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

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Not burried that well, it's added on the very last page of the 17 page contract last paragraph(pretty slick) how many people have read the contract to the end?. Means pretty much they can decide to raise the price you agreed on and booked at, at any old time they decide.......Buyer Beware!

Pretty much means when you check in at the pier , you may or may not be paid in full anymore!

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/guest-terms/content/uploads/2023/03/Royal-CTC-U.S.-rev-02.17.23-final.pdf

 

21. SUPPLEMENT CHARGES: Operator reserves the right to impose a supplemental charge relating to unanticipated occurrences including, but not limited to, increases in the price of fuel. Any such supplement charges may apply, at Operator’s sole discretion, to both existing and new bookings (regardless of whether such bookings have been paid in full). Such supplements are not included in the Cruise or CruiseTour Fare.

 

Also found it written this way in another place: Wonder if you got to the pier and you refused to pay the additional fees and they canceled you at the pier would you be given a full refund or completely lose all your money. That would only be if you got that far and didn't get cancelled 90 days out when final was due I guess.

 

b. Taxes, Fees, and Port Expenses. Taxes, fees, and port expenses (collectively, “Taxes and Fees”) include fees, charges, costs and taxes imposed on Carrier, by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities, as well as third party fees and charges relating to the Vessel’s navigation, operations or presence in a port or harbor. By way of example, and not limitation, Taxes and Fees may include immigration-related fees, passenger head taxes, dockage fees,  wharfage fees lol, inspection fees, pilotage, canal tolls, navigation fees, environmental impact fees, charges relating to the cost of acquiring government-mandated carbon emission allowances, or charges related to berthing, stevedoring, baggage handling or storage, and security services.  Guest acknowledges that Taxes and Fees are estimated by Carrier at the time of booking and subject to change.  Carrier may pass through any increases to applicable Taxes and Fees at any time after booking.  Carrier may, in its sole discretion, require Guest to prepay such increase in Taxes and Fees prior to boarding the Vessel or apply such increase to Guest’s onboard folio at the time of sailing.  Guest’s refusal or failure to prepay any such increase may be deemed a cancellation by Guest.

The very first cruise we booked I read the entire cruise contract. Then my very first thought was why in the world would anyone agree to this?

[firefly333]

14 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Chances are very good that an MRI would have showed nothing. They can confirm a stroke but they are not predictors of stroke.

Thank you for this. I have always wondered if we missed the right test. 

 

She was still alive when they started on me to pull the plug. Inspected her visually and said nonresponsive, looks like a stroke. I said I want to know what happened, not just what it looks like visually before I decide. 

 

Luckynana thank you for the wishes for my sister. Yes all my mom wanted was for her children to be happy. Some trusts are because families have lots of money, this one is because my sibling cant manage money .. or anything else. I take it as a directive handed to me to make karen as happy as I can with the money they left. Happiness. 

[Arzeena]

25 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Thank you for this. I have always wondered if we missed the right test. 

 

She was still alive when they started on me to pull the plug. Inspected her visually and said nonresponsive, looks like a stroke. I said I want to know what happened, not just what it looks like visually before I decide. 

 

Luckynana thank you for the wishes for my sister. Yes all my mom wanted was for her children to be happy. Some trusts are because families have lots of money, this one is because my sibling cant manage money .. or anything else. I take it as a directive handed to me to make karen as happy as I can with the money they left. Happiness. 

Jane,

Hugs for you. You are a very good person and your heart is in the right place. Just know that.

[A&L_Ont]

45 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

The very first cruise we booked I read the entire cruise contract. Then my very first thought was why in the world would anyone agree to this?

 

 

Then you went on it and you were hooked. 

[Ocean Boy]

18 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

 

Then you went on it and you were hooked. 

Exactly.

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

The very first cruise we booked I read the entire cruise contract. Then my very first thought was why in the world would anyone agree to this?

 

Same with me except i stopped halfway. I figured I'm still going on the cruise no matter what it says so why bother. 

 

After spending several thousand dollars on the cruise, plus flights and hotels/meals for pre- or post- cruise vacations, an extra $50 or $100 in pass thru taxes & fees tacked on is basically nickles and dimes.

