MaritimeR&R

If you are looking at a cabin on level 4 or lower and think you might be one of the people who find the vibration from the turbines and shafts that propel the ship soothing rather than annoying, then go aft. Otherwise, go forward.

I have a medical condition that requires I drink a lot of water. I always board with my water bottle filled (they uncap and smell it...lol) and several other sealed bottles because oftentimes, the water package I order (Evian 1 liters) isn't in my cabin until the morning of day 2. I have never been given any flack about it.

Anybody have any lucky ordering a white russian - or is that a no-no on a voucher?

Yes, I also have a discrepancy with the balances listed and find the prices listed under *My Cruises* are all inaccurate for our sailings. It's been like that for quite a while and I don't pay any attention to it. You'll see the balances under *My Cruises* will change quite frequently throughout the day. Just go by your *Booking Confirmation/Guest copy invoice which has the accurate balance for your cruise.

With only 12 SB's available for each sailing, I don't want to find myself having my cruise cancelled. I think I will call into RCI to make my final payment and request a paid in full confirmation. Hopefully, that will prevent any future trouble.

When I booked my SB cabins for both the inaugural and March 1 sailings, I was given my full diamond discount for both cabins. My confirmations for both sailings stated this.

When Anthem sailings became available and I booked my SB's for those sailings, I was told, the C&A discount was prorated for the studios. At that time I questioned why I had received the full discount for my Quantum sailings and was told it had been a mistake but one that RCI was going to stand by- those that had received it would keep it.

Today, my balance according to the My Cruises page is $96. more than what it should be for my November 23rd cruise but it is unchanged for my March 1st cruise.

Does anyone else have a discrepancy between what their confirmation says is owed and what the My Cruises page states and if so, did you get an explanation?

Under the first BOGO, I had booked two cabins on the Liberty for August 2015; one was a JS for myself; the other a K interior for my son, his wife and two children. The new sale didn't affect my cabin price, but I was able to save $340. on the interior cabin when I called in this morning. Every little bit helps.

My Grandeur sailings in January are still going for more than what I paid for them under the first BOGO, so no savings there either.

We bring the same one and have never had a problem. I think we use the usb slots more than the outlets anymore.

Same here. No problem bringing it on board.

Thanks,

Parked at the pier many times and never had a problem.

My understanding is that points are given at the end of cruise for the actual days that we cruise, so the short answer is no. Is there someone else that might be able to come with you is your son can't? At least that way someone would receive the points. :)

Yes, I know that. But I usually cruise solo and since Oct. 1, 2013 double points are given to passengers in who cruise solo in a cabin (studio balconies and studio insides excluded) but pay the double occupancy. Triple points are awarded for cruising in a JS or better.

I am paying for the cruise, so if my son can't make it. I will be solo in a cabin that I paid the 200% double occupancy fee for. What I am unsure of is whether the cabin had to be booked as a solo passenger in order to receive the double points or if I wind up being solo in the cabin whether I will receive the double points.

It's just come to my attention that one of my adult sons may not be able to join me on my Anthem Thanksgiving cruise because he is changing jobs.

His ability to schedule a vacation will be up in the air for some time so I am leaving the reservation as is just in case he can make it. We are currently booked in a D8.

If he is a no show at the pier will I receive double points for cruising solo in the cabin?

I don't believe Royal would ask about your insurance but I guess its really up to you whether or not you find it ethical to be credited twice.

Not a matter of being ethical-- 95% of the time I travel solo in a JS and pay the double supplement. Am unsure how RC handles the credit - since I am paying the double supplement. If RC only credits only one fare, then I would want the other (the double supplement) covered by insurance.

For the first time, I am contemplating purchasing other than RCI Cruise Care for my upcoming B2B cruise on the Grandeur. One of the benefits of the policy I am looking at (cheaper than RCI's for the B2B) states that it will refund you the cost of each day that you are confined to your cabin because of illness.

Has anyone had this experience:

RCI issued a credit to you for days that you were confined to your cabin (such as in a Noro outbreak) and you had a policy that stated you would receive the cost of each day you were confined, did RCI still give you the credit?

Note: I have checked the websites of all cruise insurance providers that offer cabin confinement credit as one of their benefits and none of them speak to the issue of receiving cruise line credit in lieu of or in addition to credit from them.

I live in NY too.

 

I wish Liberty would stay here year round.

 

I don't care what happens to Quantum and Anthem.

