WI-Cruiser

3 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Thanks for sharing that. One of the reasons he's an honorary Chief Petty Officer.

Also a Lone Sailor Award Recipient.  Believe he was in the Navy during WW2 as a Gunner Mate 1st Class.  Quit a man, as they all were.

3 hours ago, zonacruiser25 said:

Ran into a Spook at a veterans get together and we were on the same patrol!  Hard to believe with only 120 guys on the boat, we spent 91 days underwater and we never met!

Have you seen Blind Man's Bluff - History Channel Documentary?  Might be up your alley.  Discusses the types of missions you may have been on.

1 hour ago, zonacruiser25 said:

Ran into a Spook at a veterans get together and we were on the same patrol!  Hard to believe with only 120 guys on the boat, we spent 91 days underwater and we never met!

That's why we're called spooks.....🕵️‍♂️

On 4/24/2020 at 5:53 PM, squale2 said:

US Navy 82-86  USS Ainsworth (FF 1090) and USS Connole (FF 1056)

Spent time on your sister ship USS Pharris (FF 1094)

U.S. Navy Cryptologic Technician 1973 - 1995.  Been there, done that, got the tee shirts to prove it ⛴️🌎.

Same here - called RCI and they moved the redeemed points ($400 OBC) to my Oct 20 cruise. 

During this crisis being laid off may actually be better for those in the service industry where they depend on tips or commissions as a primary component of their compensation.  Even if the company keeps them on the payroll they may lose a significant part of their income.   By being laid off they are eligible for unemployment benefits which takes total taxable income into consideration.  As such, they MAY actually take in more $$ unemployed then if they received only their 'base' hourly wage.

That said, it of course assumes they weren't receiving benefits such as medical insurance, but sadly most in the service industry don't receive such benefits.

Travel Insured is offering refunds or voucher for future trip insurance.  We just requested a voucher for our Oct Harmony cruise.

Loving your review.  What a fantastic idea!

Any except Chops, not just Oasis class but across the fleet.  Has gone downhill IMHO.  

Radiance class used to be our favorite, but since they've focused so much to the entertainment into the Centrum it just isn't enjoyable any more - too crowded and loud.

We now find Oasis class more to our liking, although we will gladly sail on any class.

She has several weeks before the point where she'll lose 100% (30 days prior to cruise).  She should at least wait until closer to that point to make a decision.

Many venues on CocoCay are ridiculously expensive, but as others have pointed out enough people are willing to pay for it I guess there isn't much we can do.  That old supply and demand thing.  I expect prices to come down as the 'newness' wears off.  I for one am not willing to pay those exorbitant prices, but then again we don't have a disappointed child looking up at us and begging to try the water slide.

Hump cabins on Oasis class are a separate category - Ocean View with Large Balcony I believe, and typically cost more than a regular Ocean View cabin.  In fact we found a few cruises where the Ocean View with Large Balcony was the same as, and in one case more than, a Junior Suite (which we booked).

Our favorite on this class is deck 8 but have stayed on 7 which was nice as long as you remember you can't cross over between port and starboard aft.

I think royal did the right thing by denying boarding.

HOWEVER, the policy should be that if the affected person is a minor then the minor's parents/guardians should receive full refund, or at least be provided paperwork indicating they were denied boarding as well so they can claim against insurance.

Standard procedures also should be in place on how the denied passengers can get their baggage returned - while it may not happen on every cruise I'm sure it is not uncommon for someone to be denied boarding.

Cases like the OP's just encourage people to lie about feeling ill - never a good idea and especially in today's environment.

I don't think there's anything 'normal' about RCCL's pricing.  Drink package prices vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing.  My experience is that it's always more expensive to buy onboard so I purchase in advance.  If you want the drink package and it's at a price you can live with - buy it.  Continue to watch prices as the can, and most likely will, vary.  If the price goes down it's simple to cancel the original purchase and buy at the cheaper price.

