bytheslice

The original correspondence from RCL (for those who received it ... I still have not),  as well as the online policy statements, indicated that the first round of Royal cancellations would receive refunds and the email credit information by 4/13. They still have a few days ....?

Oh that's easy. Just jack up the prices at CocoCay. $5,000 for a floating cabana anyone? ?

That's exactly what most of these companies do when they get bailout money...

While the lifeblood of any zoo is its visitors, the best time I ever had in my 16 years as a zookeeper when we were closed down for 6 weeks.  We always did things like this, and we also got so much done when we didn't have to worry about maintaining an opening/closing schedule. It was a magical time ?

One of the problems I see in the Scientific community is that you can't believe them anymore.  If a guy can get Government funding because he says it was caused by bats, then he can get more Government funding to say it was caused by pigs and an HIV positive human in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Then he can get more Government funding to say the combination was actually engineered purposely.
The best example of this is global warming... err climate change.  It's all based on modeling.  The guy with the biggest hockey stick gets all the money.  The fact that the weather don't come anywhere near what the hockey stick says just means the stick is longer and more angled than was previously thought.  We need more money to properly research this but we better change the name to climate change since the reality isn't warming.
Makes it hard to believe anything... even if you see it with your own eyes sometimes. 

I have always subscribed to the concept of "don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see ..." ?

I think April 11 was always a "test the waters" date. Containment of the virus has failed in the US, and now it's a matter of trying like mad to slow the rate of infection. Given the same number of people are going to get infected, just more slowly (I hope!! People like those college kids who insisted on going to Miami Beach for spring break are not making the effort easy!!), I have every expectation that there will be an extension of the restart date, with further cancellations and refunds/credits issues.
I'm also sticking it out to the bitter end. August is over 4 months away. Current talk from the disease specialists in DC is starting to talk about this slowing down in April or May, and looking at how to start resuming normal life then without also causing a big resurgence in the virus. Hopefully those are statements based on newly-learned or confirmed facts about the virus, and not just a PR statement to reassure us.

Then we are in bigly trouble ??

@WannaCruise………..we just sailed Anthem for the New Year's Eve Cruise a few months ago.   We had a balcony cabin AND a virtual balcony cabin for our teens.   The weather was cold in NY/NJ and warmed up but still chilly by the time we got to Port Canaveral 2 days later.   Weather improved dramatically for Nassau, Coco Cay, and our first sea day headed back.   Rain/cold weather for our last day at sea.   I would think you could get worse weather but what we experienced was probably typical for that time of the year.
Here's the thing.   We were disappointed with the virtual balcony.   The room seemed small and dark.   The "virtual" was neat but the novelty wore off pretty quickly.  One day it didn't work at all.   The actual balcony let in lots of light even on the chilly days, was great to look at the stars at night, and very useful for the 3.5 days of nice weather.   The room felt significantly larger and the ocean air was refreshing no matter what the outside temps were.
I would take half a cruise with decent weather in a balcony cabin even for the extra $$$ vs. the virtual cabin option.   
 

I thought it said advisory, not ban

We cancelled our cruise that was to sail March 22 on Oasis. We took the FCC and paid off our next cruise (Holiday Cruise) and about half of our Alaska cruise (July 2021). We were in a suite, so while being stuck in QT wouldn't be roughing it, the time commitment would not have been ideal. So, yes, we used our FCC for two cruises.
 

One thing I  got out of the article:
Three things the virus does not like: 1. Sunlight, 2. Temperature, and 3. Humidity," 
therefore, cruising to the Caribbean is the thing to do! ??

I see more caution, but not a expansion of cancellations or closures. The US government has been very explicit the last few days about supporting and protecting the cruise lines and airlines. Thus supporting all of the related industries and businesses: hotels, restaurants,  etc.

I should try to find my platinum pin and wear it next cruise.  Get all the D and D+ in the DL spun up.  

Gonna make up some "silver" ones for those that havn't sailed yet and sell them outside the terminal...  ?

