Blulady

We love Bayonne, but that might be due to the convenience factor of being the closest port to home and disembarkation is an absolute breeze.  

Update:

I handed off the walker to the porters along with our luggage.  I don't think calling special needs helped, nor did it hurt - it was just probably a waste of 5 minutes.  The walker was delivered safe and sound w/ our luggage.  

An additional note for anyone else who may find themselves in a similar situation - if you don't have a handicap placard you cannot park in the garage at Cape Liberty.  This injury happened 2 weeks before the cruise and it takes many weeks to get that placard in PA.  Even though my sister used a wheelchair for the entirety of the cruise, they would not allow us to park in the garage.  I had to leave her on the sidewalk and go park in the overflow.

Final note - Liberty of the seas is a floating ashtray - man does that ship stink like cigarette smoke!

I called special needs this morning.  The gentleman I spoke with said I can hand it off at the pier with a luggage tag on it.  I am going to try that out so there would be one less item to deal with getting on the ship.  I will come back and update this after we board.  

58 minutes ago, Sharla said:

But how do you know if you don't even try? That's their job is to know what accommodations people might need.

I could be mistaken, but I thought the porters at the pier were longshoremen and not employed by the cruise line.  Things seem to operate a little different at each port and I was hoping someone might have some real world experience from Bayonne with something of this nature.  Sure, I could call - and then what?  Do I stand there at the pier and disagree with the porter if  he or she is telling me something different than what I was told on the phone?  I was hoping that maybe this was more of a common thing than I thought, as I have never been in this situation before, and I was hoping someone had first hand experience.

1 hour ago, Pattycruise said:

I’m currently on Liberty and having had my mom on a cruise ship, and she had difficulty with the shower in a regular non handicapped shower I went and took a pic of the showers in the fitness area, Deck 11 forward.

it may be easier for her here the left side is the handicap shower, it has a fold down seat. The right is a standard shower.

Thank you so much for sharing this!  We had originally planned on checking out the sauna in the gym, but we changed our minds after she got injured.  This could prove incredibly helpful!

39 minutes ago, barjpoe said:

I saw one person in a wheelchair carry on her walker. (it was the type with four wheels and a seat) you may also be able to place it over the handles of the wheelchair.

The one they have given her is a simple frame with 2 wheels on the front.  It is super light in weight, she could easily carry it on her lap.  (I have visions of the 3 stooges.. me pushing her and her holding the walker on her lap - it should be good for a laugh!)

2 hours ago, Riley said:

If budget allows she can rent one of those mobility carts from the cruise ship (I have never done this but I would guess you have to call ahead) that could be really helpful. Assuming the walker folds up, can you affix it to one side of her wheelchair (I'm thinking bungee cords) for getting her through the terminal? 

Good luck and enjoy! 

We don't think a scooter will work - her knee is in an immobilizer and her leg has to stay straight (no bending of the knee).  Thanks for the suggestion on the bungees.  That might be really helpful!

5 hours ago, Pattycruise said:

No experience but I personally wouldn’t trust that the item will make it to your cabin without being damaged.  I'd carry it onboard, it could be possible-depending on type of walker, that the person in the wheelchair hold it while it rolls next to them. Have the label on it, find a location you are comfortable to leave it and then go back when the cabin is open go get it. 

Thanks!  I didn't think about it being damaged.  We have zero experience with dealing with something like this.  

2 hours ago, Sharla said:

I think your best bet is to contact Royal Caribbean's special needs department. I would see if you can call them since the cruise is so soon. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/resources/guest-special-needs

I already contacted the special needs department concerning seating in the MDR due to her wheelchair.  I don't think calling them about what the porters will accept at the pier will be helpful.  I'm hoping someone has specific knowledge from the port at Bayonne as to whether or not you can hand off a walker with a luggage tag with the rest of your bags.

Hi everyone!

We have found ourselves in a bit of a situation!  My sister and I are due to board Liberty on June 11th for a 4 day cruise to Halifax.  She slipped in a huge puddle of water at work and broke her kneecap in 4+ pieces.  She has had surgery and is progressing well.  Her surgeon and doctors have said she is perfectly fine to go on the cruise if she wants to go, she will have very limited mobility.  

I will be taking her in a wheelchair and we'll just take our time getting from A to B.  She is certainly not the first person to go on a cruise in a wheelchair!  Here's the question:  we also have a walker for her that is helpful for her to have at times - can I just put a luggage tag on it and check it at the pier with our bags?  I've never had to deal with this type of situation before and I don't know what I'm doing!

Thanks!

Pam

On 5/19/2024 at 4:41 PM, OCSC Mike said:

OMG! I have an online English friend who mentioned canned hot dogs... I've made fun of them ever since, lol.

The ones she bought were long and skinny - like 5 inch long vienna sausages.  The rolls she got for them were more like a hoagie roll so she served them up with 3 "hot dogs" in each roll.  This was probably almost 20 years ago now and it still ranks high on my list of most revolting things LOL.  

