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Drinking package Tumbler cups out of stock?


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24 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Oh no...I hope Tumbler Cups don't go the way of the dinosaur.  My family loves them.  

Although my spouse and I didn't use them because we were pretending to be college kids and drank from the bars like drunken sailors, my kids loved them, took them everywhere, and used them frequently for sodas, water, juices, etc.

Now that we are home, we only use the tumblers for water and other beverages while at home.  I love not having to wash a million glasses a day because my family thinks glassware is single use only. 

I don't think "Tumblers" will go by way of the dinosaur.  However, the insulated Tumblers MAY be gone.  

BTW, when we had kids still living with us, we used SOLO cups.  Put the kids names on them (Sharpie) and they used them for the day.  My wife and I still do that for our use, except for our morning coffee, of course.

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9 minutes ago, Moby Dick said:

I don't think "Tumblers" will go by way of the dinosaur.  However, the insulated Tumblers MAY be gone.  

BTW, when we had kids still living with us, we used SOLO cups.  Put the kids names on them (Sharpie) and they used them for the day.  My wife and I still do that for our use, except for our morning coffee, of course.

We used Solo cups too.  Sharpie and everything.  My kids think that money grows on trees and threw them away.  What is it about kids and cups????

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55 minutes ago, Moby Dick said:

Hopefully those are just stop-gap while they are waiting on the insulated cups to work their way through the "supply Chain" debacle.  If not, these are insulated cups, they are insulating the cost to themselves (Royal), these look cheap.

I very rarely use the cups anyway.  On our last cruise, we never even took the plastic wrap off of them.  We brought them home and gave them to gkids. The old ones and now these new ones just don't fit into my/our activities.  We don't eat in the Windjammer (except for breakfast one or two times a cruise), only because of the availability of other venues.  The pizza/ice cream (Ovation) (sorry, can't remember the name of it right now) place is a stop of opportunity, we are usually going to or from another activity.  And the same at other locations where the freestyle machines are located, we don't carry the cups around with us.  When I leave my stateroom, I may have a bottle of water or beer in my hand, not an empty cup that I may or may not use.  That's just me/us.  I understand others love the system and it works well for them, especially those with kids.  I do like the Freestyle Machines, though.  I like the mix and match options.  Carrying a cup around just isn't convenient for us.

Thanks for reminding me...There is another GREAT use for the insulated tumblers...my kids would get soft serve from deck 14, put the "ice cream part" in the tumblers, go down to Sorrentos and fill the tumblers with root beer to make floats.  Pizza and root beer floats are awesome!

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9 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Thanks for reminding me...There is another GREAT use for the insulated tumblers...my kids would get soft serve from deck 14, put the "ice cream part" in the tumblers, go down to Sorrentos and fill the tumblers with root beer to make floats.  Pizza and root beer floats are awesome!

Smart!

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12 minutes ago, D Alt said:

IMO they really need to come up with a more green and sustainable option. These cups are wasteful, especially if you have a to get a new one for each sailing. 

What sustainable option would you suggest?  Tiffany Stained Glass?  How much are you willing to pay for a drink package that has "sustainable" Tumblers?  Doesn't Royal recycle glass, aluminum, plastics?  They say they do.  They can't control what you do with things once you leave the ship.  For everything you consume on a ship, there is a container involved, somehow, be it Styrofoam, plastic, cardboard, aluminum, whatever.  

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22 minutes ago, Moby Dick said:

What sustainable option would you suggest?  Tiffany Stained Glass?  How much are you willing to pay for a drink package that has "sustainable" Tumblers?  Doesn't Royal recycle glass, aluminum, plastics?  They say they do.  They can't control what you do with things once you leave the ship.  For everything you consume on a ship, there is a container involved, somehow, be it Styrofoam, plastic, cardboard, aluminum, whatever.  

yes tiffany stained glass, exactly what i was thinking. 🙄

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43 minutes ago, D Alt said:

IMO they really need to come up with a more green and sustainable option. These cups are wasteful, especially if you have a to get a new one for each sailing. 

Which cups do you refer to?  If you think about it, the insulated tumblers are sustainable in the sense that they are resuable.

Once you get off of the ship, you can choose to continue using them at home.  What you choose to do with them afterwards is up to you and the sustainability aspect now falls on your lap.  I am all for conservation and sustainability.  

Now, if there was some way to recode the chip inside so that we don't have to buy new ones for each sailing, that is just icing on the top.  

