BrianB

I wonder how many US cities would have areas with Level 4 Warnings if the State Department was able to apply their metrics to those locations…🤔

I was shocked at the cost for sailing on Enchantment.  I have friends who are sailing on her 6-22-24 and I thought about going along but 7 nights on that crap ship was over $5K (JS) !  ...even more once you added in grats.  No f'ing way !  

It looks like the majority of the incidents involve gangs targeting each other.
A concerning part is that these attacks have spread from the overnight hours into the daytime…more brazen. Therefore the possibility exists that they could also spread from their local neighborhoods to more touristy areas.
It makes sense to issue the warning. Although non-residents do not seem to be targeted, being caught in a cross-fire between two armed groups during the day could be what they are concerned about.
Be aware of your surroundings…everywhere you go.

That’s what happens when fat fingers type and I fail to proof read.  🤣

Sorry, Patty.  I can't resist...
I have a mental image of the bartenders marching around the bar with signs saying, "WE WANT TIPS...WE WANT TIPS".
 

I also tip cash per drink. 
I get the free drinks with my loyalty status and also free drinks in the casino. So there is no automatic gratuity added. 

I haven’t been given a receipt to sign or a copy showing how many loyalty drinks are remaining. Sometimes I’ll just ask and they’ll tell me. 
Occasionally I’ll notice a discrepancy where I know I had more drinks than what the computer shows…so I’m assuming some refills were not applied. 

I don’t drink much (or enough???🤔) and never use the full amount of loyalty drinks. 
So I tip cash each time. Most times the bartenders will put it in a tip container to share. Very rarely do I see them pocket it. Sometimes while sitting at a bar I’ll see the servers come to make drinks and place the tips they received into the tip jar. I guess they decide among themselves how to share.
After the first tip…from then on my drinks always have a ‘healthy’ pour.

I also tip cash per drink. 
I get the free drinks with my loyalty status and also free drinks in the casino. So there is no automatic gratuity added. 

I haven’t been given a receipt to sign or a copy showing how many loyalty drinks are remaining. Sometimes I’ll just ask and they’ll tell me. 
Occasionally I’ll notice a discrepancy where I know I had more drinks than what the computer shows…so I’m assuming some refills were not applied. 

I don’t drink much (or enough???🤔) and never use the full amount of loyalty drinks. 
So I tip cash each time. Most times the bartenders will put it in a tip container to share. Very rarely do I see them pocket it. Sometimes while sitting at a bar I’ll see the servers come to make drinks and place the tips they received into the tip jar. I guess they decide among themselves how to share.
After the first tip…from then on my drinks always have a ‘healthy’ pour.

Does Rover sleep in the handler's crew room? Does Rover have an on-board vet? Does Rover have her own name tag, ID card, etc. that gets scanned when em"bark"ing and disem"bark"ing?? (see what I did there haha). Is Rover counted as a "person" towards the capacity of a life boat? Does she have her own life jacket?
I have so many questions! In addition to the Captain's Q&A session, they should have Q&A about Rover!
Apologies for me geeking-out. My wife and I love dogs!

My opinion is going to be unpopular but I'll let it fly. Budget for paying for bags. It is an Alaskan cruise. Weather is unpredictable. We traveled in August. Some ports were warm (seattle 90s). Some were rainy, some were cold. Also, give thought to excursions. We had hiking boots we wouldn't normally take on a cruise. We did glaciers and bear watching. Those boots and rain gear were worth it. Even just a quick run to Tracy's Crab Shack, it poured. Plan accordingly. 

My wife and I usually get the Key.  We check our big bags with a porter and usually have carry-ons too.  When it's just my wife and I, we stuff important things like papers and meds in her purse, then drop off the carry-ons in the MDR so we don't have to lug it around.  We usually have our wine and other stuff in our carry-ons that did not fit in the big suitcases, so it is nice to be able to drop it off.  We don't usually pack light because we live close to port and don't fly.
It has changed over the past year -- no more room service with it.  But we do like having a relaxed lunch when we board and breakfast before we leave.  Not having to worry about having a set time for disembarkation really is nice.
We are taking my 3 teens in March for Spring Break and my wife made me buy the Key for everyone.  We were going to get internet for everyone anyway and I got a good deal at $19 per day for the Key.  We will defiantly take advantage of the Key for exclusive times with the Flow Rider, wall climbing, and other activities.  My plan with the kids is to designate one as the "pack mule" and stuff swimsuits into their backpack, and just check all of our other carry-ons on day one.

