gmanager

Hi everyone.  it is true.  Like any virus, once it's inside, antibiotics won't work.  They usually need to run their course.  Norovirus makes you think like you are going to die (lol), and once you get this GI flu, you are contagious for 4 days - post recovery!  This is why cruise lines do their best to control entry, and offer self quarantine for flu affected passengers.  The Corona virus family is 14 days contagious. 
BUT, this is usually up to the discretion of the passenger to say they are not feeling well, and to stay the hell in their room for days after they are feeling better.  As much as I love my fellow citizens, i think that if they are starting to feel better, but still contagious, they will be out mingling with the populous because they would rather infect others than do the right thing. 
Maybe the cruise line could help with this by offering a full refund to affected passengers to keep the rest of us, their reputation, and the boats crew safe!  What do you think? 

IMO just okay on GOS. Not great.
 

Formal nights are called dress your best.  It really is up to you.
I have noticed over the course of my cruises that the 2nd formal night (lobster tails in the MDR) people dress up more, including myself.  I also have seen many couples that use the 2nd formal night as the night to celebrate an anniversary or a wedding, hence another reason why it may appear more formal.
We dress up and make it our special date night.  We always get a balcony.  Hubby gets ready 1st.  He than takes his Bourbon and diet coke, and watches the sunset on the balcony.  I close the curtains, and get ready.  MY TIME to MYSELF.  At the time we have agreed upon he knocks on the balcony door just like if he was picking me up for a date some 37 yrs ago.  We than head for cocktails prior to dinner.
OBTW, we never do pics.  We have no desire to stand in line.  We take selfies, we ask the waiter to take pics, etc.  
Fwiw, we also immediately after dinner go back to our room and change before going to the shows.

I have repriced one of my 2021 cruises four times and saved over $200. I'm retired so I have time to check daily. The RCL operators have always been very accommodating and even informed me of additional discounts that were not on the web site. The repriced amount is reflected in the balance due; they email a new invoice. 

I have repriced one of my 2021 cruises four times and saved over $200. I'm retired so I have time to check daily. The RCL operators have always been very accommodating and even informed me of additional discounts that were not on the web site. The repriced amount is reflected in the balance due; they email a new invoice. 

First, I agree with everything that everyone has said.
Now, let me come at this from a different direction. Once upon a time, I was a cocktail waitress in college. Meaning, I have worked in an environment where tipping is done. And I saw ALL sorts. From the entitled "you should be paying me for the honour of waiting on me" types to the "hey, you're pretty, here's a hundred bucks for existing" types. And everything in between.
I think, at the end of the day, people who are in the service industry (at least myself and those I worked with as a waitress and later on when I was a bartender) get that not everyone is loaded with cash to throw around. I do think there is a general expectation from those who wait on you to have you pay your bill for what you have ordered and (where/when appropriate) leave a gratuity. And, yes, on the rare occasion, it's super nice if someone rich gives you more out of the kindness of their heart (it happens) or because they are trying to show off.
But here is the thing. On the other side, they can tell usually (especially after spending a week dealing with them) who is showing off, who is being kind, who is being an ass, and who is giving what they can. While you have entitled people everywhere, when working in the service industry personally, I would tell you that if you were a decent client who didn't berate me or demand ridiculous things or constantly complain then I'd already feel like I'd won. If you paid your expected RC gratuity then, excellent. Good to go. If you'd tipped me ON TOP of that, even if only $10, then I'd have been super appreciative that you'd thought enough of my time and attention to go above and beyond.
At the end of the day (as I think you have gathered from the other responses) you have nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone trying to make you feel ashamed has their own issues they are dealing with and chances are you could have tipped double what you tipped and someone would have said it still wasn't enough. There are some people that it will never be enough for. From the other side of the table, from the service side, I'd rather have a kind client who tipped me the absolute minimum but wasn't a PITA all week. Having dealt with PITAs, I can say there is no amount of money in the world for putting up with some peoples' *ahem*.
I'd be like, "Here's your money back. GTFO."
No shame. You were more than generous.

