fireclan

2 hours ago, CharmMicah68 said:

Selfish plug for our MEI agent.  She IS FANTASTIC!

 

Jenn Greene

Travel Planner Affiliated with

MEI & Mouse Fan Travel

 

p: 443-499-2168

w: www.mei-travel.com e: [email protected]

Journeys with Jenn  

 

Our agent too!

23 hours ago, Rochester Rich said:

I doubted we'd be alone on the ship! Welcome aboard.

You must love escaping the Rochester winters for a week!

1 hour ago, Peter D said:

What is particularly interesting is it seems that only wait staff does this.  I do not ever remember a room steward ever mention it.  Of course, bar staff never says much of anything.  Maybe there is something to the whole script thoughts and wait staff (dining rooms) was selected to be the messenger.  Honestly, as I think of it, it is probably the cruise director that should give a 'survey is important' spiel.

Maybe we need our own passenger pre-emptive spiel.  " I know the end of cruise survey is important and if your service is worth a 10, then I will give a 10, but do not ask for it."  (of course, this approach is only partially in jest) 

Sadly, I will have to wait until May2023 before I get another survey.

Actually, I think your "pre-emptive spiel" is a good idea.

I remember years ago it became a problem with wait staff requesting high marks for service, so much so we almost dreaded dinner  because we knew what was coming. It was constant, at every meal. Like high-pressure sales. And then it abruptly stopped. Possibly one reminder and that was it.  It was so pleasant. I always assumed it was because passengers complained, either in person or on the surveys.

8 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Yikes !  That was a land-to-land transfer.  Imagine what it would be to transfer from a ship to a foreign country !

Hoping all is well with Mr. Clan now.

We are very fortunate that he is well. Thanks.

The few times I've carried on wine I placed it in my carry on with no problems. However, my sister twice packed it in her large luggage. Once she was called down to the naughty room to retrieve her luggage and her wine, the second time it remained in her luggage and was delivered to her room. 

1 hour ago, mistertomatohead said:

There was a specific question about whether or not it’s sufficient. $50k sounds low for evacuation. The CDC says they typically cost 50k to 100k. I really have no idea. Hopefully someone has some data in this pandemic/inflation world we live in that’ll be helpful.

If by evacuation you mean a helicopter flight due to a medical emergency - my husband was airlifted last year and transported from our local hospital emergency room to a hospital that was less than 75 miles away and the amount charged was a little over $76,000.

We're booked on this cruise, originally on Voyager but successfully switched over to Adventure. We actually have a somewhat better cabin than we had...our first Christmas cruise!

I'm on this cruise, too! Our first since January 2020.

20 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

I wish there was a way to see which dates offer the kids sail free.  I keep picking a date (not a holiday or “busy time of year”) and the offer doesn’t pop up.  The cruise I am booked on in September has the offer but I am looking for sometime in the spring of summer of 2023.  Is it just a hit or miss choice?

When I look at the mobile version of the plan a cruise screen, there is "exclusions apply" underlined on the lower right corner. That has all the specifics. 

1 hour ago, MikeK said:

They will be allowing self administered home test for the unvaccinated.   Way too easy to cheat on that one!

 

I'm not sure how declining a shot would make someone more apt to "cheat", but if it calms your fears any I haven't received that shot but would not cheat (or lie) to get on a cruise ship. And I'm sure I am not unique - there are many others like me with the same values. 

3 hours ago, RCIfan1912 said:

We loved Coco cay so much that we want to obviously go back. Now we would like to avoid the blistering heat of summer though. We both got burnt pretty good even though we used SPF 65.

Anthem does Coco cay in the dead of winter and I think it would be fun to leave the freezing cold of NJ in January/February to go south to the Caribbean. Anthem does an 8 night Coco cruise that stops in Miami. What is there to do in Miami on general? Cool excursions? 

What will the weather and temps be like at Coco cay in January or February? Hot but not as hot as summer? Just as fun an island as summer?

We have cruised for 4 or 5 years in a row (but not since COVID) from NJ on Anthem in Jan - Feb. The best part is leaving the cold, sometimes snowing, weather and in a day and a half or so being in nice weather! It has always been warm enough, if not too warm, to enjoy the pools, swimming, the beaches, etc. Anthem is a great ship, I strongly recommend it!

Maybe it has something to do with reports 3-4 years ago of privatization (is that really a word?) of the port? I vaguely remember RC possibly saying they would pull out of San Juan. 

In 20+ years of cruising I have booked guarantee balconies twice. One was barely obstructed and the other was significantly obstructed. But I saved some money and still had great cruises. 

9 minutes ago, MikeK said:

One of the main reasons you get a passport for cruising is to have it in case of an emergency.   Leaving it in your room is defeating that purpose.  Take it with you and protect it well.  The hoops you will have to jump through without your passport is not worth it.  If all the cruising you do is a closed loop cruise you would be better off saving the $200 for the passport if you don't take it with you.

 

I agree with this logic. Recommending cruisers get passports to cruise (or travel) because they will be in a foreign country, and then telling them to leave it on the ship when you actually visit a foreign country never made sense to me either. 

