Cruising With JT

11 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

I just expect the US press to run around in circles with this news. That is why I say it might not be good.  

The US media is drooling for negative news, as per usual. The amount of stories that are negative vs positive is 99% to 1%. 

8 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

Still promoting November sailings as of today

I hope it stays!  

1 hour ago, MicDay said:

@Johnt83 yes one of our 2022 cruises is Alaska 

its an 8 nighter for May 5th, 2022, look it up it starts in Vancouver and ends in Seattle on the Ovation 

 

Ah I see... well as long as you don't mind the flight and going to Alaska twice in 9 months!  We've been twice already but easy for us since it's a quick drive to port.

2 hours ago, MicDay said:

Would it be crazy to book an Alaska cruise for August/Sept either dates work for us for 2021 when we already have a 8 nighter booked for May 2022?

Poor Kelley my TA from MEI might be getting another email if I can convince Hubby.

Flights from NC to Seattle are not bad at all and currently the cruise is not a bad price and I've wanted to go to Alaska for a very long time.

Thoughts?

 

YOLO! Is your May 2022 cruise to Alaska as well? I haven't seen 8-night itineraries before but may have overlooked some options.

7 hours ago, CruiseGus said:

As other have alluded, contact is no longer a major form of Covid transmission.  Handshakes are back, I understand the germ thing, I still and actually always have donned a disposable glove at the gas station when filling my car.  Friends in the entertainment industry, do meet  and greets and we have talked in length on this subject.  They tell me they make sure to never touch their face and wash hands afterwards.

 

I still wear gloves when filling up gas! Luckily I have only driven about 1500 miles in the past year so filling up gas hasn't been too common!

With the recent news of Royal Caribbean going to Alaska, I am wondering if anyone has already decided to book on one of these cruises? I am tempted to do a Solo room on one of the sailings since for me it's right in my backyard, 40 minute drive to Cruise Terminal here in Seattle...not too bad... and no flying...

We went on Ovation in 2019 and had a wonderful time...it was with 10 others including my family...this time it would just be me for 7 nights...decision decisions... It's around $2500 for the week in a studio oceanview balcony cabin...

I also have Odyssey solo booked in mid-November and then Navigator solo out of LA in early December... yay  

58 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

For the record, we have returned to handshakes in my office. 

Nice...I wasn't a big fan of handshakes even pre-pandemic. I would literally go to wash my hands after I met anyone new or anything like that... germophobe here so you can imagine what the pandemic has done to me  

4 hours ago, Josh C said:

Agreed. Let’s just hope that all the handshakes and discussions happening behind the scenes bear fruit and become actual policy.

Hope they are fist bumps or elbow bumps and not handshakes  

This is great, although it makes me wonder. Does this mean that Royal Caribbean is actually going to offer cruises to unvaccinated people? That was what I got from earlier, that if you have 98% crew and 95% guests vaccinated, test cruises would NOT be required. The fact that they are doing this simply means they are going to have ships that will have unvaccinated people. Correct?

8 hours ago, danv3 said:

This. CDC will make confirming vaccination status a requirement and then it’s a federal rule that trumps state law. 

Good.

Yay! I am hopeful for my Symphony cruise in February

Exciting!!! Last weekend my wife and I were near Puget Sound in Seattle and I told her "the only thing that would make this day better is seeing cruise ships sailing away"... and now it might come true!

PS -- we use to watch sailaways all the time from Seattle... if this happens in late summer, omg yes! Let's go!

11 minutes ago, twangster said:

I wonder what they'll do with the extra time they gain for skipping Victoria from Seattle?

More sea days! I love sea days on these large ships.

Wow crazy news... more cancellations... I think this is just bad planning and forecasting from Royal. If you're going to have a season from Bermuda, stick to it for a few months and then move... don't disrupt all these cruise plans people had made... they won't be happy. Israel I understand because of the unrest...but from Bermuda? Come on guys! 

9 minutes ago, Jill said:

And they’re not requiring vaccines 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25027-carnival-may-not-require-covid-19-vaccine.html

Most people unvaccinated on a cruise ship? Count me out of those cruises.

<Insert Facepalm>

Missed all the action today as was venturing out with the fam...but good to see that Royal confirmed the news about Odyssey leaving Israel. Definitely unfortunate what's going on over there and I hope things get better...

The question now becomes when will Odyssey's real inaugural sailing from the US take place with paying passengers? I am booked with many others on this board for the 11/15 5-night sailing which was reduced from the previous 9-nighter. Let's see what happens next... while I'd love to be on the inaugural, I am not planning on cancelling the 11/15 sailing, would still love to go on this ship exactly 6 months from today!

1 hour ago, Justwanttocruise said:

Can we then go back to the 9 night we already had for the Nov 11th aka 15th cruise?

Nooo! Please keep it to the 5-nights  That's what I booked on... who knows what they are going to do from here... heck the Odyssey may actually start sailing from Florida before November!

A crew member just confirmed the captain announced that there has been a change of plans... so it sounds like it is true. I am sure we will hear official confirmation in the coming hours/days/weeks...

Edit: (removing image to protect crew member)

It's news and a rumor, and I am sure more will come as the day progresses. I am not surprised given all that's going on there.... I was a bit surprised that Royal even put a ship out of Israel given the history of violence in and around that country... unfortunate what's going on there now... 

8 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!    I, yes I, have already declared the November 15th sailing (which I'm on) to be the US Inaugural Sailing!!!

 

Me too! I just saw this breaking news on YouTube from a trustworthy source so thought I'd share. We'll see what happens next.

Just heard that Odyssey of the Seas is leaving Israel and heading to Florida. They will offload crew to Anthem of the Seas. More to come I am sure as the day progresses...stay tuned.

When you log into Cruise Planner daily to see your "days to go" counter go down...1... by 1...by 1...

When all you do is thinking about cruises all day and everyday...

4 hours ago, emmef said:

John from @ The Ship Show will be rooming with Tony from LaLidoLoca. Jenny is not going on the June 12 cruise.

Thanks! Yeah I know Jenny will be there in spirit, holding down the fort while Tony is sippin on cold drinks enjoying the fresh open ocean air! I posted this on the 2 Adventure 6/12 facebook groups and there are a lot of responses! Take a look if interested.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/460260555404296

https://www.facebook.com/groups/464161158112568