Tinkerbellcgy

Sept 30th - 8 night Pacific Coastal

If you haven't already, please join our Roll call. We are a large, fun and very active group with lots of activities in which to partcipate should you so choose. :):)

Thanks for the explanations. I googled it and apparently the concept is unique to Royal Caribbean.

Okay, I just have to ask what is Tuti or Tutti salad? I've seen it mentioned elsewhere in these boards but I have no idea what it consists of. I will try Google to see what it is.

I am a very organized person so planning my cruise comes as second nature to me. I've done my research on the ports of call, contacted two people who I will be meeting up with in two of the ports, started suggesting and/or organizing a few activities for fellow Cruise Critic members on board ship and running my packing list through my mind. I think the planning stage is what brings out the anticipation of the upcoming voyage and with that, the excitement.

How many more sleeps? :D

May I suggest that when asking for Clamato, rather than ask the server, go directly to the bartender and ask him/her. If they don't have it in their bar, they can either try to get a supply in for you or direct you to a bar that he/she knows serves it. Greasing the bartender's palm will likely ensure you get either your Clamato or the answer that you are looking for. ;)

Can We Ask just for Clamato instead of Virgin cesar? Because my Sister don't want it with added spices.

 

We looooooooove Clamato, it's Our liquid drug lol!

Yes, you can get a glass of pure Clamato juice sans the spices. I've done it on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. It's also tasty when added to an ice cold beer.

You may have to try a couple of bars to get Clamato juice because I don't believe all bars carry it.

I'm currently in the midst of my third stage 4 cancer experience since 2008. When I cruise the Pacific Coastal aboard the Explorer of the Seas on September 30th, I will have finished 4 of 6 chemo treatments. I jokingly say that, in a less than lucid moment, I inadvertently signed up for the 4 year cancer plan...2008, 2012 and now 2016. I can hardly wait to see what 2020 will bring for me. :D It's all good. At least with the chemo I am currently on, I don't lose my hair. You learn very quickly to deal with what life hands you with grit, determination and humour. :)

Tortola is a fabulous island...one of my favourites. Like the OP, I would rather be anywhere but St. Thomas. I usually head over to St. John which is a short ferry ride and it is part of the USVI so doubtful you would need you passport. Beautiful island and another favourite of mine.

Ask your room steward or waiter or just about any crew member. If there is free wifi anywhere near the port, they will know.

Great suggestion! Thanks. I know in Victoria, there is free wifi in any Tim Hortons among many other establishments. It is states side that I am unsure of. :)

If hubby purchases an internet package and is not logged on, you can log on. It is for a certain number of devices at one time. I suspect you'll find that much easier than trying to find a place in port.

 

That would be great if I had a hubby but I don't have one of those creatures. :D

Okay, I am somewhat tech illiterate and would never get my money's worth out of internet packages on board. Plus, for the most part, I like to "unplug" on cruises and live in the moment .

My question is are there usually places near ports i.e. coffee shops that have wifi that I could possibly plug into should I experience Facebook withdrawal? The ports in particular are Astoria, OR, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, CA, Victoria, BC and Seattle, WA.

Pardon me, I posted the wrong link. Try this:

 

http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/download-press-kit/7/

 

Only regular coffee is free. Specialty coffee is extra.

 

Thanks for posting this link. It has me salivating and I still have quite a few more sleeps until sail away. :)

I might be in my 60s but I fully intend to take a spin around the ice skating rink. I spent my youth ice skating on outdoor rinks in Toronto so taking a trip down Memory Lane will be fun. Hmmm, better make sure I have medical insurance. :D

Yes, I have cruised whilst on blood thinners. I always ensure that I have INR lab tests conducted just prior to departure and then do a last minute check with my physician. I've done a 14 day cruise and it has worked out well for me. I have experienced a PE in the past so it is imperative that I follow the doctor's orders very carefully if I want to travel.

On my last cruise, although I normally would have booked my own air, my instincts told me to book my air through Choice Air (Air2Sea). I did so and chose my flights ... Calgary to Dallas-Ft. Worth to Ft. Lauderdale.

On the morning prior to departure, I logged into the air line's website to print my boarding pass only to discover all flights into and out of DFW were cancelled for the foreseeable future due to inclement weather. I lost no time calling Choice Air. They were courteous and very fast in securing me a seat on another carrier and route ...Calgary to Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale. I arrived in FLL about 40 minutes later than I would have with the original routing.

In my case, choosing Choice Air was the right decision for me. Listening to my gut instinct is always the way to go.