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18 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Now, if there was some way to recode the chip inside so that we don't have to buy new ones for each sailing, that is just icing on the top.  

This is the key - Bring the empty cups in your carry on, go to Cafe Promenade or Windjammer (or any bar really) on Embarkation Day and everyone with the Soda, Refreshment or Deluxe beverage package can get the chips recoded - if the cup is cracked or leaking or otherwise broken, it can be replaced at no charge (since you've already purchased a package). 

Either that or add a tap/swipe function on the freestyle machine so everyone with soda, refreshment and deluxe beverage packages can just tap/swipe their seapass card and fill their own tumbler/cup with a soda of their choice. 

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19 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Now, if there was some way to recode the chip inside so that we don't have to buy new ones for each sailing, that is just icing on the top.  

I'm all for that as long as it is MY cup, from a prior sailing, that I get recoded.  I don't want a reuse/reprogramed cup that has been used by several others X amount of times. 

Yes, we do that everyday in restaurants.  We reuse glasses, forks, spoons,....... But, those items are made to sustain very hot automatic dishwashers and health departments regulate things.  I don't believe the insulated tumblers are "dishwasher safe", at least not to the extreme like a commercial kitchen's repeated use in very hot water.  JMHO

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At the moment the current approach isolates the RFID in the cup from any association with a guest or individual. 

The Freestyle machines are maintained by a 3rd party (beyond simply refilling the machine with more supplies).  Once you integrate the machines with the hotel folio system it potentially exposes guest information to 3rd parties including CocaCola who could them observe and collect data about you and your soda trends.  

Right now they can only gather randomized data with no awareness if cup serial number 2816391753 is a child or an adult.

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1 hour ago, D Alt said:

IMO they really need to come up with a more green and sustainable option. These cups are wasteful, especially if you have a to get a new one for each sailing. 

It's funny you mentioned that. I was sitting here thinking that something RCCL could do instead of automatically giving cups is to give vouchers that could be exchanged for a cup or something else of similar value. Then, it's up to the individual as to whether they want a cup or not.

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If you think about it, are RFID cups really necessary?  With all drink packages, you can go to any bar/service station and get a drink, adult or not, in a bottle, tumbler, or durable container of some type.  The down side, no more "Freestyle" Coke machines.  Unless they connected your drink package to your room key card/set sail card/RFID cards/super secret decoder ring and you bring your own cup, tumbler, glass from the last venue you were in, or zip lock bag.

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17 minutes ago, Moby Dick said:

If you think about it, are RFID cups really necessary?  With all drink packages, you can go to any bar/service station and get a drink, adult or not, in a bottle, tumbler, or durable container of some type.  The down side, no more "Freestyle" Coke machines.  Unless they connected your drink package to your room key card/set sail card/RFID cards/super secret decoder ring and you bring your own cup, tumbler, glass from the last venue you were in, or zip lock bag.

The RFID is indeed all about the freestyle machines. For a lot of people, the drinks there are what make the soda benefit worthwhile.

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8 minutes ago, Matt said:

The RFID is indeed all about the freestyle machines. For a lot of people, the drinks there are what make the soda benefit worthwhile.

I know, I really like the Freestyle machines myself.  But, it can be set up to operate with other media than a chip in a cup.  A proximity reader, like the one that reads the chip in the cup placed elsewhere on the machine, like where you would normally insert you cash is all that is needed just put your decoder ring up against it and voila, the carbonated gold starts to flow.  

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Since not everyone wants to pay to subsidize luxury items like soda and alcohol. The current process is the best most cost-effective option. The chip readers stop people who haven't paid for the package from getting something. I know soda cost 5 cent or so, but it is a luxury, not a need. It really doesn't matter about the cup, imho, and I don't think RCG needs to change things that will cost more and increase my cost. 

It would be nice to bring the cups back and reuse but that creates another headache. Let's face it, when people are on vacation, they might not be as detail-oriented or careful. We expect the same people who can't be bothered to do basic research on a vacation that cost thousands.......to remember to bring a cup to get reactivated?

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3 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Since not everyone wants to pay to subsidize luxury items like soda and alcohol. The current process is the best most cost-effective option. The chip readers stop people who haven't paid for the package from getting something. I know soda cost 5 cent or so, but it is a luxury, not a need. It really doesn't matter about the cup, imho, and I don't think RCG needs to change things that will cost more and increase my cost. 

