WAYNO

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.

deleted...

Odyssey, Feb 26th, 8-day...

Originally, Aruba, Curacao, Grand Cayman. 

Grand Cayman was then cancelled and replaced with Nassau. 

Today, Jan 28th, we were notified that Nassau is now cancelled and replaced with Perfect Day.

First... The A-B-C Islands, (we were scheduled for all three  earlier, but alas, our cruise was cancelled).   

Barbados, The Dominican Republic and Grenada are also on our to-visit list.. 

We're booked on Odyssey for February 26th, and are going to Aruba and Curacao.  So that leaves a cruise in the future to visit Bonaire to complete the ABC  trifecta.   

We're also seriously considering our options to cruise to the Mexican Riviera.  A two hour flight to Los Angeles would sure ease the logistics of travel.    

We have cruised NCL one time.  Norwegian Breakaway.  The nicest ship we've been on, but we still prefer Royal. 

Differences?  For us, the hugest difference is, on Breakaway there is not a traditional Promenade.      Shops scattered throughout, but not concentrated in any area, and many more bar opportunities.  On NCL, I just plain miss having a Promenade where I can sit and watch people go by, and visit.

I suppose the bottom line is, the Breakaway was geared to a younger crowd.  And that's good for them.  I'm glad there are choices.

The longer this is discussed, the further I'm confused.  I'd rather go back to the old days when cash tips were given for every service received. 

I do the pre-paid gratuities thing.  In addition, I still tip in cash, over and above this, as I do not know who receives  a portion of the pre-paid gratuities, or how much they receive.  I tip very well my food servers, my drink servers, my cabin attendant, and anybody that provides a service.

Then, over and above all this, just yesterday I was charged another pre-paid tip package for beverages. 

Everybody I've talked to about this, has their own idea of how the tip packages work, but seldom do any two people understand it the same, including employees on a ship.  The only folks that know for sure if they're being tipped, are the folks that receive cash in their hand.

The one and only time we sailed from Bayonne...   On Anthem, the skipper had to outrun Hurricane Dorian which ended our cruise slightly early.      To make it up to us, he drove the ship quite a ways up the Hudson River, spun cookies adjacent to New York City, and passed the Statue of Liberty.  That was a wonderful treat.

We were close!

@Caribbean ... Very nice report.  Thank you.

We're booked on Odyssey, end of February thru the first week of March.  This one's been tough, trying to keep it all together.  Airlines have been a pain.  A combination of airline cancellations, fights for refunds, and the price going up substantially with each re-booking, as well as port cancellations and the ever-changing covid protocols made me question the karma of this cruise. 

But we wanted to go, and we stuck with it. As we speak, we are booked for the cruise, we again have airline tickets, and a stay at a motel in Ft. Lauderdale the night before the cruise.   I hope for no more surprises.

Most of our sailings have been in Junior Suites, and they are well worth it to us.  Depending on the ship, you could either have double-bathrooms, or a huge single bathroom and a walk-in closet large enough to live in.  A larger couch, a larger balcony, and more floor space, all are nice. 

As we speak, I'm booked on a cruise next month in a balcony stateroom.  I was offered a Royal Up, jumped on it in a heartbeat, and I have my fingers crossed.

Our Medicare Advantage HMO has paid for all medical services on the ship while cruising the Caribbean.  Both on the ship, and in port at the beginning of the cruise, the providers involved all billed our insurance directly.  Had hospitalization been prescribed, that's where the travel insurance is valuable, to fly a patient to a modern hospital. 

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16 hours ago, Donomania said:

Third time - should be - a charm. Added to YouTube… here is the link. Symphony Entering St. Maarten 1/4/22

This video worked fine.

I'm sorry you're having to endure this.  This is tough for the folks affected, and for the folks trying to keep it together.

I am scheduled on a cruise in late February.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Get well soon!

Wayne. (from rainy Western Oregon)

6 hours ago, lmarslinda said:

Can you bring more than 12 bottles of water? I have medical reasons. 

Tell them you have medical or other special needs, and they will provide you with unlimited gallon jugs of distilled water in your room.

Many of us on CPAP's need distilled water, and it's a non-issue.

As always, seems whatever is blogged, is taken out of context, or not understood at all.

I know why these unpopular protocols exist, and I'm not in disagreement of the protocols.

I very much understand the luxuries in which I can partake, and continue to be appreciative.  I am not dumping on Royal Caribbean.

Because of this appreciation, I continue to attempt to support the cruise and tourism industry.  But there comes a time, when everything I do is somehow cancelled or severely curtailed, and I must stand back and take a breath.    That's all. 

  I keep reading here that we shouldn't be overly disappointed of port cancellations.  We should rejoice that we're able to cruise anywhere at all. 

Well, maybe so...

Book an 8 night cruise on Odyssey from sunny Fort Lauderdale, we don't know what ports we'll visit, but we'll promise you a memorable cruise.

Our cruising plans have been severely curtailed, over and over, thanks to the covid.  So we keep getting back in line, accept anything available, and still have our plans changed for us again.

I've been so looking forward to visiting the ABC islands.  We finally were able to book a Southern Caribbean cruise to two of the three islands, with Grand Cayman as the kicker.  Grand Cayman has been scrapped as a cruise stop, and now maybe Aruba and/or Curacao.  I love cruising, and if I booked a cruise that stopped nowhere at all, I could be okay with that too.  But when I pay extra for a longer cruise to see specific ports, and then they are all cancelled, I wonder how long should I be completely accepting of this?

I just don't know when it will be time to cut my losses, wait and see if everything finally settles down.

And it's not just the cruise.  Motels, transfers, airfare, it all changes with cancelled cruises.  I'm still out for two first class airfares.  The airline conveniently remains ignorant to promised refunds and/or credits.   

