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Sharla

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  1. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from DoomSlayer in Minors staying in their own room adjacent to the adults room?   
    Minors (anyone under 21) can be next door (connecting or not) or directly across the hall from the adults in their party. You must call in to do this arrangement, cannot be booked online. But yes when onboard you can get extra keys made. 
  2. Like
    Sharla reacted to AshleyDillo in Royal added extra to the bill !!!   
    Unfortunately that's a drawback of a bigger agency..less personal service if you don't have a single point of contact to stay on top of this for you. 
    It's super frustrating and folks in a similar situation have had their cruise canceled for non-payment because of it, so definitely stay on top of your TA to make sure it is actively being resolved especially as you get close to the final payment date. I read those having the issue would try to make the extra payment (effectively an overpayment) to ensure their cruise wasn't canceled but the payment system didn't recognize there was a balance so it wouldn't take a payment.  
  3. Love
    Sharla reacted to lost little boy in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    Thank you so SO much to all the quick and incredibly kind responses to my post! Everyone is so warm and welcoming 🥹 I greatly appreciate everyone's words, advice, and tips!  I'm excited now more than ever for my first cruise thanks to this wonderful community! 😁🤗
  4. Thanks
    Sharla got a reaction from KristiZ in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    Welcome to cruising! I am sure you will find many people like you on the ships. Like others have said you are welcome to go to the LGBT+ meets (and/or singles meets if you want to meet people).

    From a booking perspective- you need to make sure that you are booked under the name/gender that is on your legal identification. If you have already changed your name and gender on passport/ID then no need to worry, but just make sure it matches the documents, even if that means you look different from your photos.
    If you need to bring refrigerated medication then you can fill out a form to get a medical fridge in your room. 
    Have a great cruise!
  5. Thanks
    Sharla got a reaction from lost little boy in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    Welcome to cruising! I am sure you will find many people like you on the ships. Like others have said you are welcome to go to the LGBT+ meets (and/or singles meets if you want to meet people).

    From a booking perspective- you need to make sure that you are booked under the name/gender that is on your legal identification. If you have already changed your name and gender on passport/ID then no need to worry, but just make sure it matches the documents, even if that means you look different from your photos.
    If you need to bring refrigerated medication then you can fill out a form to get a medical fridge in your room. 
    Have a great cruise!
  6. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Villageidiot in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    Welcome to cruising! I am sure you will find many people like you on the ships. Like others have said you are welcome to go to the LGBT+ meets (and/or singles meets if you want to meet people).

    From a booking perspective- you need to make sure that you are booked under the name/gender that is on your legal identification. If you have already changed your name and gender on passport/ID then no need to worry, but just make sure it matches the documents, even if that means you look different from your photos.
    If you need to bring refrigerated medication then you can fill out a form to get a medical fridge in your room. 
    Have a great cruise!
  7. Love
    Sharla reacted to KristiZ in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    Looks like we’ll be cruising together on that Odyssey Trans Atlantic! Feel free to reach out with a DM if you have questions or concerns. Mr Z and I would be happy to lend an ear 
  8. Love
    Sharla reacted to CanHardlyWait in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    I just want to see people having a good time, while being respectful of all other cruiser's. How you look, dress, etc, is not of any importance to me. How you  treat fellow passengers and respect the rules of our shared experience is all that matters to me. It's your life, you get to live it, nobody else.
    I cruise on Royal Caribbean and that's how this passenger thinks. 
  9. Love
    Sharla reacted to lost little boy in How Accepting is the Cruising Experience?   
    I wasn't sure how to word the title without it sounding like bait or trying to be controversial, so I will elaborate below.

    I am in my mid-20s, autistic, and transgender. While I am more accustomed to dealing with the world around be as an autistic adult with minimal support needs (more so concerned about loud noises and how "picky" my food tastes can be, but not a real concern), I am mostly asking how I will be treated as a transgender man who is very early into my physical transition.

