CynicDC

10:45 is easy peasy. I've done this crossing at least 10 times and always catch the United flight home to DC at this time.

Let cruising resume with vaccinated passengers, FMC commissioner says:

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/FMC-commissioner-urges-cruising-restart?utm_source=eNewsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=eltrdb&oly_enc_id=0673F9115645J2E

Vaccinated only? YES!  Please make it so!🙂

Volunteer cruisers may indeed be sought -- but no pre-existing conditions allowed!  They only want perfect bodies like the models who appear in their ads & commercials -- but who look nothing like the "regular" folks on board.

Why would RCI need to offer incentives like double points?  Demand for cruises is through the roof!

7 hours ago, Ashland said:

And what they consider reduced capacity may not be what we think it is.

Capacity will be what the CDC says it is, not Royal and not passengers.

DP340 works?  This must be new!

Wipe here & there on most commonly touched surfaces, but the BIG thing is to seal the tv remote into a Zip lock sandwich bag!

6 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

So the staff serves you from behind the counter, you lean over all the food and say loudly, "I would like one of those please". Your microscopic saliva goes all over the trays of food the next 100 cruisers get to enjoy. You are asymptomatic but you don't know it. What happens next?

 

 

So you serve yourself some scalloped potatoes and as you turn, you almost bump into someone else. Both of you are wearing latex gloves. You both politely smile and say excuse me. Your microscopic droplets travel 1-2 feet and fall onto each others plates. One, or both, of you are asymptomatic. What next?

Bumping into someone could happen anywhere on the ship. I thought the question was about the survival of the buffet. No?

7 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

 

And what happens when one sneezes into their latex gloves and then picks up the serving utensils with the latex gloves?

Then, the passenger who picks up the utensil is protected by his/her own gloves. No self-service alllowed without them, so they'd have to be issued at the entrance.

1 minute ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

 

And what happens when one sneezes into their latex gloves and then picks up the serving utensils with the latex gloves?

Then the next person in line is protected by his/her glove.

I'm a veteran of many cruises and I love the Windjammer buffet!   Here's the simple answer to our germ concerns there:  Just wear a latex glove when using the serving utensils, and remove it when you get to the table. Don't re-use!

I am definitely interested in this Explorer transatlantic -- despite the single port and shortened itinerary.  Anybody seen any information for folks like me who are looking for a last minute bargain crossing?

For those of us who qualify, can the "DP340" code be used on RCI's website to price cruises or must we call reservations?

Who's carrying currency or change to put in a "tip" jar during a cruise? Do you run back to the safe in your cabin to find a few bucks or do you just ignore the ridiculousness of it all?

Flying from BCN to IAD on May 5, 2019 should cost under $500 but comes up on Air2Sea as $2,100+

I think Air2Sea is broken. I'm getting ridiculously high fares that don't match what you'll find if you telephone instead.

RCI is paying it's stockholders with the money it snatched from its food budget. I haven't visited the MDR in years of cruise (Diamond + here). It would never occur to me to spend any of my time there when I can grab something mediocre from the WJ.

I'm still working at 62, yet I manage to squeeze in a 2-week eastbound transatlantic in the Spring and a westbound transatlantic in the Fall of each year. Once retired, I'll add a 2 week winter getaway cruise annually in January of each year. All on RCI.

I just bought Allure's Barcelona-to-Florida transatlantic cruise for $399 per person (inside cabin). After the final payment date, prices plummeted! My condolences to all who believed Fain when he declared those days were over.

They ain't.

Data shows that half of this country earns less than $50,000 per year (median income). On the high end, about 3% of Americans earn so much damn money that they wouldn't board a Royal Caribbean vessel -- even if it came as a rescue ship! So that leaves about 47% of the population. Many of those have no interest in cruising. And, we who are actually interested in cruising have more than RCI to choose from.

As Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of RCI, Richard D. Fain made $6,583,074 in total compensation. Of this total $1,000,000 was received as a salary, $2,083,629 was received as a bonus, $3,371,587 was awarded as stock and $127,858 came from other types of compensation.

I guess Fain's salary has allowed him to falsely imagine that there is more than a teeny, tiny percentage of people would be willing to pay FULL FARE for RCI cruises. Many folks will turn to his competitors. Others will turn to land-based vacations. Some won't go at all.

Sorry Mr. Fain,

I've got choices, you know. Good luck replacing my revenue with those "Donald Trump's" you now expect on board. Economic data I'm reading indicates that most people are living paycheck to paycheck and have to save & save even to afford the discount prices.

As a single traveler, I'll shop harder for a deal and just go with the bargain. Remember, you already gouge me by charging me twice the fare as couples pay. Loyal to Royal? Why?

I've been vacationing with your company 2 - 3 times every year, but I doubt we'll be seeing one another nearly as much -- thanks to your new declaration.

OK, bye!