jbrinkm

I haven't experienced this but have read it happening to others. The best explanation I've heard is that someone booked a specialty dinner and that bumped them out of their fixed dining and into MTD.

I've run into this same dilemma - also a family of 4 with 2 adult sized teenagers. For many years, when we had a big vacation, we would bring four 28" checked suitcases. Even if they weren't fully loaded in terms of size, they usually were with weight. Then all of the airlines switched their pricing models and we almost always have those 4 carry on suitcases included as part of the fare. Then we purchase two checked bags, with the four carry ons taking the place of two of our larger bags, just as you said above. However, the last several times we've flown, the flights have been crowded and they ask if we want to check our carry ons, which we do. Especially since we have the two larger checked bags - we're not rushing off the flight and straight to our transportation; we have to wait for bags anyway so no brainer. It works ok, although as you said, 6 (SIX!!) pieces of luggage feels extreme, even if 4 of them are smaller. Also, it seems like two 20" suitcases should easily take the place of one 28" checked bag, but it doesn't really work out exactly the same. The smaller suitcases just have so much outer material, and losing the large interior space just throws our packing off. But I'm not willing to give up the suitcases that I'm paying for already ("free") so we end up making it fit, and yes, taking six suitcases plus our under-seat personal items. I really wish that there was an inexpensive option to just upgrade your bags with this fare class, like maybe a $10 surcharge to swap the free carry on with a larger checked bag instead. I'd rather pay $40 and upgrade all 4 of the little bags than even $60 to add on 2 large bag - not just for cost but to reduce the # of bags we have total. ESPECIALLY when it is busy and they want us to check our little bags anyway. Sorry I can't be more help, other than to just say that you are not the only one wondering what is the best solution. I will say that we just send our "carry ons" with the checked luggage and the porter at the cruise port. We only keep what we have in our backpacks.

Thanks!

Handwashing is great for stuff like norovirus but unfortunately won't help prevent anything that is airborne. Hope you feel better quickly!!! Sending healing thoughts your way. My husband loves thrifting. We have a fairly local Goodwill that gets so much high end, brand name stuff, a lot of it still new with tags. We absolutely do not NEED to purchase our clothing inexpensively, but we appreciate keeping stuff out of landfill, and it is like a fun "hunt" for him. They have $1 items on Sundays which is when he tries to go. He bought himself a bunch of cruise stuff, then a bunch of stuff for my son, a few things for my daughter, and since my parents are going to cruise with us in March for the first time, he bought a whole additional wardrobe for my dad to wear on the ship.

You really have been through the wringer! I looked up your symptoms and "Google M.D." suggests that it is temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain - can be caused by grinding teeth! (i.e. stress). That came up first, then pinched nerve/ear infection/tooth infection were all possible seconds. Yeah... especially in a space with animals and their waste, even if it is the ocean. Ocean water is very different from saline! That makes sense, although glad to hear that it is healing!

What funny is that we mostly raise retrievers (Goldens, Labs and crosses) for the Seeing Eye, but NONE of the dogs that we have raised liked water. Maybe if we had been getting them used to it all along, other than just baths, it might have been different, but we have to get them used to so many other things that swimming was never a priority. In the article, it does mention that they take her off on Coco Cay and that she's not quite used to the ocean yet but getting braver. IMO this is a bigger concern than living on a ship. Our pups that we raise are with us for about a year, then go back to the Seeing Eye for their training, and before they are matched with a forever person, we go to watch them "work." We have to stay back almost a full block and stay downwind while their trainer shows off the skills they have acquired because the pups will get so thrown off by encountering their raisers and it sets them back. They do, however, get used to their trainer and then their partner person.

Service dogs are allowed, but yes, people take advantage. There are laws (HIPAA maybe? you don't have to disclose your medical need, I think might be the origin) about requiring proof for service animals and there are those who use that legitimate guideline as a loophole to bring their pets. Service animals are usually very well behaved and pets - not always.

This is what I did when I installed my ad blocker.

You look SO adorable in that pic.

I also have a pop up blocker on my laptop. I cannot even log in to this site on my phone, even if I put my browser in desktop mode. The sign in spot never appears.