I'm just here to say I read the title of "drink tipping" like "cow tipping" and my first thought....well that's a waste 🤣
 

I primarily cruise solo.
It’s a business reality that less passengers means less onboard revenue. Everything from drink/dining packages, shops, excursions, casino, onboard activities…etc.
Many solo cruisers are repeat customers who may not spend as much simply because they have already experienced many of the ‘for a fee’ activities and excursions. I don’t need to visit the shops for souvenirs or logo items because I already have them. I don’t treat myself to the Spa or purchase art. I do frequent the casino and play enough to earn certificates that I can apply to future cruises.  Also, I have enough Club Royale points to give me free drinks in the casino. Plus, I also have enough C&A points to enjoy enough free drinks all day so I never have to purchase any. I occasionally eat at specialty restaurants, but I’m paying for just me.
During the restart, we solos were part of the successful come back. I started cruising again as soon as possible. I went through the health policies and protocols…I got vaccinated, and boosted, went and got tested before every cruise, wore my mask everywhere onboard, maintained my vaccine record card and possessed my negative test document. I did everything knowing there was a health risk…and a risk of being quarantined…but I really enjoy cruising and couldn’t wait to get back onboard.
But now…cruising is back completely! Bookings are at an all-time high. Ships are running at or above full occupancy. Demand has allowed the company to continually raise prices over and over. They raise prices on bookings and activities and people keep paying.
They now recognize that one fly in the ointment is solo cruisers taking up space. Space that could be available for doubles or family units. More occupants means more revenue. But if the ship is full…there must be potential revenue sources being turned away.
So the bean counters figure they can make up some of the difference by raising prices for solos. Nothing huge…just enough to offset some of the potential loss. I don’t have to like it but…it is what it is.
Nothing personal…just business.

It's not a glitch. It is well known to TAs that as long as you booked the sailing before the change in November, you can still call and get the old rate grandfathered any time prior to sailing. I am about to call my TA to pre-pay my gratuities for Icon inaugural.

I just called to pre-pay gratuities on an upcoming b2b. I was charged $16 per day.
It appears that if the cruises were booked prior to the November change…and if I pre-pay prior to the sailing…then the previous charge of $16 per day is valid. If I don’t pre-pay…then I’m charged $18 per day onboard.
I didn’t pre-pay on my previous cruises that were booked prior to November but sailed after the November raise and I was charged $18 per day onboard.
I misunderstood the email. I thought if I called to pre-pay prior to the November raise date, only then would I get the $16 charge. Oh well… guess I’ll start pre-paying prior to sailing as virtually all of my pending cruises were booked prior to November.

I just called to pre-pay gratuities on an upcoming b2b. I was charged $16 per day.
It appears that if the cruises were booked prior to the November change…and if I pre-pay prior to the sailing…then the previous charge of $16 per day is valid. If I don’t pre-pay…then I’m charged $18 per day onboard.
I didn’t pre-pay on my previous cruises that were booked prior to November but sailed after the November raise and I was charged $18 per day onboard.
I misunderstood the email. I thought if I called to pre-pay prior to the November raise date, only then would I get the $16 charge. Oh well… guess I’ll start pre-paying prior to sailing as virtually all of my pending cruises were booked prior to November.

I just called to pre-pay gratuities on an upcoming b2b. I was charged $16 per day.
It appears that if the cruises were booked prior to the November change…and if I pre-pay prior to the sailing…then the previous charge of $16 per day is valid. If I don’t pre-pay…then I’m charged $18 per day onboard.
I didn’t pre-pay on my previous cruises that were booked prior to November but sailed after the November raise and I was charged $18 per day onboard.
I misunderstood the email. I thought if I called to pre-pay prior to the November raise date, only then would I get the $16 charge. Oh well… guess I’ll start pre-paying prior to sailing as virtually all of my pending cruises were booked prior to November.

@twangsterMy experience with reaching Pinnacle was the same as your’s. I accumulated 700 points midway through a cruise in February and the Loyalty Ambassador reached out to tell me I was going to be recognized on that cruise. As the Tier Party was on day 2, technically I wasn’t even Pinnacle yet (not for another two days) and the points wouldn’t have been applied until 10-14 days after the cruise…but that was my milestone cruise. I didn’t receive ‘The Box’ with the actual certificate until August.

When I called about two weeks after that cruise, the Pinnacle free cruise certificate was waiting for me in my account and I had no problem applying it to an existing cruise towards a suite. I didn’t need to book a new cruise. I don’t know if that is the current policy or if it was one of those ‘Covid Period Temporary Things’. 
I just made my 1050 milestone last week. Same procedure…my recognition was done on day 2 of the cruise whereas technically I didn’t accumulate the 1050 until midway through the cruise. I’ll wait two weeks and call to see if the free cruise certificate is in my account.

