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monorailmedic

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  1. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Lovetocruise2002 in LIFEBOAT STATIONS   
    Sorry I'm late @KLAconQueso, I just got the bat-signal. 
    International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter III (Lifesaving Appliances and Arrangements) states that "[fully enclosed lifeboats]...shall have ropes along the side shell that allow to circulate on the outside of the boat and help people to embark and disembark"
    The number of loops, length, etc has nothing to do with the capacity of the lifeboat and in fact, despite many details in SOLAS, I'm not aware of any other requirements around those ropes unless it has come in a more recent revision of SOLAS.  If anyone is looking for more random lifeboat requirements, I just so happen to have something to quench your curiosity.
  2. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Matt in LIFEBOAT STATIONS   
    Sorry I'm late @KLAconQueso, I just got the bat-signal. 
    International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter III (Lifesaving Appliances and Arrangements) states that "[fully enclosed lifeboats]...shall have ropes along the side shell that allow to circulate on the outside of the boat and help people to embark and disembark"
    The number of loops, length, etc has nothing to do with the capacity of the lifeboat and in fact, despite many details in SOLAS, I'm not aware of any other requirements around those ropes unless it has come in a more recent revision of SOLAS.  If anyone is looking for more random lifeboat requirements, I just so happen to have something to quench your curiosity.
  3. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from ChessE4 in Cuba & currency exchange   
    You'll be able to quickly and easily change currency at the CADECA located within the cruise terminal.  We found it very efficient.  Cuban currency is now supposed to leave the island, so as far as I know you can not change any money before arriving.
    It's important to know that with very limited exceptions, US credit cards are not accepted in Cuba (and cash is king there anyway).  There are also two currencies, CUCs and CUPs, and they're valued VERY differently, so it's important to know the difference.  The exchange at the terminal will only give you CUCs, which is what you want.  This article explains how to pay for things in Cuba, how to identify the two currencies, a way you *may* be able to save a bit when changing money, and more.  You may want to check the rest of the Cruising Cuba series as well.  
    http://www.cruisehabit.com/cruising-cuba-credit-cards-and-changing-currency-cuba-how-pay-goods-and-services
  4. Love
    monorailmedic got a reaction from uradoll786 in Cuba & currency exchange   
    You'll be able to quickly and easily change currency at the CADECA located within the cruise terminal.  We found it very efficient.  Cuban currency is now supposed to leave the island, so as far as I know you can not change any money before arriving.
    It's important to know that with very limited exceptions, US credit cards are not accepted in Cuba (and cash is king there anyway).  There are also two currencies, CUCs and CUPs, and they're valued VERY differently, so it's important to know the difference.  The exchange at the terminal will only give you CUCs, which is what you want.  This article explains how to pay for things in Cuba, how to identify the two currencies, a way you *may* be able to save a bit when changing money, and more.  You may want to check the rest of the Cruising Cuba series as well.  
    http://www.cruisehabit.com/cruising-cuba-credit-cards-and-changing-currency-cuba-how-pay-goods-and-services
  5. Like
    monorailmedic reacted to KathyC in Magnets   
    You can find some great magnet hooks here: https://shop.cruisehabit.com/collections/cabin-comforts 
  6. Like
    monorailmedic reacted to Diane.M in Magnets   
    I will be going on my first cruise in March, I want to go a little crazy.  Thanks for the link!  My daughter does calligraphy, and it is our anniversary cruise.  I may have her make up something very unique.
     
  7. Love
    monorailmedic got a reaction from RestingBird in Bayley puts his foot in his mouth   
    While I don't know the intention behind Mr Bayley's comments, two things seem clear.
    1) Anything he says which is, rightly or not, interpreted in away that hurts business is less than ideal for him as well as the company, and not his goal.  In this way, no matter his intended interpretation of the statements, for those unhappy with his remarks, I'd bet he wished he phrased it differently.  The reality is that anyone who is so frequently in the public eye, no matter how eloquent, is likely to say things they come to regret (for any number of reasons) - I can't imagine that pressure.  We are all flawed individuals.
