Mum2Mercury

A couple things that've popped up in the last 8 years: - You should download the RC app on your phone now. - Using the app, you can go ahead and schedule your dinner reservations. - As the date draws nearer, you'll be able to see information on shows /entertainment on the app. - The Muster Drill is now on the app -- you'll just need to do a drop-in as soon as you board. - You'll need to schedule a boarding time -- is it 45 days out?

That's a really good idea. I have one that "lives" on my backpack: it holds a small analog clock and a tiny flashlight, but I think I'll add a second -- in standard size.

Thanks, Y'all. I'm definitely going to give some of these a trial run before my next cruise.

Always nice to hear of a few new brands. You mentioned hats -- let's throw sunglasses into that category too. They can make a big difference.

Yes, those are the standard MDR menus now. You can see them in your phone app, and they'll be posted ahead of time on TVs outside the MDR. We always go with My Time Dining, and the most we've waited has been about 10 minutes. Yes, remember the buffet is always an option. While we enjoy the MDR, we don't necessarily enjoy a lengthy dinner every single night.

All of the casitas are located a floor above the pool /none are poolside. They are all facing the center of the ship /not looking towards the ocean. Here are a couple images ... one shows that the casitas are located on the quiet deck above the pool, and the other's a wider shot showing the whole pool deck ... note the casita locations are circled. Your specific casita will be assigned "day of". You'll go to the nearby bar, and the bartender will assign one to you "first come, first served" style.

Fall is our favorite time to cruise, even though it's also hurricane season. We prefer it for the mild weather and low prices. The real question is whether you can reach your port city. If you can reach your ship, you're going to sail. The captain has the authority to alter your itinerary -- skip an island or take you to a different island -- to avoid the hurricane; while this is bothersome to those of us who are planners, it's not the end of the world. The captain will never take the ship and its passengers near the hurricane. Though it's rare, it's possible you might return to port a day early /stay an extra day on the ship. This would only happen if the hurricane were actively pounding the port, but it's wise to know it's a rare-but-possible thing. Take an extra day of medicine, have a back-up plan for children or pets back at home.

Since you find bullet points flummoxing, I invite you to skip right over anything I say. Good points: - Alcohol can throw things out of whack, and many cocktails are chock-ful of sugar. - Yes, sugar-free is deceptive. One of the best things I've ever heard is, Read the back of the package /not the front. - Yes to lots of walking, which is easy on a cruise. Yes, fruit and fruit juice are a perfect example of how healthy low-carb /Diabetic eating isn't the same as general healthy eating, which we all learned in school.

Yes, the "several bites" idea is a very good one. Get the dessert, have a few bites -- the first couple bites are always best anyway! I don't think you're reading what I'm saying: - Why would I leave the doctor who took me from a Diabetes diagnosis back to normal A1C levels and has kept me "normal" for 3-4 years? Clearly he's given me excellent advice. - Yes, the Diabetic Nutrition class and the Nutritionist were extremely helpful. Let's not forget the Pharmacist too; he's the one who taught me how to use my meter. - But these experts aren't available to me 24/7, and the internet /books provide a different type of help. To give one example, one of my goals was to start eating more fish, but the only fish I grew up eating /knew how to cook was breaded and fried (and served with French fries). I can't call the doctor and ask him for healthy fish recipes on a Saturday afternoon, but the internet gave me some excellent options -- and I chose using the parameters the doctor had provided. The internet pointed me towards low-carb brands of which I wasn't aware. You Tube has provided me with no-cost exercise routines that I'm more prone to use because I can use them in my own house. - It was also the support websites that let me know how to get a cheaper meter and test strips /less out-of-pocket than the doctor and insurance. - I'm not saying the doctor /other professionals aren't the absolute best starting point -- but consider ALL the help that's available. Sift it through the lens of common sense and your own needs. That's a good idea. When I was newly diagnosed, I'd look up a restaurant's menu before going out to dinner, and I'd make my decisions ahead of time. Back then I had to look up carbs in this-or-that item, and it took me a lot more time. Being able to look at the menu ahead of time really helped me. A Windjammer idea: hamburger patty without a bun topped with chili. I can't eat a whole one, but it's a tasty lunch. At home I don't eat hot dogs often, but I make a fathead dough, cut it into long skinny strips and "twirl" it around a hot dog, then bake it. I think I got that idea from Diabetes Daily, and it's called a Swirly Dog. When I was newly diagnosed, I needed to check my glucose level often. Now I'm much more aware of what works /doesn't work -- that just takes time, and I recognize the unpleasant feeling of my levels "going too low".

