Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Sunshine3601]

11 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have a final payment due next week for a January cruise and I'm also struggling with whether or not to pull the plug. I have a good price on it and have not had a vacation in two years now. The right side of my brain says go and the left side says I'm crazy to even consider going.

Obviously you have to do you.      

You have worked hard for the last 2 years and deserve a vacation.    Just please stay safe with whatever you decide. 

 

Me personally I am going to do whatever I can to get on Anthem OTS on Jan 9th for our b2b (22 night sailing).     

I just ordered our emed test kits, got my booster today (Eric has his booster).    

We are going to my Brothers house for Christmas with fully vaccinated, boosted family and we are scheduled for a covid test to be done on 12/23 and my SIL and Brother are scheduled for 12/24 so hopefully we will all be good to enjoy the day together with her Mother that is visiting from her assisted living apartment. 

We will catch up with our boys after Christmas as they are spending the day with their girlfriends families.

We plan on working from home starting Monday and "quarantine" as much as possible to avoid testing positive as I desperately want to get on that ship on Jan 9th.    

[h20skibum]

25 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

Ours is 1/9 and the website (via the link) says till 1/5. But we got the email.

Ours are 1/2 and 1/9, so I just assumed it was because we fell under the new protocols for the 1/2 sailing.   
 

I am sure I will be spending time outside, or with a drink in my hand.  😊 You don’t need the mask if eating or drinking. 

[Sunshine3601]

9 hours ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Mine, as well...  except our new girl, who keeps trying to escape anytime someone opens a door. We adopted her from a rescue a month ago. She seems to be happy here with us, but every time she tries to escape outside, I worry that she's looking for her "other family" who surrendered her to the shelter. They had a 10yo child (according to the form they filled out when they left her there), and I often think about both the child and our new kitty missing each other. 😭 We are trying to give her lots of extra love to help her feel better. 

We adopted a 1.5 yr old cat Thanksgiving 2020 and he had 0 desire to go outside till Spring came then one day he crept outside with us on the patio, next thing I knew he was leaping over our 6 foot fence like a pro.     I said there he goes hopefully he comes back.    I thought the same as you, he is going to look for his previous home, but nope he apparently just loves to leap fences, walk across the tops of them and sit and watch whatever is there to watch.      He visits my neighbor and sits on her patio (she is our cat sitter) and he comes back home within seconds (sometimes minutes) of me calling him.    

My other cat Eva at first was getting upset and yelling at him every time he jumped the fence but now she just watches and almost like she shakes her head and says there he goes again.    

 

[h20skibum]

15 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I love these personalized calendars.   Nice 🤩

Speaking of photo related things, did anyone else get the emails from royal and celebrity, giving you a code for a free 8.5 x 8.5 photo book from mixbook?  We got them, and I started putting together a book of photos from our October Odyssey sailing.  I have done a couple photo books from mixbook on our prior sailings, and they do a nice job.

[Sunshine3601]

7 hours ago, h20skibum said:

The grandkids love to draw, and we display their drawings all along the chair rail in our dining room.  They love to have drawing competitions when they are here. The “judge” picks a scene or subject, and everyone has to draw it within 10 minutes. We get some interesting drawings, especially when Susan and I draw. 😂😂

We do have a few pieces of their artwork on nightlights and potholders. 

 

Sounds like a fun competition.    You have quite the artists in your family.     I love the nightlights and potholders too!

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

Wendall is fine, normal aging problems. Yay!

🥰

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

So I received my Golden Ticket today!  
Many of you ladies may relate to this.  I had my annual mammogram last Thursday.  I always refer to this time of year as “hell week”.  My mother died of breast cancer at age 67.  Now granted, she didn’t go to a Dr for literally more than 30 years ( she was afraid they’d find something wrong with her - ha) and there isn’t any other family history but it’s still always in the back of my mind.  Plus, about 75% of the time I get a call back a few days after the mammo to come back in for an ultrasound.  My mind immediately goes to worst case scenario, even though I know this is common. I’ve also had a cyst drained & biopsied (clear) - stress through the roof for an extra week on that one.  So anyway, I’ve been dreading the call back since last Thursday. Each day that goes by without a call, I feel a little better.  Today in the mail I receive my “ all clear”, telling me everything looks good, see you next year.  
I told myself if everything was good, we’d book a trip somewhere warm during Jan or Feb.  But now I’m ticked off that with the way this virus is going, that’s not the best idea 🤬.  Maybe we’ll just rent something in FL for a few weeks, we can always drive. 
Anyway, I deserve a glass of wine or 4 tonight.  

