gmerick

I'm booked on Antem in a few days -- solo cabin. Great price, because I booked extra cruises while so many "loyal passengers" were staying home. Still looking at a repeat trip next year, but too many "loyal passengers" are driving the prices sky high -- what I got for $145/day is currently $350/day. The ship is selling out a year in advance. That's OK, folks. As for all those "benefits" that are going away -- I do room service breakfast, noshing at the most convenient lunch counter, and MDR for supper. All I'm looking for is 3 squares and a cot. I spend every island day off ship on my own. I never have time nor opportunity for all the theme park nonsence on board, nor for the clubs / lounges / bars. If I do happen to be on board in the evening, maybe a broadway show, but for the most part, give me a lounger with a clear view of the ocean. If / When all the "loyal passwngers" finally get through their post pandemic panic buying, I'll sail again, for now I'll stay away from the 100%+ full ships.

FAQ: Q Do I get double cruise points if my sailing companion cancels and I sail as a single? A A booking must be created and sail as a single occupancy, with a paid single guest supplement to cruise fare, to receive the extra single sailor points. When one guest from a multiple-guest occupancy reservation cancels within 100% penalty, their cruise fare is held in penalty within the reservation. This allows the cancelled guest to potentially file a claim with their travel protection provider, if applicable. The booked cruise fare for the remaining guest(s) within the reservation remains the same and no single supplement is applied; therefore, the remaining guests receive Crown & Anchor Society points based on the initial occupancy booked within their reservation.

In hindsight, this is just another "you get what you pay for" situation. It's nice to save on transportation costs, and the budget airlines do wonders in publishing rock bottom fares. Then comes "problems" and suddenly the estabished airlines don't seem so costly anymore. I do hope that travel insurance does cover much of the expense of hotel bills, lost / delayed luggage, alternate transportation cost, and missed cruise fare. I'd question though if travelers cut the corners on flights whether they might also have foregone travel insurance? But in the end, how does one put value on a ruined vacation, loved ones not seen, and nights spent sleeping on the floor of an airport?

Having been to Coco Cay (Little Stirrup Caye), the diving is not great. Sure go ahead and dive if this is your only opportunity. Otherwise any other stop may offer a more exciting and rewarding dive. The dive is just outside the swimming beach on the north-east side of the reef that borders the swim area. It's technically a wall, but diving is kept shallow. Previously the dive guide has towed divers out on a "sled" with divers remaining in the water. This is a "one tank" dive in a rather murky area. If possible, book a different port.

Before we get carried away -- I work in IT. Identifying a problem is the easy part. I'm sure every time someone points out one of these "bugs" here on CC, there are multiple bug reports already present in RCI's system. They read our comments, their phone agents report problems, travel agents send them e-mail. In IT once the problem is identified, service requests / trouble tickets get generated, the issue gets tracked, change management boards generate bug fix requests, developers code fixes, modules are tested, integration testing happens, change packages are created, changes promoted from non-prod to production. the $25 to a CC member would also have to be reviewed by entire layers of staff. Actual cost of an individual bug fix is probably on the order of $5-10K. The $25 bug bounty would probably cost the company $500 in staffing costs.

If you arrive the same day as your cruise, the RCI airport shuttle is your best deal. I am arriving the day before. Country Inn and Suites offers free airport shuttle, and van service to the cruise port for $17.50 (each way). I intend on purchasing airport drop-off from guest services, as my plane departs on debarkation day.

Did iFly on Anthem Jan 2021. Made the weight limit by 4 lbs. Stretched a suit around my shoulders, tried on 5 helmets until one finally fit past my ears. I should have taken all this as a warning. I was bouncing off the walls and the floor. The attendant had a struggle keeping me stable. Maybe a commercial land based tunnel would have worked, but the narrow tube on the Anthem didn't provide a memorable flight (just some memorable bruises). Dieting for health is OK, but trying to lose for iFly (or a wedding) just ain't worth it.

