MaryCS62

When my girls were little & would ask what was for dinner, our joke response was "snails on toast" 😆. The first cruise we took them on, escargot weren't available (this was several years ago, there was some kind of snail shortage). However, last time we took them, they were available, & even though they were adults, DH & I insisted they had to try the "snails on toast"!

It’s a toss up between price and convenience. For me, it’s the convenience of parking at the terminal and walking onto the ship without having to worry about space availability (it’s guaranteed) or have to hope there is a reliable, not crowded, fully functional on time shuttle. Plus, I do early walk-off with my luggage and I’m in my car and out of the garage in minutes. So I consider the price of parking as part of my cruise fare.

I'm Team "documents in a menu holder"
 
 

How about printing in landscape mode?  Think I’ve seen that suggestion.

Obviously you're asking for allergy reasons so you can never assume, but soft serve mix tends to just be oils, sugars and stabilizers (which theoretically could be egg, but is typically something more shelf stable).
 
The soft serve ice cream is really soft serve franken-ice

Yes, that is correct.  We cancelled because of Covid, and just to make sure, DH went through the pre board questionnaire & checked off yes for "exposed to positive covid patient within the last 14 days" -- as soon as he did that, he got notification on the app that he was prohibited from boarding.

We actually had this happen (Jan 9, Anthem - upgraded from JS to 2BR Grand suite) - had to cancel due to 1 positive test. (sob 😭😭)
This was a nightmare, because we were paying for this (except the initial deposit) with FCC from 2 previously cancelled cruises, for which Royal had totally screwed up the amounts, and finally got corrected just about 40 days prior to cruising.  Our TA got them to agree to refund it entirely as cash (credited to our credit card) instead of re-issuing FCC (cash at the 100%, not 125%, of course).  They screwed up the amount due back, but that got corrected in a few days this time.  DH actually wanted me to contact the CC company & dispute the upgrade amount, since we had only paid it a few days prior & we wouldn't be getting it back for 45 days or so, based on their calculations, but I didn't bother.  We are getting it back though, but DH will have to monitor the CC statements for a few months to make sure it all comes back to us.

Yes, that is correct.  We cancelled because of Covid, and just to make sure, DH went through the pre board questionnaire & checked off yes for "exposed to positive covid patient within the last 14 days" -- as soon as he did that, he got notification on the app that he was prohibited from boarding.

We actually had this happen (Jan 9, Anthem - upgraded from JS to 2BR Grand suite) - had to cancel due to 1 positive test. (sob 😭😭)
This was a nightmare, because we were paying for this (except the initial deposit) with FCC from 2 previously cancelled cruises, for which Royal had totally screwed up the amounts, and finally got corrected just about 40 days prior to cruising.  Our TA got them to agree to refund it entirely as cash (credited to our credit card) instead of re-issuing FCC (cash at the 100%, not 125%, of course).  They screwed up the amount due back, but that got corrected in a few days this time.  DH actually wanted me to contact the CC company & dispute the upgrade amount, since we had only paid it a few days prior & we wouldn't be getting it back for 45 days or so, based on their calculations, but I didn't bother.  We are getting it back though, but DH will have to monitor the CC statements for a few months to make sure it all comes back to us.

We actually had this happen (Jan 9, Anthem - upgraded from JS to 2BR Grand suite) - had to cancel due to 1 positive test. (sob 😭😭)
This was a nightmare, because we were paying for this (except the initial deposit) with FCC from 2 previously cancelled cruises, for which Royal had totally screwed up the amounts, and finally got corrected just about 40 days prior to cruising.  Our TA got them to agree to refund it entirely as cash (credited to our credit card) instead of re-issuing FCC (cash at the 100%, not 125%, of course).  They screwed up the amount due back, but that got corrected in a few days this time.  DH actually wanted me to contact the CC company & dispute the upgrade amount, since we had only paid it a few days prior & we wouldn't be getting it back for 45 days or so, based on their calculations, but I didn't bother.  We are getting it back though, but DH will have to monitor the CC statements for a few months to make sure it all comes back to us.

Will have to give that a try when we get our "free" tests from the government.  Not going to waste our very expensive home tests on this.  

Cococay is divided into two sides, the thrill side, and the chill side. The fancy attractions (ex. water park, zipline etc.) are all located on the thrill side.
The chill side is pretty much all complimentary (such as beaches, the pool, restaurants etc.)