4 hours ago, Sea Squirrel said:

Aww come on at @WAAAYTOOO  it may be an Ameican take but it is still pretty darned tasty. When we lived in the Netherlands, we'd see "American Style" on items at the grocery. I am not sure what the Dutch think we eat but it is most certainly not the "American Style" items they were serving up, lol. And the German "American Style bacon", haha. Fail. I thought the food on Ovation was very good, just very Americanized which isn't always a bad thing. 

LOL  This reminds of the time I was at Tesco in England and my MIL had to buy a can of "American Style" hot dogs.. yes, they were in a can! (And yes, I felt compelled to eat what was put in front of me - blech!)

On 9/10/2023 at 1:43 PM, TexanTwoStep said:

I'm sure some of you are aware that the TXDPS (Driver's license) system has been down for over a week now.

I've seen multiple posts on Facebook complaining that they cannot get on board due to their license being expired, but "they had an appointment but it got cancelled".  

Get your passport.  It's not that expensive, and makes things 100% easier.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

This is great advice.  I'm a firm believer in getting your child a passport - it is a gift that will have value for their whole life.  Yes, a minor's passport has to be renewed more often, yes it is a bit expensive, etc.  It is worth it.  Most parents don't think twice about blowing that same amount of money on a couple of video games that they won't even play in a year.  There is so much value to having a passport.

2 hours ago, Ryan79 said:

Trust me, they will find you WELL before you go to bed that first night 

Not necessarily, Oasis in May - my son and daughter in law never saw their cabin steward until the afternoon of day 2.  Balcony cabin.

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

There's a popular TA who posts lots of YouTube videos of ships, cabins, etc. He's like 6'4" or 6'5" and in EVERY cabin video he steps into the shower and mentions how even he can fit. It's almost a running joke at this point. Look up "Harr Travel" to see him in cabins, that might help give you an idea.

But of course, if you actually need a TA, use the wonderful MEI Travel that sponsors this site.

This was what I thought of as well!   Danny from Harr Travel is 6'6" and he has done tours of every type of cabin. 

My 2 cents.  We did it once and enjoyed it, but we wouldn't pay to do it again.  From what I understand, the 'show' is always the same.  The food was subpar, overcooked/chewy lobster.  Overcooked steak, rubbery shrimp - you get the idea.  Another thing you may wish to consider:  there were 2 of us so we were seated with strangers.  Some of them were definitely not our cup of tea.

19 minutes ago, twangster said:

Just be aware Voom is included in GS on Oasis, Quantum and Icon class only.  

Since you referenced CK you are most likely sailing one of the classes but for future reference, determining your bid or for others reading Voom is not included on other classes of ship in a GS.

Yes, Oasis class.  I was running some numbers trying to decide if we want to put in a bid or not and how much.  I wanted to make sure I could factor in the cost we paid for Voom and also the price we paid for the UDP if we could do dinners in CK.  Thanks!

I've done some searching, but just want to make sure I truly understand.   If we royal up from a JS to GS will we get full access to coastal kitchen (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and the suite lounge?  Also, would we get the VOOM included?  I've seen where you do NOT get the promotions.  Thanks.

On 5/24/2023 at 8:12 AM, ScottD said:

Wow, I have to watch this in small portions because I'm at work, but first question is about Cape Liberty...we are sailing out of there in october for the first time, all of my previous cruises have been Port Canaveral or Miami... everything I have read about NJ was that it was a really smooth embarkation process, from parking all the way to on the ship.  When did you sail from there....and what was the issues? Hoping it's all sorted out when we go since it will be almost the end of the "season" up there.  Anyway- looking forward to the rest of this video, wonder will probably be our next cruise so I'm looking forward to this! 

Just chiming in with my son and daughter in law's recent embarkation at Cape Liberty.  They had a boarding check in time of 10:30.  They were a bit early, parked the car and messaged me when they were ordering their first drinks on the ship - at 10:24.  They said it was the fastest they have ever boarded.  

8 hours ago, twangster said:

TL;DR

Too long; Didn't read?

If that isn't what you meant, I'll gladly apologize.  Normally, I think of you as being incredibly helpful - this, not so much.  Why not just scroll on by? 

I don't think this is too whiny.  It really starts to get old when you are constantly trying to make lemonade out of the lemons you are encountering at every turn.  My son and daughter in law were just on the May 7 sailing of Oasis and they felt the decline was quite noticeable.  We will be on Oasis in October and we are already planning ways to compensate for the shortcomings - junior suite (2x / day service), UDP - I'm not doing that crappy MDR food, etc.  I truly wish they would just give us what we have come to expect and raise the cruise fare.  Yes, I will gladly pay more for my vacation - I am anyway.  But instead, I am now back dooring the cost to get what I want.  I would rather just pay it up front than be nickel and dimed to death.

I've been on two cruises since the restart and I think they are allowing the public areas to be warmer as a cost cutting measure.  I found Oasis to be uncomfortably warm (interior, public spaces).  I never think the cabins get cool enough so YMMV.

23 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

Not all beef, some blend. Maybe that's why they suck.

I've never tried one.  That is probably how it is  going to stay lol

Are the hot dogs at the Doghouse all beef?  Or some mystery blend?