It would be nice to bring the cups back and reuse but that creates another headache. Let's face it, when people are on vacation, they might not be as detail-oriented or careful. We expect the same people who can't be bothered to do basic research on a vacation that cost thousands.......to remember to bring a cup to get reactivated?

I tend to agree.  My only issue is that I don't think the current process is the best most cost-effective option.  Why?  Because as I stated earlier, you can lose your cup, get a new one issued without the old one being deactivated and anyone that finds your cup can get sodas for free, for the duration.  But, like you said, "it's only 5 cents or so", or words to that effect.  <that's not a wise guy comment> I also happen to know that the PRODUCT is really only about 5 cents per serving.  Why does McDonald's sell any size soda for a buck?  Because it is still about 90% profit no matter what size you get (always large for me) for a buck.  Sodas at fast food restaurants (other than McDonald's) are a racquet, a profit boom.   

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45 minutes ago, Moby Dick said:

I tend to agree.  My only issue is that I don't think the current process is the best most cost-effective option.  Why?  Because as I stated earlier, you can lose your cup, get a new one issued without the old one being deactivated and anyone that finds your cup can get sodas for free, for the duration.  But, like you said, "it's only 5 cents or so", or words to that effect.  <that's not a wise guy comment> I also happen to know that the PRODUCT is really only about 5 cents per serving.  Why does McDonald's sell any size soda for a buck?  Because it is still about 90% profit no matter what size you get (always large for me) for a buck.  Sodas at fast food restaurants (other than McDonald's) are a racquet, a profit boom.   

I would slightly disagree. Only because how many people are using the cups and how many people don't. @WAAAYTOOO mentioned she never used hers, I know plenty of people who get the DX and don't use theirs either. So, I think the activation and deactivation is more hassle than it worth given the high profit margins of soda. My close friend has a share of a restaurant. Last summer when they were short staffed, I helped manage on the weekends. I would do inventory and one of those 5-gallon Coke syrup boxes would last over 2 weeks. They cost $120 and make 30+ gallons of soda, which she sold for $3.05 with refills. Since the Freestyle machines aren't RCG owned, it would cost them more to implement any more changes or restrictions, plus increase the lines at GS.

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11 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I would slightly disagree. Only because how many people are using the cups and how many people don't. @WAAAYTOOO mentioned she never used hers, I know plenty of people who get the DX and don't use theirs either. So, I think the activation and deactivation is more hassle than it worth given the high profit margins of soda. My close friend has a share of a restaurant. Last summer when they were short staffed, I helped manage on the weekends. I would do inventory and one of those 5-gallon Coke syrup boxes would last over 2 weeks. They cost $120 and make 30+ gallons of soda, which she sold for $3.05 with refills. Since the Freestyle machines aren't RCG owned, it would cost them more to implement any more changes or restrictions, plus increase the lines at GS.

Because so many seem to not use it, that's why I thought it would be a better idea to do a voucher system so that those who do want it, can get it, and those that don't can get something else. I reduces waste, reduces the logistical stress of getting the original tumblers (if that's the reason) and gives people a choice. Maybe a complimentary photo or some special dessert or take-home trinket.

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26 minutes ago, TheBurnsTravelers said:

Because so many seem to not use it, that's why I thought it would be a better idea to do a voucher system so that those who do want it, can get it, and those that don't can get something else. I reduces waste, reduces the logistical stress of getting the original tumblers (if that's the reason) and gives people a choice. Maybe a complimentary photo or some special dessert or take-home trinket.

I don't get the waste logic since having the one cup reduces waste as opposed to having a bunch of "disposable" cups. During the restart I believe they were only putting the cups in star class cabins. I had to ask for my cup, so this meant, if you didn't want one, you never got one......which is probably why they are just now possibly having supply chain issues. Also, the main purpose of these cups is to use the Freestyle machine, to free up bars from children and teenagers who want soda.......and cut down on glassware use. It could later be used as a souvenir, but that isn't the main function. So, if someone got a drinking package, why would they want a photo, dessert. etc. instead of the cup?

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22 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I don't get the waste logic since having the one cup reduces waste as opposed to having a bunch of "disposable" cups. During the restart I believe they were only putting the cups in star class cabins. I had to ask for my cup, so this meant, if you didn't want one, you never got one......which is probably why they are just now possibly having supply chain issues. Also, the main purpose of these cups is to use the Freestyle machine, to free up bars from children and teenagers who want soda.......and cut down on glassware use. It could later be used as a souvenir, but that isn't the main function. So, if someone got a drinking package, why would they want a photo, dessert. etc. instead of the cup?

