Eddie Wilson

Where is my Valium?

Eddie

Here in Cincy again today, third time this week a major employer delayed their vaccination mandate .....and per the news its again because the rapid  Covid tests are in “nationally short supply”. 

(Explanation, those who are not vaccinated need to get regular rapid Covid tests, and there aren’t enough tests, so the employer delays the requirements).

SO.".........if in the next couple of months they run out of these darn tests nationally, how will cruisers in Dec, Jan etc be able to find a test to pass?

Again, a hypothetical, but I am a frustrated, anxious worry-wart cruiser who needs a cruise fix.

I dont believe this is a vast CDC conspiracy to halt cruising again

Eddie

I hate to ask, but I am booked on Jewel, deck 7.  Do you mind mentioning which cabin number?

it may affect my royal up offer.

Eddie

February of 2020 we were not cleared to leave the ship until about 7:30 or 7:35.  It was a mess.

Then, thanks to having 4 (I think) other ships arriving the same day, and all of them cleared prior to ours, we were behind the eight ball on transportation.  We were not in a taxi/shuttle until close to 9:30.

We went to FLL, arrived at 10:30 for a 12:30 flight, and barely made it to the gate.  Again, 5 ships that day created quite a bundle of people.

Eddie 

Shipmate is mostly accurate.  Every once in a blue moon they are not.  One of our past cruises they have the itinerary reversed

Eddie

On 10/3/2021 at 2:17 PM, 3red7s said:

no....plz be kind, there are other circumstances here

I have a brother who is not so old yet, but blind.  He has a flip phone.

Eddie

I am also curious of this difference.

Eddie

We stayed at a Hampton (I think) in the Bricknell section of Miami.  There was a train station within walking distance, but we did not use it to get to the Port of Miami.

At the hotel you could reserve a seat on a shuttle to the docks for something like $8 or $10 per person.  

We reserved a seat on the 11:30 shuttle.  The van held 14 or so.  The driver starts loading, about 10 are seated and then all realize there was 1 too many people than there were seats.

Driver scratches his head and starts to check the names of the people.  The first two people who sat were actually on the 1:30 schedule.  He tried to get them to exit AND THEY REFUSED.   Then proceeded one of those arguments that I interpreted as “we are entitled” so they would not leave. Someone in the back sat on anothers lap, or they sardined in somehow, but that couple did not leave. 

Since Covid I told my wife I am becoming a curmudgeon, so if it happens again I may have to spout off.

Eddie

I like the way you think

Eddie

Dianajo, I posted a few months ago that I was reading the ingredients of cereal boxes, so thanked cruise critic posters and YouTube vloggers for giving so much content to read and see/hear.  But that thread fizzled out after a couple of pages.

NOW, if you start a “gettin’ lucky” thread, it may surpass the “too add some humor” thread, currently on page 831.

Eddie

On 8/31/2021 at 8:56 AM, crewsweeper said:

Hey YF4L...first, what a nice 13 games run we had!!!  Let's hope the Pinstripes get back on track soon.

 And pray for a wild card berth.

 

SIDEBAR:  Here in Cincy many are ga-ga about a wild card also, I am not sure why.  

Even if they make it that means they fly to LA or SF for ONE GAME against Urias or Gausman.  

So months of concern about making the playoffs will result in a the post season of most likely, one game.  

Eddie

Four Kids, and twice we have sailed when a child was 20.  I was told about the waiver option, but we sailed somewhat after it was abolished.  On board I was talking to some staff about the change, and they said one of the issues (aside the obvious) was the 18 year olds were regularly supplying drinks to younger kids, and they would deal with drunk and many times sick mid-teenagers.  

Eddie

12 hours ago, barbeyg said:

 Eddie, I would check your email too. If you ever created an email with RCI, they may have sent yours separately to your email. Also check junk mail as well.  Yours should have both gone out at the same time.

Thanks, I’ll look into it today

Eddie

On 8/30/2021 at 9:15 AM, barbeyg said:

We have consistently received one email, with both passengers listed separately for FCC. We each have our own FCC # for future bookings. However, when we applied the FCC to a future cruise, they applied across the entire booking. In other words, my FCC was more than my husband’s and more than covered my fare. The rest of my credit was applied to his.  
 

It is my understanding that the FCC cannot cover the port charges. Our next fare was higher, so that didn’t come into play for us.  Someone will correct me if this is wrong. 🙂

Certainly do not mean to sidetrack the thread, but this raises a question.  Just this week we received first FCC, BUT it was only half the amount and only in wife’s name. 

Should I call looking for my half or wait to see if it arrives separately?