Thoughts: - Have everyone download the Royal Caribbean app now. You'll be able to see menus now (and should reserve times), and as the time draws nearer, you'll be able to see entertainment options. - We personally do not buy an internet package. I'd tell the girls it's a low-tech week; they'll have plenty to do. You can contact one another with the ship's wifi (which costs nothing) ... the internet package would allow for contacting people off the ship and streaming. - Your girls are a great age for cruising. My girls had an absolute blast at that age. - You and your spouse should make a short list of your expectations for the girls /share them before the cruise. My kids were always better behaved /we never had any problems when I was crystal clear about what I expected of the kids. - I'd go ahead and pay tips up front /never think about it again, but you'll get lots of opinions on that. - When you say the drink package is $64, you're talking about alcohol -- remember that you'll have to add 18% gratuity to that when you book. We don't buy it for ourselves, but when my girls were teens I did get them the soda package. I didn't want them to be in a position where they felt they "had to" finish a drink that'd been out of their sight for a moment. - Shore excursions were discussed. What would your girls enjoy doing? Since they're all so close in age, and since they don't have that many more vacations left with the family, I'm assuming you'll cater to their needs. A shore excursion could be as simple as taking a taxi to a nearby beach.

Yes, your doctor will tell you your A1C and how many carbs you should be allowed each day, but websites and books will give you a variety of tips and recipes that'll fit into those guidelines and can provide support on a more regular basis than the doctor. No one's suggesting that the internet is a replacement for the doctor. Here are a couple good sites: https://www.diabetesdaily.com/ https://sugarfreelondoner.com/ -- try that 90 second Keto bread https://www.heyketomama.com/ -- try the fathead pizza dough That's tough. Rice -- white or brown -- has little nutrition and loads of carbs. I hear you, but I don't think everyone here is as well-informed. Lots of people think Diabetics just need to avoid sugar, and all'll be well.

That's smart. When I was first diagnosed, I charted and monitored -- but that takes a lot of time and effort. You'll get to the point that it's no longer necessary. It gets easier, and my A1C is consistently in the normal /no longer Diabetic range. No problem with this.

Do consider that sugar-free doesn't mean carb-free (or even low-carb). True. Proteins are easy to come by on cruises. Yes, definitely start with your doctor's advice, but seek out advice elsewhere too. You can find loads of low-carb websites online. My insurance did provide a free meter for me, but the test strips it required were expensive. It turned out to be cheaper to buy a Walmart /Target meter out-of-pocket ... they use the cheaper strips.

