Zacharius

First off, make sure you are using Air-to-Sea for the right reasons. It's not always the best choice, and may just put another layer of middle-man in between you and the airline. Are you taking it because you think they'll hold a ship for you? Not a guarantee. Lower cost? Unlikely for domestic US trips. Just one thing to consider. As far as ground transport goes, I would personally take an Uber. You control when you leave, don't have to wait on anyone.

A few times each trip I'll grab some higher end wine that requires a $3 - $8 upcharge.

Wow, that's a crap way to run a company in my book. But it explains a lot.

I'm so confused by this statement. The ships are an entity of Royal Caribbean, are they not? I can't imagine each ship is operated as their own profit center requiring cuts to please the ownership.

As have, I believe, North Korea, Mongolia, Malaysia, Palau, and Kazakhstan, which has included cutting off visa-issuance to Chinese passport holders as well. There could be other countries too, those are just the ones I remember hearing off the top of my head.

I'm a fairly regular traveler to China (several times each year) and was last there in early December. Next trip is to Changsha, Hunan in early March...I haven't cancelled yet. No point to, we have no idea what the next five weeks will bring. Knowing that China under-reports this kind of stuff, I'm guessing I won't go, but I certainly am not making any decisions this far in advance. We could all be dead by then, or we could have all forgotten it even happened. I don't know anything about your father-in-law, but based on the vast majority of people freaking out from this, I do have one recommendation - tell him to turn off the network news ?

Wait, they'll cancel your cruise if you haven't paid before final payment due date? Jeez, if they (or any company) ever did that to me, I'd make sure they never got another penny out of me.

One note is to always, always be careful with publicly open WiFi as it's very susceptible to hacking. This is true in developed AND developing countries, and is a constant risk. Using things like free tourist WiFi can be great, but also a risk. Just read up on it and surf accordingly.

My guess would be you'll have a higher-than-usual number of people who can do a salute versus a normal cruise.

I get off for a few hours. Walk around, stretch my legs, get some food, a few drinks at the brewery, and then head back and enjoy the rest of the time on the ship. But personally, I have to get off at every port for at least a short period of time, even if just to walk around...just my preference.

I wouldn't worry. The odds of something happening are so insanely small. Even compared to the plane getting shot down, that's a very different scenario and set of variables than a cruise ship getting attacked. Obviously, everyone has to do what's comfortable for them, but for me, changing plans because of a 0.0001% chance that something may happen is no way to live.

In an attempt to pack as little as possible, I have no major hacks...but I will say having a white noise app on your phone does wonders. Turn that bad boy on when it's time to sleep, and let the world drift away.

I'm probably a jerk (well, I know I am), but in my mind you don't owe them anything. Now, if you want to throw more their way, go for it...but it's not your fault if there is a glitch or you get a particularly good deal. It's not theirs either, but to me that's between them and their employer. That being said, a few extra bucks a day is still a very good deal, and in that case if you don't mind carrying cash, an extra dollar here or there might be the best way to do it.

I second this. Depending on the time of year and how late/early sunset is, I would personally head over to St John via taxi and ferry, find a westward facing beach, and enjoy. As long as the sun sets before, say, 7:45pm, that gives you absolutely tons of time to get back to the ship by 10:00pm (assuming that's when you must be on board by).

You may be overthinking this, to be honest. Rain is extremely common in that part of the world, but constant and all-day rain is not (aside from storms). It's very normal for it to rain in a small part of the day, but be perfectly beautiful the rest. Be prepared to be caught in some unexpected rain, but I am doubtful it will be so rainy as to wash out a day, let alone many days.

The only time I have ever paid more was because I ordered some higher end wines...and I wasn't informed ahead of time unless they know I had the drink package (which isn't a knock, it just means they didn't assume I had the drink package and was prepared to pay the full price). Any kind of mixed drink, even a call, has always been covered in full.

Walking all over the ship (I still don't know what the inside of an elevator looks like on a ship!), using the gym at least each sea day and sometimes port days too (or the running track, if early enough in the day), sticking to less-caloric drinks (straight liquors or wines versus heavy beers and mixed, sugary drinks), and being responsible at meal times have always led to me either maintaining or actually losing a little weight on cruises. Also helps to have somewhat active excursions (or, if it's just a beach day, I have found myself running or swimming "laps" in the water for at least a little bit of the time).

I'm not one for big, over the top sweet drinks, so I usually stick to simpler beverages...but I love the Tropical Old Fashioned. - Muddled cherries and pineapple stirred together with orange bitters and Malibu Coconut rum"

I don't know what brand we have, but I highly recommend one. I mean, I'm not one to actively jump in to water with my phone in a punch just in case...but after several water tests with paper inside, they seem to work great and offer a peace of mind should water splash up or you accidentally find your phone drifting in to the deep blue sea.

Thank god. I remember my first cruise back in 2012, there were announcements in our room and I about lost my cool after just a day. Let my room be my sanctuary, please!

Eating in the MDR as much as possible the first cruise. Then realizing we really don't ever want to eat there again for future cruises ?

Last cruise we just wore our swimsuits on to the ship and immediately grabbed a drink and were in the pool by, oh, 11am? I promptly sprained the heck out of my thumb getting in to the pool, but it was still a good way to start the cruise ?

I have never taken mine with me in Nassau. If I really want to, I'll take a copy of it, but I usually don't stray too far from the ship in Nassau.

Do yourself a favor - get a water with every alcoholic drink, and keep on one-for-one. Sip of alcohol, sip of water, back and forth. When your alcohol drink is gone, so too should you water...then refresh both. They have no problem giving you a water with your alcoholic drink if you ask (I've never been told no). Yes, you'll have to use the facilities more, but it really is a game changer as far as how you feel the next day, since the biggest culprit of a hangover is dehydration.