Firefly

Okay, I'm just relieved that this is direction this thread is headed in...

I had a very bad experience with [many] chocolate martini once.  

Chocolate Martini - yum

Chocolate Martini - yum

Chocolate Martini - yum

Saw this interesting youtube video from a casino worker on Oasis. Yesterday they were able to eat at JR! 
 
 

Perspective is the word of the day. My cruise was a luxury. A break from life and the daily grind. It's a bummer I have to reschedule, and have to cancel my PTO request.....but ......I have an awesome family, I have my health, and....now.....I get to pick out, and plan another cruise to replace the one we just lost!  So....as upset we are at losing a vacation, and the hassle of canceling hotels and excursions and such....just ask yourself......

who are working especially hard during this Covidilemma - waiting on hold with the cruise companies (ALL of them!), rebooking, refunding, repricing, upgrading - WHATEVER.  I imagine they are all putting in LOTS of extra hours to help their clients.  (We're looking at you, M.E.I. folks, but also so many more of the great ones out there!).
We appreciate you!

To add this also goes for any concert, sporting event, sold out movie, etc, etc, etc.

Although it is open aired as you say. Anyone who has waited in cue, shoulder to shoulder with strangers, for an hour or more for Space Mountain probably are at the same risk as any cruise.

I totally agree. Haven’t heard of any airline flights quarantining passengers when they disembark, and there are many more people entering the country daily on an airplane than from a cruise ship. With the airlines, the flight crews just turn around, board another flight and life goes on. And what about the thousands of people that are visiting the various theme parks each day around the country? I would be much more concerned about being exposed at Disney World than on a cruise. Ironically I was at Disney about 5 weeks ago and even then there were a few people wearing marks in the park. The next few weeks will be interesting for sure. We are supposed to board Symphony in four weeks and this whole mess has definitely put a damper on our excitement. At this time we are still planning on sailing as long as the ship sails. 

I totally agree. Haven’t heard of any airline flights quarantining passengers when they disembark, and there are many more people entering the country daily on an airplane than from a cruise ship. With the airlines, the flight crews just turn around, board another flight and life goes on. And what about the thousands of people that are visiting the various theme parks each day around the country? I would be much more concerned about being exposed at Disney World than on a cruise. Ironically I was at Disney about 5 weeks ago and even then there were a few people wearing marks in the park. The next few weeks will be interesting for sure. We are supposed to board Symphony in four weeks and this whole mess has definitely put a damper on our excitement. At this time we are still planning on sailing as long as the ship sails. 

I totally agree. Haven’t heard of any airline flights quarantining passengers when they disembark, and there are many more people entering the country daily on an airplane than from a cruise ship. With the airlines, the flight crews just turn around, board another flight and life goes on. And what about the thousands of people that are visiting the various theme parks each day around the country? I would be much more concerned about being exposed at Disney World than on a cruise. Ironically I was at Disney about 5 weeks ago and even then there were a few people wearing marks in the park. The next few weeks will be interesting for sure. We are supposed to board Symphony in four weeks and this whole mess has definitely put a damper on our excitement. At this time we are still planning on sailing as long as the ship sails. 

I have noticed just what you are mentioning.  A coworker just left on a cruise yesterday.  Another coworker was whispering that going on a cruise is a big mistake. Every ship outbreak is splashed all over the media. Seriously, if I hear "floating petri dish" one more time. . .  
I am a first grade teacher. I have much less personal space in a given day than I ever do on a ship. My sweeties cough and sneeze on me all year long.  We are packed in the classroom, the cafeteria for lunch.  At any given time, fifty percent of the school could be in the hall coming and going to PE/music/art, lunch, or recess. We are clearly not transporting viruses from one part of the world or country to another within the day. But we have 1200+ people in one small building.
What about theme parks? I loooove Disneyworld.  However, the famous, "fill in all available space" phrase they use just makes me crazy. The lines, the rope drop crowds, the crowded restaurants - personal space is very limited.
When I think about hotel rooms, I get a little worried.  Just rinsing the glasses and coffee makers  and so forth and so on.  Surely, viruses are spread in hotels and without a huge spotlight shining on them.
Sorry about the rant. With two trips planned and prepaid, I am on edge.

I totally agree. Haven’t heard of any airline flights quarantining passengers when they disembark, and there are many more people entering the country daily on an airplane than from a cruise ship. With the airlines, the flight crews just turn around, board another flight and life goes on. And what about the thousands of people that are visiting the various theme parks each day around the country? I would be much more concerned about being exposed at Disney World than on a cruise. Ironically I was at Disney about 5 weeks ago and even then there were a few people wearing marks in the park. The next few weeks will be interesting for sure. We are supposed to board Symphony in four weeks and this whole mess has definitely put a damper on our excitement. At this time we are still planning on sailing as long as the ship sails. 

I totally agree. Haven’t heard of any airline flights quarantining passengers when they disembark, and there are many more people entering the country daily on an airplane than from a cruise ship. With the airlines, the flight crews just turn around, board another flight and life goes on. And what about the thousands of people that are visiting the various theme parks each day around the country? I would be much more concerned about being exposed at Disney World than on a cruise. Ironically I was at Disney about 5 weeks ago and even then there were a few people wearing marks in the park. The next few weeks will be interesting for sure. We are supposed to board Symphony in four weeks and this whole mess has definitely put a damper on our excitement. At this time we are still planning on sailing as long as the ship sails. 

I'm not sure that the cruise industry is a target, but they definitely have a certain focus on them.  Some of this is from the simple fact that cruises pack a lot of people, although to us the ships are huge, into a relatively small space. Some large theatres on the other hand, can hold as many people as small cruise ships and nobody is saying anything to them? Airlines hold more people per square foot than any cruise ship. Are people suggesting that airlines stop or curtail their operations? A cruise ship can as easily transmit a virus to other parts of the world, just like an airline can or as a the local transportation in any city can.
As far as your spouse is concerned, I would ask what did you do when the H1N1, Swine Flu or SARS outbreaks happened? All concerns at the time, that faded over time. 

