twangster

Hertz has a shuttle much like any airport shuttle that can accomodate luggage. The catch is the shuttle can't run until after 10:30am or maybe 11am (port rules). Dropping luggage/wife is a sound strategy but depending on timing she may be waiting a while. I did an $8 Uber rather than waiting for the car rental shuttle since I was before 10am.

Please do. Inquiring minds want to know...

Looks like Navigator's time in the app was short lived. It's back on the no-app list. Presumably that was a mistake as they get ready to add Navigator to the app. It will probably re-appear just before her maiden voyage post-dry dock:

I keep a detailed spreadsheet of my cruise activity. On Royal Caribbean I have historically used suites 2.6% of the time, 50% are balcony cabins (non-suite) and the rest interior. Hint - suites are great, no question, but once away from your cabin the overall cruise experience is pretty similar regardless of your cabin type. Unlike some suite snobs (cough cough @Lovetocruise2002) I can return to an interior cabin after a suite. Just wait until she does Harmony. Poor hubster doesn't stand a chance, it will be Star Class or nada.

Best guess is that a new cruise director is coming on soon and they haven't fully set the schedule. Scheduling shows for them has some challenges. The crew behind the scenes often work multiple shows. Some shows require more backstage or behind the scenes crew. That means maybe an Aqua show can't be scheduled the same night as a main theater show. Moving one show creates a ripple effect by impacting other shows. When the cast of the show is approaching their contract end, a new cast comes on board 30 days prior. The new cast has to practice each show until they are ready to take it over. That practice time consumes venues and impacts when other events can be offered. The schedule is like a dynamic puzzle, move one piece and the whole picture changes. Keep checking every day.

Not a bad strategy. "Sorry, no time for the sales pitch, gotta get to muster!"

Sky Class just use Coastal Kitchen. Sea Class (JS) I'd stick with UDP and try to get into CK once or twice.

Welcome to the message boards! Excursion sales are a little more random and unpredictable compared to other cruise planner sales like beverage packages. They do happen from time to time but it seems select excursions go on sale, not all excursions across the board. Keep checking weekly and in particular around US holidays like Easter, Memorial Day and Independence Day for an August cruise, but don't count on your top excursions all going on sale. Book what excursions you want now. If one becomes discounted, refund it and rebook, assuming you are in North America. Unsure what other regions allow.

The vast majority of cruisers among different cruise lines never book suites. You are in the majority, not the minority.

@Jaymac Radio posted this video just yesterday about the Tampa fog situation I encountered: Not Galveston but like Galveston Tampa deals with fog this time of year.

Royal can't change the weather. The port is operated by the local port authority and under command of the US Coast Guard. If the port authority and/or USGC close the port due to fog then all ships, cargo, tanker or cruise ship can't use the port until it is re-opened. What do they do? If they can predict a fog condition they sometimes speed up and cruise at full speed on their return to Galveston in an attempt to beat the fog. They will listen to the USCG and follow instructions provided to them by the local port pilots and USCG. If they are in port when USGC closes the port, they can't leave and will remain tied up at the pier. If they are returning to the port when the port closes, they will get as close as they can and hang around waiting for the USCG to re-open the port. Understand Royal is not in charge or in a position to force a decision. They must wait for instructions and based on what they are told they will decide how to proceed. Typically the port will suggest something like "We anticipate the port re-opening in 3 hours" but that is not a guarantee or promise because they have to wait to see how conditions change. Based on estimated times Royal will devise a plan based on those estimates. As much as it is out of your control, it is also out of the cruise line's control. How long will the delay be? That is like asking how long will it be cloudy, or sunny, or raining, or snowing. They can use computers to model fog conditions but in the end mother nature dictates how long fog hangs around. It all depends. As soon as it's deemed to be safe, the port will re-open and pilots will board ships to assist them into the port. It all depends. Royal has no choice but to wait and follow instructions from the port, pilots and/or USCG. My stories: My first cruise from Galveston in 2013 occurred as a tropical storm passed by. Cruise ships were delayed by a few hours but eventually returned to port. We were advised to delay our arrival to the port to embark. As we prepared to leave that day a tanker ran aground in the channel in the crappy weather and closed the port. We spent the night tied up at the pier in Galveston. We set sail in the morning and they reversed the order of our ports of call so that we could still make them all. I just experienced a 10 hour delay in Tampa returning on Brilliance due to fog - it was that bad. We circled around just outside of the port waiting for the port to re-open. Basically we had an extra sea day and arrived at the terminal at 5:00pm instead of 7:30am. Next cruise guests were told not to come to the port until 7pm. We were kept fed like any other day and they planned activities and entertainment to keep us occupied. They carry extra food and beverage for just such an event. I follow James Van Fleet on twitter. He is Royal's Chief Meteorologist and will sometimes tweet about fog delays. It's not unusual for Royal to expedite their return to Galveston in an attempt to beat the fog and get back into the port before they close it. This when they can predict fog conditions. Here are some tweets from @JamesVanFleet over the past few weeks for Liberty/Galveston: (Not for your cruise but roughly two weeks ago)

In a JS you might not have faired any better if you went straight to CK upon boarding. While CK is a published benefit of booking a JS they don't encourage it and give priority to full suites and Pinnacles. You are lucky you got 3 nights in CK.

Here is an example for a solo booking Royal Up offer:

When you bid as a solo your offer will be doubled as you go through the process. Bid $100 and it will display your actual amount is $200, no different compared to a bid from two people in a cabin making an offer. You can try and see it before commiting your offer.

I don't wait for cabins to become available to get the letter. By that point good reservations are already being taken by folks like me that deal with it straight after boarding.

Go to any restaurant or if you see a table set up selling specialty dining go there. On Oasis I saw a table in the promenade 30’ from where I boarded. I went straight there. On Navigator they had a podium set up right after entering the ship from outdoors.

Welcome to the message boards! This menu is from a different ship but will be similar. Consider it a 'sample' kids menu.

Welcome to the message boards! The Thermal Spa Package includes access to spa facility that include a dry sauna, wet steam room, rain shower and heated ceramic beds. The thermal spas area is down the hall from the locker rooms and shared between men and women. On Radiance class ships each locker room also contain a free sauna and steam room but since they are in the locker rooms a husband and wife can't use them together.

If you get a scheduling conflict in the CP, just click Yes. It will let you double book time slots.

SMH as I've seen the same thing. It was an Alaska cruise with CocoCay excursions.

As you proceed through check out it will flag the conflict in schedule but you should have the choice to go ahead anyways. It will let you overlap reservations. Once on board book UDP reservations right away. Tell them what time you want to avoid a conflict. Keep in mind sail away time leaving Seward: 7:30pm muster followed by 8pm sail away.

I'm calling fake news! Last week he declared Vision never opens it's roof yet it was open in January. This is Serenade's solarium roof open in St. Maarten next to Adventure (in 2018). #SolariumRoofOpenDenier

There is at least one CLS that is designated as accessible. Has it's own elevator within the suite to the second level and the bathroom is different to suit accessible needs.

I don't know about that, looks okay to me. Besides, fashion goes out the window below 5°C.

Nothing Lulu can't cope with.