Funny, we cruise out of San Juan every 18 months or so; I have never noticed an appreciable difference in language between these itineraries and one leaving from Florida. 
This summer, in the immediate San Juan area you wouldn’t know anything had happened with regards to hurricane damage (and we were there the week of the government protests and had a blast) 
I would not hesitate to book a cruise departing from San Juan, the areas you can reach from there in the deep southern Caribbean are beautiful. 

Well I'm the other way... I grabbed a post it  and a pen wrote "GOLD C+A" on it and  proudly rub everyone's nose in it! ?
 
Actually kind of sad that my old days time in suites was treated so poorly. less than a point a day or I'd be a proud Platinum...  Work schedules during my career didn't allow much time for cruising and I had spent a lot of time on other lines before I found RCL...  I'm loyal to them even if they aren't so much...
 
I am on a mission to get to diamond as soon as plausible... 
 
 

I lived in South Beach too many years and am beyond tired of that attitude. The Pinnacles that I like listening to and hope to be one day are folks with more years, class and earned stories to share. I am with you, wearing pins everywhere def would not be my style. 

I spilled my caviar when I typed it. ??

And I have a bridge for sale for $50.00, if you're interested !!  ??

If you pay for it, then, it's not a perk!  ?

Yeah no way I'm wearing that at Emerald or if we ever get to Pinnacle. Pinnacle is even more obnoxious if you ask me. Its like "here I am bitches, bow down to me". I don't recall seeing anyone in any C&A category where one but I really never looked closely either. 

I do not think that I could properly describe the awe and beauty of that cruise! I have sailed the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Belize, Bermuda. The most beautiful and exhilarating by far was the New England & Canada cruise. It was around September 8th, I think, of 2018 and was for 9 nights. The leaves had not begun changing, but I live in NJ and we get beautifully changing trees, too, so I survived. ?  As I had never been to any of the ports, I did an excursion at each one to learn about the area, history and try new things. I did a walking history tour in Boston, and the others were via coach and involved walking as well. To see the Bay of Fundy and get to walk inside sea caves was breathtaking...and to see the tide fill it all up just moments after being there. The reversing rapids was something to behold, Peggy’s Cove and St. Martins village was out of a picture book. I cannot stand any seafood, but to my surprise, one of the tours included a lobster lunch. When the tour guide said that, I panicked, but looked forwarded to trying something new. There were folks on hand to help special people like me who had no clue how to deshell a lobster and they served a big, grand lunch. Acadia was beyond beautiful. Maine is one of the naturally  prettiest places I have ever seen. The ride to Acadia and in there were amazing and to climb Cadillac Mountain gave me such joy. Mind you, it is no great feat, not like a real mountain climb, but being there, standing atop of it and seeing the majesty around me filled me with such gratitude and appreciation for being given that moment and life in general. Had that feeling in the sea caves, too. It was just one of those cruises that had me take stock and feel life and my blessings. There is beauty everywhere on that cruise. You can be quite active in that one since there are so many outdoor/nature activities, or you can still take the same excursions, but not walk or climb as much. Kennebunk port was so quaint, too!! Def consider it! I also would loooove to do an Alaska cruise for the same reason!

I have no problem in that area.  They are struggling to provide for their families.  
Yes they will invite you to visit their booth.  No one has ever touched me so it's just a matter of looking around to see if anything interests and if not moving on.  Yes sometimes there are two or three inviting you to visit their booth at the same time.  It's just words.  "Come look what I have for you", "I have something for you", etc.  It's hardly offensive or scary.  
When I took my adult son there he walked into several booths and bought a handful of small items.  Later I told him he could have negotiated the price down.  He acknowledged that but recognized they are dirt poor so he didn't try to beat them down. 
We don't appreciate how well we have it, the people of Haiti have very little and jobs are non existent.  It's not unsafe, just a different culture.

Thank you! That is what I am hoping for, to see the changing colors! Last time was too early, but I am thinking that this year may be too late as we sail on October 22nd. I would have done a couple of weeks earlier, but pricing won.