SaddenedAlmostDiamondPlusM

Spouse and I will be on this cruise as well. We’ve done so much traveling since last spring that neither of us has been very excited about this cruise until recently. I printed our luggage tags, put them in their plastic holders yesterday and started pulling some items from our small travel dresser and feeling some of the expected excitement! I’ve got a family week-long reunion next week so focused on that for now but certain excitement will build as we start packing after that! Maybe set our own ‘meet & greet’ right before/during/after the sail away party? We’d stop by- especially to meet some new trivia team players!

Glad to see these replies! We sailed last month but only booked about 2 weeks before. Vax validation happened within a day; now we sail in July and it’s been “pending validation” for a week already. I was starting to wonder if I needed to resubmit docs. Now I see it is a flaw/slow down in the process and not anything else.

We just booked a cruise for next week. My husband’s vaccination card was accepted. Mine wasn’t and it asked for resubmission. I now submitted a record with a QR code from one of our local hospital health networks. Any idea how long before I may get a response? When it was first rejected I got a notice that I would need to comply with additional safety protocols. (1) I’m hoping they can validate using new items sent;(2) if not, anyone know what they mean by additional protocols; and (3) WHO DO I call to confirm sailing, protocols, etc. if they continue to have problems? (Addendum: proper validation came through! Just keep resubmitting docs and don’t panic!)

We have excellent tap water where I live too; however I drink bottled water for multiple reasons at home and while traveling (medical reasons which I don’t wish to go into.) The thought of drinking ‘purified’ potable water on a ship simply makes my stomach turn- yes, I know they cook and wash with it too. It’s certainly cheap enough to purchase bottled water, which I drink at room temperature so chilling isn’t an issue, and since I don’t typically drink alcohol I’ll count bottled water as my one and only vice. IMHO, spend the $35. and get 48 ‘cans’ or bottles of water and store the case under the vanity if you’re in a standard size cabin.

Are you suggesting picking up someone else’s personal, used water bottle/tumbler/thermos that may have been left near a drink machine?

Is the water at the bars still bottled? I need two bottles on my night table I drink a lot of water and to take meds with. Will the bartenders give me two bottles at a time? I’ve changed my order twice already going back and forth from canned water to beverage package. Thanks.

That’s me too. I’m packing a tumbler as well. The thought of leaving any can open and then drinking from it not knowing if something got in creeps me out.

J&J single dose is considered fully vaccinated by CDC and Royal.

What is “down lining?” Just meeting ship at different port?

I’ve been downloading movies & my go-to-sleep shows for years for all sorts of travel. Royal use to have decent TV programming but that went away years ago so I carry a wide variety on my phone. The last few cruises we also got the Surf & Stream and we were able to watch /stream movies from Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+,etc. Streaming worked beautifully. (I fall asleep to the drone of shows/movies on my phone otherwise wouldn’t likely need it on a ship.)

We sail with daughter’s family in July. Neither grandchild has had to wear masks in Tx. private schools since covid started. I’m sure they’ll comply but grudgingly so. Kids are the least likely to get or spread covid so hopefully Royal will reassess stats (before summer) and let the kids be kids- you know, free to breathe!

Anyone know if they’re going to limit the specialty coffee in the Diamond Lounges to our drink vouchers or can we go anytime for coffee? Just when one system works well for customers the big bosses change things.