I agree it's a little unfair to focus on the cruise industry more than any other industry, form of transport, etc.
As @FManke just alluded to, I would be much more nervous about flying in a small, pressurized metal tube with 200 or more strangers potentially hacking and sneezing all around you for hours at a time. You would think that people that are concerned would focus on the airline industry a little more.
IMHO, we just all need to remain educated on the ongoing situation, exercise caution and use common sense right now.
Hopefully, with the warmer weather approaching, the virus will run its course and no longer be as major of a concern.
 

On Oasis class I love relaxing at the Trellis Bar in Central Park, and coffee and pastries out on the balcony in the morning. On my favorite ship so far, Brilliance of the Seas, I love Schooner Bar and the outdoor couch seating next to Windjammer. Honestly, just being on any cruise is my happy place.

On Oasis class I love relaxing at the Trellis Bar in Central Park, and coffee and pastries out on the balcony in the morning. On my favorite ship so far, Brilliance of the Seas, I love Schooner Bar and the outdoor couch seating next to Windjammer. Honestly, just being on any cruise is my happy place.

Just wanted to post a funny story.  We were getting the drinks In the diamond lounge pictured a couple posts up and a couple sat down with us and started chatting.  They asked us “if we cruise often” and we all got a chuckle out of that! She realized what she asked and said “oh wait you are in the diamond lounge so you must”!  

I wonder if grandpa has ever come back to his car in a snow storm and found his car full of snow because he didn't know his window was open?
Probably has a wicked air conditioning bill in the summer when the windows in the house are open.  
Drive through restaurants must be a PITA for him.  Is the window open or not?  So confusing.
Is he a Mac IT professional because Windows seems to give him a lot of trouble.

I’m on Enchantment of the Seas right now as well. I have a different perspective.
Tuesday afternoon a 600 foot tanker ran into an 80 foot fishing boat at the entrance to the Houston-Galveston Ship Channel. 1 person confirmed dead, 1 person in the hospital. The Coast Guard abandoned the search for two other missing crew members today and they are presumed dead. The crew of the Pappy’s Pride fishing boat and their families are having a horrible week, much worse than I ever hope you or I have. I’m happy to be enjoying time on a cruise ship with my family this week.
Due to this tragedy there has been NO ship traffic in or out of the ports of Houston, Galveston, or Texas City since Tuesday afternoon.  The economic impact of shutting down tanker and other ship traffic in this area is staggering. 
After Enchantment waited offshore all day, the Coast Guard was gracious enough to allow her into port Wednesday afternoon as she passed within yards of the wreckage site at a very slow speed while the responders were still securing the wrecked vessel, controlling the environmental damage, and searching for two missing human beings.
After waiting all last night and all day today, Enchantment was escorted out of port this afternoon in heavy fog with two pilot boats off our bow to ensure we safely traversed the fog. I was deeply moved as we passed the crash site at a very slow speed so as not to disturb the small fleet of boats and the crane platform that were continuing the recovery operation in the channel. 
Enchantment of the Seas was the ONLY ship allowed to come in or out of the area since Tuesday afternoon. Then Carnival Dream was finally allowed in this evening after she waited offshore all day. As of this moment the area remains closed to all other ship traffic. Only a few small service boats have been allowed in the area.
Royal Caribbean provided text and email updates about every two hours yesterday as we waited to learn when we could board. Enchantment’s captain provided several updates last night after we boarded, and several more updates throughout the day today. There was little information that they could provide because they had no control over the weather or the tragic situation in the Galveston Jetties, but they checked in with us regularly to let us know they were communicating with authorities and trying to get us underway. They also did not offer false hope or speculation  because they knew the situation was fluid and telling us one thing and then changing their story would have drawn much criticism.
We’re now underway to Cozumel and I’ve been having a great time, all things considered. I’ve used my cell phone as a tool to find out as much as I could about what was happening with our situation, much of which is spelled out above.
May God bless the crew of Pappy’s Pride and their families. May those who perished Rest In Peace. 

I've had an opportunity now to sail a number of different ships since this tragic incident.  Everytime I see a window like this I've tried my best to pretend or preconceive that there is no window in an attempt to have an open mind and try to see if there is anyway, somehow, someone might not know a window is window.
Without exception even the change in air pressure was a tell-tale sign.  I've tried squinting, I've close my eyes briefly, I've worn polarizing sunglasses to reduce glare.  I couldn't trick myself into believing there was no window.
I simply can't accept he didn't know the window was open.  Given the child was at floor level looking through the glass I am all but convinced he not only knew the window was open, but lifted her up with the deliberate intention to look out the open window compared to looking through the tinted and possibly sea salt covered glass at floor level.
I've done something along these lines when my kids were young but never going so far to place them in danger of falling over a railing or through a window.  I always approached it so that even if I did drop them the worst case is they would land at my feet.  Often this meant standing back away from a railing so they could see but there would be no way for them to go over.  He didn't do that, instead he was leaning out the window with her.  It was poor judgement and bad decision making on his part.  
I'm glad to see the company respond to the case and defend itself after months of ridiculous and false accusations.   
In all my sailings before or after I've never seen anyone bring a child up to a higher level on the glass wall, window or no window, to look out.  It simply never happens because there is glass at floor level for children to look through.  There is no need to lift a child higher to have the same view they already have at floor level.  
"To touch the glass" was his excuse.  The child was already touching the glass at floor level.  

Following. We are sailing Explorer on the same itinerary in December...way too far away! Have a great cruise!