tiny blonde

I hope that RCCL WILL settle, to keep this away from a jury and the public eye. Settling is not an admission of guilt or responsibility, it's to keep it out of court and could be seen instead as a large donation to the grieving family. Unfortunately, as a nation we tend to think that the decision of a jury is "the truth," so that if the jury finds for the plaintiff (the parents), the country will say, "See? It was the cruise line's fault!" And RCCL will seal all the windows and install fans instead.
Settling will make the story go away; a trial will put it in front of the nation, which will accept the jury's verdict as "the truth." Juries will identify with the family, because the jury will be made up of people, who have families, and don't own cruise lines. It will be impossible for RCCL to get a jury of its peers. We on this blog all know that it wasn't RCCL's fault, and that accidents happen, and very sadly, that's what this was.
BTW, how else can we show support for RCCL, besides remaining Loyal to Royal?

I turned on the Today show right in the middle of the Weigand segment and could watch only about a minute of it  . .  . . . obviously WAY too soon for them to be facing the public, emotions very raw (reminded me of how I felt in the days/weeks/months following my daughter's death) and THE LAWYER also appeared in the segment (wow, what publicity for him, how else does a lawyer get on the Today show!!), and I was disgusted and turned it off. But what I heard the mom say was word-for-word what the lawyer had said to the press.
I like to believe he approached them, a cruise ship chaser a/o/t an ambulance chaser, and talked them into this. A legal firm offered to work with me, too, after my daughter was killed, but much, much later . . . . but I didn't go forward with it. And no one pushed ME in front of the public, the newspaper and TV news stories took place without me. Are we a nation of voyeurs? 

Thanks, Jane, it's an excellent point. I must admit, it also seems grotesque to be interviewing parents who so recently suffered such a great loss. When my daughter was killed (many years ago), my friends protected me from the press, because I was so dazed with grief. The Weigands' are undoubtedly still stunned and bleeding from their souls and it seems invasive to put them in front of the country at this time, with it so fresh. Could the lawyer be at the source of this? How crass!! On second thought, I don't think I can bear to see them being manipulated in this way.

Thanks, Jane, it's an excellent point. I must admit, it also seems grotesque to be interviewing parents who so recently suffered such a great loss. When my daughter was killed (many years ago), my friends protected me from the press, because I was so dazed with grief. The Weigands' are undoubtedly still stunned and bleeding from their souls and it seems invasive to put them in front of the country at this time, with it so fresh. Could the lawyer be at the source of this? How crass!! On second thought, I don't think I can bear to see them being manipulated in this way.

Thanks, Jane, it's an excellent point. I must admit, it also seems grotesque to be interviewing parents who so recently suffered such a great loss. When my daughter was killed (many years ago), my friends protected me from the press, because I was so dazed with grief. The Weigands' are undoubtedly still stunned and bleeding from their souls and it seems invasive to put them in front of the country at this time, with it so fresh. Could the lawyer be at the source of this? How crass!! On second thought, I don't think I can bear to see them being manipulated in this way.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll try to be at the TV 7 a.m. (which will take some doing, I usually work out at 6:30, will have to make it earlier if I can).

Thank you for posting the link to her obituary. It brings us back to the real issue, which is the family's loss and their sadness. It's heartbreaking.

Finally someone making sense.

Someone mentioned that this attorney has specialized in litigating against cruise lines. My guess is that he jumped on the case and approached the family, convinced them that they were entitled to damages, and offered to represent them. They are so stunned and in such grief that they acquiesced, not knowing what the lawyer would say to the press. Of course his story is nonsense, the cruise line is not responsible for what was poor judgement and an unfortunate accident. All of us who have children can recall a time or two when the child ALMOST had an accident, or had an accident that could have turned out worse than it did . . . . and sometimes the worst happens. We've seen relatives toss the baby into the air and heard their heads bump the ceiling. Parents have accidentally backed the car over their own children, but haven't gone looking for someone to sue, and no one thought for a minute that it was anything other than a tragic accident. In this case, the grandfather's vision may be failing and he thought there was a closed window. Or maybe he thought there was enough distance between the rail and the open window.  Should they be suing his ophthalmologist, then? I don't think so. We just need to support them in their time of grief.

