Momof4crazytocruise

Just wanted to say Happy New Year to the RCI Blog Community!

What a great resource we have here of like minded cruisers that offer up great advice
and information to everyone.  Thank you to Matt and his team for all they do to keep
all RCI cruise information relevant.

Hope to see some of you on a cruise this year in 2020!  Here's to a Great Year Ahead

Michelle

Of COURSE @twangster would have a balcony cabin on the correct side of the ship to catch this! Thanks for sharing! 

I understand based on news reports one passenger on the Glory was injured.  Thoughts and prayers for that individual.
Here is the video I shot from my balcony on Oasis.
Despite the collision with the Legend, the bridge crew on the Glory did a pretty spectacular job avoiding a collision with the Oasis.  When I first saw the bow of the Glory come into view it was close.  Too close.  It occured to me a collision was highly possible. 
As I was shooting the video I was keeping an eye on the stern of Glory.  It was getting closer.  I knew they couldn't apply a lot of stern thrust to keep the stern off us without driving the bow into the bow of Oasis.  As the bow of Glory began to clear the bow of Oasis I could see them apply stern thrust to avoid impact.  It was a tight near miss and excellent seamanship on their part to avoid a second collision.  
 
The wide angle lens is misleading.  The people on Glory were close.  I could have tossed them a bottle of water.  

View from Oasis
 

Gratuity and Tip are synonymous in the US... Standard restaurant tip is 15%... Great service 18%... RCU charges 18%. You can go to customer service at anytime on the cruise and have them removed.  I count them as extra but necessary like port fees.  The staff are not paid living wages so they do count on them.  We took $200 extra for anove and beyond service tips.  We tipped $25 the first time we saw our cabin steward and wow what service we got.  It was so good we tipped another $25 at the end. We gave extra to our dining staff because they remembered our names and orders every single time. I also had $20 in my pocket every day for various staffers like a buck here or there for great directions and great food and drink servive in the various venues.

I’m sure the family was hoping that they could get the video thrown out, as evidence.  Now, as Twangbot has so skillfully predicted, they will claim jury bias.  Maybe they actually leaked it themselves !

It's a grand conspiracy.  The reality is that modern cruise ships are designed so that they are completely stable even in the roughest of seas.  No  movement whatsoever!  It's the land that's moving after you disembark.  Tectonics theory have yet to explain the phenomenon...
 
 

Just for your knowledge, there are toys (primarily for Aquanauts) but they keep them stored away to prevent them from constantly being taken in and out. Each session in Adventure Ocean is structured with various programming, so if they are doing story time or face painting, the toys aren't out.

I include Lyft/Uber drivers with taxi drivers.  I always tip our ride share drivers.

The good news, is with Royal Caribbean pretty much gratuity is covered for your onboard experience. Auto-gratuity will hit your seapass account to take care of the dining room staff & stateroom attendant. Any purchase you make onboard has 18% auto tip, so you're good there too.
The situations outside of that where tipping is appropriate is....
The porters who take your bags on the ship and off the ship when your cruise is over ($1-$2 per bag) Taxi drivers (depends, but a dollar or two extra is customary) Shore excursion tour guides (I don't have a good rate to share here, it really depends on the tour. Feel free to ask others in the group what they are tipping) Casino (tip the dealer $1-$2 when you are on a winning streak)

It's the one you're fixing to get on! ?

If you travel with someone under 18 for whom you are neither parent nor legal guardian, you must have documentation that they are permitted to travel with you. This is true for grandparents taking a trip with grandchildren but not the sandwich generation as well as for your situation.
Best to have it signed by both parents and notarized.

