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VACruiser

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Everything posted by VACruiser

  1. This is now day two from "the mistake that dare not speak its name" so I expect something from RCI Officially today, Friday at the latest on what they plan to do. I can imagine there are arguments within RCI from the financial business side versus the PR side. One side is all about the money while the PR side has to deal with the bad publicity fallout. I can imagine this issue being decided at a very high level in RCI leadership. It's a really big mess-up.
  2. If it was an Intern issue think of you being that young and making a $3-4 million mistake. As Donald Trump comes out and says, "You're Fired!!!!" Get out.
  3. I bit on it for my 2020 cruise. We shall see but the it’s too good to be true was definitely in my head as the credit card was used.
  4. Thanks @twangster I was wondering how much it would be and my mind just couldn't calculate how much it would be to charter a ship. My thoughts were close - I thought $5-10 million. I ended up moving my cruise dates 6 weeks to 22 February to go to Grand Cayman and Cozumel. As I already had some OBC for the cruise I am now up to $500 so that eased my suffering ?. I am still in a Grand Suite as before just had to move down the hall a tad to room 1298.
  5. Yea I understand...but as they say, business is business, and if they can get full booking now on a charter versus waiting to see if it fills up on a 2021 cruise I would see why they would do it. No real skin off my back on this one as it is a long ways off. I will take my extra $200 OBC and run to a new booking - -I was in a Grand Suite.
  6. Well I got the email today that the Independence of the Seas January 16th, 2021 cruise is now chartered so I have to figure out what else to do. They gave me some alternatives but I will have to give it some thought and wife consultation and come up with another cruise to take. This is what was offered: -night Independence of the Seas 2021 Western Caribbean itinerary departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on: January 11th or February 22ndsailing to George Town, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico. January 30th, February 13th or February 27thsailing to Labadee, Haiti and Falmouth, Jamaica. No matter what sailing your clients choose, we know they'll have an amazing time eating great food and visiting beautiful ports. With miles of rugged coastlines, culturally enriching tours, delicious local cuisine, and plenty of shopping options, there's a destination just for them! We are sure they'll find the perfect getaway! What they'll receive: Their original stateroom category will be price protected at the original cruise fare rate, excluding taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items. And, they'll receive a credit to spend onboard per stateroom: $100 USD for Interior, Ocean View and Balcony staterooms | $200 USD for Suites Plus, an additional $50 USD for each third or more guest to spend onboard You'll receive protected commission plus $50 USD Bonus commission. Option 2: Re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing and receive the following credits to spend onboard per stateroom: $100 USD for Interior, Ocean View and Balcony staterooms | $200 USD for Suites Plus, an additional $50 USD for each third or more guest to spend onboard You'll receive protected commission.
  7. I felt just like your friend on my first cruise as I am prone to sea sickness so I brought meds, Dramamine, bands, and the ultimate plan was if I just hated it I would get off on the first port and fly home. I even went so far as to have flight reservations from Grand Cayman, our first stop. That was now three cruises ago and I ended up loving the cruises. The only issue I have is the effect of swaying once I get off the ship for a couple of days as my brain readjusts to being on dry land. Dramamine can make you drowsy so make sure you get the non-drowsy pills. I have found that Bonine actually works better with my body with no tired effects.
  8. I heard Carnival Corporation is trying a hostile take over of Royal Caribbean International to make RCI pay the fines for Carnival Corporation.
  9. I am not a cruise fanatic by any stretch of the imagination so I do it mainly for my wife who loves it. And, I can say I always have a good time on a cruise. I always get a balcony or above so when I get tired of the crowds I can retreat to my balcony and read a book, watch the ocean go by (look for the flying fish) or just meditate. I have been on the sister ship of Freedom, Independence of the Seas, and liked it so much I booked it again for winter 2021. Plenty to do to keep me occupied at all times. If you are the type of person that lets little things get to you then there is plenty to complain about on a cruise, or any vacation for that matter; but, if you have a pretty good disposition you will have fun. My wife can have fun anywhere; doesn't matter which itinerary, she is going to have fun. I am the one who looks at the itinerary and thinks about where I want to go and can be more of a pain about it. The mere mention of the word cruise to my wife and I get, what, cruise, when...never where. You will have fun and memorable so don't let the little things get to you - food is good - plenty of variety, and I love the shows. I didn't think I would but there are fantastic.
  10. On my last cruise I had the Key Program out of Lauderdale. I too had a 1200 show, which I treated more like a suggestion than a rule, so I ended up at the port at 1030 and looked for the sign that showed the Key entrance...we were probably the first 10 in the line, (not really a line) and checked in within 2 minutes, my wife needed a new picture, and went up to the Key area within 5 minutes - easy-peasy. Was on the ship by 1115 and embarked just behind Pinnacles and Suites. Was at Chops by 1200 and had a very nice lunch.
