IslandHppy

This was a good reminder.  The directions for tea say "boiling water" - the little coffee makers, that have been used for coffee, are indeed better than nothing.   The call room service idea- maybe- but if the water arrives luke warm, and in a pot that had coffee in it- yuk.  The hot water at the buffet is often not super hot to avoid lawsuits.  And the difficulty in correctly filling a larger vessel  without dipping the spout in your container.   Remind me- what is the relationship between health and safety and coffee makers?  I suppose kids could play with it unattended?  P.S. Cunard has a tea kettle in every room.  Having a few on every ship would seem easy.   

Thanks for the daily programs.  Live music and dancing choices seem very limited given the size of the ship.    

There are in the range of three bus/trolley type services there- it can be confusing.  Two are paid.  The City one is a free but is not really a tourist experience- but it saves a lot of walking to the furthest points.  https://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/326/Duval-Loop

In August, 2022 we found the City operated Duval loop bus to be reliable, uncrowded and good.  As well as free.  https://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/326/Duval-Loop

On 11/20/2022 at 9:31 PM, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

Please note in the photos posted above that the bottom photo is not from Lighthouse Pointe. It's from the mini-marketplace called the Freeport Harbour complex that is within walking distance from where Margaritaville at Sea docks. It has a straw market, a dozen-plus shops and several bars/restaurants including a Señor Frog's.

Please be aware that this complex is only open when another cruise ship is in port. Margaritaville at Sea does not count and neither does the Balaria Caribbean ferry.

 

Good call.  So the idea is to get out of the port area and up to the beach places.  

55 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That varies by ship/date - it is still a thing on other ships. 

Good to know.  This one is nine nights.  

Well- our newest Radiance cruise - coming up soon- I did get the bid now emails and the link we are passing around also works.  But- the minimum bid sliders are set pretty high. As far as I could tell the $20 or $30 bid option is not a thing any more.  A guess is the extra revenue ($40) was not worth the staff effort to let you change cabins.  We are in an OV GTY- now assigned a connecting cabin on deck three #3620  - which is OK except it might turn the couch into a chair to make room for the extra door.  A recent inside cabin had that.   I hope not.  So there is an "Spacious Oceanview" option for like $60 PP.  I wonder what that is?  

RoyalUp is kinda weird and haunted.  (Haunted as an IT Professional means fully random behavior.  But maybe, since each case below is different, it is working as designed- LOL).   On three recent cruises, I got:

One, quickly assigned inside GTY, 25 days out, refused to let me bid got the lovely "invalid info or not 30 days out" error the whole time.  No upgrade on the website button option.  No pre-sales emails. 

The next one, unassigned inside GTY,  it liked my confirmation ID and let me bid and I won.  No pre-sales emails. 

Most recently, outside GTW assigned, about 28 days out the voyage refuses to accept the confirmation ID "invalid or more than 30 days out" but I am getting RoyalUp pre-sales emails. These it wants high bids.  

On the one we won, I get an email a week out saying "we got your bid- onboard team working it"- for each bid-- then a few days later "you won" - but in the Consecutive process our new cabin had the Crown and Anchor paperwork for the previous guest and we did not have correct new cabin ID cards.   But we are happy 🙂

What we did - smallish bids on each bump up- $30 pp I think inside to OV, $30 more for "bigger OV" etc  - and the pre-sailing website street price for the balcony upgrade ($150 pp extra).   A guess is there is last minute cabin churn - somebody cancels the Owner's Suite and one person at each level moves up one category. 

If you really really want a cabin/grade - get out your checkbook. This program is nice new onboard revenue for the line.  I'm sure it tries to look at the calculated revenue impact of each cabin move. 

On the Grandeur recently, MTD opened at 5PM, Traditional at 5:15PM.   Check the RCCL Blog archived Cruise Compass postings or the RCCL app.  

On 10/25/2022 at 9:54 AM, golfntob said:

IslandHppy, Just the info we were looking for.  Thank you!  Any chance you have a pic of the food menu?  We're planning to do the "pay as you go" route.

Thanks. 

1 hour ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Good morning. We are cleared to go ashore. Finishing up breakfast. 

Excellent breakfast choice 🙂

Enjoy Atlantis. DW and I have loved sitting under the thatched umbrellas or in the pool at the former British Colonial Hilton beach.  This lovely beach pass setting has apparently been made available again and may be related somehow to the new development nearby.

I have heard crew members on Carnival may get to request their next contract ship but it is not 100%.  So waiting for your friends to get actual assignments seems sensible.

4 hours ago, MeganGC1983 said:

The $7 shuttle and Tiano Beach

Seems like an excellent low cost beach option.  Thank You for the photos 🙂

Cutting back won't dissappoint any adoring fans 🙂 There are some good beach choices in Freeport.  

People have been ranting about the pizza place closing at 4AM.  I wake early every day and prowl the decks.  Nobody is up.  

5 hours ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Crab cakes and conch fritters

Bahamas inspired food is a great feature of Key West 🙂

We like the Southernmost Beach Cafe.  And if the kids need sugar we found Key Lime jelly beans.  

2 hours ago, Funsince1983 said:

🤨🤨🤨

 

…..huh? 

For some reason I get notified of major celebrity news...Royal weddings, Megan has a new blog etc.   

My Google news feed picked up this blog.  Your lifestyle requires wealth along with fame from the sounds of it.  A lot of views or subscribers here is not like YouTube and won't pay for Cheers or day passes.  

4 hours ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Buffet cakes… had to have some funfetti

Do you think they still will have the red Carnival 50th cake?  Tomorrow?

On 9/28/2022 at 6:50 PM, Biker19 said:

That same error is listed for many issues - you need to find out from others on your sailing (perhaps via Roll Call thread or social media) if they have it available.

I am getting the 30 days error a few weeks away from sailing.  Ideas?  

The deck plans show a Conference Center C /Card Room.  Is it still there?  I like to read early in the morning away from the loud elevator music which was everywhere on our last Vision Class voyage.  

On 9/25/2022 at 9:47 AM, NotPayinExtra said:

So let's try this again. If your swimming and all your stuff is removed by staff. Do they dump it in the trash? Or do they have a spot you can go to, to collect your personal belongings that were moved? ( An honest question as this is not a problem on Disney ships ).

Chair hogging is best observed at 0700 when no one is in the pool or pool area and the loungers are all "reserved" - the example of putting out towels and going on a shore excursion would be a textbook case.  

On an upcoming Grandeur back to back, the first leg will not let us bid- gives an error- says the data (booking #, name) is invalid, the second leg we have a lowish $50 bid in for inside to OV.   

Any guest laundry rooms on the ship?

Paper copies are available in the coffee shop each morning.  Fun Times - Saint Greg's Travels (saintgregtravel.com) is a good listing of postings.  There is a way to sometimes download a .pdf on board.