DieHappy

Airplane mode. That's it.

This usually turns off wifi, too, but you can turn wifi back on after going into airplane mode. Wifi is needed on ship to use the app even if you don't purchase any internet plans.
If you're near or in port and want to use your cell carrier's international plan, you can safely go out of airplane mode since the cruise ship turns off its cellular stuff within 12 miles of shore.

I barely drink any alcohol and we still almost always get the DBP.  I realize it's not a prudent plan from a budget standpoint.  I do it for the convenience of knowing that I can have whatever I want whenever I want it without any concern about a final bill.  It is a convenience thing for me, not a money issue.  I want to drink fresh squeezed orange juice with my breakfast, have a mimosa from time-to-time, get my specialty coffee without having to run up to the suites lounge, drink a glass of champagne while watching a show and get a bottle of water whenever the mood (or need) strikes.  I'm too lazy to do the math.  I just get what I want and don't worry about it.

Based on a tip from a crew member on the Jewel, I brought Filipino canned goods and snacks for the Filipino crew I’d meet on the Brilliance. They were so happy about it.  

My stateroom cabinet looked like a pantry for a while ha ha

 

First, let me say I understand a lot of frustration in and with the cruise industry due to COVID. Its supposed to be a great vacation and customers pay a good price for the experience.  The media likes to dwell on cancelled ports and sick passengers and empty ships sitting at anchor. All the misery and misfortune in the headlines sells. No one wants to go on vacation and be limited to mask wearing, subjected to nasal swabs, flight disruption, port dismissal etc.
On the other hand, trying to take a purely scientific view point ...
Though ships have been called a Petri dish (generally with negative connotations), at the same time they are a somewhat unique controlled population sampling. Here you have literally thousands of people that are vaccinated and following masking protocols etc. Its not perfect but when you look at infection rates, those aboard ship are less than one percent compared to over 30% on land.
To me this is a perfect example of how an experiment works. You have two populations, one with generally well kept protocols and controls, and the other, not so much. The difference in infection rates is dramatic. It just shows vaccines, masking and isolation of known cases works.
Ships have other issues such as limited space for isolation and medical facilities. Their systems are not perfect but the numbers show they do work.
 
 

When we went on Mariner last month, our boarding time was 1230, since we had a suite we could board an hour earlier than our scheduled time.  We got to the port at 1030, expecting to have to wait until 1130 to board the hour early, but they rushed us right thru when they saw us and we were on the ship by 1045.  Other people who weren’t in suites in our party, had the same experience, arrived at 1030, expected to just hang out until their 1230 time, but were also sent right thru to board.
 

We have a March Cruise and did the list of things that can happen between now and then.
 
COVID drops back down and mask are lifted.  Back to normal if you will we are going. COVID stays the same mask and policy is the same.  Still going Ports start closing to US ships.  Depends on which ones, may cancel Royal has repeated outbreaks that cause port cancelations, will cancel CDC issues another no sail due to a masssive outbreak. choice is removed from us.  
The biggest fear for us is contracting covid on vacation so our trip is half done and canceled.  The second is the ship staff/other passengers gets covid and the experience is less than the value we paid for. 

That makes total sense. So doesn’t that logically mean they should ban flights with tourists? The issue is tourists coming to their country and potentially overwhelming their healthcare system. 
 
Of course, we know that’s not going to happen. People on airplanes have no vaccine requirement, less stringent testing requirements (if at all), and no obligation to report positive cases. 
 
That’s why ports are being unfair.  They are targeting cruise ships only, as if Covid only exists there.

I am on Symphony right now and they just cancelled San Juan.  So far this has fallen way short of expectations.  There are no aqua or large main theater shows because of a COVID outbreak with the performers.  The entertainment is extremely thinned out.  Not nearly the experience it should be.