AlohaLivin

1 hour ago, Kirsten said:

We were on Oasis last week and the bartender made our kids frozen virgin coladas; we hadn't even asked.

Great, glad that fixed the issue

42 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Based on CDC data things are slowing

 

I only referred  to the large metro area in which I live.

24 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

My apologies. I should have phrased that more politely.

Your info is inaccurate. Most RC ships have been orange for many weeks.

Please note that I did not say the orange status  was new or not new. I simply added the fact that there were several ships that were in orange in addition to the information regarding the uptick in cases in our area. My information was not inaccurate. It appears that you misread my post.

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Interesting. Both my post-covid cruises so far people were getting frozen drinks

Maybe it was just a couple of nights I tried their blender was down or something, I normally don’t ask for frozen ones but did this last cruise. I don’t honestly recall what I ordered on our S2S symphony - allure post Covid (Nov).

10 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Huh? The majority of all RC ships have been in orange for quite some time. This is not news.

Wasn’t trying to impress you. I was just adding that onto the other information in reply to the OP. You do you.

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Post-covid or pre?

Post - last time mid April on Symphony

2 hours ago, wordell1 said:

They will be able to make most drinks, including frozen drinks.  They are free, so this is a good time to try some new ones!

I don’t know if it was just bad luck for us, but most of the suite’s lounge bartenders tell us they can’t do frozen drinks. Maybe that changed very recently?

59 minutes ago, Caranate said:

Just got off of Harmony. They could not perform Grease due to a COVID outbreak among the performers. I have a feeling that there are going to be a lot more positive cases. 

I am afraid that you are right. My PCP stated there had been quite an uptick in cases recently in their large primary care practice and a few ships are in the orange. Hopefully the rate will go back to a decline before long.

1 hour ago, IzzyB said:

If you are not vaccinated you need a PCR test 3 days before, you get one at the port (rapid), and if you are longer than 5 days one before you debark the ship.

Ah okay, I didn’t realize it was fully referring to an unvaccinated situation (the cruise lines we sail on have all been requiring vaccinations except for younger children who do have to have several tests); I read it as the cost was the reason the poster didn’t want to get tested unrelated to cruising vaccinated or unvaccinated.
 

1 hour ago, Bowen said:

I've had to get tested once for a surgery I had to have back in 2020 (the very end of the year), I've never done another, and (unless this cruise goes through) I never will. I am willing to do it only because they've had my money for so long that I am worried I won't get it back or I'll have to stress even more in order to jump through the hoops. I'm hoping they do not give me the exemption now that I know I can get the full FCC/money back. My reason for not wanting to mess with the tests is the cost. You can tell that they're trying to make you not want to sail, take a PCR test three days before, take another test day of, take another test before you leave. If it felt like it had rhyme or reason then I'd be okay with it, but after two years....it's just discouragement, that's the only way I can view it.  That said, I'll be on the ship, I'll be paying for the tests, all of that, because it's thousands of dollars.

Sorry, but I am confused. You can get testing free in the U.S. Also why would you be taking 3 tests for one cruise vs. 1 test? Are you referring to test requirements from another country?

4 hours ago, imisscruising said:

the itineraries are highly repetitive

Correct. Highly…

8 hours ago, not easy being green said:

Please don't forget, United States is big and when you live near center of the US but not near a big city (think airports, or other kinds of transportation), then it also is not easy getting to ports.  Depending on the port it takes about over 7 hours.

About an hour drive to the nearest airport, then flying a day or more early, hotel transportation and also food, and even getting the Covid test is not easy where we live.  Costs add up fast, so I do understand your comments about Australia.  We always make the best of it, after all it is cruising and for now this is where all our vacation funds are for!! 

As you say, very few people have a short trip. You would think in Georgia, a bordering state, that we could drive to the port. And I guess that we could, but Miami is about a 12-hour drive for us if we stop only briefly (or Orlando/ Tampa is about 8 hours). But on the positive side it is possible to drive to the port if needed (very difficult to do from Indiana, Montana, or Illinois however) and it doesn’t require going through customs, etc.

25 minutes ago, Traveler said:

When you suppose to get the certificate , is it on the last day ?

Do you mean the certificates when you meet a certain level during a single cruise? I have heard some people get those the last day, but they didn’t do that for me and I ended up only seeing it online. If you mean the yearly tier cruise, that I believe posts to your account on or around May 1 (could be a lag, others with more experience with Prime, etc may be able to address that)

35 minutes ago, Pattycruise said:

Yes, you can place a bid with Royal Up.  You might consider calling the casino number  and inquire as to how much it might cost to purchase the cabin you are interested in.  I did this for a free interior on Adventure 9 night sailing and went to an interior promenade for about $140.  They wanted a lot more for the balcony as this is a New England Canada cruise and those are highly desirable.  I would have considered the Royal Up but I wanted to be able to select my cabin.

