smplybcause

I'm more bummed about the non-refundable OBC no longer being used towards it. I've never been one to buy stuff from the shops on the ships so it was nice to just have that go to CN. I have OBC on m next cruise, but probably not buying any CN since I still have 2 in my account. If my OBC would have gone towards it I would have bought two. 

A little short sighted of them. Now they're missing out on the money I would have given them for what the OBC didn't cover AND I have no incentive to book NCL/the lower price to make them more attractive. 

Royal is going to follow whatever the countries require. It'll be a while before royal releases protocols so I'd follow the countries' mask requirements and any of ships currently sailing to your destination to get an idea. 

Europe has taken masks and vax and shutdowns way more serious than the US has so I wouldn't necessarily expect them to be similar to US sailings. 

I know I've read recently where someone planned to do this but it was held to the end of the second leg. If it wasn't here it was on the royal board.

16 hours ago, Kathscof said:

Ooo what is a lava flow? 

It's a pina colada with strawberry syrup type stuff. It's similar to a MIami vice, but since the Miami vice uses strawberry daiquiri the lava flow is missing the lime that's in daiquiris. And I think the strawberry flavor is more potent because it's just drizzled in the drink vs being blended with ice first. 

A few do include it, but besides the luxury lines it's only a few that always have it included and not just a promo (I can only think of celebrity and virgin) and it's a relatively new thing. I think around a year for celebrity. 

It's because royal changed the final payment date to 30 days out but didn't change the normal checkin date. They probably didn't want to spend the time/$ to change the code for that too just to have to change two things back once they return to the normal 90 (I think) day final payment. 

My guess is you'll have to switch to fixed dining since the non vax dining room is set dining only. 

Cwc is 48 hours starting from midnight the day of the cruise. So you missed that. There might be a chance you change names, but you'd have to do it tomorrow and at least one person from the original reservation has to stay on so if it's two friends in one cabin that are stuck up north you'd only be able to change one name - if it's not too late. And it might be the day before. 

I'm guessing they don't have travel insurance? Another option to get down here? 

Technically it was just the vax only places that Royal added masks to. The non-vax only places inside always had a mask requirement since Royal went the test cruise route. 

Has anyone gotten a cabin upgrade recently? I've been told they no longer do free upgrades after final even though the balcony is over $200 cheaper than what I paid for my interior. 

I don't know about the others - but vintages isn't technically a restaurant. It's a bar that happens to have a few food items. My guess is if on the app you find the venue under 'bar & lounges' header and not under 'restaurants' it doesn't fall under UDP. 

7 minutes ago, cured said:

I actually called today to inquire about a cruise this fall and the first thing the rep asked me was if everyone in the party was vaccinated.  I took that to mean that they are anticipating vaccine mandates well into the fall.

I think it's more likely that they just decided to give their reps one set of instructions regardless of the booking times. Too much room for error for their rep to incorrectly say something if they gave them instructions like "if the cruise is after X say be aware the cruise may or may not have vaccine requirements and unless cwc is extended the regular cancellation rates may apply if you book un vax and the cruise ends up being vax". Wayyyyy simpler to just have everyone booking at any time be vaxed. 

I wouldn't take it as evidence they won't ease up. Though I also don't exactly think they will. 

It's very much not smart to take any cruising protocols from anywhere but the cruise line's website. 

Price dropped on a upcoming cruise. I was told that no one can upgrade for "free" right now, though they sent along a request and they're supposed to be contacting me. They offered only  25% at FCC which is a whopping $10 for the same category. Blah. Hoping to get a call that they'll let me upgrade. Making me reconsider buying cruise next. If they hold that to the 6+ months ahead of time...you loose more money booking in advance if you have some flexibility. 

3 hours ago, CaroleSS said:

I work in the Pharmacy at Publix and what you have just said is not correct (at least at my store). As long as you GOT your shots at a Publix, we are glad to provide you with a replacement ( we do it all the time.....not sure how people "lose" an important document like your CDC card, but it happens a lot!) When giving shots #1 and #2, I told everyone, "Do NOT laminate your card! Do NOT keep this card with you, in your wallet, in your purse....it WILL get lost or damaged. Put it with your passport so it is in a safe place and you know where it is. Take a photo of the card in case anyone wants to see it". I had to have said that a bazillion times.

