CoupleOfCruisers

No they charged him with negligent manslaughter which seems appropriate. 

I don't even go where kids would be, so having parents taking kids into pool, or lunch or anything about kids would not affect me.  I go to solarium or adult place and if crowded I can usually tell by observing for a while who is going to return.  If there are purses, bags, shoes or something obvious like that I tend to leave alone, but if just a towel, after a while, it is fair game and I move it.  Have never had someone come up and say you are in my seat. 

I like the brand of toothpaste the guy or gal in the forward suite was using in the video so I’d go with the forward one.  

Last cruise I was sat next to a loud drunk obnoxious Texan who was smoking (which is fine). What was not fine was that he was continually blowing smoke towards me and my face. I asked him to stop politely and so did the staff. Next time he did it I poured the rest of my drink on him. When he complained I said you wanted to share your cigar I wanted to share my drink. He was escorted out and the staff got me another drink.
 

The question that always confuses me. Reading that people who smoke in the US is at 14%. So why do the remaining 86% of us have to tolerate second hand smoke or skip a venue because of the heavy smoke that pours out of a casino. When Illinois went non smoking all you heard was bars and night spots would go out of business because of smoking ban. Yeah right their business suffered no side effects and in some cases doubled. So Royal needs to follow Celebrity and kick smoking off of cruise ships. 

This is not fake news.  The person first posted on FB and was told to report her.  He showed the picture to RCCL staff and they figured out which cabin she was in.  They confronted her and then she was ordered to stay in her cabin until the next port.  She was escorted off of the Allure in Nassau Bahamas this morning and is permanently banned from any RCL (corporate wide) ship.

If the unthinkable happened to this woman, her family would hire a lawyer to ask, "Why would there be an unsecured area on a balcony where people can fall off?" Why would you have the danger without any warning, sign, or notice?”  (I'm looking at you, Mr Winkleman)
Then people who know nothing about cruising would rant all over social media demanding Royal to put up barriers on open decks and balconies!
The family would post pictures of her hanging from monkey bars saying how much she loved doing it.

Board games? Why bring a board game when you can have a drink package?

I smoked for 17 years and always promised myself I wouldn't be a hypocrite when it came to banning it.  That said, even in the late 90's it was banned in-doors in many places and it's amazing to me that 20 years later that ships still allow it in the casino's.  I guess they may know better, but it seems to me that non-smokers that won't subject themselves to it far outnumber smokers so aren't you possibly LOSING casino business by allowing it more than you are gaining by permitting them to smoke in the casino?  The Empress casino is smoke free and it didn't seem to be hurting the traffic at all, it was busy in there all the time.
The smoking area on the Empress was behind Bolero's and I spent a decent amount of time there, love the aft view, and the smoke was never an issue. You could smell it, but it wasn't difficult to get away from and still enjoy the space/view.   I do like a good cigar on occasion, especially on vacation, but am fine doing it outdoors, in-fact I prefer it.
 
 

I would GLADLY take that room!  You guys are going to have an absolutely gorgeous view!!! I think you owe the person that gave you that room a free lunch!?

Actually, those aft cabins are highly prized.  I think you scored a winner !  Yes, there is superstructure that blocks some of the views but in most cases (all, if I am not mistaken), the balconies on those aft rooms are giant.  I think you may have a stumbled onto a real bonus.

Agree completely with this !!

My wife is not pregnant. 
She will not drink sugary drinks.
She will not drink espresso.
She will not drink mocktails.
She will not drink fresh squeezed fruit drinks.
She only drinks water, black coffee and un-sweet tea.
All that is free but if I want a deluxe package for me I still have to pay for the refreshment package for her even though she will not use any of it.
 

I think, unfortunately for smokers, societal norms are changing and smoking is becoming more and more unacceptable.

All RC ships leaving from Southampton have smoke free casinos as it is illegal to allow smoking inside a public venue in the UK.
it was like this for my two Indy sailings in 2017 and 2018 and my explorer sailing in May this year.
I was so disappointed to learn that smoking and it's effects will be allowed on Harmony for my trip this August.
 
 

Smokers seem to adjust. They tend to start off kicking and screaming but they adjust. When states all over the country started making smoking inside illegal. Smokers cried it would drastically hurt the bar & restaurant business but it didn’t. When cruise lines banned smoking first in cabins, then balconies and most indoor areas. The smokers still cruised. If they ban smoking in casino the smokers will adjust and still gamble. Only about 15% of the US population smokes any more. Non smoking casinos are coming just a matter of when! 

Smokers seem to adjust. They tend to start off kicking and screaming but they adjust. When states all over the country started making smoking inside illegal. Smokers cried it would drastically hurt the bar & restaurant business but it didn’t. When cruise lines banned smoking first in cabins, then balconies and most indoor areas. The smokers still cruised. If they ban smoking in casino the smokers will adjust and still gamble. Only about 15% of the US population smokes any more. Non smoking casinos are coming just a matter of when! 

On another Cruise site an Assistant Casino Host on Mariner of Seas says that RCI will be going Non-smoking in Casino. Has anyone heard this rumor and know if there is any truth to it? 

The worst is when the ice cream machine is on the same side as the smoking-permitted area. What genius came up with THAT?

What angers me in this situation is the lawyer getting the family to change the narrative of this horrible preventable accident. I've been following this story on social media and it has sadly created a very different picture of what one would expect to see on a RCCL ship.  Most of those commenting have never been on a Royal Caribbean ship and a good number of them have never been on a cruise.  It's so easy to put the blame on RCCL for the "open window next to the kid's play area."  I find myself being defensive of this cruise line that I have grown fond of.

You will each get one. 

I thought that way also. We have 3 casino's here that are smoking, and 1 casino across the border that is non-smoking. No matter what time I go (and it is a bit of a drive), it is just as packed as the smoking casino's. They do offer a smoking lounge that is not connected and it has those air tight doors so smoke cant get through. It would be nice if Royal came up with a happy medium, so they can equally take money from both smokers and non-smokers.

I would agree smokers spend more time in the casino then non-smokers. That is only because the smell runs us out. There is always the one smoker who let their cigarette burn in the ashtray or hold the cigarette in their hand away from their face but toward you.  I loved a casino, but my time depends on the amount of smoke.  Get rid of the smoke, more people would stay longer and play. 

10 days ago I had a one day connection in Hong Kong , due to the current situation there I decided to take a ferry to Macau . I found out that they  ban smoking in the casinos  few month ago. Let's see the revenue impact if  at all as if in Macau they can stop casino smoking successfuly they can for sure do it on RCL ships.

I used to not buy cruise insurance when my wife and I were younger and the kids little.  Now my kids are teenagers and we are not getting any younger.  My fear is not so much about trip interruption or lost bags (although hat would not be good) but rather the medical side of things (like transportation).  I thankfully have not had to deal with it but you just never know and I hear that it can become very expensive on a cruise.  As a result we have bought insurance the last few cruises and just bought it again for the next one (even though we will be driving to the port).  We have been purchasing from llianz Global Assist.
I know this will be a mixed bag of views but curious if there are others who do the same and if they are using Allianz Prime?
Thanks.
D