    2) Traditionally, across multiple societies, generations of people speak ill about broad swaths of those who come after them.  Every generation is different, and not everyone in every generation is representative of the finer or lesser qualities of their generation.  Certainly some observations are more true than others, and each generation of people on this earth has excelled at some things more than generations past, and failed to rise to comparable levels of success or grace in other ways.  Regardless of our ages, if we judged each other solely on what our grandparent's generation said of our parent's generation it'd be an unpleasant place.  True too is the idea that if we failed to learn from the triumphs and strengths of generations that came before us, we'd fail to advance as a society.
    With that out of the way, let's cruise 
  8. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from RestingBird in Mariner of the Seas Passengers Receive Warning About Pirates !!   
    This is standard for ships traveling through that area.  Pirate activity has lessened compared to several years ago, but precautions are still taken, as they should be.  Remember, the overwhelming majority of sailings passing through the Gulf of Aden are without incident, not matter how many past articles, YouTube videos, etc one finds.  You can look at this similar to visiting Cozumel - yes, crime happens, yes you can find worrying stories about incidents in various parts of Mexico, but the vast majority of tourists and locals wake up each morning, go about their day, and go to sleep at night.  
    All of that in mind, it's important to follow the advise of the crew and the carefully rehearsed procedures - in the same way muster drill is important, as is safety instruction at the beginning of a flight (as we saw with the recent SWA incident, many passengers clearly paid little attention to those announcements).
  9. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from MikeK in Mariner of the Seas Passengers Receive Warning About Pirates !!   
    This is standard for ships traveling through that area.  Pirate activity has lessened compared to several years ago, but precautions are still taken, as they should be.  Remember, the overwhelming majority of sailings passing through the Gulf of Aden are without incident, not matter how many past articles, YouTube videos, etc one finds.  You can look at this similar to visiting Cozumel - yes, crime happens, yes you can find worrying stories about incidents in various parts of Mexico, but the vast majority of tourists and locals wake up each morning, go about their day, and go to sleep at night.  
    All of that in mind, it's important to follow the advise of the crew and the carefully rehearsed procedures - in the same way muster drill is important, as is safety instruction at the beginning of a flight (as we saw with the recent SWA incident, many passengers clearly paid little attention to those announcements).
  10. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Carlos A. in Mariner of the Seas Passengers Receive Warning About Pirates !!   
    This is standard for ships traveling through that area.  Pirate activity has lessened compared to several years ago, but precautions are still taken, as they should be.  Remember, the overwhelming majority of sailings passing through the Gulf of Aden are without incident, not matter how many past articles, YouTube videos, etc one finds.  You can look at this similar to visiting Cozumel - yes, crime happens, yes you can find worrying stories about incidents in various parts of Mexico, but the vast majority of tourists and locals wake up each morning, go about their day, and go to sleep at night.  
    All of that in mind, it's important to follow the advise of the crew and the carefully rehearsed procedures - in the same way muster drill is important, as is safety instruction at the beginning of a flight (as we saw with the recent SWA incident, many passengers clearly paid little attention to those announcements).
  11. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from mirrorkat in Possible to get bumped down on a guarantee?   
    A guarantee should never go down (barring any oversights or other complications).  Now, if you've booked a guarantee category and get assigned to a higher category, but one you don't want, there's not usually anything you can do about it as they held up their end of the bargain.
    This article may help explain the difference between stateroom types vs categories, and what exactly it means to book a guarantee.  Ultimately, if you're married to a particular location, category, etc - then don't book a guarantee.  If you're like me, and you're generally not too picky with staterooms and are willing to get what they assign you, they can be a great way to save money.
    http://www.cruisehabit.com/difference-between-stateroom-types-categories-guarantees-demystifying-stateroom-selection
  12. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from KLA in Mariner of the Seas Passengers Receive Warning About Pirates !!   
    This is standard for ships traveling through that area.  Pirate activity has lessened compared to several years ago, but precautions are still taken, as they should be.  Remember, the overwhelming majority of sailings passing through the Gulf of Aden are without incident, not matter how many past articles, YouTube videos, etc one finds.  You can look at this similar to visiting Cozumel - yes, crime happens, yes you can find worrying stories about incidents in various parts of Mexico, but the vast majority of tourists and locals wake up each morning, go about their day, and go to sleep at night.  
    All of that in mind, it's important to follow the advise of the crew and the carefully rehearsed procedures - in the same way muster drill is important, as is safety instruction at the beginning of a flight (as we saw with the recent SWA incident, many passengers clearly paid little attention to those announcements).
