endofturn

I'm looking at just getting off the ship and going to Margaritaville vs paying for the whole family to go on a beach break.

Is it possible that the place could be packed and I'd regret my decision?

From the pictures it looks like a chill spot to have a drink and some appetizers without spending $200.

I drive from San Antonio to Galveston. That's it. Unless it is a once in a lifetime thing, I'm not flying for a cruise.

8 minutes ago, ellcee said:

....and you don't have to get it. If it makes people happy and they can afford it, that's awesome. You can say that about cruising as well for people who book Star Class instead of regular rooms and going on more cruises or just about anything. 

Oh, I do say that too!

Just read this article: https://www.insider.com/star-wars-galactic-starcruiser-for-adults-revivew-photos-cost-disney-2022-5

Now, I know people like what people like. Some people like star wars, Harry Potter, marvel, etc a LOT. 

But I could take my family of 4 on 14 days of cruising for that price. I literally don't get it. 

A balcony is the best way to cruise.

While a balcony is nice, for the cost an interior or promenade room gets you the same cruise with access to all the same things. The saved money can be spent on anything.

Of course most of the people on cruise sites seem like money is no issue and they just do star suites every 3 months so that's what they'll keep saying. 

Mr. Bean, probably.

1 hour ago, WAYNO said:

And my Wife is on Harmony in 10 days!

Well, fingers crossed she gets to vacation without you... I guess?

Gotta try to completely disable Harmony before they send it over to us plebs in Texas.

Just wait until they open up the door and climb into your bed in the middle of the night.

It's some VR multi media experience.

I'm more dressed up the second night. First one I wear a dress shirt and tie, second I add a vest to the ensemble to cover up any food stains from the first night.

1 hour ago, Atlantix2000 said:

 

My question is how many people does this really effect?  If parents have consistently taken their children on cruises throughout their life, the children likely have earned plenty of status based on their own nights of sailing.  It's the children that are usually left home while their parents cruise often that would end up losing status.

We are a long way from 18, but we did 6 cruises before they were born. They're going on their first cruise this year. If we are truly blessed we will have the opportunity to go on 6 more before they turn 18, which would put them at diamond. For it to not matter you'd have to start cruising after your kids after born. Maybe most people start cruising later in life but it didn't happen with us that way.

Thanks for the reassurance. Last time I sailed I didn't have a CPAP so this is its first vacation. Lol

I filled out the accessibility questionnaire/form and indicated I was requesting an extension cord and distilled water for my next sailing.

Has anyone done this before?  What was your experience? Did they try and charge for the water or was the stuff not waiting for you when you got to your room?

2 hours ago, Atlantix2000 said:

That part of the computer code is pretty simple.  You store a few variables for each member: a counter for the member's actual point count, a counter for the member's inherited point count, a flag for whether the member is over/under 18, and a flag for whether the member is in a declared relationship (parent/child or spousal).  For parent/child relationships, the inherited point count stops incrementing when the child turns 18.  For spousal relationships, it continues to track the spouse with the higher point total.  Either way, your status is determined by the higher point counter (your own points or your inherited points).

So yes, when a child with 42 points turns 18 and their parent(s) are already diamond, they become an adult with 42 points and diamond status.  If their personal point count eventually reaches 80 they would be diamond on their own record and C&A could delete inherited information.

That's not what everyone is saying, though in this thread. They are saying their status reverts to whatever their actual sailed nights are. People are saying both things are true.

So if we get to diamond before the kids turn 18, at 18 will the kids be diamond with 42 points, or platinum?

This is a computer system doing this, how can it be both?

Go to your cabin steward and say I want to talk to your manager. Then when that person comes, repeat. Eventually you'll get ahold of them or get thrown in the brig.

I normally tip the porters $2/bag which is usually 2 smallish bags, we don't pack crazy. That's cash I have to bring. If there is a shuttle driver I'll tip them $2 as well if it is a group of people they are transporting.

Bartenders 75% of the time I'll let the auto grat stand. It is 18%, so that's over $2 already automatically. If I'm really hammering them or if they are extra nice to me or funny I'll tip more on the slips.

Tour shuttle drivers I'll tip $5, tour guide $5. 

Then I'll have like $50 in cash that I'll split somehow between my waiters in MDR and cabin steward, depending on who I think did more on like a sliding scale. 

I'm no star class passenger so I don't have a ton extra to throw around but I do budget like $75-$100 in cash just for tips.

17 minutes ago, Toby said:

I hope I wasn't misunderstood.  I wasn't suggesting a loyalty ambassador could be coerced to pad your points. 

If you were joking, WHOOSH right over my head!!!

 

Totally joking unless any loyalty ambassadors are reading this, in which case I'm totally joking and I also have Venmo.

1 hour ago, Toby said:

A visit to the Loyalty Ambassador aboard the ship can speed up points awarded to your account.  Besides you make a new friend too!

How big of a tip do you think it would take to get someone to double your CnA points while on a cruise?

12 minutes ago, Chili said:

Old enough to vote you mean.

Harmony is coming so I want to give them credit for that.

How cool would it to get a ship that isn't old enough to go to Kindergarten in Galveston

32 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Book some Junior Suites and you will only need 3 !

Priced it out. Same sailing, JS was more than 2x the cost of interior. Rather to b2b if I was that flush with cash.

After this next cruise (first as Platinum) it'll be 6 more 7 dayers until Diamond. Then only Diamond on the 7th. So far away... 

The one time we didn't care for the table we had was on Princess. We had 10 people to the table and the service took absolute ages. Nothing against the other 8 people but I can't spend closer to 3 hours for dinner. After dinner we spoke to the head waiter and requested reassignment. They put us on a 2 top that was like elbow to elbow with other 2 tops. We could be social while also eating as fast as we wanted. That was nice as well.