sk8erguy1978

1 hour ago, marti314 said:

Because CHAT is hard............ IRC & BBS' had it figured out back in the early 90s

... and somehow Slack won / more popular.

Hello! Nice to meet you...

Thanks! I am Excited to watch! I'll save all questions until the end :).

We sailed Liberty in 2015 from Bayonne, NJ to Bermuda. Great ship, excited to see updates via your vlog. Already watching.

Wife has it, she's not into the points game so besides her Discover, it's her only rewards earning credit card. So, outside of Discover 5% stuff she uses that. We do use it for cruises as well but not every purchase. Example, just booked a cruise and put the deposit on my Sapphire Reserve (3% and some travel benefits). We will use it for other cruise purchases but I was in the middle of YOLO-Book-it LOL. Also 3% towards flights is better than 2% towards an OBC. So, in our situation it's more of a way to get some OBC with everyday (and some cruise) spend.

Like @JLMoran she got the 10k bonus too. It's too easy not to get LOL.

Specialty restaurants I've done both added to bill and left cash... Depends if I have the cash in my pocket, same as at home.

Since bars and stuff has been mentioned. I tip them cash. I try and carry a wad of 1's with me so I can provide tips. Not every person gets a buck or two every time (not for any reason other than they ran off or I ran out of bills or I forgot) but I try and recognize them as often as possible. Sure, it has made service better at times but honestly, they work their tails off for us impatient alcoholics and deserve it!  

On 10/12/2019 at 12:21 PM, JLMoran said:

• Refreshment
  • I'll be bringing my allowed two bottles of wine -- I haven't decided yet if I'm bringing two bottles of red or one each of red and white, but they'll be transported in this neoprene carrier I bought on Amazon

• Ripcord by iFly on Day 2 at 3:00 PM, just for myself

Did iFly twice on Anthem, it was a lot of fun. 

I like the bottle holder, way better than what I used for me wife's bottle of sangria (that she never opened ... not enough room time & drink package .. so we brought it home).

That stinks. Oh well, safety first. At least you're still boarding on Saturday, I'd look at that as a positive. I was on the Anthem 5 day in September that had to leave Bermuda early because of Jerry, the two sea days back were actually fun.

Hopefully it's a great cruise!

I think they mention something like 50 days or so is the sweet spot, but as @AshleyDillo and @Baked Alaska mentioned are tools I use ... I especially like Google because you can tell it to track the price and send you alert (like Kayak & Hopper alert). Also as mentioned by @ellcee and @ransrider, once you're comfortable with the price, book it and don't look at it again LOL! 

1 hour ago, ransrider said:

Also consider Royal's Air2sea program. Good luck. 

Hopefully they got better over the years but my experience is ... On May 3rd, 2009 when booking my Oasis cruise for January 16th, 2010 I did it over the phone (feel like I had to because of something - but not 100% sure) and the customer service representative was trying to book my air too. I politely declined right away but they insisted to present me with a price. They asked for my airport, I said SWF (knowing JetBlue flies direct to FLL and it's 5 minutes from my house) and was told ... We don't have SWF, how about XXX, YYY, ZZZ; I forget if they mentioned all 3 NYC airports or just two, regardless, I repeated, SWF ... again with the other airports ... I politely said, we can stop now thanks.

So, since they couldn't even get me a flight from my own airport that, while small, is still part of the NY Port Authority ... I was less than impressed. 

A side note, I wouldn't have done it either way as @Zacharius already said, I book direct because I feel it's best.

19 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

My wife and I sailed in a JS last October around the same time you're sailing, and we had CK booked each night at 6:30; it was practically dead on all but the last night. Even that last night wasn't crazy busy, just more like what I'd expect from a normal dining venue at prime dinner hour. The ship sailed full, so I guess most of the JS / full suite guests were enjoying the specialty dining on board every night, or eating closer to the traditional dining times. 5:30 will probably be fine for you next week.

Have a great sailing, and congrats on the bid win!

Just sailed Anthem to Bermuda on 9/21 (the shortened Bermuda sailing) and had a Grand Suite. We only dined in CK on 9/24 as a "date night." Reason being, we had friends on-board and made various plans to dine with them. While we enjoy CK, the company of a few friends was more important. :).

8 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

I have a simple solution for cruise funding shortages:

Same! We always ask for cash. No gift cards, they complicate the situation! LOL

22 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Man, don't I wish I could be like that! 

Need I remind everyone I'm still using an iPhone 6s bought four years ago, much as I'm drooling over the 11 Pro Max? Can't afford to upgrade, not even to a refurbished 8; all the money is going into my cruise budget! 

 

I told my wife last night ... no matter what, we cannot stop putting X into the cruise savings account for next years cruises LOL!

3 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

No, it's not mandatory.  I do it, and have never had any trouble with it, but many people report that they just end up having to retake their photo at the port (which takes no time at all).  I just use my cell phone and stand in front of a light, neutral background. But it's no big deal if you don't want to go through the hassle. 

Same. I don't turn into a photographer or anything. Some quick cellphone mugshots did the trick last time.

I talk about it everyday, look at the cruise planner every day, look at other cruises I want to take after (or before).

Last cruise wow band but if that's not an option ... just put it in my pocket (even bathing suit) or backpack that we are bring to pool anyway (sunscreen, book, etc).

