Andy & Sheryl Unwin

So we are back from our short jaunt to Nassau and Perfect Day. A fun four day break we have been looking forward to for some time. There have been several questions about the Covid protocols so I thought I would answer them all in one posting.   First, as we were going to the Bahamas, the Bahamian Government has mandated all visitors MUST prove their full vaccinations. Not a problem for us, Sheryl and I had our second shots at the end or April.   Next requirement was for us to test negative for Covid. Also not so much of a challenge. 2 days prior to boarding, we each used a proctored online antigen test. (we used the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test) The results were negative as expected. In fairness, all crew are vaccinated and it is my understanding they are all subject to antigen testing regularly. At the terminal, we arrived at our appointed boarding time and our documents were checked, passports, Boarding Documents, Covid Vaccine Cards, and proof of negative antigen test all checked at the door of the terminal.   Once through the initial check, we were directed up the escalators to the next point where we were again validated, and this time subject to health screen, including temperature checks. Following that, we were adorned with wristbands (do not remove) which proved to all around us we were vaccinated and negative. All good, now to security.   There was a little concern when they scanned my back pack and saw the magnets there, but it was easily resolved with a quick look. Thank you to the security staff for their vigiliance by the way. Their job is to stop anything nasty getting on the ship. As we boarded Freedom of the Seas, we were once more security screened and all was good. Thereafter we were directed to our emergency muster station for our safety briefing. Then wayhay, we could enjoy.   All out door spaces were mask free, and inside the ship, general areas like passageways, the promenade and such were mask mandatory. There were however, mask free zones for the fully vaccinated. Honestly, it was no hardship, I think we have all become accustomed to wearing masks as it is. However, the opportunity to be mask free out doors and in specific areas was more than welcome.   There were some changes since our last cruise. For example, at the buffet, it was not self service, staff behind the counters piled the plates on request. Additionally, in the WindJammer Buffet, tables were well segregated, every other table was marked as unavailable, the remainder were open, and in my field of view when they were cleared, they were totally sanitized including seating and table edges. There were far more hand sanitizing stations than ever before, and prior to entering any part of the ship, such as shops, bars, theatre or restaurants, we were asked to use them.   I have always been pleased with how Royal Caribbean ships are so sparkling clean, the crew really do take pride in their ships. But on this trip, Freedom OTS was gleaming like never before. More than that, any surface that had public contact was sanitized heavens knows how many times per day. Even when we used the hot tub, when we got out, a crewmember was spraying down and sanitizing the hand rails we touched.   We have cruised onboard Freedom before, (2017) and love the ship herself, but we have to give kudos to RCCL in general, and the ships company in particular, for ensuring she wasnt only looking her best, but was amazingly clean and sanitized.

So we are back from our short jaunt to Nassau and Perfect Day. A fun four day break we have been looking forward to for some time. There have been several questions about the Covid protocols so I thought I would answer them all in one posting.   First, as we were going to the Bahamas, the Bahamian Government has mandated all visitors MUST prove their full vaccinations. Not a problem for us, Sheryl and I had our second shots at the end or April.   Next requirement was for us to test negative for Covid. Also not so much of a challenge. 2 days prior to boarding, we each used a proctored online antigen test. (we used the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test) The results were negative as expected. In fairness, all crew are vaccinated and it is my understanding they are all subject to antigen testing regularly. At the terminal, we arrived at our appointed boarding time and our documents were checked, passports, Boarding Documents, Covid Vaccine Cards, and proof of negative antigen test all checked at the door of the terminal.   Once through the initial check, we were directed up the escalators to the next point where we were again validated, and this time subject to health screen, including temperature checks. Following that, we were adorned with wristbands (do not remove) which proved to all around us we were vaccinated and negative. All good, now to security.   There was a little concern when they scanned my back pack and saw the magnets there, but it was easily resolved with a quick look. Thank you to the security staff for their vigiliance by the way. Their job is to stop anything nasty getting on the ship. As we boarded Freedom of the Seas, we were once more security screened and all was good. Thereafter we were directed to our emergency muster station for our safety briefing. Then wayhay, we could enjoy.   All out door spaces were mask free, and inside the ship, general areas like passageways, the promenade and such were mask mandatory. There were however, mask free zones for the fully vaccinated. Honestly, it was no hardship, I think we have all become accustomed to wearing masks as it is. However, the opportunity to be mask free out doors and in specific areas was more than welcome.   There were some changes since our last cruise. For example, at the buffet, it was not self service, staff behind the counters piled the plates on request. Additionally, in the WindJammer Buffet, tables were well segregated, every other table was marked as unavailable, the remainder were open, and in my field of view when they were cleared, they were totally sanitized including seating and table edges. There were far more hand sanitizing stations than ever before, and prior to entering any part of the ship, such as shops, bars, theatre or restaurants, we were asked to use them.   I have always been pleased with how Royal Caribbean ships are so sparkling clean, the crew really do take pride in their ships. But on this trip, Freedom OTS was gleaming like never before. More than that, any surface that had public contact was sanitized heavens knows how many times per day. Even when we used the hot tub, when we got out, a crewmember was spraying down and sanitizing the hand rails we touched.   We have cruised onboard Freedom before, (2017) and love the ship herself, but we have to give kudos to RCCL in general, and the ships company in particular, for ensuring she wasnt only looking her best, but was amazingly clean and sanitized.

