dmattinson

Who held on to their RCL shares? Nice returns for those that didn't give in when it was in the $70's

Our suite (Puccini - 1568) for the sailing

Welcome back to reality for most of us... Some takeaways: COVID is still going strong on these sailings - it doesn't show up until somewhere around day 6 for people to start feeling it. By the end of the cruise (and in the airport), I felt like I was walking through a tuberculosis ward If you have a suite and use the suite lounge before or after dinner (and maximize the drink benefit), you probably don't need to buy a drink package - if you are Diamond and you go to the lounge, you definitely don't need to buy a drinks package Could people get up any earlier to claim one of the limited chaise loungers in the Solarium? C'mon, chair hogs abound before 7A Service was excellent no matter where I went - passengers on the other hand, some weren't so excellent - I don't know what some people were so mad about (12-days on this ship was not a challenge and was quite enjoyable) Using the casino to get to the front of the ship for the pub and the theatre was a no-go on sea days - the casino bottle-necks at the front of the ship near the video poker machines and getting through was challenging as a walking person, and near impossible for someone in a mobility scooter It was a shame that they really didn't open the bar in the Safari Club aside from 1 night or event - the Schooner, R-Bar, Pool bars, and casino bars were the only ones open during the day time - the casino was a little too smokey for me to sit and hang out, the R-Bar was in the Centrum where people hung out frequently making seating limited, Schooner was trivia, trivia, and more trivia (with some music mixed in) but it was pretty much full most of the time and the pool bars were great...if you could get a seat near the pool - pub didn't open until 5P and music act occupied it for a good portion of time up until 11P (goes back to the drinks package...I didn't find I broke even on this sailing with the cost, even at 4 mixed drinks a day because I just couldn't find a place to sit and stay seated for a long period of time and just have low-level background nothingness that I prefer when enjoying some cocktails) The Schooner bar new drink menu has some winners - the Irish Peach was really good, the marshmallow old fashioned was decent but it was a 1 and done type drink because it was so sweet The dining staff was amazing - my servers Amit and Jatta were great, as was our head waiter, Narciso - Roland (bartender in the suite lounge, now the R-Bar) was great too Stateroom attendant, Mohan was awesome and refused tips throughout the cruise to show he was taking care of us no matter what and appreciation at the end would be the only time he would accept a tip Bonaire is beautiful - just be careful of petty crime like stealing from vehicles or golf carts if left unattended, especially on the remote roads - golf carts were a good way to explore the south side, people that went to the north side said they struggled a little on the slopes and elevation changes

No, we just moved it to private and not able to be searched. https://www.facebook.com/groups/3288662101369935

Last time we went, we hit Sea Grape beach. Rented a few chairs and spent time in the water for a few hours. Once the catamarans started showing up, we finished our beach time and headed back into town. This was before the megaships though...looks like we are in port with Grandeur and MSC Seascape so potential for about 10k cruise passengers on shore that day.

Booked the golf carts with Bonaire Cruisers - that is the only planned "excursion" we have so far for the entire trip. What's everyone doing in Grand Cayman? Its been years (like over a decade) since I've been there...

In SXM, head to the French side and hit the LCDH - only place I trust as there are just too many good looking counterfeit cigars being made of floor sweepings and rejected leaf. And in Mexico, avoid any Cubans at all costs - they are most ALL counterfeits unless you find a LCDH in a city.

La Casa De Habanos (LCDH) shop in Aruba was small but the cigars were good. Prices have climbed a bit on Habanos since 2020 but if you are looking for authentic Cubans, this is a good stop. Walk to the right after getting to the main road outside the cruise port, over the small bridge and down to the shopping center. Its in the middle of the three rows of shops - when you see Starbucks, you are in the right spot. Cigar Emporium in Aruba is also good and has legit sticks. I haven't been in there recently though.

Offer transparent pricing with upfront options to have things like how NCL prices things out - give me a package option that includes internet, tips, and drinks. Helps avoid that $399 pricing sticker shock when the total comes up and the chasing down sales and the inevitable customer service inquiries that goes along with the changing of packages when prices change for internet and drinks.

from Port of Miami website Royal Caribbean Terminal A Garage rates as of January 15, 2022: For sailings 6 days or more – the rate will remain the same - $25 per night For sailings 5 nights or less – the new rate will be $28 per night Day Visitor rates across all days – the new rate will be $10 for the day

