Traveling Mike

Luggage screening is a thorough process that involves scanning all checked bags using X-ray machines and metal detectors. During the screening, cruise line staff looks for any prohibited items, such as weapons, drugs, and alcohol, that exceed the permissible limit.

Cruise lines check your luggage for several reasons. The first reason is to ensure the safety of all passengers on board. Cruise ships have strict security protocols in place, and screening luggage is one way to prevent prohibited items from getting on the ship.

The second reason is to prevent illegal items or substances from being brought on board. Cruise ships operate under international maritime law, and any illegal items found on board can have serious legal consequences for passengers and cruise lines.

Finally, cruise lines check luggage to ensure all passengers adhere to their alcohol policies. Most cruise lines allow passengers to bring a certain amount of alcohol on board, but exceeding the limit can result in confiscation of the alcohol or even denied boarding.

** this was pulled from Do cruise lines check your luggage? – CruiseBooking.com

Here is one that I wanted to go on, but I could not figure the time off work.  It is on Athem of the Seas and does the Canary Islands.  It has 5 sea days to enjoy the ship.  This ship has enough toys to keep the kids busy.  If you can go in the fall the ship is doing the Suez Canal and that would be educational for the kids.

LEAVING FROM
Southampton, England
Anthem of the Seas
DAY 

1  Southampton, England
2 - 3    Cruising Day at sea
4    Lisbon, Portugal
5    Cruising Day at sea
6    Lanzarote, Canary Islands
7   Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
8   Tenerife, Canary Islands
9    Madeira (Funchal), Portugal
10   Cruising Day at sea
11    La Coruna, Spain
12    Cruising Day at sea
13    Southampton, England
 

I am confused... I looked at my app and thought it did not look any different.  Then I noticed it was version 1.46.  I upgraded to version 1.47 and then took a look.  It looks the same except for now I can see my C&A status and the perks I get.  I really like being able to see that information.  There are some items for Diamond+ that I did not know I get.  I like the change.

They are mixing the ports up for those of us on the west coast get tired of the same old thing.  I never have like PV very much.  I would rather go to Ensenada and go shopping at the Blow Hole and do an hour message.

On most of my cruises in the last 3 years have been 11 am or 11:30 am boarding times.  I have not seen 10:30 am times.  They cannot get you on the ship until they get everyone off the ship from the previous cruise.  Getting everyone off and cleared takes time.

I always book any flights that look like a good deal to me.  Then I keep an eye out for better deals.  You can change or cancel your AirToSea booking up to your final payment.  You also keep all of your airline perks.  I get free bags with American.

In September a year ago one of our ports in Greenland was cancelled because of weather.  Then in the one port we stopped at in Greenland the tenders were very slow and delayed because of fog.  The tenders had to keep using horns to get Barings of each other, the ship and shore.

I had the Soda and Internet package in July sailing.

I agree with you "Probably my own fault for using chrome".  I am a computer programmer and chrome does not play nice with other applications.

4 hours ago, Jolly Ogre said:

I am just wondering that if when the time comes, am I going to book on another line and cruise for the sake of cruising and being disappointed that I am not on Royal?

I have stopped looking at other cruise lines because I was disappointed, and any cruise is too expensive to be disappointed.

• Disney priced me out of the market.  I look every now and then, but the prices are still way too high.
• Carnival, I got tired of drunk people that were rude.
• Norwegian, I have one left booked for 2024 but I am not looking anymore because they are expensive when the entire trip is done, and they just are not as good to work with before the cruise and during the cruise.  
• Princess, the last two cruises made me feel out of place.  The music and activities were designed for an older crowd than me and I am 62. 
• Celebrity, I am going on a B2B in November, but they keep changing their pricing structure.  I cruise solo and it is very hard to find a good deal with them.