Cell phones.
My travel agency, while waiting on hold to reprice a cruise offered this piece of advice.  
Change your screen saver or lock screen image to be your SetSail Pass or something the cruise line can use to identify you.  That super cool wallpaper that comes with your phone looks great but with a device locked no one from the ship can figure out who owns the most recent lost cell phone.
By using an image on your lock screen that the cruise line can reference if you lose your phone on board you stand a much better chance of getting it returned.   
Makes sense.
When you get home put it back to that super cool default lock screen image but while on board consider something that works to help you getting repatriated with your lost device.  

Unfortunately, Enchantment is scheduled to return to Baltimore to replace Grandeur.  Enchantment was here a few years ago before Grandeur.
I certainly hope they do some maintenance on Enchantment.  It truly looks like a rust bucket right now and as Twangster told us a while back, there are sometimes significant internal maintenance that needs to be done as well.

I didn't notice it at the time. I was looking for a calendar video and that was the best one I found. Alas, did not notice what was on the side.  

I thought it was a subtle way of addressing the weird things some people do on their cruise.  Subliminal messaging.  
Come to think of it, maybe @mpoole3 can relate.

You might want to edit the calendar out of the video, unless you were trying to talk about planning something very different than the narration suggested.

You then, are part of the problem .... and if you can't see that, then I can't help you.  for all those times you were in the restaurants, in your cabin, someone else, who also paid their cruise fare, could be enjoying the lounger.

Leave the political discussions out of this news, please.

Exactly.. Good thing your moving to Florida in the next few years because I just don't think Enchantment is for you and its not like I only went on her 1 time.. When she did 3/4 days out of Miami I went on her 4 maybe 5 times and I was so happy when they decided to first replace her with Mariner and now Navigator. They really should sell Enchantment as well. 

Yeah, @twangster and I were chatting about that ..... perhaps Bloody Marylander (for my public love of Bloody Maryland's) ..... or perhaps a combo name like Entchantimore - but, of course, that would have to happen AFTER I actually sail on her..... Or perhaps "Grand Enchantment" --- a combo of both ships.  I may have to put several ideas out there, or solicit ideas and go with a poll...... I'll also need for @twangster to replace my Fez with something else ...... maybe just a can of Old Bay,.... lol

Yeah, I was thinking about that .....
Bloody Marylander?
 

I have my travel medicine kit, it includes anti diarrhea, anti nausea, a laxative, cold and flu meds, allergy meds, tylenol, alleve, heartburn (both of the pepsid variety and Tums variety) and dramamine.  Then I have the first aid kit which has bandaids, neosporin, bug bite ointment, blister pads, an ace bandage, nu skin (this also works in place of the old nail polish for a run in the pantyhose trick), visine, alcohol wipes, and a small tooth repair kit (temporary filling, crown repair, oral lidocane etc)  Yes my portable pharmacy goes with me wherever I travel on land or on sea.  Also I bring a little thing of nicorette mints.  This keeps the temptation at bay when you cant smoke anywhere (mostly for my train travels when there arent long stops for smokers, but they work on cruises too to kick the habit)
Then I have the electronics kit.  This has chargers in an elastic case with color coded labels for my cable checkin/checkout system.  These are all spare chargers in case any did get left behind or lost, the originals are all at home.  I also include what I call my squid, which is a USB splitter of sorts.  5 standard USB plugs for one port.  And then 2 USB adapters (trade shows are wonderful places for giving these things away and if you're an IT company giving these away at trade shows, I love you for this).  A european to US adapter because you can never have too many electrical outlets.  Then the USB hub with 8 USB ports for one US outlet spot.  Also included are 2 micro SD cards (and adapter) a flash drive and spare batteries for all of my camera stuff. Depending on my mood I'll also bring one or two power banks.
Then the makeup kit.  Its essentially duplicates of everything I use at home, and so I dont have to worry about losing my favourite foundation when travelling and then not having it back at home.  Then the hair kit.  Mini versions of my favourite hair brushes, travel hair dryer, flat iron, curling iron, I refill my travel bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash between trips, 4 hair scrunchies (I always lose these so my luggage accumulates these)
Just for cruising I have a little travel alarm clock, travel fan, popup hamper, towel clips, magnetic hooks, highliters, sharpies, spare lanyards with leash (I love these leash lanyards) and an easily foldable tote bag.  I usually dont pack so heavily that I need the tote but its there should the luggage ever get overly full.  
Also a throwback to the 80s, I bring business cards with hub and my names and our email address/social media stuff.  Nice to give to new friends.  

