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Gears

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Everything posted by Gears

  1. I will explain... If you are an RBC customer, you can apply for an RBC Bank account and RBC Bank Visa. This is different than a US dollar account. RBC Bank is a US soil bank based in Georgia (this is legally different from RBC Royal Bank, the Canadian soil entity) To pay your RBC Bank USD Visa...(in high level basic terms): + In your Canada based online banking, open a $USD savings account. (this is still in Canada) + Transfer CDN funds from your usual $CDN account to your fancy new $USD. Here is where the 'buy USD' exchange is done and online is your best rate. + Go to your RBC Bank (the US entity) and do a cross border transfer from your CDN $USD account to your US $USD checking account (or chequing for us north of 49 types) + Transfer from your US $USD checking account to your RBC Bank USD Visa to pay it. + You're done. No ultra crappy buy/sell rate and no 2.5% foreign exchange charge. There is an annual fee for the checking account, but what you will save more than offsets it. https://www.rbcbank.com/ Not sure what's going on these days, but you might be able to get this all setup online without having to go into the branch.
  2. Right on...those we call the 'Junior Suite Days'.
  3. Yep. I buy my cruises from a US based TA and pay in USD. The direct RCL $CDN costs take an 'exchange cut' as do the $CDN credit cards. The least cost way is to online transfer CDN-USD and pay with those USD.
  4. Many Canadian banks have US subsidiaries that offer CDN residents US based USD accounts and USD cedit cards. Transfers and payments can be done online eliminating the 2.5% exchange fee. RBC and TD have this service.
  5. This is exactly why we booked our flights for Feb/Mar two weeks ago. They were cheap and I don't expect them to stay that way.
  6. One of our considerations is the weight of the luggage empty. The 50lbs limit/extra charge for over/depending on your airline policy of the day...is a factor. Our hard luggage is super light and durable. The largest one in our set is almost five pounds lighter than the largest in our previous soft set. It can make a difference. You typically get what you pay for.
  7. This is the kind of thing that may end up causing us a problem... https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/16/politics/uss-theodore-roosevelt-sailors-coronavirus/index.html
  8. From the news items out there, it seems that there might not ever be a vaccine (search 'can you get COVID-19 a second time'). I read two articles last weekend that outlined some medical community fears that this might end up having the same treatable characteristics as the common cold...and/or we're just zig-zagging our way to eventual herd immunity. Either way...cruise on.
  9. Rumour has it 88% of all blondes in the world have disappeared.....
  10. I have noticed that I haven't seen an RCL promotional email land in about two weeks +/-.
  11. Yup...got off the Adventure February 23rd. By the seat of our pants as it would seem...
  12. It doesn't work like that...anywhere. Been cruising for almost 20 years...
  13. "... we went for a walk around the rocks came back to the terminal..." Ahhhh....no. You don't get to wander around...unless someone has never been on a cruise and thinks you can. Fake post.
  14. FAKE POST From the RCL policy: COVID-19 presents the most serious health risks to older individuals, the immunocompromised, and those with serious, underlying medical conditions. Therefore, effective Monday, March 16: a. Boarding will be denied to any person age 70 or older, unless the guest provides written verification from a qualified treating physician that certifies the person has no severe, chronic medical condition and is fit to travel. b. Boarding will be denied to any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC. Guests of all ages will be screened prior to boarding, regarding underlying health issues that may prevent them from sailing, i.e. chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer.
  15. Go to southwest.com, you can't price Southwest flights online except on their website (or travel agent).
  16. Yup! That's the way to do it! WJ and AC flight prices are a joke sometimes.
  17. You're welcome. Happy cruising!!!
  18. 1-833-328-3260 or 1-669-272-1083 from Curacao.
  19. Realize the frustration, I would be too. But...the cruise industry is in uncharted waters on this issue. The dynamics are changing every six hours...I can't even imagine how a company who's business is travel and tourism would manage through this. The folks in the call centres...ouch. With a basic search I can find MASSIVE historic failures with each of those other cruise lines you listed. And they are all currently dealing with the exact same issues right now. Have a look at the over and above customer service RCL did with the Anthem of The Seas out of New Jersey a few weeks back when there were potential COVID-19 cases on a returning cruise. RCL did a bunch of things they DIDN'T have to do...and in almost 20 years of cruising I have never seen. Take solace in that case...and expect you will be taken care of in due course.
  20. The short list... + Can't find my stateroom...spent the entire cruise dragging my suitcase around looking for it + Can't get a drink...yet everyone else has one + Missed the ship leaving a nightmare port of call + Swimming after the ship as it left embarkation port + Can't find a deck chair...oh wait, that wasn't a dream + They took all my clothes during a Quest
  21. Geeeez...I see that and all I hear now is Fries Fries Fries Fries......
  22. The only one we have is for hepatitis A & B. (Twinrix)
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