DunkelBierJay

12 minutes ago, JB1082 said:

Why do the cruise lines "report" to the CDC? What jurisdiction does CDC have over Cruise Lines (sorry if dumb question)

Ships are subject to the laws of the countries where they port.

This ups the pessimism more than just a bit.

The hopeful comment is just that. I do not predict any productive dialog with the CDC. The information the CDC needs is that cruise lines are already taking extraordinary measures to be safe and that there is a willing public who want to spend money on these products. It will fall on deaf ears though, and there is nothing voters can do to stop the government from just doing whatever it wants.

6 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

Do you have the Deluxe drink package? If so I just walk away from those receipts, no need to sign them. 

No, I was a la carte...it was the President's cruise, and I remember being horrified at the cost...I can't remember exactly, but it was something like $74.99 per person per day.

29 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

I was on Symphony in Feb of this year and used my Wow band (and occasionally my Sea Pass card) and never once was given a receipt to sign.  Actually, I didn't on Symphony, Navigator (Dec '19) or Ovation (June '19).

Did you have the drink package? I didn't, and I wonder what the process would have been if I did.

While I loved using my WOW band on Symphony last Fall, I was still signing all those 10" long thermal receipts every time I got a drink. Anything that gets us past this would be welcome.

I just ran across this article that Norwegian extended its cancellations to October:

https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/norwegian-cruise-line-extends-travel-suspension-rattling-industry

Anyone anticipating an announcement from Royal tomorrow?

The people are learning that safety can't be micromanaged by central bureaucracies. The CDC will never learn because they think they are too important. They need to continue moving goal posts in order to justify what they do. Any complaints to the US government will fall on deaf ears. Any appeals to using common sense and individuals taking responsibility for their own decisions will fall on deaf ears. Letters to elected legislators has fallen on deaf ears in my case. It is completely futile to expect control freaks to give up and let people live their lives. It could be a lot worse, but it is getting worse every day.

People who cruise are so spread out, I doubt we would have any effect on decision making in the endless federal bureaucracy. They will affect disproportionate responses all they want, and letters to congress people are ineffective while people are rioting around the country. I'm beginning tho think they just want to kill the industry. Safety can't be micromanaged even in as litigious a society as the US.

It may not be what you are thinking it is. It is more of a historical site with a small restaurant, bar and pool...

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147405-d148109-Reviews-Blackbeard_s_Castle-Charlotte_Amalie_St_Thomas_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html

They will order about three dozen masks per cruise and sell them in the Royal Shops.

13 hours ago, dodgestang said:

Markets will probably tank on Monday thanks to what happen in Atlanta on Friday night.

probably right...I just hope the body cam video gets out there...

With all the speculation going on and the roller coaster RCL and other cruise stocks have been on, I sold what I purchased originally and made enough for a few cruises. I am considering looking for another dip like yesterday, but the price is rebounding again...so I expect to get back in at some point.

I don't recommend doing this, btw unless you are willing to take the risk...and you have a stomach of iron, or check the price only occasionally.

If this is legit, and its what I think it is, someone aboard an RC ship may be giving confidential information out...not sure why prop type is listed or why ships from other lines are shown...

Southwest has over 140 of its planes parked right now, so supply is going to be limited. With a November sailing, things might be priced better by August. I would wait if it were me.

12 hours ago, Andrew72681 said:

The sloths and monkeys are fun if it’s your first time there. Be prepared for very old cabs and some rides through some rough areas. 

I pre-arranged our tour through Facebook and we were picked up in a very nice SUV, and the guide could not have been nicer. I wish I wrote down his name. Sorry that I do not remember it.

You can combine snorkeling with Daniel Johnson's Monkey and Sloth hangout and turn it into an island tour as well. We had a dedicated driver for our family who also brought us by a couple of great street food locations and to a chocolate factory tour.

8 hours ago, bobroo said:

 

Anthem of the Seas  7 night cruise  departs from Tampa June 15, 2023  

 

I could really go for this if they can jack up the Sunshine Skyway!

2 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Hmmmmm.  Not looking good for our GC.  I wonder if they will change the itin or just scrap it altogether.  I'm guessing they will just cancel the cruise.

I'd be for Bermuda and Bahamas just to get on a ship...plus my wife hasn't seen Boston before.

I save two hours a day on commuting

1 hour ago, Phillip Diamond Plus said:

Would you cruise again if: 

ANSWER:   YES     NO        MAYBE

A. .FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED IN ALL PUBLIC AREAS.

B.  FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED ONLY AT SHOWS AND LARGE GATHERINGS INCLUDING EMBARKATION.

C, FACE MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED BUT 6' SPACING IS ENCOURAGED.  

My answer is:    A. No     B. Yes     C. Yes

 

A. No

B. Maybe

C. Yes

wow...the Brilliance Group Cruise in October is $12.99, but I can't get the transaction to go through

I think the changes for sanitation and to avoid cross contamination will follow the service styles in Cafe Promenade, Sorentos and Park Cafe, and possibly to manage the capacity of the Windjammer at peak times. They may also keep the entire seating area available during slow times when only a portion of the serving area is open.

Other than potential crowding issues with more stanchions and crew in front of the serving stations to keep people from self serving, I don't think the changes in the Windjammer are insurmountable in the short term. Large modifications are not possible with all the ships at anchor or repatriating crew right now.

In ships without a Royal Promenade, I would like to see more food court options other than Cafe Latitudes dotted around the Centrums. Lots of back of the house changes would need to be made for that I would think.

I think it is certain there will be design changes in new builds and dry docks to make it easier to manage the new service style they will implement.

On 2/26/2019 at 8:53 PM, Firemanswife2 said:

We are on Oasis OTS March 3. Right now, The Thermal Suite Couples Week Pass is $150 online. Is this the same price on board or is this a discount?

Thanks so much

Staci

We got a deal on Symphony, I think it was $125 on embarkation day...we were the only people on a tour....they were slow, and we decided to do it and loved it. Some days, we would use the thermal suite twice.

On 5/18/2020 at 8:20 AM, bobroo said:

You have to want to get them home,

The situation is untenable on all sides, and IMO, the cruise lines are doing what they can do with ever changing rules and multiple sources for them. Assuming they don't want to get crew home when all of the traditional tools have been taken away isn't fair in my view.

There is one very informative YouTube channel that popped up recently on my feed that gives a really good picture of what is going on. It  is run by an officer on the Coral Princess. This was the first video that caught my eye among the several that are really enjoyable and informative. If you recall, his ship was denied entry at their debarkation port of Buenos Aires and had to make its way to Miami for refueling and re-provisioning. There is one other video on his channel where they are transferring crew between the Regal Princess as part of repatriation. 

I think the solution the cruise lines are following is the only effective way to get crew home given that governments are almost zero help with some exceptions that are few and far between.

I, like many others found the initial models taking into account mitigation (lockdowns) were many times higher in actual deaths than the reality. We can all be thankful for that, but when people started calling accuracy and disproportional response into question, they get vilified. They ask, why are the healthy quarantined especially considering 99+% survivability with the vast majority never noticing a symptom. At some point, I believe people are going to stop acting out of fear and more out of acceptance, and more out of good hygiene and consideration for those at risk at the same time the economy isn't destroyed leading to more problems. It's a giant game of whack-a-mole.

Will there ever be sailings again? Maybe? I hope so...otherwise my current bookings are nothing more than a bank account right now. If the risk to live life isn't taken again due to fear, then, I guess we have to live what we accept. I'm not willing to accept this much longer, although I am thankful that the area where I live has been opening up a lot the last 2-3 weeks and things are starting to flow again.