CruiseDiva

I got an email invite for a test cruise on the Nigerian Prince. All I have to do is give them my bank account number and ssn

One word.  USPS.  
Be thankful you get any mail beyond junk mail these days.  

Oh, man, now I have to learn how to use TikTok, too?  Instagram already confuses me enough!  ?

If Michael Bayley shares it, it's probably a safe bet it's confirmation
 

I'm dying to find out if my friend is onboard. He's back to Royal after a 2 year break and he can't tell me what ship he's on yet. (He's an officer) I'm guessing Odyssey. He was with Royal for 20 years and did a little stint with American Queen. Now he's back and my gut says Odyssey. Guess I'll find out soon if it is her. I hope so, would love to sail with him when we do our Holy Land October '22. 
Good luck Odyssey. Let's have a great sailing! 

RCL Odyssey is having its test sailing this evening 5pm est out of port everglades florida so it looks like the 7/31/21 inaugural sailing is a go  and i am on it 

THIS:
 

I was on the Freedom the 5-9th and my son's testing was a debacle, I hope yours goes smoother!  If you arrive at your time and no hiccups happen it should be fairly quick.  Our experience was a little different.  We went to the testing line (after pre-registering for the test when the initial email came) we were told they couldn't find it in the system and to go back to the previous station.  Once there, they started to input the info when the other station came back saying they had found it.  We went back.  Once we got the paperwork we went to the testing station.  The tester verified the birthday, which was wrong so we had to go back.  Once it was fixed we went back to the testing station and the tester said it was the wrong paper so we started to go back.  The supervisor said to go ahead and do the test and the correct paper was coming.  I will say the test itself was quick and painless, a couple swirls around the nostrils (not to your brain like others). My son didn't seem to mind it at all. We were then sent upstairs to wait.  We were told it would be 40 minutes.  Once upstairs we had to wait for an email with results.  After almost an hour I checked with the person at the desk.  She checked and said that the test was invalid and was being run again.  We waited an additional close to an hour and I checked with her again.  She said it was negative and it should be sent in a few minutes.  We finally got it and were able to board.  We were determined to have a good time despite that.  Good luck and have a great time!
 

I was on the boat for this incident and now some things make sense.  Our cabin was on the 8th deck as well.  The elevator wouldn't stop on the 8th deck and when we went via the stairs the door to the staterooms was closed.  We opened the door to find crew members on the inside who allowed us to go to our room in the aft section of the boat.  When we left the room we went to the hallway and were stopped by crew in the hazmat suits informing us to go around.  They were doing crew drills during the day so were weren't sure what was going on.  

I was on the Freedom the 5-9th and my son's testing was a debacle, I hope yours goes smoother!  If you arrive at your time and no hiccups happen it should be fairly quick.  Our experience was a little different.  We went to the testing line (after pre-registering for the test when the initial email came) we were told they couldn't find it in the system and to go back to the previous station.  Once there, they started to input the info when the other station came back saying they had found it.  We went back.  Once we got the paperwork we went to the testing station.  The tester verified the birthday, which was wrong so we had to go back.  Once it was fixed we went back to the testing station and the tester said it was the wrong paper so we started to go back.  The supervisor said to go ahead and do the test and the correct paper was coming.  I will say the test itself was quick and painless, a couple swirls around the nostrils (not to your brain like others). My son didn't seem to mind it at all. We were then sent upstairs to wait.  We were told it would be 40 minutes.  Once upstairs we had to wait for an email with results.  After almost an hour I checked with the person at the desk.  She checked and said that the test was invalid and was being run again.  We waited an additional close to an hour and I checked with her again.  She said it was negative and it should be sent in a few minutes.  We finally got it and were able to board.  We were determined to have a good time despite that.  Good luck and have a great time!
 

I was on the boat for this incident and now some things make sense.  Our cabin was on the 8th deck as well.  The elevator wouldn't stop on the 8th deck and when we went via the stairs the door to the staterooms was closed.  We opened the door to find crew members on the inside who allowed us to go to our room in the aft section of the boat.  When we left the room we went to the hallway and were stopped by crew in the hazmat suits informing us to go around.  They were doing crew drills during the day so were weren't sure what was going on.  

I was on the Freedom the 5-9th and my son's testing was a debacle, I hope yours goes smoother!  If you arrive at your time and no hiccups happen it should be fairly quick.  Our experience was a little different.  We went to the testing line (after pre-registering for the test when the initial email came) we were told they couldn't find it in the system and to go back to the previous station.  Once there, they started to input the info when the other station came back saying they had found it.  We went back.  Once we got the paperwork we went to the testing station.  The tester verified the birthday, which was wrong so we had to go back.  Once it was fixed we went back to the testing station and the tester said it was the wrong paper so we started to go back.  The supervisor said to go ahead and do the test and the correct paper was coming.  I will say the test itself was quick and painless, a couple swirls around the nostrils (not to your brain like others). My son didn't seem to mind it at all. We were then sent upstairs to wait.  We were told it would be 40 minutes.  Once upstairs we had to wait for an email with results.  After almost an hour I checked with the person at the desk.  She checked and said that the test was invalid and was being run again.  We waited an additional close to an hour and I checked with her again.  She said it was negative and it should be sent in a few minutes.  We finally got it and were able to board.  We were determined to have a good time despite that.  Good luck and have a great time!
 

It’s just a mask…
its just 2 weeks…
it’s just 15 days to slow the spread..
its just shutting down children’s playgrounds to protect them..
its just closing beaches…
its just a 5 year old wearing a mask all day in school…
its just having children at summer camps in extreme temps required to wear masks..
it’s just suspending elective surgeries at hospitals for a Covid surge that didn’t happen…
its just an increased rate in suicides among young people because of isolation…
I’m sorry but it is a big deal when the CDC and our government has been so wrong so often about Covid and Covid protocols/lockdowns over the last year
Hopefully we learn from the past and seriously evaluate the mitigation methods taken against Covid and not repeat these same mistakes moving forward and this includes the cruise lines and masking. After July 18 when the CSO is no longer enforceable, masks should not be required on cruise ships. Cause guess what, even with masks, Covid cases will happen. 
 
 
 
 

I was on the boat for this incident and now some things make sense.  Our cabin was on the 8th deck as well.  The elevator wouldn't stop on the 8th deck and when we went via the stairs the door to the staterooms was closed.  We opened the door to find crew members on the inside who allowed us to go to our room in the aft section of the boat.  When we left the room we went to the hallway and were stopped by crew in the hazmat suits informing us to go around.  They were doing crew drills during the day so were weren't sure what was going on.  

You mean like the masks that worked so well in Japan with a society that has a much higher mask compliance than the US? Japan, who is seeing a surge in Covid cases so much so that no spectators are now going to be allowed at olympics? 
 
The CDC just released their new school guidelines that are saying that unvaccinated children should wear masks. CDC continues to be a joke. 
There will always be new strains of viruses just look at seasonal flu. Covid is well in the way to being endemic. Mass testing needs to end just like they ended testing of H1N1 in 2009-2010. Caseademic at this point. 
 
The variants are now just more panic porn. The Delta variant is no more deadly than original despite what media pushes. 
 
I get that the US wants more people to get vaccinated but fear is not the way to accomplish it
Royal needs to drop masking because masking is just theater at this point and their customers are going to continue to cancel cruises if they continue these masking protocols 

I was on the boat for this incident and now some things make sense.  Our cabin was on the 8th deck as well.  The elevator wouldn't stop on the 8th deck and when we went via the stairs the door to the staterooms was closed.  We opened the door to find crew members on the inside who allowed us to go to our room in the aft section of the boat.  When we left the room we went to the hallway and were stopped by crew in the hazmat suits informing us to go around.  They were doing crew drills during the day so were weren't sure what was going on.  

So long as there is a willing audience and an enabling media, these types of ‘horror’ stories will continue to appear. Unreasonable and self righteous personal drama created by agenda-driven malice. Deflect responsibility by completely ignoring the rules to which she agreed. Screaming loudly in an attempt to drown out her own culpability will not convince anyone of her being a victim. Except those looking for support of their own agenda. Sad.

Didn't the Fla lawsuit require the CDC to establish new "within their boundaries" guidelines by 2 July?  I'm anxious to see @Matt posts when he gets on the Freedom today.  I am going on the Freedom on the 5th and was hoping the numbers landed at 95% and they would allow no masks, but that might be wishful thinking.  Either way I agree after not cruising for soooooo long, something is better than nothing ?

Didn't the Fla lawsuit require the CDC to establish new "within their boundaries" guidelines by 2 July?  I'm anxious to see @Matt posts when he gets on the Freedom today.  I am going on the Freedom on the 5th and was hoping the numbers landed at 95% and they would allow no masks, but that might be wishful thinking.  Either way I agree after not cruising for soooooo long, something is better than nothing ?

I live in Florida. Yes, it will. Fast. ?

Hurricanes?  Meh, Let it go 
 
 
(that's never going to get old)

DON'T DO IT!  Just kidding.  We made the jump to JSs years ago and haven't looked back.  The extra space, the upgraded bathroom, a walk-in closet and double C+A points is worth the extra money,  About 8 or 10 cruises ago we made the jump to the bigger suites.  It is an addiction worse than any drug.  We now book Grand Suites or above.  We  can't resist the extra perks especially on Oasis ships.  If you make the jump you will know what we are talking about.  Good luck and happy sailing

Ok yes I am officially a Suite Snob.  I blame my husband and several bad influence posters here!!

It's now 22 July, not 2 July.  They wanted 4 extra weeks, Florida agreed to 2 so the judge gave them 3.

This may be a deal breaker for me.   I am fully vaccinated and see no reason to wear a mask.