11 minutes ago, Hawg11 said:

I don't think I have the option to make those decisions yet. My cruise is still 184 days out. From what I read I plan on doing my time dining because I don't know when we plan on eating.

 

Your dining option is typically set at time of booking.  Check your Cruise Receipt, there's a line indicating your current dining assignment.  My Time Dining (MTD) allows maximum flexibility.  As it gets closer to your cruise you can make MTD reservations either online or via the app, depending on ship.  Traditional dining in the Main Dining Room (MDR) is either early or late.  Times vary depending on ship and sailing but early is usually around 5-5:30 and late 7:30-8.  As a first time cruiser I'd recommend MTD for the flexibility, allowing you to explore some of the many other dining options and to see what time best fits your cruising style.  Depending on the ship there are many places to dine, some free (Windjammer, Solarium Bistro, Park Cafe) and others cost extra (Chops, Jamie's, Izumi). 

1 hour ago, kkat10 said:

 I am trying to decide how much cash to take with us. Are there any ATM's on the ship or islands? We will be going to St Martin, San Juan and CoCo Cay---Can we use debit/credit cards on the islands or will we need cash? Can we use American cash or will need something else?

We always bring enough cash for small transactions but in the past have gotten cash from the Casino (charged against your onboard account).  For larger transactions and emergencies we carry one credit card off the ship (we leave a second onboard just in case).  You should notify your bank that you're traveling overseas so they don't flag the account.  I would never recommend using a debit card except at the onboard ATM's (likely a large fee so be prepared).  Debit cards don't have the same protections as credit cards if lost or stolen.

1 hour ago, excited balcony said:

How do you or where do you view the menus?  We are cruising on Majesty of the Seas next week and I would love to get a peek at the menus.  Thanks!!

You can view them in the app, but the app isn't supported for the Majesty yet.  So you'll probably have to depend on a recent Majesty passenger posting copies.

Least favorite Diamond Lounge we've encountered so far.  If the appetizers aren't important to you then skip the lounge and get your free drinks in a nicer venue.

1 hour ago, 2chiefs said:

We also like the Solarium Cafe and the Park Cafe on Oasis. The Wndjammer is just too crowded. We don't mind the Windjammer on the smaller ships.

(BTW, we are MCPO and CPO couple).

T

You can expect a chief to know the best places to eat or drink.....

Not really a secret but take advantage of the Solarium Bistro for Breakfast.  Much less crowded than the Windjammer, especially early in the cruise.  Starts to fill up more later in the cruise as more people become aware of it.  Also a good option for dinner.  You should make a reservation, but it's free.  Nicer than having dinner in the Windjammer IMHO.

If an Oasis class I recommend going to the Park Cafe and avoid the Windjammer crowds.  If the Solarium Cafe is open that's also a great option.

2 hours ago, scottie99 said:

Is it just me who is constantly astounded at Americans who take such pride in their tipping generosity?  I have always been appalled at the “tip em first day and get better service attitude “

 

We have cruised for 35 years, have lost count of how many but certainly in excess of 55. We have always paid the recommended amount. We have had great service and mediocre service, but always paid the tips. 
 

I expect to be shot down, but I find the American “tip em extra “ attitude as patronising to staff. This constant theme, “ we asked for ice etc” so tipped extra is ridiculous. I have pre paid tips, so I should be able to ask for ice ( I remember when it was delivered without asking)

It's a totally different cultural perspective.  I lived in Scotland for 6 years so understand your perspective; pay structure is such that tips are actually something extra, not the primary source of income.  But I, and my son, have worked in jobs where the primary source of income was from tips and NEVER felt patronized when receiving a good tip.  So yes, I tip generously when I feel it's deserved.  If service was mediocre then I leave the minimum tip.  Right or wrong, tipping is a fact of life in America and will continue to be so until the service industry pay structure is fundamentally changed.

4 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

Yes on water and soft drinks.  Not sure what you mean by "Ice".

 

You are allowed 12 containers of non-alcoholic beverages per stateroom, each no larger than 500ml.

Sparkling ICE is a brand of flavored carbonated water.