Toyman55

 Nothing takes away from a vacation worse than worrying about how much you are spending.

My first few cruises in the 80's they didn't offer drink packages except soda for the kids and it wasn't uncommon to see huge bar bills at the end of the cruise.  The night before the cruise there was a mandatory meeting for everyone on how to disembark and one line stuck 'Remember the card you've been playing rich with.  They must be paid before you can leave the ship.'  We were slightly delayed getting off because they couldn't find one passenger to settle his bill.

People we knew who normally didn't drink were drinking.  Even if it's just a soda or juice, depending on where you get it, it will add up and since you aren't paying cash, it's worse than a credit card because it's hard to keep up on what you are spending.

Good thing is you can see how it is going the first day or so and if it seems to make sense, I believe you can buy the drink package on the ship.

Where'd all the lifeboats go?  Only three on the davits and two in the water.

In 9730 on the Allure on Sept 2.

26 minutes ago, rjac said:

On this last cruise (March 25th) our photos at the counter when we checked in with our set sail paperwork, even though I had uploaded our photos with the online registration. On previous cruises, our photos were taken before we left the terminal en-route to the ship. There were lines for the photos and that is when they gave you your sea pass card. 

Thanks.  I've scanned our passports so I can clip the pics and send them if they want them.  

17 hours ago, rjac said:

If someone steals your sea pass card or finds it if you loose it, it will be of no use to them. Your photograph is embedded on the card. You can't see it, but every time your card is scanned/swiped for a purchase your picture shoes up on the "cash register" (for lack of proper term) monitor and the RC sales rep can see your photo and verify that it is you, in fact, purchasing those two Rolex watches or a drink. 

When do they get your picture?

On my first cruises, I was seeing people with four hundred plus tabs for three day cruises.  Then the coke packages came out and it was great for the kids.  Now  I use the drink package as a chance to sample as many different spirits as I can to try those that I don't normally drink.  Celebrity had two levels of adult beverage packages and one had no limit.  It was a great tasting opportunity. 

But I guess mostly it's to avoid being nickeled and dimed for every beverage and checking the account..

I just want to make sure my clothes fit for the entire cruise.  Loose in the beginning and fit at the end.  I'm sure whatever weight I will gain will gradually fall off after I am back home and return to my routine.  Wearing gym shorts and a T shirt on the return home because nothing fits is not on my list of things to do.

20 minutes ago, AGSLC5 said:

Hurricane Season is actually July-Nov... As a Native Floridian of 31 years I am sure of this. in fact in 2005 we had a horrible storm in south Florida right near Halloween so you never know.. Just sayin

And I'm a gambler,  I'm sailing in September.  No wonder I got a deal.  

Hurricane season is August through October.  I have found the fares Air2Sea better than pretty much anything I was able to find.

2 hours ago, melski94 said:

Yes that's true for normal people but this is a teenager!   It would blow your mind the number of texts a teen sends and receives in a day...the texts sent in 10 minutes would pretty much pay for Voom.  Even if you can force your teen to not make any texts back home you still have to deal with incoming. I know for some carriers incoming texts are free but not all...Verizon charges $.05 for a standard text and $.25 for pictures/videos of incoming texts. I can't even imagine the headache I'd have to deal with especially if my teens could see texts from friends but not respond. 

For me its an all or nothing approach...either buy Voom and make everyone happy or turn the phone to airplane mode and no texts but no communication with you either. 

If you turn it to airplane mode, you go into wifi and turn it back on.  It will work with the wifi connection.

36 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

OP on that post stayed within the category I think.  But RC did bump them down a few decks.  With the ATS, it would be harder to bump I think because there are so few of those.

So going from F1 to G is not considered a downgrade.  Just curious.

There was a thread recently where someone did get bumped and was asking his options before responding.  I am looking for his post because I was curious to see what happened.

Found it:  

No resolution posted.

MIA also means 'Missing In Action'.  Thought your luggage was taking a cruise on its own.  

I was frazzled with a five year old when we cruised before they made cruise ships family friendly with kid camps.

How large is your cabin?  That would probably be the largest consideration for setting up cribs, etc.  

Make sure you bring everything you think you will need,  I don't think they have much as far as baby supplies are concerned should you need food, formula, diapers, etc and shops near where the ships dock may not have a lot to offer.  From reading the posts, connecting cabins aren't as soundproof as the individual cabins. 

