brillohead

Today's e-newsletter has this book as a freebie Kindle download today:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D34VDWX8

1 hour ago, JustinandMaria said:

RCCL could have handled a bit better IMO.

How, exactly?

This is the standard way that medical care is handled on cruise ships, not just Royal.  Royal didn't do anything wrong, and they deserve to be paid for their services rendered.  

Should Royal have given these passengers free Wi-Fi and bar drinks just because they had poor financial planning skills, too?

 

"He took medicine initially, but after two years without another seizure, he said his doctors took him off the medicine to avoid liver damage."

Gee, did it maybe occur to anyone that he didn't have any more seizures during that period of time BECAUSE HE WAS TAKING SEIZURE MEDICATION during that period of time????

🙄 🙄 🙄

46 minutes ago, gavvy said:

Better out than in as my Mother would say 🙂

I use that line with patients all the time... they'll be embarrassed about passing gas in front of me, and I always reassure them that nurses LOVE when patients are farting!!!

45 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

I'm afraid to even click on The Muppet Show video!

My surrogate mom sent me a message the other day on FB.  I didn't even have to click on it -- just seeing the tiny thumbnail was enough to launch the song in my head!!! 

It's one of those "core memories" in my head, I guess.  Or PTSD from my childhood.  

7 hours ago, derorim said:

 

7 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

9 hours ago, derorim said:

 Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head!  Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier! Hahahaha!  Haven’t heard that in ages!

 

To get it out of your head, just sing the theme to the Mickey Mouse club. 🤣

 

Thanks, that worked! 

I think the ultimate ear worm has to be Mahna Mahna from The Muppet Show:
 

6 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Oh Lordy. Well, I'll take it over "Sweet Caroline" I suppose. At least there's no place for cruisers to exuberantly join in on "so good, so good,...(more like so bad, so bad, so bad....)

Reminds me of the time that I was sitting in the Schooner Bar on Allure and the band down in the Promenade was playing Sweet Caroline... I recorded a snippet and sent it to John / @Ozark_Kid who had just debarked from the previous cruise, where I learned that it's his own personal ear worm!

5 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Sorry i dont agree with this. Yes all medicines have side effects for people and yes all could potentially get very ill, but the vast majority,id guess at way over 99% will be fine. I know lots of people who take Imodium and thats been prescribed by a Qualified Doctor not a TV or couch doctor and they have never had any issues. 👍

And I've taken care a many, many hospitalized patients who have had a Qualified Doctor NOT prescribe them Imodium for the simple fact that doing so would worsen their situation.  I've also taken care of many hospitalized patients who DO have Imodium prescribed for them.  It's situation-dependent.

I'm not saying that Imodium/Loperamide in and of itself is a dangerous medication to take -- simply that taking it when unsure of the underlying cause of the illness can exacerbate the effects of the illness or cause additional complications that would not have occurred if the medication hadn't been used. 

5 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I bring a small all plastic USB desk fan on every cruise. It’s totally plastic…..in a box. I would cry if they took it away. 

There's no reason that they ever would.... fans aren't on the list of prohibited items.  

I like to use mine for drying laundry/swimwear that I wash in my sink.  Magnetic hook on the ceiling, damp item on a hanger (after rolling in a towel and stepping on it), and fan, and the item is dry by morning.

42 minutes ago, SteelCityCruiser10 said:

Thank all of you for the condolences. 🙏🏻  Emma seems to be getting along ok.  She had some time to see Oliver before he left us and was there when he actually passed.  As sad as it is I believe it helps that she knows what happened to him and was able to say goodbye.  I was worried she would be overly anxious when left home alone but she has been good. 

 

There is definitely a massive void in our lives.

The old saying, "there's no such thing as a coincidence," is a saying for a reason.

My daily e-newsletter with freebie Kindle book downloads today includes this free book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3M6V932

Warning for people taking Imodium without knowing what is causing the runs.... you might be better off just dealing with the runs than artificially holding the germ/toxin in your body.  

