cruisestuff

@cbnsoul We are on the Thanksgiving Harmony cruise also & saw the "sold out" cabanas. I called RC and inquired and the operator "found" a few available cabanas (Oasis Lagoon Cabanas) I was asked for my credit card on the line and paid $473.99 For reference I called and booked it 18 May 2019 so maybe a call could yield you a cabana they don't have available on line. I figured the call wouldn't hurt and I was successful. I made sure to print my receipt to bring with me just in case of some type of snafu.  Have a fantastic and relaxing Holiday cruise!

The prices for the Chill Island and Oasis Lagoon cabanas were ~$499 just before Memorial Day then we’re both sold out for our Thanksgiving Cruise on Harmony.  Now the Chill Island is back at $1299 and I check every day to see if it will drop.  I was on the fence about booking it at the lower price but won’t pay anywhere near what they’re asking. I’m hoping Coco beach club will open a bit early and we will just pay to access that (without a cabana).

I was looking at my cruise planner for CocoCay and came across this. I think I remember seeing this for $400 before. The Thrill Waterpark Cabanas are still $599.?

He makes over 13 Million Dollars a year. Every day is a Perfect Day for him.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-port-of-baltimore-fire-20190624-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1Nl85g5zVkG0ApgTvHB1Ao7NM1bd7CGgFqbC_FAM1XiPD2NEw3qMiixJk
 

Exactly. There are about 15,913 accidents per day in the USA. Doubt Newsweek is reporting on any of those, yet one in St. Maarten makes headlines. 
Why? Because they frame it around the idea of people on vacation in an accident. Plus, dramatic video of the van in the water helps sell it.

Twangster Royal Should Hire You As A PR Spokespersons
Thanks 

So nice that they offered a gift card!  On the other hand, I am not holding my breath for mine. I can’t even get the Royal Up emails, pretty sure I won’t find this in my inbox.

Hello!  My husband and I just got off Symphony on Saturday and did your exact same itinerary!  You will be so amazed at this ship!  There was so many firsts for us!  All the new venues and shows were over the top!  P.S.  the Happy hours in Hooked with gorgeous bar in center of the restaurant with awesome views.  We experienced 2 happy hours in hooked with one 8 oysters on ice shucked right in front of us with glass of Kim Crawford Chardonnay for $10 was a steal and so yummy especially since my husband doesn't like oysters!!!  He brought a beer and I got the Chardonnay.  Then we came back for another night with the dinner size lobster roll with a pint of beer for $10.  Had to split the roll with hubby he drank the pint I brought and I brought in a glass of Chardonnay!  That night we ate dinner afterwards!  Also the Wonderland Happy hour drinks only were 4 menu choices with them being 2 for $15 instead of $13 each!  The bar area was nice too.  Wonderland is using the old diamond 2 story lounger overlooking boardwalk with restaurant on first floor and bar area on the second floor!  Great views!  We loved our drinks!  Lots of exciting things to enjoy!  Ps.  It was our first time to Magen's Bay in 4 years and it was even more gorgeous than pre hurricane!  Royal did an awesome job fixing Magen's highly recommend!  Just stunning really!
Michelle

Wait, this guy is the CD?!?

?
Have a great cruise! Looking forward to the updates!

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

I am the only cruise planner in our family.  Half the time Dan has no idea where we are going or what ship we're sailing on.  He wouldn't have a clue about how to find, price or book a cruise !  He's a great cruisin' buddy but for planning....not so much....

Well it really depends on where you are going as well. 
1. You might not be able to board the ship.
2. You  will be fine.
3. You will be detained, imprisoned and executed.
Number 3 is not that likely though.

Well...I guess the question has to be asked....
If the State Department didn't accept the Birth Certificate what are the chances that the cruise line will reject it as well ?

You may bring your own snorkel gear to CocoCay.
You can use the app on Anthem (RoyalIQ) without buying Voom.  Just download it before you sail and connect to the ship's wifi without buying a Voom plan.  Then you can cancel MTD reservations when needed in the app.
Easy.  Book another cruise.

Boy are you right on that one as I know from personal experience?

And according to your signature, you had that experience five times!

