LinRon2

In cozumel, we've done a jeep tour that included Punta Sur with snorkeling. One trip we took sort of on a lark, was riding ATV's into the thickets of Cozumel. Wow, it was fun and quite different. We had a blast and would probably do it again if we get the chance. Other than that...get in the water while in Cozumel...snorkeling or scuba; that's the real thing to do there. Chocolate, rum, and beehives notwithstanding. Cozumel is just a great place for tourists. People are great there [watch out for salesmen, ha]...and just enjoy. Rub elbows with the locals; rent a vehicle and visit the bars along the east shore they are all welcoming. But get in the water. It's just great there.

We did Chacchoben ruins and really enjoyed it from Costa Maya. The 45 minute or so bus ride allowed us to see something of the countryside which we really enjoy doing.

We're quite onboard [sic] with Royal canceling St. Petersburg for our June cruise on the Voyager, albeit very disappointed that we will not get to see the Hermitage etc. Instead, we were informed just today that We'll be going to Warnemunde instead [near Rostock, Germany and also labeled Berlin, though Berlin is something like 150 miles inland from the port]. I served with the Air Force for 2 years in Berlin, and loved that city; and it would be 'great' to be able to see it again and see how much it might have changed over the years. I think my wife would really enjoy a tour there too. It would more than offset our loss of visiting the Hermitage I think. Of course, the 150 mile journey seems prohibitive, though it appears we d dock from like 8am to 9pm which probably would be enough time but would be a LONG day and probably expensive. Anyway, thought I would make a query here to see if anyone has made such a one day journey from Warnemunde to Berlin? Is it feasible? Warnemunde was east Germany last time in Berlin, so would make for a very interesting stop indeed [even if we can't get to Berlin]. We hope Royal might have an excursion there; so far they are showing no excursions yet. So, anyone have experience along this? Stopping in Warnemunde and taking a day trip to Berlin? We imagine it would be expensive. My search didn't turn up a whole lot [just some dated comments]. This seemed like the best place to post this...about excursions, and discussion of cruise ramifications of Putin's invasion. And just a fyi for this thread, we lost Helsinki too for the Voyager cruise, but also picked up a second day in Riga, Latvia and also added Aarhus, Denmark. It'll still be a great cruise, and for now, as far as safety, we're more worried about Covid....no, not the virus, but what hoops we'll have to jump through for testing etc. 24 hour covid test for planes re-entering USA seems even MORE prohibited than a 150 mile two way train ride in one day. Just sayin'. Of course June still a ways off so who knows.

Well I had this question [sort of] relating to our baltic cruise in June. WHen we made the booking [actually almost 3 years ago!!!] there were no restrictions on flying back into the USA. I realize for Canadians, this sort of requirement has been ongoing [and you guys have our sympathies]. We will be using Royal Caribbean's 'Air to Sea' program, and we just 'assumed' they'd provide us that test before we disembarked so we could fly home. But after reading this is no longer afforded Canadians flying home, well, wow...being in a foreign land trying to hunt down covid testing that applicable seems daunting [should we just cancel this cruise...especially considering the St. Petersburg situation as an unknown]. We're aware of the Abbott proctored tests, and have Navica on our phones [I think anyway]. Have no idea how our streaming capability will be on the ship or in Copenhagen. though. IOW, we're totally lost on this really. Would Royal just throw dolt heads like us who travel overseas ONLY once in a blue moon, off a ship and let you sink or swim on your own? Some sort of testing we are not aware of is mentioned here, called Switch Test? Is that something Canadians have to use? What might Euroipe accept, and Denmark in Particular [where we'll be flying out of]. Finally, is even our vaccination proof accepted in Europe? We've heard they use vax passports or something over there? Sheese, if we hadn't so much resources invested in all this and stand to lose, canceling might definitely be the prudent thing for people like us. Any thoughts on any of this? who do you ask about HOW to do these things if Royal is throwing you 'overboard' [so to say]. Canadians have been dealing with these things for some time I know [we watch Don Teris on youtube for example so know the pain you've been put through]. Our travel agent is just as confused. Covid test 24 hours before boarding a plane to get back to USA...how does one do that anyway [without spending their meager bank account just on transfers].

Yea, we ordered these ASAP when they came out...and they just arrived last week [Feb. 21st or so]. No, they are not proctored as others have mentioned. The one's we got [2 tests per small box with orange coloring] appear to be from a company named "IHealth". Instructions say if you don't have symptoms, you'll need two tests (1 box). Not sure how useful these would be for travel or cruises, except to check before if one might have symptoms. Won't provide the means to get on a ship though [or airplane, say to get back into the USa].

