SwissMiss USA

So today was a bit of a mess. We got up at 3:30 and made the flight at 5:30. We flew to Atlanta. Super snotty flight till about 30 minutes till a landing. It was so windy from the tail end of the weather. We broke through the clouds and it was like rising in a bouncy house. The girl next to us puked in the little bag. Felt so bad for her cause she was just so scared. 
 

we got into Atlanta around 8:15am and got to the lounge. The next flight to Fort Lauderdale would not board till 11:30. We were then delayed to 2:07, 3:45 and 4:22…. Which third time is a charm. 
 

The luggage claim was a zoo! Four flights had coke in around the same time. Princes regal was telling people to leave luggage; it was go time. They were the only boat that waited. Looks like the line of thunderstorms across Florida just delayed all flights going south. So glad we had the day to spare. 

21 hours ago, sandebeach said:

Safe travels to you! 

Thanks! The flight to Atlanta was bumpy to put it mildly. I’ve only had that kind of elevator ride a few times. I am sure the ride to Fort Lauderdale will be the same. The girl sitting next to us puked in her little puke bag. My daughter said she thought she may puke watching her puke. She didn’t. She also didn’t flinch at the fact we were being thrown around like a rag doll. Lol 

A few more hours! 

Does anyone wake up on testing day and get a bit of angst? We are all living normal lives with my daughter in school unmasked and me traveling for work every two weeks. However …. Drum roll … all negative. This was the first time that I had one testing reconnect three times. Thank goodness there were no questions around the validity of the test as the reconnect was at the very beginning, mid-testing and after the 15 min wait. We have all the tests on NAVICA and I printed as well. 
 

Mom and dad were packed already. I packed for myself and daughter mid morning, working off my list. 
 

We took the dogs to the kennel. One was happy to see anyone and the other … she was so sad. I just wanted to hold her. The kennel is amazing and the have a large room with cot and TV and get personal walk three times a day so they are fine.

Mom and dad wanted new shoes for walking in port and for the pool deck. We were then off for dinner and hotel. The hotel is at the airport and while we could drive in (only 30 min away), this reduces stress. And … you can park the car for no extra cost. The flight is at 5:30 am. 
 

We have a 3 hour layover in Atlanta. That is by design in case we are delayed on this side …. I looked at flights to see if we can standby. All flights in all classes Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale are sold out. It’s ok. We will wait no join a million others in the lounge. We heard it may be rain and wind; here is to hoping the pool is still nice and warm! 
 

Safe travels to all the folks traveling tomorrow! 

So busy this week!!! Lots of fun reviews! 
Our preparation is slowly beginning. I made the packing list last night… yeah, I could use the same list every time but for whatever reason I like to create a new one. I always forget something and thus start early. When I remember something I think … “yes, girl… phew you could have forgotten it.”

We have our Covid tests ready. 6pack for 4 people and back up at Walgreens. They don’t have the rapid test but signed up for the 1 day test. I’ll cancel if the proctored tests come back negative. 
 

The dogs got a space in the boarding facility. I was on wait list. My sister will be picking them up after the weekend buy still relieved they have a place to play and won’t have to sit in their crates. 
 

Question out there to folks. We booked insurance to late for pre-existing conditions, so we took the least expensive travel insurance an stacked GeoBlue on top. Was very cheap to cover medical and also covers pre-existing conditions. Does anyone have experience with GeoBlue? 
 

Many ask about travel with child and one parent. I technically have full custody, but my documents are all in German. I have never been asked to show proof I can travel with her anywhere (cruise, Hungary, Ireland, Germany, etc). That said, she has a passport (and her dad sends the form of approval) and I kept my married last name partially for this reason. Despite all this, I get her dad to sign a notarized document every time he comes to the USA that is generic and let’s me travel in case asked. 
 

I’ll write again a bit later this week when we actually pack! 

8 nights is amazing!! We get on when you get off next Sunday and only have 6 nights! I am excited to follow you! Enjoy the cruise 🙂 

Excited to follow! 

My second cruise was not until 2016. Pj and I had moved back to the USA. I was trying to figure out what we could do as a family. We happen to have 8 people: me, pj, mom, dad, my sister, her husband and 2 nieces. Advertising works. I saw an ad for Royal and looked it up. I saw this new thing called Royal Suite Class. I found a 2 bedroom aqua theatre and booked. I called back with every kids sale free and got lower and lower price. I think many will agree: I got that room at 13k for 8 people. I thought that it was as cheap as a balcony with All the extras. 
 

we had no idea what to expect, except we knew to not give our bags to the porters. we got a genie porter and he legit packed 15 bags and went to our room with us. The room was tight, but rarely were we all in it. The balcony was amazing!!!! Beautiful for movies or 2am when you hear only the motor abs yourself breathe while you look at the stars tipsy. 
 

we had an amazing time. My brother in law was no too tall for the shower. My sister did not get lotion sick. We made wonderful memories. We had no stress as our genie (Marla) made and adjusted all plans as needed. We celebrated my niece’s 10th birthday. 
 

we walked off Sunday morning at 7 as we had a 9:30 flight. We made it! 
 