First you need to understand that Alaska has two completely different cruises.  One is the inside passage; it starts in Seattle or Vancouver and goes up the middle of the Alaska Coast.  The other one starts in the south and goes to Anchorage or starts in Anchorage and goes to the south.  The large majority of the cruises are the inside passage.  I have done two of them and enjoy all the towns that you visit.  All of the ports are ones you can explore on your own and do not need an excursion unless you want one.  I have not done the one to or from Anchorage, but I would love to.  The difference is to be able to spend extra days in north Alaska.  After you pick a cruise enjoy doing your homework on all the great places you will visit.

I do my homework and call. 

I just paid $4.95 for a gallon of gas and felt I was getting a good deal.  If I can get a burger and fries for under $10 I am doing good.  2 1/2 years ago gas was $3.25 and lunch as $4.  Inflation is killing everything including the cruise market.  We have been waiting to go back to Disneyland until the prices goes down and I just read Disney is raising prices.  Lucky, I have been booking 2 years out, so I am OK for the next year.  All I can do now is book my 2025 cruises when they come out and hope the prices come down.

Looks like you can book both ways and have been able to do it for a while.   Can you book a Celebrity Cruise at Next Cruise on Royal? - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community

Everyone has to have a drink package, but you can get the Zero Proof Drink Package if you do not drink Alcohol.  You just have to let them know why.

• Classic Drink Package 
• Premium Drink Package 
• Zero Proof Drink Package (Premium Non-Alcoholic Drink Package)

Royal did it all wrong.  They should have kept the ports in Israel and gave each of the cruiser a gun and helmet as they exit the cruise ship at port.  They will get the real Holly Land Cruise Experience.

Or maybe Royal is looking out for their cruisers....

Everyone should have known it was coming.  If I was a cruise line, I would have done it years ago.  From what I have seen, people cannot just enjoy a lobster dinner.  They have to be gluttons and have 2, 3, 4 or more lobster tails.  If the cruise line charge people for the extra and they have a fit.  It is easier to just remove them from the menu.

1. If you read the fine print, it is all covered there.
2. You should appreciate the cruise line putting your safety before everything else.
3. You did or will get the port fees back.  My last cruise they put it on my ship account and if you did not pay attention, you would miss it.
4. Everyone is expecting to be compensated for everything.  I drop my hot coffee on my lap, sue the company that gave it to me.  I missed a port because it was not safe,  give me extra money.  We need to relax a little and enjoy life (and your cruise)

I have 7 cruises booked right now and all of them are paid in full.  I know there are 4 of them the price will not go down because they are studio balconies and those were booked when the cruise was opened and filled within weeks.  The others might go down and from my experience I can get refund or onboard credit for the difference.  I like to have my cruises paid in full, it just makes me feel better.  It would be easier if I left some unpaid when the price goes down but they always seem to work with me and my travel agents.

I have done a S2S from Miami and one from Miami and Fort Lauderdale.   On both of them the cruise line supplied transportation to the next ship at no charge.  The one in Miami just put us on a shuttle van and took us to the second ship.  The one from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, they put us on a large bus with the people going to the Fort Lauderdale airport.  They dropped them off then took us to the cruise port.

This is one of the sites I used planning my New Zealand cruise   New Zealand in November: Travel Tips, Weather, and More | kimkim

With there being 18 decks, you will not see much difference in deck 6 and deck 8.   If you were talking about deck 6 and deck 18 you would see a bigger difference.  I think most of your differences in movement will come from front to back.  The front will have more up and down movement from waives.  The back would be next with the middle being the pivot point and have the least.  Now going on an Oasis class ship you should not have any sea sickness but if you do the Guest Services has sea sickness pills.

Here is a great video from @Matt that walks you through the entire check in process.

When I cruised out of Seattle, I did my research and stayed by the airport.  I then got a shuttle that took me to the cruise ship.  I was told because of the homeless and drugs downtown Seattle was not a nice place to visit.  The hotels near the airport were cheaper than downtown.  I used Seattle Express for the shuttle and did not have any issues All Transfers Seattle | Seattle Express

Unless they changed it lately the Unlimited Dining Plan you can eat at multiple restaurants in one day.  I have had dinner at one restaurant and went to another just to have their desert and coffee.   I have also had two small lunches at Johnny Rockets on the UDP.