sargenet

My points posted quick.  I charged the cabin and then some dining, shore excursions, etc and the next day the points posted for both my husband and myself on our cards!  So that’s 50,000 am ex points!

My husband and I both have offer on our everyday AMEx cards… just booked a cruise on harmony…the rep broke up payments, put $1010 on my card and then balance on his card, then I went to cruise planner and added another set of charges to get to 1000 for his card…

‘’hopefully the points will post quick.  I took advantage of a similar offer same time last year but it was $350 cash back and posted quick.  The terms say to allow 90 days after 12/31 for points to post 

I am having same issue…I emailed them and they sent me a different link..put in my info and got error message that is needs to be within 30 days…it’s on Dec 4th so it falls in that window.  I had same issues last month with celebrity.  Had to email them and they had to fix something.  I emailed them back saying it wasn’t working and now I was getting 30 day error code and it’s less than 30 days.. waiting to hear back

We recently sailed on equinox and took advantage of our elite perk for port day for Persian Garden…my husband really enjoyed the steam rooms and beds to lay on for heat.  We are getting ready to sail on a 4 day Edge with some family.  I am not interested in Aqua class because I am going through chemo and can’t do the spa.  smelly stuff bothers me!

That being said I have read they will sell day passes for the thermal spa on Edge but can’t figure out how much they are.  it’s not listed pre-cruise to purchase.  My husband and daughter in another cabin want to do this for a day.  We hope to head there right after we board and grab them but if anyone can tell me a cost I would appreciate it.  We have 2 sea days and one port day and we will be off ship on port day.

thanks!

54 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

We need to move on with this capacity talk.  It does not matter since everyone is vaccinated.

But everyone isn’t vaccinated….kids under 12 don’t have to be.  And with the Oasis class ships sailing with 800 kids during these holiday sailings some people might be worried.  I am vaccinated but I also worry about the experience of being on an Oasis class ship with that many people and still having to have tables blocked off/social distance etc.

For me..since I have mobility issues the elevator situation is the hardest.  If they only  let 6 people in an elevator that makes it hard if 5800 people are sailing.  I was on Mariner and Freedom with 50-60% capacity and had issues getting elevators at times.  I also made the mistake of climbing in an elevator with 6 people by myself and people got nasty with me. I was masked and so where they

Walgreens does the Rapid ID now test…it takes 24 hours and is free.  It is a NAAT Molecular test.  Royal keeps saying PCR on one site but then clarifies to allow the test on another site where it goes into details on what is accepted.  They just don’t take antigen..this is from Royals site:

Accepted Types of Tests and Results

• There are two common types of diagnostic COVID-19 tests and we accept either kind to satisfy pre-cruise testing requirements, depending on a guest's age and vaccination status.
  • A molecular test, also called a PCR test or NAAT test
  • An antigen test, also called a rapid antigen test
• The test must be supervised by a health professional, such as a doctor, pharmacy technician, public health worker, or telehealth professional. Telehealth testing at home is only accepted for vaccinated guests, and only when it is conducted under live video supervision. Learn more about acceptable telehealth tests including our home test kit.
• You must receive a valid results document from your test provider that includes provider name, your name, the date the test was taken, type of test, and your negative result. This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification. Handwritten doctor’s notes will not be accepted.

so I know someone on Symphony right now and asked them if they could find out what the Dec 18th sailing would be…. He talked to staff and they are expecting 5800!!  Wow!  So anyone saying 70% max is wrong…. if they do that they really need to make changes and open more tables in windjammer,  and add more shows.  

1 hour ago, lovelife said:

Last month on Symphony in a JS I went to CK upon boarding and requested just two dinner reservations for the week. I was told there were none available since the concierges had booked ALL dinner times for full suite guests in advance. Didn't get to eat there all week. ☹

that stinks…I am sailing dec 18th Symphony sailing And have a bid in for a junior suite…. In hopes of trying coastal kitchen at least once…. Makes me re-think my bid

2 hours ago, spunks said:

say what?... The requirement is for providing a negative covid test administered not more than TWO days prior to sailing........period.

 

on our August Independence sailing over 200 people were turned away for not having a negative covid test and at that time you were allowed 3 days prior. Now it is 2. We just got off 3 weeks B2B on the Symphony followed by 2 weeks B2B on the Odyssey.

new rules starting DECEMBER 17.. for unvaccinated kids.  need PCR test 3 days before.  Can’t do antigen and this test must be done 3 days before 

I am on the Dec 18th sailing and the one thing that is concerning is situation with kids.  I have been on a few of the lower capacity sailings on other ships but I have never sailed OASIS class.  My son is now out of Adventure Ocean but I have been reading nightmare Thanksgiving holiday sailing stories about Adventure Ocean and limited availability and how kids are being forced to sit in circles vs run around.  and parents only getting 5 hours all week in the program. I have to wonder how many parents are going on this holiday cruise not aware of what to expect as far as the kids program. If they put 800 kids on this sailing that’s going to be crazy…

I also got email but if I hadn’t have read about it here I wouldn’t have even known about it..so getting that email would have made me confused! 

The only issues I had my last two cruises is OVER serving.  I asked for some pears for breakfast…was given a HUGE bowl… 

But the hardest part as others have said is the toppings.  I think we just have to do better telling them exactly what we need…like just a LITTLE sour cream.  I wanted a little taco to snack on but they put the toppings on so heavy I couldn’t even close it!  
 

Cruising again in a few weeks and going to work on being more descriptive when I ask for stuff.  