@Tania I agree with the info above, definitely call them.  We upgraded from a free oceanview to a balcony for only $88 when we booked the cruise. We have only saliled in suites, so I will try for the Royalup when we get to that time, but I thought that was a pretty amazing deal and will be happy with it alone given that rock bottom price!

16 minutes ago, The Fox said:

We were Choice with no points before our b2b cruise on Grandeur this month. We had already been receiving offers from the casino throughout the year, the last being $100 off on any cruise.

We achieved Prime on this cruise, and received (in our room) a certificate for $200 off on any cruise.

When we arrived home and I checked the website we also had an offer of $400 off on select cruises.

We’re you prime the previous year?

3 hours ago, catsinthecottage said:

We are booked! The deal is unbelievable. I don''t ever splurge on suites and I happen to prefer inside cabins, so super great prices for me. Our only other Xmas cruise was 2019 and we LOVED it. So excited to do it again! 

I know! Crazy good! We have never sailed during Christmas, we are so looking forward to this. Welcome

7 hours ago, AGSLC5 said:

Another Reason to go on Celebrity. Their casino's are 100% non smoking and its wonderful. I am still Prime with Royal and always plan to be. I am also Diamond plus with 405 points BUT I love celebrity so much more than Royal. The food is so much better, no smoking in casino, The design of the ships, the pool areas, the upgraded level of service.. The only thing I like Royal better for is the entertainment. I will still go on Royal for new big ships and when friends want to go on Royal or I need a quick 3 night cruise but I have decided to mostly focus my bankroll on Celebrity and having status in their casino. I know I am halfway to pinnacle on Royal but I just like celebrity better. 

Sounds as if we need to try it! We probably need to do that before we retire though because the sailing in suites thing we have going now may die a slow death in retirement

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I do miss it.  I really loved smoking....but I hated what it did to me and Dan really REALLY hated it so I quit.  I used Chantix and it was so easy.  I know what you mean about the zippo though...that is a really great smell.

I liked smoking too, that was why it took me so long to quit. But I got scared of what it was doing to me, not sure how that finally seeped in. Eric and I actually met at a  quit smoking event - we started back soon after. But I quit maybe 6 years later and used the very early vape (it was actually a bit like main lining ) and then had to break myself from that (even though I had been vaping 0 nic for a while). It didn’t take but about a week for me to stop wheezing at night.  I am glad that I did it, but i’m rare occasions will have these moments where I think “I want a cigarette” so I tell myself “heck not you don’t!” Eric still smokes - I’ve tried being super nice, I’ve tried being mean, I’ve tried being sad, nothing works. I do hope he will stop, I have already been widowed once and it is horrible beyond words. Plus, I hate sometimes avoiding hugging him just after he has smoked

59 minutes ago, Steve in Orlando said:

We decided this year to try and get to Prime to see if 1- we enjoyed the casino enough to do it regularly and 2- if the benefits of Prime were worth it.   I was hoping that our 900 (ish) points each so far this year were enough to get their attention and maybe throw us an interior room but I read this week that they won't be doing that anymore.    Oh well - it's still fun (even if way too smokey) 

I take a mask to the casino and use it to go into the smoking area. I smoked for years but in the 10+ years since I quit it has become more and more difficult for me to handle.

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

As far as using someone else's card in the casino, that just feels wrong to me.  I find it difficult to believe that the casino "doesn't care".  That would never work for us since we are both such avid players....plus we play tables and not slots so it would be next to impossible for me to use Dan's card (or vice versa).  2 Primes are definitely better than 1 !!

I think we'll be back.  I just hope that the casino lets us keep our Prime status until the protocols are dropped.  If we lose Prime status, all bets are off !  (pun intended)

I kind of feel the same way about it. I haven’t even put Eric‘s card in to get his free play off of it. But it does seem to be rather standard practice (although I have heard many reports of the hosts suggesting it). But I need for Eric to start hitting the machines I do wish there was a bit less of a point difference between prime and signature!

14 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I have not taken advantage of any status matches so I really do NOT know...but I would assume that it works the same way a status match works with Royal.  Even though you would have Elite status on Celeb, you would have -0- points....so your points would begin accumulating from -0- but you would retain your Elite status until you have enough points to move to their next level.  This is a guess !

