kayguz

We've been avoiding the phone- he's in a small private school so it actually hasn't been an issue yet and he hasn't even asked about it. He has difficulty with electronics (meaning more than 20 mins a day on a game equals very challenging behavior the rest of the day) - so trying to drag our feet as long as possible! Again, his maturity level is much younger. He is kid #6 and he's giving us a run for our money for sure!

Thanks. We've not had good luck with RC messaging app- so we weren't considering that option at all.

Ok- I need to figure out about the SIM card. We were planning on getting the wifi package and setting that up for him- but had hoped the i-message and wifi calling would work.

We are traveling with our just turned 13 yr old (who really has the social and emotional maturity of 10yr old)- and I see that SOS has 13 in the teen club. I’ve also been told that because he will be 13 that he couldn’t age down to the 9-11 because it’s over a year past the age limit (that would be ours and his first choice.)We are trying to figure out a way to keep in touch- wondering if an old iPhone with the WiFi package would work- anyone done this before? I’m not overprotective- but this kid really struggles socially and I want him to be able to contact any new friends he may make in the teen area. I also need it because his sense of direction is poor and I don’t know that he can find us if he leaves the area. He’s so sad that he’s aging out because he LOVES adventure ocean so much and all the activities- doesn’t like the slides or anything else except the miniature golf.

Does anyone know if they do any sort of substitutions for those that don't drink alcohol?

I think it's great to have a choice of once or twice a day. I have my towels refreshed once a day, but i like having my bed made and things wiped down in the morning and I like the evening turndown service. It's nice to me to return to lights dimmed, curtains closed, and we love the towel animals. Those are all some of the things that make a cruise different than my land based vacations.

We sailed the Independence over Thanksgiving. There were no reservations needed. The only difference was that they only allowed one family at a time in the little waiting area to check in or out their kids. The first evening there was a bit of a line because people that didn't register in the afternoon had to do it before drop off.

I searched forever and never found an answer (and no luck from RCL either) in regards to the additional port covid testing required for those not up to date with vaccine. Greece long ago dropped all testing and vax requirements, yet if you were cruising you had to take additional tests onboard prior to disembarking in Greece. We boarded the Odyssey on 6/19 and asked a very nice officer-- she called a "hotline" and asked the question, and as of the previous day, ALL additional port testing would be dropped (not sure about kids, but this did apply to adults fully vaxed but not boosted). She saw us later, and said she called and asked again and got the same info. We have not had to undergo any additional testing except what was needed to board the cruise. Not sure if they have updated the website, but thought I would put it out there for others who were in a similar situation. I'll also mention, that crew are all wearing k95 but very few passengers. So far, not much coughing or other "covid-y" symptoms have been very prevalent with other passengers.

We are on that same cruise right now. We lucked out as the Odyssey was the only ship in port. That being said, it was still crazy busy! We were at guest services very early and managed to get tender tickets group 15, friends who went an hour later were group 40. We were cleared earlier than planned as well. We gave it some time to let the cable car line thin out and went about 1:15 mins after they started the process-- at that point they were calling groups 0-22- meaning, if you have a ticket in any of those groups you can go. We made it to the line that was just past the point where you can buy the donkey ride up-- it was about 45mins from that point up to the top- we debarked at 2 and met our guide at 3:40 which was ten minutes late. We got in the line at 9:00 to return to the ship as the last tender was 10:15-- we barely made it on the last tender (left within 2 mins of boarding). I took 1:15 to get the cable car-- the line went down the little street and wrapped around a little square sort of thing. I cannot imagine how bad it would have been if we waited longer-- although I feel like we were towards the back of the line. Also-- nice groups of people (not with a guide) kept feeding up the left side of the line and working their way to the front-- we finally spread our group out across the steps so nobody could slide by. They would just start talking to people and casually work their way up- sort of impressive.

