LetsTryThisPlace

@LetsTryThisTech and @TheaFromCDA.  I went through some old posts about Canadians on a US credit card.  There is a link and then links within this link that are helpful.
 

LOL I am unfortunately a big online shopper... and because I do cross border quite a bit (even have Nexus lol) I actually have ebates.COM so depending on the vendor and rebates available, I use them interchangeably . I have a USD account at one of my Canadian Banks...as well as a US account and credit card with a US bank but like you, I do get my US funds routed to Paypal
 
always interested in how everyone manages to save ...just means more cruising $$$

Funny, but the drinks and internet are both way higher than what I paid during the Black Friday event in November.  And it's not just a few dollars due to exchange rate.

Just noticed on my Anthem sailing in March that Refreshment packages are down to $18/day again.

Mariner was the first RCL ship we ever cruised on so think a reunion with her is in order, looks good.
 

I noticed that Baylee was quoted as saying that Skypad will be free unless demand is too high, then they'll charge to control crowds.
That's an interesting quote.  North Star and iFly are in high demand but they use reservations to manage crowds, much like entertainment on Quantum and Oasis class.
If Skypad is going to become paid based on demand, that doesn't bode well for many free activities. 

Great!  I'll keep an eye out for 10% price drops soon!

Non-RC sites tend to leave off taxes and port fees until the very end.  Also, be sure to make sure the prices include gratuities or not.
As @twangster noted, some of the big sites tend to rebate money off the price but that comes at the cost of service and/or charging you fees for changes.  With MEI, no fees for having changes done, and you get an agent who works with you, not a call center.
I'm biased and they are a sponsor, but sometimes you have to consider the bigger picture about what a TA is really there for.

My least favorite thing is getting off of the ship at the end of the cruise.

MEI has special approval for booking blog group cruises for anyone but I don't know about non-blog cruises.
I asked Jacki York, my MEI agent.  Like all agencies ... it depends.  There are some fly by night online agencies that undercut prices.  Impossible to price match places like that.
Never hurts to ask... here is her contact info:
 
Jacki York, CTA
Independent Travel Consultant
Email:       [email protected]
Local:       (518) 853-4009
Toll Free: (855) 893-8747
Fax:           (518) 514-1110
Office Hours:      Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST
                              Saturday and Sunday - I check email and voice mail messages as time permits.
I normally respond to all email inquiries within 24 hours. If your request is urgent please call.

Discussed in another thread with @LetsTryThisTech :
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5461-daily-periscope-of-grand-cayman-port/&do=findComment&comment=55465
 
 

if you werent so awesome and helpful I'd probably resent you :P 

I remember when I went back for college. Luckily, I met an amazing local who is now my wife,  so hopefully, I won't have to go back anytime soon. Its one of those places you think oh I could never live there its too small, then you visit and decide to never go home lol.

@toodle68, did you give me a blood transfusion when I wasn’t looking? Seems I may have picked up some of your “wolverine” powers. Haven’t had a pain pill since 10 PM yesterday, doing totally fine and walking around the house without issues. Just stood for about 10 minutes straight while brewing some coffee, no problemo.
Not exactly feeling like I could hop on the exercise bike yet, but that might not be far off! ?

Therein lies the Android conundrum.  WhatsApp works great but it requires everyone you know to load it.  Google won't bake it in to Android because it has it's own (multiple) platforms that it wants people to use.  If Google was to acquire WhatsApp it would be decimated into something it isn't today as they try to squeeze it into position besides five other similar but different Google platforms that are the same but different.  Plus you wouldn't need WhatsApp if Google could get it right.
There is also the matter of what Google is really after in everything it does.  Your data.  Your life story.  Everything about you so they can sell it to the highest bidder.      

Dual citizen. Live in the U.S., family in the GTA.  

There is also something to say about the overall eco system.  Working across devices within the Apple eco system is painless and easy. 
I've got an Android phone and had an S7 Edge when it was new and the flagship model.  Features and specifications are for geeks to fight over on another forum.  The eco system is what really sets them apart.  
There are ways to do similar things on both devices but with Android there are five different apps that aren't compatible and each has pros and cons.  Tomorrow Google will likely launch yet another chat app that is different again from it's video app that is different again from a similar app.   Want to transfer files to a laptop?  On Android there is this app that used to free but now costs money and only works on certain Android version, but there is another app, that works if you do this, on that version or that that device.   On Apple?  Airdrop.  Boom, done.  easy. 
Android has yet to accomplish anything as awesome as iMessage.  Most of my family and friends have Apple so iMessage works incredibly well on wifi or cellular.  On a ship, on a plane, in a foreign country at a coffee shop.  It was the single biggest thing I missed when I had my S7.  
I'm as geeky as the next geek but there is a lot to say for something that works, every time, with ease.  Done without jumping through hoops.

This looks great!..Water slides will be fun and the sports bar will be a hit for sure...now I am doubly excited for my cruise on her in October!

This sort of strikes me as being in the same vein as Carnival’s “Fun Ship 2.0” effort. Those are some serious upgrades for a Voyager class ship, even more than what Adventure got. Some of it (the bungee launcher and laser tag) is stuff I couldn’t consider as a guy with mobility limits. But things like the Players Sports Bar that will match what’s coming to Symphony of the Seas is a great idea; match what’s on the biggest and newest in a scaled-down manner, and draw the folks in from the 3-4 nighter to a full week with similar or same experience.

Very soon.  NOW!  LOL
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/02/01/royal-caribbean-announces-new-features-coming-mariner-of-the-seas
 

Me neither.  Draws too much attention.

In a way, he got his money's worth: I am sure it was a heck of an experience, and excursions are all about experiences, right?

St Catharines native.

For the application, I don't need AC1200 or beyond.  
I bought mine for traveling in hotel rooms and cruise ships.  It's small and lightweight.  I don't need multi-gig throughput when traveling.  I don't need to be the strongest access point on the seas so that three ships over in port they see my signal.  In fact I don't want that.  This little guy is all I need for a small hotel room or cabin on a ship.  It isn't going to take down the ship wifi because it's too strong or obliterating the entire spectrum so I'm less likely to draw the attention of on-board IT.  
Why pay for stuff I don't need?