 

Annoying?  Absolutely yes. 

Deal breaker? Nope.

Edited April 19 by HBE4

[Jimbo]

42 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

Same with me except i stopped halfway. I figured I'm still going on the cruise no matter what it says so why bother. 

 

After spending several thousand dollars on the cruise, plus flights and hotels/meals for pre- or post- cruise vacations, an extra $50 or $100 in pass thru taxes & fees tacked on is basically nickles and dimes.

 

Annoying?  Absolutely yes. 

Deal breaker? Nope.

Just seems petty though doesn't it? not like they aren't going to make up the few extra bucks when you are onboard spending $$ with your sea pass card.

 

Are all the cruise lines doing stuff like this after you put a deposit on a cruise?

[Jimbo]

 TV Show on "911" Rock the Boat on ABC right now with cruise ship on it's side

 

Boarding Life Boats Soon !! Lets see how that goes while everyone is in a panic.

Edited April 19 by Jimbo

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Yeah, insurance companies that have never set their eyes on a patient make the decisions instead of physicians who have actually layed their hands on the patient.....

Exactly!  🥺

[Coralc]

26 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Just seems petty though doesn't it? not like they aren't going to make up the few extra bucks when you are onboard spending $$ with your sea pass card.

 

Are all the cruise lines doing stuff like this after you put a deposit on a cruise?

We were in Alaska, the single year that they decided to add the $100 p/p tourist tax. We just paid it. It was repealed the following year. It is not worth it to derail your plans. 

[A&L_Ont]

Not sure I’d this will work but for any ABBA lovers out there enjoy. Edit, the link worked for me. 
 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4fcG7rOJYd/?igsh=dzBremY2NnczODRu

Edited April 19 by A&L_Ont

[firefly333]

Called my buyer yesterday and reminded her not to schedule her appraiser during my vacation. Of course she forgot, but I have a cruise 7 days on mariner may 6 and I dont want anyone in while I'm gone. 

 

Today googled movers and they really like one mover over others, ranked #1 so I booked with them though as always surprised at the price. Isnt that a sign you are getting old you think everything cost much less you remember. I havent moved cross country in over 20 years. For some reason I thought about 6k would move me. Tops. I dont even have a lot to move,  lots of boxes. 

 

For another $1500 I could get a dedicated truck and a specific move in date. And he took off another $1300 I think as a partial pack. But I have framed pictures each needs a box. The tvs have to be boxed, and closets and bathrooms. The date can be anywhere from 2 to 12 days from friday may 17. Depends which stop of the moving truck I am. I plan to drive and stop a lot probably and get a hotel until they get there. Gave them a deposit. One step closer. 

 

Another case of sticker shock. Am I the only one always surprised how much stuff now costs?

Edited April 19 by firefly333

[Coralc]

I don't know. We are boxing everything up excluding furniture. U-Haul has TV and art boxes. We haven't priced it out yet. The move is only 2.5 hours away, but a lot of juggling balls in the air to figure out how all of this going to work. 

 

Termite treatment the end of the month. Termite construction begins May 13th and then exterior house painting and appliances. And then moving. 

 

And in the meantime, we have to get other things moved out of the other house and antiques into the garage, so we will have somewhere to put our multitude of boxes. 

 

Totally stressed. 

[xpcdoojk]

17 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Never done Hibachi. Do they have anything with tomato sauce and melted cheese?

You should try it…. Pretty tasty.  I am from a long line of Germans, and while I like my ancestral food, if I had to give up all of my food tastes to a single culture, it might be Thai or Japanese.  I could probably do Stir Fry and Sushi and get by if I had to.  I would miss a good burger or a good steak, and bacon and tomato… o my.  

 

JC

 

 

[Jimbo]

We boxed pretty much everything ourselves when we moved from NJ to Virginia.

 

Packed all the small stuff in Egg Boxes, only help we got with the move was the bigger heavy furniture. 

 

Packed it all in trailers ourselves also, even unpacked the 3 trailers when we got to Virginia ourselves except the heavy stuff.

