Sharla

This is all true and what we've been saying for months. It's BEYOND frustrating.

Most at this point are making final, but not all. I don't have a percentage.

Whether you carry your own bags off or put them outside your stateroom, a porter can be extremely helpful. They can help locate your bags in the terminal as well as get through security, load them into your car. Just tip them well, at least $2 a bag IMO. They work for tips and they work hard!

It's a job. It's hard work. Don't get me wrong, there are fun things about it! But especially this year it's been incredibly difficult. Not all will survive. I still have days where I wonder if it's worth it and how long I can keep it up. Here's to better days ahead!

I LOVE the Celebrity Edge, and I'm sure I will love Apex as well since they are so similar. It's just a unique ship, one you don't really understand until you experience it. All staterooms include WiFi, gratuities, and a beverage package, so the price can be reasonable when you compare it to Royal Caribbean. Celebrity is a little more elevated.

We don't really get discounts on travel. There are times we can go on an inaugural, or hotel discounts, but more times than not I pay full price for cruises (including the Blog group cruises) and other travel. It's not worth the hassle for free travel, especially now with COVID.

There are two ways Royal Caribbean is applying FCCs now- one is that line item that comes off the top of your cruise, and another is as a payment. It's less confusing than when this first started, but yes that TBZ5 line item is on there when FCC is applied.

If the TA won't do it you can still reach out to Royal Caribbean and ask them. It's up to that TA if they charge any fees, but might be worth it to get rid of them.

I'm sorry this is happening to you! If you have booked cruises, you can contact Royal Caribbean and ask for the cruises to be released back to you. If they say no, escalate it. You have the right to take them back. If you have FCCs (not applied) you can book new with another travel agency or direct. FCCs belong to you, not to the travel agency. Good luck!

What I've been saying for a year.

FCC reinstatement and the fact that there is no central place to look up FCCs based on C&A numbers or your name.

Welcome!

If you're in a group you could have an earlier final payment date as well.

Packing cubes! They help a lot. Also if you want to plan on doing laundry one day that will help, you can even bring a couple of laundry soap pods for simplicity. And hooks- the walls are magnetic, can help dry out clothes such as bathing suits or workout gear