Pattycruise

Sadly it is not a direct #. It used to be as that’s the number I have stored in my phone. Now it’s some computer chat thing asking what you want. Despite saying crown and anchor or loyalty ambassador on different calls it will transfer me to booking agents. In the fortunate happening it recognizes I want the crown and anchor society it says “we recognized your phone number is associated with an existing account please enter your birthday for verification”. Well I’ll be darned-apparently I don’t know my birthday!!! After many times of verifying my birthday with actual people who work for royal their system just won’t recognize what I input. Just warning that it’s not as easy as it used to be.

The paid for Royal shuttles have been a bit of a nightmare. I think I’ll stick to my paid outside vendor shuttles even if they offer free for my upcoming cruises. examples of bad Royal shuttle experiences 1. Booked early 9:00 am shuttle from IAH to Galveston- I arrive early-they inform me the 9am shuttle is cancelled and I can take the 11. There 11 doesn’t leave till after 12 because they are waiting for a delayed flight. …. 2. next time in Galveston I used Galveston Express to get to Port-excellent but it’s the president’s cruise so I stupidly thought I’d use Royal To go back to the airport because it would be an organized exit. Wrong. Escaped the ship chaos only to get outside and have to wait in super long lines for the Royal shuttle. Hotter out by the minute-I whip out my umbrella to keep from burning. Well over an hour on a line-getting close to 2 hours…Watched the Galveston express load their people with no issues and off they went. 4. Tampa-after the Panama Canal crossing. The lines exiting off the ship were super long. Finally get outside and the bus line was organized until it wasn’t because power staff wanted to “shorten the line” and instead created a mob. People rushing to be in front they load the bus and then say there’s not likely going to be another. WHAT! Had to ask to get a chair for my ailing MIL-and finally a bus comes and it’s a mob scene again. The only reason we booked the shuttle was we were arriving late and there had been a storm in Florida while we did our crossing with water damage in the port/cars under water etc. . My MIL was panicked we wouldn’t get other transport to the airport.

This was posted in a Facebook group for one of my upcoming sailings. They noted it came from the Facebook group “odyssey of the seas”

Progreso-a friend described it as the armpit of Mexico. I went last month-I was not impressed.

Renewals can be done online-if requirements are met https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html#Step One

I prefer to do mock bookings and see the cabins and prices offered for 2 people. If I then do a single person mock booking I can see the price difference. If a cabin I was interested in is not showing available then it’s likely solo cabins they are showing me. If that’s the case you need to figure out the port fees and taxes from the cabin for 2…. Because that 2nd person port fees/taxes be won’t charged in a solo booking /you’d need to calculate if you are actually saving $. as mentioned you won’t get double crown and anchor points if you are in a solo cabin. Don’t trust the agent booking your cabin isn’t putting you in a solo cabin. You need to know your stuff.?

If she is under 18 contact Crown and Anchor and set her up with a loyalty # and link her relationship with you. If she is over 18 you are out of luck. crown and anchor number 1 (800) 526-9723 Keep saying loyalty at the prompt. Sadly they did away with the dedicated phone lin. When a person finally picks up ask if they are Crown and Anchor-I was transferred to a cruise booking specialist who wasted 5 minutes of my time trying to assist me, only for him to say he couldn’t I needed Crown and anchor (no kidding ) and he “transferred me” and it hung up so I had To start again, .

I booked Icon for Icon. The only port I’ll get off at is CoCocay because I love it there. The other 2 ports-the only enticement to disembark would be if someone was paying me to get off the ship. I want to see what all the hoopla is for Icon-and enjoy it when it’s less crowded. Use a casino comp for the other ships that go to those islands and enjoy them then,

I don’t think SAS goes to Miami airport

Try early morning out later at night. They open 8am and close 10pm on M-F I’ve read a lot of people had hold issues this weekend. Maybe weekday would be better.

No idea. I’d recommend calling though as Royal seems to have their own special way of making things difficult or screwing them up.

Recently learned to not book the cheapest uber on the app. My wait time just kept increasing-once I picked a higher price car he pulled up almost immediately. Don’t know if this holds true all the time. I’m not partial to Royal’s shuttles. So much so that I’d opt to pay a few dollars more to avoid them as long as I can find a recommended company that has good reviews.

