ChessE4

As we are aging, our OBC for next several cruises is coming from profits selling stock at recent high. But if we were younger I would hold onto it. 

3 hours ago, Jamesszy94 said:

Mine also won't show... but I've only paid the deposit...

That doesn't make a difference. Our cruise showed up in maybe a week. Perhaps try using a laptop to view your CAS account and see if the trip is there.

I can't use the vouchers I have.  I think five vouchers is plenty, even if you use a couple for bottled water on a port day. 

1 hour ago, KWofPerth said:

Personally, smoking should be banned from the designated areas on the pool decks, ahead of the casinos. 

Admittedly this was 5 years ago on Voyager, but an entire side of the pool deck was a smoking area, so when strolling down that particular side you had to contend with the foul stench of all the smokers gathering. I've only taken one cruise since then (next is in 17 days) so it could be different nowadays for all I know.

A casino is an adult venue to begin with, so let people have their vices there if they wish. Let it be a default smokers' lounge, as Last2know alluded to above.

Just my 2 cents.

At least top decks have open air, casino does not. That is why it should be smoke free.

Use your passports for your cruise, but renew at some point upon return. When you renew, you'll send in the old passport, so you can't use it. You need to allow 2 to 3 months and only travel with other documents, if at all. It's nice to have an official state ID of some sort that isn't expired, perhaps for voting. (Our state requires ID.)

8 hours ago, SirDude said:

Hello everyone,

I have a situation that I need some help on. My wife and I have booked our dream vacation to Alaska Jun 29- August 5 of 2024. We stacked our schedule full with excursions and packages but we picked these dates because they were the cheapest of the others and seemed like a better deal. This is something we have saved a long time for and is our first “ Big Trip” together. Well fast forward about a week and half after purchasing all tickets and such things, my wife tells me she is pregnant with our first child… 

So basically, my question is, can I move the date closer once it’s been scheduled and purchased? If yes, then do I have to pay extra than the fee I originally payed? We are trying to work around her being in her 3rd trimester and I’ve read they do not allow anyone on the boats who is about to be it is in their 3rd trimester. Need help, slightly panicking.

Did you purchase travel insurance (which we normally do), and if so, what protection does it offer?  Also, this is a good reason to have a travel agent who can sort through all of the options.

When our son was young, he stayed with my mother in law and my wife stayed with me, so 2 rooms of two. No problem. No extra papers in US. I don't know about Australia. PS. Sounds like you may have 4  and 2, so room with kids needs to have pull down beds or sofa bed, of course.

Sadly, pet care complicates long cruises during retirement. If you anticipate extensive travel, avoid getting a new pet. Or move next to a family with responsible kids...

When we did ABCs from Florida the Dress Your Best night, aka formal 2, was Bonaire, so it can be  port night. The last night isn't formal due to bags being packed.

11 hours ago, NoobCruise said:

The pricing is out of whack but I trust that it will reset slightly in a few years. It is never going to be what we want it to be but the market will set the prices. People pay insane prices for cabanas at coco cay and they will continue to pay those prices so that's why they are so expensive and will continue to be. Cruises in general are a different story. Once you are anywhere close to a $1000 a night cost, people will go elsewhere. Let's be honest I definitely would have booked a cruise on this ship if I felt the price was tolerable. It wasn't and they lost a passenger on this cruise. I certainly won't make a difference but it sounds like many others didn't book for the same reason. Also probably won't make a difference but in a few years with bidenomonics kicking in we will get back to prices that won't make you vomit.

Agree. Personally, we won't pay $1k a day for the two of us unless it includes airfare, e.g Europe or South Pacific. The Caribbean isn't worth any sort of premium; been there, done that, have the t-shirt, key chain, and holiday ornament!

On an 8N cruise the 2nd formal could be night 6 or 7, but not night 8. Night 7 might actually be a port day, depending on itinerary. Last year that happened on one of our cruises.

Our son cruised before specialty dining and enjoyed the included dining options.

For us, the cost of a catsitter is part of our cruise planning. We skip internet, and it's a wash. We usually have a couple of free days to stay in touch with the sitter.

At a small plaza near the fort we ate mofunga at a local bar and restaurant. We walked from port, and going back it's down hill.

At Santorini 12 years ago we did a black sand beach excursion with Royal. Umbrella and loungers were provided, we had a lunch at a restaurant across the street, and a convenience store with gifts was nearby. You had to fend off a few massage requests.

On our first trip from Barcelona the interior room helped me sleep, but room was cramped with teenage son. We like a little more space, but I like being able to sleep after a long port day.

Last year they actually emailed us to arrive an hour later. If they've fixed the turn around snafu, then you're back to the scheduled checkin time, as stated.

We booked Hawaii for 2024 only to have Royal cancel it. So that is another issue...

We snorkeled elsewhere in Roatan, but fins do protect your feet and give you leverage if currents are strong.  My one "danger Will Robinson" was being caught in the current at Coco Cay.  I am glad to see you are taking a vest.

Reminds me of Passengers movie minus the suspended animation (sleep).

I have seen tea bags but not instant coffee. Maybe someone else has seen them? PS. They have hot chocolate packets.

Agree with everyone. I will say we are more likely to spend on excursions than ship stuff. We will always remember having pizza and gelato in Italy, climbing a Mayan pyramid, or the excitement of being pushed downhill in Funchal. But I can't remember many meals on the ship, just a handful of great free performances. 

6 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

Take out gets nothing. I am not tipping Taco Bell, Wendy's or the like.

I meant restaurant take out, not drive thru. Thanks for pointing this out. During covid our local family restaurants just did takeout. So we call ahead now.

3 hours ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

1 - Harmony actually does parties from 60s to 90s! SO MANY PARTIES!

2 - I would also drop the 70s party.  It's the same 10 songs and the same lackluster participation.

3 - I would drop the worlds sexiest man competition primarily because while it seems like most guys just do it to have fun, there's always that one conventionally attractive guy that enters and I know I would personally take a hit to my self esteem to see the reactions go from fun whooping to stripper screaming

Agree with #3, but I would  also limit bingo.

For good service, not average, I tip 18% of pretax total. However, I impute beverage cost even if we just drink water. Takeout gets 10 to 15% depending on service I receive at pickup.  I round up to next dollar as I don't carry change.