 

If you got your shot at another location, you have to go to THAT location to get a replacement. Publix cannot vouch for any location other than another Publix (if your shot was in another state's Publix, we can still validate the shot and provide you with a replacement). CVS is in the same boat....they can only vouch for what happened in their system. If you got the shot in another state and another in Florida (not a Publix store), we can only see what happened in Florida, we do not have access to any other state's database.

That's good to hear. All my shots were from publix. Maybe if I do lose it I'll go to a different Publix location. Maybe that location is just odd. They used stickers to record each of my shots so my booster proof is actually stuck to the back because the stickers of the first two shots took up the entire front. 

There are sofas that don't double as a bed. I don't know about anthem specifically, but know they exist. Odds are if the deck plan doesn't say it can accommodate 3 people it can't. 

8 minutes ago, CaroleSS said:

"Irreplaceable"? Hardly. Go back to the pharmacy/location where you got your shots and have them provide you with a new one....easy peasy

Not always. At least publix is still steadfast that they don't give replacements. When I went to go get my booster heard them tell the person in front of me to call the county health department and see if they'd help. Has me **** terrified to lose it. I dunno what their problem is when cvs has no problem giving you another one. 

I'd expect it in the 60s. You might get it in the 50s. That's before the 18%.

Depends on the weather. It's a tender port so if there's too much wind or the waves are too big then no go. 

The ships do switch over to their own cell tower after they leave ports. It just takes longer for that to happen on Alaska cruises. After sailaway I gave up and turned my phone off about 3-4 hours after we left (though I was on NCL so a bit further into the sound than RCL's pier). For other ports I'd turn my cell service on/off based on what I could see on land. ie If we were close enough I could make out what cars were on the road or the houses weren't just small rectangles then I'd turn it on. Basically we were close enough to civilization that I figured that 1) there were cell towers in the area and 2) we were close enough to shore to pick them up/the ship's cellular was off. 

3 minutes ago, 2chiefs said:

There were major price reductions on this cruise. You might want to check again.

 

The cynic in me wonders if that's a sign if the price dropped close to non-bermuda itineraries. 

14 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I am not seeing anything specific to Bermuda - just the current general requirements for departing from US ports.  What has been happening in the past is, as this situation is very fluid, they don't know the actual final port of call entry requirements for a given cruise until 30 days prior to departure, hence the delayed final payment terms enacted several months ago. 

 

Likely the only real option you have - as you suggest - is to wait until just before final payment date to see what is released at that time and make a final go / no go decision then. 

 

My hope is that as most Bermuda itineraries don't commence for a couple of months yet, the cruise lines are in discussion with Bermuda on a compromise testing protocol that would be more doable for the passengers while still complying with the wishes of the Bermuda government. Hopefully by then things will haver relaxed enough to make this easier.  Just have to wait and see.

You do know that NCL has been sailing to Bermuda for months under these restrictions, right? And at least one other line. I dunno if I would pin hopes on a cruise-only compromise when Bermuda already has ships that are complying with it. 

22 minutes ago, squadron said:

Is 18% gratuity also added to dining packages when booked on line ?

I've seen posts that Royal is now doing it. Not sure if it's fleet wide or not, but I have seen comments on here about gratuities being charged. 

The airport isn't that big. And the hotels around it will have a lot more options close for food than coco Beach. You wouldn't be getting to coco until after 9pm (or later if you're flight is delayed. It'll be at least an hour from when you get your bags til coco, more if you have to wait for the shuttle) and a lot of hotels don't have restaurants right next door over there and I'd be worried at that late in these times what's still open. Meanwhile most of the hotels near the airport have an option or two nearby for food plus maybe in the hotel. 

Starting to think what's too hot, too cold, or I guess any weather discussions should be added to the list of age old cruise critic arguments. 

Says the person who said no to a "free" cruise this weekend after checking the weather lol.