MKSglitz

I know many of you will think that I'm crazy, but I'm a planner.  According to the posted schedule for 2025-2026 ship deployments, the week of February 19, 2024   Long Caribbean cruises  were to be posted for the sailing time of October 2025 - April 2026.  I would like to book a 9 - 11 day cruise for January 2026 from Miami.  As of today, I haven't seen any of those sailings posted and I've been checking every day.  Anyone else waiting?

Leaving Cape Liberty in January to cruise the Caribbean wasn't fun for me.  Upon boarding the ship, the staff was shoveling snow off of the pool deck in puffer jackets.  Once we got to our balcony room ,we were greeted by icicles hanging from the balcony rail. This did not compute with my idea of a Caribbean cruise. This could be an adventure for some..  I'm from Michigan and I just wanted to get out of the cold.  As some have said, expect 2 days inside going and 2 days inside coming back to Cape Liberty  (sea very rough.  Ship doors to outside decks were locked and no one could go outside).  Not suitable for pool side sitting unless there is a Solarium.  Winter weather in this neck of the woods is iffy.  Just be ready for anything and have fun!

Looking for some recommendations so that I may purchase battery operated night lights for our cabin.  We are seniors and if you have to get up in the middle of the night, it is impossible to make your way around the cabin.  Plugs are at a premium so I'm looking for battery operated , non-motion sensored night lights.  Any recommmendations are appreciated.

Thank you so very much for the information.  It has left no doubts in my mind.

Sorry SpeedNoodles.  As I said I am a confused senior citizen and am confused as to how all this works

This is a cruise from Florida to the eastern Caribbean.  I'm confused about the 3 days before boarding.  Does that include the day you are boarding as day 3 or Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and then board on that 4th day?

So it is now 3 DAYS before boarding that vaccinated people must produce a negative Covid-19 antigen or PCR test on cruises longer than 6 days.  So if my cruise leaves on Sunday, I can take my test on a Thursday?  Just want to make sure that I am crossing all my t's and dotting all my i's as I am a senior citizen and find this all confusing.

Look on Amazon,  They have many cell phone/table holders.  I bought one on Amazon that is a SAIJI Table Stand Holder (also for cell phones) that is height adjustable and  has a 360 degree rotating mounting dock  It did the job perfectly.  It is now selling for $29.74

For many years I brought a very small swiss army multi-tool that had a nail file in it, a one inch knife, a pair of tiny scissors, tweezers and the TSA took it from me at an airport before I could even bring one on the ship!  It was $28!  Decided not to take one on a plane or a ship least I have it confiscated again.

Trying to prepare for a Binax Covid test.  I created an account for myself in the Navica App.  Can I add my spouse to the same account by adding his name to my profile or must he have a totally separate account?  He has no cell phone.   I see that I can access each of our tests results separately if I just add his name.   We are only using my cell phone to connect to a proctor.   Another question please, if we are only using my cell phone and my test is completed and I receive my results from the proctor, do we have to end that session and re-establish a connection to another proctor to have his test monitored?  We are a 75 year old couple and this is very confusing for us.

Received the info for Caribbean cruises originating from Colombia and Panama in early 2024 but none from Puerto Rico.  Does anyone know if they eliminated sailings from Puerto Rico in early 2024?

Well, I guess we will see what is going to happen this coming Sunday when the Explorer comes back to its home port. According to the government's current policy no one will be able to get off the ship unless they have a negative Covid test.  As it is currently, every cruiser out of San Juan will need at least 3 test kits per person. You will need proof of one negative test to enter the country, a second to board the ship and then a third to get off the ship!  With the current shortage of tests and the time frame needed to order more tests (especially if you have a cruise within the next week or two) I think we are screwed!

I do have them but I'm not very techy and am just nervous doing it that way.  I will be using my Iphone so I bought a stand to prop my phone on and all but I'm just a bit uneasy.  When your 75 yrs old that's what happens.  I have watched the videos on how this all works so I guess I am as ready as I can be.

