Diane.M

7 hours ago, whitsmom said:

We just returned from Harmony with the Key.  We had our own line and it was very short (there were maybe 10-12 people ahead of us) compared to the other line that was very very long at 11:30 am. We were on the ship in less than 20 mins and headed to the Chops lunch (which was wonderful).  They took our carry on bags straight to our rooms.  I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it all went.  VOOM worked good all week.  The only disappoints we had was that the Escape Room was closed for renovation and way too many people would cram into the elevator when it clearly not room.  Other than that it was Great!

Thank you Whitsmon. That is great news for us. I hope the escape room Is open when we go. My kids weee looking forward to it. We didn’t get to do it on our last cruise since it sold out. 

Good info!  Thank you. We will definitely have everything printed and ready. 

27 minutes ago, loki007 said:

Probably highly dependent on your check in time. We just sailed on Mariner out of Port Canaveral. Our family who did not have the key were on the boat right behind us. We had 11am check in. I’m sure it gets backed up with a 1:00 or 2:00 check in 

Thank you!  We all have the Key, I assume we will have early check in times?  We are cruising Oct 30.  Thanks for your help.  

18 minutes ago, loki007 said:

the key line in Terminal 1 at PC is awesome ( I assume Harmony is T1). It starts out side the terminal, security, check in, on the boat. Love the Key

Good to know!  Thank you for the info. Some of my family going on this cruise we had to talk into going because they hate lines … Hahaa would really put a damper on their first cruise to stand outside for 2 hours. 

We purchased the Key because we always get the internet.  I’ve seen videos where the line is 2 hours at port canaveral for Harmony of the Seas. Will there be a line for the key that I won’t have to wait outside? 

19 hours ago, Psycho and Barb said:

Well yesterday was interesting for us.  Unfortunately for us, its not the CDC recommendations stopping us from our 5 Apr cruise...Its Work!!!  We are cruising with our son and family.  Yesterday our sons boss informed him he would be required to self quarantine for 14 days after he returns.  Barb who is an RN found out yesterday also that she will have to self quarantine for 14 days after we get home.  I work for Uncle Sam and so far have no requirement to self quarantine...YET.   

So since Royal has offed the 48 hour cancellation rule...We are going to chill and see what develops.   Then decide if we want to cancel or spend the extra leave.

We are supposed to cruise March 30, we have the same situation.  3 of our group are being told they will have to self quarantine if they go.  Sadly we are being forced to cancel and take FCC.  This was going to be a first cruise for most of our group.   

On 12/16/2019 at 3:27 PM, twangster said:

Traveling with someone you learn a lot.  I've got some good friends that turned into terrible people when they traveled.  It's not a bad way to see how compatible they really are.  Better to find out sooner rather than later.  

So true!!  This is also true when camping... who pitches in or who just sits back and ignores all the chores.

8 hours ago, twangster said:

This past summer I added a person to a solo reservation booked at 200% without re-pricing.  They just had to pay the taxes and port fees.  This was ~ 30 days prior to sail date.

It's a simple phone call to find out.  "If I want to add someone is that possible and if so what is the cost?".  No commitment involved, just ask the question.

If booked through a travel agent you must go through that travel agency.  If booked direct cal Royal or the Crown and Anchor team.  

Figuring out the sharing of the original cruise costs is on you, Royal just deals with the additional taxes and port fees.  

That would be great!  My son has only been dating her for 60 days, and says it is wrong to ask her to go on a cruise further out then he has been dating. I believe if they are still dating mid February he will add her. 

15 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

If a passenger is added to the cabin, the cruise fare will be recalculated based on current prices but Royal is always happy to take more money from you.  The only possible restriction with adding a passenger at the last minute would be if adding someone upset the balance/availability of life boats. My guess is that this would be unlikely to be a problem if your son was a single, but it could happen. Otherwise, I don’t expect there would be a problem with adding someone to the room as long as they realize the fare will most likely increase.

15 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Exactly what @WAAAYTOOO said as long as he doesn’t mind getting re-priced at prevailing rates. You need at least 3 on a reservation to lock down a price. 

10 hours ago, KristiZ said:

If your son specified that there would be another person when he booked the cabin and just didn't have a name at the time, then he can add the person any time. In this case his reservation it would show the second person as "Tba, Tba" until the name is added.

If not, I would recommend he add a second immediately, in hopes the rate isn't too much more than taxes and port fees. Then if he chooses not to bring the friend after all, the taxes and port fees will be refunded.

Does that make sense?

Thank you all for the all your help!!  He paid almost exactly what hubby and I paid, but he is only one.  I assumed it was the port and taxes that he didn't pay.  I will pass all this information on.  I never thought of the lifeboat situation either.  His reservation doesn't say TBA.  

We are sailing in March on the Mariner of the Seas.  My son has a cabin, and paid double occupancy.  He is thinking of bringing a friend now.  How close to the cruise can he add her name and pay the difference.  Thank you for any help I've done some searching but I can't find this exact scenario. 

1 hour ago, Matt said:

In general, I love cabanas. The Oasis Lagoon cabanas aren't constructed and/or open yet, so hard to give any kind of feedback on these specific ones.

I’m happy they let me reserve. . I didn’t realize they were not completed.  Thanks Matt.  

We are going on the Mariner of the Seas in March of 2020.  I called today and booked a Oasis Cabana.  Is this a good choice for Cabanas?  I am having trouble finding a map showing where the cabana is located.This is our second cruise, we recently returned from Symphony of the Seas and LOVED it.  We will be traveling with 6 adults and 3 tweens.  I wanted a cabana convenient to the activities.  thank you in advance for any help you can give!  