This is when we realized the suite life. 

I was going to give a bit of our cruising history. My first cruise was with NCL (2012). I lived in Europe and my then husband and I wanted to take a vacation with my visiting parents. I looked up cruises and there was a cruise in the Epic departing from Barcelona. Barcelona was about a 90 minute flight from Zurich and seemed “safe” in case we miss a flight. We were naive…. No insurance … no fly day before. We called and they had a forward facing suite and we took it. We had no idea what to expect. My sister and her husband took a cruise for their honeymoon years prior and didn’t like it; he was too tall for the shower and she got motion sickness. She told us to not book the cheapest cabin if we have 4 people. We land in Barcelona, take the cab and …. Whoa!! Huge ship. That was the first time we realized there are huge ships out there. We soon learned that we had booked in the Haven. Loved the ship in ship. Pj was 9 months and could crawl in a near empty lounge ….they got her toast daily (teething) and gave my mom “Pepsi in a fancy glass”. We had a butler who we never used expect one reservation. The bathroom tub was smack looking out the front window and …. Views … views

My love for cruising was born. 

These are great ports. 12 nights!!!!!! 

1 hour ago, topnole said:

Completely understand.  No rush on any questions.  I do look forward to hearing your star class experience.  
 

If you don’t mind me asking, how old is your daughter?   My daughter is 6 (plus we have two younger boys too) and this will be her first cruise that she will really get to do a lot of the activities.  Not all, but she will be good for rock climbing and skating as an example.  So I’m so excited to see her have a blast doing those things and just enjoying the adventure that is a cruise.  She will be in heaven with all of it.  

Oh no … I wrote a huge response and it didn’t post. She is 10! I’ll try to re-write the rest later 

12 hours ago, topnole said:

We will be Star class on Allue in a couple months.  Looking forward to your review. Are you open to fielding some questions?

Yes I can field them, but might not be as fast to reply as others. It is still vacation, so anything too crazy I may just tell them requester to “wait 2 weeks for Topnole” 

lol 

12 hours ago, nelblu said:

The Op may be referring to her daughter being 10 mos. old.😄

 

To the Op.  I sailed Allure on January 22 and resided in a measly CP balcony.  Had a great time.  If you love musicals, you will love Mamma Mia.

 

Will follow, but hopefully there will be a broad discussion and highlights and not simply life with a genie.😄

Hey…. We had a balcony at Christmas and took a crap shot at a request for an upgrade at customer service. We got it! It cost a bit but nothing like had i booked a CLS online. 
 

As long as one can see the water! 

7 hours ago, feisty77 said:

Yes please, we will be on Oasis week after you.  I"m not sure what all genie service gets you but interested in family/kid specific things.

If I can get my kid to get out of the room, you bet. Ha! Yes, more than just the genie. We don’t even cruise for the genie, but it is a nice perk! I’ll let you know what family stuff we do. 

12 hours ago, EllaDuChien said:

I would be interested!  I am on the Allure in July with my daughter.  We were last on the Allure together in 2012, when she was 10 months old!  

I remember cruises with littles. They just love everything and aren’t all picky about this and that! I do have to say that the boat is great for kids! 

Hi all!! 
 

I am Leanna and have unsuccessfully made a live review here once. I started out on a roll,  and may or may not have had a super long night post chefs table and given up. 
 

We are on allure March 13-19 for a western over spring break. It is me, my daughter PJ and my mom and dad. Would anyone want to follow a report that may or may not be timely? We are star class and can report how that is all happening since @A&L_Ont cancelled their spring break. 
 

I am concerned about Covid testing. We have the at home Proctor tests. We used them for a Christmas sailing (that was way worse in gering Covid I keep telling myself) and was super easy! 

Our genie is Romina. She contacted us about 6 weeks out. We had both 1720 and 1718 but my sister refuses to cruise … it matters cause another genie wrote them and the wording was nearly exact. Templates. Efficiency. Won’t critique so long as our service is good .

it could be a few days between posts as am a single working mom. Gotta pay for these things .. lol

Leanna

I am ok with full capacity. We book suites to have the option of a lounge that has more room and larger balconies to just hang. I would never expect a large boat to have less people than it can handle. We love the family entertainment and options that a large boat for many people provides. 