You know, we have to consider, quite a few people [if not most] identify with Russia as people in the Ukraine and there is a large contingency wanting to repatriot since the USSR breakup [from all info I am seeing anyway]. This is not a clear war of bad guys and good guys...but more of strategery and power balancing. World War? Whoa...not happening. Well, one hopes anyway. Hard to get uptight for things in Galaxies far far away. But what about planned cruises in the Baltic? We have one booked in June! And St. Petersburg a major port. Have no idea the outcome on that one, but one might assume St. Petersburg will be dropped [as well as nearby countries like Estonia maybe]? Or the whole cruise canceled? Yea Putin, like the world needs something other this Pandemic to worry about. NOT!

We always bring a 12 pack of soda each [2] and carry them out in the open and not in carry on bags [for RCI cruises].. We've had no problems [Allure, Jewel, Harmony since restart]. Celebrity we haven't tried so not sure. We've read Celebrity sort of looks the other way while not affirmatively saying it's ok.

Hey...and 'yaah!" our benefit came in for our March cruise on Equinox. The snail mail worked for us again...but we still don't understand why it didn't for the Jewel OS in December? that'll make 4 out of 5 tries for us on the shareholder benefit. Now if we can just pass our covid test again and Keep us from a war with Russia [chagrin]. So much for our cruise to the Baltic this summer, say what? Really wanted to see the Hermitage. Darn politicians.

Yea, we've had a 'hit or miss' experience with shareholder benefit that almost seems random. I can see when other credits might be applied as reasoning RCL to bow out on this, but discounts? Wife and I were discussing this, and with all the discounts Royal uses as sales enticements [and gimickry] it would be hard to get this benefit; so that does not seem good reasoning by Royal if so (and we've recieved it on 3 ships when we had multiple discounts in our fare). Heck, anyone paying full fare just ain't being observant, ha [IOO...ie all them 30% or 60% off promotions they run]. Anyway, we try to create a paper trail by snail mailing our submittals in, timing it for 3 weeks when it arrives [with that months brokerage statment]. We have different accounts so we mail twice [if one of us does not get it quick]. Our 5th cruise since restart in March, we've gotten the credit 3 of 4 so far. Still looking for Equinox in March. Cruise on the Jewel OS never replied and we applied twice each [4 mailings] but zilch. Edge, Allure, and Harmony we got the benefit. Makes one wonder if the ship one is on makes any difference? Good luck everyone on this. Is emailing pdf's better? Hard to figure out exactly what works on this.

Thanks for the info. We're on Equinox in March to souther carib too [other posters here also it seems]. Thought I'd post about a wierd experience we had boarding the EDGE last August. While we understand and agree, that one should arrive to board at their appointed times, we also wonder how in the world that is accomplished when one is coming from hours, even days away, who use shuttles perhaps, or ubers or some other way of that last leg to the port. Ever wait around hours at one's parking lot passing up shuttles? Not practical. So, if one arrives 'early', it's not by design, but mostly by how things worked out, given the long ride, or hotel stays, or whatever involved. SO anyway, we were notified the EDGE was being delayed and to add something like 4 or 5 hours to our appointed arrival times. This meant we had to just ride around the Ft. Lauderdale area most of the day to arrive at our parking lot late in the day...but did the shuttles run that late (?) [turned out they run 24/7 where we were parking]. Wanting to have a buffer of time [not that we WANTED to arrive early]...we got on a late shuttle from that parking, and still arrived several hours 'early' about 5pm Again, not by dlesign, but how things worked out. You are quite right, Celebrity takes the appointed boarding times seriously, and we were immediatly ushered onto a large bus, whereupon we were driven to a large shopping mall that was about a thirty minute ride away. The bus was pretty much full [so much for social distancing which I think, at the time, was the reason people were not being allowed in the terminal early; turned out there is ample seating there]. Once at that mall though, NO ONE got off the bus. And good thing too. We sat there, for something like 20 minutes or so, no one knowing what to do really; the bus driver didn't have much info on what was going on either etc. And then he drove us back to the terminal [again 30 min. drive or so]...and we all got in line at the terminal and eventually just checked in. We were still early [again, the ship was delayed and we didn't leave port until midnight or so]. Granted, this was an unusual boarding being so delayed [they had a medical emergency cruise before and diverted to Grand Turks island or something]. But the busing was sort of a 'knee jerk' thing I.O.O. We know they [all lines now] stress to arrive specifically on your alloted boarding time, but for the life of us, we still don't know how that is accomplished with a lot of accuracy [so many variables have to come together if one is traveling from any distance]. We try of course. But every time [Equinox will be our fifth sailing since restart], there is always a long line and many people there early. NOT BY DESIGN though one must assume. It's just how things have worked out coming from far away.