Someone mentioned that this attorney has specialized in litigating against cruise lines. My guess is that he jumped on the case and approached the family, convinced them that they were entitled to damages, and offered to represent them. They are so stunned and in such grief that they acquiesced, not knowing what the lawyer would say to the press. Of course his story is nonsense, the cruise line is not responsible for what was poor judgement and an unfortunate accident. All of us who have children can recall a time or two when the child ALMOST had an accident, or had an accident that could have turned out worse than it did . . . . and sometimes the worst happens. We've seen relatives toss the baby into the air and heard their heads bump the ceiling. Parents have accidentally backed the car over their own children, but haven't gone looking for someone to sue, and no one thought for a minute that it was anything other than a tragic accident. In this case, the grandfather's vision may be failing and he thought there was a closed window. Or maybe he thought there was enough distance between the rail and the open window.  Should they be suing his ophthalmologist, then? I don't think so. We just need to support them in their time of grief.

Someone mentioned that this attorney has specialized in litigating against cruise lines. My guess is that he jumped on the case and approached the family, convinced them that they were entitled to damages, and offered to represent them. They are so stunned and in such grief that they acquiesced, not knowing what the lawyer would say to the press. Of course his story is nonsense, the cruise line is not responsible for what was poor judgement and an unfortunate accident. All of us who have children can recall a time or two when the child ALMOST had an accident, or had an accident that could have turned out worse than it did . . . . and sometimes the worst happens. We've seen relatives toss the baby into the air and heard their heads bump the ceiling. Parents have accidentally backed the car over their own children, but haven't gone looking for someone to sue, and no one thought for a minute that it was anything other than a tragic accident. In this case, the grandfather's vision may be failing and he thought there was a closed window. Or maybe he thought there was enough distance between the rail and the open window.  Should they be suing his ophthalmologist, then? I don't think so. We just need to support them in their time of grief.

Someone mentioned that this attorney has specialized in litigating against cruise lines. My guess is that he jumped on the case and approached the family, convinced them that they were entitled to damages, and offered to represent them. They are so stunned and in such grief that they acquiesced, not knowing what the lawyer would say to the press. Of course his story is nonsense, the cruise line is not responsible for what was poor judgement and an unfortunate accident. All of us who have children can recall a time or two when the child ALMOST had an accident, or had an accident that could have turned out worse than it did . . . . and sometimes the worst happens. We've seen relatives toss the baby into the air and heard their heads bump the ceiling. Parents have accidentally backed the car over their own children, but haven't gone looking for someone to sue, and no one thought for a minute that it was anything other than a tragic accident. In this case, the grandfather's vision may be failing and he thought there was a closed window. Or maybe he thought there was enough distance between the rail and the open window.  Should they be suing his ophthalmologist, then? I don't think so. We just need to support them in their time of grief.

Someone mentioned that this attorney has specialized in litigating against cruise lines. My guess is that he jumped on the case and approached the family, convinced them that they were entitled to damages, and offered to represent them. They are so stunned and in such grief that they acquiesced, not knowing what the lawyer would say to the press. Of course his story is nonsense, the cruise line is not responsible for what was poor judgement and an unfortunate accident. All of us who have children can recall a time or two when the child ALMOST had an accident, or had an accident that could have turned out worse than it did . . . . and sometimes the worst happens. We've seen relatives toss the baby into the air and heard their heads bump the ceiling. Parents have accidentally backed the car over their own children, but haven't gone looking for someone to sue, and no one thought for a minute that it was anything other than a tragic accident. In this case, the grandfather's vision may be failing and he thought there was a closed window. Or maybe he thought there was enough distance between the rail and the open window.  Should they be suing his ophthalmologist, then? I don't think so. We just need to support them in their time of grief.