We are vaxed, not boosted (had covid in December so we want to wait)-- on our Odyssey sailing in a couple of weeks we will be required to test before our Greece ports (a day in between the two). My question (that I've searched high and low for any experiences) is, if we test positive on the ship, does RCL turn us over to Italian authorities to go to gov't quarantine or report us to authorities and tell us to find our own quarantine lodging or leave it up to passenger to do the reporting (it is mandatory in Italy) and lodging on their own? Just trying to determine what sort of backup plan to sketch out. Also, any guesses why Greece is having non-boosted cruisers take a test when we could fly in without a booster, a vaccine, or a test??

There are a few FB groups that address this exact issues-- Travel in Italy and Covid search should turn it up. There are admin pins at the top of their page that spell out the Italian quarantine rules. The moderator Untold Italy refers to it regularly to not allow speculation or to encourage anything to get around "the rules." My understanding is that a positive means 7 days mandatory quarantine if vaxed and up to date (meaning boosted if original vax series is beyond 270 days) and 10 days if not. Must be symptom free for a few days in order to test on day 7 or 10. You are not allowed out of quarantine until you test negative-- at 21 days you are allowed out even if you are testing postive. You are required to report your positive to a government entity-- not sure if the cruiseline does this or if its on the honor system. That group has lots of discussion about hotels and airbnb's in this situation. My take away is this: do not test at the FCO airport, try not to test at a pharmacy (they take passport info and report directly)-- take your own tests and if positive, then figure out where you will quarantine so you don't have to go to the dreaded FCO airport Sheraton quarantine hotel (put in the oldest building that's pretty run down and the food is another story.) Also the timing for number of days after covid postive to fly varies by airline. We are vaxed but not boosted (had covid in December) my daughter had it in 6/2020 and ws then vaxed (not boosted.) This means we have to take additional tests for Greece ports (makes no sense as we can fly or ferry in with no additional testing) at our expense. It's all nerve wracking to say the least....

Same concerns here! I just checked and Italy has dropped off the list of ports that require testing before going ashore for those not "up to date" with vaccines (also the preboard testing seems to have changed to two days prior for the non-boosted which is the same for the boosted-- but I could just be "seeing things" at this point). I also noticed that no test is required to disembark now either for the non boosted. However, Greece--- which dropped ALL requirements many weeks ago, is STILL on the list! It's an extra $500 of testing that I would rather spend elsewhere- and the anxiety of taking extra tests. I have yet to find anyone on CC that has been on that trip, not boosted, who could share their experience of when they tested and how long the test was good for.... meaning if we test the morning before Santorini is that test good for Mykonos two days later??

I've sort of wondered this as well. I'm so close to saying dump the cruise, but I know the girls will be so upset. If we were going to almost any other EU country we wouldn't even have to test before going (which I would anyway because I don't want to start off with an issue!) Covid sucks all the fun out of planning and anticipating for me--- aarrrggghhh

I've read the new updated protocols. We are vaxed but not boosted. I understand paying for the extra testing. What I don't understand is that Greece has dropped basically all covid requirements, yet RCL is still making the non-boosted people test before the Greek ports in addition to Italian-- Turkey was not on the list for additional testing for non-boosted people. Anyone have any guesses?? I am also wondering if we test for Naples on our last day is that also good for disembarkation? The agent that I spoke to wasn't very helpful and I'm not sure I want to wait in the cue again.... (I also know that CC is not concrete info, but I am really curious what others think or interpret.)

We are on this same trip June 19th and I love reading your updates! I have a couple questions--- not trying to start a vax/boost debate at all-- we are vaxed but not boosted (got covid the day of the appt. in December). I have combed through all the requirements given to this point for this cruise. We will be treated as unvaxed and will have to test additional times. Have you been aware of how they are handling the additional testing-- day before the port, morning of the port, does the test last for just one day? Also, do you have to test again at disembarkation back in Civitaveccia? I did see Greece dropped all vax and testing requirements for right now ( but RCL hasn't modified Greece)and I'm praying Italy will also do the same. There will be 4 of us traveling and every test is rolling the dice.....We were on a Princess cruise where there was a bad batch of tests-- and 50% showed positive, but when they retested they were all negative. Nail biter for sure.