BrianB

Soft pillows, blanket, ice…extra hangers (especially on b2b)…occasionally a mattress topper if needed.

That’s my main concern with some of these ‘brand’ cards. It sounds good when they extol the benefits of using their card, but in reality, getting the benefits can be a challenge. There should be a quick, seamless application of points toward a purchase without having to waste time making a phone call. If it’s not convenient and easy…then it’s not an attractive alternative to all the other cards with benefits. Just my opinion.

I was on that sailing also and enjoyed the CK. I agree the setup could be better, I mean what’s with the two level tables? At least they didn’t seat anyone above me or I would have felt like I was sitting at the kiddie table during Thanksgiving dinner. Too bad they couldn’t combine the lounge with the restaurant like on the Oasis…it’s a bit of a hike to get to the lounge all the way aft on deck 12. The view from the lounge is great, but the location is inconvenient and out of the way. The ambiance and the view in the CK are both very nice…the food and service were excellent. I asked for a dessert that wasn’t on the menu and they sent someone down to the MDR to get it. When I asked why they didn’t just step into the Windjammer next door, they said because it’s made fresh in the MDR kitchen. Nice touch! I’m looking forward to the rigatoni with sausage tomorrow night!

My FCC story is a bit different. I booked a cruise months ago on the Anthem leaving this Sunday. I paid for the deposit with Amex and used three separate FCCs for much of the balance, the remainder to be paid by Amex. Since I booked it…the price had dropped and I re-priced it, receiving the lower price. As I had yet to make final payment at that time, the final payment was reduced and then I subsequently paid it off with Amex. Meanwhile, with the double points promotion, I passed the 350 point mark so I called C&A to get yet another re-price taking advantage of the solo cruiser supplement reduction. The difference was about $1,200 to be returned to me as another FCC…understandable because that was the bulk of my payment. Then, I submitted bids to RoyalUp and a couple days ago, I was notified that my bid was accepted and my Amex was charged. Today, I reviewed my booking and found a balance due of $156. I’m sure that would cause a problem at the terminal. When I called and explained (yet another very nice, helpful agent) I went through the seemingly obligatory thirty-five minute holding period (can they PLEASE change the commercial while on hold!) while she and her ‘colleagues’ worked on it. Eventually she came back and told me that the $1,200 will not be refunded as an FCC, but to my credit card as cash. Also, the balance due was a ‘glitch’ in the computer and they would work on removing it. But, just in case, the supervisor added a note to the reservation indicating that there was zero due. Fingers crossed I get aboard Sunday without this being an issue. This ‘managing my bookings’ stuff is hard work…but well worth it! ****Update Sat Dec 11…my reservation now shows -0- balance…and the $156 has been refunded to my Amex. Now just waiting for the remainder. At least I won’t be nervous checking in at the terminal!

Sorry, I should have been clearer…not 150% off (which would be great!)…but a 50% reduction on the double occupancy price. “Single supplement reduced to 150% from 200%”…cabins are sold double occupancy so solos have to pay for two. Exception is for the solo cabins where there is only one person…but the demand for them is usually pretty high, so the price goes up. Plus, taxes and port fees are for only one person. It’s pretty sweet to have that reduction combined with the sales such as 60% off second guest…or 30% off each.

Due to physical distancing protocols…ships have been limiting the amount of people allowed in the pools at one time. Same with the hot tubs. On the Anthem, the pool was roped off with just one opening so that the lifeguard could control how many people entered. As someone left, someone else could enter. They need to start re-evaluating that policy as they increase passenger load.

Don’t forget to keep checking the prices. I have submitted RoyalUp bids and then watched as the price for the category I wanted dropped low enough over time for me to cancel the bid and just pay for the upgrade. This way I got to choose my cabin and received the extra points. Just sayin’…

The biggest tip here is don’t forget to enable airplane mode before sailaway! …then turn on WiFi. What I do is make sure whoever may need to contact me knows I’m on WiFi only…so text, email or Messenger. I’m an Androider (new word?) so I don’t have FaceTime…but Messenger video works just as well. WhatsApp…not so well for me. I let people know there may be some delay because sometimes the ship's WiFi can go down occasionally, so be patient. Sometimes it’s not the same instant connection as on land. I know my carrier has Travel and International options but I’m okay with just the WiFi. For me…usually it’s best to just disconnect and enjoy the now!

I’m D+… I never bid the highest, just what I’m comfortable with at the time. Usually at the lower end of the scale. I think I was just lucky with the first one because that was Anthem’s first cruise after returning from the UK and the first day was removed making it just a six day cruise, so there may have been some cancellations. For Sunday’s cruise…also luck. I bid the lower end again and don’t know why I got it. There must have been lots of availability and they awarded bids on the higher cabin categories, freeing up mine. Keep trying! Good luck!

$73.50 a night is a bit steep. Maybe if it was $73 even, I’d jump all over that!

Received the email that my RoyalUp bid was successful. From JS to Owner’s Suite. The cruise is on the Anthem from Bayonne NJ on December 12…so, five days from embarkation day. The last time I was notified of a successful bid was on Nov 5th for the Anthem sailing on Nov 8th…so, three days out. Yay!

