dcgrumpy

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

 

For some reason there are some Android phones for which AT&T does not enable WiFi calling. In that case WhatsApp would probably be their best alternative.. 

We have Verizon. When we sailed on Scarlet Lady and Mardi Gras a few months ago mine worked but my husband's didn't, so we used What's App. Before our Harmony cruise last month I had him try it at home to see if we could figure out the issue. I'm not sure what the problem was but he got it to work before we left and it worked on our cruise. 

If you have a wifi package 

1 hour ago, RosieRoo said:

If you have an internet package and an IPhone you can use wifi calling and FaceTime. 

We were also able to use wifi calling and texting with our Samsung phones.

1 minute ago, squadron said:

I have never seen a reduced solo rates in my years of cruising but I wait for discount for second person - have got one as high as 60% off for second person so I pay 140% .  No hassle.

There were some crazy rates on Oasis this past Fall. It was actually cheaper for a couple to get 2 rooms over sharing a room.  I had never seen that before. 

2 hours ago, MrMarc said:

Basically they can be helpfull for the 1 year limited statute of limitations ingucing you not to file a suit and then ttotally ignore you starting on the 366 day, and there's nothing you can do about it. Don't feel bad consulting a lawyer very early on.  The cruise companies have them from day 1.  And it doesn't matter if you actually get a copy of the contract as long as the travel agent does.  It also does not matter how small the print is in a multi-fold document where terms are difficult to find even if you know what you are looking for.  This is based on a real case from the 90s, so things may have changed. 

 

Who is consulting a lawyer? About what? I don't understand what any of this has to do with the OP. 

1 hour ago, MrMarc said:

Be very careful and the change of the Statute of Limitations in the Cruise Contract.  I had a client with whom the very nice and helpful until the 366th day after the cruise, then no response.  Federal Court said the travel agent is the passangers agent (even though paid by cruise line) since travel agent had the cruise contract, the passanger had the contract(which was not true) Client was SOL.  That wantbthe wording of the judgement, but it was the effect.  They are not your.friend.  be sure to inform yourself and check cut off dates.  One of the situations where you have the least rights and the law is against.you.To.be blunt, get a lawyer, believe me the cruise lines have them.

Did you post in the correct thread? 🤷‍♀️

20 minutes ago, rudeney said:

I still don't understand jumping through all these hops when you can get a passport and be done with it. 

I would get guess it depends on the reason someone wants one. I know people that live near the Canadian border and only want it to cross the border back and forth. It's a lot cheaper than a passport. 

On 6/5/2022 at 1:17 PM, Ashland said:

I usually don't but after sailing with Captain Johnny in April on Harmony vs sailing with Captain ?? on Explorer in March...what a difference it can make. Loved all the detail Cpt. Johnny gave on his daily report vs just giving the weather report. 

ITA

We sailed with Captain Johnny in May. We loved him

5 minutes ago, BillHoo said:

From the Virginia DMV, their text implies REAL ID is an alternative to a passport.

"If you do not get a REAL ID, you must have an alternate form of federally accepted identification (valid U. S. passport, U.S. Department of Defense ID, Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), etc.) to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal facility beginning May 3, 2023. "

All that mentions is being able to board a domestic flight. No mention of cruises or being an alternative to a passport. 

2 minutes ago, BillHoo said:

Because the State of Virginia tells me REAL ID is the alternative to the passport and they have no other alternatives.

 

Look up "Enhanced Drivers License Virginia" and you get Virginia DMV REAL ID.

 

Virginia says that you can use REAL ID in place of a passport?

Stating "Enhanced License" is clarification. 

15 minutes ago, doppelganger2621 said:

For US citizens, you can use any WTHI or trusted travel documents, which includes “enhanced” driver’s licenses.

 

HOWEVER, only five states have what are considered enhanced driver’s licenses: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Virginia. 

Virginia does not offer Enhanced Licenses. Only Michigan, Minnesota, NY, Vermont and Washington

15 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Enhanced licenses cannot be used as a replacement for a passport except crossing at land borders.  Real ID and enhanced licenses are different programs.

 

For a closed loop cruise you would still need a birth certificate. Real ID isn't required for flights until May 2023.  Were you trying to board with your Real ID without a BC?

You can use an Enhanced License for a closed loop cruise. However the OP doesn't have an Enhanced License

Probably because it doesn't exist.