Someone mentioned that this attorney has specialized in litigating against cruise lines. My guess is that he jumped on the case and approached the family, convinced them that they were entitled to damages, and offered to represent them. They are so stunned and in such grief that they acquiesced, not knowing what the lawyer would say to the press. Of course his story is nonsense, the cruise line is not responsible for what was poor judgement and an unfortunate accident. All of us who have children can recall a time or two when the child ALMOST had an accident, or had an accident that could have turned out worse than it did . . . . and sometimes the worst happens. We've seen relatives toss the baby into the air and heard their heads bump the ceiling. Parents have accidentally backed the car over their own children, but haven't gone looking for someone to sue, and no one thought for a minute that it was anything other than a tragic accident. In this case, the grandfather's vision may be failing and he thought there was a closed window. Or maybe he thought there was enough distance between the rail and the open window.  Should they be suing his ophthalmologist, then? I don't think so. We just need to support them in their time of grief.

As @twangster has previously said the glass goes all the way to deck level so there was absolutely no need to lift her up onto the railings. She could have happily looked out the glass and banged on it at deck level with no consequence.
I will say I don't believe the grandfather was "dangling" her through the open window as I just don't believe any grandparent would ever do that. Clearly he is very distraught over what has happened as anyone would be. Apart from the tragedy he is facing, having the world talking about you like this must be unbearable.
I have a lot of sympathy for him, as we all at one time or another make really bad decisions that we regret later, its just for most of us they aren't fatal.
I am sure there is not a second that goes by that he doesn't wish that he didn't make a different course of action.
Do I think RCI is negligent, no, but I can understand how the family and grandfather are trying to make sense of such a tragedy on what should have been a joyous family holiday.
In this age of living in a social media world where people are quick to condemn,, it is easy to forget that is actually real people with a grandfather and family going through a terrible loss.
In hindsight it was a terrible choice that was made, I am sure the grandfather would give anything to turn back time, but unfortunately life doesn't work that way and he will have to live with this for the rest of his life. That is a terrible burden to bear 
 

Here's the thing -- life is dangerous and terrible, awful accidents happen.  And the awful, horrible things that happen can be just unimaginably painful and impossible to ever forget.  Reality, however, is that most of the time, these awful, horrible things really are just plain accidents.  There are not bad actors.  Royal Caribbean cannot create a cruise ship without windows that anyone would want to cruise on in the Southern Caribbean.  That area of the world is just plain hot.  If every area on a cruise ship were indoors, no one would cruise.  Outdoor areas require air circulation and a breeze or they become unbearable.  Thus, the pool deck of ships needs to be outdoors and it needs windows and fresh area.  There is no alternative.  Similarly, most of us want access to open air balconies, because being indoors on a cruise ship stinks and being outdoors without a breeze is miserable.
On the other hand, all of us do stupid things occasionally.  Who hasn't done something stupid like accidently not noticing a stop sign or a red light?  Who hasn't failed to notice a car in the lane next to us when changing lanes? Who hasn't lost track of a toddler for a couple of minutes at some point? All of us experience moments of distraction where we accidently engage in conduct that could cause an accident.  In almost all instances, our momentary lapses do not result in harm to us or anyone else.  In rare and awful cases, absolute tragedy results.  
Here, one possible scenario is that grandpa got on a ship.  A lot is going on and he focused on many different distractions at once.  He puts his granddaughter on his lap as he always does, and she stands up to look out over the rail.  Or he unthinkly, out of habit, stands her up on the rail as he always does and just for a brief second does not recongnize the danger of the open window and she is gone.  It is horrible and beyond tragic.  It is something too awful for anyone to contemplate.  But, it is not something for which either ship or granddad should be blamed.  
I took my eye off my five year old one day while we were swimming in a placid swimming hole I thought was safe.  I two seconds, my little boy was taken by a current I never saw or recognized over 20 foot dam.  He went over the waterfall, came up, and managed to hold onto a fallen tree until we could get to him and he was fine.  For the rest of my life, however, I will relive the horror of that moment and I will never, ever overcome the guilt of not recognizing the danger of that swimming area.  But, blaming me for my negligence would not help anyone.  It might make folks feel better about the safety of their own kids.  But, really, life is dangerous.  And every once in awhile, horrible accidents happen.  My deepest sympathy is with this family. 
The attorney, however, I hold the attorney in absolute contempt.

