Ditchdoc

Stand on the bow of the ship and yell "I'm the king of the world!"

Humm ... some good tips here already .... let me think ... Don't over pack ... unless you have some really special occasion ... don't try to be formal .... slacks and collard shirt for men ... a nice sun dress for the ladies ... other than that ... T shirts, shorts, swim attire, comfort clothes. Don't forget documents like passports etc. Once you board, you probably wont need them. Don't forget to put your phone in airplane mode to avoid high dollar roaming charges. Take time to explore the ship. I've found rooms, lounges etc I haven't seen after being on board 2 or 3 days. Take time to appreciate the all the work and art they put into Royal ships. Look for alternatives to the Windjammer to eat. A number of sandwich shops and cafe's serve meals/breakfasts that are included and many times they are not as crowded and offer a nice change. The Windjammer is fine, there are just some nice places to eat as alternatives. We usually enjoy dinner in the dinning room. Many times we have met some very nice people at our table. Don't hesitate to order seconds of something you like. Some of my favorites that are served on some nights are prime rib, lobster, hot pie with ice cream .... if you are so inclined .... ask for two ? Often, there is one bar that has a happy hour, or two, just before dinner. Some times specials are listed in the Cruise Compass or ask a crew member. The pool gets crowded in the after noon, specifically on days at sea. Find a spot you like early. Wear sun screen. A walk around the top deck at sun set and sun rise is one of my favorite times. Don't forget your camera. Also walking around the ship in the early morning when few people are out and about is kind of magical to me. There will almost always be a few crew cleaning and shinning glass and chrome and probably some music playing somewhere. It is usually a lot quieter and a good time to take pictures of the many sights around the ship. The days will slip by much too fast and before you know it, you will be packing to go back home. So enjoy everything you can start making plans for the next cruise.

Still planning for early 2023 as per signature . Hopefully a year and a half will be long enough to sort COVID out.

Dont think you would have an issue in most places as long as space and weigh permit you to carry it. I would say one thing. I have used something very similar. Its kind of a lean to or 3 sided wall tent. It provides shade but its crowded, barely allowing two beach chairs to fit, and they block any breeze you might get so they are like sitting in an oven. I would search your favorite online store for "ultra light sun shade" or "tent rain fly" and focus on something that is a "roof" and open on all 4 sides to provide shade and ventilation. This is a bit higher end: https://www.amazon.com/AKASO-Portable-Shelter-Camping-Backyard/dp/B08XMG8XGM/ref=psdc_3258963011_t4_B08YRHY6SF?th=1 Its under 7 pounds and big enough for a family. You can find smaller, cheaper and lighter if you look around. Again, the key is being open all around so it does not get so hot. You will be glad you did.

Generally not an issue. Sea level is sea level. Not much difference from one ocean to the next. Doing a land tour, say from Seaward to Denali, takes place over a few days a and your body has time to adapt. Unless take a helicopter tour to glacier/mountain top I don't think elevation will be an issue. I do remember, several years back, I had a layover in Denver after flying from near sea level. I climbed a couple flights of stairs could have sworn someone sucked all the air out the room. That was a sudden and pretty dramatic change that combined altitude with exercise.

There is an article here that outlines some of the differences. https://www.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbeans-florida-cruise-july-125200634.html In addition RCCL outlines differences here for Freedom of the Seas... https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/are-there-any-experiences-that-are-closed? It becomes apparent that that the exact restrictions/rules will vary a bit from ship to ship since all ships do not have the same venues for dining and entertainment. Perhaps the information is in another forum thread but I was curious as to what kind of controls there might be aboard. For instance, the first articles states UN-vaccinated people will be excluded from the Schooner Bar, the casino and Viking Crown Nightclub among several other locations. How would this be accomplished? Wrist band? Seapass card reader at every door? Security personnel stationed? Honor system? In addition, the Schooner Bar and casino are significant path ways when moving from one part of the ship to another. They are not the only way to get from A to B but again, if you are UN-vaccinated it seems you will be expected to take the 'long way' around. I was surprised at the number of locations UN-vaccinated people will be excluded from. Add the added expense of have to pay out of pocket for additional testing and travel insurance .... even though I understand limiting liability and making people responsible for their decisions ... it seems to me the underlying message is, if you are not vaccinated, don't cruise.

1 from Australia. The US is still trying to figure out what they are doing...or not.

Until FL gets its head out of its butt I just will not be cruising from there. Ill fly to another country that isn't so stupid and makes rational decisions about requiring vaccination on ships.

Good write up by someone on the scene. It gives pretty good insight on what happened and how its being handled. It all sounds pretty straight forward and logical to me with no finger pointing or wouda/shouda/couda. It is what cruises can probably expect in the short term. Who knows in 6 months or a year from now other than it probably will not be the same.

High interest rates and mediocre rewards compared to some cards make this card a poor choice.

I am not a mathematician but I would speculate that: An un-vaccinated person is at much higher risk. Two un-vaccinated people together increases the risk, perhaps exponentially, e.g. the risk goes from 50% to maybe 80 or 90% .... etc. Vaccinated people are at a much lower risk but lower is not 100%. Two vaccinated people together decreases the risk even further to the point its almost 100%. A cruise ship, as has been said by many, is a floating petri dish. You HAVE to consider not just yourself, but other passengers and perhaps more importantly, the crew. Do you want groups of un-vaccinated people, at a much higher risk of being infected, touring the bridge and talking to the Captain, the First Mate, the Navigator, the Chief Engineer etc? These are the people responsible for your safety, for the safety of the ship. True they should all be vaccinated at this point and are reasonably safe. If the opinion is, we are safe because the crew is vaccinated, then the argument becomes 'I don't have to be vaccinated and am safe because of those that are vaccinated therefor I can afford to be be negligent and piggy back off those that are being responsible.'

Well, vaccinated people are pretty much 'virus proof' and get to live a normal life. Those willing to voluntarily show they have been vaccinated may get access to areas closed to those who are not. Those that are not vaccinated take their chances and potentially will have to face the consequences of their decision, what ever that might be. There is your freedom. You get to choose.

Look at rooms on the bow and stern, particularly the corners. They are often unique in some way.

Get vaccinated and the odds of that happening are slim to none.

Its been a few years but we did the equivalent of the current 13 night grand mountain post tour. It was fabulous. After the week long inside passage cruise we were bused to Anchorage then it was a mix of motor coach and luxury dome train to Talkeetena, Denali and Fairbanks. All hotels were excellent. The dome rail cars were fabulous with a dining at one point and a bar. Your luggage was taken care of door to door of your hotels. We held Alaskan sled dog puppies and enjoyed eye candy scenery every day. We saw bears, wolves, elk and moose in Denali. Well versed tour guides kept us entertained and informed every step of the way. It was worth every penny and I would do it again in in a heartbeat.