Bowen

Right, but they've only been removed because of the CSO. The new law covering CSO ships wouldn't be necessary were Canada open.

Oh, the Dragon's Tail coaster on RC's island in Haiti was amazing fun as well!

A Blo-Kart track in Bonaire, hands down the best excursion ever. ?

I feel like the ones dragging Alaska into it is Canada, but that's just how my brain works. It is unfortunate that Alaska can only sail if Canada lets them visit, but that's what they agreed to when they set up the cruises from Alaska, so of course there is going to be reliance on that other country to do its part. Sadly, I do not see Canada opening anytime soon. Dropping the CSO entirely would allow the bulk of the cruise industry to get going full swing. I don't want Alaska left out of it (I've been and it's lovely beyond words), and I wish Canada were not set on the course it's on.

Just my 2 cents: I don't think he can ask unvaccinated cruisers to pay extra for anything they might incur, above and beyond treatment (which I think anyone should have to pay for on their own, regardless of vaccination status). If you get sick/injured on a cruise, then it's up to you to pay for the treatment. At least that's how I see it, and why I always buy insurance. Also, they can't ask you if you're vaccinated, so they can't make treatment payment assumptions based on that status, right? I don't think the vaccination concern should be as much of a concern as it is at the moment. Someone correct me if my numbers are way off, but isn't it like above 60% of the country that has had at least one shot? That's not even counting the people who have natural immunity from getting COVID. Those studies are showing that our own antibodies are very effective as well. Between the large numbers who have been vaccinated and the large numbers who have had COVID, I genuinely believe that herd immunity on a ship is going to be a real thing.

I used to use a friend as my TA, but after she missed some deadlines for COVID and I lost about $3000 in refunds (had no choice but to take FCC) I started booking myself. So yes to a TA, but I wouldn’t mix business and friendship again.

I always get the soda and stream package for my kids (and my mom) for our cruises, but I can never remember what a good price is. I am seeing now $21 per day for our 7 day out of Galveston in December. Is that a good price or should I be looking for a different price point to hit before I buy? Thanks!

I have booked connecting rooms for my kids around the same age, booking one with me and one with my mom, but letting them have one room. That said, we leave the door open between the rooms. If your 12 year olds are mature enough to handle the responsibility of having their own room, that’s one thing, but mine would not be mature enough. ?

That was a fun read! We have done the two bedroom aqua theater suite on Harmony. We’ve also done the Roy O. Disney suite on Fantasy, but I’m trying to never spend that kind of money on a cruise again, lol.

We've done so much cruising that we no longer really go for the ports. We love the ships and would be totally happy with cruises to nowhere. With that in mind I've decided to only book the "weird" rooms on ships, just to see what they are like. We've got a family interior room on Liberty in December (one of two rooms like it on the ship), and 8200 on Adventure of the Seas for a repo cruise next year. We've also done the big panoramic on Explorer at the front of the ship. I see that there are family promenade rooms on ships, I want to try one of those for sure. What rooms have you sailed in that were unique on the ship? Thanks!

I'm going to grab a drink and then stand on the deck looking out over the port. I don't even care that I won't be looking out over the ocean, lol. I cannot wait to feel that railing under my hands again!

Once I realized you could use multiple FCCs on a single cruise I decided to go ahead and book. I figure if there are mask mandates and vaccine requirements still in effect in December then I'll just push it forward to another cruise. So I've got one booked out of Galveston in mid December, and a Galveston>New Jersey repo booked in April of 2022. I'm getting tentatively excited. We have really missed cruising.

I think that will be a consideration, not being able to leave the ship if you cannot show the country proof of vaccination. That said, could it not just be an option to not leave the ship? That way only vaccinated people can enter? it wouldn't be a cruise ship requirement, but could be a country requirement, meeting those officials on the ship (or in an area right off the ship) where you would provide vaccine proof in order to enter? You could also base your cruise choices on those countries that do not require vaccines for entry. There aren't very many who are requiring it, so it could be a viable option.