ultimate_ed

Your package is tied to your state room so your card will let them know that you have that package. You have the special cup to use for the machines but you don’t need those in the dining room for instance.

Look, I work in the service industry part-time, so I know how it is, and I am a firm believer in tipping.  But have you totaled up the prepaid gratuities for all the add-ons? OMG!  This next cruise alone we are at over $500 in gratuities before stepping on board.  Now, if someone goes above and beyond I always throw a little something extra, but that money starts to add up quick.

As soon as you know you want it.
Book now to lock in the price. If prices goes down, you can cancel and rebook drink package with no penalty instantly.
If price goes up, you're guarded against a price increase.
 

I want to read the post and understand, but it’s a giant wall of text.
Paragraphs would help. 

The frustrating thing here is the fact they had to get an advocacy website involved to get this resolved. Companies are so quick to just assume the customer is lying that they never listen. They were fixated on this idea that the customer was trying to get a RoyalUp refund, but it was because they shouldn't have been charged for the bid in the first place. It even took multiple emails from that website for them to even grasp the issue. Just ridiculous. If a company overpays you, you can guarantee they'll get that money back by any means necessary, but when it's a customer who overpays, companies drag their feet.

Can we get something out of Galveston besides the same couple ports? Throw in a key west, labadee, caymans, something....

Impressive though that on day 2 you've concluded the food in the MDR has been sub par despite only eating there once since you ate at Chops, too.

The CDC is just one piece of the puzzle what we all have to keep in mind is cruises from the US all stop at at least one international port. I know a lot of focus has been placed on the CDC and rightfully so.  However as much as we all would like to see the pre-cruise covid test dropped I don't think we will see cruise lines take that step just yet especially out of the US.  I think dropping the required pre-test would only be done when destinations in the Caribbean feel comfortable enough and have enough of their population vaccinated.  Right now more that 50% of Caribbean residents still have not been vaccinated, and most islands still have covid requirements that cruise lines still have to abide by.  It isn't a free for all just yet I think it still going to take time for that pre-cruise test to go away.

https://apnews.com/article/travel-havana-business-caribbean-miami-11a0e8c524c47473d8c5a62131f339d0
 
Interesting development in this court case.  Doesn't seem likely that there will be any sailing from the U.S. to Cuba again any time soon.

https://apnews.com/article/travel-havana-business-caribbean-miami-11a0e8c524c47473d8c5a62131f339d0
 
Interesting development in this court case.  Doesn't seem likely that there will be any sailing from the U.S. to Cuba again any time soon.

Looks like he'll stay on as Chairman of the Board.  I imagine there will be a fairly long transition, though it looks like they've been planning for a while to insure a smooth hand over.
Quite the achievements for Royal under his leadership, he's certainly earned a retirement.

That's a rendering of Horseshoe of the Seas I believe.

Time for a clean start...

 
 
 

Common sense really, if you are happy to cruise with measures and restrictions in place then book a cruise for 2021, if you dont want so many restrictions in place then dont book it for 2021 leave it for 2022 and hope things are back to some sort of normality by then ? 
One thing he missed out though, if you book a cruise for 2021 and dont enjoy it due to all the restrictions dont bloody moan about it lol 

Just had this come up in my recommendations, as I've been watching a number of Gary Bembridge's "Tips for Travelers" videos lately. He's being practical in his outlook, and actually echoing a fair number of points that @twangster has raised over the last couple of weeks / months. Watch and judge for yourself, but he's definitely not being outlandish or alarmist in his presentation. Definitely lines up with how I've been feeling about this situation since this past summer.
 

Sooooo....you are saying that if you are sick with COVID, you should be wearing a mask??? EXACTLY!! This prevents YOU from spreading the virus!! I reiterate, WEAR A MASK PEOPLE!!!!!! You may be Asymptomatic which means you may not be showing any symptoms AND you might not even know it!! Protect your fellow cruisers any which way you can!!

People, put on your masks cause you're messing it up for the rest of us who want to cruise!! If you don't want to cruise, stay the (beep! - insert at your own risk) home!!
https://cruisefever.net/one-of-carnivals-cruise-lines-is-pausing-cruises-after-restarting/?fbclid=IwAR1uLjLFC5nkNAI0MceI0Vz4JxGfG2RsReJXYXvdd75ox_8bQo0jV7qJ_5k

The view after several rounds of tequila shots ?

Some have asked where the new Terminal 3 will be located at the Port of Galveston.  First is a big picture view, followed by a more detailed view.

 

The stock market is just ridiculous at the moment. It is now only 13% down and yet the economy is shutdown, many companies have zero sales, thousands will go out of business, we will hit over 20 million unemployed by the end of the month, there is going to be credit and mortgage issues to come, companies will be posting quarterly results showing <20% of forecasts.. No one really understand what the market is going to do, but we all do know the economy is in the shitter right now.
If you have cash on hand and are patient, there is money to be made in the stock market at least. If you brought RCL under $30, I would sell as soon as possible. That stock will be going down again, as will the market.

The stock market is closed today, for Good Friday.
 

I think the idea of having the MDR split into formal/non-forma seating areas on formal nights would be more feasible if you could identify as part of the reservation that you did/did not want to participate in the formal dress.
I've only dressed up for a formal night on one cruise - as it happened to be sailing from Galveston and we live in Houston.  It was OK once, but still more a hassle than enjoyable.
And, honestly, if I hadn't been a purveyor of various cruise forums before taking a first cruise, I wouldn't have known there was such a thing as formal nights anyway.

Deal approved!
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/12/12/royal-caribbean-agrees-deal-port-of-galveston-build-new-cruise-terminal