In my case…being solo it’s just one price, and one device is fine…I switch between my phone and iPad. Priority embarkation makes a big difference for me…I am pretty much guaranteed my specialty dining reservation times because I’m onboard early…plus the Chops lunch. Carry on drop off and delivery is convenient. But I don’t use the Flow Rider or Rock Wall reserved times. It makes sense for me to jump on a cheap Key price especially if it’s just a couple dollars more than getting WiFi for the cruise which I would get anyway.

Self assist early walk off is the first to leave the ship after clearance from local authorities. That’s where you have all of your luggage with you and need no assistance. It depends on the time that the ship arrives in port which is usually early in the morning…as long as there are no delays. On the Anthem in Bayonne, we usually start disembarking between 6:30 and 7:00.

Can’t wait to get back to Canada cruising from Bayonne. Halifax is great…even just walking off the ship and touring the terminal with it's displays on the history of immigration into Canada. Then a stroll along the waterfront…great restaurants, shopping…they have a fully restored WW2 convoy escort corvette, the HMCS Sackville that you can tour. There’s also the CSS Acadia, a restored survey ship which is the only ship to survive the Halifax explosion. Near the end of the Boardwalk is the Maritime museum. Big, sprawling and lots of exhibits and videos about the Titanic and the Halifax Harbor explosion. Another stroll inland and there are more great restaurants and pubs (my usual is The Old Triangle Ale House for lunch)…and a little further is the Citadel. A restored fort on top of a huge hill overlooking the harbor where they do military life re-enactments. Yeah, I’m a history buff. That’s just some of the things to do in the area of the terminal. There are also plenty of excursions. By the way…the locals are great!

I’m on Anthem now…boarded Nov 28 with the Key. No room service or 25% dining discount. But Chops lunch was great. Carry-on drop off was easy. There was signage for the Key at the terminal entrance, but because there was no line at all when I arrived at 11:30, everyone was just being waved in. There is no early entry for the shows at the Royal Theater or Two70, doors open 45 mins pre-show and anyone with a reservation is welcomed. Key times for the Flow Rider and the Rock wall only. No Northstar or iFly. There is no priority disembarkation for early self-assist walk-off. Just have to stand in the regular line waiting for clearance after the ship arrives. Sit down Key breakfast and Choice Departure is offered and there is the Key luggage area in the customs hall.

Yes. Always good to have back up kits. Some have been found to be defective after the monitor instructs opening them…such as the little bottle is dry. Some people made mistakes while taking the test, like dropping the card off-screen…and the test was invalidated. But as long as you have another kit, the same proctor will just start over during the same session. There are also some who lost wifi mid-test and again, that test was invalidated. I consider having back up kits like having insurance…you never know if you’re going to need it, but it’s there!

Royal has a link www.chargerback where you can report an item lost onboard the ship after you have disembarked. Is that the process your wife used? If so, good to know it works as intended.

Good question. I always thought they needed to provide CBP with a passenger manifest no more than 48hrs prior to sailing. I’m on the Anthem now…I went to the web page and was able to put in my info and found available rooms for tomorrow’s seven night sailing. A studio balcony for $408 and balcony cabins for $563. I can’t pull the trigger because I’m coming back next week and that would be crazy…even for a full blown Cruisaholic like me!

I’m on the Anthem now…I just checked at guest services. Pre-pandemic, Key members doing self-assist would meet at the Excursions desk right across from the gangway and would be escorted off the ship as soon as we were cleared…before anyone else. But now…apparently due to physical distancing protocols…that’s been done away with. They don’t want us to line up at the Excursions desk. So on Sunday we’ll just come down early with our luggage and add ourselves to the self-assist walk-off line. I guess being in that long line is safer than being in the shorter Key line. …things that make you go ‘huh?’

As we have learned many times before....if at first you don't get the answer you want, try try again!

I'm guessing the scenario is one person in the party tests positive due to a recent recovery. That would probably be the result of a PCR rather than an Antigen test. I think even if the PCR is positive for the recent recoverer (?? new word) the others could go. Provided they don't share the info and the positive tester is a no-show. Still a difficult choice that I wouldn't want to make.

I'm not a scientist or a statistician but...I've been following the CDC Cruise Ship Color Status page for quite a while, as I'm sure many of us have, and what's pretty apparent to me is... Regardless of vaccination policy, each line has had, and still has, sailings with covid cases aboard. Even cruise lines with 100% crew and passengers being vaccinated. Some are orange and some yellow...depending on the percentage of covid cases to total passengers. However, none have reached red status. This means every ship has been able to handle however many cases have presented...and successfully prevented widespread infection...without overtaxing their medical facilities. It seems most cases are breakthrough in vaccinated individuals and are presented with mild symptoms. I still feel cruising is safe...safer than being home and mingling with people at various businesses and venues. So, for me...I'll protect myself by booking more cruises!

Thanks for posting this. Sorry you went through it and glad it worked out without any ongoing serious medical issues. Good to see Allianz works as advertised. Insurance is a must have!

I took photos of all the available items in the Unboxed machines on the Oasis and you’re right…there is no OTC pain/fever medication. But…I guess that’s makes sense. If anyone develops symptoms requiring Tylenol or similar (fever, body aches, chills, etc) they would want them to report these symptoms to medical…and not self-treat. They can then test and give OTC symptom-relievers.

Solo in a suite is three points…double is six. My seven night cruises give me forty two points each. It’ll be rough on you leaving him behind, but…Do what ya gotta do!