teddy

Have you contacted Royal Caribbean about booking their shuttle?

52 minutes ago, USCG Teacher said:

Rates are better, too, although every cruise is an interior GTY.

….and some people think cruise ship crews have long contracts….

This all reinforces the saying “To each their own”

We enjoyed the shows and other entertainment on Anthem earlier this year and can’t wait to back on her in February.

We especially loved “We Will Rock You”. 
 

Maybe we’re not refined enough?

45 minutes ago, EM1016 said:

But we also work side hustles

I fixed cars for 25 years as my side hustle until the pandemic.  Since then, I’ve had more overtime than I ever wanted at my real job.  Working at my real job puts more in my 401(k) and earns me more pto in addition to what I earn based on years of service, so in the long run, it’s more lucrative for me. On the other hand, my wife has been working from home since 2020 and loves to get out of the house for 20-30 hours a week. 

tl;dr 

We’re frugal and are reaping the benefits of decades of planning   

My wife is going on five cruises in 2024.  I’m with her on four of them.  In addition, we’ve already booked an 11 night in January 2025 on Odyssey.  We are waiting for the rest of 2025 to be released to book a few more.  

This is how we do it:

We are firmly middle class, mid-50s.  I have 6 weeks pto and my wife technically has unlimited, but I’m reality takes 4-4 1/2 weeks a year. 
 

While not “rich” as typically defined, we have no debt…none, zero, nada. We own our home outright.  Neither of us drink or smoke, and I can’t remember the last time we ate out other than on a cruise.  We do have an off-grid camp and land in northern Maine that we go to as much as possible, but we always seem to end up working when we go there. 
 

We worked our asses off for 30 years to get to the point where we are now.  Our plan was always to raise the kids (now 23, 30, and 32) then enjoy life as much as we can while still funding our retirement (I’m retiring in 6 years when I turn 60). 
 

We typically book interior cabins and usually disembark with a zero balance because we don’t pay for anything extra. ….although we did reserve Chops on our cruise on Explorer next month because my wife is turning 56 that day.  

We’ve changed cruises from Florida to New Jersey because even after eating the change fee, it’s cheaper than flying to Florida.  
 

So that’s how we do it…..well…in addition I’ve been working 70 hours a week since April, and my wife has a second job.  That helps. 
 

Honestly, reading about someone doing this doesn’t surprise me at all, it just makes me sad.

I work in a supermarket.  Selfish, entitled behaviors have been escalating over the past couple years.  

Before we started using a travel agent, we found that the word we used mattered when talking to Royal Caribbean phone reps. 
 

“Reprice” was different than “Rebook” which was different than  “Adjustment”. 
 

Using the word “Reprice” was what we found worked. 
 

As mentioned above, there may be other factors in play regarding your specific booking. 

More power to those who book cruises on Icon.  I have no issues with people spending their money as they see fit.  I never want to be told how I can spend my money. 
 

However, at $4000 (US) for two in a GTY Inside and up to $87k+ for a high end suite (7-night in January’26), we’re going to pass.  Our wants as an empty nest, early to mid-50s couple are different. 

Well.  All checked in with a noon arrival time.  We have transportation to the port arranged through our B&B in Ravenna.  
 

Local news channels are already talking about the “potential impact” to New England and Canada from Lee if the cold front coming from the west isn’t strong enough to overcome the high pressure to the east and push it out to sea.  

 

We’re newbies.   Our first visit was in September 2021.  We stayed the night at the pier.
 

We were on Adventure out of Nassau. Jumping through the hoops necessary to fly to The Bahamas and cruise during the pandemic made us realize we had become “Cruisers”.  

Welcome 

18 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

9-2 Grandeur

9-18 Freedom

9-23 Adventure

9-30 Grandeur

My kind of September 

I was there in January 2017 and stayed five nights at the Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk.  It had direct access to the River Walk, but was at the far end of the walk itself. 
 

In January 2018 I stayed at the Best Western Premier Historic Travelers Alamo/River Walk….which was near, but not on the River Walk.  It is a block and a half from the Alamo though.  

I was happy with both hotels.  I stayed in basic rooms, so I can’t tell tell you if they offer higher end suites or other amenities.  
 

A restaurant I went to that I enjoyed enough to remember after all this time is Saltgrass Steakhouse.  It’s right on the River Walk  

Downtown San Antonio is (or at least was when I went there) was very walkable.  People were very nice and I enjoyed my time there. 
 

One thing that sticks in my mind about being there is when walking back to the hotel at 11 pm, people were stacked up at the crosswalks waiting for the WALK light to appear, but there was absolutely zero vehicular traffic anywhere.  Most of my “big city” experience is in Boston, where WALK/DON’T WALK lights are routinely ignored by pedestrians. 

23 hours ago, Xaa said:

If you booked directly, I would say just call back

And drop the bad attitude when you do 

As a person who works retail and deals with customers daily, I have some thoughts of how your conversation with the Royal Caribbean representative went…..

Anyway, fixing a misspelled name does not cost $350.  
 

Thank you for your replies @twangster  You are much more articulate (among other things) than I would have been. 

17 hours ago, Joe01 said:

A downside was that the hotel was a bit out of the city, had to take the MBTA red line into the centre from JFK/Mass to Downtown Crossing. In typical tourist fashion, I didn't know how to use the ticket machines or ticket barriers. Then it was through to the train. Sadly this is where I have to give Boston a thumbs down, the red line gives this city a bad, bad name. Perhaps I'm spoiled coming from Western Europe but I've never seen a more underinvested, decrepit subway system in all of my life. And the train took ages to go about 4/5 stations, it kept stopping for no reason.

The MBTA is always an adventure....and never the adventure you're looking for

https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/03/03/video-mbta-rider-nearly-hit-by-collapsed-ceiling-panel-at-red-line-station/

I know you said you’re not really interested in museums, but we walked up to the Cape Breton Highlanders Museum. If anyone in your group has any military background or interests, it’s very interesting.  

6 minutes ago, Doug_Texas said:

We've booked tours through Viator and Shore Excursion Group.  Viator (Trip Advisor) skims up to 40% from the local operator (but are usually still lower than RCL).  Sometimes the operator markets exclusively through marketing companies like Viator but sometimes markets direct.  We just finished a private tour of Corinth for two bought through Viator for $325.  The company was only paid $220 by Viator.  It pays to research.  You can screen with Viator and often find their operator and book direct.  

Good info.  Thank you for sharing. 

Here's a link that I found on a quick search. 

https://www.viator.com/tours/St-Kitts/ATV-Tour-of-St-Kitts/d930-6461ATV

To be clear, we have not booked this ATV excursion in St Kitts, but we have booked excursions on other Caribbean islands through Viator and been pleased.

TLDR means too long, didn’t read. 
 

It’s like the Cliff’s Notes version. 

I’ll always have a soft spot for Adventure, but unless we were booking for a specific itinerary that only could be had on Adventure, we’d pick Freedom. 
 

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

We're now officially aged out of adventure ocean. Time flies.

Too fast.  Our oldest turned 32 last week.  My wife and I can’t possibly understand how we have a 32 year old. 

13 hours ago, Born2cruise said:

We  are  "ALMOST Diamond"  members, and I know no one cares

BOOM!!

11 hours ago, twangster said:

ALMOST Diamond?  Well that changes everything