I am whining, I know.    I Pray this covid stuff soon is behind us, and we can get back to a normal world.

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We are booked on Odyssey in February.     Already, one port had changed, and now  Curacao and/or Aruba?

Our flight to Fort Lauderdale for this upcoming cruise was cancelled by  United, nearly two months ago, and I'm still at a loss to get either a credit or a refund.   Makes me leery to re-book the flight and chance losing another airfare in the event there are more cruise closures.

Maybe this is all an omen, and this cruise wasn't meant to be.  I'm double-disappointed, as my Wife cruised in November, and everything was wonderful.

Our cruise together, earlier in 2021 was cancelled, but my Wife was able to cruise with a high school friend in November.  Allow me to repeat what she has shared.

First, escaping the dismal weather of the Northwest, the sun in the Caribbean is so uplifting.

Yep, the smaller crowd on the ship was nice, but more so, the entire crew was so accommodating, friendly, and helpful.  They are trying so hard to stay in business, and remain employed.

She appreciated the enhanced hygiene practices of the crew.  Too bad so many of the passengers did not take it as seriously.

Both boarding and disembarking, the efficiency was top notch.  No time was wasted, and the process was done with very minimal time. 

Of course she enjoyed the main dining room, and was treated like a queen.  Even the buffet was great.  Having to be served was a change-up, but it was very efficient.

Our cruising life has been so severely curtailed by the covid.  It is nice to know that cruising is being resumed. 

I wear slacks and a sport shirt most nights in the dining room.  On formal nights... I usually eat somewhere else.  Folks that enjoy dressing up have every right to expect others will follow suit.   I respect that.

I have been pressured to join in on formal night, wearing sport/casual clothes, and I am never comfortable doing so.

Being in the Pacific Northwest, we fly to the East Coast for our cruise.  Connections cause us to get there a day or two early, with very large and very full suitcases.  I just don't want to have to pack dress clothes in addition to vacation clothes.  

On 12/3/2021 at 10:04 AM, CruizIan said:

 

I have never had anyone even look at cigars that I brought back onboard when they are just in your beach bag or whatever. So not sure about them "not" allowing them. I guess if you were really worried you could just take the bands off and no one would know the difference.

As a personal point of preference having had Cuban cigars and cigars from all over; they are not really the mythical beast that they were in the 1960's or even 1970's as has been told to me by cigar professionals as many of the Cuban families during the prolonged rule of communism have taken their methods and tobacco strains and left the country and created equally as good products in Central-American countries. That being said to each his own.

 

I've brought Cuban cigars aboard, and in every case, the ship didn't care or stop me in any way.  They did say however, it would be unwise to take them thru Customs on the way out, as they are contraband. 

Lastly, I searched high and low at the ports for what I could believe were genuine Cuban cigars.  When I was convinced I was not being taken, I bought some five-packs in their tasteful rosewood boxes.  And just one time, the embargo was lifted long enough for me to bring some home.

 When I did finally smoke one or more, I agree they were not the cigars of long ago of which dreams were made.  A Nicaraguan cigar made of cubanito leaf can be as fine a cigar as I've ever experienced. 

On 12/3/2021 at 10:04 AM, CruizIan said:

 

deleted, as the message was not received as intended.

Edited to add...  No intention of "whizzing" on a question.  Reading and re-reading the OP, sounded like he was on the ship and looking for the muster location.  I didn't consider pre-scouting for a future cruise.  Very honorable.   With the information available, I was afraid someone dropped the ball, and muster locations were not completely addressed, weren't placarded, or had otherwise changed.  Very recently, my wife was on  Oasis.  Even then, the muster presentation had changed.  It was presented on the TV in her cabin. 

Have a blast on your cruise, whenever it is.

Wow.  As long as people are defending disgusting behavior and criticizing other folks as germ-o-phobes, I will continue to wash my hands at every opportunity and otherwise take care of myself.  There is a huge difference between camps on the necessity of smart hygiene.

I was a fish out of water in Bayonne.  We had a high-end (read high-dollar) hotel there at the airport, but they were completely unwilling to help me with transportation suggestions, even to the ship.  "You'll have to google that yourself, sir".  My daughter on the west Coast ordered us an UBER.  If not for her bailing us out, I think I'd still be stuck in Metro New York City.  This I'm sure is quite normal if you're accustomed to the Northeast culture, but it's tough for a tourist from the West Coast.   

The cruise lines are fighting for their very survival.  They are presented with an ever-changing list of protocols, and in spite of their customers grumbling over every change, they must continue to do whatever is necessary.  I believe they are doing a good job.

My wife very recently cruised on Oasis.   She said everything about the entire cruise went smoother than on any other cruise.  The ship departed an hour later than originally scheduled, and folks bellyached, but again, they are doing the best they can in spite of the never ending changes placed upon them.  Already, our next cruise is impacted on allowable ports, and one change so far, has happened.  So be it. 

Agree with protocols or not, she said there was quite some comfort in seeing all the blue wrist bands, indicating folks were vaxxed and tested, and for the few younger folks that were not, they were kept completely separate from the masses.  The constant sanitizing also was comforting.

And yes,  she had fun.

1 hour ago, SPS said:

The OP specifically said the luggage was lost by the airline. There was no mention of travel insurance either.

Yes, we know it was lost by the airline.  The question was in the context of a travel policy, if it covers luggage during the entire trip, or only while it was in possession of the ship.  No, there was no mention of if there was or was not  travel insurance, but I suspect there is more to this story.   I cannot imagine a passenger expecting help from the cruise line if travel insurance was not purchased from them.  Only questions... Trying to connect the dots.

1 hour ago, SPS said: