LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!

[Merion_Mom]

The Christmas decorations are all still up, including the giant Christmas tree in the Royal Promenade, which was *really* in the way during the celebration last night, and the menorah in the Royal Promenade is still there and lit up.

 

C'mon on, Royal Caribbean.........Christmas has been over for a week, and Hanukah for 4 days. Take the stuff DOWN!

[wrp96]

The Christmas decorations are all still up, including the giant Christmas tree in the Royal Promenade, which was *really* in the way during the celebration last night, and the menorah in the Royal Promenade is still there and lit up.

 

C'mon on, Royal Caribbean.........Christmas has been over for a week, and Hanukah for 4 days. Take the stuff DOWN!

 

Okay Carol, do we need to start a pool on when they actually come down?:p

[glgolfer]

MM - Hate to interrupt, but have you had a chance to talk to the

Maitre D' yet?

[cruisenfever]

Patti.........do the passengers on the Mariner also have to pay $132.00 to get into Chile, and fill out the form that you were talking about. Is the $132.00 included in the price of the cruise?? Or, are the coming in and out free of charge?? Thanks

 

Rick

Rick, no I don't think they will because they are arriving by sea and not by air. But then again.............they are staying in Valparaiso for 2 days.

 

Thanks, "mom", for the advice. :D :D :D

 

I know the work-arounds, and for a week, it's no big deal. But for seven weeks? It's worth $15 to get my own hairdryer in Florida, since I am not dealing with luggage at that point.

Your're welcome. Just thought I would try to save you a trip to the store on Sunday since it sounds like your dance card is pretty full with taking your daughter to the airport and then doing laundry.

 

Hey, Patti, I think that Captain Johnny may take exception to that description! ;)

Whoops.........I won't tell him if you won't tell him.:o

[tinkerme1]

Mark B was great, and he pulled no punches just because someone decided to let his kiddies into the bar. He led songs with lots of "bad language", and everyone bellowed out the lyrics with gusto!

 

The floor was awash in god-knows-what - champagne & beer, I suspect. He went on way longer than his assigned time, but was great about "just one more song".

 

I chatted with him after he FINALLY said "this is it, guys". Despite what RC sent me in an email two or three weeks ago, Mark is staying on for the whole Round The Horn cruise.

 

Boy, is he ever going to find this a different crowd!!! ;) :D

 

Carol: I'm so glad you enjoyed talking to Mark B! He is such a great talent. Just let him know that Wayne, Celia and all the Royal Mariner Crooners send him a BIG hello!! Glad to hear you'll have his entertainment all the way around the Horn. Lucky you!!

[TheMiz]

..do the passengers on the Mariner also have to pay $132.00 to get into Chile, and fill out the form that you were talking about. Is the $132.00 included in the price of the cruise?? Or, are the coming in and out free of charge?? Thanks

 

Rick

 

 

Fill out what form?

 

BTW they come in free of charge , the $132 is a fee collected at the airport.

[rubrrick]

Fill out what form?

 

BTW they come in free of charge , the $132 is a fee collected at the airport.

 

 

Thanks George!!

[English Jane]

The Christmas decorations are all still up, including the giant Christmas tree in the Royal Promenade, which was *really* in the way during the celebration last night, and the menorah in the Royal Promenade is still there and lit up.

 

C'mon on, Royal Caribbean.........Christmas has been over for a week, and Hanukah for 4 days. Take the stuff DOWN!

 

 

Do you have the same tradition in the US of taking down the decorations on twelfth night?

 

Jane

x

[rubrrick]

Carol..........I gave Bobbie money to help cover the ships internet for the first two legs, and I'll help more on the third leg. You have Bobbies cabin number, beat on her door on Sunday, and let her know your new cabin number.

 

Sounds like it's going to be a trip of a lifetime!!:);)

 

Rick

[Bethee99]

Usually people take it down after New Years. So today and tomorrow probably most people will take things down.

[wolfcathorse]

A hotel director told me that his ship is taking down Christmas decorations Jan 5.

[wolfshadow]

Yes, most everyone I know keeps theirs up until New Years Day. I just hate taking down my Christmas trees. I've always said that I wish I had an extra room to just move them into there and cover them until next year! :p

[Bakincakes]

Do you have the same tradition in the US of taking down the decorations on twelfth night?

 

Jane

x

 

Not really.

 

Maybe they will do it once docked. They may be busy with other things at the moment and can't hop to it.;)

 

I'm sure they will be down soon and those ruffled feathers will be smooth.:)

[CruisinMommas]

Sitting here watching the Mummers and reading your account. Hoping you have wonderful adventures on your trip around the Cape. Will check in often to see how it is going. Have a wonderful time.

Another Carol

[Spellbinder]

Despite what RC sent me in an email two or three weeks ago, Mark is staying on for the whole Round The Horn cruise.

 

Boy, is he ever going to find this a different crowd!!! ;) :D

 

That is great news had him on Mariner in 2007 and he was awesome.

