NuisanceLuke

Currently sitting in the Havana Bar on Sunshine sipping my wine and swaying to the gentle rocking of the boat, so not bad.

I was on that so-called "Sunshine Destroyed" cruise in May 2023 where hyperbolic claims of ship destruction were reported by some 🙄 (BTW, as a well-seasoned cruiser, I wasn't afraid, but a lot of the first-timers on board were sure we were going down to join the Titanic.). Was it hard to walk?  Yes.  Did my wine glasses fall off the table and break?  Yes.  Did my room flood? No--just a little trickle down the wall where I believe a water pipe broke.  Anyway, not the disaster reported by some. But I have overheard conversations today by newbies about how bad it has been since leaving The Bahamas on this current cruise.🙄 So any reports of disaster will probably be grossly exaggerated.

Anyway, back to the OP's question--seas not bad at all so far on the way back to Charleston. I think Lee is far enough away from the Sunshine and going faster than we are.  Hope the folks in New England and Canada will be OK.

1 hour ago, fstuff1 said:

 

anyway to sort price per day?

Click on  the "Price Per Day" column on the right, and it will sort them.  Just FYI, I am using a Windows 10 computer.  Sometimes the Android and iOS pages and options are different, so your mileage may vary.

_______

ETA #2:  Forgot to add that if there are many on the list, don't give up and think it's not going to sort because it could take a little while for the list to populate.

_______

ETA:  Just realized I'm responding on the Solo Bargains thread.  I apologize for being off topic.

On 8/11/2021 at 4:44 PM, Cruise Related said:

Alright, so I’ve been on about 15 cruises, always with someone. Just recently off the Horizon in July, have Mardi Gras booked in September. Yet I want more!! The wife only has so much PTO, so obviously she can only do so much cruising. I on the other hand am self employed and can pretty much do my bidness from anywhere. If you fine folks don’t mind answering a few questions about solo cruising I’d totally appreciate it! 
 

1. What draws you to it?  The fact that I can do what I want to do when I want to do it and not have to coordinate with anyone or have to do something I really don't care to do.
2. What are the benefits for you personally?  Same as above

3. Do you ever feel lonely and wish you had someone ya knew with you?  NO!  I am the Queen of Social Distancing.  I load up my Kindle, sit on the Muster Deck, watch the islands and creatures go by, eat alone (you wouldn't believe how many people try to "rescue" me from dining alone [I decline their invitation, thank them politely, and then enjoy my meal]).

4. Do you still do excursions or mainly stick to the ship?  Ship sponsored excursions when I'm traveling alone, but explore independently when I cruise with my husband.
5. Is there a solo cruiser club or something so you can meet up on ship and have a drink or whatever?  Never bothered to find out.  I don't need other people around.

Hope this helps!

On 8/11/2021 at 4:44 PM, Cruise Related said:

I know! Lots of questions. Would definitely appreciate some feedback if possible. Thank you! 

My husband and I have been married 40+ years--one reason I think our marriage has lasted so long is because we respect each other's need for "alone time."  He goes on solo motorcycle trips, and I go on solo cruises.  We take both cruises and motorcycle trips together, too, and have a lot of fun together, but for our personal "sanity" sometimes we just need to get away from each other.

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Any ship can go to SJ😉😇

Yes, that is true. . .so? 

I'm just mourning her possible loss.  What's wrong with that?

4 minutes ago, Oxo said:

Or Canada/New England?

Or eventually San Juan?  I'm considering B2Bs from SJ on Empress, but not booking until her fate is known.  I wouldn't fly that far for just any ole ship!

3 hours ago, TheMastodon said:

. . .

9.) I notice the lady is standing outside her vehicle with a Costco cart ZIP-TIED to her door handle.  

 

That is all.

 

 

Love it!  😂

(Making note to self to put zip ties in car.) 😁

🤐  on what else I'd like to say. -- Seems some opinions are tolerated here and some not.  😕

re:  Empress:   Yesterday, I would have bet the farm that she was Turkey bound for sure no matter what the destination indicated.  Today, not so sure.  😵

_________

15 hours ago, wikoffclan said:

I'm also booked in one of the "Solo Ocean View" cabins on Empress for the Nov. 14 sailing on Empress. The website offers a L&S to a guarantee OV on Jewel, Odyssey or Allure for same time 2021. I'm not sure why you're saying that there's nothing to L&S to. Not trying to give you a hard time, just interested in your reasoning. (BTW - I got a great rate, too - compared to the 2021 sailings)

I don't mind explaining further--I should have said there is nothing to L & S to that fits in with my 2021 cruise/travel schedule or meets my criteria, so for me there is nothing to L & S to.  I didn't think anyone really cared about why, but here goes (the condensed version): 

1.  Conflict with other booked cruises and travel plans in Nov-Dec 2021 and Royal not willing to be flexible with the 4-week time restraint. 
2.  Guarantee OVs.  I don't book B2Bs if I can't get the same cabin for all. 
3.  And Jewel would have been the only choice for me which also limited my L & S possibilities because Allure & Odyssey are not my cup of tea--been there, done that on Allure last October and hated it.