We raise Seeing Eye puppies and they are expected to be able to "go" on command on a variety of surfaces, including concrete and bricks. Dogs can be happy and healthy in many different types of environments.

Wow, that sunset is really beautiful. The picture I left on top looks like it came from a brochure. I'm sure the film crew loved it. Also, in the bottom picture, the people look a lot younger than I was imagining!

Did you reject Paradise Beach?

Is this just a question about schedule, or about reserving shows? If you are on an Oasis or Quantum class ship, you'll have an option to reserve shows ahead of time - and that may come up before or after check in, depending on when you are cruising. Start checking on the 1st of the month, the month before you cruise. e.g. if you sail mid-June, start checking May 1. Your shows should show up in the first few days (up to a week) of that month. There are rare exceptions but generally this is the pattern most people have been reporting. If your cruise is early in the month, it will be closer to 30 days, so probably after check in. If you cruise is towards the end of a month, it will be closer to 60 days, so before check in.

I'm excited to try these on my next cruise. Sometimes I have my card in a tiny purse with my phone and sometimes on a lanyard if I don't want my phone. I HATE getting the card out of those little solid plastic pouches. I like the little opening on these to help slide them. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0936VR2NF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

This sculpture reminds me of the bean in Chicago. I wonder if it is the same artist.

I agree that this is the general pattern, but not always the 1st of the month before - rather, sometime in the first week of the month before your cruise, with a rare exception here and there. So the number of days will change, especially depending on what part of the month you are sailing in. If you are sailing near the beginning of a month, it will be closer to 30 days and if you are sailing towards the end of the month, could be closer to 60 days.

Wow, that really stinks. Food quality is much different than it used to be and probably from cheaper suppliers. We had rancid apple cobbler one night on our last cruise (although that was probably just trying to not throw out old oil, was my guess, rather than procuring something tainted.

Me too! Although with the slightly smaller room, I'm glad it is just the two of you. Hopefully you'll be able to sleep without the snoring

I love this. I think what gets most frustrating about lines and waiting is about how fair it is. I always appreciate when the people "in charge" keep the system in place. Once I got in line early for rock climbing with my daughter on one of the Freedom ships, when she was younger. We got there well before anyone else, before they opened for the day, because we had other plans immediately after so we wanted to try to get the activity in as quickly as possible. The computer was down and we had to redo the waivers on paper at the kiosk, then they gave us the (shoes, I think, does that sound right?) and the harness. The mom with her kids right behind us, that waited about 10 minutes less then we did, kept trying to rush her kid through everything so she could go line up to start climbing before us. We did end up getting to go first, after I also started hurrying my kid, but it was stressful and stupid. I feel like they should have done like deli numbers or something rather than a free for all (like it sounds your bus situation was like). The top deck of the ship is gorgeous. It reminds me of a rooftop bar at a swanky restaurant/club. Also, are the Royal and Celebrity app very, very similar? The menu looks the same (except the choices offered are different, but the font and layout look identical).

@CrznTxn Can you say a little more about GeoBlue? I just bought a supplemental policy from them and thought it was only for health issues abroad - didn't realize you could do the whole travel insurance through them. Was it a specific type of policy related to your corporate benefits, or available to anyone? We bought a plan (just single trip for our cruise in March) through Insure My Trip and then I wanted more medical coverage (specifically the med evac) so bought an additional plan with GeoBlue but didn't see where I might have expanded that coverage beyond health coverage.

Good luck!

Hi @ThreeDaughters! I *think* I just directed you over here from the "other" board? I have the same username over there. I also use MEI and have had a fantastic experience with them.

I thought at first that the website pictures might have just been from his younger self at https://trentjean.com/ because if you scroll down the page, there are a few where he looks older. I also thought maybe he just stopped dyeing his hair to cover the gray. BUT, in a really bizarre twist, it appears that this Trent-Jean (who is Australian and, yes, it seems he is only 23 y.o.) was ALSO on Oasis as a performer. If you google him & RCI, his social media states that he was performing on Oasis and there's a video of him playing his guitar on Labadee. It looks like his contract was up at the end of last year/2023. I guess the Royal entertainment people were like - we had such good luck with Trent-Jean on Oasis, let's now hire Trent Jeann to take over his gigs.