Just had that happen on an upcoming sailing…. Booked for 2 people and were considering adding a 3rd…but adding that 3rd person made the price double per person.  Didn’t make sense to me,  but I wonder if it has something to do with capacity? And how they manage it.

2 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

That was a temporary thing when they weren't having the embarkation day Chops lunch.

I wish it was back to the temporary Key benefits!  that’s why I won’t get it now.  I wanted the speciality discount on dining.  

45 minutes ago, matt1 said:

 

Minor drops in a few dining options, the biggest being Jamie's for Dinner which was $44.95 and is now $36.95

 

🙂

Ok so mine shows Jamie’s now at 40 says 30% off..how can that be?  Onboard price is $44. 
 

My internet says 40% off but it’s still the same price as yesterday when it said 20%…..I took screen shots 

On 11/15/2021 at 10:02 AM, maureencruiser said:

 

I'm getting the American Express $500 cash back on $1500 spent.  It doesn't apply to onboard purchases.  You can bet your sweet Bippy I paid for gratuities, shore excursions and OBC already.  😄

 

I got the offer spend 1000 get 350 off!  and the cruise I booked came to 910! Thank goodness I could prepay the gratuities! That got me over the 1000 hump…

On 9/28/2021 at 4:58 PM, whyrlygig said:

I got 1 bitter piece of broccoli with an entree last week.  How do you make it bitter?  It was awful.   

I had the same thing happen on Freedom…on the same dish I had 2 weeks before on Mariner ….there was something funky about broccoli…I avoided the broccoli the rest of the cruise

I am getting ready to be Diamond on my dec 18th Symphony sailing.  When I was talking to crown and anchor about my cruise I asked about my son who just turned 18…and he turned 18 before I made Diamond so he gets to stay at Emerald.  But we were discussing Diamond benefits and the rep said ‘He can’t go in with you since you are Diamond and he isnt’…ok I get that.  He mentioned the happy hour. I said I thought the 4 drinks vouchers I got were good anywhere and I heard if I go to Diamond lounge during happy hour it uses my vouchers.

‘’This is when he said NO….the 4 drink vouchers are in addition to happy hour and I still can go in and have drinks during happy hour for free and save vouchers for another time.

I asked about this on my facebook group for Symphony and someone said they were on ship and got free drinks during happy hour and still got 4 drinks to use anywhere each day.  Yet other people said No…when they got drinks in Diamond lounge during happy hour it used their vouchers..

‘Anyone else be able to get drinks at happy hour and vouchers?

I was sailing solo and since the price was around 88 I decided to try it.  I had been to coco twice before so I wanted to see what experience was like.  The lunch was very nice and I enjoyed the quiet but I think I actually preferred the large pool vs the small pool.  serenade was there with Mariner.  Right now with cruise ships at limited capacity I would rather ‘pass’ on it.  Going again next week and am going to pass on going to beach club and just back to regular …and trying out Snack Shack!

The only comment I will have is on escargot….I just got off Mariner…and escargot is my all time favorite…but it was bland this time as mentioned in posting. Not bad but not as good.  I decided to get the chops filet one night and pay extra….but I actually liked their strip steak with garlic butter better so next time will stick with that.  another night I paid extra for surf and turf..that filet was soooo much better than the filet the first night.  But the lobster was disappointing.  It was still good food but not to the level of the speciality restaurants…then again I actually didn’t over eat this cruise which I think I would have done in specialty restaurants

I didn’t realize the windjammer was closed for dinner on Mariner till after I booked.  I just booked a last minute cruise as a single traveler ..first time ever!  I was looking over menus in dining room and a bit concerned….after all the chemo and surgeries I have had I love being able to just pick certain things at windjammer and I like to avoid sauces and stick to very simple.  Hopefully I will just be able to load up more on a few appetizers if the entrees don’t appeal.  The app shows a menu for each night and I usually stick with chicken dishes and they have the same one every night. 😳

I leave in a little over a week…coming in Sunday for a Monday cruise ..flying southwest.  I actually just booked a cheap backup flight that same night on frontier airlines.  I usually with never fly Frontier airlines before a cruise because one time they cancelled us 7 hours before a flight during thanksgiving and we had to pay a fortune to fly Southwest to get there for our cruise.  So right now I am holding 2 flights that day!  Glad they were cheap!

So last week I made final payment on my Thanksgiving cruise. I have the cruise insurance through RC. The next day I went in for foot surgery. I am on crutches for 3 weeks. I assume all will be well by Thanksgiving...but now I realize this may be considered a pre-existing condition! I had surgery a day after I made final payment! So confusing!

So I guess if I have any complications and am still on crutches I HAVE to take the cruise!! Or go with the 75% credit towards future cruise. My travel agent advised me that I didn't need to pay for it till final payment and if anything happened to me between final and cruise I was covered. Seemed fine by me since I did not have any pre-existing conditions.

I think it is different for everyone. My sister is 45. She went on one cruise with RCCL, then she took a cruise on Holland, next she just went on Solstice. Her favorite so far is HAL. She didn't do her research though and they were upset because they could not smoke on their balcony. Seems everyone out there in the smoking area all said the same thing! They booked a balcony so they could smoke! Imagine their surprise (and anger...although they should have researched!!!)

We have sailed together on Hal and RCCL. I have also sailed on Princess, Disney, Carnival, and NCL. I am 43. I like RCCL the best. I did enjoy the food on HAL the most. So not a big age difference between us but we both liked different styles of cruising....