 

Used U-Pack and ABF trailers

https://www.moving.com/tips/what-is-abf-freight-and-how-does-it-work/

 

First picture is the Egg Boxes packed in NJ. That was just some of them, there were many more.

 

 

All the below boxes on this flatbed trailer were in our basement in the old house. They had to all come up from down in the basement then the cart was drove over next to the ABF trailers for packing into the trailers.

 

This all happened in The last two weeks of January. So it's colder then it looks at both locations

 

 

This was the first trailer arriving in Virginia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Trailer came 3 days later and the weather really changed for the bad.

 

 

 

 

Egg Boxes went into the garage and we slowly unpacked, all the boxes were marked at to what boxes went into which room at the new house in Virginia.

 

 

Edited April 19 by Jimbo

[Coralc]

Wow! Thanks Jim. And that is a lot of boxes. Our move is looking that way. We can pack the boxes, but we can't load it all ourselves. I can't lift stuff anymore. This is entirely too much work, as it is. 

 

Since we only plan to live at the other house for two years. Some boxes may never even get unpacked. But I am absolutely amazed at how much stuff we have discarded, donated, or sold. And how much is still left to pack. 

 

There is something to be said for a minimalist lifestyle. Our neighbors were like that. I went over there and asked, where is your mail, and magazines and celery rubber bands, and paperwork and gadgets and other stuff? She just said they don't get keep any of that. Amazing. 🙄 I guess it is something to aspire to. 😊

Edited April 19 by Coralc

[grapau27]

Good morning.

It is partly sunny now and 45°F at 09.05am.

I was awake at 07.00am watching TV news and thinking of Dani @dani negreanu and hoping they remain safe and well.

I hope everyone has a good day.

[Sunshine3601]

9 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Just seems petty though doesn't it? not like they aren't going to make up the few extra bucks when you are onboard spending $$ with your sea pass card.

 

Are all the cruise lines doing stuff like this after you put a deposit on a cruise?

Yes, Holland America did it for a Panama canal cruise where the fee had increased for the canal locks.  The increase was announced and charged to onboard accounts during the sailing.

And I remember in the early 2000s there being fuel surcharges passed onto passengers for various cruise lines.  

[Jimbo]

9 hours ago, Coralc said:

Wow! Thanks Jim. And that is a lot of boxes. Our move is looking that way. We can pack the boxes, but we can't load it all ourselves. I can't lift stuff anymore. This is entirely too much work, as it is. 

 

Since we only plan to live at the other house for two years. Some boxes may never even get unpacked. But I am absolutely amazed at how much stuff we have discarded, donated, or sold. And how much is still left to pack. 

 

There is something to be said for a minimalist lifestyle. Our neighbors were like that. I went over there and asked, where is your mail, and magazines and celery rubber bands, and paperwork and gadgets and other stuff? She just said they don't get keep any of that. Amazing. 🙄 I guess it is something to aspire to. 😊

It does take a lot of time, my wife wrapped in paper all the glassware very carefully, Surprisingly not a single thing got broke in the move.

Before we put our house up for sale we started to pack to declutter the house and lined up all the boxes downstairs in the basement. Made the house upstairs more presentable and easier to show.

 

Jessie didn't want to leave,but is very happy with where we live now.

This is a picture looking out the front door of the house in NJ.

 

 

Edited April 19 by Jimbo

[Keksie]

When we moved to Florida from Texas we packed ourselves and used a combination of a cargo trailer, a 16 foot trailer and a 32 foot trailer to move with.  Roger made 19 trips with stuff.  Two cargo trailer fulls were household items, one was lawn items and all the trips were his hobby items.  We bought the house in Florida in September and sold the one in Florida the next August.  Big fun.  

[StanleyandGus]

10 hours ago, Jimbo said:

First picture is the Egg Boxes packed in NJ. That was just some of them, there were many more.

 

I thought the term “egg boxes” referred to some special American container. Then I saw the photo!
 

We have mostly done military moves, where packers and movers come in. It’s still horrible, but much less horrible than it could be. I can unpack and have everything set up in 3 days.

