mnocket

I've never used Luggage Forward, and I'm not likely to give it a try having read too many complaints about missing bags. It would certainly be convenient, but I'd be worried the whole time about my luggage not making it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed 🤞 that yours turn up. BTW I just got off this morning. We did our best to leave the ship in tip top condition for you. I'll be following your journey with great interest .

The port water was nice the day we arrived. However, on the second day it rained in the morning and the street gutters run into the harbor area carrying all the street trash with it. It was pretty bad and our tour guide admitted it was terrible and apologized for it.

Wasn't expecting that! I imagine to some those are fighting words😀

THANK YOU! Good to see someone understands my point.👍

Well, I think some of the smaller, luxury lines, with more space per passenger come close to meeting demand. In fact during my pre-pandemic cruise in MSC's Yacht Club, I don't remember there ever being a problem. Granted that was a Caribbean cruise and there were many port days - so maybe not a fair assessment. However, when it comes to the mass-market lines with multiple 1,000's of passengers, it may not be possible. It would take a significant redesign of the pool deck(s). This probably isn't a high revenue generating area and so there's little incentive for cruise lines dedicate more real estate to it. Plus, such a design would limit the ships to warm weather itineraries. So I guess, for mass market lines, if having supply meet demand is the only surefire solution to lounge hogs, maybe as OP opines - it is an unsolvable problem 🤔 Still I'd like to see a cruise line make an effort to redesign their pool deck to increase the supply of loungers. That would certainly be a customer friendly change!

It never fails to disappoint me how many cheerleaders will reflexively jump to side with the cruise lines against almost any complaint against the company. I don't know if Celebrity has the contractual right to change any or every aspect of their product after a customer has purchased it, or not. To me it really doesn't matter - either way it's treating their customers wrong. Something can be both legal and wrong. If the OP does indeed proceed with legal action, I hope they win - although I fear it will likely be throwing good money after bad. Still they have my support and gratitude for standing up against a company for doing wrong by their customers, because they know they can get away with it. It's sad to see so many side with the company🙁

I can count them tomorrow, but you seem to miss my point. As long as demand exceeds supply, there is going to be a problem with chair hogs. In Regent's case there are enough loungers, just not enough in the shade - hence a problem with chair hogs for those loungers. OP asked if the problem with chair hogs was unsolvable. I believe the only surefire solution is for cruise lines to bring supply in balance with demand. Short of that, I don't see a real solution. Do you disagree?

I said enough loungers to satisfy demand, not one per pax. Regent seems to have enough to satisfy demand - which is far less than one per pax. They just don't have enough in the shade. Hence a shortage - hence hoarding (i.e. chair hogs). My point is you're always going to have a problem with chair hogs as long as demand exceeds supply.

It sure seems to me that the only surefire solution is for the cruise ship/resort to provide enough loungers to satisfy the demand. Everyone seems willing to give them a pass on this. Nothing encourages hoarding like a shortage. fwiw I'm sailing on Regent, lying by the pool as I write this. There is no shortage of pool lounges, but the ones in the shade are in high demand... and yes, they get "reserved" by chair hogs🙁

We're on deck 8 and have had 2 outages (one this morning).

It actually worked out better then I thought it would. After about an hour, there was a shortage of tables and some people were forced to join shared tables, but really not a big problem.

I'm going to atleast give it a try, but I do expect it to be somewhat of a cluster. I can't see any way they can accommodate all those people in the space available.

Glad you had no problems. Returned from dinner and toilet working. Fingers crossed that there are no more problems.

Already called reception. Phone rang for 2 minutes with no answer. I guess a lot of people were calling to report the problem. Waited 20 minutes and then got thru. They are aware of the problem.

Duplicate. Deleted.

OK. Just boarded Mariner 4 hours ago. Guess what?? My wife just tried flushing the toilet and no joy. I guess we'll just have to hold it for the next 25 days😡 UNBELIEVABLE!

I'm on the same cruise😃 I tried to book the Biltmore independently for the day we disembark (will fly home the next day), but it seems they don't accept single night bookings, at least not on the weekend🙁

You're correct about Viking, also expedition cruise lines offer extensive enrichment programs, but they are even more expensive. I'm afraid that when you turn to the less expensive mainstream lines, it's a bit of a crapshoot. Most have some form of scheduled lectures, but the topics and quality vary greatly and really can't be predicted in advance. You won't know until you get onboard who the lecturers are and what their topics will be. Sometimes the presentations are nothing more than thinly disguised sales pitches for excursions or the onboard shops. Sometimes they are very interesting. The thing is, you can't tell in advance which you're getting.

I wonder what effect this will have on tourism? It certainly won't boost it.

As always, there are different opinions on this. You might scroll down to @kywildcatfanone 's comment.

You could be right, but my recollection is that I've read a lot more complaints from people about passing near the outdoor smoking areas on cruise ships than I have about walking by Churchills. The casino, now that's a different matter.

We'll be getting on as you get off, so I'll be interested in reading your impressions as the cruise progresses. It's our first RSSC cruise and we're not sure where we should set our expectations.

I suspect cigar smoking outdoors will actually annoy more people than smoking in an indoor, enclosed, ventilated, purpose-built room, but what do I know?

I'll be there in a few weeks. Just made it under the wire to avoid the new visa requirement.

lol I thought I was paranoid for noticing this🤔