You could end up with 24 hours of gastrointestinal distress without the Imodium, or take the Imodium and end up with hospitalization, surgery, and risk of death.   

22 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

I had never heard this before, so thank you for the information.

 

It is interesting though because it doesn't seem like it would be in Royal Caribbean's interest to "reserve" a spot for solo passengers in double occupancy rooms as they could gain revenue by allowing additional passengers in rooms that accommodate more than two.

I found out about the differentiation between a solo in a double room and adding a third/fourth to a room about ten years ago.  I mostly travel solo, and was looking into the need to book a "just in case" name in the event that I wanted to add someone to my room down the road... that's how I learned about two lifeboat spots for each room regardless of booking.

I'm guessing that there is probably a SOLAS regulation in this regard?  Because as you note, it's not in Royal's best (financial) interest to limit the amount of revenue they could be getting.  

1 hour ago, StanleyandGus said:

Probably the worst part of this is the daily headaches that happen just after midnight and persist until coffee and acetaminophen. It happened before as well, so if I ever have surgery again, I’ll mention it to the anesthesiologist.

Did you have an epidural / spinal?  

39 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

I'm so sorry for your trauma. (Adoptive mom here.)

Thanks.... it's been lot of years and a lot of therapy, but I've finally managed to get beyond my parenting.  

I hope that by sharing my story with others, I give someone else the courage to move forward with their own healing adventure.

Try calling and booking over the phone.

I just email my travel agent and he does it all for me, easy peasy.  He even saves my credit card info, so all I have to do is type, "Book Room 1234 on SHIP NAME on DATE please" and I get a confirmation in my email within 5-10 minutes, usually.

19 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

However, ships are sailing fuller these days and if the overall lifeboat capacity is reached, if your daughter's cruise is initially booked as a single, then she might not be able to add a friend later.  So you are better off adding a friend at booking and changing the reservation or no showing the friend later.

This is actually incorrect.  Other than the "studio" single rooms, all room are automatically allowed two lifeboat spots, even if only one person is booked in the room.  

The problem arises if it's a room that holds 3-4 passengers, but only two people are initially booked.  When they try to add a third person, they may run into the lifeboat capacity issue.

But anytime you book a regular (non-studio) room with just one person, you can ALWAYS add another person up until the time the manifest is closed out for that cruise.  

3 minutes ago, SquishTheWhale said:

They didn't do any tests or anything.

What tests would you expect them to do?  

On 5/18/2024 at 6:42 PM, smokeybandit said:

On 5/18/2024 at 6:37 PM, ONECRUISER said:

Only when having my Prostate checked

 

What class of suite gets you that?

Is it a Genie or a Concierge service?  Do you have to schedule it in advance, or just ask for it when on board?

And how much do people tip for this?  I don't want to look cheap...

On 5/18/2024 at 12:52 PM, OldCaver said:

But don't try to smuggle an extension cord onboard. They'll catch it every time. You'll be sent to the naughty room and told to open your suitcase.

It's all in how you present it.... 

I wrap my 10-foot extension cord (similar to this model) and the power cord for my laptop around my laptop together like one big huge power cord and shove it in my carry-on bag.  I've done this on 30+ cruises, and nobody ever blinked an eye.  

The only thing that anyone has ever questioned is my little USB desk fan (similar to this one).  The rent-a-cop doing the screening in San Pedro had to "ask a supervisor" if I was allowed to bring a teeny tiny fan on board.  By the time they walked back with the "of course they can" answer, I had already walked on... why on earth would a 4" fan not be permitted, for crying out loud???? 

Oh, and my 10-foot extension cord?  It was right next to the "dangerous" teeny tiny fan in my carry-on, and nobody even noticed it, even though they looked closely enough to notice the fan.  🙄

10 hours ago, cruceristamsc said:

Can I used my complimentary drink vouchers to buy specialty coffee on Ovation of the seas even though they sell starbucks coffee?  Im confused with the Starbucks exclusion. 

