JimnKathy

8 hours ago, monctonguy said:

need vaccines rolled out, wide spread and effective/proven before cruises are going to start up again

I tend to agree. Once vaccines are rolled out to the mainstream folks (I read today on CNBC that frontline workers in law enforcement, healthcare, etc. could begin vaccinations within the next 2 months...an addition 3 or 4 months for everyone else), the outbreak risks would be negligible at that point. I'm guessing a June or July start date for cruises.

On 8/6/2020 at 7:57 PM, FManke said:

 

I see people are concerned about thick cuts of cheese and copious amounts of butter, but nobody is talking about all the calories consumed from the deluxe beverage package. HMM?  

Yeah, because those Lava Flows are such low-cal beverage options! 

We've a B2B on Symphony booked beginning in late Sep 2021...I wonder if those two 7-nighters spliced together will be allowed?

4 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

You will not "lose" any of your deposit if you cancel under CWC, you would just simply not get it back as cash.

Yep, I just think about my FCC as a savings account to be used at a later date for future fun times.

35 minutes ago, DandA said:

RANT ON:  This is just another example of entrenched bureaucrats that have lost touch with reality.  They know nothing beyond the little bubble they live in.  Here is another news flash for them.  Pedestrians who cross streets are more likely to be struck by cars, than pedestrians that never cross the street.  Live is a series of calculated risks, let individuals weigh the risks and let them make their own decision.

Its easy for these government employees to advocate for businesses to shut down, they still are getting paid.  RANT OFF

I think most folks agree with you. The cruise ship industry is doing an amazing job of developing operational protocols to make sailing as safe as possible for both employees and passengers. I'm definitely in the camp of "Let each one of us make our own informed decisions whether to sail or not sail" and allow all of us to get on with living our lives.

On 8/20/2020 at 8:50 AM, FManke said:

If the fish isn't cooked to order, you're going to run into that. 

One way to circumvent this issue with king salmon is to ask for it medium-rare...most land-based restaurants will cook it for you on request.

On 10/9/2020 at 12:48 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

A lot has to do with which ship you will be on.  If it is one of the O or Q class ships, yes, I think the 3 night package is a good deal at $99.

...but remember that the UDP offers a LOT more than just dinners.  It also includes lunches any time that the restaurant is open and can accommodate you (this usually means sea days, but not always).  Also, with the UDP, you can eat as many times in as many different venues as you want - even on the same day/night.  We sometimes go to Chops for dinner and then wander over to Wonderland for dessert.  Many people enjoy having wings and other snacks at Playmakers in the afternoon and then having a regular full service meal somewhere later in the evening.  You can enjoy a sushi snack at Izumi and then go to another restaurant later.

So, if you are a "wandering" eater and think you would enjoy eating at more than 1 venue per day, the UDP is a much better deal, IMO.  If, however, you are just looking to sample a few of the specialty restaurants and don't envision yourself eating multiple times per day, then the 3 night package would probably make more sense.

Thank you for the wonderful pointers. I would also add that the UDP (we did the 3-night package last year) offers a great side deal for folks like the missus and me who do their primary drinking at dinner. While we're not day drinkers (the DBP isn't a deal for us), we do enjoy our wine with dinner and the 40% discount off bottled wines is perfect for us.

Like all the other cruise lines, RCL is raising cash via both the equity and debt markets to weather the COVID storm. For existing shareholders, it creates a dilutive effect which explains the pullback in the stock price today. I also noted the news that RCL is issuing $500 million in a private convertible debt offering.

We loved everything about our sailing on Symphony last Sep 2019 from the time we embarked all the way through the disembarkation. As we walked off the ship our only regret was not booking a B2B. Luckily, we now have a B2B planned for Sep 21...we'll probably wish we booked a B2B2B when that trip ends, too. 

I always slip a $10 to the server on the first night when they open up a bottle of wine I brought on board. While I've never encountered a a corkage fee yet, this makes for some incredible service as the week progresses. I also like to give our cabin steward $20 on the first day as well...it's amazing what that investment will do for you during the rest of the cruise.

17 hours ago, Floski said:

I'm a craft beer enthusiast.

But when I sail with the beverage package, it's all liquor, all the time.   

The craft selection onboard is awful, so it's a no-brainer to me.  However, 

I am looking forward to trying the Funky Buddha collab when we get to Coco Cay on 11/30!

We like our craft beer as well...Blue Moon is typically the least worst option for a poolside brewsky. We also will drink a Carib while visiting some of the islands during the day.

The first day limited hours thingy is an easy fix...just knock down a few brewskies with a side of Jameson and you'll be good to go.

51 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

Wasn’t thinking of changes in the dollar cost of the package. Was more thinking of a lower number of drinks for the first day with the reduced hours of opportunity. 

This is amazing news...we've been flying Southwest for years and love their reasonable fares and outstanding customer service.

On 8/26/2020 at 2:58 PM, Jill said:

How is anyone going to cruise to Alaska from the US? Dang Canadians! Actually it’s our stupid law requiring a foreign port. Not sure I should get my hopes up for a 2022 Alaska. 

You'll be able to sail out of Seattle (cue the riot/protest jokes and video clips) to visit Alaska if Canada isn't available.

1 hour ago, KWong said:

Kind of wish they had Detroit style though.

Out of idle curiosity, what is Detroit-style pizza? 

One strategy to consider using to make money on the stock is to write/sell out-of-the-money puts on the common stock. I'm a retired stockbroker and can tell you some of the best ways to earn money in the market is to use this strategy as part of an overall diversified portfolio.

2 hours ago, Bigbob7777 said:

I had b2b2b on Harmony.  Oh well...

Just did a L&S on our cancelled B2B Symphony cruise to Sep 2021...we'll be celebrating 21 years of marriage instead of 20!

Not that I'm one bit surprised, but there goes our B2B Symphony sailing 9/19. 

3 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

I heard that stocks in general were up today due to good news from Moderna (vaccine testing).  But I only know  what I heard ... I actually know nothing, lol.

Any positive news that potentially speeds up a vaccine deployment will make the airline, cruise and hotel stocks soar.

 Symphony of the Seas

We're set for a B2B on Symphony beginning 9/19 (probably won't sail, we know!) and had our TA ensure we keep the same cabin to make our lives easier.

On 7/1/2020 at 11:31 PM, CruisinForABruisin said:

Uh, they should be tossing said dish after 2 hours at most 

Yes indeed. Food sitting at temps between 40F and 140F should be tossed after 2 hours. All sorts of bad things start growing on food after this time frame.

Yep, we've got a B2B on Symphony that starts 9/19...already preparing for the worst, but then again, SOMEBODY has to get lucky SOMETIME!

38 minutes ago, Mrs. Thomas said:

I'm on that same sailing and the idea of moving it again just makes me ill. Since I used FCC I won't be able to do anything else. Not sure when I would try to do it for. The holiday season is out for us as we do a lot of things with family on land. Right now I'm just gonna keep that staring at the sliver of hope. "Some people" may want to make sure cruising happens by Nov. due to voting.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they close those small hot tubs.

2 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

Who is going to enforce this as they dont even enforce the time or capacity limits on the hot tubs now?