I’m still waiting for the pending refund to show on my credit card app. It’s hard to be Patient when I don’t trust them.  

3 hours ago, tiny260 said:

+1 on Go Airport Shuttle, I have used them multiple times between airport and cruise port, both ways, picked me up at the airport and transferred to cruise port, picked me up at the cruise port and transferred me to the airport. This has been at both Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

I give them a credit card but they do not charge until the day of the pick up. I usually pay the tip in cash.

As mentioned above this is all done online, the only time I speak with someone is when they are on their way to pick us up.

I'm going to call them right now.  Thank you!

6 hours ago, spiralqueen said:

Unless things are done very differently down in FL, I have booked dozens of private/black car services for work in various parts of the country,  and paying in full in advance for the service sounds very unusual to me. I have always had to provide a credit card and indicate if I want them to include a tip at the end of service, but if they are a reputable company they should have a clear cancellation policy and openly indicate how payment works. And an additional $1,000 charge sounds highly unusual as well. It’s not like you are booking a party bus or something that they need a deposit of some sort. 

IMO, unless your cruise is in 48 hours or something, I would cancel with this company and book with another company that doesn’t raise multiple red flags like this. Sorry, I don’t have any personal recommendations though. 

I did get  a hold of them and they had already reversed the 1000 plus charge (it was the exact amount of my quote with extra 1 at the beginning.. i have trust issues.I canceled reservation)

24 minutes ago, spiralqueen said:

Unless things are done very differently down in FL, I have booked dozens of private/black car services for work in various parts of the country,  and paying in full in advance for the service sounds very unusual to me. I have always had to provide a credit card and indicate if I want them to include a tip at the end of service, but if they are a reputable company they should have a clear cancellation policy and openly indicate how payment works. And an additional $1,000 charge sounds highly unusual as well. It’s not like you are booking a party bus or something that they need a deposit of some sort. 

IMO, unless your cruise is in 48 hours or something, I would cancel with this company and book with another company that doesn’t raise multiple red flags like this. Sorry, I don’t have any personal recommendations though. 

Thank you for your help. I was surprised in Oct when they billed before service.  That is my plan, to cancel and disputing charge if I need too.  Now to find a trustworthy one.   

i booked a limo in Oct, i obviously chose a untrustworthy one.  He never answers emails.  We paid in full in Oct and yesterday he ran a charge for over 1000.  I have to wait til it clears to dispute.  I am waiting for the limo service to return my call.

In the mean time I would like to book a limo service with good recommendations from actual people. I did research for days before booking this limo but I obviously failed.. it is confusing because the names are all similar.

Thanks for any help.  We are new to cruising and I wont let this ruin our first cruise.  

I sail on Symphony March 23rd. Our first cruise!  I will be following your blog. 

I was able to book my group of 8 for My time dining and shows.  We cruise Mar 23 on Symphony.  I did have to try a few times, and there is one day I can't get my brothers reservation to work for dinner... but he is on the other 6 nights.  Very strange.  I think you may be just a little to far out.  Try again in a month.   

On 10/1/2018 at 2:36 PM, kontraxed said:

I'm sailing on the Symphony out of Miami in May 2019, so, right now I'm looking forward to the Symphony transitioning from the Med to the Caribbean.  The reviews, the menus, the shore excursions, and everything else will mean more when it's similar to what my cruise will be. Ah well, 229 more days to go!

I have 169 days til my first cruise on Symphony.  I am obsessed!!  I have been waiting for her to come to Miami 

On 10/2/2018 at 7:33 AM, Matt said:

Can't wait to get on Symphony in 6 weeks!

Envious!  I have 169 days!  I can't wait for your blog posts and cruise compass.   

5 hours ago, twangster said:

Every so often there are super high tides and super low tides, beyond the normal high-low cycle.  

Tides are influenced by the moon and science can predict some of these things well in advance.

Miami does have a very narrow channel that ships must sail within to approach the entrance to the port.   

In this aerial view from Apple Maps you can see the channel that ships have to stay within to reach the port.  An ultra-low tide could very well make this passage exceed safety margins.  The navigation channel is the dark line through water with the arrow pointing to it.

 

Very Interesting!!  I am glad they are already on it.  Keeping us safe

Thank you for the responses 

5 hours ago, twangster said:

NOAA has a tidal predication webpage.  For Miami March 10 through 30:

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=8723170&units=standard&bdate=20190310&edate=20190330&timezone=LST/LDT&clock=12hour&datum=MLLW&interval=hilo&action=dailychart

You see on a distinct change in tides forecasted beginning Mar. 18 through the 26th.   Peak high/low is around Mar 21-23.

Smaller ships with less draft can likely remain with their safety margins but the largest cruise ship in the world has to be more careful and time it's approach to occur away from low tide.

Thank you!!  This does make sense now.  I enjoy all your posts Twangster.  I do not post often but devour the information  This will be my very first cruise
!

8 hours ago, monctonguy said:

 I had seen this posted elsewhere....never seen this before....fo them to predict this 6 mths out seems strange but I know nothing about this stuff. Someone else may know why/what is going on.

 

As for the excursion its hard to say..if its still there its good news but like anything it could change or be pulled at anytime....whether or not its worth it now based on a short time will be up to you I guess.

 

I will be interested to see what others say about this or if this has happened before....I have never heard/seen it since I started cruising in 2013......

Most likely we will not... especially with the time change.  We will cruise again with Nassau not the last stop.  I am very curious about the ocean depths 6 months in advance also.  It seemed so odd