    There is a stereotypical kind of person who enjoys cruising, but I truly love relaxing, laid-back experiences, hot tubs, fine dining, classic rock, and spas. Cruising sounds like a perfect vacation for me and I am very excited to embark on my first one! (I tend to get along best with "older" people and am the closest with coworkers my parents age as we usually have more in common lol!) However, I know I visibly appear very gender nonconforming and I am no stranger to people being rude, uncomfortable, or straight-up hateful for my appearance or "unique" name (which was actually picked out by my father and wasn't me trying to have a ~different~ name, but I love that it's uncommon anyway).

    In my swimsuit I appear much more like a 13 year old boy than the 24 year old man I actually am, and in more formal wear it's about the same. I am on hormones and my voice is deeper, but I am still usually referred to as a girl by strangers. 

    While I don't think I am going to be discriminated against or anything of that sort by the staff or yelled at by other cruisers, I do worry about how I will be treated in general. Will people make comments to me if I use the men's restroom? Will I get weird looks while swimming? If my party is seated with other cruisers at MDR will they judge me and make my dining experience uncomfortable?

    Obviously I am aware no one can answer these questions for me, but I was wondering if there were any other trans, queer, or allied people who have noticed anything while cruising royal? Is it a generally accepting, chill experience? I just want to be respected and viewed the same as other guests, but unfortunately this is something I worry about with any new environment.
    Note: this is NOT a post to discuss LGBT+ opinions, topics, identities, politics, or anything of that nature! I am only making this post because in my two years of researching cruising since I booked mine, I haven't seen anyone discuss anything like this. I am not looking to "invade" any spaces or make anything about "being trans/gay". I am only asking from a comfort and safety standpoint. No discourse, PLEASE. I would not be asking this or making this post if I didn't have reason to be. Please be respectful and kind. Thank you ❤️😁
  10. Haha
    Sharla reacted to Neesa in Utopia, July 19-22, 2024   
    UPDATE: My OBC has reappeared, thanks to @Sharla tenacity. Dear Royal, Um...I went to make my purchases to start with the Evian & the Railroad Restaurant OBC in hand AND wait for it....nothing. Nothing available yet. Gees, we love you Royal but come on!! Sharla busted her butt to claw it back & now it sits there, staring at me, daring me to try to use it 😂🤦‍♀️
  11. Like
    Sharla reacted to Neesa in Utopia, July 19-22, 2024   
    Oh boy,  my invoice was a mess straight away. @Sharla was on it and got it sorted this morning.  The pricing is now correct. Now she is actively trying to claw my OBC back, I have faith she can do it. 
    Nothing in cruise planner yet, only 3 nights so probably get my Evian & the Railway restaurant. Standing by....
  12. Haha
    Sharla reacted to SPS in Royal Caribbean invoices are the craziest thing ever 🤣   
    I know a guy that can explain it you ya! 😆

