Rinderoo

On board right now. Not a peep about any storms whatsoever.

Heading back from St Maarten, so I'll be popping in for updates.

Do commoners (non Diamond) get robes upon request? I'm merely gold. ;-) Sure would be nice to have one.

Yes, call Royal to ensure they received your payment. Look at your card activity to see who processed the charge. Hopefully it is Royal Caribbean and not the travel agency with whom you booked. If it is the agency, well, you need an attorney.

While on the phone with Royal ask to have the cruise released to you. OBC is just something from an agent but what is most important here is that you actually have your cruise.

Good luck. The vast majority of agents are honest and book and pay the supplier, so I hope that is your situation.

Anyone here have recent info about using Verizon cell coverage in St Thomas USVI? I've tried Verizon and seem to be on terminal hold. I know I won't have 4G, but will i have 3G and texting?

ATT works great in the USVI, but ATT doesn't work here, so I can't change carriers.

Thank you.

I did my renewal in June: took two weeks. Just sent hubby's off and again, two weeks, if that with regular service. I guess they've been on a streak for a while.

We are moving forward with the cruise! We are definitely open to new experiences, meeting new people of all ages, and are looking forward to time away from home/work/etc. While we do like to go out, we are looking forward to having a relaxing time on the cruise as well. After all your comments, I feel that my boyfriend and I will have a great time on the cruise! While I was a tad nervous about the nightlife scene, it makes us feel a lot better that not everyone leaves at 10PM and there could even be crew at the bar to stay up with. You guys make a great point about early excursions, as I have several planned, and my boyfriends loves the casino so I'm sure he will have a great time there. So if you see a couple of 25 year olds (as there might not be many) on the cruise from Jan 13-27 on the OOsterdam, please say hello!

This will be a very chill experience for you. Load your Kindle and your iPod, and you won't have a problem with relaxation. I'm old enough to be your parent and my kids are now in college. Even as teens my kids liked Princess, and they liked the fine dining aspect of HAL, and the fact they didn't have to go running off to the next thing. What I like about HAL are the smaller ships. I'm on the Oasis next week and everything has to be scheduled or you can't get in. (And I hate it!)

Excursions are pretty much the same with every cruise line. You will find something you like.

Of all the cruises we've done as a family, the HAL Eurodam was one of the best--because we booked a Retreat Cabana (not available on all ships) and we really liked the itinerary. You know what you're getting into for your trip, and know you will be among the young'uns on board, but you have a good outlook.

Due to a comedy of errors including my college student daughter enthusiastically saying "Guess what? I can do that Spring Break cruise!", thus taking us from 3 people to four, I had to cancel a sweet deal on another cruise line as the 4th person voided my offer and would cost 1K more to add her to that reservation. Since I didn't have the heart to tell her it was too late as she's an Engineering student and frankly busting her tail right now, I found another cruise so we're on the Eurodam. She needed something to look forward to and i can always find a cruise.

We had a great cruise on this ship several years ago (2012) and we booked a balcony then as well as a Family retreat cabana. Had to be the smallest balcony stateroom ever and we decided if we ever went back that we'd to OV. So after she snafu'd my plans on the CCL Glory, I got the OV on the Eurodam and a Family Retreat Cabana, which we thought was the best $449 ever spent on a cruise. Oh, and the laundry package. I loved sending my clothes out every day for $49 for the week! Normally I do laundry every other day on a cruise (Disney, Princess, Carnival) but this is such a nice service.

I need some updates though because I can't find much after searching the boards here.

Since I work all the time, internet on the Eurodam was amazing back in 2012. Is it still great? I can't find pricing either. Anyone have the price list or is it the usual $99/week now found on Carnival?

Bottled water: I drink a lot of bottled water and usually haul a case on board with me. Is this still an option on HAL? Or are they restricting beverages brought on board? I think we brought a case of diet Coke with us too. Can't find carry on beverage restrictions.

We're on Open Seating for dining but they have "Main Lower" available. I think my last cruise was assigned dining. If we keep Open Seating are we able to make a reservation every day? I'm confused about this. Normally I do Open dining around 6:15pm and ask for the same service team when I cruise, and I've had a lot of success with this. Do I need to make a reservation on the way out for the next day? Just want to avoid a massive line and long wait.

What night is the Cabana Club dinner on the Eurodam? I know we'll have to vacate our Cabana early when they do that, but we might want to go to0.

