Floski

43rd!?   That's fantastic!   Happy anniversary to both of you!

Last year, we cruised Freedom to the eastern Caribbean, and it was our first cruise.  
 
I had all of the questions you have, and was worried sick that I didn't have all my t's crossed.  Everything turned out just fine.  I was over-thinking everything.
Of course, my wife went crazy with buying all kinds of souvenirs and I got some liquor, so our end-of-cruise bill was kinda high.  But I was pretty much expecting it.
 
You are going to have so much fun!  We enjoyed it so much that we are doing the same exact cruise in 23 days!  

Maybe they found termites....
 
 
 
badump bump   :P 

We had a very large group eat together at Giovanni's on the Allure group cruise in Feb.  Honestly, I have never seen that much food on a table with the possible exception of the meal I had at a Lebanese restaurant in Bahrain a couple of years ago. 
 
The waiters at Giovanni's brought out EVERY appetizer on the menu and just about every main course as well.  After everyone had gorged themselves into a coma there were still steaks and lamb chops virtually untouched....and lots of other things, too.
 
I love having lots of choices but I hate wasting food and there was a lot of wasted food on that table.  I felt bad leaving that much food to go to waste.  I hoped, secretly, that maybe someone would eat some of those lamb chops but I'm sure they didn't.

Question about the pre-boarding done at the terminal.
 
Last year, we were noobs and had to go through the loooong line for processing.
 
Now that i am a C&A member, will I be able to go through the not-nearly-as-long line?  Or do you have to be a super-duper platinum/diamond member?
 
I want to get onboard as quickly as I can!!!

Cannot yet as the Cruise Line needs to apply to the Government of Cuba for the rights to dock within the country. The US Government has cleared the way already that is only one step.
 
 
 
Do not believe this for one minute.... if Royal says only due to refurbishments they are out and out lying. If the ship was over 30 days delayed they would have known long before now. And if it was just a short time frame they would have cancelled one or two cruises not a months worth of cruises. When they refurbished a ship they have daily meeting and follow the work being done, what is completed and how long to finish.  Royal does not wake up within a week of the date a ship is to be leased and say it will be a month late. Best case they have been behind and thought they could caught up... but they should have not sold cruises in this case. Or they are covering the real reason here. Royal is free to run the business as they see fit. But they owe it to loyal clients like WAAAYTOOO to tell them the truth.
 
The same as when they cancel the second  Anthem of the Seas cruise in February claiming it was for the safety of the passengers because of a storm. The only problem with this is if you checked the weather for the area, and the Coast Guard information no storm was in the area? So why cancel the cruise and return early? Royals statement "Caribbean announced via Twitter that that it's "closely watching a large storm off the coast of Cape Hatteras. We want to be extra cautious when it comes to weather in the area." The cruise line decided that it is canceling the last two days of the current Anthem of the Seas cruise which will skip Barbados and St Kitts in order to "avoid a severe storm & provide guests with a comfortable journey back home."
 
Could it be because a at that time over 65  Passengers reported symptoms of the  norovirus.? And Royal made a mad dash back to port so that they could get the passengers of the ship and not get to the 3% level that the CDC then list the ship as having a outbreak. And when  the cruise ship return to the port 2 days early, if really weather you let the passengers finish their time on the ship. But did royal do this?  No they got the passengers off the ship claiming they need to do a super cleaning of the ship. Again since norovirus takes time to developed, get the passengers off the ship and they don't count.  Eradicating norovirus  and the risk from it seems to make much more sense than the mystery storm. 
 
As a shareholder I want Royal to do everything they can to maximized profits and stay just within the law. I want the maximum return on my investment. As a passengers I want the truth from them and my interest put first. I want to allow them to make just enough profit  to stay in business, and allow me to pay the lowest prices. Two goals that are 180 degrees apart, it just depends upon what hat I am wearing that day.

I bet you the senior members/crew of the cruise are making more than US150,000 per year!!! Plus they have no real expenses when working... RCCL should pay a fair wage to all front of the line staff. However, RCCL really is paying a fair wage when they are hiring people from these less economic developed countries.
 
At the end of the day, pay your front line staff a fair salary and let the Guests tip what they feel is right for their service received and for what their budgets allow. Heck, I am lucky, as I can cruise several times a year as where for others a cruise is a once, possibly twice, maybe three times in a lifetime opportunity. 
 
At the end of the day, your worked hard for your money and do what you think is right and within your budget and enjoy your cruise!
 
For me, it's just nine days until our Voyager of the Seas trip to the South Pacifc and I can't wait to get out of cold, gray and rainy Hong Kong and experience blue skies and water as well as the great and wonderful Royal Caribbean service hospitality that we have come to know.  

This is interesting.  Just what types of "goodies" do you put in this bag?

Fantastic idea.
 
Thank you so much for that information!!  We'll definitely do that.

Fantastic idea.
 
Thank you so much for that information!!  We'll definitely do that.

