46 minutes ago, PaulRC said:

What is the advantage of using a TA?  Isn't easier to go directly thru the, in this case RC?

Thanks

Paul

Back in May, I spent over 400 minutes on the phone trying to get the FCC certificates for a cancelled cruise straightened out.

A TA would have done that for us.

Plus when our new TA  (Kelley Hardy at MEI) booked our next cruise, she got us a lower rate than what I had seen on the RC site.

Hope to be on the Grandeur on Thanksgiving day.

21 minutes ago, Leroyr55 said:

Still waiting and of course as you stated the sale is over with some pretty big price increases.  

I checked on price for the deluxe drink package ( like I do every day) this morning, and it was still $44 a day.

In the afternoon, I received the Onboard credit and it was almost exactly what I had figured. I got ahold of my cabin mate, and she had also received the correct amount. The other couple we are traveling with got nothing so far.

When I went to the cruise planner, the drink package was up to $59 a day.

Times 4 of us,,,

Hopefully it will drop some before November.

23 hours ago, eaglesfaninfl said:

Just booked $44 beverage for me and $19 refreshment for my wife on Grandeur over Thanksgiving after seeing it on the Matt's Blog. Lowest beverage price I've seen in quite a while, thanks for the heads up, Matt. Now I just hope it sails!!

We are on that cruise also.

Just hope that the drink package price is still that low when we finally get the 125 percent OBC.

Just checked my cruise planner for 2 rooms booked for November, we got $50 a room.

4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

If you actually put a deposit down on the replacement cruise, it should show up immediately.  If the replacement cruise only has a “hold” right now, it will not show up in your list of upcoming cruises until you put down a deposit.

Kelley at MEI booked a replacement cruise for November for us with down payment deferred until the FCC comes in. It shows up on my cruise planner, after I added it using  Add a cruise  .

3 hours ago, Ogilthorpe said:

Did they assign you a good room at least?

Lol, nope.

Down on deck 2 first 2 rooms back from the bow.

Using the FCC for connecting rooms on deck 4, about 6 rooms from the elevators on the same cruise in November, for about the same price.

We're pretty happy with that.

I just checked my cancelled April 16 cruise, today is the first time that it shows our Gty room assignments.

I booked 2 Gty ocean view rooms for a 8 night cruise out of Baltimore for April 16 (through AAA). When RC cancelled the cruise, I tried to contact AAA, but no one got back to me. I opted for the 125 percent for both the FCC and the drink packages, internet and thrill water park.

On Sunday, we decided to try for a similar cruise on November 20. Monday I did a mock booking for that cruise, found 2 connecting ocean view rooms for about the same cost as the cancelled one. On Tuesday I sent the info to MEI and got a reply from Kelley saying that she could reserve the booking with no deposit until May 31. I said go ahead, and the price she got me was $70 less per room ( that includes port fees and taxes).

You would think that with only 2 cruises under my belt, it would be easy to pick one.

Both out of Baltimore on Grandeur, the first was a 7 day April 2019 to Bermuda and Charleston SC ( where my friend's daughter lives), the second a 5 day to Bermuda September 2019.

7 days was nice, but on the 5 day cruise we swam with dolphins.

I guess I would pick the first.

41 minutes ago, dodgestang said:

I believe You would have to click on each stateroom category and count the number of cabins highlighted as available to pick

 

On Edit: I did it and found about 111 open cabin on my April 16th on Grandeur....and many of the cabin where 'blocks' of 3 or 6 open....so it looks like some 'groups' may be cancelling

Same cruise we will be on. Really hope our TA can get us an upgrade.

1 hour ago, Shari3 said:

How do I decode my barcode?

You can download the barcode from your online set sail pass, and input it here:

https://www.onlinebarcodereader.com/

Mine is still not showing a room number with 44 days until sailing.

8 minutes ago, tiny blonde said:

Aha! I knew it. 'Remember the old-style "ambulance chaser" lawyer? This guy's a cruise ship chaser.

I was just watching Matt live on Facebook on my phone, and a few people were asking about what other ships would be in Coco cay while they were there.

I had just found this site last night that lists all the ships there on any day in 2020.

http://crew-center.com/perfect-day-coco-cay-bahamas-cruise-ships-schedule-2020

We sailed on Grandeur twice, April 2019 and September 2019. Going again in April 2020.

First, don't over pack.

If possible, arrive in the area the day before.

Get to the Port by 10:30

If you like to drink, buy the package now

There is so much good food included, we never considered the dining package

If you like to gamble, bring plenty of cash

If you smoke cigarettes they sell cartons cheap ( once you get out of port )

Check out the cruise compass every day

But the most important thing is ENJOY YOURSELF

I picked up a phone bag at Walmart

Onn Mobile Phone Waterproof Bag Fully Submersible with Transparent Finish

For 5 dollars, but I didn't really didn't use it much, so I found another use for it.

10 minutes ago, coneyraven said:

Which way do you come into Maryland..... PA Turnpike to Breezewood and down, or, 79 south to Morgantown, then 68 east through Cumberland to Hancock & 70 east?

We use 70 e to 68 east to get to Hagerstown, then I think 70 to the Port

Would need to find the trip tic to be sure, lol

17 minutes ago, coneyraven said:

While I would agree with you, one can assume that if you're close enough to drive, you're also close enough to know back roads and different bypasses to get you around any incidents.  That's exactly what happened to us heading down to Baltimore .... we were on I-70 east west of Hagerstown, when, wouldn't you know it.... Accident..... fortunately, to our rescue came US 40 and MD 144 --- both parallel roads to the interstate that eventually, we were able to use to access other back roads to get around all the crap.  Easy Peasy for a local.

It's about 6 hours from where we live in Ohio to the Baltimore port, so we leave the day before and spend the night at Hagerstown. It's just over an hour to the Port, so we get there, check our bags, and are having a drink at the R bar by 11.

On 12/4/2019 at 2:01 PM, Matt said:

Alright friends, time to fess up to the worst rookie mistake you made on a cruise, even if you aren't a first time cruiser!

Please share the single mistake/slip up/fail you made on a cruise, so that we can all learn from these mistakes!

Not using a reputable travel agent.