  11. Not sure where you are going out of but I was in Fort Lauderdale...Make sure you follow the signs for the Key Program at the port - they are close to the Suites area. It gets you just behind Pinnacles, Suites and then The Key for embarkation. When getting on the ship the place to take your carry on is in the theater area, 5th floor if I remember correctly. The carry on gets taken to your room. Had lunch at Chops at 1200 and by the time we were done the rooms were ready and the carry on's were sitting in my room. The VOOM code were also sitting in the room when we got there and we were up and running quickly. When on the ship you will have seats at shows ready for you indicated by a Key placard sitting on the seats. Make sure to show up 15 minutes prior to the show because they start to take up the signs and anyone can sit there. The three row of seats are center stage and are in a very good spot. There are times for rock climbing and Flowrider set aside for Key purchasers and will be in your daily events calendar. The night before departing there were Key Tags in our room to put on the luggage and the luggage was taken to an area marked by a Key Sign, close to Suites baggage, to be picked up (super easy and quick to get off the ship and customs). The last day we ate in the main dining room, 5th floor and then waited for them to call us. I was off the ship and through customs in about 5 minutes. I waited longer on the bus to go to the airport than I did for getting off the ship. I'm sure I forgot some stuff but if it is at the right price I would do it again if I am not in a Suite.
  12. I'm about at the same point for my Oasis of the Seas Cruise in March 2020 and it isn't in the cruise planner yet. I bought it for my Independence of the Seas Cruise in May 19 and really liked it. I have a Junior Suite on the March 2020 Cruise so I am trying to figure out if it is worth it or not this time.
  13. There is a limited number that are sold. When I was on the Independence of the Seas it was only 100 sold. I'm not sure about Oasis class.
  14. $19.99 is the lowest I have seen it. I got it on a 20% off sale for my Independence of the Seas Cruise last month.
  15. I feel for you. A week before my recent cruise, that I was on the a month ago, I was outside with my dogs and turned to run up a hill when it felt like someone hit me in my calf with a baseball bat. I crawled back into the house and starting thinking how in the world can I take this cruise next week, amongst all the pain I was feeling. I was lucky that I had crutches from my wife's knee surgery two years before. My calf muscle turned all kinds of cool-colors and I limped for a week but before the actual day of the trip I limped, but not too bad and I was able to make it. I had even gone so far as to ask my son if his passport was up-to-date which it was. My next cruise I am thinking of bubble wrapping myself the week before the cruise as to not get hurt. Hope it all works well for you.
  16. I was on Independence of the Seas early May 19 and the 10 drink card came out the evening on Day 3 of a 5 day cruise. I don't drink a whole lot so I didn't do it but it seems that they were offering it at $79 or something like that. As I have read from others it seems it comes out when their bar sales are a little low on the cruise and they need to put on a sale to pump up sales.
  17. Most of this thread is about perspective and where you have been and where you want to go. My wife and I came over from Carnival and have a whopping 5 points on RC. For the value RC has a better business model than Carnival but they do have drawbacks too. They are a for-profit-organization and that drives their many faceted decisions. They balance that with their business model to make shareholders happy as well as consumers; not an easy task. I have noticed that if you have been around for many points you have seen things come and go and your perspective can be very different than a newbie like me. Cruising is still a very good way to spend vacation dollars as it has about everything you would want and don't have to do a lot of planning once you board the ship. Some of my friends say they will never step foot on a cruise ship but they are also the ones that always ask me how it went when I come back. You guys and gals spend a lot of money on annual cruises and at some point you want to have some perks for all your efforts - I get it as well as does RC, but in the end, their decisions will always be based on profit margins and that is something that can make some people upset and threaten to go cruise somewhere else. As a newbie I will keep cruising for awhile until I get bored with it, if ever, and I will stick with RC until it doesn't make sense. I'm 57 so all these perks won't matter too me much since I started so late and only take 1 cruise a year . I have learned a lot from the members on RCBLOG and have saved myself countless time and research just based off of the groups discussions. For example - I just did a 5 day cruise on Indy out of Fort Lauderdale and the place I stayed the night before and where I went to eat (La Bamba), beaches at Costa Maya and Cozumel (Nachi Cocom) all came from conversations I have read on this Blog. Good stuff on this board!
  18. I've been to the dolphin swim in Cozumel at Chankanaab Park in Cozumel; it was fun to a point. You are with a group of people and your actual time with the dolphin is short. Enough for them to get pictures to try and sale to you later. I think once you do a dolphin swim you pretty much have done them all as I am pretty sure I wouldn't ever do it again. It is up to want you want to do. Cozumel has a lot to do...my last trip, three weeks ago now, I went to Nachi Cocom and had a blast. A very nice beach with lots to do and I will go there again. If this trip is with children the dolphin swim would be fun for one time then do something else. I haven't been to Grand Cayman for a while so I can'y comment on that. I will be back there in 2021.
  19. I was on Independence of the Seas early May 2019 and it was closed so reopening must have been very recent.
  20. Hey I'm on that cruise too. Waiting for next Sunday, the 28th to come so I can catch a flight to Fort Lauderdale. Super excited!
  21. As we say in the south - SweetPea sounds like a hoot...so I will see where your adventures take you. I'm sure the write-up will be entertaining.
  22. You are on quite a roll lately so maybe this will not turn into a debacle for you - just maybe!
  23. I'm retired U.S. Army and have never been given a military discount. Sure the place to put it in the booking is there but it never yields anything valuable.
  24. I'll be there in a couple of weeks. Nice pictures.
  25. I have three: Independence of the Seas - 29 April 19; Freedom of the Seas March 8 2020; Norwegian Joy - Feb 2021 so I can guess I fall in to the category of planning way ahead for my cruises.
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