BrianAlt

18 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Ah sorry, I missed that detail.

So was it really charged to their onboard account? Or did they just get a credit card alert that said it was from Mariner? 

I've never had that kind of charge to my onboard account.

Other random thoughts. Were they using a debit card for their seapass account? Cash account?

To their onboard account.  Not from the CC.  It is a credit card.

15 minutes ago, Xaa said:

I'm still not sure if there isn't a miscommunication about what it is, but I certainly accept what you're saying at face value.

I'm quoting what they told me. So could be their misunderstanding, but I'm assuming it's correct.  Yes, I wouldn't expect this to be the breaking point.  But it could be one point of a list of 5-6 things.  This was a "test cruise" as we have a big family cruise where she is invited later this year.  I don't want nitpicky excuses of why she doesn't want to join us.

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I get these holds on every cruise I go on. It's no big deal in the end

Again though, to be clear, I've always had a pre-charge, a hold, on my credit card.  This was a charge to their onboard account.

11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I get these holds on every cruise I go on. It's no big deal in the end

It isn't.  They just were surprised since they weren't expecting it. I would have been too.

16 minutes ago, FloatyBoaty said:

It is a policy. It is printed in the Cruise Compass on Day 1 at minimum:

 

Actually, reading that is the policy as I understand it...

A hold on your credit card. Not a charge to you onboard account.  The charge was on the onboard account.

13 minutes ago, FloatyBoaty said:

I am not in my 20's, or 30's or 40's and have had this temporary charge appear on a couple of cruises at least.

It is a policy. It is printed in the Cruise Compass on Day 1 at minimum:

 

Thanks.  Just odd that I've never seen it happen myself.

16 minutes ago, tjcruisers said:

I find business aren't really up front about those thing,

It's a dumb way to do business. My son has cruised several times with us and has our D+ status.  His girlfriend is a new cruiser.  We told her everything we know about cruising (which I personally think is a lot!).  She was surprised by this and so were we.  It could potentially turn her off from cruising again.  Will it?  Probably not.  But it could be on her list of, "things I didn't like about cruising."

12 minutes ago, tjcruisers said:

Never had it on any of my cruises, but then again I didn't start cruising until I was in my late 30's. I know when I was under 25 I'd get hit with those whenever I traveled, even for business. 

One of my first thoughts.  But if that's the policy, where is it?

24 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

It's never shown as an actual charge for me; always a pending charge after boarding. Once my onboard account hits the $100 mark, each time there's a charge after I get another pre-authorization hold. Fun part is for me these holds always last a couple days beyond my final bill that actually gets charged to my account   

This is why I always use a credit card to secure my onboard account.

Exactly my experience too!  To be clear, they did secure their account with a credit card (not debit or cash).

My son and his girlfriend are on their first cruise together, and her first ever, on the Mariner of the Seas.  On the first day a charge for $99.75 appeared on their account.  They had no idea what it was, so they asked me.  I had no idea either, so I suggested they stop at guest services.  When they spoke to someone, probably the triage person on the line, and told them the problem was a charge on their account, the person asked, "is it the $99.75 charge?"  So presumably they weren't the only ones asking.  They were told it was a security deposit for damages to the room and they would get it back at the end of the cruise.  Okay, fine.  But shouldn't you be telling people about that BEFORE it happens?  I know that they do a test charge on the credit card so they know it's valid. But I never heard it going on the ACCOUNT. I thought that maybe it was due to the fact that they are under 25, or that she was a first-time cruiser, but apparently it applies to all cabins.

Has anyone encountered this?  Is this a Mariner only procedure?  Cause I've never heard of such a thing in my 33 cruises.

On 12/4/2022 at 1:11 PM, cruisellama said:

Has anyone sailed Beyond lately in either Retreat or Aqua class?   We sail in about 90 days and the APP is showing the neither Luminae or Blu is open on sea days.  Not sure if this is because we're still  90 days out or a reduction  in available lunch venues on sea days.    Anyone know?   Not really an attractive change if so.

We were in Aqua.  As I understand it, Luminae was open on sea days. 

On 11/23/2022 at 6:05 PM, KathyC said:

Now I can see it!  Were you all in the Grand Plaza on Halloween?  I fell like I definitely saw you all dressed up.

Yes, we were in the "parade".  We were on Captain Kate's instagram.

On 11/20/2022 at 6:56 PM, KathyC said:

I can't see the picture?

Me neither. It was there before. 
 

I’ll try again. 
 

Hello!  Anyone here joining us on this cruise?  My wife, Sheri, and I will be joined by our friend Eric.  

Hope we have some others here.  

On 11/5/2022 at 9:53 AM, KathyC said:

OMG yes!  Sorry I didn't see this post!  We just got back.  Did you love it???  I'm sorry I didn't see this post sooner, we could have met up! 

Definitely loved it!  Maybe we did meet?  I was Barney...

I was on Anthem OTS for NYE in it's inaugural year.  CNN was on board as one of the spots they were covering.  

A) I believe so.

B) Special menu for the evening.  Champagne bottles on sale.  Parties in the Promenade and the Pool Deck.  LOTS OF FUN!

On 5/2/2022 at 12:56 PM, KathyC said:

We'll be on Beyond for her first North American sailing.  Can't wait!  October cannot get here fast enough...

I'll be on the Beyond TOMORROW!!!  Is this the sailing you're referring to?

18 minutes ago, berkeleykel said:

I will book when it (pretty please) comes to the Med. Not flying 8+ hours with kids for a cruise. Unless I can get a steal of a price on the Ultimate Family Townhouse at some point, which might be worth flying to Miami for.
 

I think I have a better chance of Icon spending a summer in the Med. 

Probably the next icon class ship. Not this one. 

20 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

The Dude approves !!

 

I booked!

11 minutes ago, Va4fam said:

When is the group cruise and where is it going?

I believe that's only been shared with RC Blog Insiders as of right now.  But someone more official can correct me if I'm wrong.

15 minutes ago, twangster said:

Given the time between leaving the shipyard and going into service I'm curious if they plan to add some of the slide superstructure once it's cleared the Great Belt bridge.  

They may sail it out partially completed and finish it at a wet dock, sort of like they did with Wonder but to a more extensive degree.  

Wouldn't be surprising.

Booked the group cruise!

2 hours ago, Carlos A. said:

A few years ago I remember seeing a lot of threads speculating and people saying that an Oasis class ship wouldn't fit under Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge...

I wonder what happened... 

I actually wouldn't until they made some minor modifications to lower the smokestacks.  They had them down to move it from the shipyard, but the intent was to lock them in the up position after that, which they did.  So they had to "unlock" them and I'm sure they added some automated system to raise and lower them.

Ken Jarvis posted on his FB that it should be able to fit because it has to go under the Great Belt Bridge which has 213' of clearance and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge has a clearance of 228'.

I wouldn't take that as gospel, but it's hopeful.