4 hours ago, PaulS said:

I have been clicking on this topic because I am interested in the fate of the Empress. Please try to stay on topic. People who want to discuss carbon emissions and Pinnacle booking patterns should start new threads and not hijack these informative threads.

Thanks

Ditto!

_______________________________________________________________

On topic:  I wish RC would either !#*& or get off the pot about Empress.  I just made the first of final payments on 3 B2Bs from November 22 - December 12.  Nothing to Lift & Shift to since I booked solo OVs, and I don't want FCC at this point if cancelled by RC (or for any reason) because solo cabins on anything I'm interested in in 2021 are booked through 2021, and I'm not willing to pay more (got a hell of a deal on these three).  If Empress goes, I don't know when I'll book another Royal cruise (and I would have turned Diamond on the first of these B2Bs).   😒  JMHO

1 hour ago, jakeT said:

The main thing RCCL is know for, why people go on RCCL ships are.  The shows, activity on board bumper cars, rock wall.  
 

Will you still go with RCCL if most of these things are canceled on very limited,  even at 50% of people on the ship. 

I cruise for itinerary not onboard activities.

My husband I were on Allure of the Seas last Fall because his niece had booked and wanted us to go along.  We both hated it--the "kids" (in their 30s with 3 kids) loved it.  I'm not fond of floating amusement parks with wall-to-wall bodies with nowhere to get out of the din except your own balcony and where you have to get a search warrant to even find the ocean.  I came home and immediately booked my next 3 B2Bs on Empress of the Seas for this Fall.  My cruise planner told me that I wouldn't like Empress after the Allure, but my exact words were, "Oh, YES, I will!". A nice quiet muster deck to read and watch the ocean, islands and creatures go by is all I want in addition to the ports.  So for me, a smaller ship without all the bells and whistles is my kind of cruising, so if they don't scrap Empress, I'll rebook as soon as I can and be more than happy with what [little] she has to offer.

ETA:. I'm not even sure I would like Allure at 1/3 capacity.

Warning:  Off topic

@ipeeinthepool 

I love your screen name, but would you by any chance be willing to give me your cruise schedule for the next 10-20 years or so?    😁😉

I'm very enthusiastic about cruising--love it, but I'm not very optimistic about being able to do it again anytime soon.  My husband and I will do road trips as soon as we both feel comfortable again, and I will cruise solo as soon as I feel comfortable about doing that.  My "me" time is solo cruising, and my husband's "me" time is solo motorcycle road trips, and usually our "our" time is a combination of motorcycle trips, 4-wheeled trips and cruising, so we have other options.  We don't plan to waste our retirement unless we just have to.  I'm OK with Plan B for now.

I'm getting the same thing.  Have B2Bs booked in October on Conquest.  Both are showing the same error message.  Actually, I'm kinda relieved; I'm not too keen on going to Miami (or anywhere in Florida) any time soon anyway.

Charleston for October doesn't seem to be available either.  Could just be a website issue, but I doubt it.

3 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

I’m surprised this thread is so quiet.

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised.  Other side of the world, so. . .out of sight, out of mind.

And there are many around here who have their heads stuck in the sand and won't or refuse to acknowledge how much of a problem and how contagious COVID is.  I love cruising myself, but until the cruise lines get their act together and EVERYONE is willing to religiously follow mitigation strategies on the ships, I don't see cruising happening any time in the near future for me or anyone else no matter where they're located on this Third Rock from the Sun.  I know a couple of fellow cruisers who generally cruise out of Charleston who told me that if masks were required when cruising started back that they would wear them through the embarkation process, and then (in their words) "Carnival would 'play hell' getting them to ever put them on again after that."  With attitudes like that, I don't see me ever being able or feeling comfortable enough to take another cruise any time soon.

10 minutes ago, TravelerThom said:

Well according to the article YOU provided a link to (you did read it, right?):

“There was no reason to suspect COVID-19 when the ship docked in Tromsø based on the symptoms the four of the crew had,” said Hurtigruten communications manager Rune Thomas Ege in a prepared statement the company issued.

Yeah, I read it.  They must have suspected "something" or they would not have had them tested. They should not have let ANYONE off the ship before a confirmation of 'negative' or 'positive' for COVID was established.  I would think in the current situation they would want to be overly cautious even if it turned out to be a false alarm. 

"According to the company, at some point during the cruise, a number of crew members reported that they were not feeling well, and while they had no symptoms of COVID-19, under the company protocols, those crew members were immediately isolated.

