CruisingOz

10 hours ago, Seafarer said:

My wife and I will also be doing the same itinerary. There is a couple from another blog who is also looking to share transportation.

Found this site on a different thread a few minutes ago. 

We plan to depart Miami at 9:00 am. Our check-in is at 10:30 am up in FTL. If you'd like, I can call and get pricing details for six people.

@Seafarerthat would be great if you could dp that, we would appreciate it. We are more than happy to share and travel with others who know the lay of the land. Also a great way to meet new people. We are also checked in at 10.30 on Odyseey and were thinking of a 9.00am debark. So you are aware, we will have four full size suit cases as we are travelling for a few weeks, and are happy to pay extra because of this. Please let me know if you wish for more details from us.  

30 minutes ago, Seafarer said:

My wife and I will also be doing the same itinerary. There is a couple from another blog who is also looking to share transportation.

Found this site on a different thread a few minutes ago. 

We plan to depart Miami at 9:00 am. Our check-in is at 10:30 am up in FTL. If you'd like, I can call and get pricing details for six people.

@Seafarerthat would be great if you could dp that, we would appreciate it. We are more than happy to share and travel with others who know the lay of the land. Also a great way to meet new people. We are also checked in at 10.30 on Odyseey and were thinking of a 9.00am debark. So you are aware, we will have four full size suit cases as we are travelling for a few weeks, and are happy to pay extra because of this. Please let me know if you wish for more details from us.  

Hello RCB Community, we are doing a S2S from the Symphony to Odyessy on the same day, so debark and embark, and wondering the best option to travel with two people with four suitcases from the Port of Miami to the port at Fort Lauderdale. We from Australia, so being unfamilar with transport options are thinking of simply using a cab. I have downloaded the Lyft app and and we use Uber sometimes in Sydney, so I would imagine it will be the same app state side. Should we pre-book transportation. We would appreciate some local tips for a smooth morning. Thank you in advance.

Yes, same as final payment which was 30 days for us

Same with us for our Feb 5th Symphony. Called Royal and they had no idea except to try in a day of two

5 minutes ago, CHRIS WONG said:

Slight situation onboard Odyssey right now

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, all the best Chris, take care and stay safe. 

Ours were just made available at 20 days along with out eDoc. Also the language tab holders are fantastic and highly recommend them

What we like about the Odyssey. We would love to be on her now, we can not wait until February. 

We have had both recent checkin open around 11.30pm NY/Miami time, which is 2.30pm Sydney time. Luck us, we don't have to stay up or get up early. Got to be some perks for living down under, apart from living in the best country in the world, of course. 

We just received our Royal Up email for our upcoming Odyssey 12th Feb cruise and when I checked a mock booking, all the suites are sold out, so why bother sending an email, there is no point. 

58 minutes ago, not easy being green said:

Star Class, we look at the price of what we paid for the drink package, internet and any specialty dinning that we had planned then that makes the bidding a bit easier

@not easy being green that is a fantasic way to do it. So obvious but we never thought like this. We will add up the cost of what we paid for the various items and factor that into the bid. If we win we can cancel the cruise planner purchases. Thank you got a great suggestion

With the Royal Up, they are offering suites with are sold out. We tend to do a mock booking to see what is really available before considering a bid. To date have not made any offers as are happy with the cabin types and locations we have booked but will try the Royal Up on an upcoming Odyssey and Freedom sailing and see. I won't bid much so doubt I will snag a bargain but with the change in procols, people may cancel. 

With the Voyager I guess it is all about perception. We really liked the amplification and thought it was nicer than the Explorer previous season. We did the first cruise out of Sydney, so just after its sailing from Singapore, and we thought it smelt new. New carpet and paint and many areas seemed fresh and clean. It had that new ship smell, lol. We loved the addition of the slides and despite our age, we were big kids. 

We hated the fact that the Diamond lounge was moved and it was now the Suite lounge, as this was a great indoor/outdoor hangout of an evening pre-dinner. We had a GS on one sailing so made friends with the concierge and sneakly went into the lounge on later sailings as she never questioned it. It may have been the initial tip.

So we would happily sail on her again.   

@rjweber3do you know of anyone who had pre cruise time in Barbados. Wondering if they had to have another PCR test prior to the terminal checkin.  

8 minutes ago, GaryAA said:

Oz, are you still on the February 5th cruise on the Symphony? We will be on that cruise in a GS.

@GaryAAYes we are doing a B2B and Feb 5th will be our second leg. Look forward to meeting you, see you in the lounge.

I just received an email from Royal, so assuming you will receive the same. Part of the email is about testing. My interpretation is we will not need a test within a time frame as we enter Barbados with a PCR test and present that at the terminal whee will will need to take the antigen test at the terminal. Would you agree that if we are in Barbados for five dosed then I simply present the PCR test from entry on Tuesday and so no need to book a test within three days of boarding. would you read it this way? I wish I could call someone. 

• Testing Requirements

Required Pre-Arrival and Pre-Cruise Testing

Testing is required to enter Barbados and to board the ship. These requirements vary depending on guests’ age and vaccination status.