As a balcony-or-better-solo traveler who prefers avoiding the expense of flying to a cruise port during NY winters, I am happy about the availability of booking the studio balcony that the Quantum class offers at a reduced rate. I am sure these ships will provide everyone with lots to experience, however I will miss the more intimate environment that Explorer provided and the MDR where I enjoyed my meals with many lovely people through the years.

Click on the box you want.

 

http://www.oceanweather.com/data/

 

Doesn't look too bad.

 

"How do I read a wind barb?

 

The wind barbs indicate both the wind speed in knots (nautical mile per hour) and the wind direction (from which the wind is coming from). Each flag on a wind barb indicates 50 knots, each long segment is 10 knots, and each short segment is 5 knots. To get the wind speed, just add up the flags and segments."

Your signature is fabulous. It is nice to see someone who is enjoying life above land and on the sea!

Log into your Crown and Anchor account at the Royal Caribbean website. If you do not have an account, create one. RC doesn't do the quarterly specials anymore; cruise special pricing for C&A members are regularly added to and can be found under Special Offers.

If you don't find a cruise you are interested in under the Special Offers, there is still the option of being logged into your account and doing a mock booking for any cruise you might be interested in. The price you are given now is supposed to show any discounts you would be entitled to for that cruise.

I would love to see them do something in the Hawaiian Islands.

Try this link. Yours hosts a travel agency, and is thus prohibited from Cruise Critic.

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Tour-company-in-development-at-Royal-Caribbean/

Sorry didn't realize it. Thanks for the heads up!

http://www.******************.com/2014/06/25/royal-caribbean-create-new-company-offer-land-tours-around-the-world

Am wondering how, if at all, reciprocity for loyalty levels may be applied.

Any ideas?

I was pre-selected to book my dining for both the Nov. inaugural cruise out of Bayonne and the March 1, 2015 sailing. I was also able to book my entertainment for the Nov. cruise. When I called about the March 1st sailing, I was told 6 months out for entertainment bookings.

I would venture to guess that if you were to do a side by side comparison of health care costs after retirement of two individuals one a teacher and the other an average American the stats would be even more pronounced. It would be my guess, that in those areas where teachers do not get free health care after retirement that the combined Medicare Part B premium, deductibles, a secondary plan and a Part D plan would cost far more than the annual health care cost of the retired teacher. These costs can be even more exacerbated by the donut hole many people find themselves in with even modest prescription drug needs.

Statistically speaking your side by side comparison would have way too many variables to garner any reliable data. The term "average" American in and of itself would be difficult to define. Demographics would play a major role and as stated earlier, it is not necessarily a broad "area" that defines teacher benefits but rather individual school districts which could encompass an area as small as a hamlet in some states.

As stated, I paid for my health insurance and continue to do so since I retired. I also paid into Medicare. When I turn 65, which is shortly, per my teacher's contract, I will begin paying all the lovely fees associated with Medicare and (though it is my choice to do so) will continue to pay for my existing health insurance despite Medicare becoming my primary and my existing health insurance becoming my "secondary."

I don't want to go into an elongated debate but there is not one inaccurate statement in my post.

Inaccurate, no. Misleading, yes. You use an example one NYS teacher whose district happens to cover her medical. That is not the case in the majority of school districts.

NJ teachers average 65% of their last three years of working. Now they are bitching because the Gov wants it based on the last five years of work.

 

 

A good friend of mine is a retired FBI agent based in NY. His wife is a retired second grade teacher with a BA. Guess who's medical plan they use? Yes, hers. They, her AND him, get free lifetime health benefits.

 

 

 

 

Keep in mind that not all states nor are all school districts within a state the same in terms of the benefits their teachers get.

 

I worked in NYS as a teacher for 30+ years, contributed to 3% per year to my pension and had to pay a percentage for my own group health benefits along with the total (though reduced for being part of a group plan) cost of my family's coverage. Now that I am retired, I still pay my own health insurance.

I am a retired secondary-ed. teacher and former Union rep. for my teacher's association, though I am not familiar with the laws that govern education in other states, I will do my best to give you accurate information as it applies to NYS and perhaps, in the process, provide some rationale as to why things are done as they are done.

In NYS all public school districts fall under the umbrella of the New York State Board of Education, NYSED. Individual school districts can opt to require more of their personnel and students than NYSED requires, but they can not do less without incurring a penalty.

