WAYNO

This has been a very busy topic. As an experiment, this will be our first cruise without buying the Deluxe Beverage Packages. My Diamond status gets me 4-drinks per day, and my Prime status in the casino gets me unlimited drinks. That sounds like a lot, but on a port day, with the casino closed, 4-drinks could be used up long before dinner time. My Wife doesn't drink, so I get her 4 free drinks also. If that's not enough, I can buy extra drinks and still save money over the $69 per day x2, since I'm required to buy the package for both of us in the same cabin.

Refrigerator magnets of the ship we're on.

I don't complain that a very long flight with multiple connections is the awfullest thing, but having to get to a cruise port a day early makes it hard to be assured test results will be timely, and there's no way to get a test on a travel day. For example... We will be tested this Thursday. We will fly from the West Coast very early Friday, arriving at the port city late in the day, hoping the results will catch up to us, before we board the ship on Saturday. There's nothing pro-active we can do on Friday, traveling to, and being in and out of three airports and two different airplanes. It will be 14 hours from the time we leave our house and hopefully check into our motel at the other end. If the requirements would change, allowing the test 3-days before the cruise, it would be far less stressful. I know many folks have had great luck with the big-box pharmacies administering the test, but for whatever reason, out here, it's very difficult to get the test from them, as they are overwhelmed, and even then, their best promise is they hope to get us the results in 48-72 hours. All the more reason a three-day grace period would benefit those of us that are traveling long distances against the clock.

Only my experience... I have waited in the past for drink prices to go down. I have discovered, every time, the prices either: a) Stay the same b) Go up in price I hope I am wrong and you get a bargain. I just checked. I cruise on Odyssey, 4-days from now. The best "discounted" price they offered me is now $69. Guess I'll just have to spend more time in the casino, and drink for free.

My wife puts multiple strands of curling ribbon on the handle of her suitcase, and curls them up nicely. There is no way to mistake her luggage for someone else's, regardless of color, size, or shape. And surprisingly, this ribbon remains intact after many flights and voyages.

It would not hurt my feelings to bypass BC on an Alaskan cruise originating from Seattle. When I cruise to Canada, please let me do so. And when I cruise to Alaska, also let me do so, without needing the permission of Canada.

I have fished my whole life, in boats large to small, in both rivers and the ocean. I always come home with sea legs. Often it's subsided the first day on land, sometimes it takes a couple days. It's the medal of being on the water for long days.

Ya know, I always figured they didn't want any trinkets to clutter their living quarters, so money was an easy choice. I never considered they might want something from the local drug store or 7/11 . I will ask them this time.

I have toured both towns. Each tourist has different expectations for excursions, from mild to wild. Personally, the first time I'm in a new tourist spot, we get on a ship arranged tour, to see the biggest and quickest view of the most points of interest. In an atmosphere where buses might not be covid-friendly, Halifax has plenty of sites to visit just by walking.

Feb 26th! Odyssey of the Seas! Woohoo! Oh wow. Keeping the flight together took some creativity after multiple cancellations, but we stuck to it, and as far as I know, we have flights to Ft. Lauderdale in 10 short days. Last fall, when we scheduled this trip, it seemed an eternity. We blinked a couple times and it's here. We were unable to celebrate our 50th Anniversary on-board last year, so this year we'll make up for it.

If they had a new member "free money" perk, I don't remember. But, as a Prime member, I receive a never ending assortment of free cruise offers. Weekly or even more often, my mailbox has an offer invitation. I am on Odyssey in just over a week from now, comp'd by the Casino. My wife does not always achieve Prime, but she still receives free offers as often as I do, but for a lesser cabin.

Well then... If they're that light, just maybe my RoyalUp will be accepted for my Feb 26 cruise on Odyssey. Fingers remaining crossed.

Thanks for the reports. I've thought so many times of doing a Mexican Riviera cruise. Living in Oregon, a little 2-hour flight to Los Angeles would sure be easy. So, I'm always interested to hear folks' experiences on such a cruise, until I do it for myself.

If you like to sit on the beach, enjoying the sun and the ocean... and a steak and lobster to boot? It's an easy choice.

I am a firm believer that even the experts don't really know where the pre-paid gratuities go. I have asked many times while on a ship, and never twice in a row do I get the same answer, either from employees or supervisors. So, I do pre-paid gratuities, I pay the 18% that's tacked on drinks, and I still tip my servers, waiters/waitresses, and room attendants in cash. Ain't nobody calling me a cheapskate.

Although Cats is not my cup of tea, I suspect there are plenty of folks that think such a production is the cats meow. So I would not hope for the demise of this production only because I didn't care for it. I would further suspect it has a bigger following than we might think.

By now you're on your way. And on the 26th, I'll be on the same boat. Have a great cruise! Wayne.

My experience... The vendors do not want local currency. They want US dollars. Their currency fluctuates in value so much, even they don't know what their money is worth. Prices are always quoted to me in US dollars.

We have also thought about moving South. My research tells me I oughta live in central/inland Florida. That's still less than 2-hours drive to a couple of the cruise ports, the houses are much cheaper than on the beach, and hurricanes often slow down a little bit by the time they get inland. Winter Haven is on my radar.

We tried Spirit also. It just didn't pencil out in the end. With add-on costs such as luggage, membership fees, and even having to pay to talk to an agent, in the end, a major carrier would have been cheaper. I understand if you're needing a cheap way to get somewhere, and you have zero luggage, as well as expect absolutely nothing in amenities, then Spirit could save some people a little money.

We have done the Orlando/Cocoa Beach/Port Canaveral thing multiple times, using a rental car. From Orlando Airport, we took the car to the motel in Cocoa Beach, and to the rental car agency in Cocoa Beach the next morning, where they had a free shuttle waiting to get us to the cruise port. We reversed the process at the end of the cruise.

I recently mentioned this to my wife. I watch the old geezer channels and see Royal Caribbean ads often. She watches mainstream TV and has yet to see a Royal ad. Apparently, this far from cruise ports, it's not a targeted market for such ads on the major channels.

It's wise to be doing your homework early. And speed of tests can vary by location. None of the big-box pharmacies out here will commit to results within the time frame required for a cruise. So in our case, the best option was to schedule a test at our healthcare provider. Two tests for two individuals at the same time and place. One result was received the next day, the other result was received the second day. That still cut it close and made for a nail biter.

I also was contacted by Royal, over a month ago, offering us a Royal Up, from a Balcony to a Junior Suite on Odyssey. I offered the top available bid, but at 3-weeks til we cruise, I've heard nothing. My fingers remain crossed.

I am envious of those folks living close enough to a cruise port that they can take advantage of the shorter cruises.