Eddie

Beach at, the crew WILL NOT disclose the secret location.

The crew is sworn to secrecy and If anyone spills the beans on the Emerald Lounge location they are put on double secret probation, and forced to interact with only the pickiest, snobbiest, self entitled passengers. So in other words, no chance of the crew breaking.

 As always, should any Emerald Lounge member be captured or harmed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of them.

Eddie, (Emerald until he reaches diamond)

Plus the Emerald Lounge is never crowded.

Eddie

4 hours ago, LorraineP said:

Definitely different qualities of beef. Example on one cruise in main dining room filet mignon (beef tenderloin) was on menu I ordered it my friend wasn’t paying attention to what waiter said & mistakenly ordered the filet which was extra $$$. It was like day & might her’s was much more tender & juicer than mine. 

Land your steak was cooked hours earlier and kept warm. The steak for $$$ was most likely made at a speciality restaurant minutes prior to serving

Eddie

7 hours ago, Cmackdaddy said:

Speaking long term, I’d say the quality has declined a bit over the past 20 years. 

Certainly it has, 20 years ago a large ship served 1,000 dinner meals for each of two fixed dinning times. Now they prepare for up to 6,000 passengers over a 4 hour period. 

We indirectly are part of the blame, wanting larger ships, then even larger ships, my- time dinning and such.

Eddie

8 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

If the menu is exactly the same, how would the quality change?  Buying outdated chicken and bleaching it?  The food is going to be the same. 

 

Not necessarily, food quality is a function of several things, one of which is volume. If a galley is properly staffed and preparing 750 main dinning room dinner meals, the guality may be quite better than a larger galley preparing 5,000 dinner meals.

Eddie

All drinks are always free in the Emerald Lounge.

I do like to watch vloggers.  I tend to follow them for some time, but each seems to run aground from repetition.  So then I switch to another.

Example, I follow one who have been on several weeks of cruises since June.  But they fell into the....”all the same” category and I can’t watch more than the first minute to see if it’s different. 

However, my seemingly old standby is La Lido Loca, as Tony and Jenny are just so darn witty, and their bantering back and forth can remind me of my wife and I.  Classic “NOT the same” example, Tony talks for months about getting a lobster roll in Key West, and when they get there, he forgot any money or credit cards.  LOL as I have done the same. 

I do now seem to pass on the ones with seemingly fake smiles on thumbnails.  

As as I mentioned, I have followed a few and EECC, Tips for Travellers, Don Vacations, Emma are generally pretty good, I tend to circle the dial with them. 

Thanks for the thread, I will check out a couple mentioned above to give them a look see.

Eddie

1 hour ago, djefferis said:

Or were you just trolling in hopes that someone from RCL would see the post - rush in and offer you a massive compensation package and make you happy? 

23 minutes ago, djefferis said:

don’t “love” RCL or have some blind allegiance to them - I just hate “Karen’s” more and their blind beliefs that the world needs to hear more from them and rally behind their battle cry of “I demand to speak to your manager

 

I call it the Covid ripple effect.

I also don’t care for Karen’s, but I think (just an opinion) the OP was just venting, exasperated by the long term Covid mess, the big anniversary, and whatever else.

I too have worn my emotions on my sleeve and needed to vent.  

Eddie

25 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Well, at least you can count on HD and Dining Rm manager taking care of you.😉

 

Good luck

I imagine everyone comes across ship staff that do a great job.  And since you commingled threads you realize I did book the replacement cruise.

My mother had a saying, it’s easy to complain, tougher to compliment.  In Covid, and I guess on these boards we all can testify to that.

Eddie

I am sorry your anniversary is a victim of Covid Ripple.

Yes their phone line wait today is terrible, BUT, with the massive cancellation notice yesterday they are being deluged.  I know that is not an acceptable excuse for hang ups.  

Customers can and always have had the option to vote with their feet on which line or lines to engage.  I do sail other lines, but RCL is my most frequent.  

I seem to be lucky in that my dealings with the phone CSRs (like tonight with Lisa, booking a replacement cruise for one just cancelled) in that they do a strongly professional job.  I wish I had been given the option to evaluate my experience.  

For the record, I am lucky in that the dinning room managers always take the number 1 waiter and asst waiter on board and always assign them to my table, and the hotel manager always assigns the number 1 room steward to my room. That has been my RCL experience for years.

Eddie

1 hour ago, karena1 said:

I had clients canceled on Radiance.  Decided on Allure instead.  On hold now with Royal to try to get it done

 

It is insane, rep telling me I cannot move it!  What a cluster F.

 

Thanks for that advice.  We were flying into FLL anyway, so we may look at that one and will not even change flights.