What has happened to the HALCats? I wanted to jump off the ship when they played and I understand they're gone. Soft rock of the 70's is not my thing and I listen to the same stuff as my kids, but I don't think they're going to be playing the Foo Fighters and Twenty One Pilots on the Lido deck.

Thanks in advance for the replies.

I was age 50 for my first HAL, which was a Spring Break cruise.

We were among the younger ones on board with our teens

Where I had an issue was with entertainment as it was not to my taste; I tend to listen to the same things as my kids do (AltRock.) I thought I was going to jump overboard when the HALCats started playing "Muskrat Love."

On another Eurodam cruise, Spring Break again, but I like the itinerary. Kids are in college and going with us. Still not expecting much for entertainment but since we like finer dining when traveling and food was great, I expect we will be fine. However there is a large "Inspiration" group on this cruise so I don't think we'll have problems with wait times at bars.

At age 25, you might be more comfortable on a more contemporary line such as NCL or even the Carnival Vista.

It is to me. Basically I spend $60 to avoid a line and will stalk the online system until I find it. We also really like having the room available upon boarding. I travel with my work and its nice to get the computer bag and carry ons in the room.

I also like getting off the ship early.

Sailing the Glory on March 11 and I booked FTTF a couple weeks ago. Was shocked it was there so of course I bought it.

Sort of like going to a banquet every night?

I've not been impressed with meals in the MDR on Royal Caribbean. However no one starves on a cruise ship and there will always be something to eat.

Most cocktails $12 plus 15% gratuity/service charge/tip.

Been on many cruises and different lines, and I prefer Carnival for 5+ nights as I don't feel nickel and dimed to death like I do on Royal. Seriously, $12 for a glass of wine? On Carnival it would be $7. Plus Carnival ships have guest laundry areas! That is a huge issue for me as I like to do laundry on a cruise so I don't have to pack as much. On the Oasis in two weeks it looks like I'll be washing out the delicates in the bathroom and sending out the shorts and t-shirts, because my friend refuses to let me go to the laundromat in Crown Bay. I've also been on many Princess cruises and like them quite well. Guess I am a reluctant Oasis passenger but I know it will be good.

The Oasis is the destination, and it is an amazing ship. But it is going to be hard to beat the Carnival Breeze, which is the best ship I've ever been on. Doing the Caribbean Princess instead of the CCL Vista because of price, but none of those have gone to final payment yet. If I find I absolutely love Royal and the Oasis, I might just book it again and cancel the others. But it is doubtful!

Thanks everyone for their input. Boarding the Oasis soon and I ordered a Klymit camping mat from Amazon just in case I need it. Looks like it packs up pretty small and no air pump necessary. Just can't justify an entire piece of luggage for a memory foam topper. Plus now I can just toss the mat in my bags whenever I travel in case I have a horrible mattress.

Yes exactly! Thanks for the clarification, I did not know you could "cruise" in a boat to Dunn river falls :) Does any one know if Chukka river tubing is the same as White river tubing, and which one is better?

thanks again

I took my 75 y/o mom on the Chukka Zipline and River Tubing excursion. It was great! The zips are short and not what I call exciting when comparing it to the Pirates zip we did in Roatan on our own, and you hike up a rather steep hill to begin the zip, but it got crossed off mom's bucket list. Then you tube in really clear, and cool water. I liked this a lot and would do it again.

Try to zip first, because you'll want to cool off in the river afterwards. The drive up to Chukka is sort of scary due to the narrow road but any of those mountain excursions are going to have you on narrow roads.

We usually get off ship at 9am and not end the cruise with stress.

So edidn't know about that 8:40am policy. Thanks.

Not a policy... but no one gets into the port until cleared. For an unknown reason the taxis couldn't get in until 840am on two of my cruises.

Typically you walk off and taxis are there, even at 7am.

This is the ideal situation. However I've done a couple of cruises out of Port Everglades and the Port Authority would not let the taxis in until 8:40am. Happened to me twice.

The taxi line was beyond awful.

Ideally you get off the ship and get into a taxi. However it is still up to the Port Authority to let them in.

Sure hope they're letting them in after my Oasis cruise because I'm walking off that ship and going to FLL for a rental car! :-)

"Skinny" Margarita:

Tequila, fresh lime, a little bit of simple syrup and a bit Triple Sec/Grand Marnier if you like it. No mixers with lots of sugar.