So we are back from our short jaunt to Nassau and Perfect Day. A fun four day break we have been looking forward to for some time. There have been several questions about the Covid protocols so I thought I would answer them all in one posting.   First, as we were going to the Bahamas, the Bahamian Government has mandated all visitors MUST prove their full vaccinations. Not a problem for us, Sheryl and I had our second shots at the end or April.   Next requirement was for us to test negative for Covid. Also not so much of a challenge. 2 days prior to boarding, we each used a proctored online antigen test. (we used the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test) The results were negative as expected. In fairness, all crew are vaccinated and it is my understanding they are all subject to antigen testing regularly. At the terminal, we arrived at our appointed boarding time and our documents were checked, passports, Boarding Documents, Covid Vaccine Cards, and proof of negative antigen test all checked at the door of the terminal.   Once through the initial check, we were directed up the escalators to the next point where we were again validated, and this time subject to health screen, including temperature checks. Following that, we were adorned with wristbands (do not remove) which proved to all around us we were vaccinated and negative. All good, now to security.   There was a little concern when they scanned my back pack and saw the magnets there, but it was easily resolved with a quick look. Thank you to the security staff for their vigiliance by the way. Their job is to stop anything nasty getting on the ship. As we boarded Freedom of the Seas, we were once more security screened and all was good. Thereafter we were directed to our emergency muster station for our safety briefing. Then wayhay, we could enjoy.   All out door spaces were mask free, and inside the ship, general areas like passageways, the promenade and such were mask mandatory. There were however, mask free zones for the fully vaccinated. Honestly, it was no hardship, I think we have all become accustomed to wearing masks as it is. However, the opportunity to be mask free out doors and in specific areas was more than welcome.   There were some changes since our last cruise. For example, at the buffet, it was not self service, staff behind the counters piled the plates on request. Additionally, in the WindJammer Buffet, tables were well segregated, every other table was marked as unavailable, the remainder were open, and in my field of view when they were cleared, they were totally sanitized including seating and table edges. There were far more hand sanitizing stations than ever before, and prior to entering any part of the ship, such as shops, bars, theatre or restaurants, we were asked to use them.   I have always been pleased with how Royal Caribbean ships are so sparkling clean, the crew really do take pride in their ships. But on this trip, Freedom OTS was gleaming like never before. More than that, any surface that had public contact was sanitized heavens knows how many times per day. Even when we used the hot tub, when we got out, a crewmember was spraying down and sanitizing the hand rails we touched.   We have cruised onboard Freedom before, (2017) and love the ship herself, but we have to give kudos to RCCL in general, and the ships company in particular, for ensuring she wasnt only looking her best, but was amazingly clean and sanitized.

So we are back from our short jaunt to Nassau and Perfect Day. A fun four day break we have been looking forward to for some time. There have been several questions about the Covid protocols so I thought I would answer them all in one posting.   First, as we were going to the Bahamas, the Bahamian Government has mandated all visitors MUST prove their full vaccinations. Not a problem for us, Sheryl and I had our second shots at the end or April.   Next requirement was for us to test negative for Covid. Also not so much of a challenge. 2 days prior to boarding, we each used a proctored online antigen test. (we used the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test) The results were negative as expected. In fairness, all crew are vaccinated and it is my understanding they are all subject to antigen testing regularly. At the terminal, we arrived at our appointed boarding time and our documents were checked, passports, Boarding Documents, Covid Vaccine Cards, and proof of negative antigen test all checked at the door of the terminal.   Once through the initial check, we were directed up the escalators to the next point where we were again validated, and this time subject to health screen, including temperature checks. Following that, we were adorned with wristbands (do not remove) which proved to all around us we were vaccinated and negative. All good, now to security.   There was a little concern when they scanned my back pack and saw the magnets there, but it was easily resolved with a quick look. Thank you to the security staff for their vigiliance by the way. Their job is to stop anything nasty getting on the ship. As we boarded Freedom of the Seas, we were once more security screened and all was good. Thereafter we were directed to our emergency muster station for our safety briefing. Then wayhay, we could enjoy.   All out door spaces were mask free, and inside the ship, general areas like passageways, the promenade and such were mask mandatory. There were however, mask free zones for the fully vaccinated. Honestly, it was no hardship, I think we have all become accustomed to wearing masks as it is. However, the opportunity to be mask free out doors and in specific areas was more than welcome.   There were some changes since our last cruise. For example, at the buffet, it was not self service, staff behind the counters piled the plates on request. Additionally, in the WindJammer Buffet, tables were well segregated, every other table was marked as unavailable, the remainder were open, and in my field of view when they were cleared, they were totally sanitized including seating and table edges. There were far more hand sanitizing stations than ever before, and prior to entering any part of the ship, such as shops, bars, theatre or restaurants, we were asked to use them.   I have always been pleased with how Royal Caribbean ships are so sparkling clean, the crew really do take pride in their ships. But on this trip, Freedom OTS was gleaming like never before. More than that, any surface that had public contact was sanitized heavens knows how many times per day. Even when we used the hot tub, when we got out, a crewmember was spraying down and sanitizing the hand rails we touched.   We have cruised onboard Freedom before, (2017) and love the ship herself, but we have to give kudos to RCCL in general, and the ships company in particular, for ensuring she wasnt only looking her best, but was amazingly clean and sanitized.