The Starbucks Exclusion is for a standalone Starbucks Brand Counter.  

It's like the difference between getting ice cream in the MDR or Windjammer, or going to the specialty ice cream store.  You had/have to pay for ice cream at Ben & Jerry's or the Sugar Beach sweet shop, but the ice cream in the MDR is included.  

Drink vouchers CANNOT be used here (note that not all ships have a Starbucks Brand Counter):

Drink vouchers CAN be used here:
 

Hope that helps.

10 hours ago, Dock B said:

I understand a corkage fee on a bottle I bring aboard and take to MDR, but they also say they (might?!?) charge corkage fee on a bottle I buy through the RC website prior to the cruise?

 

Also, along the same line: I know we each can bring one bottle aboard at embarkation to be consumed in the cabin (or pay corkage if taken to consume somewhere else) but, can I bring on more than one each and just automatically pay corkage on the 3+ bottles? 
 

Thank you (and anyone else too!) for help with these questions.

 

BTW: I would think policy applies on all RC ships but if it matters, we’ll be on Harmony.

I've been cruising with Royal for over a decade and never known them to charge anybody the corkage fee, even though it is within their right to do so.  

A cash tip to the server who opens/pours is always appreciated, of course.

On 5/20/2024 at 4:27 AM, vaindioux said:

Yes, i never count tips when calculating my prices, we are good tipsrs.

Also the package is getting 18% tip added, right?

Or are the 18% included?

Like anybody i can drink a fancy cocktail or 12 YO Chivas, but it’s not required.

2-4 domestic beers daily and i m fine.

My big thing is excursions where i use my money the most.

 

Thxs

Keep in mind that an 18% tip will be added onto the bottom of every receipt on the ship, so an $8 beer will actually come to $9.44.  If you toss in an extra dollar *in cash* with every drink, you'll get AMAZING service after that.  (It's not at all unusual for me to get a drink ahead of the 10 people who were at the Solarium Bar before me... the bartender sees me and knows what I want and pours it for me and hands it to me without a word being said, and smiles as he pockets my dollar bill each time.)  

Likewise, if the drink package is listed at $70 per day, it will actually come to $82.60 per day, if you're looking at American prices.  My understanding is that the prices quoted in Europe and Australia are inclusive of the 18% gratuity, but the USA and Canada websites list the price before the 18% is automatically added on.

On 5/19/2024 at 9:50 PM, vaindioux said:

Yes, beer would do.

 

So we can save money there.

 

Thxs again

If you're just planning on drinking domestic beers, and if you're not a raging alcoholic, then the drink package is likely not going to be a good purchase for you.  (My birthmother, on the other hand, would have made a killing off of paying $80/day for beer... that woman would easily drink a case a day all by herself.)  

2 hours ago, SquishTheWhale said:

Unable to keep water down, he visited the medical centre who said it was flu and not food poisoning.

Influenza is a respiratory illness, not a gastrointestinal one.  

With that being said, he could have picked up any kind of virus (noro, etc.), at any point in the cruise.  

13 hours ago, mets07 said:

 

above is Tobacco Bay ...

Omigosh, I've never been particularly interested in going to Bermuda, but this picture of Tobacco Bay has me sold!!!!  What an absolutely GORGEOUS cove beach setting... and from all the rocks, you just KNOW that they have good snorkeling, too!  😲

19 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

Question: Do you have to use your Diamond vouchers inside the Diamond Club?  Keeping fingers crossed that we'll be Diamonds in time for Bella 02! Having early seating, we'll have to get there after dinner.

I'll confirm what someone else said -- there are no more "freebie" drinks in the Diamond Club, other than using the coffee/cappuccino machine.  You get your daily voucher allowance, and any free drinks get taken off your allowance.  

If I still have unused vouchers at the end of the day, I grab a can of soda or a bottle of water to take back to my room.  I've even been know to ask my room attendant what their favorite soda or beer is, and use up my vouchers to leave them a little treat.