I've been reading through the VABs, Volcanic Alert Bulletins published by GeoNet.  https://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/vab/
The last VAB issued before the eruption on Dec. 3 can be found here:
https://www.geonet.org.nz/vabs/5gMP3pBjFuQmNOQB89rZT4
It does speak of continued increased levels of activity but it also specifically states:
The level of activity is variable and remains within the range expected for moderate volcanic unrest. While the activity is contained to the far side of the lake, the current level of activity does not pose a direct hazard to visitors. This and the previous VAB contain this notation:
Overall, the monitored parameters continue to be in the expected range for moderate volcanic unrest and associated hazards exist. The monitoring observations bear some similarities with those seen during the 2011-2016 period when Whakaari/White Island was more active and stronger volcanic activity occurred. Observations and data to date suggest that the volcano may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal. That doesn't sound like a definitive statement that an eruption is imminent.  It "may be" entering a period ...
If I was considering taking my family to this island I don't think these VABs would have caused me to reach the conclusion it was not safe.  
On the contrary, these two statements in the most recent VAB before the eruption :
Explosive gas and steam-driven mud jetting continues from the active vent area at the back of the crater lake on Whakaari/White Island. The level of activity at the vent is variable and when in a stronger phase, some material is being deposited about the vent area. This style of activity has been present since late September, although it is occurring more frequently now. No volcanic ash is being produced. The level of activity is variable and remains within the range expected for moderate volcanic unrest. While the activity is contained to the far side of the lake, the current level of activity does not pose a direct hazard to visitors. Put the two together and this sounds like this could be very interesting and educational.  We would be able to see an active volcano bubbling mud occasionally throwing some debris from the vent while it does not pose a direct hazard to visitors.  This style of activity has been present for several months. 
Honestly it sounds safe and like something I would want to do.

My wife and I raised three kids.  All were of legal age when this tragedy happened. 
 
Throughout their youth, We managed to keep all of them from falling out of windows despite never having been made aware of the risk by a frivolous lawsuit. 
 
 

Remember the story a few weeks ago of the woman standing on the balcony railing taking a selfie?
A few days ago I'm eating breakfast in the Windjammer on Oasis.  Over by the Flowrider I see a couple doing a photo shoot with the woman sitting on the railing.  They took several shots over several minutes.  After looking them over she got back up on the railing and took some more.  It's at least 15' down to the deck below.
 
Stupid people do stupid things.  Sometimes they get away with it, sometimes it ends tragically.  
The hand railing is never meant to be a sitting area.
Grandpa did something stupid and a little girl paid for it with her life.  The window didn't kill the child, the grandfather did and he knows it.  It's that simple.

I don't believe that is known at this point.  It was reported that the grandfather doesn't drink alcohol.  That's all we know or has been reported.  To insinuate rumors the parents where rushing off to drink isn't fair or proper at this point.  

Deal approved!
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/12/12/royal-caribbean-agrees-deal-port-of-galveston-build-new-cruise-terminal

I posted this on the TODAY SHOW page:

For anyone considering a cruise to NZ, please please please don't let this tragic incident put you off. I have travelled New Zealand a few times and it is a magical place. I even experienced some earthquake aftershocks (late 2011) and this has not put me off revisiting in the future.
The Kiwis are big of heart, with amazing natural landscapes and a brilliant culture. I look forward to my next trip there and showing my kids around.

Due to the change itinerary RCI is giving passengers a refund of 1 day for their cruise fare.

Ovation left left port this morning with a lot of love and support shown by the local community. There were pciture of people linng the port and hillside that the ship passes on its way out of the harbour with signs of support and love etc 

The thing about this is - I totally would have picked this excursion if I were on that itinerary. Volcanoes are fascinating. I've been up Kilimanjaro twice. It's still active, and there are steam vents. We were repeatedly reassured that it was safe, there was risk involved, but we accepted it. And I would do it again. Yellowstone is amazing. It could blow anytime. It is a risk we accept for adventure. That ship you're on is more at risk of sinking than odds of a volcano eruption during the short period of time you're viewing it. It's a risk, they knew it when they went, but the odds were highly in the direction of safer rather than not, when it comes down to such a short time of exposure. I also cannot predict when a car will crash into mine, or the airplane I am travelling in will crash. But I accept the risk because I cannot control the things I cannot control, and I won't let the fear of the unknown deprive me experiences. 

The thing about this is - I totally would have picked this excursion if I were on that itinerary. Volcanoes are fascinating. I've been up Kilimanjaro twice. It's still active, and there are steam vents. We were repeatedly reassured that it was safe, there was risk involved, but we accepted it. And I would do it again. Yellowstone is amazing. It could blow anytime. It is a risk we accept for adventure. That ship you're on is more at risk of sinking than odds of a volcano eruption during the short period of time you're viewing it. It's a risk, they knew it when they went, but the odds were highly in the direction of safer rather than not, when it comes down to such a short time of exposure. I also cannot predict when a car will crash into mine, or the airplane I am travelling in will crash. But I accept the risk because I cannot control the things I cannot control, and I won't let the fear of the unknown deprive me experiences. 

Thanks for this. While I knew deep down I would find no challenge getting my money's worth - now it seems justifiable ?  Also, I drink too much evidently.