At one point I had 3 wow bands on when I went to get a round for everyone. LOL

I try and keep money a bit separate, a mini envelope system if you will. I take out about $500 or so for gambling. I take $200-$300 for just general needs:  cash while traveling, cash for ports, etc. I also take $100 in small bills ($50 in 1's and $50 in 5's for tipping). If I run out of tipping money, I'll dip into gambling funds or general needs funds (since I usually return home with most of it) and ask casino cashier to break a bill, they are more than happy to help and faster than customer service.

My last cruise I gave a little extra to bar staff and cocktail staff ... It was a bit random with some exceptional getting it more often. I gave extra my two chops visits and tipped after a CK meal (only had one). I gave a bit extra to room steward and suite concierge. This was my first cruise tipping the suite concierge as it was the first time in 3 suites we actually used him a few times (only to make some calls and replace cards but it saved is some time and hassle.)

Four votes for Chops! 

1 minute ago, JLMoran said:

That also could be fun, although I've already been to OSJ and St. Maarten and I'm trying to see more new ports than repeats right now. Definitely want to go back to both someday, but not until I've gotten more of my wanderlust burned out of my system.  

Bermuda is kind of an exception to that "rule", partly because we barely scratched the surface of the place last time, partly because it's so close and easy to get to without breaking the bank, and partly because it's just so amazing; got there the first time and we knew we just had to go back as fast as we could!

I agree about wanting to see more/new stuff. This year we added a land trip to London which neither had ever been. We do the Bermuda sailings with our friends now if it's not the only vacation we take as we have been there so many times - even got married there. It truly is a unique island and our favorite one. We will always want to see Bermuda but not as an only vacation. For a while with Explorer being in NJ for so long it felt like Groundhog's Day. 

14 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

It would probably end up being 2 sea days down, 1 day in Coco Cay, and 2 sea days back. All with the ship likely running at full steam both ways to make it, since they normally can get from NJ to Port Canaveral in 2 days on the regular 9-night sailings while going fast but not quite "full steam ahead."

That's my guess which could make for a bit of a rocky sailing. I suppose anything is possible. Hey in about 24 hours I'll be arriving at Cape Liberty ... whatever, take me somewhere captain -- and where's my drink! LOL

10 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

One of these years, probably when the younger one is in college and we're an empty nest, I want to do a B2B 5-night Bermuda followed by a 9-night CA/NE; ideally in the fall so we can enjoy the foliage as we go north.

That sounds like a fun trip. We did a 9 night to Caribbean from NJ on Explorer, I'd love that and Bermuda mixed for B2B 5-night/9-night.

32 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said:

Well I didn't even think of that but I guess that could be. Our Anthem cruise begins tomorrow, 5 days to Bermuda, 1 overnight stay. We dock in Bermuda Monday and leave to come back to NJ Tuesday and are back to NJ Thursday. 5 days cruises suck, too short. I wish Royal switched to 7 day Bermuda cruises like NCL does where you have 2 overnight stays and one completely full day and 2 partial days. 5 is too short for me. 

Yes I agree. I complain every time "last 5 day cruise for me" and we still do it. We have friends that like the NJ connivence and nothing's better than sailing with friends... Plus we are 1.5 hours from port and if I was really tight for time, I could work 1/2 on Thursday and Friday (but I will not).

Celebrity does 7 day sailings on the Summit. Also if you're into smaller ships this itinerary (see attached image) seems enticing, 7 days on Empress going to St. George and Hamilton. We considered it but think the plan is Oasis next year from NJ. 

39 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

I would say if you sail tomorrow you are not being diverted to Canada.  However, that doesn't mean they will stop at Bermuda.  I don't know your itinerary.  Ours was suppose to be an overnight in Bermuda, and that was the only stop compared to when they sent us to Canada where we had 3 stops.  

They may say you are going to Coco Cay instead when they get underway.  When we did Adventure in July, Coco Cay was our last stop and than we has 2 sea days, so I can see that as a doable option.  The question/problem I could see with this is how many ships will they have at Coco Cay.  They only can take 2.  With Bahamas out of the question, they are now adding other ships into there for 2 days.  In for the day, out at sea for the day, back in for the day.  At least that is what is sticking in my feeble brain right now.

I Feel like CocoCay would be a stretch with a 5 day Saturday - Thursday itinerary, but that could be fun.

2 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

@sk8erguy1978  We will be doing Oasis next summer.  She is only going to be there for the summer season, so we can't pass this option up.  We are doing a family druise again with 12 people, and they all wanted to do Ovation out of AK, but since we lived there for 4 yrs (anchorage) we said, nope we are doing Oasis, and after that everybody was on board (no pun) just bc this is a rare event out of Bayonne, at least up to now.

YES. When my wife and I saw that Oasis was coming for a limited time we were so excited. It will be our 3rd time but with all the changes it will be like our first time LOL. 

59 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

 

•  If my son still lived with us, I would go in his closet and see the name of the place since we also got him a t shirt.  My husband picked out what we purchased.  He is a bourbon guy.  Bulleit, Makers and Gentleman are his bottom level go to.

I am a whiskey person but also a learning person. I am still a bit new to it all :).

@Pima1988 THANK YOU for all the details! I am a shorts in the winter kind of person but I'll bring an extra pair of jeans just in case. This is our 3rd sailing on Anthem and 7th sailing to Bermuda. We have done everything from cabs to pink busses and ferries. Now we usually rent a scooter and go on our own time. We sailed Adventure in 2013 and love it. Next September we are considering the Oasis, we sail her in 2010 and 2012 and excited to see the changes AND not that we don't love Bermuda but it's too much of the same trip. We also have Harmony booked in December of 2020, but like you, live close to Bayonne (1.5 hours in upstate NY) so it is convenient.