whitsmom

Here's how I presented my documents at PortMiami at check-in for Freedom.  I placed all the required documents in a rigid document pocket.  It literally took me seconds to go through every screening station.  There were 3-4 of them
 

My wife and I have a cruise booked with our 3-year-old for May. I'm hoping he's eligible and fully vaxxed by then.
My wife has a PhD in biochemistry and has spent her career studying infectious diseases. I've spent the pandemic working in a hospital. We have our reasons. Many reasons. Science being the #1 reason. Same reasons he's been given all his other vaccinations.

If you get tested at say Walgreens or CVS - they are not a lab and those work.  I would hope that a Doctor trumps a "trained" video person all day long. 

What I was saying is that "if" a doctor's office did a test that it should work as long as it wasn't hand written.  Thankfully, we don't have to test for our two cruises until the Summer 2022.  I am hoping that by then we won't have to but I am not holding my breath...

I would think with the results printed (on the nursing homes letterhead) that it should work.  Having an actual RN do the test should be more that acceptable as long as it was typed out, emailed and/or printed.  I would be interested to hear how this pans out if that is what they do.  Good Luck!

I would think with the results printed (on the nursing homes letterhead) that it should work.  Having an actual RN do the test should be more that acceptable as long as it was typed out, emailed and/or printed.  I would be interested to hear how this pans out if that is what they do.  Good Luck!

We are doing our British Isles Cruise in August 2022 and we decided to book Movenpick Hotel due to the location to the port.  I am so happy to hear your experience as it makes me feel like a made a good choice.  I felt like the price wasn't bad at all for the location $301.42 (fees & taxes included) for a Classic King View with breakfast included.

I was mock YOLO booking a cruise that leaves on Halloween, and I was surprised to see that merely paying the deposit today was an option. I scrolled to the bottom after selecting the option just out of curiosity, and I was even more surprised to see this...
 

 
The final payment would be due on departure day. And if I'm remembering my cruise contracts correctly, aren't final payments due by 5 p.m. on the stated due date? The ship is scheduled to depart at 6 p.m. I'm guessing that the system is extending a "courtesy hold" of sorts because of a deposit being placed.
 
No real question or anything here -- I just saw it and thought I'd share this interesting discovery! Talk about a trick, a treat, or both! 😄

Have any of you done this on your Royal Caribbean cruise?
 
I was very lucky to test out the sky-dive simulator onboard Odyssey Of The Seas!
 
Times like this why I love my job!
 
 

Just to cover all the bases…when you press ‘down’, look outside and see if the anchor is coming down.🧐

Hello All, 
I recently had the experience of being very nervous when as I am booked on a cruise with RCL in November.  I am in the process of renewing my passport and with all the delays with processing am very afraid that I would not get it back in time. Unfortunately for me I do not have a birth certificate from the the US and I would not be able to travel with the Drivers license and birth certificate. Luckily I have a trusted traveler ID issued through global entry. At first I was unsure if I could use this for cruising. After speaking with RCL and looking at their website I was told that I could. RCL website unfortunately listed FAST SENTRI and NExus trusted traveler IDs only. Then I called the US State Department and confirmed with them that cruising would be fine with my Global Entry Trusted Traveler ID.  (T
I recently checked in for my cruise with my ID. I then became nervous again as I checked in as in the documents it listed ownly FAST Sentri and Nexus. I was horrified and thought I would not be able to check in till my passport came. After talking with Both RCL and the US State Department again, I was told that the issuing of the ID was actually from SENTRI as behind my global entry trusted traveler ID card I did see the Sentri logo. I was told that I needed to select Sentri as the issuing department for the trusted traveler id. SO I wanted to share what I learned from my ordeal with those on this message board. 
 
1) Make sure you have documentation well in advance of your cruise so you do not need to be worried about getting your passport in time. Passport renewals and application times vary depending on where you send your documentation. There is a number to call if you sent in your application and will be traveling within two weeks to help expedite the process. Please also know that passport cards are also acceptable for travel. 
2) US Citizens can travel in through the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (see the Customs and Boarder Patrol for listed countries) with a drivers licence and birth certificate (must be from the US). 
3) Other acceptable forms of documentation are: An Enhanced Driver's licenses ( This is not the Real ID. But rather an even more enhanced version of Real ID and is not offered in all states in the US).  A Trusted Traveler ID issued by FAST, Nexus, or Sentri.  The global entry trusted traveler ID card is issued by Sentri.  If you have a trusted travel ID card check the back to see what logo is printed as that is the issuing department. 
 
I hope all this information will help others and prevent the many gray hairs that have formed on my head as I head for my first cruise after the restart!

I'm not usually a huge fan of the late-December holidays, but I'm very much looking forward to being on Anthem for Christmas and New Year's Eve. All these pictures have me feeling like a kid at...well...Christmas!

This article should be helpful: This should be your approach to getting a Covid test before your cruise

We were on Sovereign of the Seas years ago and were lounging at the pool. There were a very large couple lounging with heaping plates of chicken balanced on their stomachs. After eating their entire plates of fried chicken they both set down the bone plates, walked over and got into the pool. Crumbs and a grease slick emerged as other swimmers quickly jumped out of the pool. They had to drain and clean the pool and needless to say the crowd was not happy with the chicken eaters using the pool as their bathtub!  

As long as you are the main person on the reservation, you can.  Try to have their passport info available, but you can skip some of the questions and come back to them later - or modify them later.  You just need to get through to the part where the check in time comes up.

Young children?  I got scared and I'm a full grown adult!

I would like that when you do your check in that it should be one check in for all people in the same room.  We are going in July on the Harmony with our 2 granddaughters (14 & 16).  Just like checking in when flying - you check in everyone at the same time....

As it was a UK cruise in October there were plenty of available loungers on the pool deck 😉, the inside pool and solarium were busier but we always found a couple of loungers. Nowhere on the ship felt crowded, not even We Will Rock You, though they did perform it twice.

I would like that when you do your check in that it should be one check in for all people in the same room.  We are going in July on the Harmony with our 2 granddaughters (14 & 16).  Just like checking in when flying - you check in everyone at the same time....

In my experience, I doubt it would help. 
I'm just happy to have questions about things like The Key instead  of "will my cruise actually sail?" lol

I asked an eMed representative about that. The name on the order is only to have a name to ship to. The test can be used for anybody.

We are flying into Amsterdam in August for our British Isles cruise (Jewel).  We decided to fly on Wednesday evening (we can test here Wednesday morning) and that will work for both arriving in Amsterdam and for the cruise.  We will try to book an appointment for that date as soon as it will be available or may even get the proctored test.  I am hoping that the protocols will be lifted by then but I booked our flights yesterday using the current protocols.

Over in the United Kingdom I believe it's Mars rather than Milky Way.

Adding to your departure date wish, I would like to be able to ask it to show me cruises departing within a specific date range, e.g. 16 October to 16 November, instead of both the entire months of October and November. You used to be able to do that in the past, but they took it away during one of their "enhancements". 😞