I don’t believe Matt was trying to be sarcastic. He was trying to point out that people’s taste in mattresses are indeed subjective. And I would be careful about being rude to him because he is the creator and maintainer of this entire site and blog. He may not get offended but others trying to offer you advice might. I myself am already upset at your response to him.

When a bartender swipes a card the screen indicates if alcohol is allowed.  I imagine it might even prevent a bartender from attempting to charge an alcoholic drink to the account.  
Last year I cruised with a 20 year old.  The card also indicates non-adult status, I think it said teen or something but it was clear and stood out that she wasn't 21.  
I bought the DX on board for that cruise.  Initially they said both have to buy it so I pointed she was 20.  They had a print out they looked over and confirmed only me in the cabin was 21 or older so I was able to buy it just for me.  Last cruise that will happen. 
Now that she is 21 at home it's getting expensive having another person at dinner ordering a drink :).  I miss the old days...

You are right not to buy a package for a child that young, it is bad for their health all that sugar.  Buy the the odd drink with dinner or lunch or share a sip.  Better for them.  Milk water or juice is fine.
 
Been a member of CC since 2002 and yeah gets a little rough at times.

May God have mercy and spare the lives of everyone in Dorian's path. 

Very true. It's sad that in these situations everyone gets worked up about refunds and ruined vacations. During the next few hours peoples lives are going to change forever. There will be massive destruction & probably loss of human lives. They will be in my thoughts as I selfishly enjoy my safe Labor Day weekend in New York.

I'm not even a religious person.... but....  At this point, i really dont care so much about what happens regarding my cruise... I just heard on tv, that when this made landfall in the Bahamas an hour or so ago, it did so , officially in a tie with the one that hit the Fl Keys in the 1930's, as THE worst / most powerful hurricane to make landfall there..  in recorded history ... ?    Now is the time to seriously pray for the folks who live on those tiny islands

Just terrible. Things happen, but to look forward to something as long as most of us do and have something like this happen is terrible. I know it's a small thing as far as things going on today in the world, but disappointing non the less.

On Grandeur:
1).  No Mini-Fridge in an Oceanview.  We make sure that the Room Attendant supplies ice twice per day.  You can "construct" a makeshift cooler for bottles by using the ice and a proper flexible "bag".  We have never done this, but heard of others who have.
2).  We are not Gym People.  It is definitely in an interesting place (above the Viking Crown Lounge).  Really not sure about facilities to get ready for the evening.
3).  We have a fairly large bag (and a suit bag as well).  In an Oceanview they kinda' fit under the bed.  We lift the bed slightly to fit them under (seemed to be OK).  You  can not just slide under the bed, as on the larger ships.  We place our carry-on upright in the closet and use as a laundry "bag".
We have been on Grandeur twice already and will be on her this NOV.  This is a ship that helps you connect with the sea (something we love).  We just completed a 9 day Bermuda / Bahamas cruise that was excellent.  Not the bells and whistles of the bigger ships, but a relaxing, enjoyable ship.  Bermuda might be our favourite island destination now.
Have a Blast ...
Curt from Canada