@Yo2slick, where do you have to come from, for the cruise ?  Do you have to fly ?  If so, I would consider the cost of transportation into this equation in addition to the cost of the cruises themselves.  Obviously, if you have to pay big $$ to get here then it might be a better deal to just splurge on the suite and just fly once....unless the 2 cruises you are considering are B2B....then, airfare wouldn't be a concern.

I sail solo, but I had the itch to try the Loft suites on Oasis.
During the restart, when they were trying to get people back to cruising, the CLS prices weren’t that bad…even for a solo…and I really enjoyed them. Very nice having the exclusivity of the Loft deck on Oasis.
I also did the Loft and the one and two bedroom Grand suites on the Anthem.
But, now that the itch has been scratched…I really enjoy my balcony cabins. More than enough room and lots of storage. Plus I choose where I want to be on the ship. Much more convenient.
I’m on team ‘another cruise’!😎

I sail solo, but I had the itch to try the Loft suites on Oasis.
During the restart, when they were trying to get people back to cruising, the CLS prices weren’t that bad…even for a solo…and I really enjoyed them. Very nice having the exclusivity of the Loft deck on Oasis.
I also did the Loft and the one and two bedroom Grand suites on the Anthem.
But, now that the itch has been scratched…I really enjoy my balcony cabins. More than enough room and lots of storage. Plus I choose where I want to be on the ship. Much more convenient.
I’m on team ‘another cruise’!😎

If your current cruise is with a TA you will continue to use then there is no need to do anything.  The cruise will automatically be assigned to them
 if you do not have a TA or want to change them you tell next cruise and they will do a form.  You can name your new TA when booking with next cruise  or you can add your new agent in 30 days.
You have 60 days to book your next cruise booking to keep the Onboard credit (OBC) portion, after 60 days you lose the OBC but the reduced deposit is still good for 10 more months. 

@TessOR Don’t forget the bag of wash and fold laundry is for each leg of the b2b2b…that’s a lot of laundry. But, I’m pretty sure that’s for cruises of five nights or more.
Also, if you want…you can cram lots of stuff in your suitcase or packing cubes without worrying about wrinkles if you want to spend the $17 on the first day for the Express Press service. Again, pretty sure that’s for cruises of five nights or more. They’ll press your things overnight. Just remember you’re limited to ten items in the bag. I usually send out my nice shirts. Beats trying to carefully fold and pack after ironing them at home. They do a good job and come back nicely pressed on hangers. Also, some cruisers have commented about having very good results with Downey Wrinkle Release spray.
I also have some nice wrinkle free clothes that I use for cruising. Nice shorts and polo shirts that I just shake out and they’re fine. Even if I need to rinse them out, they dry quickly.
Don't forget the most important thing to pack; patience and a good attitude. You’ll be on a cruise! Enjoy!😎

We've used the laundry bag program on almost every cruise we have been on.  It has it's limits, but somehow, in my head, I never considered that hubby can have his OWN bag.  I also pack clothes that do not need ironing.  I traveled in my career a lot and long ago found fabrics that do well packed!  Thanks everyone for the great ideas. 105 days to go - buy who's counting?

@TessOR Don’t forget the bag of wash and fold laundry is for each leg of the b2b2b…that’s a lot of laundry. But, I’m pretty sure that’s for cruises of five nights or more.
Also, if you want…you can cram lots of stuff in your suitcase or packing cubes without worrying about wrinkles if you want to spend the $17 on the first day for the Express Press service. Again, pretty sure that’s for cruises of five nights or more. They’ll press your things overnight. Just remember you’re limited to ten items in the bag. I usually send out my nice shirts. Beats trying to carefully fold and pack after ironing them at home. They do a good job and come back nicely pressed on hangers. Also, some cruisers have commented about having very good results with Downey Wrinkle Release spray.
I also have some nice wrinkle free clothes that I use for cruising. Nice shorts and polo shirts that I just shake out and they’re fine. Even if I need to rinse them out, they dry quickly.
Don't forget the most important thing to pack; patience and a good attitude. You’ll be on a cruise! Enjoy!😎

I booked one of the Sky Class Junior Suites in the Suite Neighborhood as soon as booking opened. There’s only eight of them on the ship. I’m sailing solo and was able to book the same suite back to back. The price was, in my opinion, very reasonable…especially for a new ship with such an iconic roll out (see what I did there.😁).
Im looking now and I see so many lower category cabins are priced even higher than what I paid. I’m thinking some bean counter is kicking themself in the butt for originally pricing it so low!