All accounts and photos, including the statement from their attorney, refer to the chest high window(s) as shown in the screen capture. Their attorney stated the child was lifted up and placed on the railing just prior to falling out of the open window. Here is the quote from their attorney and the source:
"Essentially her grandfather lifts her up and puts her on a railing and where he thinks that there is glass there because it's clear, but it turns out there was no glass there," he said. "She goes to bang on the glass like she would have at one of those hockey rinks, and the next thing you know, she's gone."
https://www.today.com/news/family-toddler-who-fell-cruise-ship-speaks-out-about-cause-t157908
I'm still very confused over how one can assume there is glass in an opening that is "clear" when the entire glass wall on Deck 11 is clearly tinted green.

We use this. I don’t like the pill cases because we’ve dropped them and had them pop open and end up with pills everywhere.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027RWNN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A nice mid-range DSLR camera is a great choice, but it's extra bulk to take around.  It takes more time, but I find the quality of those photos to stand out.  For capturing sweeping vistas, family photos, it's the kind of camera that gives that satisfying, crisp photo.
The iPhone camera is quite good in its own right and so much more convenient.
I think it really boils down to how serious you want to get with photography.  Unlike 10 years ago, a DSLR camera is not absolutely necessary for good photos. You can definitely get by with an iPhone and capture great shots. In fact, most photographers would tell you it's less about the hardware you have than the techniques you use.

I just use my phone...I have an iPhone XS Max.  I think it takes awesome pictures.  It's the only thing I use my phone for while on a cruise. It's in airplane mode the whole time.

Thanks, Matt. This being our first cruise, I think we'll pass on The Key and see whether we wish we had it. I doubt we will. Under 300 days to go! 'Waiting for our renewed passports to arrive in the mail. I'm really happy to have this to look forward to! This is the magnet photo that will be on our cabin door, taken on our wedding day, 16 years ago this month. That's my U.S. Navy veteran who believes he never wants to set foot on a ship again. . . .  but he doesn't want me to go alone (Yeah, sure!). ? 

Thanks, Matt. This being our first cruise, I think we'll pass on The Key and see whether we wish we had it. I doubt we will. Under 300 days to go! 'Waiting for our renewed passports to arrive in the mail. I'm really happy to have this to look forward to! This is the magnet photo that will be on our cabin door, taken on our wedding day, 16 years ago this month. That's my U.S. Navy veteran who believes he never wants to set foot on a ship again. . . .  but he doesn't want me to go alone (Yeah, sure!). ? 

Thanks, Matt. This being our first cruise, I think we'll pass on The Key and see whether we wish we had it. I doubt we will. Under 300 days to go! 'Waiting for our renewed passports to arrive in the mail. I'm really happy to have this to look forward to! This is the magnet photo that will be on our cabin door, taken on our wedding day, 16 years ago this month. That's my U.S. Navy veteran who believes he never wants to set foot on a ship again. . . .  but he doesn't want me to go alone (Yeah, sure!). ? 

Thanks, Matt. This being our first cruise, I think we'll pass on The Key and see whether we wish we had it. I doubt we will. Under 300 days to go! 'Waiting for our renewed passports to arrive in the mail. I'm really happy to have this to look forward to! This is the magnet photo that will be on our cabin door, taken on our wedding day, 16 years ago this month. That's my U.S. Navy veteran who believes he never wants to set foot on a ship again. . . .  but he doesn't want me to go alone (Yeah, sure!). ? 

Thanks, Matt. This being our first cruise, I think we'll pass on The Key and see whether we wish we had it. I doubt we will. Under 300 days to go! 'Waiting for our renewed passports to arrive in the mail. I'm really happy to have this to look forward to! This is the magnet photo that will be on our cabin door, taken on our wedding day, 16 years ago this month. That's my U.S. Navy veteran who believes he never wants to set foot on a ship again. . . .  but he doesn't want me to go alone (Yeah, sure!). ?