Ok, explanation of benefits implies our ELITE status on Equinox [recognized Diamond Equivalent] would give us one complimentary visit to the Persian Gardens spa section on one port day. Has anyone experienced this Benefit? And what might we have to do to take advantage of it [reserve early one might imagine for instance? or just show up?]. Sounds like something to do perhaps. Thanks for any info in advance.

One of our RCCL ships would NOT take an old card with some coffee's left on it. I think it was the ALLURE. Harmony didn't check the card however [if from another cruise]. Also, we really liked getting specialty coffee at the Central Park Park Cafe as our cabin was on deck 8 [nearby] on the ALLURE. But on Harmony, that Park Cafe did not serve specialty coffee [just regular]. The only place we found for specialty coffee was the central prominade on Harmony. Ambience is important to us...that 'coffee shop' feel, or a general tranquil setting which RCCL fails on some of their ships IOO [Serenade comes to mind]. Central Park is good [as mentioned]...but Prominade setting often chaotic...busy; same with windjammer [have found specialty served there on some ships]. Lattitudes, for example, on Serenade sort was the pits. Something about coffee in a paper cup is like grabbing a quick convenience store coffee on the way to work; something not as 'satisfying'...after all, at $4+ a whack...well, our best 'coffee' experience was on Celebrity EDGE...and...wait for it...MSC Armonia [go figure]. Just our opinions of course.

Ha, we used to think making Diamond was 'something'...but we've met so many plus and pinnacle's lately, I guess we're still down in the steerage section, LOL. We finally made our diamond though off Harmony in Jan. Figured we wouldn't be able to take advantage of it until our Baltic cruise on Voyager OS in June...but to our pleasant surprise, our Celebrity Equinox booking shows us [yes indeed kiddies on this blog]...ELITE status on our March cruise! So we'll be experiencing our 'diamond' status on Celebrity [as ELITE] BEFORE we get back on a RCI ship [kinda weird?]. I think we already have 'a' drink package on Equinox though [their 'all in' or something or other; confusing to keep up these days]. So, any other bennies recommended that we might come up out of steerage to rub elbows with the posh for? Just kidding of course; well, mostly [900 RCI points is 'another planet' reality to us, ha]. Ok, loyalty lounge not so hot according to this blog. How about behind the scenes theater or things like that? With covid, probably no longer, right? Any suggestions appreciated [Celebrity or RCI]. There's a 'port day spa bennie' I think on Celebrity? Worth staying on the ship for?

Hot dog! Looks like we are actually going to try and debark at Labadee on the Jan. 23rd cruise [porting in Labadee the 27th]. (1/23/2022) The safari snorkel excursion was taken off though so no snorkel for us. We have a question though. When we sign up for a beach clamshell lounger, it says 'for two' @$48. It requires you to plug in two people...but then on checkout it charges you for two people ie, ~$100. This just seems like an error since the advert. says clamshell for two people [we only want to rent one clamshell]. So, we canceled out...but wondering here if anyone else might be encountering this problem [if it is an error in the checkout?]. $48 was too much IOO, so we're certainly not paying ~$100. Any comments or suggestions? We want to get off the ship and do a beach day. Are there any 'free' or less costly lounges anyone knows of? Pics looks like they've revamped the beaches some there [been several years since we've been there]. Thanx in advance.

come on Royal Caribbean, discussion is all over the place where we are going on 23rd!! Some say 'test' port in labadee on 27th [and how about Jamaica?], now here, back to the 3 port cruise Harmony is presently on [16th] and on 9th [to St. kitts, or St. martin, then st. thomas, and coco cay]? So, what is it? Could you at least verify where we ARE NOT going [ie is Labadee on the table or not]? We love Royal, and realize times are difficult, but a little INFO goes a long way; the suspense is keeping us awake at night [ha, not really]! We [wifey and I] will enjoy wherever we go, even if in circles in the carabbean. How about a raffle on what ports we'll get to? All in fun. But it is less than a week out.

I used to dive, now too old [71], but didn't we use to just spit in the mask, rub it around, then wash it out [if we forgot our little bottle of name brand 'spit' or dish detergent]? My memory fades I'm afraid. The baby shampoo a much better way to go though, ha. Mention the spit just as a last resort maybe?