We sail on 09/27 so roughly 60 days ahead of sailing

Thank you everyone, as a result of the confirmations here, I have completed the sign up to volunteer Vaccine information at the terminal

Not sure where else to put this, but here goes.
Earlier this week I had a huge problem with the C&A confirmation page after login. I would log in to the Royal website to check out cruises, and was asked to complete a short form of confirmation details, starting with my email address.
However, putting in the email address activated a pop up which asked it I wanted ot keep using my email address, that then returned me back to the original login screen and yes, I was in a loop of doom.
I reached out to IT support and what a great experience that was. The young man to whom I was speaking did not have the answer, but while I was on the phone he rallied others to his aid and eventually it was resolved.
What impressed me here was the determination to immediately resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the caller (me). As an IT professional myself, I know there are those who do not have this as their highest priority.  Would I recommend RC/C&A IT support ?  Very much so. It may take a few selections on the menu to get to the right person, but in my experience, the service is exceptional once you are there.
 

Not sure where else to put this, but here goes.
Earlier this week I had a huge problem with the C&A confirmation page after login. I would log in to the Royal website to check out cruises, and was asked to complete a short form of confirmation details, starting with my email address.
However, putting in the email address activated a pop up which asked it I wanted ot keep using my email address, that then returned me back to the original login screen and yes, I was in a loop of doom.
I reached out to IT support and what a great experience that was. The young man to whom I was speaking did not have the answer, but while I was on the phone he rallied others to his aid and eventually it was resolved.
What impressed me here was the determination to immediately resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the caller (me). As an IT professional myself, I know there are those who do not have this as their highest priority.  Would I recommend RC/C&A IT support ?  Very much so. It may take a few selections on the menu to get to the right person, but in my experience, the service is exceptional once you are there.
 

Not sure where else to put this, but here goes.
Earlier this week I had a huge problem with the C&A confirmation page after login. I would log in to the Royal website to check out cruises, and was asked to complete a short form of confirmation details, starting with my email address.
However, putting in the email address activated a pop up which asked it I wanted ot keep using my email address, that then returned me back to the original login screen and yes, I was in a loop of doom.
I reached out to IT support and what a great experience that was. The young man to whom I was speaking did not have the answer, but while I was on the phone he rallied others to his aid and eventually it was resolved.
What impressed me here was the determination to immediately resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the caller (me). As an IT professional myself, I know there are those who do not have this as their highest priority.  Would I recommend RC/C&A IT support ?  Very much so. It may take a few selections on the menu to get to the right person, but in my experience, the service is exceptional once you are there.
 

Brilliance - out of Tampa. 5 nights western caribbean in 2016  as a surprise for Sheryls birthday.
 
The only "oops" here is giving her 2 days notice. Apparently girls need more time than that to pack

Brilliance - out of Tampa. 5 nights western caribbean in 2016  as a surprise for Sheryls birthday.
 
The only "oops" here is giving her 2 days notice. Apparently girls need more time than that to pack

Brilliance - out of Tampa. 5 nights western caribbean in 2016  as a surprise for Sheryls birthday.
 
The only "oops" here is giving her 2 days notice. Apparently girls need more time than that to pack

You can go through Royal and they will provide an officer and venue for the renewal ceremony.  All this costs a pretty penny. 
We renewed on Radiance during an Alaskan cruise in 2017.  Royal did a great job.

A couple came right after us who had not used Royal but used their own official and our venue and decorations for a short ceremony.  Lucky for them.  You could do the same without going through Royal.
[email protected] or 1-888-WED-RCCL.
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/plan-a-cruise/cruise-weddings
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/royal-weddings-brochure.pdf

I havent yet booked for our 25th anniversary in December 2023, but I am wondering if anyone has any insight on whether I can setup a surprise for Sheryl and arrange for our vows to be renewed onboard.
Has anyone done this or know if it is even possible?  If so, how do I arrange with Royal ?
TIA
 
Andy
PS: its super secret.
 

Allure - Mar 13 - Mar 19, 2022 

Serenade Oct 29 2022 - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise

Serenade Oct 29 2022 - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise

Serenade Oct 29 2022 - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise

Our TA (Kelley Hardy - MEI) is only too happy to do so. I am very happy to say her pricings are significantly lower than I can source on the RCCL cruise planner.

For us the choice of JS is for the bathroom, well worth the money

For us the choice of JS is for the bathroom, well worth the money

Our TA (Kelley Hardy - MEI) is only too happy to do so. I am very happy to say her pricings are significantly lower than I can source on the RCCL cruise planner.

For us the choice of JS is for the bathroom, well worth the money

For us the choice of JS is for the bathroom, well worth the money

For us the choice of JS is for the bathroom, well worth the money