I see you’ve gotten some advice. maybe someone can weigh in about Miami as I don’t recall. In NJ you do not need documents out until you get through security. If you are some who show up super early (10am or so) you might have “the guy” asking to see your setsail pass-so you can only enter if it’s your actual time. That guy eases up as the crowd thins. In Baltimore I recall queues outside when you arrive early. There we had to have setsail pass and travel docs out to enter in Tampa-setsail pass and travel docs were needed to enter the building. I don’t know how the queue worked for first opening. in San Juan -you go into queue lines based on check in time and needed documents and set sail pass out to enter the terminal can anyone discuss the other ports? Miami Fort Lauderdale Port Canaveral Boston LA Vancouver Seward Seattle New Orleans (was just there and don’t recall)

Funny someone asked the same question in one of my upcoming cruises. The cruise isn’t even going to Canada, they are Canadians traveling to the US for their cruise and wondering about their safety. I believe the reports were the tariffs would go both ways?! So I guess we can just continue on as that balances out. maybe I’ll work on a British accent for my Canadian cruise. btw, the US dollar has been quite strong against the Canadian -I saved loads in Vancouver last year.

I would think the closet would be sufficient to hold the seat.

Royal is so tight with their money I’m shocked they are willingly refunding $. Did they send out a separate email telling people parking will be difficult and offering a free shuttle?

The number in parenthesis is actual cash out of pocket lost? I think I might need help to stop gambling

I second SAS Transportation.

True, I forgot to mention that. I did try to upgrade my balcony to a Jr suite but they then reverted the free balcony to the $value of a pinnacle cruise and the upgrade difference became ridiculous. Definitely not worth the price.

I did this tour and enjoyed it. No idea who the company was. The tour guide on the bus was amazing, endlessly gave us info on what we were seeing. I’ve a lousy memory but do recall getting a cannoli at a restaurant. If you need the restroom at the restaurant-RUN to get inside. It’s small and the line was long. Our guide finally came along and brought us to an upstairs bathroom and us ladies took over the ladies and men’s room so the line would move, the upstairs had been ripped off but she took initiative! I took my cannoli outside to eat and walk around-I wanted to see things-not sit in a restaurant. There was a small store in the restaurant/they really seemed to appreciate cash as the line moved winner with that. Taormarina was beautiful. At the far plaza-the third one- there is a museum for a coliseum. I did not go in as I had meandered there and didn’t feel I could give it time. …I did pass through that plaza and found a street with a restaurant/almost “fast food” in that they had premade tins of lasagna. I enjoyed that and a beer but there were lots of glues/annoying. Food was ok, definitely cheaper than some of the other places I had passed. The bus-FULL. The seats-ok. I’m tall -roughly 5’11 and my knees were up against the seat in front of me. I also travelled solo so it was awkward when I got on the bus close to first and grabbed a window seat and then a couple got on last and couldn’t get seats together (family of 3 were the other odd couple. anyhow after the first stop people jumped seats and that threw off the bus-family with 2 small kids couldn’t sit near their kids so they threw them on their lap…no thanks dea why they couldn’t sit one adult and 1 child..,.anyhow next stop the lap children were ended by the guide. I finally asked if on the ride back could sit next to the guide up front as I needed leg room and I wouldn’t be the odd wheel. After much ado she insisted I sit there. Thankful!!! So-if you get seats you like-maybe leave a sweater or something on the bus to save the seat. I don’t think I was in a small group-we were about 40 or so.

Oddly you don’t get crown and anchor points on the free Pinnacle cruise.

Yes, that’s how I reached Pinnacle! Lots of solo casino cruises. Solo cruises gets Double Crown and anchor points if in a balcony or below if those cabins can hold at least 2 people (not a designated solo cabin). If a cabin is a junior suite or higher the solo sailer gets triple crown and anchor points.

It’s a nice change from the WIndjammer. On some sailings I’ll go and get the guacamole, the chicken, and the beans and then go to Central Park and get some e salad stuff and throw my loco fresh stuff on top.

Never tried but when someone shows up without a card the dealer presses them for it. If they still don’t produce it there’s usually a conversation that takes place with the pit boss. I’ve seen them look up the room and then enter the person into the system. Usually when the dealer scans in a card they say thank you “Jane” or “Jim” so I’d be surprised if they let Jim stay at the table when it’s “Jane’s” card

At the very least wearing a mask would be the responsible thing to do. Not only is there a possibility you are coming down with something but your immunity is likely suffering so you may pick something up. Not a bad time to take extra vitamin C. Also pack meds to have for your cruise. I have an entire toiletry kit with meds and it has come in handy when cruising.