John Reid

You do not have to worry on Royal Caribbean. There.

I was there in November. Soon after entering the water, I was feeling tiny sting/pinches on my shoulders and arms. I mentioned it to my wife and our two friends who were also in the water. They looked at me somewhat skeptically as I was getting out of the water. Moments later, the skeptical gentleman was also hit and got out. We both had numerous dotted rashes that itched and stung. It passed in about 24 hours. Going in the salt water pool on ship helped. I'm assuming sea lice/jellyfish larvae. Very unpleasant.

Yes, every cruise. But my wife insists that we eat dinner together!

I'm bringing a full pallet of colors of Sharpies to adjust my level as needed. Sometimes D+ just wont do.

There are those that are stating that being able to wear shorts at dinner is an absolute. That is definitely not the case. Shorts were not acceptable on Explorer when she was out of Bayonne. For six years of cruising on Grandeur and Enchantment before it out of Baltimore, shorts were not allowed in the dining room for dinner. On my last Grandeur cruise, I got a call from the Maitre D' about why I had not been coming to dinner at the MyTime I had scheduled. He was very nice and wondered if anything was wrong. I mentioned that I was usually in shorts and a collared shirt but didn't want to change for dinner. He said that on port days, I wouldn't have to. Things were loosened but not eliminated. I am not complaining and never have about dress requirements. I'm just reiterating that it is not a universally applied policy.

I've cruised Anthem three times in the winter. The fourth time will be this December. The main pool is completely outdoors; there is no roof. Last year in February, some were using it day 2. On another cruise, it was day three and things were windy and cool. Not many takers.The water is heated. The third cruise had wind and rain all the way to Puerto Rico. Used the indoor pool. There is an indoor pool with permanent clear cover. It is not a Solarium pool; no age restrictions. The Solarium has small soaking pools. Shallow and small. 16 and older.

I was in 8262 on the same cruise. I like your cruise better than mine, based on the description! 🙂

We have taken the Canada/NE cruise several times on Grandeur, Anthem, and Summit and will again in July. My son and his family live just north of Boston (our first stop), and we visit them during the day. I would like to have them come and see the ship and come aboard for about two hours. I know that if I call RCCI, I'll probably get a different answer each time. Is it possible for guests to come aboard? I'd like for my 5-year-old granddaughter to see the ship so she can hound her parents into joining us for a cruise. Thanks in advance.

I haul around two $50 bundles of singles on every cruise for tips. It's a burden carrying the six ounces of bills until I get to my cabin safe. I don't know how I'm able to put about 8 in my pocket if I'm going to the Lounge or a bar to use my three drinks, but I manage somehow. As I age, the sheer volume of the singles might become too much of an effort and I will have to carry a lighter bundle of twenties and exchange them for singles at customer service which they are glad to exchange. But I'll continue to bite the bullet and suffer the agony so that I'm sure I'm tipping all who serve us.

And to you.

My Vietnam cruise was on the hospital ship USS Repose during 1969-1970. Food wasn't bad, but the amenities and nightlife were atrocious.

Forgive you? For what - a perfectly legitimate and completely understandable question. I have sailed Oasis, Harmony, and Allure. There were no reserved seats by the pools for any class of suite. The only reserved spot is the private sundeck that has been mentioned. Enjoy your cruise!

Tip when served. We give a dollar or two per order for the two of us. If we have stayed awhile and were well taken care of by a particular server, we will give a five beyond the other tips. There is no way to track down all who have served you at the end of the week. You might be served by two or three different people in the same evening.

Live with it or don't cruise? Oh, the little flamingoes must be so proud of Papa's wisdom. The fine print seems to say RCCL is breaking the contract. "That's 'cause it ain't hard To get along with somebody else's troubles, And they don't make you lose any sleep at night. Just as long as fate is there bustin' somebody else's bubbles, Everything's gonna be all right." Steve Goodman

Just in case, if your OBC is refundable, then it's cash back if you don't use it. If it is non-refundable, you can "money launder" it through the casino for 5% and get $285 back. The refund on the cabin is not compensation; it is the difference in price of the two guarantees. Go Shen Stallions.