  13. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Neesa in Royal Caribbean invoices are the craziest thing ever 🤣   
    For most clients I don't send a Royal Caribbean official invoice- it's so confusing to people who don't know what it is! I just send the travel agency invoice because it's clear and concise. 
  14. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from ScottD in Royal Caribbean invoices are the craziest thing ever 🤣   
    For most clients I don't send a Royal Caribbean official invoice- it's so confusing to people who don't know what it is! I just send the travel agency invoice because it's clear and concise. 
  15. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from jbrinkm in Royal Caribbean invoices are the craziest thing ever 🤣   
    For most clients I don't send a Royal Caribbean official invoice- it's so confusing to people who don't know what it is! I just send the travel agency invoice because it's clear and concise. 
  16. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Vancity Cruiser in Royal Caribbean invoices are the craziest thing ever 🤣   
    For most clients I don't send a Royal Caribbean official invoice- it's so confusing to people who don't know what it is! I just send the travel agency invoice because it's clear and concise. 
  17. Haha
    Sharla got a reaction from RCIfan1912 in Royal Caribbean invoices are the craziest thing ever 🤣   
    For most clients I don't send a Royal Caribbean official invoice- it's so confusing to people who don't know what it is! I just send the travel agency invoice because it's clear and concise. 
  18. Love
    Sharla got a reaction from Jill in Help with a strange situation please   
    Plenty of people that can walk need accessible rooms. This is not something you should worry about. No one will really even know from the outside that it is an accessible room unless they are really looking at your door and/or peering into your room.
    "Accessible" does not just mean "wheelchair" and there are definitely plenty of reasons people need those rooms.
    IMO you're using it correctly. You did not book that room just for a bigger room. That is selfish. That's not what you did. Happy sailing, guilt free!
  19. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Jamesszy94 in Help with a strange situation please   
    Plenty of people that can walk need accessible rooms. This is not something you should worry about. No one will really even know from the outside that it is an accessible room unless they are really looking at your door and/or peering into your room.
    "Accessible" does not just mean "wheelchair" and there are definitely plenty of reasons people need those rooms.
    IMO you're using it correctly. You did not book that room just for a bigger room. That is selfish. That's not what you did. Happy sailing, guilt free!
  20. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Tanner in Help with a strange situation please   
    Plenty of people that can walk need accessible rooms. This is not something you should worry about. No one will really even know from the outside that it is an accessible room unless they are really looking at your door and/or peering into your room.
    "Accessible" does not just mean "wheelchair" and there are definitely plenty of reasons people need those rooms.
    IMO you're using it correctly. You did not book that room just for a bigger room. That is selfish. That's not what you did. Happy sailing, guilt free!
  21. Like
    Sharla reacted to Reigert2008 in RCL gift cards   
    This is what I do.  I have an "older" Disney Gift card that accepts up to $1000 in total value, so as we acquire Disney gift cards during the year, i move those balances to my "trip card" and then when we make a visit (we're annual passholders), we have them swipe that one card on our room and put the rest on the credit card.  
  22. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Reigert2008 in RCL gift cards   
    Even if the gift cards work perfectly- they will be a pain to use. You (or ideally, your travel agent) will have to input these numbers to make any payment. So if you save up a whole bunch of gift cards then they will have to be input individually. A huge PITA to be honest. 
    People do this for Disney all the time and while I am accommodating I will request that the guest combine them on the Disney gift card site to make it easier for me and the cast member. 
    Here's what I'd rather you do for Royal Caribbean- FlexPay! This will allow you to pay weekly or monthly a certain amount and it's all set up automatically. It would be the equivalent of putting money away weekly once your cruise is booked. 
  23. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from Ryan79 in RCL gift cards   
    Even if the gift cards work perfectly- they will be a pain to use. You (or ideally, your travel agent) will have to input these numbers to make any payment. So if you save up a whole bunch of gift cards then they will have to be input individually. A huge PITA to be honest. 
    People do this for Disney all the time and while I am accommodating I will request that the guest combine them on the Disney gift card site to make it easier for me and the cast member. 
    Here's what I'd rather you do for Royal Caribbean- FlexPay! This will allow you to pay weekly or monthly a certain amount and it's all set up automatically. It would be the equivalent of putting money away weekly once your cruise is booked. 
  24. Haha
    Sharla reacted to smokeybandit in Finally! They found my cruise!   
    Was it under in the couch cushions?
  25. Like
    Sharla got a reaction from WAYNO in Help with a strange situation please   
    Plenty of people that can walk need accessible rooms. This is not something you should worry about. No one will really even know from the outside that it is an accessible room unless they are really looking at your door and/or peering into your room.
    "Accessible" does not just mean "wheelchair" and there are definitely plenty of reasons people need those rooms.
    IMO you're using it correctly. You did not book that room just for a bigger room. That is selfish. That's not what you did. Happy sailing, guilt free!
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