UkuleleCruiser
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Posts posted by UkuleleCruiser
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On 12/11/2017 at 12:01 PM, murphmatic said:
Bold for emphasis.
Whenever someone ask or says “such-and-such is free on a cruise” it raises my pet peeve meter. You are definitely paying.
ALL the cruise lines have figured out the math. Your fare either covers all the complementary (which is a better word than “free”) items during a cruise or they are taking a gamble that you’ll spend more during the cruise.
NCL’s “Free” At Sea is pure marketing. Don’t belive me? Price out a Sail Away cabin (like a Guarantee cabin where you don’t choose the cabin but are guaranteed the cabin category or better) with no Free At Sea options vs. one with them. You are paying for those options. Which is cool IF you understand that you are and maybe saving some money.
That's true. We are booked on a free at sea cruise, and the money we are paying is making it clear nothing is free. I don't know that "free" is the reasoning. "Taken care of" is more like it. I don't mind specialty restaurant charges: It's the all you can drink costs on Royal. In order to make them worthwhile, I'd be drinking all day and all night and probably be carted out on a stretcher. However, the individual drink costs are reasonable on Royal, so we just buy as we go. Another unnamable cruise line used to have a wine package where you could get a bottle of wine each day. That worked great. Anyway, the free-at-sea package will save us a little bit, but it's not a knock on Royal: Just different. And really this comment I am replying to is just about the idea that you are getting something for free, which you are not. Last I checked, all of the cruise companies are for-profit busiensses.
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On 12/10/2017 at 4:12 PM, twangster said:
Most cruise lines do have upcharges now. For example on Carnival's last investor call they stated their greatest source of new revenue is from on board upcharges.
I have a different perspective on 'nickel & dime'. As cruise lines have introduced new concepts such as specialty dining or Voom internet there remain guests that don't want or need it. On my current 19 night B2B I'm quite happy with MDR food for the last 2 weeks. To make specialty dining free they have to increase base fares, nothing is 'free'. Why should I pay higher base fares for others who want specialty dining? Why should people who don't want to be connected pay more so I get 'free' internet?
You can cruise and have an awesome experience on RCI without buying anything extra. There are people who want more and people who don't.
At least RCI hasn't created a totally chaotic boarding process then created a paid program to avoid it like another line has.
I'll drink to that! Wait a minute: That would be extra. Unless we were at an art auction. I'll drink to that at an art auction!
- twangster and RestingBird
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On 12/10/2017 at 11:14 AM, Sabrinaklai said:
Nope, not carnival.
This particular cruise line worries me because supposedly they are not ukulele friendly. Can you imagine?
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On 12/9/2017 at 11:10 PM, Sabrinaklai said:
Thought I would start this thread for fun. We just got off a ship that I won't name (would not want @twangster to accuse me of blasphemy again ?) and I found myself missing RC desperately. So here goes...
You know that you are loyal to Royal when:
1. You catch yourself constantly referring to the buffet on the unnamed non RC ship as Windjammer.
2. Every ship you see in the distance looks like an Oasis class ship to you.
3. You stare longingly at every RC ship that you are docked next to and wish you were on it instead. Then you snap pics of it for @Matt's Friday photos even though you are not sailing RC.
4. You catch yourself comparing every single little thing to RC and thinking RC does it better. Then you start promoting RC to the rest of your sailing party and some crew members. ?
5. You find yourself wanting your sailing to end so you can quickly get on to your next RC cruise! March can't come soon enough!
How about the rest of you who love RC? How did you know?
I haven't read everyone else posts yet. Flame me if you want, but I am not specifically loyal. I am happy to try other lines, and experience other ports. For instance, we are planning a river cruise. We also have a cruise next year on a ship I won't name. Now, the majority of my cruises are on RC. And i will probably hit diamond with RC before I hit whatever the nameless ship line's equivalent gets hit. That will probably hold my attention. I mean, you can teach a man to fish and he'll never go hungry, gut give a man a free drink and he'll never get off your boat!
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18 minutes ago, betatke1480 said:
We recently got the Amazon Basics hardsided spinner bags. Both 20" and 24", not to brag about size...
They worked out great and nest inside of each other. How they'll work out long term is yet to be seen, but definitely a more cost effective route if they hold up for a few years.
They also have a hardshell version available if that's your "bag" baby.
I am very interested in this. I love they store inside each other. But mostly I love that they are pretty inexpensive. Now if only they were decorated with seashells, light houses, and flying fish....
- RestingBird and betatke1480
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8 minutes ago, tiny260 said:
Zip lock was the water proof pouch I was referring to, lol, yea, we couldn't figure it out, unless it was a post hurricane security measure, they had extra security officers at disembarkation reminding people they needed their Passport, a lot of people had to go back to their rooms for passports.
Zip Lock: The Ultimate Cruise Survival Tool. They aren't just for keeping your phone dry in the tub.
