JennyJenny

Just now, marti314 said:

In this secure area where these devices reside RCL does not have any control over the machines or the customs process at all.  

So then it's CBP which stands to reason they would have it/use it.

29 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

If you have a passport, they already have your facial biometrics (if you have global entry they already have your fingerprints) 

"They"...who?

The gov already has my stuff. I know that.

27 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

BTW, this is CBP scanning your face, NOT Royal Caribbean.

22 minutes ago, OrlandoC said:

You beat me to it. This is a US Government program. Here is some more information : https://www.cbp.gov/travel/biometrics

Ah. Good to know. It sounded like it was RC that was doing this.

38 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Here's a price list:  https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/laundry-service-price-list.pdf

Oh! Those prices aren't bad at all for a one off clean or press or even steam!

Thank you!

46 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Not sure.  I wish they had it at all ports - it's incredibly fast. 

I prefer not to have my biometrics held by every corporation that wants it. I opted out of using my finger prints at Disney. At the end of the day, how are they securing that data?

I certainly don't mind if others want to do it. Just not my cup of tea.

Just now, SpeedNoodles said:

You can bring and use Downy Wrinkle Release Spray (it actually works better than I thought it would), take advantage of hanging clothes in the bathroom while you take a hot shower, or send the item(s) out for pressing. Everyone's in the same boat (ok, pun kind of intended) so a few wrinkles won't even stand out.

I know having your laundry done is rather expensive, is it the same cost just to press something or any idea how much it runs on average just to have something pressed?

Assuming this is optional and I can elect NOT to have my face scanned?

2 hours ago, Apatt08 said:

anyone care to share your document of packing materials?  Just curious if I am forgetting anything on my list!! 

I have not written one up but I plan to as I unpack from the trip I just returned from. I'll be happy to share it once I have it documented.

On 7/29/2019 at 5:59 PM, FloridaCruiseGirl1210 said:

Any one have a methodology for the order you plan in?

I am on a trip now and about to get dressed for my day and so so so glad I still pack the way I do which is:

I lay out each entire outfit (to include jewelry and hair scruchies or barrettes) and then I pack each entire outfit in a packing cube. I lay a sticky note on the top with what day/event that outfit is for so it shows through the mesh. I do keep a separate small bag/zip container for the hair accessories/jewelry and I pack shoes in their own individual shoes bags but the main outfit all goes in one cube together with the sticky note. Once it's all laid out and I am ready to load the suitcase, as I bag each outfit, I collect the jewelry and hair stuff in their own bags to the side.

I got back to my room at 0100 after being up since 0600 (I was bartending an after party so out extremely late) and it was SO NICE to stumble to my suitcase, look through and pull the bag labeled "Saturday #2 Training/Lead" and set it out so now, all I have to do is pop that baby open and put it on and I am off to tackle this day.

When I get back tonight, what I am wearing goes right back in that bag and I put it back in the suitcase facing down so I know what I have already worn and what's left for tomorrow and Monday are facing up.

When I have a trip, I tend to start laying everything out a few weeks in advance so I can take my time and not feel rushed. I use the guest room bed and I have sticky notes with the day and any events on that day so I can know what is going on. Depending on the trip, I'll also research the temperature or weather for it a week or so out and make any tweaks or adjustments. If I want to take a clothing item I wear often (like my "On Wednesdays We Wear Pink" wife beater gym shirt, I'll write a sticky note for that particular item so once I do the last laundry load prior to the trip, I can remember to grab it and place it in the line up.

On 7/27/2019 at 12:01 PM, Skid said:

Love it. Another time to use them is after looking at one of the dirtiest things anywhere...the menu.

I carry and use this...FYI, it's 71 percent ethyl alcohol whereas the Purell wipes are 62% (and their liquid 70%).

Where do you buy this????!!!!

My Sisters are going to do this and put a little sticker for our group on it.

They are so excited.

I'm like, "Okay."

I'll hide a duck if they ask me.

But.... ?

Better are my Sneaky Cards. You know I'll be bringing some of those along! When you buy a deck, you can create an account and track any cards you give out as they each have a unique number on the bottom. There is one that if found the person has to take it and hide it somewhere else (so it's kind of like the ducks, I suppose). I take these to conferences and when I travel. They are also fun to do with kids as some of them are acts of kindness and others are just silly fun (like leaving one at a monument you visit, etc)

1 minute ago, FManke said:

Wait a minute. All this and possibly working onboard ship? Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?

LOL oooops.

I tend to go 100 mph at all times. I have not taken an actual all by myself (not taking care of my parents or daughter) vacation in over 10 years and this is kind of a self imposed time out.

Working is only an "if there is an emergency" situation. I was away for "vacation" with my family during the 4th of July week and only had to address two emails. That's pretty good! I just don't went something to need my attention and be unable to address it. That's not responsible and I have responsibilities.