I could drink these all day. Tastes like a limeade. :-)

For a short cruise, you probably will only be in the room to sleep. For a 6 or 7 night cruise you will enjoy the balcony. If you don't cruise often, then the splurge is worth it.

When hubby goes with me on a trip we always get a balcony. When I sail Disney, I usually do oceanview as a tradeoff on cost. I've done Princess inside with two rooms, but on the Lido Deck so it was a very short walk to fresh air. I always consider the ship and itinerary when selecting staterooms. Personally the pricing on Carnival is pretty good most of the time, and we don't drink much, so we do balconies.

When you do this, just get an unobstructed balcony or you will be disappointed. In my opinion, $360 is 'worth it' for the sea outside.

My first Carnival cruise, and first one in a balcony, had me opening the door one morning to find vomit all over my balcony. Apparently someone lost it while we were sleeping.

Stateroom attendant had it all cleaned but yes--what a mess. He also said "Happens all the time."

However it is generally easier to clean this from the outside than the inside.

Now I always check before going outside.

As the parent of a (now former) student athlete who was strong academically too, the threat to these kids about being benched from a game (or games) for missing practices upon return from a trip is real. However that was a risk my daughter was willing to take to go on a trip. We have very limited time with our kids as they grow up and get their own lives. I was not willing to let small school sports run my family life over scheduled breaks because the school had meaningless tournaments for a local trophy and a picture in the newspaper. It is quite unfortunate that schools do this over the holidays as people typically visit family from far away. We all don't live within driving distance any more.

My position was that we were willing to accept the consequences for a trip and missing practice--such as being benched for 1 or 2 games upon return. The tourneys that were scheduled during this time period were not regular conference games but done for the school and yes--we went on a trip and yes--she was benched upon return and she sat right next to the coach and discussed the fun things she did while she was out.

Now to be totally fair, I gave up summers except for "Sports Moratorium Week" and Fall Break for both of my kids entire HS time. There were no substitutes in her sport (cheerleading--and these girls were good and won the State title in their division here 3 years in a row.) My son ran track which fortunately ramped up practices after Spring Break, but one year his relay team was really good and the season extended after school ended but he did get a school record out of it.

This is but a minor bump in the road and family is always going to come first. I would not leave the kid home by himself if he wanted to stay and you need to consider the big picture. Is your kid good enough to be recruited for college or is this 'pay to play' sports like AAU or All Star? Are there scholarships on the line? We did not have sports scholarships with either of our kids but it is a reality for many people. When we did 'pay to play' we followed their rules for the most part. However for high school I did assume the risk for missing a practice or game. Once I put her on an airplane at 10am and she was putting on a uniform in the car while her dad drove her to a 2pm bus time for an away game.

So weigh everything and if your kid is very good and taking him on a trip can impact his ability to be recruited, then the big picture is more important than the cruise. But if this is just practice, i'd say he's doing the trip.

Good luck. It is not easy. He'll be gone soon enough and this might be your last family event.

Just called on this: It is $12.

Anything more and you pay the difference plus gratuity.

I've sailed them all and some over and over again, but I keep coming back to Carnival. Reasonable prices, no excessive amount of extra costs once on board (such as specialty dining), friendly staff and a more casual atmosphere which is not stuffy. Plus they have guest laundry areas which means I can cut down on packing.

The Breeze was the best ship ever--until the Vista. Sure wish prices would come down on the Vista though! Love the spa cabins on Carnival ships and I don't think I've ever had a bad meal or bad service on board.

This year I'm sailing the Oasis and Princess along with Carnival, and I am looking forward to the Glory the most as it is a new ship for me and going somewhere I like.

I broke down and called Royal.

Limit is $12 for wine or alcohol/cocktail.

Anything over that amount and we pay the difference.

Bought the Premium beverage package (soda, beer, wine, alcohol) for my upcoming cruise on the Oasis. I originally was just going to do soda/coffee/water but figured I would order 3 drinks a day, and now I am not stressing about prices with the Premium, although no specialty coffees.

Many wines are $10-17/glass on the Oasis.

Are those $17/glass wines excluded from the Premium package?

How do we know what is excluded?

Thanks in advance.

I had a loose stone set in St Thomas at Ajanta Jewelers. Very pleased with their pricing.

That being said, I don't think there were better deals there than what I would get at home at Shane Co or the other big diamond store in the city. If I were going to buy a very expensive piece in St Thomas, I'd be darn sure I know how much it costs at home first to know if I am getting a good deal or not.