Brobbins246

It's so funny that I just read your post, as I just called (again) to change my room number and one of my top priorities is to be CLOSE to the elevator!   I was thrilled to find a room that was both near the elevator, on the port side and on the same floor as at least part of the solarium.... I am sure that the Customer Service folks at RC are thrilled that I have found the perfect room too, and will quit calling them every night... ?     

Maybe I got lucky on this, but I actually had two shoe organizers with metal hooks on my cabin bathroom door (one inside and one outside) and never heard anything about them not being allowed.  Mine were a standard size (prob the same as Kel Kel has) and they fit great.  The one inside the bathroom covered up the hook on the door but that didn't bother us.

We just got back from a wonderful week on the Freedom of the Seas.  Since everyone was so helpful here I wanted to just share the two non RCL excursions that we did that were great.  On the advice of someone here, we rented kayaks from Caribbean Paddling on St. Maarten and went over to Pinel Island. I highly recommend this. It was great. Just enough work to feel like I did something.  We didn't explore Pinel really. Just relaxed.  Got chairs and an umbrella from the beach restaurant for $20.  It was a lovely day.
On Aurba, we did something a bit different.  My husband rides a motorcycle and has his license.  I am not the type to enjoy being on the back of the bike but...We went on a tour and rented a Harley with Aruba Motorcycles.  We had a great time.  It was a wonderful way to see the island.  
 
Just wanted to share and thanks again. 

@CrimsonCruiser & @MelKaps  Welcome to the RCB forums!
@Brobbins246  We booked a Nov 2020 cruise [460 days away] months ago.  Before our Jun Anthem cruise.  And we just YOLO booked the Anthem this Oct [86 days out].  I am still trying to figure out how to pay for it!  Also considering trying to squeeze in the Oasis trip out of NJ next May.  If booking a cruise doesn't work for you (I understand) then all of the other non-cruise recommendations above are good substitutes.  As you probably know better than I, there is a lot to learn here on the RCB and it's a great pastime.

Total first world problem here, but I'm dying waiting out the 620+ days I have before my next cruise in April, 2021.  My last cruise that we took 3 months ago was booked and planned in about 9 months, which was more mentally doable for me.  We can't afford to go again for a couple more years, but we know when we can go with our kids' school schedules, so I was able to take advantage of the good rates by booking this early.  But I don't know what to do with myself to make the time go faster.  I'm researching the ship and ports online all the time, but I can't book any shore excursions or make any real plans this far out, which I'd probably change 10 times between now and then anyway.  Even my wedding 20 years ago was planned in a shorter time than this (about 18 months) and I'm going crazy waiting.  I'm mostly just venting, but if you have any coping mechanisms to suggest other than booking more cruises in the middle, I'm all ears.   BTW, we'll be on the Freedom ABC Islands/St. Maarten cruise then. 

I'll be afflicted with PCE for another 620 days with no real antidotes in the middle. ?

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

There were no indications that anything had ever happened and there was no restricted access to any areas on deck 11

Total first world problem here, but I'm dying waiting out the 620+ days I have before my next cruise in April, 2021.  My last cruise that we took 3 months ago was booked and planned in about 9 months, which was more mentally doable for me.  We can't afford to go again for a couple more years, but we know when we can go with our kids' school schedules, so I was able to take advantage of the good rates by booking this early.  But I don't know what to do with myself to make the time go faster.  I'm researching the ship and ports online all the time, but I can't book any shore excursions or make any real plans this far out, which I'd probably change 10 times between now and then anyway.  Even my wedding 20 years ago was planned in a shorter time than this (about 18 months) and I'm going crazy waiting.  I'm mostly just venting, but if you have any coping mechanisms to suggest other than booking more cruises in the middle, I'm all ears.   BTW, we'll be on the Freedom ABC Islands/St. Maarten cruise then. 

^^^^ this ^^^^

You won't find many beatings on this message board.  Nice people here. ?
Nearby the British Colonial you'll also find the Straw Market, which is fun to walk through, there's a (free??) beach called Junkanoo Beach (but I've never been) and a little further down is the Jetline Simulator.  One of the coolest and most unique things to do in Nassau.   All within easy walking of the ship along the same strip.

You won't find many beatings on this message board.  Nice people here. ?
Nearby the British Colonial you'll also find the Straw Market, which is fun to walk through, there's a (free??) beach called Junkanoo Beach (but I've never been) and a little further down is the Jetline Simulator.  One of the coolest and most unique things to do in Nassau.   All within easy walking of the ship along the same strip.

You won't find many beatings on this message board.  Nice people here. ?
Nearby the British Colonial you'll also find the Straw Market, which is fun to walk through, there's a (free??) beach called Junkanoo Beach (but I've never been) and a little further down is the Jetline Simulator.  One of the coolest and most unique things to do in Nassau.   All within easy walking of the ship along the same strip.

I'll be afflicted with PCE for another 620 days with no real antidotes in the middle. ?

I've switched to watching news from the BBC and F24 (France) as well as Asia. ALL the "main stream" news outlets in the US are nothing but biased political reporting, celebrity news and little else. One day I saw reports about unrest and violence in 6 different countries in Africa, hundreds of deaths, all in one day and all of which was ignored by the media here. But if a Kardashian farts there will be live reports from the scene.

FWIW we just dis-embarked Freedom yesterday and it was business as usual on the pool deck with every third window open 

I was just diagnosed with PCE.. as of right now I’m unable to travel. The doctor said it may get better in the next 43 days, I have a follow up appointment on September 8th with Doctor HOTS . please help me through these trying times.. Pre Cruise Excitement is a disease lol

+1 for Jetline sim.  They've gone back & forth between booking thru their own site vs. booking thru the RC excursions.  If you don't see an excursion offered in the cruise planner, contact them directly to see if they have openings.  You can have up to three people in the simulator for the cost of one booking. One person gets to act as captain with the pilot trainee, and the other two can sit in the back row and watch, take pictures, videotape, etc.  You can also easily walk there from the ship so you really don't need transportation.

The ship with the second worst failing grade was the Carnival Fantasy.  And who is shocked or surprised?? (Filthiest was the Pacific Venus by one point).

Sailing on AOS the end of Janaury and just got the dreaded broken propulsion email. I am a super optimistic guy who loves sailing once or twice a year but this is the second port switch to Nassau in a month. First rerouted from Havana on Majesty and now we won't make Roatan so back to Nassau.
I am sure we will have a great time but Roatan was going to be a highlight. 
Seems like Nassau is the Bermunda Triangle of cruise changes. 

There was a precheck line available at SJU on Sunday when we got off Freedom to head back to everyday life. It was very empty of passengers.