We saw a good bit of dry erase profanity on our last cruise on Navigator. We took to erasing it and adding nice things. 
On said “Your Mom is A $&@$”
so we erased everything after the “A” and added wesome to the existing A

I am here now on Adventure of the Seas.  Left out of Port Bayonne/Cape Liberty yesterday.  When they scanned our carry ons at security, they saw our three cases of soda and told us that only one was permitted per stateroom, and they took two away.  Bummer!  Yes, we knew the policy, but a lot of others on the boards said to give it a try, so we did.  (Please do not judge?). The ship is ROCKING like crazy!  We are heading now to Bermuda and it has been nonstop back and forth.  Never needed Dramamine in our lives, and everyone that we know is taking it!  CONSTANT MOTION!  Thank God we packed it!  Food is great,  easy to find lots of great food!  Great mix of people here,  all ages.  We were told there are currently 200 children on board.  My son is 15 and went to the teen meet and greet last night and already has a pack of friends now to run around with.  We have a dry erase board on our stateroom door and someone keeps drawing naked genitalia on it??????  My hubby is mad about that, but it is kind of funny to me?????  I  am open to any questions anyone has about the Adventure of the Seas.  May take me a day or two to reply, since I am having so much fun!

@JennyB @Tim B. @FloridaCruiseGirl1210 @Skid @Vacation Crazy @mom2mybugs @HeWhoWaits Thanks everyone! ?
 
 
 
 

B2B are just 2 cruises done one right after the other either in the same cabins or different cabins. No special incentives for them. Just depends if you booked them with FCCs and current sale going on that offers OBCs.  Why do I feel like breaking out into Michael Jackson's "ABC, it's easy as 1, 2, 3..."  ?

@mom2mybugs thanks for mentioning my blog. I too packed more for unexpected than expected. 4 night cruise with 2 hotel nights before and I ended up wearing:
Same shirt and jeans days 1+2 including on plane. Wore sneakers since they take up most room. Those I should have left at home. Love my rothy"s and they would have worked everywhere for every occasion. Never even got out the pool sandles. Ended up wearing shorts on way home instead of jeans. So really the jeans could have stayed home. 
Took 2 pairs of shorts, wore 1
Took 2 dresses, did actually wear both in main dining room. They were casual enough to wear during day or during travel too so that could have cut out some other clothes
Took a skirt to pair with shirts but ended up wearing only dresses. Took a shrug to wear in case cold and also to make dress look different each day. 
Took too many shirts since I ended up either wearing the dresses or my swimsuit and cover up.
Took too many undergarments. I could have washed these in sink if necessary
Wire socks with gym shoes and if I didn't have the shoes I could forgo the socks
Took jewelry I never put on. 
Did good with family toiletries though, that was not an overpak. Toothpaste toothbrush some spray in conditioner a small shampoo and conditioner and deodorant. No makeup since I never wear it anyway. 
It was a good learning experience and I'll do better next time.  And, since we aren't going deep into the jungle, I can buy stuff if I forget something that I can't live without (deodorant, I'm talking about you) 
Didn't try packing cubes, but I did pack my leaving outfit in my carryon when I unpacked everything else because of a deep fear of leaving ship in my nightgown 
 

