awestover89

Going on Jewel of the Seas in a couple weeks and were originally planning on just playing by ear in most ports, but want to make sure there's nothing we're missing that we should really book a tour for. Our itinerary:

Molde - Renting a car, main intent is to drive the Ocean Road, then with any spare time the Panorama and then just general self-exploration.

Tromso - Nothing planned. Thinking maybe doing the cable car and perhaps Polaria

Honningsvag - Bus Tour up to Nordkapp for 3 hours, rest of the day just self-exploration

Alesund - Nothing planned

Flam - Railway for 2 hours at start of day, then nothing further planned

Haugesund - Nothing planned

Kristiansand - Nothing planned

Ultimately decided to book the VIP Cabana for 2 at Pearl Island. My thoughts going into that decision:

• This is a birthday cruise, so the idea of a VIP cabana sounded nice as a celebration
• We usually travel with friends, not often it's just the two of us, and since it's a 2 person cabana, now seemed like a good time
• Reviews online regularly repeated that people like the food at Pearl Island more than Blue Lagoon
• PI is 5 hours, vs 4 hours at BL
• At BL, I'd probably be most interested in either the dolphin swim or sea lion encounter, and I can do both of those in the Florida Keys, so less of a push to try it in the Bahamas

So we usually just stay on the ship in Nassau, but for our upcoming cruise next week I was considering doing either Pearl Island or Blue Lagoon. PI we can do a VIP Cabana for $480 or just the beach day for $208. BL has more options, ranging from about $94 for the stingrays and beach day, up to $500 for the VIP dolphins and beach day (and several price points between the two.

Not sure if either is worth visiting, or if we should continue our tradition of staying on the ship. If one or both are worth giving a try, which of the two would you recommend?

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Contact Tracing on Ship = Quara?ntine

 

On land, are all the 3 bookings linked together

They are linked together for dining, excursions, etc.

We are planning a birthday cruise with family flying down, but tests are scheduled for the day before the cruise. I know CWC you have to cancel 48 hours before, but if somebody tests positive when we do our tests the day before the cruise, can everybody still cancel for an FCC? I know the person who tests positive can, and others in their stateroom, and anybody who lives in the same house, but since we have three couples who live in different places can everybody cancel 24 hours out if one person tests positive?

5 minutes ago, DeputyDawg46 said:

Recently been on a couple ships with a bar in the Spa.  Those drinks are also included like the power shakes, power aid, etc,  The milk shakes at Johnny Rockets are NOT included as that is not a "Bar".  But I got a Diet Coke at Johnny Rockets which was included as part of my six.

 On Freedom we were able to get a JR Milkshake with one of our credits, might depend on the employee

8 hours ago, Jimbo said:

There is no way that all those suites are booked up 100 percent that far out.........Not a chance !! It's my opinion that will come true..........., you even know yourself they aren't all booked. You been around long enough to know too.

With all the 125% stacking FCCs, I wouldn't be surprised if the higher level suites are in fact booked. I know several people who used their FCCs with the 125% bonus to upgrade to higher suites than they would ever normally book. I myself booked a 2 bedroom grand suite for June 12nights, when the highest room I've ever booked before was a Jr. Suite for a 3 night, and a balcony for a 7 night.

We got notified today we won our bid for the Spacious Oceanview Balcony. It's a 1C, Ocean View with Large Balcony when we look up the actual room we were assigned. 

If you are determined to be in close contact, you will be tested, and will be confined to your room until test results come back, per several posts on here. If you test positive, you will be relocated to an ocean view room (all recent reports, but may vary by ship and sailing) where you will need to quarantine for the duration of your cruise or 5 days, whichever is shorter. 

49 minutes ago, megr1125 said:

If you want correct information, I'd suggest contacting eMed/Optum to ask.  It's not the results sheet that matters, it's the test that matters and if it's expired, it may be invalid so if you want accurate info, call or email them.

 

Already did. eMed gives the standard copy/paste PR response of checking the website for the updated expiration date for your lot, and that the tests are not intended for use after their expiration date. Optum refers back to eMed support, and Navica said that the app should refuse to scan if the test is invalid (and ours still scan, but right now it's just a day past).

Mostly curious if anybody might have been in a similar situation past couple of weeks (since a lot of the early lots expired late December/early January) and could say if they were still able to successfully test, if the eMed proctor rejected the test due to the expiration, or if they were able to test but the results page came back invalid.

Just noticed that our eMed tests expire just before we need to test for our cruise next week. Original expiration was 10/9/21, with the three month extension new expiration is 1/9/22, we need to test either the 13th or 14th, so just shy of a week past expiration date. Does anybody have any experience with how strict eMed is with the expiration date? Our Navica results sheet from our last cruise doesn't list the expiration date anywhere.