  13. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from PrincipalTinker in Few last guestins before Cruise   
    Good answers from @arebee  I'll just add two points.
    Regardless of how popular the MDR is the first evening, there is space for everyone.  Check in to confirm your dining time as well as any preferences with regard to table arrangements (alone, with others, etc).  You can absolutely order multiple starters, main courses, desserts, etc - it's all complimentary (unless specifically noted as an upcharge item, such as certain cuts from Chops available in the MDR).
    Enjoy!
  14. Like
    monorailmedic reacted to arebee in Few last guestins before Cruise   
    1) Yes, but no a lot.  So bring some of your own or you'll have to ask the room attendant for more.
    2) Windjammer will be open and Cafe Promenade is usually open. Depending on the ship, others might also (never been on Symphony).
    3) Most likely will be crowded but its not too bad, after you get some lunch go to the dining room and look for your table (# on your sea pass card). This will help when its time for dinner.
  15. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Matt in Texting   
    I keep seeing the iMessage thing come up as a tip, and it's a great one for iOS users - BUT - please keep in mind this is not a document "feature" or perk.  It's a hole that was left open (probably because the level of effort of closing it while allowing something else through was too great at the time) but will almost certainly be closed.  I'd hate for someone to plan on this and not have a backup.
  16. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Matt in Harmony Questions   
    Welcome!
    1 - For Voom daily pricing, I'll rely on someone else to check in here as I think it recently changed, but it's quite a bit more than the daily rate you pay if you commit to the week (perhaps $29?).
    2 - This one is easy: put your phone in Airplane Mode and then turn on WiFi (to use Royal IQ or Voom for that matter).  Being in Airplane Mode prevents your device from connecting to the cellular network on the ship, which is what you really want to avoid.  For anyone using Voom, provided their device and carrier allow it (most do now), WiFi calling will continue to work once on Voom, allow your phone to be used as normal without any additional charges from your carrier.  You can read more about that in the below two posts:
    https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/07/27/how-stay-touch-someone-your-royal-caribbean-cruise
    http://www.cruisehabit.com/wifi
    3 - Can you check in and then leave?  The answer here is "I'm pretty sure" but honestly, it's going to be quite a bit of hassle, just because embarkation day is a madhouse on larger ships (I don't just mean Oasis class, such as Harmony - pretty much any modern ship from Carnival, Royal, or NCL).  The time you'd lose would be tricky, especially since the port entrance itself can back up, so leaving the ship and coming back could result in a lost hour or more *just in logistics* if you include the time it takes to enter and exit the port itself.
    You'd need to meet with anyone you want to hand things off to, as there is no baggage hold or will call.
    4 - Unless I am forgetting something (totally possible), the Solarium doesn't have any reserved seating (and no clam shells or cabanas at all).  The good news is that it's generally quite easy to find space in the solarium on Oasis class ships, it's one of my favorite favorite spaces on that class - I spent a ton of time there on Harmony in September and will do it again on Symphony in a few months.  There are clam shells and cabanas at Labadee - is that the point of confusion?
    5 - Yes, your kids will be able to charge things to the room unless you specifically restrict those cards from making purchases.  We don't have kids so I'm not sure if you can assign limits, but there would be workarounds, like having those cards assigned to a cash account with limited funds, whereas adults can have theirs on a credit card.  Kids will do this with their room keys/SeaPass cards or Wow Bands (if you are in a suite, or choose to purchase them for a couple dollars).
    6 - In the main dining room there will always be at least one vegetarian option - though I can tell you from experience (my wife and I are vegetarian) that there are usually more than just those which are marked - sometime requiring only minor modification.  The same is true in other complimentary venues.  You can also make special requests in advance, and see the next day's menu to make modifications.  If you're lacto/ovo you'll find this of little challenge at all, with far more than pasta and salad options.  That in mind, I highly encourage you to read the below article as it will provide some tips I've found useful to anyone in your party with any dietary restrictions at all:
    http://www.cruisehabit.com/how-request-vegan-vegatarian-gluten-free-or-kosher-meals-your-next-cruise
     
    Hopefully others will fill some gaps that I've left, but I and everyone else welcomes any additional questions you might have.  Depending on timing, I may be out watching your sail-away and broadcasting it live to friends and fam who aren't sailing with you: http://cruisehabit.com/periscope
    Lastly, if you don't already list to the Royal Caribbean Blog podcast, check it out!  Many episodes are helpful, but you'll find some Harmony specific content leading up to and just following the Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise on Harmony of the Seas last September.