The waste logic was coming from the perspective of how so many have said that they don't use the cups or even take them home with them at the end of a cruise. If those that have no desire to use the cup are given a choice to do or use something they do want, then it's less cups being distributed and trashed at the end of cruises. It doesnt have to be a photo or dessert, but if a person doesnt have any desire to use a tumbler either, then surely there's something they would want instead. It's just a thought.

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Enchantment had the orange cheap cups - except for one that we used to protect a souvenir, we threw them in the trash. We would have kept the tumblers (and were looking forward to them). They have straws that are annoying to clean and no insulation, so they weren't worth keeping. The RFID was a sticker, if you wanted to transfer said sticker to a new cup (bring your own insulated tumbler), it's very easy, the shower steam heats up the sticker enough for it to fall off and then you can reapply to a new cup.

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On 7/1/2022 at 11:53 PM, Pattycruise said:

This is the new cup, on Oasis. 

D9898621-794D-481E-BDE1-B63433AF873F.jpeg

Hot take here....

I hate these...I really hope they aren't permanent. Insulation notwithstanding, they're not even fun to look at! I love the ones I have now with the ship names.

And I've used them home! I have an older coffee mug style one that was my go to in winter for my hot drinks. And the cold beverage ones have worked great while I'm exercising or sick and don't trust myself with a standard glass.

Plus they are badges of honor - LOOK! I was on a cruise!

 

On 7/2/2022 at 2:21 PM, USFFrank said:

How about this. If one doesn't like the new cups and has one from a previous cruise, perhaps they could bring that one onboard and use it. I know this works for it can be done at the theme parks here in Orlando. Hear me out please. Royal can offer an option when purchasing a drink package for getting a new cup, or bringing an older one. And if you choose to bring your own, the cost should be a little bit cheaper. Once onboard you can either go to guest services or another designated area and once your drink package is confirmed they could re-activate the rfid chip in your cup for the duration of the cruise. If there's an issue with the rfid not working, you would then get a new cup, but would have to surrender your old one. Obviously this can only be done on ships with the Freestyle machines.

I've been hoping/asking for this since I started cruising in 2015. We always get the soda package and it would be nice to save even just $1 a day by bring our old cups instead of getting new ones every time....

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16 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I would slightly disagree. Only because how many people are using the cups and how many people don't. @WAAAYTOOO mentioned she never used hers, I know plenty of people who get the DX and don't use theirs either. So, I think the activation and deactivation is more hassle than it worth given the high profit margins of soda. My close friend has a share of a restaurant. Last summer when they were short staffed, I helped manage on the weekends. I would do inventory and one of those 5-gallon Coke syrup boxes would last over 2 weeks. They cost $120 and make 30+ gallons of soda, which she sold for $3.05 with refills. Since the Freestyle machines aren't RCG owned, it would cost them more to implement any more changes or restrictions, plus increase the lines at GS.

Oh, "come on maaaaaan", you know that all it takes is for Royal's crack IT team to reprogram the machines and move the RFID to a different location on the machine.  🤭😀

But seriously:  As stated earlier/elsewhere, we didn't even take the plastic wrap off of ours on our last cruise.  We took them home and gave them to our Gkids.  They have a nice collection of them.  

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12 minutes ago, Moby Dick said:

Oh, "come on maaaaaan", you know that all it takes is for Royal's crack IT team to reprogram the machines and move the RFID to a different location on the machine.  🤭😀

But seriously:  As stated earlier/elsewhere, we didn't even take the plastic wrap off of ours on our last cruise.  We took them home and gave them to our Gkids.  They have a nice collection of them.  

Royal's IT is the best in the business, I mean it would take them only 14.9 sec to achieve this.

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8 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

Royal's IT is the best in the business, I mean it would take them only 14.9 sec to achieve this.

Ya, once they figured out how to use the Flux Capacitor.  Oh oh oh, your said, "14.9 sec", not 14.9 years.  I've got to get my eyes checked.  I'm going to hop into my DeLorean and go to the eye Dr. 