I'm not sure what Jamie puts in the bag.... But here in Asia many things the average America takes for grant it are welcome and special. Anything with the American Flag, US Sports Teams, American Chocolates, etc. They love American products, even if the items are not made in America but come from the United States. Coffee, Biscuits Cookies, Peanuts, or any Snack Food. Hershey's Chocolate Bars are really liked here. And if you produce a larger size bar 6 or 8 oz. the reaction is always all smiles.    It is also the idea of this person took the time to bring me a gift. Not reached into their pocket and took out cash. They still love cash, everyone does.

"dress t-shirt"
 
Is that anything like "jumbo shrimp"?
 
 
 
:P

I fully intend on tipping.  I'll probably take what I would have paid and divvy it up based on my own preferences.
 
Thanks for the reply!

Yes, you are allowed to have the automatic gratuities removed in lieu of providing gratuities on your own.
 
You can edit your signature here: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=core&area=signature

You can do it, it is a sore subject because it is felt that many people who remove the automatic tips are doing so for the purpose of not tipping at all rather than tipping in cash and controlling the tipping directly.
 
It is allowed though (at least as of last time i heard someone trying it)

Hand sanitation and cleanliness in general is a product of our global society and will continue to be a huge issue.
 
As to the strict requirement to use the hand sanitizer, I don't like being forced to do it, but it ain't gonna kill me to take an 
extra measure to not only help insure my safety, but that of the thousands of others on board.  I'm pretty sure that many, 
if not most, of the passengers don't share my degree of personal hygiene.  As I've aged, I've become much more aware
of the daily risks of bacteria and other nasties in our world.
 
I'd much prefer the lines be pro-active in their battle against sickness and actually appreciate RCCL's diligence.

Hand sanitation and cleanliness in general is a product of our global society and will continue to be a huge issue.
 
As to the strict requirement to use the hand sanitizer, I don't like being forced to do it, but it ain't gonna kill me to take an 
extra measure to not only help insure my safety, but that of the thousands of others on board.  I'm pretty sure that many, 
if not most, of the passengers don't share my degree of personal hygiene.  As I've aged, I've become much more aware
of the daily risks of bacteria and other nasties in our world.
 
I'd much prefer the lines be pro-active in their battle against sickness and actually appreciate RCCL's diligence.

Yes, the drinks are charged at regular bar pricing just like in the main dining room.  Of course, if you have purchased one of the beverage packages, that will work here.

The ports are not a problem, some of the best ports in the World can be found in Asia: Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai all Base Ports for RCI and all have new state of the Art Cruise Terminals. It was just announced that RCI is building a new port in Australia, and they have a great port that is only a few years old in Vietnam. The Shanghai Cruise market also does many port calls in Japan and South Korea both countries with great first world ports.
 
Also they have had a Quantum class ship based in Asia for the last couple years and the new Ovation Of The Seas will be home ported in Shanghai. While the Oasis Class ships are much larger in Gross Tons, the size is very close to the Quantum Class, they draw 2 meters more 8.8 meters vs 9.3 meters, the length is only about 14 meters long and the width (Beam) only about 9 meters wider. So most ports that can accommodate the Quantum Class can handle the Oasis Class.
 
Also another very important factor here is the China Market, you really need to understand this market. It is unlike other markets they are in. Here in Asia, face is very important, and saving face, I'm not talking about how people look but the concept of things. The Chinese cruisers will pay much more to be able to say they are on the largest cruise ship in the world (By Class). And the market here is very strong. A Oasis Class ship makes prefect sense here. The season is longer and they have the season in Australia. But they can draw the Australian market year round. It is a fairly short flight from Australia / New Zealand to South East Asia.  

I got it - how about sending her to Charleston and we just kick Carnival out of the port!?
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sorry...just thinking out loud.  I'll shut back up now.  :-( 

What do I get if I'm a C & A Aluminum level??
 
 
 
:P

Haahahahahah.... I guess it depends on what you may be going to the naughty room for.  I have only experienced it once, and that was back in 2008 for my honeymoon cruise.  Which was also my first cruise.  I apparently did not read the list of restricted items close enough.  I will repeat that this was my honeymoon.... :blink: Luggage was not to our room by the late seating for dinner.  Afterwards called GS and was informed I had to go to the 'Naughty Room" to retrieve my luggage.  Went to GS where of course I was escorted to the "sassy rejected luggage place" by a beautiful girl who was about my age at that time, 23... Who then instructed me to remove said restricted item from my suitcase while she watched..  SOOOOO embarrassing let me tell you haha.  BUT.... If I was to be going there to claim my case of bottled water, probably would not be any sort of big deal at all.  Easy peasey.   :D

That is why I am getting the Beverage Package, I plan on trying many of the drinks RCL offers on my cruise - if I don't like them -- I can throw them out and move onto the next one!!  Can't wait to get to try so many drinks without feeling pressure to finish the not so good ones because I paid $12 for them!!

Just go to their website: http://www.soualigadestinations.com/soualiga_destinations/Welcome.html

Thanks, Matt!   
 
Oh well, if I buy the package like I'm considering, I'll probably drink more liquor drinks anyway!
 
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