Congratulations on the All Clear!🤩

I had a mammo done recently and received the All clear last week 

[Sunshine3601]

54 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

Link in email:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

 

 

I suspect they made this change since some ships may be sailing at or very close to full capacity during the holiday sailings.    

we wear masks pretty much everywhere we go these days indoors but I am disappointed to see you have to wear one in the casino as I thought covid droplets weren't allowed in the casino😁

[dani negreanu]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I am disappointed to see you have to wear one in the casino as I thought covid droplets weren't allowed in the casino😁

 

May be the Omicron variant got a special dispensation....😉

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

So I received my Golden Ticket today!  
Many of you ladies may relate to this.  I had my annual mammogram last Thursday.  I always refer to this time of year as “hell week”.  My mother died of breast cancer at age 67.    Today in the mail I receive my “ all clear”, telling me everything looks good, see you next year.  
I told myself if everything was good, we’d book a trip somewhere warm during Jan or Feb.  But now I’m ticked off that with the way this virus is going, that’s not the best idea 🤬.  Maybe we’ll just rent something in FL for a few weeks, we can always drive. 
Anyway, I deserve a glass of wine or 4 tonight.  

Congratulations, Deb!  You definitely deserve a glass of wine.  Since all is good, and this darned virus is not letting up, renting something in Florida is certainly a way to go, if cruising isn't in your cards right now.  I'm sorry that you lost your Mom to this dreaded disease.❤️

[BonTexasNY]

2 hours ago, George C said:

Agree they have recently been very disappointing , but as a great Yankee once said it ain’t over till it’s over . 

Yogi Berra? And no I didn't google.  Just kinda obvious.

[Luckynana]

5 hours ago, Keksie said:

We are in the Panhandle so it does get cold and the beaches while still beautiful are a tad cold to swim in.  Right now it is 70 but cloudy.  We live between the beach and the Alabama border.  Close to Pensacola and 45 minutes to the beach.

Our friends from Naples just celebrated their Thanksgiving in the Panhandle with their daughters family from Kansas.  The weather was a little chilly but sunny;  they were staying at a house by the beach.  Their grandchildren had bathing suits on, and their 12 year old grandson did go into the water.  Kids!!!

4 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

Wendall is fine, normal aging problems. Yay!

That is so good to hear, Marietta!

4 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I'm currently sitting at riteaid for my pfizer booster.  I see why they have certain hours for walkins.  Steady stream of people, about 15 or 20 people ahead of me.

I hope you didn't have to wait too long, Debbie!  How are you feeling, since it's been 4 or 5 hours since your shot?

[Luckynana]

43 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

   

My other cat Eva at first was getting upset and yelling at him every time he jumped the fence but now she just watches and almost like she shakes her head and says there he goes again.    

 

It's almost as if Eva has taken on the role of mother here!😁  Too cute!!!

[aussielozzie18]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

So I received my Golden Ticket today!  
Many of you ladies may relate to this.  I had my annual mammogram last Thursday.  I always refer to this time of year as “hell week”.  My mother died of breast cancer at age 67.  Now granted, she didn’t go to a Dr for literally more than 30 years ( she was afraid they’d find something wrong with her - ha) and there isn’t any other family history but it’s still always in the back of my mind.  Plus, about 75% of the time I get a call back a few days after the mammo to come back in for an ultrasound.  My mind immediately goes to worst case scenario, even though I know this is common. I’ve also had a cyst drained & biopsied (clear) - stress through the roof for an extra week on that one.  So anyway, I’ve been dreading the call back since last Thursday. Each day that goes by without a call, I feel a little better.  Today in the mail I receive my “ all clear”, telling me everything looks good, see you next year.  
I told myself if everything was good, we’d book a trip somewhere warm during Jan or Feb.  But now I’m ticked off that with the way this virus is going, that’s not the best idea 🤬.  Maybe we’ll just rent something in FL for a few weeks, we can always drive. 
Anyway, I deserve a glass of wine or 4 tonight.  

Isn’t wonderful when you get the all clear.  Enjoy your wine(s). Because my mom passed from BC, I get the works - originally it was a mammogram and a very thorough ultrasound where the radiologist would always disappear for an extended length of time to consult with the doctor over the inevitable anomalities.  Now, I have progressed to an ultrasound, a  3D mammogram and I also get injected with dye and more mammograms - all in the same appointment at a private hospital- then a follow up with the specialist.  My GP organised all this 2 years ago as an annual check. 