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The picture that CrimsonCruiser posted are the same cups they had on my 3 day weekend cruise on Freedom. They look and feel cheap and no insulation.  But I understand Royal has to cut cost where they can for now to deal with the debt they where forced to take on during the shut down and every little bit helps.  You have to ask for the cups which is something something I don't mind because in my opinion it reduces waste.  When I cruise I always but the drink package but I've never used the cups, my husband does and he will bring them home but even still in most cases they end up in the trash because he never uses them at home and I can't take the clutter.  

Having said that I do hope at some point Royal does go back to the other cups because some people really do enjoy them and collect them as souvenirs whereas these new cups will most certainly end up in the trash as there is nothing collectable about them. 

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My cruises prior to COVID when the cups were waiting for you in the cabin, I never even unwrapped one. My first four cruises post COVID when you needed to ask for a cup I never did. My last cruise on Ovation I actually decided to try the soda machine, I don't know why, but got the new style plastic cup. I happened to be sitting in the pub, for some reason, mid-afternoon the first day any couldn't believe the jam of people coming in to get their cups. I had to relocate to a seat furthest from the entrance by Sorrento's. The RFID chip was a sticker that they placed on the bottom of the cup. During the cruise I saw numerous people come by to get a replacement sticker because they fell off. I also saw several people getting replacement cups because they had dropped theirs and it cracked. Not sure where they are going with this, guess I'll find out on my Sept Oasis cruise, booked four hours ago😀

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On 7/4/2022 at 11:57 AM, CruisingNewb said:

Which cups do you refer to?  If you think about it, the insulated tumblers are sustainable in the sense that they are resuable.

Once you get off of the ship, you can choose to continue using them at home.  What you choose to do with them afterwards is up to you and the sustainability aspect now falls on your lap.  I am all for conservation and sustainability.  

Now, if there was some way to recode the chip inside so that we don't have to buy new ones for each sailing, that is just icing on the top.  

I actually have an insulated tumbler from 9 years ago (FB just gave me a memory about the end of that particular cruise). We just had the soda package, & got these nice insulated tumblers with a rounded cap & a slide back opening on top - perfect for sipping from, AND allowed you to put a straw in it.  I use if for my going to work coffee in the fall & winter (spring & summer I switch to iced coffee, & use a larger cup).  We have one or 2 others from other cruises, but that one has lasted me for years

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16 hours ago, KevinJ said:

My cruises prior to COVID when the cups were waiting for you in the cabin, I never even unwrapped one. My first four cruises post COVID when you needed to ask for a cup I never did. My last cruise on Ovation I actually decided to try the soda machine, I don't know why, but got the new style plastic cup. I happened to be sitting in the pub, for some reason, mid-afternoon the first day any couldn't believe the jam of people coming in to get their cups. I had to relocate to a seat furthest from the entrance by Sorrento's. The RFID chip was a sticker that they placed on the bottom of the cup. During the cruise I saw numerous people come by to get a replacement sticker because they fell off. I also saw several people getting replacement cups because they had dropped theirs and it cracked. Not sure where they are going with this, guess I'll find out on my Sept Oasis cruise, booked four hours ago😀

Hummmmm, first I've heard of a RFID Sticker.  Not a bad idea for those that don't want the tumbler.  

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On 7/4/2022 at 10:30 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

Totally agree.  In all of the times that we’ve had the DBP - which has been pretty much 100% of the time - we have never once used these cups.  Who wants to carry those things around ?  

We have been on 4 RC cruise (I know we are newbies) and have gotten the refreshment package every time.  We never have used the cups we leave them in their wrappings in the room.  I just don't like carry a cup around, too much of a pain.  

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On 7/4/2022 at 3:14 PM, Matt said:

The RFID is indeed all about the freestyle machines. For a lot of people, the drinks there are what make the soda benefit worthwhile.

I am one of those people. 
 

I canceled my soda package for our upcoming Liberty cruise when I read that she has no Freestyle machines.
 

 

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5 hours ago, teddy said:

I am one of those people. 
 

I canceled my soda package for our upcoming Liberty cruise when I read that she has no Freestyle machines.
 

 

I love how different people are, I can't stand the Freestyle machines yet others love them.  To me they ruin the taste of soda but maybe that's because I'm a plain Coke drinker.  

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1 hour ago, MicDay said:

I love how different people are, I can't stand the Freestyle machines yet others love them.  To me they ruin the taste of soda but maybe that's because I'm a plain Coke drinker.  

I like the Powerade options along with the flavors that aren’t available at the bars….the various cream sodas, root beer, etc, plus I like to mix different concoctions  

My tastes tend to be kinda eclectic. 🙂

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