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S0nny

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  1. Like
    S0nny reacted to DoomSlayer in The Key Price?   
    It is usually cheaper on longer sailing since most of the benefit is on embarkation and disembarkation days.  My wife really likes the priority boarding privileges and a relaxed lunch and when there is a debate on getting the Key, she usually wins and we get it (happy wife, happy life).  We never take advantage of the "Reserved seating" at shows, but I do take advantage of the special FlowRider times because it is an activity I enjoy.  I personally try and target it when it is at most $5 to $10 above the internet cost (depending on the cruise length).  And if it is higher than $10 per day, I start looking at upgrade costs to sky class suites instead which provide similar benefits.
  2. Like
    S0nny reacted to DoomSlayer in Casino tips and tricks   
    I do get them more quickly than my wife, but I get bored quickly too, so I have a lot less play time than my wife.  I really don't lose too much to be honest and I find value in the casino comps that exceeds my losses, so for me it is a win.
  3. Haha
    S0nny reacted to AlmondFarmer in Magnet thieves and drunk adults 😃   
    Pro tip to deter magnet theft-
    Use super glue.
    My superglued magnet lasted entire sailing…..and was still there when I sailed the following year.
  4. Haha
    S0nny reacted to AlmondFarmer in Magnet thieves and drunk adults 😃   
    Sorry about that. Too many drinks down at schooner. Lots of flights up to deck 17. Was taking a quick siesta. Security let me know that the elevators are open 24/7. 
  5. Like
    S0nny reacted to twangster in Magnet thieves and drunk adults 😃   
    Stealing a magnet for the grandkids?  What a terrible excuse for a human.  
    I stopped bringing magnets because of magnet thieves.  Still bothers me that people think they can just take other people's hard earned things, even something as small a magnet on a door on a cruise ship.  To think she was going to present it to her grandkids so they would look up to her and think what a wonderful person she was for thinking of them while in reality she was nothing but a common thief.  Hopefully she is banned from Royal.  No room for criminals on board.  
  6. Like
    S0nny reacted to TessFromFlorida in black friday sales!! what did you get??   
    Should I grab this steal?
     

  7. Like
    S0nny reacted to smokeybandit in black friday sales!! what did you get??   
    If these are the real sales, it's quite underwhelming.