Working on getting a backup test scheduled, but it's hard to find tests here. Ordering fresh test kits for our February and April cruises, but I don't think they will arrive in time for us to test Thursday or Friday.

Not cancelling my cruise next week on Odyssey, or next month on Independence, or April on Wonder or June on Jewel. Know the risks, know the possibility for missed ports and changes, even at the last minute, and it's worth it for me.

But I don't begrudge anybody else making that decision for themselves.

6 minutes ago, coaster said:

Just switched to Odyssey after being cancelled on Jewel. No 4x points since we booked solo cabins on Jewel with no supplement. Getting double points at least. 2 less days, but good pricing. I am good... Less than $60 a night pp for a balcony before taxes is ok on a newer ship.

 

We are supposed to be on Odyssey next week. Holding out hope I make it til then, a bunch of people in my office were out sick this week, 1 tested positive and is quarantined, two refused to test because they didn't want to have to quarantine if positive; they just took one sick day and came back to work when they "felt better".

Mask, hand sanitizer, and lysol wipes every time I open a door for the next week

4 minutes ago, LouChamp said:

Norwegian is at least upfront. They canceled sailings Royal just wants money. A ship of Fools. Its sad. Time to cancel and bail out.

I love cruising as much as all of us but it’s ridiculous as they really are making fools of those who are sailing. Its not only sad but dangerous as they are playing with lives. I know ill be flamed but its my respectful opinion. 

Norwegian cancelled after sail away, and if you honestly believe they would have cancelled if they had any other option then I have some ocean front property in Ohio to sell you

We came close to missing the ship once. Halifax, rented a car to do our own thing. Got stuck in construction traffic on the way to return the rental. Husband ended up dropping me off closer to the port to get on the ship and either try and get them to wait just a little or at the very least so only one of us would need to pay our way back home. He ended up dropping off the car and sprinting back to the ship, getting sick along the way, about 15 minutes after all aboard, but lucked out that an official excursion got back late due to the same construction traffic. 

We were planning on being back an hour before all aboard, but the construction traffic, plus finding a gas station to fill up the rental ate up all that and then some. Now if we rent a car on a cruise we have the gas station picked out before hand

Officially no, you are not supposed to share your drinks, whether from C&A Perks or Packages, but in practice I've noticed bartenders don't seem to care. We've actually had a couple bartenders on our last two cruises ask us if we wanted to use a voucher for our friend since they noticed we didn't use all 4 diamond vouchers on previous days

Still going on odyssey January 15th. Hoping people cancel so we get a quieter ship, but will enjoy regardless

18 minutes ago, George C said:

I wouldn’t mind be stuck on my next cruise we have a royal suite with huge balcony and private hot tub .

Of course if you test positive you wouldn't be able to stay in that suite

Have a cruise in two weeks, another in February, another in April and in June, no plans to cancel any of them.

13 minutes ago, Cruisin4beaches said:

On Jewel OTS now. A sea day Sky bar and Solarium bar closed. Not enough bar tenders to cover bars. Only 3 bartenders at pool bar. I lost 3 of my favorite bartenders ( 1 Sunday,1 Monday,1 Tuesday). Lost my waiter and his assistant Sunday night. I tested positive this morning. Now waiting in my deck 11 balcony to be moved closer to the medical center. We disembark tomorrow in Miami. I don't know what happens to me next.

Long shot, but do you happen to know if Fe was one of the bartenders? She's our favorite bartender on any Royal ship, and is currently on Jewel

3 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Hoping for a good outcome.  :

Same, with the ship being relatively close to shore I'm really hopeful some good news comes out from it.

Holland Westerdam diverted from en route back to Los Angeles to assist with the search along with the Mexican Navy, looks like just a little bit off the coast of Ensenada. 

Friend on board the Carnival Miracle is saying a passenger is being reported as going overboard last night. 

9 minutes ago, Tee & Chilli said:

What ship and sail date? Did your sailing go to Coco Cay twice because Nassau was canceled?

Freedom August 27th, 3 night Nassau and Coco Cay. Nassau was cancelled, Coco Cay was moved to the original Nassau day, and the second day was a sea day. Was hoping they'd do two days at Coco Cay.

We're back on Freedom tomorrow, and this time Nassau is still scheduled, but we don't intend on getting off.

1 hour ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

On our Nassau stop on Freedom in early September, we were told if we wanted to wander about town on our own, we needed to bring the physical CDC card with us while in port.  Whether they ask for it or not is another thing. 

Our Nassau stop was cancelled on us, so we only went to Coco Cay. I probably would have the card anyway, but good to know they recommend it