Another_Critic

I've Escaped from Pompeii multiple times ... at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.  😄

I will be staying in Rome in the fall pre-cruise and was thinking of driving to Pompeii (2.5 hours each way).  So, I'd be interested in people's opinions.

37 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

We did a cruise to Bermuda years ago and the Love Boat was tied up at the Dockyard while we were in Hamilton on Celebrity's Horizon. When we got back to NYC we were on the opposite side of the same pier with the Pacific Princess.

I was on Celebrity Horizon (46,811 GT) in Oct. 2002, leaving Hamilton, when we passed Pacific Princess (20,636 GT).  I thought, that ship is tiny.  😄

Later (Oct. 2011), I did a 10 night non-stop TA (LIS to SJU) on "tiny" Azamara Journey (30,277 GT).  🙂

6 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

About 20+ years ago we took the Pacific Princess from NY to Bermuda. On our last day there, One couple missed the ship. They got there as we were pulling away. We were told that their parents were onboard with their two small children. The Captain left the port and we anchored quite a distance away and waited as finally the couple was brought to the ship by a motorboat and hoisted onto the ship by a rope. It was very scary even for us being able to see this from our balcony.

On a recent cruise, they brought a couple to the ship on the pilot boat (when picking up the pilot).

1 hour ago, cincicruisers said:

Can anyone share information about what benefits come with the key/vip?

I am diamond level but it’s been years since my last cruise with Royal.

52 minutes ago, Ashland said:

When and what will be the next RCI schedules released.

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/2025-2026_Deployment_Opening_Schedule.pdf

Cruise planner typically closes 2-3 days prior to sail date.

2 hours ago, BND said:

It's also illegal, so there's that.  There are signs are you approach Baltimore about hazardous/explosive material carriers and what routes they should take.

Apparently I shouldn't have gone through the tunnel after eating chili or baked beans.  😱

Completed:

Star Princess EB (FLL to CPH) 2005

Azamara Journey WB (LIS to SJU) 2011

Celebrity Constellation WB (SOU to MIA) 2012

Quantum WB (SOU to Cape Liberty) 2014 (8 night pre-cruise in England)

Anthem WB (SOU to Cape Liberty) 2015 (10 night pre-cruise in England)

Vision WB - Arctic Crossing (CPH to Cape Liberty) 2017 (3 night pre-cruise in Copenhagen)

Anthem EB (Cape Liberty to SOU) 2022 (5 night post-cruise in England)

Voyager WB - Arctic Crossing (CPH to BOS) 2022 (3 night pre-cruise in Copenhagen)

Anthem EB (Cape Liberty to SOU) 2023 (7 night post-cruise in Wales)

Anthem WB (SOU to Cape Liberty) 2023 (3 night pre-cruise in England)

Booked:

Oasis EB (MIA to BCN) 2024 (5 night post-cruise in Spain)

Odyssey WB (FCO to Cape Liberty) 2024 (6 night pre-cruise in Italy)

Thinking About:

Brilliance EB (MIA to Portsmouth) 2025

Odyssey WB (FCO to Cape Liberty) 2025

25 minutes ago, TPKeller said:

 

I'll chime in.  I think the channel will be open long before that.  Remember the channel is only the section between the two bridge supports on either side of the ship.  They can leave the rest of the bridge outside the channel to be removed later.

 

[snip]

Space to store them on land is not an issue.  All they have to do is get the steel out of the channel.  They could even dump it a few hundred yards off to the side if they have to. They'll clean the parts up later.

There's also the concrete roadway that is laying on the bottom.  If those pieces broke up or mostly fell flat, they might just leave it for later as well.  Losing a foot or two of channel depth to save a month's closure is well worth it. 

 

I don't think they will open the channel if there is any known debris in the water.  Unless they can anchor the debris, they will not want to risk the debris moving into the channel (too much risk).

4 minutes ago, BND said:

There weren't 2 others.  There were 6 missing.

"The search for six people presumed dead became a recovery effort in the wake of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge Tuesday. Two were recovered in a red pickup truck Wednesday morning."  = Still four missing

"Officials say that eight people were working on the bridge at the time of the collapse. Two people were rescued from the water shortly after Tuesday's collapse. One of the rescued workers was unhurt, the other was treated at the University of Maryland Medical Center and has been discharged." 

1 hour ago, ticketsunlimited said:

For every day that these poor souls are at the bottom of the Ocean you can add another day to our predictions for when this channel opens up.  This is a grave site right now and until all of these bodies are recovered nothing else is going to move.  I have not seen any news today about recovery  but until all six are accounted for no steel is coming out of the channel and the ship probably will not be removed.  

True, but they aren't putting off planning channel clearing until the recovery operation is over.

Planning (acquiring resources and equipment, etc.) and recovery can be done at the same time.

3 minutes ago, BND said:

They found 2 bodies today in a red pickup truck..  That leaves 2 more which they think are under the debris where they can't get without moving it.  

Tuesday = 2 found alive

Wednesday = 2 found underwater

Under Debris = 2

What about the other 2?

20 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

What is the current route around Baltimore that DOES NOT have a tunnel?

 

The current (as of yesterday morning) alternate route is I-695 in the other direction.

5 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

I can bet my house against having all of the above done before June 1st, 2024.

 

Hopefully you only bet the birdhouse.

8 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

I'm not interested in getting too heavily involved in the tip discussion, but...

 

Someone who claimed to have previously worked as a bartender on Oasis recently did an AMA on Reddit and claimed they they did indeed receive a tip when you use a voucher. The math was a bit convoluted but basically he said he received a little over $1 per drink from RC.

 

Believe it, don't believe it, just sharing.

I saw the same discussion.

1 minute ago, LuCruise said:

In Wonder 2 weeks ago. They took us backstage to see where they wait before going on stage, and walked by the actors' dressing rooms. Pretty cool!

I was on a Celebrity cruise many moons ago and we rode the stage lift.  🙂

I asked before but no one answered.  Are they back to doing the actual backstage tour or are they still just doing the talk with the entertainment staff?

3 minutes ago, teddie said:

Jeeze.  Cape Liberty in NJ is fine.  It's our home port and we sail out of there 98% of the time.

It's not the NJ port, it's the NJ traffic (and drivers! 😛 ).

8 minutes ago, George C said:

No vouchers if you are diamond plus.

Not arguing, but you are the exception to the rule.  I thought I've read that you always buy a dining package.

Drink vouchers may also be used toward a discount off the purchase of any bottle of wine — 20% off bottles over $100 and 40% off bottles under $100.

7 minutes ago, George C said:

... then buy wine at 40 percent off the other 5 , at diamond plus no coupons are needed.

To clarify:  Vouchers are needed unless you have the Dining Package.

6 minutes ago, George C said:

There are weird rules sailing from Galveston, but rccl allows you to bring on two bottles of wine ...

To clarify:  One bottle per person of drinking age.

2 hours ago, island lady said:

Vouchers are individual for individual drinks.  

Except when they're used toward a bottle of wine.  😄

8 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Retrurn cruises will only be in late October 20th or later + early November of 2026

Well, I've been on one that left August 22nd (Vision 2017) and one that left Sept 4th (Voyager 2022).

The Arctic Crossings are typically late Aug / early Sept.