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3288662101369935

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/05/09/royal-caribbean-harmony-hidden-camera/ “The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested a cruise passenger last week after it was discovered that he installed a secret camera in a public bathroom on a cruise ship sailing from Miami on a cruise to the Caribbean. An affidavit from a FBI agent verified that on April 29th, Jeremy Froias boarded the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas in Miami for a seven-day cruise to Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Coco Cay, Bahamas, returning to Miami last Saturday, May 6th. On April 30th, Froias installed a “hidden Wi-Fi camera in a public bathroom on the aft of the Harmony‘s top deck between the ‘Flow Rider’ surfing stimulator and a bar: After the camera had been operational for around 24 hours, a passenger noticed it and informed the crew on May 1st. Security personnel then searched the bathroom and found the hidden camera. The camera had a memory card inserted which included several hours of video files. Initial videos showed Froias installing the camera and, later, returning to the bathroom to adjust the angle of the camera, focusing the video on the toilet area. The video also shows Froias taking his Apple iPhone 14 Pro-Max out of his pocket and connecting the phone to the hidden camera via Wi-Fi. Froias’s iPhone can be seen in the video, and it appears to be displaying the video feed being captured by the camera. The videos “depict more than 150 individuals, including what appear to be at least 40 minors . . . Some of the minors appeared to be as young as four or five years old.” “Individuals are seen coming into the bathroom to either use the toilet or to change into or out of swimsuits. Froias’s camera captured these individuals in various stages of undress, including capturing videos of their naked genitals, buttocks, and female breasts.” Ship security interviewed Froias who admitted to placing the hidden camera in the bathroom. Froias has now been charged with 18 USC 1801 (video voyeurism) and 18 USC 2252(a)(5)(B) (attempted possession of child exploitation material). A number of newspapers in San Juan have covered the disturbing story which has not yet been reported by the media in Miami or the national press. The FBI office in San Juan Division is seeking to identify potential victims. The FBI states that it believes the Froias “primarily targeted cruise ship passengers between the timeframe of April 30 and May 1, 2023, who may have used the public bathroom on the aft of the Harmony’s top deck between the ‘Flow Rider’ surfing simulator and a bar. Passengers using this bathroom may have been video recorded by Froias.” If you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized or have information relevant to this investigation, the FBI asks that you please fill out this short form. The question is did Royal Caribbean notify any of the passengers, before they left the ship on May 6th when the ship returned to Miami, that they and their children were probably secretly video recorded if they went into the bathroom in question on April 30th or May 1st? Royal Caribbean knew sometime on May 1st of the secret camera and that at least 150 guests had been the victims of video voyeurism. This is not the first time that video voyeurism has occurred on a cruise ship. Four years ago, a couple traveling with their young son on the Carnival Fantasy discovered a small video camera hidden in the bundled cables, behind the television in their cabin, which pointed toward their bed. Just two months ago, a crew member was caught filming women in a children’s bathroom on the MSC Meraviglia.”

It went as high as $75.99 on Friday. Congrats on the profits!

It was over $73 at multiple parts of the day. Set your trailing stop loss in case it goes up more.

Just off Oasis - the free drink dispensers are in Park Cafe, behind El Loco Fresh on the sports deck, the Solarium buffet (when open) and inside the Windjammer. Also, there is coffee, hot water (for ~8 different types of hot tea and hot cocoa, and iced water (both plain and orange slices [I didn't taste the orange]) in the Cafe Promenade. There was also water sometimes outside on the boardwalk next to the hot dog location but it wasn't always there when open.