So I just got done reading @Whizbank live blog and she stated that she would pack lighter next time.  I'm now sitting and looking at the suitcase I'm going to have trouble closing today.  Ugh!  So thought I'd share some things I'm going to do for the European cruise this summer (16 days in Barcelona and on the ship) as an accountability post lol.  Please chime in with suggestions and encouragement lol.  I know like the drink pkg we have beaten this to death, but hey, it's fun! 
1.  Royal has amazing storage in their rooms, both interior and outside.I have sailed 5 classes now and fit everything every time.  Majesty had a dinky closet but a great big side table and window ledge.  Others have hidden shelves, ottomans, other closets.   Obviously the longer cruises are a bit more challenging which leads to....
2.  Rewear!  I have favorites that I take on every cruise that I could totally wear over.  Some things I will wash when I get home that I only wore once (or not at all) and they aren't even really dirty.  I get if it's super hot you might have to selectively rewear, but I don't pack that way.  7 days, pack for 9 lol.  Ugh!   Do I need 2 formal dresses? Heck no. Is it ok if people are me in the same outfit twice... Absolutely.    Do I need extra clothes not at all... That's where #3 comes in...
3. Laundry!  I will freely admit I haven't used it in the ship and I won't risk any favorite clothes (I worry about too hot dryers).  But I spend everywhere else...Porters, drink pkg, extra 2 dollars for my favorite ? etc....   A bag of laundry will not kill me to pay for!   And my bathing suits, etc, are wet when I came back...I can hand wash them in the shower.  Now again, with how long everything takes to dry I am not bringing detergent and hanging everything... But a small stain is solvable by a  quick rinse.
4.  Packing cubes....   That was a long thread earlier.  I personally love them but didn't use them correctly.  I was in 3 different places pre-cruise, cruise and post-cruise.  I should have packed the cubes that way rather than every time I wanted an outfit having to go through different ones.  I could have put my pre-cruise two outfits in a bag with a bathing suit and pair of jammies and never opened the rest!
5. Shoes....  Sigh.  I did do better this time.  I wore my tennis shoes on the plane and once again, it wasn't necessary for me personally to have them.  I will just wear my walking sandals on the plane too.  I took my lighter weight sandals this time and didn't fuss with the 3 inch heals I would wear once or twice. I actually packed 2 pairs of flip flops in case one pair broke....omg WHY?  Which leads to...
6.  This next cruise no matter what I'm going with the Rick Steve's packing rule which I never do but am going to start!  I love his travel blogs and YouTube videos and he says "always pack for the expected, not the unexpected".  Ok...I'm a pack for the unexpected....my shoe might break, my phone cord might break, I might spill coffee on my 4 sweaters... All 4!  All the unexpected back-ups come home unused and talking up space.  I'm not traveling to the middle of Africa where I might have trouble getting something!!!! (If you are, you are probably better at packing than I am anyway and not reading this!).  Next time I will truly try and follow this.  Heck I will pack a $100 extra dollars just for things I might need to get and when I don't, take myself out to a nice Cafe somewhere!  
7.  Go with your history and your gut.  Every trip I pack shorts "just in case I feel like wearing them" and workout clothes "just in case I want to work out".  Ok...I've now been on 6 cruises.  Not once have I put on shorts or tshirts (Im a sundress girl) and the only time I've set for in the fitness center is to take pics on day one.  If I haven't used something at home (do I really want that dress) or on a ship, it is just not gonna get used here!  
8.  Compare with the other lovely people in your family.  In March my family brilliantly brought 3 tubes of toothpaste.  Seriously.  We all packed our regular travel kits and we all have toothpaste.  Oh well.  Next time I'm going back to the family ziplocks...1 toothpaste and common shampoo, soap, etc.  And I'm getting slightly better at judging amount we use.  For example, I love using the bath & body works squirt soap better than the bars.  They smell nice and I just like them.  We don't need a whole bottle...I can bring a half-used one and then I have 2 more oz and space at the end of the trip!  Same goes for shampoo, lotion, etc!  
9.  Suitcase stuffing.  I'm a stuffer.  If the suitcase is at 40 lbs and not full, I can stuff just one more extra dress or pair of shoes just in case.  Nope.  The problem is that it takes me forever to fit everything in at home.  I don't have that time on the trip and what happens is I frantically stuff everything in and one day I'm gonna break the zipper.  I have had to buy and check an extra suitcase at Disney before (ok...I could get into souvenir shopping here.  I didn't buy the rum in Nassau because I knew I wouldn't have the space or weight lol).  So next time, things will fit better at the start.  I will do what you are supposed to... Pack and then unpack and take out a bunch you don't need!  Because I don't need the stress at the end of the trip!
So I've now spent time I should have been packing avoiding it but when I get home, this is what's I'm going to re-read before I pack!!!!!! Jane

If he only drinks sodas.... then he can do basically whatever he wants! ?
I was on a cruise recently (not a RC) and there was a "kid" on there who turned 18 ON THE SHIP..... he was at the front desk asking for a new cruise card at 12:01am!!!  (it was an Australian based cruise, so he could drink once the card came through). he was damned excited! ha!