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2 minutes ago, tiny260 said:
Joe, I used to carry a big back pack and have it loaded up, but recently I have gotten to where all I carry is a water proof draw string bag I picked up at Ron Jon. I holds just enough so that it is not to heavy, as long as I don't let my Wife shop to much it usually doesn't get heavy enough to start hurting my shoulders.
One thing that has started throwing a hitch in to what I take on shore is the ship telling us that we must have our Sea Pass card along with our Passports to gain access back to the ship, on the cruise I went on in October, Allure, Bahamas, Cozumel and Costa Maya, we had to show our Passports once in Cozumel, anyway I take a water proof pouch to keep my passports in where as before I never did this.
If we are going to a beach break my Wife will also carry a beach bag for nothing but the towels from the ship.
Oh, wow! Didn't know we had to show passports again. That's new. I might settle for the very high tech ziplock bag. Which we always bring anyway. You, know: for leftovers. Oddly enough, even though we have always done this, none of our cruises have ever run out of food...
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24 minutes ago, JLMoran said:
@UkuleleCruiser's recent post asking about luggage spurred me to create a sort of companion thread. When you leave the ship to go on land and sight see or do a formal excursion, what do you use to carry all of your "stuff" that you would typically bring? At first I thought that I wouldn't need much of anything, since I was figuring on just bringing my passport and Sea Pass card (one shorts pocket), and my mobile phone and some cash (other pocket); my wife would have the sunscreen in her beach satchel bag, and I'm good. But now I'm going through this in my head, and at least for myself I'll be carrying a fair bit more since I plan to try and do a lot of photography and videography:
- Moment lenses (to pop on and off of my iPhone case as needed)
- Folding mini-tripod and ShoulderPod phone mount/hand grip
- Possibly the 3-axis gimbal I bought, depending on which port we're in and how much video I expect to take vs still photos
- Spare battery for the gimbal
- Battery pack and charing cable for the phone
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Water shoes (for two of our four port stops, where I actually expect to go into the water)
- I can't wear them all day, the ones I bought can't be modified with a lift or hold my orthotics, so I'll only put them on when needed
- These will definitely be the bulkiest items, and since they'll be wet after use I need to keep them separate from the photography gear
- A bottle or two of water to keep hydrated
- Sunscreen (at this point I might as well carry mine in my own bag)
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Whatever my wife or kids decide I can carry since I've already turned myself into a pack mule
There's probably another item or two I'm not thinking of. Definitely more than what will fit in a fanny pack (and I wouldn't want to wear one of those, anyway). I would use one of my kids' backpacks, but they are likely to be using them themselves. Is a satchel bag / men's "purse" a good idea? Just a cheap backpack with lots of pockets to hold all the smaller bits? Will appreciate whatever suggestions you can offer, especially those of you who also tend to bring photography gear along.
This is a great topic! When i go ashore, i bring phone, sometimes binoculars, sometimes a separate camera. I often bring a ukulele. My go-to bag is a convertible fanny pack -- Sorry, JL! It converts to a backpack, which is also useful for bringing back junk.... I mean, wonderful treasures... I don't think Eagle Creek makes these anymore, but here's a similar find: https://www.amazon.com/Backpack-Convertible-top-Portion-Inside-Expandable/dp/B00UOCUI3S
I also found a fishing vest that has a sleeve across the lower back. My plan is to stash the ukulele there. Maybe that will replace some of these other items I would normally carry in the fanny pack...
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9 hours ago, RestingBirds said:
For me it's all about the fabric pattern. We found a 3pc set with ships, palm trees, light houses, etc on it, from TJMaxx. No idea if it's actually any good (haven't had a chance to try it out yet) lol, don't really care, cause we're gonna look super cool pulling it around ?
But seriously, I have a big Oakley suit case that I love. We've had it almost 7 years now and it'll easily do another 7 (no idea if 14yrs is good or not, lol).
Wait a minute: I like ships, palm trees, and light houses...
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44 minutes ago, JLMoran said:
There's a brand called Away that I've heard good things about, including from @DocLC either here on these boards or possibly a podcast episode he guest-appeared on. They look rock-solid, and their carry-on unit has an integrated battery and USB charging ports to let you charge up your phone / tablet / laptop without having to hunt for an outlet wherever you are. Given how much my family uses our devices, I'm strongly considering getting at least their carry-on for myself.
If you go to that link and use promo code "ATP" or "TALKSHOW" (possibly "THETALKSHOW", it seems to change from time to time) you should get a small discount -- they're a regular sponsor of two of the tech podcasts I listen to and that's the code associated to each of them.
Good tip. Thank you!
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16 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:
A few years back I purchased 3 pieces of Luggage Pro which had lifetime warranties. It has proven to have been a good investment. Between work and vacations we travel a lot and our luggage takes a beating. I have had a few annoying types of repairs like zipper pulls coming off but a number of fairly significant repairs like wheels being replaced and zippers breaking.
It was pricey but over the long run, has paid for itself and the overall looks and condition is still very good. Be careful. Not all Luggage Pro has a lifetime warranty.