Also, my sister abs family simply don’t want to travel. I had two agents say it is no longer an issue to transfer the FCC. Have to wait for the FCC to be issued and then she needs to send an email 

2 hours ago, ownedbypets said:

Marijana is amazing!! We had her when we were in 1722.

She’s is so amazing! We had her in a CLS and she thought I may speak Serbian-Croatian due to our last name. I explained that my ex-husband had the name and I kept it for my daughter and that grandma on that side can only speak German and serbo-Croatian. She had Pj write a letter and helped her translate it!! 
 

we just saw her on Harmony over Christmas and she remembered us!!! She said “I don’t always remember faces but my little girl who needed her translation cannot be forgotten”. 
 

Sometimes you just “click” 

Hope you get her! 

Depends on whether you enjoy looking at everyone or want privacy. 1722 will be private and 1724 will not be. We have the star loft mid-March and simply paid for it. It is worth it, but we also only cruise / vacation 1x (lucky if 2x) per year.  We also don’t do a ton of excursions and with Covid we kinda just plan to sit and relax for a week as far away from people as we can. The balcony in 1724 will be amazing for people watching and distancing. 
 

I would take the CLS if I could sail multiple times a year as it is just as nice minus the genie and drink package. But hey, YOLO… enjoy the upgrade or just purchase the room if you feel the extra space, balcony and genie is worth it. 

@Rosy Season hey .... not sure if this is you,  but by chance did you share a table with me at Rising Tide on day 1 (Dec 19)? I remember your name, which is close to this user name, and that your daughter would join in week 2. If yes, I am so sorry this happened on what was supposed to be your momma daughter time. 
 

we did end up getting that upgrade and it was interesting .... we had meals in costal kitchen which has limited staff. On day 5, Pj and I were eating dinner and  nearly all wait staff had changed. The hostess told us her colleague was not feeling well. I told pj .... what do you want to bet that they all have Covid? 
 

we pretty much stayed in the room. We partook in only 1 show; I didn’t want to be packed in with people.

I tested with a self test at home upon our return and was negative. I am starting to commute on a weekly basis now and pj will go back to her unmasked school.... so now we wait and see if it catches us on land. I do agree with you that the Christmas cruise didn’t seem too impacted by Covid. 
 

best of luck to you both 

Leanna 

10 minutes ago, AustinCruise said:

there is no sun suite or 11am bar on the OPs ship - navigator.  There is also no CK. 

Oops ... missed that 

I was just on Harmony in CLS. I can validate that they have breakfast and lunch daily. No saving seating at the shows but  suites can get in earlier than regular crowd. Sun suite is open, bar is open daily as of 11am, yes all kids can go in SL and CK (mine is vaccinated but saw children without the bracelet), and they did walk off. The walk off was too early for us so we ate at windjammer abs walked off at 9. Crowded? Yes.... took about 30 minutes but the line was constantly moving. I did chuckle to myself because any social distancing was totally shot in the foot with the departure.... 

I am currently on Harmony. We only booked about 4 weeks out, and while we normally travel in sky or star class, the cost was crazy. It was 6800 per person for a crown loft (2 of us are traveling). So we booked a balcony and said we will just spend more time at the pool. I did look at the Royal up page and a one bedroom suite was about 1500 per person (one week out). We did not go for it. I booked refreshment package (that I later upgraded) and 1 device internet. 
 

When we got on-board I wondered if the new protocols and variant would have an impact, so I ask guest service if we can be on an upgrade list. Long story short, at 8pm we checked again and we got a loft suite for 1500 (total! Not per person); they then deducted her refreshment package (I opted to keep my package) and Internet. So basically an upgrade for 1200. 
 

It is not a gamble we would normally take. However this goes to show that sometimes a request to upgrade goes a long way and rooms are not completely filled by Royal Up. Total cost for CLS was 3700 over Christmas so I think we came out just fine! 
 

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!! 

15 hours ago, bigmoose7563 said:

Same here

RC IT dept hasn't caught up yet with the kids vax status. You may have to show it at the port

Thanks! I plan to get her tested at Walgreens (backup is the proctored test) and show docs at port.

I can load my card, but my daughter does not have the option. She is fully vaccinated but only 9. Do I just have to wait till we get to the pier? They sent me an option to register her for a PCR test on the assumption she isn’t vaccinated (not going to do it, as we will follow the vaccinated rules). Anyone have tips?