"2F" Studio Balcony cabins

Thinking this is more to streamline the menu rather than limit choice. Most folks with more than a handful of cruises know that the MDR offers much more than what is printed on the menu. There's the vegan choices, the Indian fare, the many different "rumbly tummy" options for no dairy/gluten/nuts/salt/shellfish. To me, the menu is today's dining suggestions. If I've already got my taste buds settled on something else, I'll discuss it with the waiter, and see what happens.

Anthem 24 Jan 2023 - 11 nights. The long cruises are way ahead in this poll.

Booking independent dives out of 5 local dive shops - These shops all actively seek cruise ship passengers. I've dealt with all 5 LDS, and dived on 3 of the boats (the 3 Saints). I've been weathered or rescheduled out of San Juan 3 times, but am very much hoping to get there this time. The caves on outside east of the harbor mouth have a reputation as being good. St Lucia is great for drift dives past the Pitons. St Kitts has a possibility of a full day of diving (morning and afternoon). I haven't done the west shore of Antigua, but Indigo gave me a great referral to an English Harbor operator last trip. Hope to see you "down there", 27 Jan 2023 Port call - San Juan - Scuba Dogs - City Lights night dive at Escambron Marine Park 28 Jan 2023 Port call - St Maarten - Dive Sint Maarten (Bobby's Marina) 29 Jan 2023 Port call - Antigua - Indigo Divers Jolly Harbor 30 Jan 2023 Port call - St Lucia - Dive St Lucia (Scuba Steve's) 31 Jan 2023 Port Call - St Kitts - Pro Divers St Kitts (Auston MacLeod)

40 lbs is only the cheapest tier limit for checked bags. Once again, "Is the issue more of simply not wanting to pay for something"? From spirit.com/optional-services: Overweight or Oversized Baggage Per Bag 41 – 50 lbs. (18 – 23 kg) + $69 51 – 100 lbs. (23 - 45 kg) + $99 63-80 linear inches (158-203 cm) + $100 Special items over 80 linear inches (203 cm) + $150

Lately (past 3 weeks), I've been getting very deceptive pop-ups trying to add spy-ware to my browser. Possibly it's from advertisers on CC that don't like that I run ad blocking software. Hate getting pop-ups, especially when they are accompanied with spy-ware and virus warnings from the software that keeps my browser safe.

Sure do hope RCI's Infinite Balconies are more durable than Viking's Nordic Balconies: Massive rogue wave smashes cruise ship windows, kills U.S. passenger

At -7.0 can you actually "see" without lenses? Yes, get prescription lenses in your mask. Shop around, some masks come with pre-made lenses (think reading glasses), others come with lens blanks that you bring to your own optometrist for grinding. If you can get by with one pair of Book-Store reading glasses for walking in the park and trimming fingernails, go with the pre-made lenses. If you absolutely need bifocals, there are "gauge reader" additions that can be attached to both types of lenses. Snorkeling is all about seeing what's "down there", so absolutely go the extra mile.

Pre-Covid there were usually 3 SCUBA shore excursions on a 11-day five island cruise. Post Covid before full ship occupancy usually one, and that one was cancelled half the time. Quantum and Oasis class ships that offer SCUBA classes on board will almost always have two 2-tank shore excursions as this is what is required to complete the certification, although with reduced occupancy, filling the class has been hit and miss. At no time in the past 3 years have I not been able to schedule all 5 islands on an 11-day cruise through combining ship excursions and independent operators. YMMV, just put a bit of effort into pre-planning, and hope for more ship sponsored excursions as things ramp up.