     
  8. Haha
    S0nny reacted to Cruiser3812 in black friday sales!! what did you get??   
    The drink package for Icon in June has been running on sale for 85.99. Now it says bogo 50% and the price is 89.99. That’s not exactly a great deal. 
  9. Like
    S0nny got a reaction from DoomSlayer in xSAILEDx Harmony of the Seas - Dec 31, 2023 - Jan 7, 2024 (7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise)   
    Hey Cruise Family! Give a shout-out if you are going to be on HOTS this New Year Eve. This will be our 6th cruise with RC and our first holiday cruise! Can't wait!
  10. Like
    S0nny got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in xSAILEDx Harmony of the Seas - Dec 31, 2023 - Jan 7, 2024 (7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise)   
    Hey Cruise Family! Give a shout-out if you are going to be on HOTS this New Year Eve. This will be our 6th cruise with RC and our first holiday cruise! Can't wait!
  11. Like
    S0nny got a reaction from bobroo in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    Hey there! Thanks for stopping by! 
    1. If you are doing PADI certification through the ship, they provided a mesh dive bag to carry your gear. We did bring our own collapsible backpack to carry things like wallets/sunglasses, reef friendly sunscreen, etc. 
    2. Snack were not provided by RC (neither was water). We made a habit of stopping by WJ every morning and grabbing water and snacks for the day. Because you are essentially doing an "excursion" at a dive location for your open water dives, there were snacks/food/drinks for sale. 
    3. We normally pack a change of shirt but that's all we needed. The dive locations have restrooms where you could change into dryer/comfy clothing, but our swimsuits dried quickly and a change of shirt was all that was needed. (we normally wear a thin, second skin long-sleeved for diving just to stay warm and keep the sun off our backs. 
    4. Everything dive related can go in the dive bag RC PADI provided. Including wetsuits if you wanted. You would don them just prior to the dive if you wanted to wear them. We felt that a lightweight second skin shirt (bought from the dive shop onboard) was enough for our Caribbean dives. 
    5. For the PADI certification, they do not permit you to dive with cameras (as your focus should rightfully be focused). Our RC PADI dive instructors were amazing and held our go-pro and filmed for the entire class. I simply shared all the videos to those in our cohort that wanted them. After certification, you are free to bring recording devices.
  12. Like
    S0nny reacted to Tazzy in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    I did the Discover Scuba on our cruise two weeks ago and enjoyed it. I decided I would rather take it slow while learning to dive for my certification, so I booked classes here at home, in the midwest, and after the pool work will do the open water dives in a lake or rock quarry, even though that's not ideal. It will get me certified. And then I booked a week-long dive trip to Bonaire, my husband's favorite dive location, for the fall. I think I'm set!
  13. Like
    S0nny reacted to Ditchdoc in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    Having some SCUBA experience I'll add my $0.02.
    First, I am Advanced Open Water, Dry Suit, NITROX and Rescue Diver certified. I learned to dive as a SCUBA, Swift Water Rescue Team. I have  over a thousand logged dives. A lot of my diving has been body, vehicles (including one military helicopter) and evidence recovery in conditions and waters most people wold never consider wading in, much less diving in.
    I have done a fair amount of diving in the Caribbean, deep dives, drift dives and cave dives.
    PADI instructors are among the best. Learning to SCUBA is very rewarding. The beauty of the oceans is like nothing you will every see on land.
    Learning the skills and being comfortable in the water is paramount. It is nothing to rush through and end up being uncertain about. Keep in mind that not everyone is suited for SCUBA. It can feel claustrophobic and scary. Everyone learns differently. Some take more time and patience. Keep in mind that 'quickie' resort and cruise training may not be sufficient for some people. I have seen bad situations where bad instructors just leave people to flounder because they can not keep up with the rest of the class. There are classes where time and money can take precedence over safety.
    I will say the experience I have had with RC dive shops on board has been good but diving excursions can and are often run by independent dive shops and the quality of instructors, boats and equipment can vary.
    If SCUBA is all new to you, my advice is get the best training you can. Get your own well fitted mask, snorkel and fins.
    You might consider a wet suit. These come in full length ankle to wrist and 'shorties' that are thigh to elbow. For Caribbean diving, something thin and light weight alike 0.5 or 1mm thickness. It will act as your cover up, help with any slight chill and offer some protection if you bump into something that might hurt.
    If you go on a dive boat, be prepared to contend with other divers and motion sickness. Find your rental gear, inspect it and keep it close. If you can, test fit you BC and assemble your tank and regulator, and have your weight in place. If you have questions about how much wight, or anything else, ask your dive master for advice. Test your regulator for a good fit in your mouth, that your tank is full and nothing is leaking air. As a novice, it is easy to the have the tank turned the wrong way, the regulator on the wrong side or what ever. The basic idea here is to plan ahead for that drop into water and be ready so you are not scattered, lost and over anxious when the time comes. I have never had a dive master complain about me double checking and getting everything ready in advance. If anything, it gives them some confidence that you know what you are doing.
    It takes practice to get good control of buoyancy. Don't over compensate and yo yo. Its easy to be excited and burn up your air in a hurry. Stay calm and enjoy. Ascend slowly and decompress.
    The last thing you want to do and probably will do is panic at 60 feet or more.
    Anyway, enough scary stuff. The point of all this is take your training seriously and if you really feel uncomfortable in the water or with the equipment, maybe stick to the swimming pool. Be cautious of accelerated courses that promise certification in a day or two. SCUBA is a serious endeavor that is fun with great rewards and learning to do it properly and safely can not be over emphasized.
     
  14. Like
    S0nny reacted to mac66 in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    I've edited this to make it more concise.  
    Something to consider if you are a cruiser and want to learn to dive. Most dive shops divide the classes into two parts, the class/confined water dives and then the open water.  You don't have to do both parts with the same dive shop.
    I looked very strongly at doing the onboard PADI certification. I ended up doing a class back home in a pool and my open water dives while on a cruise. Those are called referral dives and I don't know of a dive shop in the Caribbean who won't take referrals.
     
