Andy & Sheryl Unwin

Harr travel does the most impressive ship and suite tours

We watch as many youtube videos (not just Matt's) about the ship we will be embarking on, for months ahead of time

So, the game is afoot. Our Feb 2021 sailing is cancelled, so that will leapfrog over the September 2021 sailing and land in somewhere in Feb 2022. Likely will take a FCC on this one.

Just got a present in my inbox. Dear Guest, We hope that this email finds you healthy and safe. As you know, the current situation has been, and still is, quite fluid. The CDC’s Conditional Sailing Order is a positive step for the cruising industry, and we are anxious to welcome guests back onboard. We recently extended our global suspension through December 31st, 2020, excluding sailings onboard Quantum of the Seas, to ensure we have ample time to focus on our healthy return to service initiatives. However, in order to allow additional time for our preparation, we’ve decided to further extend our global suspension through February 28th, 2021 for most of our fleet, along with our Australian season through April 30th, 2021. While we are excluding our newly deployed Singapore sailings and select sailings onboard Spectrum of the Seas from this suspension, our plan is to resume our broader global operations on March 1st, 2021. As a result, your sailing will unfortunately be cancelled. We’re terribly sorry for the impact to your vacation. Despite the current circumstances, our primary goal continues to be a seamless and healthy return to service. We’re hyper-focused on welcoming you back! We’ve teamed up with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and have assembled the “Healthy Sail Panel” - a multifaceted team of globally recognized experts. The panel will work alongside our new Public Health & Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Calvin Johnson, and with their help, our vision is to pioneer innovative ways to guide the cruise industry’s way forward in response to the pandemic. It goes without saying, we’re all in this together. While we all wish we were cruising, we do have some options for you, including an option that has been very well received by our guests, as it provides a little something extra to use once we all start cruising again! Here are your options: 1. 125% Future Cruise Credit: We’re providing you with a 125% Future Cruise Credit to book a new cruise by April 30th, 2022. This amount is based on your total cruise fare paid, and we’re giving you a little extra, knowing that this is such a unique circumstance. Your certificate can be used on any Royal Caribbean International sailing that departs on or before April 30th, 2022. We’ll automatically send your Future Cruise Credit via email by January 15th, 2021, so there’s nothing for you to do! Taxes & fees and any RoyalUp upgrades will be automatically refunded. Current refund processing is around 45 days. We are working as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience. Please note: If you opted into the Cruise with Confidence 100% Future Cruise Credit, this offer does not apply. And, if you previously used a Future Cruise Credit (including previous Global Suspension FCCs), you’ll receive a new Future Cruise Credit. This will be for 125% of any new monies paid on this sailing, plus the value of your original credit at 100% of its value, with an expiration and sail by date of April 30, 2022. If you were already impacted by a sailing that was previously cancelled due to a global suspension and paid additional monies on a new booking within this extended suspension period, you are still able to opt in to refund one or both cancelled bookings via the process below. 2. Lift and Shift: If you prefer to move your existing booking to a sailing next year - we’re happy to move you! We will price protect the original pricing and/or promotion on the same itinerary, length, product, and stateroom category as your original sailing within 4 weeks (before or after) of the original sail date the following year. For example, if you are moving from a January 1st, 2021 sailing, you can move to a sailing that is the same itinerary, length, product, and stateroom category, and the sail date between December 1st, 2021 - February 1st, 2022. Please know, price protection covers your cruise fare/promotion on an applicable sailing only and excludes taxes and fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items, as these may change. You must decide to move to a new sailing by December 16th, 2020. If not, we will automatically issue you a Future Cruise Credit. Complimentary Casino offers are not eligible for Lift & Shift. 3. 100% Refund: Or, if you prefer a full refund, which is a lower value than the future cruise credit offer above, we’re happy to process this for you. Given how fluid this situation is, and the opportunity to use the extra credit being offered, you have until March 31st, 2021 to request a refund and deactivate your certificate.  Please contact us to start the refund process, forfeiting the higher value of your 125% Future Cruise Credit. To avoid waiting on the phone to cancel, click here and we will get the refund process started for you. Note: Please know, once we receive your refund request, we unfortunately won’t be able to accept an FCC request if you change your mind. We’ll then deactivate your Future Cruise Credit and process your refund to your original form(s) of payment, which will include any non-refundable deposits. You can expect to receive your refund 45 days after you submit your refund request. Please note: If you used a Cruise with Confidence certificate on this sailing, and you request a refund instead, we’ll refund any NEW funds paid above the certificate amount, and we’ll reinstate your original Cruise with Confidence certificate. And, a special option for those that also purchased Cruise Planner Items… You can opt-in to receive an Onboard Credit in the value of 125% of the total Cruise Planner purchases on your reservation. Click here by December 16th, 2020 to request your higher value credit, and we’ll email you your credit by January 15th, 2021. If we don’t hear from you on or before December 16th, 2020, your Cruise Planner purchases will be automatically refunded. You’ll receive your refund within 45 days of your booking’s cancellation. We are working as quickly as possible and appreciate your patience during these unprecedented times. Also, if you opt for a cruise fare refund or for Lift and Shift, you are not be eligible for this Cruise Planner Onboard Credit offer. Questions about how the Cruise Planner credit works? Click here for more details. Guests with air or hotel booked… Refundable air or hotel accommodations purchased through Royal Caribbean will be automatically refunded to you within 45 days after we process the cancellation. If you booked non-refundable air through Royal Caribbean or booked on your own, please contact the service provider directly for your options with them. If you have any questions, please contact your Travel Advisor immediately or contact us at: 1800 754 500 in Australia 0344 493 4005 in the U.K. 1 866 562 7625 in the U.S. or Canada All other countries, please visit http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contactus for your local Royal Caribbean International office phone number. We appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued loyalty. We will all come out of this stronger than ever. Stay healthy and safe. We miss our guests, and we’ll be ready to welcome you back soon. Sincerely, Time to play leapfrog the cruises

