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What solution has Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America offered anyone?? Has HAL offered to pay for ALL treatement and care costs involved for whoever takes them? I understand the majority on board are foriegn nationals, is this true? If so, has the countries of origin offered to take their people back, or at least pay ALL treatement and care costs involved for whoever takes them? 

On 11/29/2018 at 7:40 PM, Daphne'sMom said:

I learned that almost every "talk" or 'seminar" held is really a sales pitch of some sort.  

^^^ THIS!  ^^^

What cruise are you on? You are welcome to walk around with my wife and I. We are on the March 30 cruise.   

I would like to know too. Anyone??

We have sailed 4X on the Triumph in the last 5 years. Wanting to try a 7 day cruise, we booked on the Freedom this time. Can anyone compare the two? Thanks. 

Great info all -- keep 'em coming if there is more to share. We are in our mid 50's now, but we have a young mindset, so the party animals on Carnival do not bother us. Although we are pretty quite ourselves, "people watching" the Carnival party animals do their thing can be pretty amusing, LOL.

The real reason we booked this 4 day RC cruise is to do a "trial run" to get acquainted with RCCL before we choose an extended cruise in the next year or so. Our experience in March will help us choose which line is best for our big trip. We are pretty easy to please so I think either one would probably be fine, but this cruise will help us decide between the lines. Thank you all!

Does RCCL provide an itinerary slipped under the door listing the activities for the next day?

Short story is we began cruising just as we reached our late 40's. We have been on 4 Carnival cruises in the past 5 years. Looking to try something new now, we chose RCCL, and will be leaving out of Galveston on March 5th to Cozumel.

What are the main differences between the two? I am definitely not looking to bash anything. We just wonder what we will find, and what to should we be expecting with RCCL? In brief terms, how do the two lines compare? I understand RCCL is a bit quieter than Carnival, for example. Do RCCL cruisers dress a bit more better than whats typically seen on Carnival? Anything else to know? Thanks.

the effective way would be mace, taser, batons and other crowd control equipment which they didn't have..

Don't taze me Bro! :D

and we did not see it any where, ...Did the location of if move?

Location is the same. Bus arrives around 10 AM, so you won't see it right at first. I speculate this is done to give you an hour of wait time because they want you shopping before the tour bus ride.

Yes, she told us too but unfortunately, we had forgot by the end of the day. My bad -- lesson learned.

HOWEVER, by posting this warning here, I can realize benefit from the experience by helping others. I hope the Cozumel authorities get word of this, since their economic lifeblood is tourism. Stay safe everyone!

I want to let anyone renting a car (or even a scooter) know about our experience at a Cozumel Pemex station. We rented a small Nissan car from a local woman at the "ISIS Rentadora" in Cozumel near calle 2 and 5th ave. N. She has great rates, at $55 or less per day, which includes insurance.

We drove the loop around the south perimeter of the island, past the beach clubs until we reached the undeveloped east beach. After that, we traveled the "transverse" road that dissects the island northwest back into town. The first Pemex station you encounter is on the south side of this road as you near the town.

We pull up to the pumps to refill, and they pump about 1.5 gallons to top off the tank. He then demanded a whopping $35 U.S. dollars for this gallon and a half. I say "NO WAY" then all of a sudden he can't speak English. His gestures became more aggressive, demanding the $35. I don't give in, but I am fearing an incident developing that could involve the local police. He suddenly says $25 -- telling me he is "giving me a break". To avoid more hassle, I pay up and leave.

After returning the car, the rental woman tells me "yes, that station is full of thieves". She says the other two Pemex stations are honest. So remember, don't go the the easternmost Pemex on the "transverse" road. Use either of the stations closer into town.

Oh, that would so make me ANGRY. What kind of inconsiderate jerk was working that day? I'll make sure to bring a re-usable bag for just THIS purpose now....

The guy was not friendly at all. He was silent and looked like he wanted to be somewhere else. In any case, I didn't blame him. He was just doing what they told him to do, I suppose.

Again, a tape dispenser on a handle and momentary, minimal effort would be so helpful to repair the boxes to make them carry worthy. Almost everyone I saw in line had difficulty with the ripped open boxes.

Oooohhhh! Aaaahhhhhhh!

Yeah, whatever.

I, too, cruise out of Galveston. I have seen them open them very unceremoniously and then make it hard to close back up. I only suggest a bag of sorts to keep it all in one place after. The DO open the cardboard.

We just experienced this. The guy ripped open our sealed 12 pack, and dumped every can out on the table. He shoved them back inside the now useless torn box, and pushed them back towards me. I thought at that time how easy it would have been for the guy to have a handle type tape dispenser to semi reseal the box for carrying ease. It would cost Carnival essentially nothing to do this.

I, like everyone else with ripped open 12 packs, had to carry them cradled in an arm the rest of the way. Its hard to do that while carrying two suitcases, and standing in a long line.

We enjoyed it. Sit on the top! Duck under the wires!

Sean,

Are there a lot of Uber drivers in Galveston? I thought they couldn't get into the port area

without being fined.

What day do you need a ride? I am not an Uber drive but only my wife and I will be in our 8 passenger Honda Odyssey on Jan. 30. I could easily swing by your hotel, it wouldn't be an imposition... let me know!

We have cruised Carnival out of Galveston 3X, with our 4th coming up next week.

The demographics will be mixed, with a strong bias toward adults. That does not mean "elderly", but mostly adults due to high schools and colleges still being in session.

It will be very casual, almost too casual for some peoples tastes. Its an unpretentious, hang loose and party type crowd, but of course you can find quite areas to frequent if you wish.

You will enjoy what you will find most likely.

I just love it when people say others don't do their research....

Well, thats being clearly inferred over and over here. In fact, one poster in particular is even bragging that he won't do any looking around.

So, no, its not "people saying it" about others, the other are saying themselves.

 

I for one have no problem shopping around. .... If you find a good deal, go for it.

I agree.

I don't understand people who are blindly loyal to one company. Its too easy with just a few clicks of a mouse to see everything available from everyone else. How could additional information be "bad"?

Seriously, don't be an age snob as you do not yet have enough life experience yet.

You are calling this guy a "snob" because he wants to meet girls in his own age group? SERIOUSLY?

. I also know that there is a lot more like me that's not looking elsewhere even with better deals on other cruise lines. Carnival gives me everything I looking for in a vacation.

Actually' date=' since you don't look around, it sounds like [i']you[/i] are giving Carnival everything they ask for, LOL.

I am pretty much only going to consider January cruising from this point on. I don't want to get price gouged.

My guess is that this might be a cultural thing that would be more acceptable thing in whatever country this waiter was from...

Maybe, maybe not, but I don't care. My culture is my own. Incredibly, he appeared to ignore others who dressed poorly and had unkempt, ungroomed beards and dirty hair.

The guy really creeped me out getting into my personal space like that, rubbing my face. BTW I was about 10 years older than him. Way out of line.

That's hardly an ASSAULT. He may have been out of line, but that's not an assault.

I never claimed it was an "ASSAULT"! What on earth are you accusing me of?

It looks like you confused me with the other poster in this thread. Get your facts straight.

.