     
  15. Like
    S0nny reacted to phil82nd in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    Great blog! I really appreciate the information. I am doing the PADI certification in a couple weeks on Harmony of the Seas! 
  16. Like
    S0nny got a reaction from FireFishII in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    OVERALL REVIEW
    Alright cruise family. I wanted to write this post to give people the opportunity to decide IF getting their certification onboard a cruise was the right choice. Let me start with some pro's and cons.
    PROS: 
    - Some of the BEST DIVE LOCATIONS you could certify in! It's not everyday you get to dive in crystal clear water and see amazing coral life. To certify in those conditions with varied locations is not afforded to everyone. 
    - You are certifying with experienced dive instructors who really know how to cater to their clientele while providing exceptional customer service. We heard horror stories from members in our class that went diving with a local company on Cozumel. (apparently the dive "master" grabbed her by the arm and tried dragging her under when she had difficulty clearing her ears. And then when she fought back, he just LEFT HER and her buddy!)
    - You will NEVER certify with equipment of this caliber. Everything from the gorgeous blue tanks, to the BCD's, and depth gauges are an amazing quality given the amount you're paying.
    - Speaking of money, the COST is really on par with what you would pay on land. For approximately the same price for certifying on land, you are getting quality instructors, quality equipment, and TOP NOTCH dive destinations.
    - NO IN CLASS INSTRUCTION! I personally LIKED not having to be in class like I did when I certified for my Junior Open Water Certification. It was all online and at our own pace.
    - Even if you don't complete your Open Water Diver, you can be signed off for the water depth you did complete, and may have a credit towards a future PADI course. We had a student that refused to dive after our first open water dive due to motion sickness. I asked  what would happen to money she paid, and they indicated that she could use it towards a future class. I think this would just cover the PADI expenses, but at least it is comforting knowing it's not a total loss. 
    CONS:
    - You're supposed to be on vacation! Our vacation time is sacred to us; spending any time not drinking, relaxing, or doing cruise activities is kinda a drag. And you're not supposed to drink prior to diving... so that leaves little time to enjoy the libations. 
    - Cruising with a group would RUIN your experience. If you were part of a larger group that DIDN'T want to certify, it would be very difficult to coordinate dinners and excursions around the certification and training. We were lucky it was just the two of us, but we would have been miserable doing the training if our friends were on the ship too and living their best life. 
    - Not all equipment can be rented. You still have to buy a mask/snorkel and fins; they "can't" be rented. (I think your millage may vary depending on our instructors... ours were accommodating, but we wanted our own anyway).  
    - Taking the course with a group of people is a gamble. Our group wasn't terrible. But, there were members that were constantly sea sick and that brought its own challenges. 
    - This is not something you can add at the last moment. You have to have paperwork signed by an MD if you have any health conditions. Not everyone has a primary care provider, so not every MD would be willing to sign you off without knowing you and your medical history. You also have to complete the online training modules (which take almost 2 days if you're really going through them thoroughly... and probably longer if you are doing a few courses after work or school or dealing with kids). 
    My take:
    Don't book this if you are going on a cruise with a group, plan on buying a dining or drinking package, or have a splurged on room accommodations. I also wouldn't do this again on a longer cruise. Financially, we splurged for everything: room, dining, drinking... the works. That means we paid for days of dining and drinking we weren't really able to use with our constantly changing dive schedule. I would have much rather booked a 4 night cruise from a local port, and dedicate it to JUST the diving certification. When all was said and done, I don't regret doing it this way! I would get certified on a cruise ship again, but would take into consideration the comments above. 
    Let me know what questions you have! I will try not to take 4 months to respond
     ?
  17. Like
    S0nny got a reaction from FireFishII in All about our PADI certification on board Harmony OTS   
    I wanted to start this blog by sharing our Open Water Diver Certification process on board Harmony OTS, Nov 2019. Hopefully this will help answer any questions or concerns. This will be partly live since we are still on board; if you have any questions you want me to relay, let me know! (We disembark on Nov 16, 2019)
    We signed up for the excursion about a week prior to the cruise. I asked a bunch of questions, and THAT same day the excursion team reached out to the dive team. All my questions were answered that same day (appreciated the quick responses!). They also included copies of our medical questionnaire (see pictures) and asked us to send them back. The same day I sent them back, they responded with my PADI redeem key so I could start my eLearning modules. I HIGHLY recommend getting them done early (obviously...) this was a last minute decision (largely thanks to @twangster and noting some advice he posted. I owe you a beer on our next cruise...provided I get certified... ??)
    Since it was a last minute decision, we spent most of the morning of our embarkation (both before and after we were on the ship) frantically trying to finish ?? Ultimately it didn’t seem like a huge deal if we hadn’t, since all open water stuff was going to be done the following day. They didn’t seem too concerned that some of our modules appeared as not complete (even though they were), they just softly reminded us to finish them and encouraged us to get them done ASAP. There are NUMEROUS glitches with the PADI eLearning app (known as “PADI Library” in the Apple store). We found the iPad to be WAY easier to use vs. just an iPhone. Even with the large screen of the iPhone 11 Pro... it still was difficult to navigate, watch videos, take exams, etc. 
    Once on board, we showed up before 3:pm to prove all our pre-cruise requirements were completed, our medical questionnaire, doctors note (if needed), and PADI folder were all filled out. I would HIGHLY suggest you review the medical requirements and get all issues signed off by your MD well in advance. We had to show back up at 6pm to fit our gear (and buy what we didn’t have). They (Francois and Kelly) seemed really friendly, and probably would have let us borrow equipment had we pressed the issue, but we wanted to just buy our own anyway. If you’re smarter than we are, I would suggest going to your local PADI (or dive) shop, try on products there, and buy them in advance. Ultimately the masks they offered ranged in price from $20-120 , but they had limited options for colors, styles, brands etc. This is like going into your local bowling alley and seeing all the pretty, fancy pro gear, and then going online and seeing about 8 million different options than what was offered. You may not only save some money, but also have something that fits better or you like more. 
    That was it for day 1!!
    They were supposed to have us do our confined water dives on Perfect Day, but the pool was down for maintenance apparently. This meant we got a free day in Cocoa Cay! BUT it meant we had to use the on board pool (and NOT the aqua pool like I’ve heard they used in the past) for our initial confined dives. This meant our first sea day was an almost all day practicum  day and only in 4.5 ft of water ?

