mnocket

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🤔

That's not what it says. If you think MSC actually keeps the booking fee for the no show PLUS charges the person who show up an ADDITIONAL 100% of the fare, you're welcome to your opinion. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

OK. I read it. It sounds pretty standard to me. I'm not sure what you think is different. No refund for no shows - one person from the original booking must remain on the booking. How is this different from Celebrity?

I'm not familiar with MSC's policy on no shows. Can you explain? Thanks.

I don't see why it would be a problem. Guests don't even have to board at the same time. The substitute can board without the other person being there. The ship will sail regardless of no shows. No one is going to hunt the substitute down and insist they leave the ship because the other person is a no show. It seems to me that whoever told you this would be a problem is just offering a hypothetical that isn't realistic. I wouldn't worry about it.

Well if you have a single that would like to join you on the cruise, I guess you could substitute that person for one of your grandparents. Then the other grandparent that is still on the booking could be a no show. The result is one person gets to use their cabin instead of it going totally to waste.

Call centers and Interactive Voice Response systems are proof there is a hell😈

Cruise lines will continue to raise prices and reduce services/quality until there is sufficient customer pushback. So far, there are enough customers willing to go along with these changes, so they are likely to continue. It's even begun to creep into the luxury market. I'm seeing some complaints on the Regent board about a decline in food quality. The industry is certainly suffering from long Covid, and I'm afraid the condition has become chronic.

The problem is that the avian flu outbreak in South Georgia is the result of birds migrating from South America. Scientists expect that the same thing is likely to happen to Antarctica.

IMHO it really depends on just how strong their concerns are. They will most certainly be in an environment where there is an increased risk of contracting Covid. If finding themselves in situations where they are forced to be in close proximity to others is going to freak them out, cruising is probably a bad idea. I was out for a short hike in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains 2 days ago. My wife and I were about 1 mile out on a trail through a meadow, hadn't seen another human since starting out, and here comes this solo woman heading back who is wearing a mask. Something tells me she would not be comfortable on a cruise ship!