PCR Testing

• • All travelers age 5 and older require a negative PCR COVID-19 test result to fly into Barbados regardless of vaccination status. The test must be taken within the 3 days before the day you fly into the country. You must upload the result to Barbados’ online Immigration/Customs Form, and show it to authorities upon arriving. Learn more about island entry requirements at Visit Barbados
  • Unvaccinated guests age 2 to 11 must show a negative PCR COVID-19 test result at the cruise terminal for a test taken no more than 3 days before the day you board the ship. If timed properly, the same PCR test result provided for entry into Barbados can satisfy this requirement.

Additional Antigen Testing

• • All Royal Caribbean guests age 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status, will take an COVID-19 antigen test at the terminal prior to boarding the ship. Royal Caribbean’s test provider will administer these, at no cost to our guests. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

Guests under 2 years of age do not have any testing requirements to board the ship.

—————————————————————–
Required Testing to Debark in Barbados

All Royal Caribbean guests age 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status, will require a complimentary COVID-19 antigen test provided by Royal Caribbean’s test provider to re-enter Barbados. In most cases, this test could also satisfy re-entry requirements into guests’ home country. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your country’s specific requirements prior to traveling. More information on this test will be provided once onboard.

1 hour ago, jansplan said:

Come on.....people go skiing there when it is Canada's summer!

Yes sure, in the Snowy Mountains, but even there, there are days where we would ski in a t-shirt. The average at night is 23F and day 42F in the winter in the mountains. Sydney winter average is 49F at night and 65F during the day. I wear shorts all year around. If I lived in Tasmania, then yes it gets cold. 

26 minutes ago, jansplan said:

from Canada

@jansplanWe love Canada, such a beautiful country but I can not imagine the cold and so fully understand your need to thaw out. We have flown into JFK in late January one year totally unprepared. If you have ever watched the movie Cool Running with the Jamacian bobsled team scene when they arrived at the Canadian Winter Olympics, we were those people, at the terminal doors with our luggage bags open throwing on random clothes to layer up, lol.  Thanks for the sales at Macy's where we bought coats which we can only wear overseas, Australia never gets that cold.    

4 hours ago, twangster said:

The testing doesn't look that bad really

@twangsteryou may be more clued in on the testing. With Barbados, we are flying in and plan to spend five days so we will need another test prior to going to the terminal. Have you seen anything from Royal about which test you are required to present at the terminal prior to the require antigen test pre-boarding. We need to book test in Barbados and with The Australian exchange rate the tests are expensive so wondering of antigen will be okay or go for the PCR. 

This will be our first Sky Class. When the concierge reaches out, what sort of requests can we ask for? Is it okay to ask about show and dinner reservations, or is this best left until we board?

57 minutes ago, twangster said:

I see no reason to assume Grandeur wouldn't do the same for international guests

That was also our concern as we hold an Australian passport but we are not flying home, just back into the US for more cruises. Royal in Australia have no clue, and I can not talk to Royal in the US as they do not recognise my International booking number, so I am relying on the great information the message boards provide. What a great community, thank you

We are confused with which test to take while in Barbados. The Royal email only talks about the PCR test which is required to enter Barbados, but assumes you are flying in a day pr two in advance, so that entry PCR test will suffice. It does not specifically say you need a PCR test, so antigen may be alright. We also have reached out to Royal for claifcation. I think for the sake of a little more money, why take the chance and I am going to book a PCR test for the Friday, allowing enough time to have the results by Saturday for Sunday boarding.  

If you hear back from Royal, please let us know.

Also Puerto Limón, Costa Rica and Cartagena, Colombia shore excursions were cancelled, witinf=g for the refunds and our cruise planner are still not showing any of the options noted in the cancellation emails. We are based in Australia so our system may be different as we work off Royal's International system and not the US system. You would think they would have one system? Are you cruise planners offering any excursions for those two ports or does anyone have any suggestions of what to see and do?   

Absolutely you need travel insurance. This has nothing to do with CWC. Hopefully you will never need to make a claim, but if something does happen, the cost can be huge. Even a simple visit to the medical centre will cost $$$. I have needed to claim when I slipped and fell off a small water fall and broke my nose, fingers and alike. Also I have read recently where a Canadian lady fell ill on a Caribbean cruise with another line, taken to a hospital on an one of the islands and had to have the family back home raise enough funds to have her admitted and as the hospital was small, ultimately had to have her airlifted home. The amount of money which was required to raised was huge and the delays for treatment cost her, her life. If she had travel insurance, she most likely would have been repatriated State side quickly and possibly had the required treatment and survived. Buy travel insurance simply for the peace of mind.    

Hello Community, wondering if anyone has done any shore excursions in these two ports and can recommend a trustworthy business? Royal has cancelled the excursions we had planned and despite an email listing alternatives, the cruise planner site has not been updated, and with the cruise now due to depart in 25 days, I think we will need to look for tours outside of Royal. We will be sailing on the Grandeur departing Jan 9th.  

It is all too hard with the Australian Government at the moment. I will feel a whole lot better when I see a P&O or Carnival ship return in April/May/June. This will mean Royal will sail October and my Transpacific sailing will actually go ahead.