Wilson

My Oct 31st opens in 7 days and I am excited

We are on the 10/30 sailing. ??

Gosh it’s been a long time! Got up early this morning and checked us in for our late October Symphony. Yippee! Exactly 90 days out. It feels real! 

It’s annoying that RC can’t get a grip on their IT. 

Updated original post. Delivered to PO Box. 
I have located our state issued certified birth certificates in the event we are not as lucky as @NC State. 

My husband sent his in May (regular service…not realizing the extended backlog). On 6/28, after 150+ phone calls to finally get through, he spoke to an agent. They agreed to expedite it and took the expedite and priority mail fees over the phone.  As of today, it still shows “processing” and his credit card has not yet been charged. ? We have a sail date of 9/11.  Keeping our fingers crossed.  

List of all such locations: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies.html

Thankfully we don't have to play this wonderful game, our passports are a little over a year old....whew!!

I'll play. My husband sent his in Monday July 19. Although he doesn't need it for 5 1/2 months, based on what we were reading he included the expedited fee. Fingers crossed he receives it by Jan 7, 2022!!!

Sent my application July 12, and paid for expedited and round-trip Priority Mail. My check to the State Department cleared the bank a few days later. Mine would have been a renewal except I lost my current passport and had to report that when I applied. So, not sure how that will figure into the mix. The State Department website still shows "processing." Fingers crossed I get it in time for my December 1 cruise.

My wife and I renewed in March , nonexpedited, took 3 months 

Sent my daughter's in yesterday, after waiting two weeks for an appointment at the county passport office. We paid for the expedited service so hoping it comes before we sail in 14 weeks!?

Hoping that it is a quick process for you. 

Hope abounds!

We renewed on July 7th. We paid extra for expedited service and received them yesterday July 22nd.

So for comparison's sake, I just did a Canadian passport renewal for my younger daughter, and UK renewals for my wife and older daughter.
For the Canadian passport, I walked into a Service Canada location on July 20. They said that the new passport should be delivered to us by Aug 25. I'll update when I get it.
For the UK passports, I did the application online + sent the digital photo. As there is no rush for these passports, I sent via registered mail on July 22. They are currently in transit to the UK.

I called a couple weeks ago and our SC suite price had went down. Final payment has not yet been made so we saved $980. My husband thought I was wasting everyone’s time calling till he heard how much I saved. I had to walk over and lift his chin up off the ground. ??

Actually now you create a Voom login and password and share it with them.  That single Voom login allows up to 4 devices to connect at once if you puchased a 4 device package.

I'll play along, as we renewed my daughter's passport on 7/19, also paid for expedited service. We'll see.

Who's down to bribe @Galveston Steve with a Whataburger in exchange for on the ground reporting of Indy in Galveston and maybe a terminal update? ?
This is exciting to see Royal back in Galveston, and a new ship.
I wonder if Indy will hang out in Galveston for a bit, or head out to sea until test cruises can commence.

They want some good BBQ?

RCI has completed installing the test piles at the new terminal site.  I've attached a rather poor photo of the pile rig from the Port Director's monthly report.  The pile load testing will begin next week to determine the actual pile capacity at the site. RCI has some Pier 10 wharf repairs in their scope and they are issuing a request for bids on that work this month.  RCI and the Port of Galveston are continuing to hold bi-weekly project meetings. Things are progressing but it's typically a slow ramp-up in activity at first.

While families may not like the NCL approach, it has boxed the CDC in and can be used against the CDC in the Florida lawsuit.
When the CDC doesn't respond or declines the NCL request it's another example of the CDC double standard and how they are targeting one industry while letting others operate with only simple recommendations.   
Well played NCL.  Sorry for the families impacted.
 
 

This is from CLIA, and I think everyone here supports cruising restarting.
There is a difference between political discussion (left vs right) and what this is about.

With that said...
Here are other businesses that are non-essential and a luxury to some people as well but are allowed to resume operations:
1. Airlines. 
2. Restaurants
3. Casinos
4. Hotels
5. Sports and attending games
6. Colleges
7. Massage parlors
8. Nail Salons
9. Gyms
10. Certain Retail Stores
Keeping Cruising suspended for 2 seasons affects more than just passengers and crew. It affects all the jobs created at the Embarkation port cities in the US as well. Port Workers, Hotels, restaurants, etc. Even the airlines are affect because of less flights being scheduled because of cruising is shut down. Thus, jobs lost, layoffs and furloughs. I understand that the CDC is concerned with the physical well being but that is where policy needs to be set looking at all factors, including economics which in turn create their own set of societal issues. This where pressure needs to be put on local governments and politicians in the areas that are hardest hit with economic loss.
Just look at how the "science" changed from the CDC with schools reopening. All of a sudden the magic 6ft rule is now 3ft. The CDC is ignoring the science in this case in 2021 and refusing to look at the data in other parts of the world where cruising has resumed 
The CDC and US Government at large is making a big mistake if they do not allow cruises to return to the US before November 1.