BTW, optimizing was our byword for all of these years as well...which is why we stuck with Royal (that is NOT to say that we have not enjoyed their product...we certainly have) but between the C&A status and the casino perks, it was (and still is, if we are allowed to cruise ever again) in our best interest to stick it out with Royal.  We are now at (and holding)  571 points.  Depending upon who blinks first (relating to COVID protocols), we would expect to continue with Royal until we hit Pinnacle.  At THAT point, we will reconsider other options.  We are too close, at this point, to change direction UNLESS another of the cruise lines make major changes to their COVID protocols, which we know is highly unlikely.

Guuuurrrl… you are so close to Pinnacle (I’m a little jealous, but love ya anyway ). Course you know how I feel about the fact you’re not cruising, so you may end up with a jab from me in the middle of the night (just kidding ), but you know I went you both back on are ship! As for our agreement on optimizing - I know there is a general consensus on the various boards that you can play with your spouses card. It would definitely be more useful for 2 of us to be prime than one - I have read many places at the casino doesn’t care, I have read a rare post that suggests I do. We weren’t big drinkers, and we will have the D+ Vouchers, so 2 primes in terms of drinks wouldn’t matter a bit - another free cruise would however. Dunno.

@AGSLC5 thanks. Bummer, but I guessed that was the answer.

If I’m missing this answer somewhere, I apologize ahead of time. But… once you have matched status, how does that status help for obtaining additional status on the 2nd line or does it?

Example - if we are D+ on Royal, that matches to Elite on Celebrity.  But then say we wished to sail fairly often on Celebrity after the match, do the points for us start at 300 (the pts needed to qualify for Elite) or do they begin at 0 snd we have to earned our way from 0 to a status higher than Elite?

After we married we cruised with Norwegian and enjoyed it. My parents cruised more own Holland America and princess back in the 80s  and 90’s, but that first Haven sailing to Alaska was so amazing that was our preferred line for a while.  But then we moved over to Royal. Since we’re about 3 years from retirement, I’m trying to figure out what is the best way for us to travel at the highest possible levels in terms of both quality and quality (as I say to DH, OPTIMIZE is my word of the year, this year and most years ). Because we have only sailed in full suites,  we might have benefited from beginning with celebrity. But that is not what has happened. Since it is a long way from, D+ to Pinnacle, this is the time for us to take a look around a bit

@WAAAYTOOO do you know? I think the news may be bad

These are all great ideas, thank you! It has been difficult coming up with something that would be useful / fun for a wide variety of people (interests, genders, etc) and that would travel well! We love doing this, we too love this tradition @Kathleen- we so enjoy meeting new friends and love expressing that with the small gifts. The personalizing can be difficult for the new friends as until we get onboard we don’t know who we may run across (it is amazing how many conversations and friendships can pop up in the CK or DL!). There are at least a couple of people here at RCB that are due a gift

We have been looking at the tags below, I figured they are something almost everyone could use and they are good quality.  

I have been in the “search” stage of this for a while so appreciate the thoughts from all of you

On 5/3/2022 at 1:15 PM, GKMCruising said:

Our 2 1/2 year old daughter had a blast duck hunting on Wonder - I began to wonder if there were more ducks than passengers onboard at one point.

 

This was the final haul once we got home - planning on taking some to hide on our next cruise in September.

I never knew that there was a wonder woman duck

We love cruising! And the longer we cruise, the more the reason for cruising becomes in part the many great and long-lasting friendships that we have made onboard during the last 10+ years. Even if we do not get to sail with those friends as often as we like, we will get to retire one day perhaps one day and will have more time and more cruises!. ‍‍‍‍‍‍ No matter how often we see them, they will always be friends.

So, we like to bring small gifts for people who we have met on past cruisers or through roll calls prior posts to a cruise. In the past I have used my Cricut to make cruise-themed luggage tags and also nautical earrings on circuit-cut earring cards (also with cruise themes). For cabin crawls that we have led, we have wrapped bags of peach taffy (a Georgia themed gift) that people usually seem to enjoy. But I need some new ideas (especially since for now I don’t have much time to spend with my Cricut )! 

Here are some that I have considered:

• New types of cruise themed luggage tags (ones I could have printed)
• ‘Light” cards with cute cruise sayings (again, printed)
• Cruise coffee cups filled with candy wouldn’t be bad, but those would get pretty heavy and I’m usually close to the weight limit on luggage as it is!
   

Can anyone come up with some novel options? Who knows you could be getting one some day!