The minimum days a public school must have children in attendance is set at 180, though each school district's Board of Education may negotiate with their various unions (teacher, administrator, clerical/custodial) to increase that amount. Most do and include anywhere from 2 to 5 additional conference days to that amount along with other requirements/responsibilities such as attendance at evening or after school open houses/parent conferences, orientations, and other events.

Public school districts in NYS that fail to meet the 180 days of student attendance do not receive state aid unless granted a waiver due to an act of God. The cost to a taxpayer in a district that did not receive state aid would be prohibitive, so all districts ensure they are in compliance.

Insofar as snow days, each public school district in NYS includes differing numbers of snow days into their school calendar. Those numbers are specific to each district and are negotiated points. These are in addition to the regularly scheduled calendar days per their contract. So, in NYS different districts may schedule different dates of attendance, but all must meet the 180 day attendance requirement.

When a district uses more than the number of snow days it had allotted in their school calendar, makeup days are taken from those time periods that were originally scheduled holidays on district's calendar. Each Board of Education for every public school in NYS sets these dates.

Unless either a statewide or county emergency is declared by the governor, the district superintendent along with the superintendent of transportation makes the decision to close school for the day, to have a delay, or to have an early dismissal. The decision to close, delay or dismiss early may include all personnel as well, but it is based on contractual language with each of the unions.

Personnel can not sue the district for any harm they may come to as a result of failing to close, delay, or dismiss early, however a parent whose child is injured from such a failure can. Hence, as any lawsuit is costly, most districts close, delay or dismiss early to avoid any situation that would place them in the position of defending their decision to remain open in court.

Each district's Board of Education negotiates the salary schedule for each of its unions separately. The salary schedule is based on the contractual agreement for the number of days school is in session.

Each "step" (level of experience and education) is presented on the appropriate salary schedule as the total amount paid to the union member for the contractually agreed upon number of days school is in session and any other attendance/participation requirements.

Any additional requirements (like any contract in the real world) are paid for based on a per diem rate. So, if a district required that its teachers report on a snow day, it would have to pay each of its teachers for that additional day or face not meeting the minimum- 180-day-students-in-attendance state requirement. Personnel salaries and benefits for a school district eat up the majority of each school district's budget and their is little to no room for "extra pay." For those that would disagree with paying a teacher for additional time, imagine that you had contracted with a venue, or a service provider and then needed additional additional time or service. Would you expect them to extend that time or that service for nothing?

With regard to pay periods: per their individual contract, teachers in some districts have the opportunity to have their contract salary divided into 26 checks rather than 22. It is not standard in NYS for every district to offer this option to its teachers since it adds an additional work for their payroll department. Albeit 22 or 26 paychecks, in the end, the gross salary is the same.

Note:

Those who run out the door at the end of their contractual day and those who burn the mid-night oil are paid the same if they are on the same "step;" time spent outside of the school day doing research, lesson plans, grading, phone calls and letters to parents, etc. is considered part of the job and is not compensated further.

In many districts, extending your "vacation" by either taking off a day before or after a day that school is scheduled to not be in session will result in a salary dock of 2x or more your per diem salary for each day taken. Snow makeup days are made during the Spring, Easter, and Memorial Day holiday periods. If a teacher who works in a district that docks for absences before or after a holiday makes travel plans in advance for those time periods and a makeup day(s) becomes necessary, he/she must either cancel their plans or lose 2 (or more) days of pay for every day they take off.

Needless to say, before I retired, I did not take many cruises as they were too expensive during the peak times I could travel. As a single parent, I worked summers to raise three sons and send them to college. Now, that I am retired and my children are grown, I cruise as often as I can. I would love a teacher discount that could be paired with my loyalty discount; paying that single supplement stings!

Winchester, it is my hope for you that, given time, you will come to enjoy cruising as a solo.

As an active female who has cruised as a solo for many years, I can attest to the fact that I am not in least bit uncomfortable with clicking on "1" when selecting the number of passengers traveling in a stateroom. I have met many lovely (and a few not so lovely) people while on board and I have had the opportunity to do what I choose to do without having to consult with someone else.

p.s. My name is "Sophie," so your Emperor package comment made me laugh!

Has anyone booked a cruise with TA perks (i.e. OBC) and used a significant Casino Royale discount for their cruise fare (successfully)?

 

I was told that if I use the casino discount I can't get TA perks!! That's frustrating:mad:

I am a Casino Royale player but I always utilize the best deal I can get for my cruise pay for it myself beforehand and then once on board, pick up whatever monies I have recouped from the casino at the cage when it opens. That way, I am never restricted from any other discounts that come my way.