Mary229

There have been quite a few difficulties with the website recently. Try another web browser. If that doesn’t work you can call them.

I am done with roll calls even here. The general and lines boards are great but the roll calls can become very tedious.

On the manage my cruise page you can buy OBC just as you buy packages, flowers, shore excursions, etc…or you can simply bring the gift card with you (I keep mine in my Apple wallet.). You go to the guest services desk and pay as you go - that is whenever I get to $500 I bring them a gift card . You could wait until the end of the cruise but the lines can be long on the last day. i never buy more than I need, you can calculate your crew tips easily enough. There has been a lot of inconsistencies between ships as to refunds so it is best to pay less than you will need upfront.

So you don’t want to call - do not rely on the website, read the cruise contract. I am not familiar with the RCCL terms and conditions but I do know people are left at the pier for documentation reasons. They can rely on what some people on cruise critic (aka the internet) say are they can seek proper factual information. Me, I would go to the source

I think HAL is on the upswing. There are still misses but every cruise there are little improvements, small refinements, a return to distinction.

Texas gardener here. For the tropics I wear sunscreen (nothing below 75) not a moisturizer with sunscreen. I personally prefer mineral sunscreen as there is no expiration date but will settle for any long wearing product. I also wear a fishing hat with a wide brim and a neck flap. There are some in feminine colors/styles if you like. It only takes an hour in the afternoon to give you a lifetime of blotches and of course the melanoma risks.

Overall layers are the plan but if you are asking about dress code it is usually fairly relaxed garb in the daytime. People do tend to dress nicely (but not formally) for dinner as they have time to primp a bit.

Regardless of any country’s rules your cruise line may have their own higher standard. Get your info directly from Royal and as another has said get it in writing. Whether one country would have you or not makes no difference if you are denied boarding

I didn’t know you had a blog/website. Curious minds need to know the link!

Facebook is and always was an echo chamber. It is self congratulatory and a cheerleading squad. Remember that should you ever be tempted to become informed on more important topics

As long as it was fly one way. I have been itching to get to Asia and after much research, talking to other cruisers and my own recent experience I will only go transpacific one way and fly the other. Currently airfares are very expensive so it may be a long time before I go. I have three trips to Europe planned and one to Alaska plus my roadtrips so my plate is full.

For me it is about the percentages. What percentage of sea days to shore days overall? And on sea days is there scenic cruising? On my recent Tahiti cruise the 60% of sea days with only vast swaths of the Pacific Ocean was confining for me. I wasn’t bored as much as I didn’t like the lack of physical activity. Then again I also recently went to Antartica with 50% sea days, these sea days were broken up a bit more and some “sea days” were enthralling scenic cruising. On my regularly scheduled transatlantics there are usually only 5 sea days back to back but they are followed by days and days of intense shore touring. The only one I will never repeat is the Transpacific and that would include a round trip to Hawaii. I would happily sail one way to Hawaii but not round trip as there would be balance with the one way trip.

I am sorry for your loss, Bruno. Our deepest sympathy.

I don’t see huge price increases. I booked some travel back in 2021 and 2022 and I have my invoices and the fares simply have not increased that much when compared with sailings for this year and next.

You cannot pay a single transaction with a combination of gift cards and credit cards. Anything included on your fare invoice can be purchased with gift cards. For individual purchases off of the invoice you cannot buy crew gratuities and hotels and flights. If the hotels and flights are on the fare invoice they can be bought with cards. I have never tried buying HIA separately with gift cards so I cannot tell you if it can be done or not. For crew gratuities you can buy OBC with gift cards and the gratuities will be deducted daily from that OBC once onboard. Remember you can buy supplemental gift cards on HAL. The ones on HAL are not discounted but can be bought in any amount and can even be bought in fractional dollars, I bought one for $13.19 to complete an order

I don’t know if it is a downward spiral as the event was held twice maybe 3 times and people loved it. My friends took off one day to get in line to get tickets! It was SRO. I think it is the spread of a popular event, like trivia, rather than a negative. There are just trends that catch on and spread. I often say I have never understood the dance shows, people love them and they are on any cruise line that is large enough to afford them. I will refrain from saying what I think of them but it is sort of the same as you feel about this game show idea 😂

The examples I have read on the HAL forum include @Haljo1935 experience, dogs using the elevator as a bathroom, dogs eating in public dining areas and so on.

I am sure you are right that there may exist a few vigilantes but I think most of us would report only if we had an unprovoked encounter.

I am simply saying the extra step may put off the posers. They try to game the system as long as it is easy

Not to watch but to participate. I think because it had cash prizes. From what I could figure out it is done in partnership with the casino

They had the game shows on my last cruise. I did not attend but friends enjoyed it immensely. To be a participant you had to buy a ticket but they said there were prizes worth the cost

The issue these same passengers will have are the veterinarian requirements needed for bringing a dog into Europe even if the animal stays onboard. I am sure these rules thwart the posers. The pax with legitimate needs will produce necessary documents

I think anyone making a report should include this message

I have been asking HAL to do a cruise that focuses on India. Wouldn’t that be great? I assume cruise docking infrastructure may be an issue

Not on transportation. On transportation it is dogs and dogs only https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/service-animals