Jolly Ogre

55 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said:

Yeah, I'm sure the government is doing something sinister with the info from your passport. Paranoia is both hilarious and scary at the same time. 

Well as someone who has been in the military, they already have my fingerprints and many photos and other documents with much more detail than I even have told my wife about.

I think that those that are concerned with the facial recognition that customs are using are giving the government to much credit as to what ever nefarious plotting they may be doing.

Similar to those that think the moon landing was fake, it would be harder to fake it than actually go to the moon. There is way to much data collected every day to do anything with it. They are only looking for those that are on the radar. If you are not a wanted criminal, terrorist or have connections to them, then there is no need to worry.  

18 minutes ago, amanalo217 said:

Are shakes included in the refreshment package or just the DBP?

We are sailing on Symphony this Dec and the refreshment pkg states that Johnny Rocket shakes are included. I have heard that it differs from sailing to sailing and ship to ship.

Don't walk... the traffic is horrible and there is really nothing to see on the way. Just get on the hop on hop off taxies...$8 per person. then walk the center of town and take the taxi back.

Stop at Bumpas for fried plantains and a pasty for a snack though.  

We too are 1st timers to St Kitts and we have been told to take the train excursion, so that is what we are doing. 

Heh...I always do MTD and get it as soon as I book the cruise or when dining opens up and get 6:30-7:00. Even if i get specialty dining I do that as soon as I board and get the 7:00PM at the latest. 

I make reservations for MTD and never have to wait more than 5-10 min for my table. We also if we like the wait staff request to have the same table every night, so it ends up being a modified standard dining but at my time.

There is always a long waiting in the no reservation line. I make my reservations as soon as I book the cruise to get the time I want to eat.

7 minutes ago, tjcruisers said:

Extremely wise words. My youngest's passport expired in early 2021 and we renewed it immediately. Kept getting asked why would we do that seeing travel is essentially grounded. My response was 99% of the people think like that so the passport office is empty (we got it in a few weeks) and we'll be able to hit the ground running when it opens up. Fast forward to 2022 and you have lineups at the passports offices a KM line and people getting in line at 4 am.

Awsome!!

HaHA...I love it...it is what we do, but even better we get a porter to take our bags and he just escorts us thru and even under the ropes to an empty facial scanner and away we go all for about $5-$6...easy peasy!

8 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I’ve sailed my last 2 cruises using my birth certificate and drivers license.  No problem whatsoever.  Patiently waiting for my passport to come but if it takes a while….oh well.  

Exactly...winner winner chicken dinner!!

11 hours ago, Michellebno said:

Have you tried getting a passport lately?  They had my expedited paperwork in the agency on April  25th for a 7-9 week turnaround. Do the math. 2 other passports arrived with weeks to spare. The agency is so slammed they will not take your call until 2 weeks before you travel. I called them. They put an “urgent tag on the request. I then called my congressman for help and put in an inquiry. At their 5 business days before travel deadline I was allowed to try to book an online appointment. There were none anywhere in the country. I called for 5 days, from 8am to 10pm over and over in hopes one would open. Ultimately, the congressman’s inquiry did the trick. Otherwise I don’t think. it would be here now. 

No, I have not, however when I last renewed it I started the process in April for a then next January sailing. So I had 9 months to get it done. I had my passport in about 3-4 months. I never was really concerned as I have my DL and birth certificate to use as backup.

Nobody plans to fail but a lot fail to plan.

These are the same people that call me for refills with only 1 pill left.

Why wait until the last minute to get these things done?

It is not Royal's fault or issue. It is not State Dept's fault.

I am sorry but you waited way to long to ask for help.

On 6/28/2023 at 11:58 PM, CrimsonCruiser said:

Good to know! Any chance you recall the pricing for a water taxi?

Last yr it was $7 per person all day.

If you have a soda pkg, you can get soda by the glass in the MDR, however not all flavors are available there.

That and we saved $1200...W00t!!

16 hours ago, JustMeJoe said:

TA was able to switch us to OA for the B2B 30 Nov and 8 Dec (same as we paid for the FR cruises).  Saved us (hahaha) about $6,000 for FR to OA.  So we'll see you there if you keep the change.

Best cancellation we've ever had!

 

Not as good as you, but we saved $1200 on the switch from Freedom to Oasis the following week.

Heh... the 8 day to aruba is $67.99 and the 8 day eastern and Cococay is $83.99. 

Being Diamond I will just get the refreshment pkg and use vouchers.

Ok this was the Option ! from the Freedom sailing that was canceled due to dry dock.

Meh... nothing for me...I already have things booked for way less than this sale is showing.

The things i have not booked yet are not even on sale.

9 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

I've asked Michelle to switch us over to Oasis on the 30th in the meantime while I see if I can make the Explorer sailing on the 5th work for us and then I'll make a final decision. Pity, it was such a neat little itinerary.

Yeah we are in the same boat but to Dec 14. Michelle will be busy today.

17 hours ago, FionaMG said:

I'll have to have a really good think about what to do. The real draw for us on this itinerary was Saint Lucia, which none of the alternatives have. But I have to admit I'm tempted by the southern one on Oasis.

14 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

@WhoCruiser, how were the prices on EX compared to what you had on FR ?  

So I had already booked Oasis and Apex in anticipation of this. Both were going to be $1k-$1.5 more. However If my TA can work her magic we will settle for Option 1 to save that $1.5.

Really wanted to go to St Lucia but all the 3 were going to St Kitts and that was the real draw as I have been trying to get there for 3 years now. We should have gone in 2020 but Covid happened.

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

I'm glad I got to use the Beach Club at $79.  It'll never be that price again.

Same here... i would not pay more than $100 for it again.

So I am trying to book my dining in the 4 complimentary restaurants and the planner is giving me fits. I go to book and they are in the cart and I go to add another day and then some are gone. Go back and re-do it and others are gone...sheesh!! Try to check out and nope can't even do that and they want me to call... forget that.

I am about to give up.

How hard is it to get a seat without a reservations for these on Apex??  

While a DL and official birth certificate is sufficient to get on the cruise, if anything was to happen in a port you will not be able to fly back to the USA without a passport.

Bah...only 3-4 day sailings... call me when they are doing 7+ day sailings.

29 minutes ago, Rackham said:

It's currently sailing the Med, so the menus being seen reflect that. 

Ahh... ok that makes sense now....