When the cruise ship arrived in Tromso on July 31, the company says routine tests were administered under its protocols."

4 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

"It permiited all of its passengers to do ashore, apparently without notifying anyone that its crew members were infected with COVID-19."

 

WOW

I can think of another word or two. . .if that's true, there is no excuse for that.

☹️  Well, that didn't take long to happen.  ☹️

Not very encouraging for the near (and maybe far) future.

Here's another link to the same info.

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/hurtigruten-crew-members-test-positive-for-covid-19-on-a-norway-cruise

On 7/29/2020 at 8:54 PM, rtazz17 said:

Omg,people are crazy here. Vaccine cant/wont be mandatory. Where does it end? How many mandatory vaccines should you have to prove? Vaccine will come,I predict maybe 50-60% of population gets it. On top of people who already have ad covid and have anti bodies and the likely hood covid will eventually be tamed due to lack of available hosts it will be like the flu which kills quite comparatively to covid including children. Is the flu vaccine proof required? Ive never gotten the flu shot in my adult life. 48 yrs old. Work 56 hours a week treating covid patients and yet I havent been sick or gotten covid this entire time. The fear is worse then the desease. 200,000 people die on this planet daily without including covid deaths. Many other diseases kill every day. 

SMH. . .🙄🤐

4 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

 

So now we're healthy, retired, financially secure....and frustrated.

I know exactly how you feel.  Had the COVID not messed with our retirement travels, we would have already been to Vietnam, Australia, Maritime Provinces, many other spur of the moment short trips and still looking forward to a cruise around South America.  This wasn't our plan for retirement.  😒  At least we live in beautiful Western NC and can still enjoy the mountain roads. . .

41 minutes ago, craftykitty said:

I just want to know if they keep adding up my OBC everytime my cruise gets cancelled?

Yes, it will transfer, but won't double, triple or whatever.  It will stay at either $300 or $600 depending on the length of your cancelled cruise.  I have transferred/rebooked twice due to cancellations, and the OBC transferred each time.

7 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Looking at the link you provided, the page has been updated today (8 July), and does not seem to contain that wording any more.  So possibly just a transient error in cut-pasting.

Maybe CC saw my post and corrected it, although it would be nice if they acknowledged that here.  The time stamp of  July 8th means something changed since I posted.

_______

ETA:  Just checked the link, and the travel restrictions are now gone.

I guess I'm not being too clear here for some reason or the other, but the "Over 70 and chronic illness" bit was NOT there two weeks ago.  Maybe the time stamp means nothing, but the info regarding the restrictions IS new.  I give up.

I'm sure there will be many restrictions in place when cruising starts again, and I know this was also in effect before sailing was suspended.   I also know that this information was not posted in the CC article regarding Carnival about 2 weeks ago when I last checked.  I'm just curious about where CC got the information and if it is legitimate since the date is July 7, 2020 and everything else regarding cancellations, etc., seems up-to-date.

I hadn't checked the info in Coronavirus: Updated Cruise Ship Policies and Cancellations from the link on the CC home page lately, but I did today.  The article indicates that it was updated on July 7 at 3:44 PM.  https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5016/

The below travel restrictions have now been added to the Carnival updates.  They weren't there the last time I looked.  The European Union guidelines for restarting cruising in the EU also mentioned similar restrictions, (but without requiring a doctor's clearance in the EU), so I guess this is what we might also have to deal with in the US. . .again.  I see absolutely nothing on the US Carnival website in the Health & Sailing Updates about any of this, though.  So, I'm not sure where CC's info is coming from, and all the other information on the page seems up-to-date.   Have I missed something?  I know this was an issue before the No Sail order.

Travel Restrictions:  Carnival will deny boarding to all guests 70 years of age or older unless they have a letter from their physician confirming they are fit to sail. Additionally, all guests will be asked if they have been hospitalized in the past two months for or if they have a history of chronic or severe medical conditions. The CDC defines chronic conditions as an illness persisting for a long time or constantly recurring, such as diabetes, heart, kidney or lung disease. Additional severe medical conditions include: suppressed immunity (active cancer, taking steroids) or if the person requires oxygen for any reason. Guests with chronic or severe medical conditions will not be allowed to sail.

On 6/30/2020 at 1:03 PM, VoorheesFamilyCruise said:

I'm on the verge of booking a Feb. 15, 2021 cruise out of Charleston to the Bahamas on the Sunshine. The price and the OBC was too good to pass up. I'm interested in seeing what everyone else is doing. I know times are uncertain, I'm just curious. Y'all are so good at giving advice!

 

Thanks!

After 3 cancellations out of Charleston in 2020, I took the $300 OBC x 3 and FCC and ran. . .to November/December 2021 and February 2022.  In April, I might would have thought February 2021 would be a good choice, but now I'm not so sure,  but I hope it works out for you.