Good to know!
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18 minutes ago, Skid said:
We never travel without a board! hehe. Oh, FYI, we usually end up using all 50 pounds the airlines allow and this luggage still rolls upright VERY easily.
I am infected by your enthusiasm. To heck with hiding soft-sided bags under the bed.
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Just now, Skid said:
We have never tried putting them under a bed. Usually put 1 in the closet and leave one upright next to a couch, dresser or balcony door, sometimes using it as a shelf?
That's funny! I was going to ask if you put a board across the top and made them into a table.
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1 minute ago, tiny260 said:
I buy a brand called Briggs and Riley, but they are expensive, guaranteed for life, it's almost like buying an heirloom piece of furniture.
But I have also gone to Kohl's and other places and bought was the best price, they lasted as long as they last. Also used ebags.com, has a good sort and rating system to make an informed decision.
That's the second reference to ebag. Will definitely have to check that out! Kohl's is another good lead. The Briggs & Riley bags are a bit pricey, but with a lifetime guarantee.....
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1 minute ago, Skid said:
After our research we went with the Lojel Octa hardside luggage and have been very happy. The 2 most appealing features to us were: There are no zippers and the wheels are replaceable should they ever break.
No zippers mean no accidental opening and way less chance of bedbugs hitching a ride.
You can see this luggage here http://www.lojel.us but can buy them (as we did) at a MUCH lower on eBags.com
They have held up very well so far on both airlines and ships. The only downside is that there are no compartments or lining inside.
Thank you very much! They look darned sturdy! Do they fit under the bed? Where do you stash them?
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I have a collection that I have gotten from various bid sites. I might be willing to trade some of them, so let me know what you might be looking for.
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The old, thrift store luggage we have been using is not in good shape, so it looks like we are buying luggage for our February cruise. We do not have to fly to the port, so we have that advantage. But I need some advice: Recommendations for luggage? What would be perfect for cruising based on your experience? How about cost: What particular brand or style seems most cost effective?
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10 minutes ago, Diane S said:
We had never heard of Invicta. It does work and has a nice magnified date area. We did not purchase the internet package on board. When we went on the cruise, we agree we would lock our phones in the safe. We wanted to disconnect from the world.
Good plan. I do use my phone for pictures, but it's in airplane mode. We also don't buy internet on board. My ship purchases are when I am not cruising. We do go to Senor Frogs to check email.
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16 hours ago, Diane S said:
My husband purchased a watch during a sale that said the watches were up to "75%" off= " He purchased a watch that was marked $600+ for $149. The tag that was attached to the watch looked legit and the brand was legit (Invictus) He has now found the watch for cheaper. Be careful in getting wrapped up into the frenzy of the sales.
Just a word of warning to new cruisers. We enjoyed the cruise and hated to come back. This little burp I won't let upset me . We even booked our next cruise for January 2019.
I never buy anything I can get elsewhere. And so far my model cruise ships come from online websites. But I do like the T-shirt sale. I get RC shirts when they mark them down. Prefer to spend my money on drinks. Glad you had fun anyway. Does the watch at least work?
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On 10/24/2017 at 9:59 PM, jurrjurr said:
Stopping by Sorrento's for a slice of pizza even though you are still full from dinner. Sit down and people watch at the Royal Promenade.
Sorrento's tastes better the later/earlier it is. At 11:30 PM, it's the best pizza in the world.
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19 hours ago, Jason.H. said:
Have a drink from the wipe-out bar while sailing away from port (any port). Its at the very back of the ship on one of the upper decks. Was kinda hard to find on Oasis but we found it and hung out there with friends during the sail away party from florida. No crowd and awesome view of wake trail and land fading away as we went out into the ocean.
Scout out the windjammer before or after dinner. Sometime there are things that shouldn't be missed.
See how many free champagnes you can drink at the captains reception on the royal promenade.
See how many free champagnes you can drink at art auction.
Find a bar and get to know the bartender and go there after getting dressed up for dinner every night. I really enjoy that time with my wife.
Flowrider is fun, at least try the boogie board to experience it.
Play a competitive round of mini golf in the evening once its not too hot.
I could literally go on and on... have a great time!
We love the art auctions. You can also win door prizes. Just know that if you win art, they will charge a shipping fee of about $30. We did that, and have our art proudly displayed in the tube they shipped it in. The more free champagne you drink, the less the $30 fee seems!
- RestingBird and WAAAYTOOO
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In no particular order:
sit on the deck, or walk around the deck and enjoy the sea and the sea air.
Sit on the deck and read
guzzle free champagne in the art auction
Live music
live shows, including the ice show
wandering the promenade
They usually have a brunch and galley tour. Loved that.
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4 hours ago, Matt said:
I think that's a fair representation, based on our visit.
Hmmm. Definitely gonna have to lower expectations.
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Green Monday Sale
in Royal Caribbean News and Rumors
Posted
Dagnabbit! Is it over?