[bobmacliberty]

When we moved 4 years ago, we incorrectly thought that our moving quote included packing.  We called a couple of days before the move date asking when they'd be there to pack.  Oops.  We spent the next couple of days feverishly packing and making numerous trips to Lowes for more boxes and bubble wrap.  The movers just loaded and unloaded everything.

 

The quote that we received from Two Men and a Truck was a bit more because it was 2 dedicated drivers who would drive directly from our old house to our new house after loading the truck, with one stop overnight.  The same guys that loaded would then unload, and our stuff wouldn't get mixed in with stuff from other people.  We preferred this but we weren't going directly to our new house and the truck would have arrived before us.  We instead went with Allied Moving.  They put our stuff in a truck, put it in storage for a couple of days, and then later combined it with other stuff from someone else headed to the same area as us, so get more efficiency from a full truck.  This meant extra moving of boxes and furniture between storage and trucks which caused a lot of damage for us.  I can't imagine that everyone who moves would have the same amount of damage that we had, so we must have been an unusual situation.  Still, I'd make sure that we use the Two Men and a Truck model of point to point moving the next time (although I hope there isn't a next time 😁) to avoid additional handling and damage.

[Luckynana]

@bobmacliberty  I remember when you posted about all of the damage from the movers.  When we moved, we had been packing for quite some time, we had a huge dumpster that we discarded lots and lots of stuff.  We had been living in our home for 42 years;  we had a big, walk-around attic, and garage full of our (divorced) daughters furniture, and a basement full of Jim's many tools, etc.  We hired a mover who took all of our furniture as well as boxes.  We moved an hour away from our old home.  We have a SIL who has a pickup truck, who was also quite helpful with our moving things we'd had in storage.  Luckily for us, our move went smoothly.

[aussielozzie18]

We did a whale watch cruise yesterday.  Base price + wildlife surcharge @$5 each (can’t begrudge this donation) fuel fee @$10 each pp + online t-shirt special @ $7.50 each (obviously  t-shirt purchase entirely optional & they nicely designed quality t-shirts) then signs everywhere on board re tips appreciated and actively sought before we disembarked.  So final price spent was quite different to original price.

 

Then we have your various hotel taxes add-ons and tips needed to be paid everywhere (fully aware of low wages) so yes we pay appropriate tips. 
 

Not that I am on a budget but the price you expect to pay in Canada & the US is entirely different to what you end up paying.  So different from Australia.

 

Do like the flat fee for taxi fare from Vancouver Airport to your hotel, depending on your location.  This is very clear and certainly prevents scams.  $44 CDN for my taxi fare from airport to our suite hotel right next to Stanley Park.  

 

 

[firefly333]

12 hours ago, Coralc said:

Wow! Thanks Jim. And that is a lot of boxes. Our move is looking that way. We can pack the boxes, but we can't load it all ourselves. I can't lift stuff anymore. This is entirely too much work, as it is. 

 

Since we only plan to live at the other house for two years. Some boxes may never even get unpacked. But I am absolutely amazed at how much stuff we have discarded, donated, or sold. And how much is still left to pack. 

 

There is something to be said for a minimalist lifestyle. Our neighbors were like that. I went over there and asked, where is your mail, and magazines and celery rubber bands, and paperwork and gadgets and other stuff? She just said they don't get keep any of that. Amazing. 🙄 I guess it is something to aspire to. 😊

I guess I should have packed myself but I'm paying someone to pack my stuff not yet boxed. I've packed some. Which is I'm sure why its costing extra. I'm back where I'm allowed to bend over from eye surgery, but I just decided to pay, but didnt realize how much extra it will cost. I'd kinda fooled around estimating it from google links .. it just cost more when I called to nail it down. 

 

He probably has a standard amount for a family, and as it's just me I doubt I have as much left for them to pack as a family would. All the drawers are packed, just hanging, bathrooms and kitchen to pack. And pictures and tv need to be boxed. And mattress needs a cover they said. I told him allow 4 boxes for kitchen, who knows. And the really fragile stuff in the kitchen I'm packing into my car to drive there myself. 

Edited April 19 by firefly333