I will be arriving in San Juan on Thursday before our cruise on Sunday.  Has anyone used a pharmacy in the Condado area of the city that has a Covid rapid antigen test that is accepted by RCCL?  We are staying at the Stellaris Marriot on Ashford Ave.  Not renting a car to drive all over Sah Juan to find one.  I know that there is a CVS and Walgreens within a block of the hotel

Have a few questions regarding the cruises out of San Juan.  I am assuming that every cruiseline in port is requiring the preboarding Covid test so their has to be a large population taking the Binax AG Covid test . With people having to fly in, many of them  several days in advance, did you have a long wait to connect to the EMed proctor  to monitor your test? Any suggestions as to what time is best to connect?  Did you also have to prove your vaccination status to where ever you stated at precruise?  One last question - Did you find that the ship had noticeably fewer cruisers?  Any that you could share with me would be greatly appreciated.  I am just trying to mentally prepare myself for the protocols. It seems like you have to jump through so many hoops 

I had my first two vaccinations heat sealed in plastic since Staples Office Supply was doing this for free for people in MI.  Since then I received my Pifzer Booster and was given another card listing that booster on the third line.  When I asked if I'd have to carry both cards with me, the pharma technician  told me to just write the info  from my first card onto the second card .  Now all three are on one CDC Vaccination Card

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but the Covid test that they are requiring now is no more then TWO days before boarding and NOT THREE. The Covid tests that I've found being offered in San Juan have a 24-72 hr turn around results including the ones at the airport.  (Taking a slim chance that the results will come back in 24 hrs)  From what I understand the Covid rapid tests that everyone has or are buying on line currently  requires a proctor to validate the test and those tests have an expiration date the end of December.  This is not helping me either as my cruise from San Juan is January 9,2021.  So unless Emed, Optum, or the RCCL store has an upcoming shipment of rapid proctored tests with a later expiration date, or the protocols change (which I highly doubt) I'll be cancelling my long awhile cruise (booked 2020) and unfortunately losing my deposit

58 minutes ago, MKSglitz said:

I too am waiting to hear.  Our cruise isn't until early January but  I can see that the pre-boarding Covid test could be problematic.  I am assuming that there will be multiple cruise lines in port and I am assuming that all of them are following the same protocol to board.  That being said, there will be a hundreds of people in San Juan at the same time.  The rapid Covid tests are very scarce to purchase at this point and will be even worse, if any, by the end of the year.  There are no rapid testing sites (CVS, Walgreens, Airport) with a fast enough turn around to meet the two day turn around necessary to board the ship.  Any body else feeling anxious?

Some further info that I recently read regarding your stay in Puerto Rico.  If you plan on a pre/post cruise in any motel/hotel/vrbo or any rental you must show proof of being vaccinated.  I wish I could remember where I saw that but it just wasn't on a social media platform.  It could have been on the guidelines to enter the country (????)We are staying at the Stellaris Marriott and I might have seen it there.  Nevertheless, if anybody has concerns if you are unvaccinated, please search out this info before getting there and finding out you can't stay anywhere.

I too am waiting to hear.  Our cruise isn't until early January but  I can see that the pre-boarding Covid test could be problematic.  I am assuming that there will be multiple cruise lines in port and I am assuming that all of them are following the same protocol to board.  That being said, there will be a hundreds of people in San Juan at the same time.  The rapid Covid tests are very scarce to purchase at this point and will be even worse, if any, by the end of the year.  There are no rapid testing sites (CVS, Walgreens, Airport) with a fast enough turn around to meet the two day turn around necessary to board the ship.  Any body else feeling anxious?

I was booked on a 5 day cruise to Bermuda on September 25 - 30 sailing out of Cape Liberty, NJ .  I got an email from RCCL telling me that the cruise of the Freedom of the Seas was cancelled.

I am interested in booking a back-to-back cruise.  Where do I begin looking for that type of cruise?  Is there an easy way to find them?  Looking to do the Caribbean.

Ever since the pandemic  began and all cruises were cancelled across the board, I've been trying to speculate just how this is all going to work once cruises restart again.  I haven't a clue.  Thousands of people will be on any one ship at a time.   How are we going to social distance?  We know what the pool deck looks like on at-sea days.  How will that work?   I can't even begin to wrap my head around the logistics of making this a good experience  Any one hear any rumors as to how this is all going to work?  Are they going to limit the number of passengers on a ship when some of us book two years in advance?

Would go back to Secret Sands Beach in a heartbeat!  RJAC description of Secret Sands was spot-on. One thing I could add is that when we were there we were the only people on the beach. Very quiet and serene. Kareem was the absolute best!  Tips were greatly appreciated and well deserved.  Please don't miss the opportunity to go.

Is that a walk-in closet that I see in the pictures?

If there happens to be a priest that is a passenger for that particular cruise, he might say Mass. In that case, I'd check the Cruise Compass the night before.   In 16 yrs., that has happened only once for us, so I wouldn't count on it.