As to the training, I train for triathlons and I could take a week off and do nothing but I find that if I do that then I just don't feel good physically. I can certainly be chill and just do yoga and walk and some swimming & ballroom dancing (which was my plan) but if I simply engage lazy mode + eat too much of the rich sugary food + add alcohol (which I most likely won't aside from a glass of Champagne or wine with dinner) -> I will feel absolutely dreadful and sick after a few days. I've learned this lesson and no longer make those mistakes of over indulging or straying too far from training. Fitness has simply become a way of life for me and I don't really see it as "work" just part of me trying to be healthy like drinking water and sleeping etc.

If I do some activity each day, drink my water, stick to one, maybe two drinks (afternoon by the pool or with dinner or a show) and don't go nuts with the sugar I should be good. I plan to have one really indulgent dessert each night but am going to do my best to not eat a ton of junk food or down tons of sugary drinks. Just because I want to enjoy my vacation, not feel like I am going to barf!

19 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We have had mixed results with Wfi on Grandeur. Last year on our Christmas/NY cruise it was really spotty.  Inside the suite it dropped often. I would have to open the door, connect and then return to my seat. After a while it would drop again and I would have to go to the hall again,  very frustrating. 

Grandeur will be my ship so glad to hear ship specific details. Thank you. I'll brief my team that it could be spotty depending. I anticipate weather will play a role in that as well. And I am still of the mind that a giant floating Faraday cage is not going to be an optimal environment unless you have a lot of repeaters stationed strategically.

1 hour ago, CGTLH said:

Finding an outlet in a public area of the ship might be hard. When you do find one more than likely it will be a "type F". Thus you'll either need an adapter or a compatible cord for the charger. Also the voltage will be 220 or 240, so verify the charger is compatible.

 

This is what a type F outlet looks like

Depending on device if it has a ground pin (3 pins) or not this would be the plug side.

 

Hmmm. Good to know. I'll add to pack my travel adapters to my "to do" list so I can be flexible! Thank you!

2 hours ago, Matt said:

FWIW, I've found better connections in public areas. Power outlets there are difficult to find, so bring a charged device.

Good to know. I'll keep it charged and make sure I have a spare battery back up charged.

3 hours ago, melski94 said:

For the most part Wifi is fine.   Some rooms do have better reception than others but we've always had decent wifi in our stateroom.  The key is to make sure you get Stream Voom and not just Surf.  My husband almost always has to do some work to do on vacation.  We've had a few cruises where we did have emergencies come up and no problem with Wifi.  Suggest you make sure you allow your phone to make wifi calls.  If you are only getting a 1 device package, look into @twangster travel router tips so you could use your cell phone and laptop at the same time.

Thank you! This makes me feel better. I already use a travel router so am pretty set there.

3 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

@JennyJenny I am sorry I am lmao with this idea that you can swim 40-70 mins., let alone laps.

These pools are at best 20-30 feet long and 15 -20 feet wide.  There is no deep end, the deepest is less than 5 feet.

I swam laps everyday in the pool along with 1 other woman.  We were in the pool when they opened at 7.  Solarium pool opens at 8.  

By 11 all of those pools were wall to wall people.  If you were in it for 40-70 mins you were yakking with other passengers.  There were times in the Solarium pool that it was so crowded the lifeguard had to whistle and tell people move away from the staircase.  The hot tubs were also packed.

If you truly want to swim laps and not at 7 a.m. than expect to do so at night.

Take a look at pool pics and you will see what I am talking about.  Don't know which ship you are sailing on, but on FB there is always a group for that particular ship. 

I am with @FManke  there are signs everywhere that states 30 mins unattended and towels will be confiscated.  I love the pools, I stay in so long that my fingers become raisins, but still that would not be an hr. in one clip.

I can get the swim drills in with the small pools at most hotels but it's sounding like the Solarium is going to be packed?

Sounds like the lovely photos around the web of a blissfully empty quiet pool are LIES

And people wonder why I have trust issues * grumble grumble*

How late is the pool open at night? I am not opposed to getting my lap time in late (I often do so here at home).

I am on Grandeur but I don't have/do Facebook. The pics I have seen show a pretty much empty pool. And these are the ones allegedly from passengers.  I wonder if they were taken on embarkation day when the ship was still fairly empty and the pool hadn't filled yet

Hmmmmm may have to adjust my training plan for while I am gone. Is the gym super crowded? I could swap out and lift instead and run on the track. I can go a week without swimming if it's not really going to be a realistic option.

1 minute ago, dodgestang said:

Wifi has always worked fine for me on Grandeur and Anthem

 

 

I'll be on the Grandeur. So it works fine IN the cabin? (That's what I am trying to confirm)

Good to know. I suppose it would behoove me to make friends with my fellow loungers so they know I am swimming laps in the event they are asked

1 minute ago, FManke said:

The sooner this is implemented fleetwide, the better it will be for all of us. Nothing worse than a chair hog. I hope this isn't a one off for AoS. Rules like these should be enforced for the enjoyment of all. I'm all for getting up early and staking your claim to the best loungers in the pool area, but you better be using them and not just saving them for later. 