ETA: Yes, you can use your FF points and other perqs such as free first bag with Choice Air.

Lois, welcome to my country. You will be be sailing at the peak of the fall foilage and it will be beautiful, spectacular and stunning.

As for the weather at that time of year, it can be unpredictable. It may very well be shorts weather or it could be fleece weather.

Enjoy your cruise and Canadian hospitality!

Liz

Our conditions don't affect us that we would need a hospital it's more for the fact if one of my family dies, or hers or get injured and my DW feels more comfortable dealing with the cruise line and if she has questions she can talk to her sister

I'm a little confused as to what type of insurance coverage it is that you are actually looking for: medical coverage whilst travelling or trip interruption/cancellation insurance or both?

In an earlier post, you stated that you were employed. If you have extended health care benefits with your employer, have you checked with your employer to see what type of coverage is available to you while travelling? With my employer, I have medical coverage while I am away from my home jurisdiction and possibly trip interruption coverage (I would have to dig out my policies to confirm this latter coverage).

In any event, like many have stated before me, insurance companies aren't readily accepting of insuring pre-existing conditions but that is not to say that it is not prudent to purchase medical insurance. Many other medical mishaps can happen that aren't related to a pre-existing condition i.e. slip and fall, broken bones, etc.

As has been previously stated, there are many Canadian insurers who market both medical and/or trip interruption coverage. A review of what's available for you to purchase might be a wise move before booking and/or scheduling any travel.

A few words of caution:

1. Don't forget to read the small print contained in any of the policies to ensure it adequately meets your insurance needs before purchasing; and

2. Don't leave ANYTHING out of your medical history when applying for coverage. It's a pitfall for you and a boon for the insurance company to deny you coverage should an accident happen and you advance a claim. There have been many documentaries (Marketplace, W5, etc.) on the medical travel and trip interruption/cancellation insurance and the nightmares that insurance companies often create for claimants.

Thanks for the replies and the picture. The aircraft I saw did not have the "X" mid-body though. The aircraft wasn't particularly large ... about the size of an average WestJet aircraft.

After posting the original post, I thought maybe it might be carrying passengers for the start of the land portion of the Alaska season. There are land portions that start in Calgary and travel through the Rockies ending up in Vancouver for the cruise up to Alaska.

Anyways, I thought it was cool watching it come in for landing.

I reside very close to the airport in Calgary (YYC) and while stopped at a red light this morning, I noted an airplane sporting "Celebrity Cruises" in very large letters across the entire length of its body. I'm suspecting it's a corporate jet but it just seems odd for it to be flying into landlocked Calgary. Anyone know anything about this aircraft or why it may be landing here?

I sailed on the Viking Serenade as my very first RCCL cruise in the early 1990s sailing the Mexican Riviera. I recall the Cruise Director, whose name I believe was Tracy, referred to the Viking Serenade as the "ugly duckling" of Royal Caribbean fleet. I didn't agree. I have many fond memories of that cruise and my early days of cruising.

Thanks for your reply. They usually post earlier than now but apparently not this week. I guess I'm not missing out and will just have to exercise patience. :)

I note that the URL that I have for the weekly Going, Going, Gone Sale doesn't seem to show anything for the upcoming week - April 19 and 20. Has Royal changed the URL for this sale or maybe there isn't a new GGG sale for the upcoming week?

On my last cruise (albeit a Celebrity cruise) four years ago, I used luggage valet on my return home to Calgary from Fort Lauderdale via Dallas-Fort Worth. It was the best $25.00 I've ever spent to not see my luggage from the last night of the cruise until I was reunited with it at the Calgay airport.

While you likely will not have a problem I just want to mentioned two items.

 

It doesn't happen often but I thought I just read on a thread from this weekend that one of the ships experienced a late disembarkation. So no one can ever guarantee you won't have a problem . Odds are things will be fine but just wanted to mention that.

 

The other thing is do double check on the Air Canada Web Site what time you must be at the airport. I could be wrong (won't be first time) but in helping someone out on the Florida Departure Board a month or so ago who had an Air Canada Flight I thought I had gone to their airline site and found that check in was 2 hours prior to the flight. Again, I could be wrong but might be worth a check.

 

Keith

They are flying on Air Transat not Air Canada. Air Transat is a Canadian "charter" airline.

Thanks so much for the replies. We are flying to Canada anyways so I think that alone excludes us from the valet service. So sounds like it's still pretty doable as long as we have the first time to get off.

Canadians are able to utilize the luggage valet service. what excludes you from using it is your choice of airline. Air Transat does not participate in the program.