This is for residents of the US only.  It will be limited to 4 tests per home.  Beyond that not a lot of information available so these probably will not be useful for travel but who knows till they start shipping.  I will be putting in an order even if it's just to have some on hand that can be used for my own information.
 
https://www.covidtests.gov/ 

Not sure how accurate this is -- DD (triple vaxxed, 3rd shot was full Moderna for being immmunocompromised) was exposed 12/22, showed symptoms starting 12/27 and tested positive 12/29, but just had the mild cold symptoms.  (OTOH, my mom, whom we spent Christmas day with, after giving her the info, & staying masked almost the entire time was negative a few days after that.) Other DD was actually much sicker, but we didn't test her, assuming she was positive, DH had mild symptoms & I never had any.  We were supposed to be on Anthem 1/9.  1/7 -- DH tested negative, positive DD still tested positive.  1/8 -- other DD, who finally went to doctor  & was diagnosed with bacterial bronchitis & got antibiotics for it, tested negative, as did I.  We cleaned out DD's nose, prayed, & did another test -- still positive 17 days after exposure, 12 days after showing symptoms, 10 days after testing positive the first time, 5-6 days after no symptoms and 1 day after she would have been allowed back to her day program.   
So, we were screwed, & couldn't go and by the way, these were all antigen tests, which are supposedly less sensitive

Although you are correct that the vaccine is available to 5-11 year olds, it is not readily avalible worldwide. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/countries-vaccinating-children-against-covid-19-2021-06-29/
This maybe one reason why cruise lines are a little hesitant to mandate vaccines for 5-11 year olds. Many parents with kids in this age group from countries that do not have the vaccine would not be able to travel. 
@wordell1 brings up a very good point about testing. Also not all cases were spread by cruisers in this population. Many got sick on board because they tested negative prior to embarkation, but the testing occurred too early in the incubation period and they became sick while on board. 
This is another reason why I do not understand this mass hysteria about there being cases on board. There will always be cases of covid on board. It is highly improbable for there not to be a single case of covid onboard known or unknown. I also do not understand the infatuation of the media to call every case of covid in a vaccinated individual a "Breakthrough" case. The vaccines developed were never intended to prevent all covid infections. They were developed to prevent severe to life threatening illness. So a breakthrough case would be a vaccinated individual that needed hospitalization and or ventilation. Overall I have not heard of any cases on board any of the cruise lines that required the infected who was vaccinated to be ventilated and hospitalized. 
I do think that some time Q1 timeframe we will see RCL and other cruise lines mandate vaccinations for this group. 

That is correct. On our Symphony cruise last month, we were told an hour before or after your checkin time. We showed up at 10:30 for our scheduled 11:30 time and were on the ship by 11:00.

My wife and I had a 8 day on odyssey booked for March 2022 after 2 cancelled cruises, but we were still 9 points away from being diamond. So we took a 6 day cheap double points cruise in Nov to get us to diamond. So now we are diamond on the 8 day cruise. Then we will get 32 points on that one to really help on the diamond plus.

App is convenient, but harder to read everything on the phone (eyes are getting old!).  I liked getting mine the night before & circling things I might like to do. I can see doing that now, then putting it in my app calendar to carry with me.

Suite guests can check in an hour early (at least theoretically!) so if you want to maximize your time, arrive at 11:30.

Pinnacle are still restricted so that may help your cause. 
Certain night menus appeal to me more than others.  Look them over in the app before and if required, pick the best nights for the menus you like.  

App is convenient, but harder to read everything on the phone (eyes are getting old!).  I liked getting mine the night before & circling things I might like to do. I can see doing that now, then putting it in my app calendar to carry with me.

Breakfast on the balcony.  Got to do it at least once.  
Just be careful ordering food.  Read the menu carefully.  Your thinking 2-3 pieces of something,  they're sending you 2-3 orders of it. That's how my wife ended up with 6 pancakes and 9 pieces of bacon one morning. Bacon didn't go to waste though.🙂

This is what I do too.  I like reading the CC as I am winding down for the day.  Even with good eyesight I still prefer the CC because the information is all there, without having to constantly swipe the phone screen.

App is convenient, but harder to read everything on the phone (eyes are getting old!).  I liked getting mine the night before & circling things I might like to do. I can see doing that now, then putting it in my app calendar to carry with me.

Actually, yes, I'm pretty stoked about being able to use CK for breakfast.  Younger DD is the only gluten free of our party (Celiac, so a necessity, not a choice), and we've never had problems before, was just curious if the suite lounge had anything. It's definitely not a deal breaker, we just won't use it for breakfast