Yea, the stress is through the roof isn't it! Making the appointment hard enough...then sweating a possible positive [real or false]. We've gone to ordering the proctored at home EMED tests but as a 'backup'...while making appointment at a close by pharmacy. For an October cruise, we had to travel 50 miles one way to a pharmacy that had openings. We always make the appointments as far in advance as possible, usually about 2 weeks. Be sure to check the expiration dates if the EMED [probably easiest to do]. We were burned on 4 of the 6 tests that are now past expiration date for our next cruise late Jan. I think expiration dates are to Novemeber 2022 now though. Good luck. Someday this will all be history and we go back to sweating fares and if we get a balcony or not, ha.

Thanx for your 'vlog'. We are all probably wondering what might be in store for cruises in January with the omicron surging. Too bad about St. Thomas; but Cocoa Cay looks like it turned out ok for you. Did the theater production shows [mainly Grease] go on as scheduled? The mega ships offer a lot of entertainment if the ports turn away, of course, but only if the shows 'go on'. On Harmony the 23rd; wish us luck...and happy days to you back in Cincinatti. Thanks again.

Yea, We've used CVS three times since June and have had no problems, but I just read of this 'CLIA certification' requirement on documents? I guess I just haven't noticed this before, but we've never had any problems with CVS antigen results document. My wife, who works in a hospital, suggests that perhaps CVS 'minute clinics' are certified in general and the cruise lines are aware of this. BTW, we've done the EMED proctor'd testing too, and the document supplied through NAVICA [so the paper says looking back] does include a CLIA certification number [just a FYI]. Brass tax [tacks?]...the CVS minute clinic documents have been accepted by Royal Carribbean [for us anyway] twice and once by Celebrity since June 2021, no problem. All Aboard...

Just to add to the comments here, we've used CVS antigen testing three times in 2021 with no problems in the documentation [Celebrity and 2 Royal Carib cruises].

Our cruise on the Harmony is Jan 23rd. I guess we are all wondering what our ports will actually be [presently shows nassau, falmouth, labadee, and cocoa cay], but we have had two booked excursions [one in Nassau and another in Jamaica] canceled already. Labadee a no go of course. Our thinking is an entire NEW itinerary will be in place for that cruise. St. Thomas and/or St. Kitts would be nice but Mexico is the only country (info we have) that have made it plain they WILL remain open [on a ship by ship basis as to covid aboard]. Just thinking out loud. Any definite info where we might be going would be appreciated. Thanx.

Hmm...instructions we have say submittal should be "received in their office 2 to 3 weeks" before sail date. Maybe that's been our problem if somewhere else it says 30 days? But then, we can't get the latest broker statement to them before 30 days?

Yea, we don't get it. We got our benefit for our October Allure cruise, but applied several times for our December Jewel OS cruise, but 'nothing'. We do the same thing every time...use the pdf form, send latest broker statement [statment always within 30 days of cruise], and even confirmations of the buys. We each own over 100 shares in different accounts, and sending in seperately didn't work either [stipulating we are only seeking one benefit between the two of us, ie per cabin etc]. SO, essentially we were turned down twice. Maybe something we are doing wrong? I know in fine print, it is up to RCI's discretion and often not combinable with other credits...but for the Jewel we had NO other credits. BUt we did use some Future Cruise Credits from canceled cruises last year. Wife seems to think that might have been the problem [but we used FCC's for almost all the ALLURE fare, and no problem?], but doen't sound fair to me if so [those FCC's get complicated really quick I.O.O]. Any advise on how to get the Stockholder benefit appreciated. From all I've read, almost a crap shoot? Somell get it, some don't; almost like a lottery or something, ha. And we've never been informed WHY one way or another; it just shows up on our onboard account, or NOT. Mostly NOT. Maybe RCI just dosen't like us, LOL.

There's obviously something going on with that CDC that's NOT science when it comes to cruising. It's just plain out 'negative bias' and anyone can see it when all other modes of travel are compared to cruising. There should be an accounting when all this over and assessment as to just what has done the most damage [the Virus or...media...or?...CDC?].

It does create a quandry though. Our Harmony cruise Jan 23, has 2 Bahamas ports, Labadee, and Jamaica. Right now, that could mean a cruise to nowhere...all sea days or something [Bahamas PCR requirement not practical, Haiti closed due to unrest, and Jamaica just stodgy to reopen anyway]. We imagine alternate ports will be substituted...mainly Mexico since they remain open. But if all ships are headed to the few alternates still open...well, can you say hoarded crowds? It's not that big a deal to us as we are bonafide cruisers just wanting to get on a ship. But does make one wonder what's going to happen. As far as 'closing down cruising', didn't Florida's De Santis get that injunction against the CDC that they can't [for now] just shut industries down [not in their legal authority]? Wish RCL would offer some updates on possible things that might happen in near term.