I made it back on a cruise!

[CanHardlyWait]

So.......drum roll.............

 

I did it!!!!!!!

 

I'll get into more post trip. But the psychological effects of many bad hard tight years vs the long anticipation vs reading too much of people's opinions vs the build-up vs the need for it to be perfect after a really long time, etc. Well it made the perfect storm. If it wasn't perfect it at least could have been in my head. Not living up after a decade of not being able to go anywhere was terrifying. You could right a book on it. 

 

Lots to say. Nothing bad. Will be updating. 

 

Wasn't planning on buying internet and broke down an hour ago and did. 

 

Didn't want to deal with the real world (and the cost), but it's hard to not look at your phone. Who sang that song that goes.........etc was driving me crazy. Little things like that get to you.

 

Unfortunately, the real world came with an issue. The pet hotel left a message that my little 9lb boy is not eating. He gets like that. We told them. 2 pages of typed information and instructions. They know where we are and said they understand if we can't call but they are looking for ideas to get him to eat. We are trying to figure out if with T Mobile and wifi ( if and how ) we can call and potential cost? At sea now. St Thomas tomorrow. DH is messaging with T Mobile rep right now. 

 

OK he is telling me rep is saying to download whatsapp and we can call over that via wifi and not accrue any costs. This sound right to anyone?

[WAAAYTOOO]

WAY TO GO !  So happy to hear that you moved forward.  Have a GREAT time !  Sorry to hear your fur baby is missing you…fingers crossed that he will get over it quickly.

[twangster]

Tmobile wifi calling should be included in your plan but you would have needed to set up wifi calling before leaving.  

[DoomSlayer]

7 minutes ago, twangster said:

Tmobile wifi calling should be included in your plan but you would have needed to set up wifi calling before leaving.  

^^^ This ^^^  I also posted in the other thread too for some pointers with wifi calling.

[DoomSlayer]

from the other thread:

I am glad you made it on Board.  I have T-Mobile and I am able to use wifi calling natively on both Apple and Android phones.  Find a good nerdy looking young person and ask if they can help you set up wifi calling.  You will not have to pay anything more than what you already have paid for the internet package.  You will be able to call and text just like to normally do without having to load whatsapp.  Just remember to keep you phone in airplane mode while onboard so you don't attach to the ship's cellular service which can be expensive.

Life throws curve balls.  My last cruise had a few hiccups at first, but a quick trip to guest services and all the problems were solved and my wife and I had a great time.  I hope you and your husband do too!

[Xaa]

Now I "CanHardlyWait" for the trip report.  See you on the other side.  So glad you pushed through!

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

Very happy to hear you found your “peace within” and did so before you made any rash decisions regarding scraping your cruise!  You took control of the situation at a very vulnerable point and turned it around!  Well done!

Enjoy!

[CanHardlyWait]

Short update:

Made call yesterday via wifi no problem.

Baby boy is showing "no signs of stress and is a sweetheart". We told them he is super picky eater. Left him with 4lbs of pre package deli chicken and cheese. Told them to mix in his food, but hasn't been working. We said start hand feeding him the deli separately from the dog food. He never says no to a slice of chicken or cheese. LOL. Hand feeding works best. He's 2 and a half but still a baby in many ways. Told them if they run out to buy more and we will pay upon return. 

Today is St Thomas. 

Was planning to make our own way via taxi to Megan's Bay (about $45 less than excursion). Still waking up. Late night last night. Comedy show and then love and marriage show. Had a blast but up till 1am. So this morning is a slow start. LOL.

Again, full review to come

Thanks all!

[Matt]

Welcome home!

[WAAAYTOOO]

2 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Had a blast but up till 1am.

There ya go !  That's what I wanna see !!!  So happy that you are having a good time.

[ellcee]

Happy to hear pup is eating. Nothing can ruin a trip like worrying when you can't do very much. 

[CanHardlyWait]

Random thought.

What's the deal with telling people if they are using there own water bottles to pour water into a glass and then into your bottle for germs etc?

The water or juice pours straight down in and doesn't touch your bottle. I think that advice is a waste of time.

If you have a freestyle cup it's going from your mouth to under the spout every time you get a drink. So basically same difference.

Same as getting refills in McDonald's, Movies, etc. 

Just something I'm noticing here in the zoojammer.

[CanHardlyWait]

I don't know what happened to the crew but today all of a sudden, they all seem to have the hump. Lots of very unhappy faces. Wasn't this way at all till today???

[DoomSlayer]

2 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Random thought.

What's the deal with telling people if they are using there own water bottles to pour water into a glass and then into your bottle for germs etc?

The water or juice pours straight down in and doesn't touch your bottle. I think that advice is a waste of time.

If you have a freestyle cup it's going from your mouth to under the spout every time you get a drink. So basically same difference.

Same as getting refills in McDonald's, Movies, etc. 

Just something I'm noticing here in the zoojammer.

I scratched my head too on this.  Freestyle machines are a good example, as you point out, where some of these policies onboard are consistently inconsistent.  The only thing I can figure is either left over from covid, or they are trying to use health concerns to try and deter people from filling large containers at places like the Promenade cafe where the dispensers have limited capacity and have to be manually filled up.

But the important question is: How is your trip going?  Hopefully you are having a good time and are able to just laugh at these silly things.

[CanHardlyWait]

Missed Megan's Bay and St Thomas all together. 30 minutes before we were to leave the ship we got call about dog. He had been having the poops all night. They wanted the OK to take him to Vet.

By the time we called they already brought him. He was on IV for dehydration. We spent the day on the phone every hour on the hour. Long story short he has a condition that creates bad bacteria and we told the doctor to put him on pro biotics. The next day he was feeling better and ate some food. But St Thomas didn't happen. 

