LeeW

Yup. Old news.

Yes, and you get the low deposit ($100 except suites) for either line.

We sent my dress shirt and pants in a few days ago on Beyond in normal laundry (Elite) and they were washed and folded. Last cruise in October on Equinox they came back on hangers but were still dried hot.

On Beyond they want you to play 50% in slots or they lock room account from further downloads. Note that this is play, not win, so if you have $500 you need to run $250 through machine. Winnings don't count.

Porthole view verandas on Beyond have a door handle that clamps the door to the frame. No matter how carefully you close it you get a loud bang. But not that many of this style of veranda.

Not really, although suites board first. Separate line at terminal will make it easy.

Does that count as a Viking funeral? Flames on a ship...

Lodge casino in Colorado uses magnetic strips and punches holes in the corner. Works fine in machines (like ship doors and non-rfid ship casino) but their bonus cash machines inhale the whole card and you have to take it off the clip. Never had that problem on a cruise ship. We use lanyards, and the pouch for an RFID card tends to get caught on things.

The preprinted cards for the second sailing and paperwork in your room won't match the new status so you will likely need to remind them on the second cruise. On turnaround day they will fix this when you get back onboard.

We never book guarantee. Prices are up around 50% for balcony cabins on normal 7 day sailings since we started cruising in 2004. Matches economy. Special cruises are up around the same but we don't take as many of those so our sample is less. Did get spoiled during restart since prices were down 50% for a year or so.

Many times. Sometimes tour operator changes, canceled tour, arrival change or random. Check tickets when you get them and take to excursions desk if you need a change. We have fewer issues booking independent.

Some excursions do book up so are worth booking early at higher price. Pretty easy to cancel and rebook at lower price and we may do that several times over the year.

Some ships require door to be locked for AC to work so it is likely automatic for the steward.

The Caribbean countries most likely to care are Martinique (part of France) and Colombia but it is pretty easy to check requirements online. Do it early and again a few weeks before the cruise.

We didn't want the infinite balcony so went with 8111 on Beyond. Far forward and very quiet. GPS doesn't always connect, with bridge behind and above, but plenty of glass.

Just after Christmas it was so cold we didn't go in the water, including the pool. Since you can only cancel up to about 48 hours before arriving you need to plan ahead what you are going to do. If weather is bad they may cancel boat snorkeling, scuba or watercraft or the ship can't dock but you are on the hook if it is just cold or rainy.

Lots of the ships have gone to ultrapasteurized milk in dispensers. Granddaughter likes it (same as she gets at McDonalds) but wife can't drink it. We never know until we get on whether they have small half pint cartons (with short expiration dates) or the dispensers of the other stuff.

Soda runs about $4 a can with tip. Soda package gives you soda from a gun (and/or Freestyle machine on ships that have them) unless the guns are not working. Then they usually pour from 2 liter bottles. For us it is worth it but we would not buy the refreshment package. Princess raised their soda price to $20 and we don't buy that either. But they also sell six packs precruise for $12 and this is cheaper than their bar price. Haven't looked lately at Royal's price precruise. Do the math based on your use.

I've seen a few European tours lately where you are buying the tour guide just for your group. Kind of like tours by locals. Think some of them are not candelabra. Not worth it for us.

Coz has a ton of taxis at the stand in the port. Rates to various sites are posted. Not iffy at all.

Lately they have also had tables up near the pool. We usually get them at a bar.

We stake out chairs in the Solarium and grab food and bring it back. Generally a ghost town until around 2 PM and not busy even then. If nobody around may both get lunch together.

We only had a problem when both of us checked out towels (two seapass cards) and checked them all back in at the end of the cruise with one card. Now we check all towels out for the cruise at the start and back in at the end with a single card. In between we just exchange towels without scanning our cards as they get soggy or are used onshore.

Set up wireless calling before you leave (airplane mode then turn on wifi, see if you can make calls). Then you should be able to use it anywhere you can get a wifi signal. Aruba has good internet everywhere, especially if you step into one of the casino hotels. Haiti port has a lot of hot spots. Bonaire not as much. We use the low cost plans from Boost and MetroPCS that do not have out of country phone coverage. Never needed it in many cruises. In Europe might have been nice to have a local phone to connect to map software.

End of December they did NOT have an escape room on 3 night cruise. Gift shop had a bunch of water bottles but we were not looking for one so just noticed in passing.