This seems to be a summary of CDC "guidance" by a news agency, NPR. I'm usually hesitant to take these as facts even when I like what it says. 

And I'm not picking on NPR. 

9 minutes ago, Bowen said:

That song makes me smile.

Dang, I got a little teary-eyed thinking I just may actually hear it on a ship soon. 

Does RC inform their cruisers to Canada that ArriveCan is required? If so, at what point - booking? check-in?

12 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I have to wonder if Royal was ever stopping the unvaxx from booking . I mean @WAAAYTOOOhad a ton of cruise on the books, hoping for the vax mandate to go away. 

In Oct I took my BFF and his mother on their first cruise, and she loved it. Wanted to take her son and his family but he is a diehard anti-vaxxer. She booked them on a cruise this past May to sail this Sept. My BFF said she thought this would force him to get vaxxed. Even though all the materials she received told her she needed everyone over 12 to be vaxxed, he stayed on the booking. They didn't ask him for an exemption or anything. She was just checking in for the cruise, app still says everyone needs to be vaxxed and it allowed her to check him in. I mean she very much lucked up that all he has to do is provide a test, which he is willing to do but.........I think Royal will let you book as unvaxx, pay and then get denied at port. 

RC isn't stopping the unvaccinated (adults) from booking, as I'm  proof of that! They will gladly take your deposit. No questions asked about shots. Whether I could actually get on the ship is another matter. Unvaccinated children are allowed to cruise (which I'm happy about) but I'm not sure there is a huge difference. 

10 minutes ago, jticarruthers said:

I was excited to start booking again but since the vast majority of my cruises touch the Bahamas ... I am back to being uninterested again.

Tired of wasting time and money testing, etc. when I can do other things with other people without having to worry about it.

Yeah, I also got pretty excited until the Bahamas-thing reared it's head, unfortunately. Definitely should have known better after all this time.  

46 minutes ago, ScottyO said:

Do all RCL ships have a location for carry on luggage on embarkation day when cabins are inaccessible/still being cleaned?

how do you find out where to leave it?

 

My experience has been if you carry on luggage, it's with you until your room opens. But suites or Keys might have other options. 

1 hour ago, Ogalthorpe Haywood said:

Basically all I said was I wished the vaccine mandate stayed, which is probably not a popular opinion which I understand. However those in favor of the change are welcome to share their opinions with no repercussions. Please explain how I’m wrong. 

I don't think you're wrong for wanting the mandates to stay because that's what you think is the best for you and others. Maybe it was the next part of your post that got it deleted. Who knows...only Matt and his admins know for sure the whys. And maybe, as human beings and busy ones at that, they're not totally impartial all the time but I do believe (even when I'm ticked at being deleted) they are trying to do a good job for all here. 

I hope at some point you can see that too. 

33 minutes ago, Ogalthorpe Haywood said:

It seems like your partial to one side when removing post, that much is obvious.

I would strongly disagree with this statement.

 I understand being upset when something you post is deleted because it has happened to me.  We may not be on the same "side" as I have not been able to cruise the last few years. But this is a good forum which I enjoy and benefit from so I will work on keeping my opinions to myself. 

I'm hoping you will continue to contribute here too!

3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

At least 2

Plus 2 more...

12 hours ago, Pattycruise said:

It sounds like your first cruise ever?  My first cruise I knew nothing of this discussion board or cruise critic.  I got off the ship and was angry because I’d saved for so long and didn’t have the experience I thought it should have been.  You cruised during Covid, which compounds those issues (like the cancelled escape room).  As a female who stands nearly 6ft tall and has done a fair number of solo cruises I’ve been overlooked by staff, I’ve had people just step in front of me on a line (no, they weren’t with the people in front of me) and other things that are just unfathomable because I really don’t think I’m that invisible.  It’s disheartening but don’t let it ruin your time.  instead of saying I’d never cruise again I decided to educate myself, by reading boards like this, and take it one step further, I share my experience and knowledge here and to people I meet onboard.  
I can’t help you with the post cruise Covid quarantine but I’ve no doubt you were told information that unfortunately you cannot prove.  I would reach out to corporate and not include your other disappointments, instead I would be writing about what’s most important, reimbursement for your hotel/food/expenses that they said would be covered, and include your receipts. Also, if you were quarantined in your room you are entitled to a prorated refund for each day in quarantine onboard.

@Pattycruise Thanks for trying to help the OP with your comments and suggestions. Class act. 

49 minutes ago, Bowen said:

I definitely think it's the latter and would have zero animosity for RC filling their spots with vaccinated over unvaccinated, it's easier for them and they are running a business. I'm glad they're giving unvaccinated an opportunity to cruise, even if we have to do some extra stuff. I feel really bad for the cruise industry, it upsets me that they're being subjected to (what I view as) the abuse of the CDC. I think it's incredibly unfair and it stinks of unelected officials trying to stay relevant. Whatever happens with these two cruises, I wish RC all the best and will go back to them whenever they drop the mandates, but I'll definitely be throwing my cruise dollars at whichever line drops them first.

Thanks for posting your exemption request. Very well written and thoughtfully said.  And I have the same feelings about RC and wishing them luck. But, like you, I'll be jumping ship to the first cruise line that drops the mandate.