I'm not sure, but I don't know if most ships have facilities for children that young so the baby may have to be with one or both of you constantly.

It would help others if you document your trip so others who are planning to do this will have the benefits of your experience.

You can tell in a Mexican restaurant when the hand made salsa was made.  Toward the end of the day, the size of the chopped tomatoes got larger.

I'm thinking the perhaps waste may have been a contributing factor in blandness of the food.  Also the hesitancy of some to try something new.  Having worked in commercial kitchens, the comfort foods usually got completely consumed but a lot of the non-traditional cuisine often had leftovers even though menus were preapproved.  

My TA just called me and I mentioned this.  She said to order two sandwiches and put all the meat on one.  Supposedly they are small.

1 hour ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Heads up on 150 CP though @Toyman55.  I have read recently that the menu has changed.  They are no longer affiliated with whoever they were before and word on some other boards was that the menu has changed. 

I'm not sure if this applies to all ships with 150 CP or just some?  I've been trying to follow FB posts but no one has posted any new menus recently.  The only new 150 CP menu I saw recently was from Symphony and there were items there that are not on the others.  But I have no idea what the others look like at this point.

I would ask your Genie for all the menus ahead of time.  Look over them and plan around that.  That's the Type A in me...

Thanks.  Adding it to my Word doc.  'Request menus from Genie.'

On ‎4‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 4:45 PM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

On the topic of Izumi, anyone know if there is an upcharge for Hibachi if in Star Class? Or is everything covered?

I believe it is included.  From what I understand, except for the candy store, Starbuck's pastry, Chefs Table wine, and maybe the ice cream and cupcake shop, all the specialty restaurants are included.  I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

I'm not a big fan of teppenyaki style cooking.  That is the flattop show.  Hibachi is usually a charcoal grill which can be very good but can't be done in mass.

I was told the genie could get you in just anywhere without too much difficulty.

1 hour ago, henrysea13 said:

OMG Toyman its great to know I am not the only one on this forum with a twisted sense of humor when I read this post I immediately thought of telling them there was a supply of them on the helicopter deck where they store them LOL 

If I sent them, I would tell them they had to go into the lockers on deck to get them.  

17 hours ago, JohnK6404 said:

Soooo jealous! We will have to find a way to make that work!

I agree, anything less than 7 is a tease... over too fast. My wife hates when I point out the changing day of the week "tiles" on the elevator floors...

We are thinking seriously about the 11 or 12 night Southern Caribbean cruises on Anthem... ahhh, one day! 

I figure I'd have to lose twenty pounds for a 7 day cruise.  I'd have to lose forty for an 11 or 12 night cruise.

1 minute ago, mworkman said:

Thanks... now I want one and won't be on a ship for 200+ days.  Where do you get on on the Navigator?

I'm going on the Allure in September.   Hopefully someone can answer question shortly.

Too much food, too little time.  A week is not going to be enough, especially with three sea days.

Here is a video from the chef who developed it.

https://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/video/304/a-sensational-sandwich-royal-caribbeans-kummelweck-tantalizes-guests/

On ‎2‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 6:12 AM, coneyraven said:

I don't recall seeing trays .... but I could be wrong .....

Your idea of bringing a tray is pure genius (I may have to try that one) ----- although you may be inundated with questions from your fellow passengers, "Where did you get that?"

If I had a sense of humor,  I would send them someplace else on the ship to look for them.  But you can't escape on a ship too easily.  

I don't think it is just a money grab.  They have just so many people to deliver food to rooms in a reasonable time.  If the charge is too low, many people order and orders are late, customer complaints go up, etc.  What they may be doing it trying to find the sweet spot where the demand equals their capacity to deliver.  On a ship, you can't just keep adding staff due to the constraints of being on a ship where you have to feed and give them a space to live. 

That's one of my Genie questions.  Also if they deliver.  Eat while watching the Aquatheater from my patio.

My son is coming with us.  He is 29 so no problem with young ones, though I will probably zipline and flow ride.  We are Star so I plan on visiting as many specialty restaurants as possible, plus I am a sushi addict.  If I could, I would probably be popping in Izumi's (which means 'fountain or spring' by the way) every day.