 

We flew out of Philly on SW in 2019 for the first time.  Loved it.  I am happy with the switch! 

Keep watching your cruise planner; it varies by ship and sailing when items open up.  One of our suite regulars may be able to give you something more concrete than that...I'll start with @Lovetocruise2002 .   

Thank you for the links!