I've done 25 Cruise Ship dives in Grand Cayman, St Maarten, St Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts, and Antigua. Some have been RCI shore excursions, many have been independently arranged by myself from doing research on PADI.com or TripAdvisor. I can absolutely recommend doing your Open Water Certification (Lake Dives) near home before your cruise. I've seen too many folks waste days of vacation doing training dives instead of simply enjoying the relaxing serenity of a guided dive. Yes, the water near home will be "cold" (I trained in Minnesota during a light snow storm!), but the dive center will have appropriately warm well fitting wet suits for rent. If you never ever dive in cold water again, it will be a one-time expense. If after your first dives in the Caribbean you again want to SCUBA near home, you will have some exposure to what is available, and a relationship with a Local Dive Shop. As for whether to do a ship sponsored shore excursion or branch out independently: The ship will not leave you stranded if the sponsored dive excursion runs late; a real possibility considering the eventualities common to diving. The independent operators may offer more variety at a lower cost. Consider the duration of the port call when deciding. To be considerate of the dive operator and fellow divers, please communicate your past dive experience to the dive master. On your first few open water dives, the DM can be attentive to your swimming ability, buoyancy control, and equipment familiarity to ensure your enjoyment.

Please buy your own and pack it with you. Just think how many people have used the snorkel before you, and decide if you are really "kissing cousins" with all of them. Also I'll second the mask fit comments above. To make the best of your excursion, visit a dive shop (NOTE: not the local sporting goods store, and absolutely not WalMart), and the dive pro will ensure you get good fitting equipment. I recommend a dive shop, because you can select a pure silicone mask seal instead of the vinyl mixture in almost all "sport" or "toy" grade masks. The vinyl makes for a very poor seal, and when packed in a suitcase develops creases that cause leaks. Yes, I know the dive shop equipment will run several times the cost of WalMart toys, but stacked up against the excursion and trip cost, it's worth it for what may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Further, the professional grade equipment will give you years of satisfying enjoyment when you bring them on future cruises.

Appears to be it's normal sailing pattern:

Been on three 11 day cruises on Anthem. Solo travelers all over. All 12 Studio Balconies filled every trip, plus many more piling up the points in "normal" cabins or JS. Yes there were solo and singles meet-ups. After several trips as solo in an inside cabin, I'm now completely hooked on the Studio Balconies. The Cabin stewards are much more attentive to the Studio guests. Points don't matter, I'll never make it much past my current "Diamond".

Rather than stand around the MDR entrance waiting for stragglers, then waiting for dining room staff to prep the table, just meet at your family "touchdown spot" or a lounge (Vintages, Schooner, 270). Folks can leave in groups of 4-6, or simply socialize for a while, then take off for a show and dine late. there's too much stress and politics involved in large group dining. Do group cocktail hour instead.

Used Key twice off Anthem in Newark. I woke up late, had a leisurely breakfast in the MDR (Nova Lox and all the fixings), returned to the cabin, changed to traveling clothes, and strolled directly off. My luggage was waiting under the "Key" sign just steps from customs. No lines, no waiting. Very short walk from customs to the waiting pre-purchased airport shuttle. All in all, 1 hour from goodbye cabin steward to airline check-in counter. Already purchased "The Key" for my Jan 2024. Never lost the cruise "glow" until Chicago.

None of the above: Been to both, I'll take FlowRider and NorthStar.

OK, lets go with a cheaper option. Use those same old unused cell phones with no cell plan, load the Royal Caribbean App, and purchase messaging for each device for just $2.00 each per day. That would be just $88 for the cruise I'm on. That's probably cheaper than buying Walkie Talkies. Another advantage -- Text only, no annoying fellow cruisers by talking through the app.

If your 10 yr old is comfortable with texting, old cell phones work great on ships. The phone does not need a cellular plan, only Wifi access. While at home, connect the old phone(s) to your WiFi, and configure your favorite IP texting app. Also configure the app on any active cell phones you intend to use on board; ensure they work in airplane mode via WiFi. Get the 4 person surf plan (stream is not necessary for texting). WiFi is active throughout the ship, and signals aren't restricted by metal walls and decks, because there are WiFi access points all over. On my upcoming 11 day southern Caribbean, a 4 device surf plan costs $660, or $15 each per day.