Yep, some new goodies in the app

We have a simple method on this. Next year we have 2 cruises booked, one in Feb 21, the other in Sep 21. If all goes well, we can enjoy both, if not then we can leapfrog them with Lift n Shift to the following year. The Feb 21 is already paid for, so it simply leapfrogs the september 21 sailing and goes to Feb 22. We would have had to pay the final funds on the september sailing at the end of june anyway. So, with these 2 cruises positioned to be able to play leapfrog, we can just keep doing that until the day we are able to walk up the gangway again. I dont see any of the major lines in general, nor Royal in particular going bust. So as it was money we would have spent anyway, its simply in reserve.

Kraken and I had a brief but interesting experience together a few years ago. I may try it again one day, just to see if things have changed since then. What is life without a little risk and adventure...?

Even if it is made with that awful stuff "Kraken" that looks rather interesting. Now if we could have it made with "Pussers Gunpowder Proof" rum, that would be even better.

Thinking on the positive side for a moment. This proves the early detection measures and monitoring are effective, and notice everyone was isolated immediately to mitigate contacts and spreading. Well done says I

As I understand it, RC makes every effort to avoid such things, and have a team monitoring weather way ahead of any ships course and making "suggestions" to the ships captain about how to avoid any unpleasantness. Passengers turning green and not having an amazing time isnt good for business.

Oh my, this could get interesting.... Thinking about our last time on Navigator First thing is morning coffee, OJ and fruit delivered to the JS. out to the balcony More coffee with second breakfast in the MDR, down to the R bar, for Bloody Mary then stroll around the walking track Back to the R bar, jack and coke takes me through to lunch Glass of wine with lunch in the MDR Back to the R Bar to let lunch settle and wash down with another Jack and Coke Mini Golf Back to the R Bar - more jack and coke Change for dinner Dinner in the MDR- 2 glasses of wine Showtime - Jack and coke Back to the R bar - Jack and coke or two or three Sleep time Just to see how the drinks package worked out, we kept a real count on Navigator. Remember there were two of us contributing here not just me Monday☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆14 × 13 = $182Tuesday☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆16 x 13 = $208Wednesday☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆20 x 13 = $260Thursday☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆8 x 13 = $104$754 Consumed $432 Drinks package $322 Balance in our favour

I know its far too soon to be overly excited by this, but we do see it as a positive step which will help us get back to sea

I am former Royal Navy, a scheduled day of activities is something I would expect. Particularly any emergency evolutions etc.

They didnt on Navigator this year, we discussed it with the wait staff. When we told them we were sad we missed Valentines Day at sea, they confirmed it wasnt too special at all.

As a florida resident, its easy to get to any of the 4 cruise ports here for me, so I would volunteer in a heartbeat

My best memory from our last cruise (Navigator, Feb 2020) was springing one surprise after another on Sheryl for her birthday.

I just read the blog article (thank you Matt). Totally tickled pink and looking forward to next year with renewed optimism. Let the fun begin

Q: What swims at the bottom of the sea and scares the other fish ? A: Jack the Kipper

Submarine racing

My thought is yes. I routinely fly a lot on business and know only too well how often flights are cancelled, delayed or diverted. Personally if I were flying for a cruise with a departure deadline, I would rather hibernate in a hotel overnight than risk not making it onboard

Ahh as a former Royal Navy signalman, this is right up my street. This is not a maritime law per se, but nautical etiquette. A foreign flagged vessel, (RCL ships are registered in the Bahamas) visiting a port, routinely fly the flag of the country they are visiting from a prominent position. Usually the masthead, or starboard outer yardarm as a mark of respect. The flag for the country of registration is normally displayed from the Ensign Staff, at the stern. It is endearing to see such maritime tradiitions continue in the modern age

Over the years, I have seen many former British warships dragged up this same slipway by their own anchor chains. When I see it happening, I remember them not as hulks being cut to shreds and trucked away to be melted down, but as the glorious ships they once were, the pride of those who served aboard them. Sadly, the lot of a ship, whether it be a sleek grey messenger of Freedom, or a luxurious passenger ship, is set from the date of its creation. Sooner or later, it will meet the scrapper and the cutting torch (unless it is sunk as a reef, used as a target, or preserved as a memorial). For those of us who spent our lives maintaining our homes of the sea around us, it is one of the most tragic sights ever. However, we all take heart that although the steel of the ship may now be in different forms, the ships are alive, and can never be taken from us. They live on, in thoughts, in memories, in photographs. It is in this way they not only pass into history, but they become "immortal"

I have to say, the thought of using a TA had not occurred to us until we saw the idea on Matts YouTube advising of the benefits. Previously and currently, we use the website directly after booking onboard. It is too late now for our current booking, but we have agreed the next one, which we will probably book onboard (I hope) will go through MEI.

We use the RC Credit card specifically for cruise expenses. For us its easier to control that way. We do occassionally add a small item here and there to keep the card active, but immediately cleared.

Not a hotel with a view, but this is the one we use for Miami departures. Its close to the port and there are plenty of restuarants in the area withing easy walking distance COURTYARD MIAMI DOWNTOWN/BRICKELL AREA 200 SE Second Avenue, Miami, Florida 33131 USA +1 305-374-3000