19 minutes ago, J0Y0US said:

 

I mean hardly comparable when you consider how long Freedom has been around. Its like comparing Wonder to some old NCL ship and saying how NCL is cheaper.

 

Then outline that Virgin includes any restaurant on board (many say its to specialty dining level) so that's another like $150/person on Royal (Freedom doesn't even really have variety), plus you can pay upfront for 20% off (so that drops Virgin $110), then your tips are included so that another $50 higher on Royal?

 

It comes out to like:

Virgin - $462.40

Royal - $429

 

Haven't cruised on Virgin but have watched content about it and it looks intriguing especially the suite suite level.

 

I was honestly surprised on how reasonable Virgin was for what you get in the Rock Star suite room area.

We sailed on Scarlet Lady and are planning to sail again. I didn't find the prices bad considering like you said it's a brand new ship, it includes gratuities, all restaurants are included, soda and sparkling water is included. My husband absolutely loved having a carafe of sparkling water in the room twice a day. LOL. Drink prices are pretty reasonable and there are no gratuities added on. We had $400 in "bar tab" money and it lasted for a 5 night cruise.  We only paid $300 for the bar tab, the $100 was a bonus.

I'm sailing on Mariner in July. I'm hoping it's a better experience than Harmony 3 weeks ago. I figure it can't be worse. LOL. I'm going in with low expectations, hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.  The only Carnival ship that day is Mardi Gras, so Terminal 6 should be empty. 

1 minute ago, pcur said:

Just point to the item you want on the app, and your waiter will get it for you.  

Thanks, that's what I thought. I wanted to make sure. She's 19, she'll have no issue using her phone to read the menu. LOL

So you can't order off of the vegan menu in the app? I'm sailing with my daughter this summer and thought that she could order from the menu in the app. The last time she sailed was back before they had an actual vegan menu. 

I admit that I was really annoyed with the recent price increase.  But when I do the math we still easily come out ahead. On our cruise 2 weeks ago, we were ahead by day 4. If we were beer drinkers it would be harder. But at $13 a drink, and few bottles of water and Pellegrino a day, plus the occasional latte we easily come out ahead. 

I'm 56, my husband is 50.

Do 2 devices under just one of your names. It's cheaper that way. You can both be on at the same time under one sign in. 

7 minutes ago, molly361 said:

If that was the May 8th Harmony sailing there was a surprise Coast Guard inspection and that caused the delay.  And if it was that date there WAS a separate suite line, same place it always is on the right facing the terminal entrance

No May 15th. There was a separate suite line. Everyone else waited in one long line.

6 minutes ago, RSLeesburg said:

How was Harmony?  We have not been on her in a long time.  Were supposed to sail on Anthem this summer, but something came up and cannot spend two weeks in Europe like we planned so switched over to Harmony at the last minute.  

We had a good time. I wouldn't say it was my favorite cruise but I would sail on her again. Service was great, ship was in great shape. Except the stupid mister thing in the Solarium didn't work. LOL. I didn't think I would miss a pool in the Solarium, but it was so hot. A couple of times I just ran the shower over myself so I could cool off.

One of my biggest complaints is holding events in venues that are too small. They had so many things in On Air, if you didn't get there an hour early you can forget getting a seat. And the activities team seemed a bit new and didn't know how a lot of the games that they were hosting even worked. But those are all very minor issues. 

And some dining venues like dinner in the Solarium Bistro haven't reopened. Some people in my FB group said that they were able to make a reservation beforehand and only found out when they boarded that it's still closed. 

But all in all we had a great time. 

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

That is probably because no one pays any attention to the post restart boarding time process and just assumes that everything is back to normal and arrival times no longer matter. There actually are staff trying to manage the queues (and yes the queues are segmented by arrival time), but they get overwhelmed by people who just don't care.

It wasn't like that 2 weeks ago. There were no separate queues. It was one long zigzag line like we were waiting to ride Space Mountain. We even asked when we arrived if there were separate lines and we were told no. We arrived at 11:25 for an 11:30 check in time. We waited outside for over an hour. 

That doesn't give much wiggle room. Are you sailing out of Port Everglades or Miami?

We sailed on Harmony 2 weeks ago. They had a separate short line for suites/pinnacles/the Key. 

The rest of us were in one very, very, long line with no enforcement of check in times. what a **** show. So be very happy that you are in a suite. LOL

No Labcorp, but the urgent care that we have used for 2 cruises doesn't list a CLIA # in the report. No one has questioned it.