wstephensi

Plan first cruise without children in 2021.  Both DD's will be in college then.  First vacay without kids in over a decade.

16 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Charleston, SC has had a similar love/hate relationship with cruising.  Obviously, Royal doesn't cruise out of Charleston, but it does call on Charleston from time-to-time (most notably from Bayonne) and there are locals there who despise the cruisers.  I think it's basically the "old money" that is trying to close down Charleston to cruising and it could be the same in KW....I don't know enough about the politics of KW to know who is pushing that agenda.  So those who benefit from cruise $$ are not the same ones who would champion the loss of cruise $$.

Not the old money.  New money is the problem in Charleston.  All those rich Yankees bought up all the houses down town and are afraid their views of the USS York Towne  will be ruined.  Charleston has had a love hate relationship with tourism for a long time.  Take it from me, worked my way through grad school giving carriage tours.  Lived there most my life.  Graduated from The Citadel and MUSC.  Lived down town.  Got old money friends.  Old mayor built the tourist industry from nothing in the '70 to what it is today.  New mayor seems to be trying to reverse Mayor Joe's work. 

Saved over $700 on my Harmony sailing last summer with a military discount.  It was after final payment so it was applied as a well used OBC.  So it pays to check even after final payment.

I have an inside cabin for the kids on our Mariner sailing in Dec.  At my last repricing the booking rep tried to get me to upgrade them to a balcony.  He did not try to get me to upgrade my suite.  I suspect that RCCL may begin to limit inside cabin sales.

Ask a RCCL booking rep or supervisor.  While repricing my cruise last night the booking rep. stated he could combine the FCC for my suite and the DDs' cabin by completing a "form."  It was not what I was after so I ignored it.  Hope this is helpful.

Not seeing on my Aug Mariner sailing.

TIPs in many restaurants started suggesting 18% around the time of the "Great Recession."  The explanation for the increase was that servers deserved an increase in wages.  But if the meals continue to increase then their compensation increases.  15% of $100 is $15.  15% of $120 is $18.  Same service, same time at table, same meal, the server made more money.  I still TIP 15% most of the time.  More for exceptional service, less for terrible service.  

As far as crew is concerned my TIPs are not percentage based so I pay the required/recommended and a little extra cash for good service at the end of the cruise.

Wait.  My professional medical recommendation.  Also my mother in law had back surgery weeks before we were to go on a cruise with her.  We begged her to cancel.  She refused.  The drive down about did her in and she was a mess for the entire cruise, enjoying nothing.  Her pain required many visits to sick bay.

You can have a similar experience by waking up around 0430 or 0500 and walking around the ship.  Dark in many areas and very quiet.

7 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Disney in August ?  Have you lost your mind ?

Looking at proposed COVID precautions in Disney parks.  Trip may not happen.  August is bad enough, but masks and lines with distancing  and no shade.

We have some tickets that expire in Dec. 2020 that Disney has not announced that they plan to extend to 2021.

Going to Disney for 2 days in Aug. Then leaving on a Monday morning to drive to Port Canaveral for a 4 night Mariner cruise.  Driving to Orlando on Friday morning.  Driving back home on the following Friday.  I think this will be fine for me and my family.  Done it the other way around.   Too busy and tiring.  Going to see if this way better.

331 since Harmony of the Seas.

103 until Mariner of the Seas.

None for me either.  August on Mariner.  

Is not the 125% FCC aimed at countering price difference when you rebook?

Allure several years ago was great.  Harmony this past summer, not so much.

One adult per room is correct, but they do make an exception for connecting rooms, non-connecting rooms adjacent to the adults, and rooms across the hall from the adults.

I have booked several cruises with the kids in connecting rooms, adjacent rooms and our next cruise will have the kids across the hall. I have also been required, when the kids were younger, to book with one kid with each parent even in connecting rooms.

That being said at twelve years of age, I would not have placed my children so far away from me.  My youngest would escape from Adventure Ocean when she was younger, I would have hated to see what trouble she would have gotten into if we were not close enough to check on her.

40 minutes ago, Mikeb1892 said:

Thinking of grabbing a cab from the port to Atlantis, explore the resort, then take a private tour of Nassau (that was booked ahead of time with a scheduled pickup at Atlantis).  Any thoughts on this? 

Sounds like a good time.

14 hours ago, Mikeb1892 said:

Will Atlantis arrange our transportation to and from the port? 

No.  That is on you.  Lots of Taxi's at the port and they take you right to entrance.  There is also a water taxi that leaves from close to the port, but the Atlantis dock is a little bit of a walk up to the resort.

You can book a day excursion direct from Atlantis.  I'd book on the Atlantis site prior to your trip. 

I tried to get into the Dig several years ago, but it was sold out on the ship and at the Atlantis box office.

As all my cruising stress is on embarkation day, my recurring cruise "nightmares" deal with getting the family on the ship, children left at the terminal, lost children on the ship, can't find my cabin and watching the ship sail away without me.  Some how this happens all in one dream.

I'm sweating just thinking about those dreams.  

I've done it.  Limited on where you can go and what you can see.   But you can go to shops, casino, and restaurants.

Taxi or ferry.  We have done both.

Not sure you can or should (think safety) walk there.

Love to snorkel CocoCay.  Last visit we were not allowed out past the breakers due to a thunderstorm that took up a position just north of the island in the morning and hung around all day producing periodic lightening.  We were made to get out of the water several times.  But the fish near the breakers were great.  Even saw a stingray in the shallows near the waters edge.  

Yes.  They have several sunken planes and ships with great fish in about 8-10 feet of water about 100 yards off the beach.  Also the rock breakers have great fish as well.

Life guards are on duty.  There are several floats for resting as well.

Gear can be rented on the island.

I have had this problem in the past when booking with RCI.  I ask for a booking supervisor and have him/her override the 4 person issue.  It has always solved the problem.

If you are a suite quest or a Diamond member, check with the respective concierge.  They may be able to help.