jticarruthers

I did see that Carnival announced they were requiring boosters for one cruise, apparently due to the length at 16 nights. I'm hoping that's an aberration not a precursor.

I can go either way, but if they do want to stick with crew served buffet then there needs to be a significant increase in the number of crew assigned to the job.

I havent see any benefit of uploading all the docs ahead of time, every cruise post-COVID I have had to show every single document at least once, even though they were all uploaded through the app. Seems like the potential is there to just wave through but so far no benefit from it for me.

Moving off topic slightly but now I'm learning new things. Someone explain the "prepurchased a package" and now applying the D+ benefit comment .. I was under the impression that I can either prepurchase the internet package and get that discount OR wait until I get onboard and then use my D+ benefit but not get the benefit of the cheaper packages offered precruse. This almost sounds like i can have the best of both worlds for a change ??

Generally the differences are location and whether or not the cabins have extra bed options. Specific differences require doing the research at the links above

I would dump Vax requirement before testing requirement, personally i would dump both but that wasnt the question

Odd, I was there on cruises 2/11 and 2/25 ... water was chilly but didnt hear anyone having biting issues. Definitely not A+ snorkeling but they have a few "sunken" objects that attract fish and can be fun to look at. Generally speaking if you swim out near the "platforms" they are markers for stuff.

Yes as noted above it is not a big deal to get an extra card that will allow her access to the room.

Yep unless they are running a special it will be double the cruise far but only one set of taxes, fees and gratuities.

I dont bother to bring the fins and havent felt the need to have them.

I have snorkeled at Coco a couple of times in the last few months, no restrictions, just walk into the water and start swimming. Not sure about the vests question, i haven't felt the need for one so i didn't go looking. There are lifeguards out on platforms so i felt comfortable that if i did have any "current" issues they would be available for an assist.

You can by single day internet, but only on board. You cant prebook it. I tried to "WFH" on my thanksgiving cruise and was able to sustain a video call (Teams) but just barely. I have made Wi-Fi calls in the past. Never tried testing the regular package to the +stream version for either purpose.

Listen to mom

Boarding itself is pretty quick once you get "to the door". Probably averaging about 15 mins from entering terminal to exiting terminal since the restart. The unknown is how long the line will be to get in the terminal, i think its typically been about 10-15 minutes for me, had one as long as 2 hours but that was early and they were in full blown insane/stupid mode on that one.

We were on Indy 2/25, had the same impression in regards to crew being overwhelmed but they were throwing out 2000 as the number at guest services and the ship was definitely not close to full (second time on Indy and a couple on Mariner since relaunch so i have an idea of what a post-covid "crowded" ship looks like).

Cant speak to the Tourney but we had a hard time finding NFL games on Harmony on Thanksgiving week. Bucs game on either Sunday or Monday night was being played on the one TV at the bar on the Boardwalk ... kind of awkward with a packed crowd and only one bartender Second half of the game moved over to the Aquatheater finally.

The "confirmed" thing is a little hit and miss, last cruise mine showed as not complete (after going through it twice) the muster station guy said "no big deal, i scanned your card so you are good" so apparently they recognize its not always updated properly.

Interesting question, I still havent run into the "adherence to it" aspect. Outside of the first cruise back in July of '21, I have not been asked to show any proof of my boarding window, just walk up to the terminal, get in line and head aboard. Now I have shown up in my window each time so maybe there is an electronic check in the background somewhere in the process but Royal doesnt even ask to see my boarding pass until I am already in the terminal (at Canaveral at least) .. its just the obsessive Vax card and negative test several times to get that far.

proving you are able to click the "right" responses when asked "are you sick?"

Indy was scanning the cards at windjammer on 2/11, no longer scanning them on 2/25 ... so whatever the reason was it seems to have ended. (at least on one ship)

I was under the impression this money was the "C&A free play" benefit? At least every time i asked for the Diamond benefit this was what they directed me too ...

Indy 2/25 - 2000

Agreed, no lines is nice but the experience isnt quite the same and certainly not sustainable for the cruise lines.

None on Indy over the weekend.

I am fine with it not returning but then they need to address the staffing levels at the buffet. Just off Indy this morning and saw it constantly that people got frustrated waiting for a crew member to be available to serve them and just went ahead and grabbed what they were waiting for. Why is the yogurt/cereal section self-serve but you have to wait for a crew member to hand you a spoon for example ... similarly what brainiac put the person in charge of serving hot cereal (breakfast) or soup (lunch/dinner) in charge of also handing out plates and silverware ... every time someone wanted food from said person, people started grabbing plates off the stack themselves.