[Arzeena]

2 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Ours are 1/2 and 1/9, so I just assumed it was because we fell under the new protocols for the 1/2 sailing.   
 

I am sure I will be spending time outside, or with a drink in my hand.  😊 You don’t need the mask if eating or drinking. 

I have developed this sudden liking for French Caribbean!☺️

Are you on the Harmony?

[Arzeena]

1 hour ago, h20skibum said:

Speaking of photo related things, did anyone else get the emails from royal and celebrity, giving you a code for a free 8.5 x 8.5 photo book from mixbook?  We got them, and I started putting together a book of photos from our October Odyssey sailing.  I have done a couple photo books from mixbook on our prior sailings, and they do a nice job.

I got something like that.

[aussielozzie18]

There is a small Bastille Festival in the city today.  Normally it is held in July (our winter). Due to Covid it has been moved to this weekend.  Today it is 31c (84f) in Sydney so the mulled wine stall is not doing much in sales….

[aussielozzie18]

Christmas Tree in the QVB building in the city

[h20skibum]

14 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

I have developed this sudden liking for French Caribbean!☺️

Are you on the Harmony?

No, we are on the Oasis

[akcruz]

3 hours ago, Keksie said:

This is what was posted in another thread.  

 

Just received this email (for my 12/31/2021 sailing).  😞

 

With the recent uptick of COVID-19 in the world and added Omicron variant concerns, we feel it prudent to temporarily tighten our onboard health protocols to require masks indoors at all times, unless actively eating or drinking. This new update also applies to vaccinated areas and venues.

We're sorry for any disappointment that this may cause, but hope you understand that health and safety come first. Despite the new requirement, we know you will still have a great time onboard.

For full protocol details, please click here. As always, health and safety protocols are subject to change.

If you have questions about these protocols, please reference our FAQs for details or contact us at 1 (866) 562-7625 or 541-285-9150 for assistance. If you prefer to not sail as a result of this change or would like to reschedule your cruise, we are glad to assist. Looking forward to seeing you onboard!

 

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I wonder if they will reschedule with price protection? I am not going under these circumstances.

 

Thank you for posting the email.  We are scheduled to sail the beginning of Feb and have been trying to decide if we are going, final due early January.  This may tip it to no.  We wear masks when needed but this may be a bit much.

 

We both have our boosters and are scheduled for tests Monday to let the daughter be comfortable bringing the unvacs grandkids.  So done with all of this.  You just start feeling OK and they wham you with the next one.  Just done at this point ☹.

Edited December 18, 2021 by akcruz

[BonTexasNY]

5 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I haven't seen them anywhere.  Just checked my Target app and the stores around here don't show it as available but could be because it is likely in the seasonal section.  Will have to check it out.  I did google them and they look delicious!

 

I forgot to hit the submit reply button hours ago.  haha

I wanted to comment that although I never saw choco covered ritz crackers, I have had choco covered potato chips that were delicious.  Haven't seen them in quite a few years.

[Coralc]

7 hours ago, Arzeena said:

Royal Caribbean sends email with new masking protocols when on board.

For me, who has not really thrown the mask in the garbage (yet, and still wears it in stores and public places) it makes no difference, but those who do not want to wear one will not be very happy.

We sail after Jan 5, but still got the email with link.

As Sue would say it is what it is!

Since California (and Royal Caribbean) just went back to mask mandates. I just purchased a 100 more. Only $8.49.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08XNHCQCG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited December 18, 2021 by Coralc

[Coralc]

7 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I wonder if they will reschedule with price protection? I am not going under these circumstances.

I wondered if you would go along with, or what you would think of the new rules. I know you were on the fence anyway. 

 

I guess we are kind of glad now that our December and February cruises were cancelled. I'm still not happy about the April 2023 one being cancelled. But we still have four months until April of this year for Navigator.  Stupid virus. 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Coralc said:

I wondered if you would go along with, or what you would think of the new rules. I know you were on the fence anyway. 

 

I guess we are kind of glad now that our December and February cruises were cancelled. I'm still not happy about the April 2023 one being cancelled. But we still have four months until April of this year for Navigator.  Stupid virus. 

Four months until April of this year?

[Coralc]

6 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Congratulations on the All Clear!🤩

I had a mammo done recently and received the All clear last week 

I had to go back, because apparently my chin was in the image.