My wife and I got away for a "just the two of us" cruise last week and given the whole premier debacle and the onboard credits they gave me as a courtesy, coupled with some Giovanni's lunch reservations I made that were pre-paid, I figured it would be a nice opportunity to book it at a discount. We boarded the ship right around 10:30A and went to the empty reservation desk in the Promenade. We were only able to get 1 Chops dinner reservation and all the rest were split between Giovanni's and 150 Central Park save 1 night which we wanted for Hibachi. Well, you can't make Hibachi reservations anywhere but Izumi so we booked all but night 4 and I make my way down to Izumi to book my hibachi reservation...and was greeted with a line out the door and to the stairs. Looks like everyone is just heading to Izumi to make ALL their reservations during the cruise. I find it odd that you can only make a hibachi reservation there but can make a sushi reservation anywhere. Any restaurant can cancel the hibachi but they can't make a new one. But other restaurants can book a reservation for anywhere else. So I wait in line about 45 minutes, watch people walk out either happy or pissed off. The couple in front of me gave up and said they will do without hibachi this trip and left. When I got up to the podium, I asked if there was anything for night 4 and the hostess said yes, for 2 people they can seat us at the 9:15 seating. Great! I'll take it and thank you! Off I go...we hear Giovanni's is doing lunch for embarkation for the dining package folks so we go check it out. As we are sitting there, I check the reservations for day 4 nothing is showing yet...maybe its a bit slow. We'll check again later. Well, later on we did check and still didn't see it - but I did look at the other days and found that she booked the hibachi as the same day as our only Chops dinner. UGH! We ask at Chops if they can change the day...they are sold out for the entire cruise. So we just ask them to cancel hibachi and book sushi on the 4th night and we'll manage (we don't eat fish). So, here's the good...it was food. At Giovanni's, too much food. Food brought out without asking....shameful wasting of food. I didn't think the food was all that great with a few standouts. At sushi, we both very much enjoyed our selections from the bowls section of the menu. I got beef udon and Tonkotsu pork ramen. My wife got some fried rice and a chicken teriyaki dish. Both of us were pleasantly surprised. In 150 Central Park, the fried cheesecake bites were amazing. Outside of that, the beef dishes were coated in a port sauce that had warm spices like cinnamon and/or nutmeg in them (aside from Chops), the beef cuts were all choice or worse cuts, the potatoes were loaded with garlic and/or truffles, and there were very few salad appetizer options. Chicken piccata sauce was garlic gravy and not a bright lemon, white wine sauce with capers. Veal medallions were OK but again, lower cut of beef that wasn't tender. Just overall average food...I think the appeal is the abundance, not the over-arching quality. We also took advantage of the ala carte restaurants and very much enjoyed Johnny Rockets. By the 6th night, we skipped a repeat of the same restaurant we had been to twice already that week and enjoyed a burger and fries dinner with apple pie ala mode for desert. We also at at Portside BBQ on our 1st sea day...I thought the sausage was good and the brisket wasn't too bad. The mac and cheese was flavorless and the beans tasted like Heinz English breakfast beans. We also went to Playmaker's one evening for a snack after an early dinner. It was OK (and similar to other ships we have eaten at Playmaker's). I wasn't sure what to expect...it would give us a chance to avoid the MDR and we hoped give a little variety to our meals. However, it was very much eating the same over and over and I think we would have had a better variety from the MDR menus. Given the cost of the package and the additional tips, I still was out more money than I expected as part of the deal. Am I glad I tried it, sure, I guess...if anything to let me know that I shouldn't wonder about it again and just enjoy the MDR, buffet, and other included dining options with give plenty of variety. I can't imagine what was available for those that boarded after 1P - I don't know if people were able to secure dining reservations for all of their choices that boarder later...but I would be pissed if I spent over $500 and couldn't eat where I wanted because they oversold the package.

My wife requires the use of a mobility scooter after having complete reconstructive surgery of her foot and we require an accessible cabin for the door sizing to get the scooter in and the accessible bathroom for her mobility constraints. We have never been offered Royal Up when booked into an accessible room simply because the largest accessible rooms are balcony rooms which a majority of the accessible rooms fall into.

I generally have not had an issue with beds on the cruises I've taken but this last week on the Oasis was a different story. The bed was hard as a rock...and it had two toppers on it. I was up at 4:30 on the 1st morning and didn't sleep past 7 any other day. Only took a couple short naps too as it just wasn't comfortable for this stomach sleeper.

Yeah, I think this sailing is going to have limited chatter and engagement - with still 148 days to go, I think people are sitting on their hands waiting for it to get closer. We also have a Facebook group for this sailing that seems to have some regular posts.

I'm looking at my TDA account and just pulled details on $RCL - its a mix over the analyst ratings

Yeah, I didn't think that far ahead and cancelled my $182-2 device 7 night internet package... lets hope this doesn't get cancelled....

If you are happy with the profit and the tax that comes with that sale, then do it - I learned long ago that only I can set my own risk tolerances and being burned on 50% losses when I was holding out hope after seeing small rebounds eventually saw more loss. If you want to play with some shares, sell enough to get your original investment back and then let the rest ride. Its essentially free money and you can weather many ups and downs without sweating it or watching it too much. If you want to see if it goes up a little more, set a trailing stop loss sale trigger (I generally set them to about 10%). This way, it rides the increases in the price of the share and sets new sale price every time it goes up. If it loses 10% from the high price it sets, it triggers a sale. Gives a little tolerance to let the declines happen and acts as a monitored sell trigger if it goes down too much at once. Its nice if it has very little fluctuation and continues to go up...setting new stop loss trigger every time that happens.

I use TD Ameritrade for my stock trading platform. I used Robinhood and Webull but they didn't have the same priority and their limitation on trading hours made me lose $$$ on some deals where there were big run-ups in pre-market trading but dropped when those services opened up for trade execution. TD Ameritrade has the ThinkOrSwim tool that I like for tracking historicals, getting news and alerts and seeing what the buy/sell pending orders look like to see how I might want to position myself if looking to increase or reduce my positions. Side note, CCL hit my threshold and auto-sold yesterday. I also pulled the trigger this morning on my RCL shares and dumped them after more than doubling my money in the last 6 months or so. Off to find something else to try to make money on...

Trailing stop loss contingent orders to protect the investment are critical at this point - doubling my money is nice but I'd like to hold onto those gains as best as I can - I'm willing to tolerate a little volatility but 10% loss over any new high price is the trigger I set to sell them all.

Yeah, I wish I bought more…but the gains are better than the OBC I’d get over all my booked cruises