    Day 2 (our 3rd cruise day and first sea day). We met at 6:30am at the dive shop. We grabbed our gear (prepared and fitted previously) then prepped it like they taught us, and went into the pool. There are 7 in our class and they said that is about typical for on board certification. People ranged from having previous dive experience to having none. Overall our class went until about 10:30am. At that time one of our classmates apparently gagged on something and threw up in the pool ?? Whatever, lol ?  happens. Rolling with the flow of the ocean is what cruising is all about. They did have to clean out the pool which meant lessons were over for the morning. This was kinda a hindrance since we need to come BACK this/that evening at 4:30pm for more training. 

    As of writing this (I’m sitting in the hot tub in the solarium relaxing until evening class), things haven’t been too crazy difficult or hard. Super basic skills (removing mask and regulators, practicing emergency procedures etc) were all we completed. (But according to our instructors we are doing relatively well!)
    I’ll keep you all updated with the thing that happen next and relay any lessons learned I thought might be useful!



  18. Love
    S0nny got a reaction from anxiouscruiser in Changes with The Key Program   
    I think your cabin class, whether or not you would use room service/internet, and whether one of your port itineraries includes a tender should really be the primary considerations.  
    Personally, I thought the Chops embarkation meal in the MDR was not as nice as the meal is when actually in Chops. I would LOVE no cost room service as I am an early riser while my spouse is not. I would love to enjoy a full service breakfast on my balcony without having to go to the WJ (does anyone else hate walking back to their room with food...? all uncovered... and then someone always makes a comment about your breakfast... lol... like... mind yo business... this is for TWO people <-- clearly still holding onto trauma) 

    We always use the internet, and on larger ships, the priority tender / saved seats at events can definitely make you feel like Sky/Star class without booking that level of suite. Without the saved seats at events, The Key just doesn't seem worth it. 
  19. Like
    S0nny reacted to FionaMG in Go ahead, say “I told you so!”   
    Yup, that's Royal for you. Their definition of "% off" is "some random number off another random number". The only number you can rely on is the one on the bottom line. 😞
  20. Haha
    S0nny reacted to cdixon22 in Go ahead, say “I told you so!”   
    Yesterday our soda package said 30% off at $6.49 pp and today it says 50% off at $6.49 pp. still a good price but how do they calculate %.   That is some fuzzy math at best. 🙄
  21. Wow
    S0nny reacted to Pooch in Go ahead, say “I told you so!”   
    My highly anticipated Black Friday sale is a bust.  Not only is it still 30% off but the base price went up a couple weeks ago so that 30% is actually $3 more each.  I know, I know you snooze you lose.  
  22. Like
    S0nny reacted to JohnK6404 in Changes with The Key Program   
    Pre-covid, we were escorted down to the Key reserved section (roped off section) once we showed our SeaPass... will miss that! So many confused and dirty looks while we were escorted to our seats!
     
  23. Haha
    S0nny got a reaction from Hagar in Am I crazy? Don't answer that...   
    lol... I don't think you're crazy! There are a few things that I am certain of; they are:
    1. Death 2. Taxes AND 3. Royal Caribbean's website is Gremlin Central Station
  24. Like
    S0nny got a reaction from Hoski in Changes with The Key Program   
    I think your cabin class, whether or not you would use room service/internet, and whether one of your port itineraries includes a tender should really be the primary considerations.  
    Personally, I thought the Chops embarkation meal in the MDR was not as nice as the meal is when actually in Chops. I would LOVE no cost room service as I am an early riser while my spouse is not. I would love to enjoy a full service breakfast on my balcony without having to go to the WJ (does anyone else hate walking back to their room with food...? all uncovered... and then someone always makes a comment about your breakfast... lol... like... mind yo business... this is for TWO people <-- clearly still holding onto trauma) 

    We always use the internet, and on larger ships, the priority tender / saved seats at events can definitely make you feel like Sky/Star class without booking that level of suite. Without the saved seats at events, The Key just doesn't seem worth it. 
  25. Haha
    S0nny got a reaction from Sharla in Am I crazy? Don't answer that...   
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