They kept apologizing saying they know we are on a cruise, but then would ask how long we would be gone. After we told them, they would say "are you sure". This prompted us to check airfare from St Thomas. We were looking at $1500 each and 12 hours of travel. Then they would say they could handle it. But would ask our return date. And after we would say it, again they say "are you sure". So Wednesday was hard.

Thursday they said he was doing better. LOL. 

 

[OCSC Mike]

15 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

What's the deal with telling people if they are using there own water bottles to pour water into a glass and then into your bottle for germs etc?

Many people hold their water bottle right up to the dispenser instead of letting the water fall into the bottle. RC is mostly just going out of its way to be as hygienic as possible (or at least give that appearance).

I'm not a germaphobe and it wouldn't really bother me, personally, but the extra 1-2 minutes it takes to use cups also isn't something that would even register as something I would care or complain about either.

Hope the doggy continues to do better.

[CanHardlyWait]

We both have "head colds"????

We missed St Maarten like we missed St Thomas. Sad about that. Really wanted to go to tropical beaches. Have a deposit on next year, so here is hoping. After dinner Wednesday night at Chops I had to go to bed. St Maarten was 830am next day and I stayed in bed till noon. Then chills went away and we pressed on with day. Like 10 people in solarium so that was nice. Swim, sun, and looked at island views. Did Mason Jar and 2 shows. Not bad for people with "colds". 

PS this ship sounds like a TB ward. LOL.

But we each have 6 shots. So not much can live for long in us. Also the AC in our cabin is fantastic. Colds could be from freezing room overnight. 

With the exception of the missed excursions it's a great trip. Not complaining. Just reporting. And we put deposit on Icon day it came out. So will be paying way less then everyone else.

Still gotta pay it off. Tomorrow's problem. 

So glad we only got 3nt dine package. Any more would just be too much food. 

More to come.........

[DoomSlayer]

9 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Missed Megan's Bay and St Thomas all together. 30 minutes before we were to leave the ship we got call about dog. He had been having the poops all night. They wanted the OK to take him to Vet.

By the time we called they already brought him. He was on IV for dehydration. We spent the day on the phone every hour on the hour. Long story short he has a condition that creates bad bacteria and we told the doctor to put him on pro biotics. The next day he was feeling better and ate some food. But St Thomas didn't happen. 

They kept apologizing saying they know we are on a cruise, but then would ask how long we would be gone. After we told them, they would say "are you sure". This prompted us to check airfare from St Thomas. We were looking at $1500 each and 12 hours of travel. Then they would say they could handle it. But would ask our return date. And after we would say it, again they say "are you sure". So Wednesday was hard.

Thursday they said he was doing better. LOL. 

 

We have a fur baby too, and my wife is preoccupied with watching him on the petcam at the kennel while we are on board.  She would go nuts not being able to see him and is one reason why I always get internet for her.  I am happy he is doing better, and am sorry it messed up your plans at St. Thomas.  Hopefully he continues to do well and you are able to enjoy the next few days!

[Carlos A.]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

Many people hold their water bottle right up to the dispenser instead of letting the water fall into the bottle. RC is mostly just going out of its way to be as hygienic as possible (or at least give that appearance).

Also all freestyle cups have the same shape and size and you have to put them on the sensor before pouring beverages so there's no way it can touch the dispenser directly.

 

[Ampurp85]

I think the water bottles are different than the freestyle cups as the mouth of the cup is far from the dispenser. I have seen people shove their cups right on the water spout, drink some and do it again.

I am not a fan of St. Maarten or Thomas but I am sure the next cruise you go on will stop there.

[Sweety]

2 hours ago, DoomSlayer said:

We have a fur baby too, and my wife is preoccupied with watching him on the petcam at the kennel while we are on board.  She would go nuts not being able to see him and is one reason why I always get internet for her.  I am happy he is doing better, and am sorry it messed up your plans at St. Thomas.  Hopefully he continues to do well and you are able to enjoy the next few days!

We have two fur babies. My hubby wants to see them all the time. On the last day he is ready to go home to get them. 

[DoomSlayer]

4 minutes ago, Sweety said:

We have two fur babies. My hubby wants to see them all the time. On the last day he is ready to go home to get them. 

Same here.  We usually sail out of Galveston, and it is always feels like a race on disembarkation day to make sure we make it back to Dallas in time to get him from the kennel the same day.

[CanHardlyWait]

OK, so head waiter "invited us as his guests" to the galley tour tomorrow. Gave us a slip of paper in an envelope out of his jacket and told us to meet him at the front door to the MDR.

Now I know people pay money for this. Was there a miss communication when he said "I would like to invite you as my guest" or will they be charging us???

[WAAAYTOOO]

6 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

OK, so head waiter "invited us as his guests" to the galley tour tomorrow. Gave us a slip of paper in an envelope out of his jacket and told us to meet him at the front door to the MDR.

Now I know people pay money for this. Was there a miss communication when he said "I would like to invite you as my guest" or will they be charging us???

There will be no charge if the Captain invited you.  Well done !

[tjcruisers]

2 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

OK, so head waiter "invited us as his guests" to the galley tour tomorrow. Gave us a slip of paper in an envelope out of his jacket and told us to meet him at the front door to the MDR.

Now I know people pay money for this. Was there a miss communication when he said "I would like to invite you as my guest" or will they be charging us???

My oldest son got invited to do that by the head waiter on one of our cruises (either Freedom or Oasis), there was no charge. I swear they also gave him cookbook as well, just can’t find it

[bobroo]

There are some valuable lessons for you in that galley, my fingers are crossed.