    Enjoy!
     
  17. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Boston Babe in WHOOPS!!! Ship Aground!   
    I'm quite confident all cruise lines have roughly the same tolerance for running a ship into a pier, which probably involves logic like, "If you ran into something causing significant damage, and you could have reasonably avoided running into it, you're done here."
    We'll see what the investigation finds.  For me too it is hard to imagine someone didn't screw up big time, as the ship should have been moving so much more slowly while so much farther away that there'd have been ample time to correct even a mechanical issue.
    All of this in mind, I don't have an unlimited tonnage master's licence and haven't spoken to anyone there, so it's all speculative.
  18. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Deedeelynn in WHOOPS!!! Ship Aground!   
    I'm interested in what the root cause ends up being.  They generally inch toward the pier so quickly that I just don't understand the speed with which they approached.  Even if currents were crazy (and yes, that's one of the things harbor pilots should help account for) the rate at which they were approaching is just bizarre to me.  
  19. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from JLMoran in texting while in Airplane mode???   
    WiFi calling, on all carriers I'm aware of, also allows for SMS over WiFi.  I have mentioned before though that while pricey, for very occasional use, texting over Cellular-at-Sea isn't terrible if you're not going to be purchasing a data package - perhaps that was the confusion?  
  20. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from tiny260 in Looks like Silversea took a page out of Royal's playbook   
    Yup.  The Windward and the Dreamward, sister ships, were actually designed in a way that made their lengthening easier.  In 1998 they were both lengthened from 623 feet long to 754 feet long, bringing their GRT from 39k to 51.3k GT.  Others have done it as well, though I'm not sure who the first was.  It's also worth noting that several ships have been built in two pieces so that construction can begin simultaneously at two different shipyards.  One section is then floated to the other and they're attached.
  21. Like
    monorailmedic reacted to NS8VN in breakfast available on disembark day?   
    Welcome to the forum. 
    Just want to clarify that there is an important difference between "debarkation" and "deportation".  If you are being deported after a cruise then you did something very wrong
  22. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from KaydenDeen in Guarantee Cabins   
    I frequently book guarantees - in fact I have one booked right now for the Harmony Group Cruise!
    If you're not picky about the exact stateroom you get, then I see no reason not to.  If you think "as long as I don't get a cabin that..." - don't finish that sentence, a guarantee isn't for you.  Further, while sometimes guests get a pleasant surprise, don't book a guarantee counting on that.  More often than not you're assigned a stateroom of the same type (inside/OV/verandah) which you booked.
  23. Like
    monorailmedic reacted to whenismynextcruise in Cuba cruise   
    Thanks so much @monorailmedic
    The blog you posted is great! Looks like I will be booking for Cuba.
  24. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from bobroo in Lifeboat Capacity-how full is the ship?   
    The capacities of ships are posted online, but it's not always clear if they're talking about double-occupancy max, or total/all berths max.  Lines of course want to load up as many people as they can.  Lifeboat capacities are required to exceed the total capacity of the ship (for various reasons), and remember you don't see many of the life boats as a number of them are rigid-inflatables which can be manually deployed, but are required to automatically deploy if in salt-water, and can even deploy if the ship is heavily listing.  
    As far as the size of a person, I know each seat on a lifeboat must be able to accommodate at least a 220lb person so I'd assume that's the calculation they use but I'm not sure.  If so, that would give some "breathing room" since that's above average.  Ultimately however, you can fit waaaay more people in a crowded space when the other option is swimming home.
    This explains lifeboat requirements and the history.  The article on muster drills (linked in that article) may also be of interest.
    http://www.cruisehabit.com/safety-sea-lifeboat-history-requirements
  25. Like
    monorailmedic got a reaction from Matt in Help With Picture   
    You can resize photos with sites like this: http://www.simpleimageresizer.com/
    Just upload your photo, set the new dimensions, and download the resized photo, which you'll then use for the site.  If you have any trouble let us know the exact errors or other messages you're getting.
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