HeWhoWaits

We've done "formal" photos in front of scenic backdrops wearing the aforementioned khakis and a polo on multiple occasions. Not unlikely to be one of the selected Diamond free photos.

If the "best" you brought is khakis and a polo shirt for him (my default for dinner) and a sundress for her - that's your best If the "best" you brought is cargo shorts and a Metallica tee-shirt for him and a skort with a breezy top for her - that's your best If one wishes to dress up (we used to do so, not anymore) - the suit and tie (or more) for him and cocktail dress (or more) for her - that's your best

Unless it's Nassau.

And as @Matt will tell us, that float of dark rum should always be Kraken.

The problem there is that the selection is very static. Same items every day gets old in a hurry. Sure, you can get different ingredients in your omelet each day, but that's "variety" like switching between beef and chicken on your soft taco at Taco Bell is "variety." I'm a big fan of breakfast and by the end of a week-long cruise I start pining for a bowl of Froot Loops or Cap'n Crunch (neither of which is one of my go-to cereals) just for something different.

"Formal" is what they used to call it, now it's "Dress Your Best." There are no specific requirements for what is worn aside from the theoretical no swimwear in the MDR. Those nights tend to be the ones where professional photography opportunities are offered so if you're looking to get a fancy portrait done, wear what you want for the photo rather than any specific expectation in the MDR.

No ship is too small when you compare it to the alternative of not being on a ship at all.

When we started cruising, I would have described the MDR meals as bordering on fine dining. Now, I liken them to somewhere between "not quite as good as I would make at home" and "I believe I could get pretty close to that if I had ready access to the ingredients" depending on the dish.

I would be more comfortable in shorts, but still put on slacks for dinner in the Main Dining Room. Now as for the main dining HALL - that's Windjammer, so shorts it is!

Our differences of opinion on here aside, wishing you all the best medically. While many of us on the boards don't agree on many fronts, we're still a community,

I concur that you didn't say six hours away. You said "nearby." The reality is that the violence is closer to six hours away than to "nearby" by almost any frame of reference. And the murders in Miami (my reference) are MUCH closer in both distance and time to get to the port than Port au Prince is to Labadee.

Then you probably shouldn't board a ship in Miami.

We had the premium package last month on Reflection. There were a few drinks that weren't fully covered by the $17 limit, but those were the fancy drinks at World Class Bar and premium wines by the glass.

More importantly, how does your significant other respond?

My wife did a 3-4-3 B2B2B on Freedom last June (with different family member co-cruisers each leg). She didn't report any difference in the fellow passenger experience for the pair of 3 night weekends vs. the 4 night weekday. The food was repetitive, but since she doesn't venture far from her standard comfort zone that wasn't an issue.

With the possible exception of the specific rum, every bar on every ship should be able to make this drink.

Unless the OBC is more than the cost of one of whatever package you're looking to purchase, it doesn't matter which person it is "assigned" to. The OBC for both people can be applied against the purchase for one person on the reservation.

We have documents authorizing us to obtain medical care for our grandchildren, regardless of travel situations. For traveling outside of your country of residence, it is always advisable to have specific permission for the trip in question. The Royal Caribbean form is a good example, but not the only version that will be accepted.

So you would will enjoy spending time in Spain.

More per night, yes. But the overall cost is lower and most people don't look at the per unit price when shopping, just the total.

That middle time will be filled up in nothing flat when booking opens by those who opt for fixed dining and like to eat at a reasonable time (that would be us - 5:00 is way too early and 8:00 is way too late).

Reminds me of a trip years ago (before cruising became the go-to) at an all-inclusive resort in Cozumel. My sister-in-law kept asking the housekeeper for "extra" towels and the housekeeper dutifully replaced the towels (no doubt confused as to why this crazy American wanted the towels changed when those towels were perfectly clean). A quick conversation between me and the housekeeper en español eliminated the confusion and got her the additional towels.

You seem to have a handle on the matter. Sounds like you'll want to avoid this travel agent in the future. You don't need such stress interfering with your cruise vacation.

Welcome to the advent of interior staterooms for $500 per person per night, if you got your way.

I've passed along cash to these folks on more than a few occasions, especially when I see the same crew member repeatedly. Best reaction I ever got was when I handed the guy washing the pool deck at 5:00 a.m. a $5 bill.