What is the rule? I assume I can get a chair then swim some laps but how long do I have to swim the laps?

Can I leave a note on the chair with my stuff like, "Swimming laps, red swimsuit in the pool, let me know if you have a question"?

I often swim for 40-70 minutes depending on the training session. Should I just plan to break the 40 minutes into two 20 minutes and make sure I dash back to my chair and sit in it for a bit?

I am planning on the Solarium for my pool time so not sure if there are different rules depending on the pool.

When I sail in April of 2020, I am allegedly supposed to be on vacation.

However, we all know vacation is kind of a loose term depending on what kind of work one does.

A better way to say it is "don't bother me unless there is an emergency".

My dear friend Murphy always sees to it that if I do attempt "vacation" then something happens. (Last time, the roof of one of our buildings caught on fire).

Net net: I do not intend to work on the ship. HOWEVER, I need to be able to JUST IN CASE:

1. They need me to draft a section for a proposal.

2. They need me to approve something.

3. They need me to manage a situation.

4. They need me to make a decision or review something.

5. They need me to be aware of a situation in case I need to do one of the above.

That being said, I will be bringing a travel laptop with me (but only pulling it out IF I have to do something related to work). I will have internet access. I will have my cell phone on plan to avoid ridiculous charges should I suddenly have to jump on a conference call or advise someone of something.

Questions:

1. How is wifi access in the rooms? The more I read and see the cabins described as a metal box (yay magnets but boo....Faraday cage?) accounting for the already knowable potential slow connection speeds, IF all is right with the world, is wifi access in the cabins generally okay or is it better in a public area like the Library or Solarium?

2. If it's better in a public area, is there the ability to plug into an outlet there (like if I go to Starbucks and there are outlets everywhere to charge)? I've seen photos that show folks with business laptops and I have heard of folks working on board so was wondering about the logistics of wifi reception in a metal room & availability of power in public areas should I have to do some work.

3. Is there a notary if I have to sign something and need it notarized?

Anyone work remote on ships that can throw me some tips or hacks?

3 minutes ago, DunkelBierJay said:

At embarkation ports in Florida, it is a third party company called Intercruises that handle check-in details and may provide for the security in the terminal, although I am not certain of that. When stepping on board, ship security takes over, and they scan your Seapass each time you board or disembark and ask all the pertinent questions. Every time I observe them or interact with them, I am impressed. They deal with all kinds of crap from entitled passengers, and handle it really well.

As a former LEO, I can only imagine what they have to deal with.

Glad to hear they have security now to board.

I don't recall security to board (aside from in port)  the one time I cruised but that was prior to 9/11 when you could still go to the gate of a flight without having a ticket to see a friend off.

Times they are a changin'

Just now, JC123 said:

Thanks for that - interesting way to look at it - never thought to search the reported crimes on the ships - just assume every is always in a blissful holiday mood (evidently not).

 

Thanks - I appreciate that

You are most welcome.

My job, essentially, is to manage risk not just to my business but to help my clients manage theirs.

I am doing this constantly so it's second nature to me. I realize, though, that others don't do this as a matter of course so figured if I shared then they could!

One of my other responsibilities is to educate others on security and awareness so I am afraid I just tend to do that out of habit

1 hour ago, Pima1988 said:

The worse thing is I can't tell you how many times I saw women in the ladies bathroom, go to the bathroom, than to sink, check their make up and clothes and walk right out the door without washing their hands.  No wonder they have signs on every bathroom door saying use a paper towel when opening the door! 

Side note: I have recently found (in the last several years) that I am allergic to the cheap hand soap used in many public restrooms.

I carry individually packaged sanitary hand wipes with me in my bag at all times and when I use a public restroom, I will then use a wipe to clean my hands (once I have stepped out of the stall) then use that same wipe to open the door to leave and I will toss it in the nearest waste bin after exiting.

Not arguing that this is the case for everyone. Just mentioning it because there is a cringe I feel when I don't properly step to the sink and wash like others but the allergic reaction from repeated exposure to cheap hand soap would end up with my hands red, itchy, and in some cases, bleeding.

These days with perfumes and chemicals in everything it's a bit frustrating. Plus with many places trying to cut costs by using the most inexpensive things for places like the restroom. Oh well. It is what it is. The nice thing about carrying the little hand wipes is that I can use them constantly in airports (I hold the escalator hand rail with them!) and just anywhere. It was nice to hear there were so many Purell stations on ships.

I also bought a small travel size Lysol spray to "bless" my cabin with when I arrive as I do this with my hotel rooms also.

I like to hear they are doing their job.

I also have metal parts so I just assume I'll get dinged every single time and allot extra time for it.

So far, every TSA agent I have had has been absolutely wonderful. Never dealt with cruise security to board the ship though (I honestly don't recall there being security the MANY years ago when I sailed one time). Is it TSA that handles it now or a private firm?

I take the train quite often and there is still no security for that (Amtrak).