[Happy ks]

Do you have the same tradition in the US of taking down the decorations on twelfth night?

 

Jane

x

 

It sounds lovely, but that would be on Monday next and I have to go to work that day.

 

We took ours down today since we're both home and we have plans for tomorrow. Saturday back to work and Sunday - no way I want to wait until the last minute before back to normal life.

 

Also......we put all of it up the day after Thanksgiving, so we're more than ready to get the house back to normal :)

 

But I do love my tree decorations, I've been collecting Christopher Radko Disney ornaments for years. It's so much fun to see them every year. Plus, all the ornaments we get when we travel, this year was the first for our new Murano glass ornament from Venice, Italy :)

 

So, Carol, I hope they all come down real soon!

[gatour]

The Christmas decorations are all still up, including the giant Christmas tree in the Royal Promenade, which was *really* in the way during the celebration last night, and the menorah in the Royal Promenade is still there and lit up.

 

C'mon on, Royal Caribbean.........Christmas has been over for a week, and Hanukah for 4 days. Take the stuff DOWN!

 

They will be marked for taking down during the last day or two of your cruise. On cruises embarking between Christmas and New Years, people expect/want Christmas directions No use taking them down earlier as they would just have to find a place to store them. The decorations are handled by outside companies, so tags should start appearing on the trees, etc. While you are doing your laundry near Port Canaveral during turnaround the outside companies will be removing the decorations from the ship.

[RoofingPrincess]

The Christmas decorations are all still up, including the giant Christmas tree in the Royal Promenade, which was *really* in the way during the celebration last night, and the menorah in the Royal Promenade is still there and lit up.

C'mon on, Royal Caribbean.........Christmas has been over for a week, and Hanukah for 4 days. Take the stuff DOWN!

 

Do you have the same tradition in the US of taking down the decorations on twelfth night?

Being the melting-pot country that we are, I think the traditions differ by family. We always took ours down on New Year's Day (real fun job with a hangover, I'll bet!) but I know others who don't take theirs down till Twelfth Night. Actually, I know one person who leaves his tree up year-round (they just decorate it differently depending on the nearest holiday) and another who would just take the whole (artificial) tree down to the basement and throw a sheet over it, then bring it up again the next year!

[xpcdoojk]

Patti.........do the passengers on the Mariner also have to pay $132.00 to get into Chile, and fill out the form that you were talking about. Is the $132.00 included in the price of the cruise?? Or, are the coming in and out free of charge?? Thanks

 

Rick

Rick, it is possible, but most likely unless they go thru the airport they will not be charged this fee. We could have been charged it and I had the correct change in brand new bills in 2005, and I never got charged for it. So, it was like wining a couple of hundred in the casino! From my non-current understanding it is hit or miss. Or said another way I think it depends. :D

 

jc

[Merion_Mom]

MM - Hate to interrupt, but have you had a chance to talk to the

Maitre D' yet?

Nope, that's on my "list" for Saturday, a sea day. :)

[Merion_Mom]

I got my new SeaPass this afternoon! (of course, it's wrong, and they'll have to issue me a new one............)

 

BUT......it's the NEW kind. If you haven't sailed in December 2008, you haven't seen these.

 

They now have SILVER cards if you are in a JS, and GOLD cards if you are in a full suite! The card also says SUITE in really big letters.

 

:D :D :D :D :D

[Merion_Mom]

Some kid's card kept not working, and they had to keep replacing it, so today as compensation they gave him free internet and free arcade games for the rest of the cruise! :eek:

[rubrrick]

Rick, it is possible, but most likely unless they go thru the airport they will not be charged this fee. We could have been charged it and I had the correct change in brand new bills in 2005, and I never got charged for it. So, it was like wining a couple of hundred in the casino! From my non-current understanding it is hit or miss. Or said another way I think it depends. :D

 

jc

 

jc.........I'm gathering that it's an airport fee of some sort. I'm looking at the invoice for the last leg, and the taxes and fees are only 199.32 for two persons.

 

Did you fly in...........or were you on a cruise???:)

 

Rick

[Merion_Mom]

Really

Consistently

Inconsistent

 

There are SEVERAL very small (i.e., under 6 months) babies on this cruise.

[rubrrick]

I got my new SeaPass this afternoon! (of course, it's wrong, and they'll have to issue me a new one............)

 

BUT......it's the NEW kind. If you haven't sailed in December 2008, you haven't seen these.

 

They now have SILVER cards if you are in a JS, and GOLD cards if you are in a full suite! The card also says SUITE in really big letters.

 

:D :D :D :D

 

So, are the regular cards still white?? I have some that go back to '03 and '04 when we were gold......and they were kinda gold........but the rest have all been white, and the suites are coded at the bottom. The Royal Suite started with an 01- and the Owners Suites show 03-, 05-, and 06- and the last 2 digits of the cabin number.

 

Thanks for filling us in Carol. I'm not sure that I like the word "suite" written on the card.........just leave it color coded!!:D:)

 

Rick