Psycho and Barb

Psycho just made this one

We don't currently have a budget.  We do have several factors that influence our cruising decisions. 

1.  How much time and when can we get away from work.  Can we get three 7-day cruises in this year?  We really enjoy B2B cruises.

     - This will all change soon when we finally retire...Psycho will hang up his combat boots for good in Jan 24...I'm still undecided but have no problem getting time off from work and I love my job.

2.  Where do we want to go.  This might also influence questions one if we have to factor in travel days.

3.  What ships do we want to sail on.

4.  Do we want to sail with family or friends.

The big things is...If you all are linked...You can check in and get everyone's show times on the app.  Snag that earliest time for your group.

We were called down to the naughty room one time...Psycho went all the way down to deck one but forgot to take the keys to our luggage locks.  He had to come back up to the room and get the keys.  So we can verify they don't cut the locks off...At least in our few case they didn't.  Yes we have made a few trips to the naughty room.  Psycho use to take C-Clamps to put his hammock up on the balcony...Guess they make a large image on the X-ray and no longer takes them.  

Did anyone video the encounter?  

16 hours ago, Stephanie said:

I got a FedEX package this morning filled with cruise brochures. It looks like a travel agent kit. I have no idea how or why it was sent to me and there was no letter or explanation included. I am not complaining - it has a full guide to all the ships, deck plans & cruises for the 2024-2025 season. I am, however, taking it as a sign that I should be doing more cruising... 

Ya about those...Could you please forward them to me?

On 9/30/2023 at 2:45 PM, smokeybandit said:

It's what you can bring back duty free that's the question.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-544?language=en_US

As @smokeybandit says It's the duty free that might get ya...We got hit one time and had to pay the duty for bringing too much booze back.  But you might not have to pay it now since it's been awhile since we've had to fill out the customs form or to even having to talk to a Customs Officer (Love the Ipad Customs) depending on where your cruising from and your citizenship status.  

7 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Boarding day today on Grandeur and we haven’t been able to bring up the health questionnaire on the app.  Guess we’ll just have to wait til we get there.  So annoying !

Lucky you...Have fun!!!

We have found our bags all up and down our hallway...One time at the wrong end of the ship.  In fact, if we are missing a bag, we will wonder the hallway and look for them.  Just hate having to go down to the naughty room. 

On 9/25/2023 at 1:25 PM, BigKarl said:

I will be retiring and thinking of moving to an Income Tax free State.  I have only visited Florida about ten times and that was to board a Cruise ship. For those of you that live in Florida and wish to comment (Good and Bad)  please be honest in your personal assessment of florida living and also which area may be best. Thanks in advance. 

Florida is a wonderful state with ample areas to live depending on what type of lifestyle you're looking for...We also have two different time zones and no state income tax.  We decided Northwest Florida was the place for us and worked our last military assignment to Eglin AFB.  We have some of the most beautiful beach's, fantastic fishing and lots of forests with lots of wildlife and great hunting opportunities. 

We also have the heat with 100% humidity, tourists, snowbirds and hurricanes.  Our property insurance goes up every year even though we haven’t had a hurricane since Dennis in Sep 2004.  We did get lucky when that monster hurricane Michael hit to the east of us at Mexico Beach in Oct 2022. 

Our cruise options are 4 hours to New Orleans, Port Canaveral, about an 8 hour drive depending on traffic, and 10 hours to Fort Lauderdale or Galveston Texas.  Adding everything up…It’s a small price to pay for living in paradise!

We have been on Allure a couple of times and always enjoyed her...Not our favorite Oasis class ship but never had a bad time either. 

We call the sale "Walmart at sea" and sometimes, people act like it's a big Black Friday sale.

Our first time to CocoCay was Feb 2012 on the Freedom of the Seas.   Nice little sleepy island with a bunch of wild chickens running all over the place.  

4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

WOW !  $299 PP for the UDP.  The last time I purchased the UDP it was $179 PP.

Check out one of our other cruises...Lol

Depends.  We have had bartenders put the tip in their pockets and others that put them in a tip jar to be split.

Go to your local bank and get you some $2 dollar bills to take with ya...We have found the bartenders really like the $2 bills for some reason.

26 minutes ago, wstephensi said:

 If staying in a suite you get double points for the land portion as well. 

You get a point for each day of the land portion no matter what type of room you have.

10 hours ago, Va4fam said:

 May just hold off and see if Black Friday deals are any better.

 

 

 

Last year we got the internet for $13.99 on the Black Friday Sale (21 Nov 22) and it was the same price for two of our booked cruises.

13 hours ago, Va4fam said:

@Jill....I don't see Chops +1 on any of my future cruises either.  

It's offered on two of our cruises. 

We have done the Royal Cruise Tour twice...Once in June 2017 and again in June 2022.  We liked not having to worry about anything.  Our luggage was delivered to our hotel rooms every night and picked up from our rooms in the morning...We stayed in some very nice hotels like the Talkeetna Alaskan lodge...Absolutely stunning.   Both times we had fantastic tour directors who stayed with us the whole trip and made it memorable.  Our land tours included the glass domed railcars of the Alaskan Railway which is must, and our tour group had a domed car all to ourselves.   Our domed car had a bar and served breakfast, lunch or dinner (Pay as you go) depending on our time on the train...Our June 22 trip had four different legs on the train.   Both times it included the long bus trip into Denali...There's only a short and long Denali bus tours available.   Yes, we were on a set schedule and had to be at a certain place and at a certain time, but we also had plenty of free time to do/explore on our own.   Our tour director offered and booked side excursion at each stop besides the included excursions.  

The cruise portion is fantastic but you really need to do a land tour...Either on your own or with Royal to really experience Alaska.  

Depends on the ship.   We have had the same room for an B2B and we were allowed to go to our room.  Another time we had to change rooms…They gave us B2B cards and told our new rooms would be given priority cleaning.   They were ready before the other rooms and we showed the cards to who ever stopped us in our room hallway. 

The free slots go FAST...Signup as soon as you can connect to the ships Wi-Fi...Even when you're waiting to board.  There are usually some pay reservations once you get onboard, but they will also go fast.  If you want to try it...Make it the first thing you do as soon as you get onboard.   

We have done B2B's both ways...Getting off the ship and not having to get off the ship.  Both ways were really painless.   

2 hours ago, crazy4disney said:

Interesting... Do they function in the same way as the fridges/coolers on Carnival, in that they get WAY cooler if you pull them forward an inch or two and leave the cabinet door open to allow heat to escape? Makes such a ginormous difference on those, but not sure if it works the same way with the type of cooling you describe. It sounds like it would work even better, but I'm no engineer.  

 

Take a gallon zip lock bag with ya...Fill it with ice and put it in the Cooler.  Really helps getting your things colder.

On 8/17/2023 at 5:48 PM, Arlene Waters said:

So I have moved on to Virgin voyages for next year. 

Well good luck.