Daffydk1

16 minutes ago, cruiser123! said:

Where you there when the name changed to "original"...oh my stars, that was a ruckus.

Yes I was and still am a member. It’s no more drama than I see elsewhere on FB. I think it’s a cute idea and scroll past the nonsense. I wonder if the cruise lines will start “quacking down” if lots of people bring dozens of ducks per cruise. 

Hi all, 

We recently returned from a very relaxing cruise on Grandeur of the Seas only to discover a huge bill from our cell phone carrier, ATT. Apparently, while still at the dock we assumed we were connected to the nearest cell towers, NOT WiFi and used some data. We ignored a warning text message about data charges. ( FYI:The text started with "Welcome aboard.") 

We put our phones on airplane mode soon after because we don't bother with overpriced WiFi.  We came home 12 days later to over $300 of additional changes for cellular data, (not WiFi) usage from ATT.  We called and got that dropped down to their standard cruise ship data package of $100, but I still feel bamboozled and ripped off.  We were 50 FEET offshore at the time. 

Why am I posting this in an RCL forum? Because RCL has to be complicit in this scheme. They must have a signal repeater of some sort they use to provide cellular service and reap a $$$ reward from the cell providers. I know such things exist because I used to have a small one in my house when we had a different provider and a lousy signal in the neighborhood. 

It doesn't seem to me that this is something we should have opt out of. It should be an opt-in situation where you accept terms to use the phone, rather than have to be careful to shut off the phone the minute you board. It seems like just another money grab by two companies that do their best to get all they can from customers, ATT & RCL. 

Anybody else experience this? We found one more person onboard who had on a previous trip. (We saw our bill while in port and on WiFi during the cruise.) 

I found Viking themed ducks. I wonder if Viking Ocean will mind a few on a Med cruise. 

We found one on RCL Grandeur this month, first we had heard of this. We re-hid it someplace new and took a photo for the Facebook page. Looks like it's really taken off since this post started last year. I hope the cruise lines don't start to get annoyed. Some people on the Facebook site talk about bringing 50 ducks! 

On 12/20/2018 at 5:03 PM, Littleribbie said:

Can you share with me the date you went on your HAL...I would love this cruise...especially living in Miami...refresh my memory...Pearl is NCL is it not?....thanks

Hi! We're considering the HAL Rotterdam for an 18 day crossing from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale, sailing 11/2/19.  We are booked on a Viking Ocean cruise that disembarks in Athens 2 days prior. With the ridiculous cost of air fare to get back to FL from there, we thought doing a repositioning crossing would be really cool. 

My wife did a panama canal cruise on HAL and loved it! We are older 60-65 so HAL appeals to us. 

We just booked Grandeur of the Seas in Feb and the Deluxe is $50 per day + 18%. Is that base $600 for 12 days taxed as well?

Anyone know if Grandeur also sells the drink cards to buy 10 for a prepaid rate?

I was told by the American Red Cross this weekend that they could not take my blood donation because I had been in Honduras within a year. They are very careful of course and they have listed Honduras as malaria risk along with a few cities in Mexico. Upon further investigation they determined I could give because I hadn't been there more than 24 hours. But by that time they had already "blacklisted" me until October 2019!

My questions: Is a port like Roatan Honduras really a malaria risk? If so, what difference does it make if I was in port 25 hours or 5 hours? One mosquito is all it takes, right?

Also, FYI, if you donate blood and are asked if you have been out of the country, be sure to mention you were on a cruise and in port less than 24 hrs. It might make a difference.