4-5 years ago I was diagnosed as a Diabetic, and I also was scared. Sometimes I was literally afraid to eat because I didn't know what was good /what was bad for me -- one day I ugly cried in front of my boss because I was hungry and literally didn't know what was okay to eat. It took me a while to get a handle on what it means to "eat healthy" in a low-carb way. It seems to go against some of the rules you've learned all your life; for example, whole grain bread is supposed to be good for you, right? But if you're diabetic, you need to limit even whole grains. Fruit, which you've been told all your life is good for you, is a bit high in sugar. Be honest with yourself about the carbs you're eating. Keeping a notebook can make all the difference. Ignore "net carbs" -- that's a marketing technique to get you to buy processed foods. Count all your carbs. Initially my doctor put me on a Keto diet, and it did WONDERS for me. He specified that this isn't a good choice long-term, but my numbers were out of whack in one direction, and I needed to go "extreme" in the other direction to get myself back to a mid-point. Lots of Diabetics will tell you "Eat to your meter". You do have a blood glucose meter, right? If not, get one right away -- it's probably cheaper for you to buy a basic model at Walmart or Target than to go through your insurance. And as a new Diabetic, you need to test often -- it's how you'll learn. You want your blood sugar to be below 100 before you eat, and you want to return to 100 within 2-3 hours. (Your blood sugar will be high right after eating, even if you've been very, very good.) Keep records of what works for you; for example, apples skyrocket my blood sugar, but I'm okay with popcorn -- not all Diabetics are. Exercise matters too. My doctor says, You don't have to move fast, but you have to move at least 30 minutes every day. Do you have access to a Diabetic Nutrition Workshop and/or a Nutritionist through your doctor? Both were super helpful to me. Today I'm rather moderate in what I eat, and I am no longer Diabetic -- though if I start eating poorly again, that'll change! On holidays and my birthday, I allow myself a really good "cheat meal + dessert", but I make it ONLY ONE meal. No making a cheesecake and eating the leftovers for 3-4 days. No ordering lasagna and taking home half of it for tomorrow. Here's some of what I've learned. I hope it'll help you: - You must control your carbohydrates. Get your doctor to give you an idea of how many carbs you are allowed to eat at each meal. Ignore calories and fat. Carbs are everything for a Diabetic. - Learning not to drink your carbohydrates is HUGE. Water, of course, is best, but these drinks also have no carbs: diet soda, unsweetened iced tea, coffee. You can add artificial sweetener to your tea and coffee. Cream is fine for your coffee, but avoid milk (this is the kind of thing that you have to get your head around as you learn about low-carb). I'm drinking an Iced Coffee with cream and Splenda right now ... it's one of my go-to treats. - The two things I NEVER touch are full-sugar soda and juice. - Most of our meals are meat + vegetables. At first it seemed "wrong" to skip rice, potatoes or pasta + rolls, but now it seems normal. At home, we often have a piece of fish, chicken or a hamburger patty + oven-roasted vegetables or a marinated salad. - I strongly suggest you embrace meat + veg rather than trying to reproduce carb-heavy meals with "fake" items. - Be careful of breaded items. Start cooking your pork chops or chicken-fried steak without breading. - Vegetables are the key to healthy Diabetic eating. I make a BIG sheet pan of roasted vegetables twice a week. Just frozen mixed veg roasted 30-40 minutes at 450 degrees, drizzled with olive oil and spices. Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, Brussels sprouts, peppers are all great choices; root vegetables are, of course, better than grains, but they're higher than the aforementioned veg, so take it easier on onions, butternut squash, and their ilk. - Potatoes are your enemy ... French fries, chips, they are all out to get you. - We are big on seafood. We love to cook crab legs or shrimp. Fish too. - I still love lasagna, mac-and-cheese, pizza, etc., but I have a moderate piece + balance it out with salads for the rest of the day. We always go with thin-crust pizza now. - Lunches are hard because we're all so conditioned to go with sandwiches. Most fillings are okay, but the bread is too high in carbs. I've developed the habit of having HALF a sandwich with lots of filling. No to fat, hoagie sandwiches like Subway or Jimmy John's ... too much bread. - Breakfast is easy, though repetive. Eggs and bacon or sausage are no-carb. Just skip the grits, biscuit or toast. Bacon dipped in guacamole is a really good breakfast. I often keep a bowl of boiled eggs in the refrigerator for quick breakfasts. Omelets or scrambled eggs with a bit of salsa are good. - Snacks are hard. Pickles and cheese are a safe choice. Pepperoni is good too. - Check out Keto recipes on Pinterest. Try the Big Mac salad. - One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard: Read the back of the package, not the front. LOTS of things at the grocery store claim to be Keto, yet when you look at the back of the package they're not low carb at all. - Be careful with your condiments. Catsup, BBQ sauce and many other condiments are loaded with sugar. Sweet Baby Ray's and G Hughes are name-brands that offer no /low sugar options, and they're good. On the other hand, butter is your friend. - My two go-to sweets are 1) Sugar-free Jello with whipped cream /and, to a lesser extent, Sugar-free Jello pudding whipped with cream. 2) Homemade popsicles made with Jello and cream; recipes on Pinterest. - Another thing that helps when I absolutely want something to eat and have no business eating: Sugar-free gum. - Things that're usually safe to order in a restaurant: Chicken wings + celery sticks. Chicken salad over a green salad. Salad with a protein. Steak, chicken or salmon + green vegetable. Chicken & broccoli at a Chinese restaurant. - You don't have to be perfect about your diet ... just better than you used to be. And here are some specifics for cruises: - Watch your beverages. Consider bringing little tubes of powdered drink mix or squirt-bottles of drink mix ... it's hard to know what's low carb on the ship. - It's very easy to eat low-carb in the buffet: a big salad and a piece of chicken or fish is very low carb. Once your numbers are well-established, you can add a small dessert or a piece of bread. - In the MDR, ask them to skip your bread basket. It's just so easy to eat 2-3 pieces while you're waiting. - Order simple items without sauces. Order roast beef, fish, shrimp cocktail, salads. Skip soups, Indian foods with complex sauces. If you order a baked potato, rice, etc., eat only half of it. - You ask about a sharps container ... you're using Insulin? Already as a newly diagnosed Diabetic? Yes, you can request one for your cabin. Email special_needs@rccl.com - Definitely go on the cruise! Try to aim for watching what you eat /without being paranoid about it. Aim for lots of exercise to offset a less-than-stellar diet week.

I've heard you should watch your credit card charges -- that may be your first hint that you've "won".

Several thoughts: - I looked at the online deck plans, and it seems to be a good location: The restaurant won't be a problem neighbor. Above and below you are only cabins. You'll be near the elevators and pretty near midship. Two flights of steps up, and you're at the pools /Windjammer. - Connecting rooms aren't the easiest to get. Don't let go of this one unless you're SURE you have another set of rooms securely in your grasp. - We once had three balconies in a row, and we asked the cabin steward to unlock the balcony dividers, giving us one big, long balcony shared among us. We loved it. We left our sliding glass doors unlocked so we could come and go among the three cabins without going "out in public". We did not worry about strangers entering our cabins through the balconies. The cabin steward had to go get a special tool from his supervisor to unlock these doors, and I don't think fetching that special item on a daily basis would've been an option. - To be perfectly clear: Everyone's talking about the dividers between balconies. The sliding glass door in your room requires no special key. It'll lock just like any other sliding glass door.

We have been 100% happy with the no-cost loungers and beach areas on Coco Cay, and the food is some of the best the cruise offers. The one thing that interests me about Hideaway Beach is the heated pool. IF we were traveling in Winter, I would consider paying no more than $30 (which would be $60 for the two of us) for that feature.

I've never seen kids behaving the way people describe on this board on any ship. What I have seen: - The captain once announced on the noontime address that a group of teens threw deck chairs overboard, and their families were (against their will) being disembarked on the next island. - Once late at night I saw some teens doing "flips" in to the pool from the handrails. I asked them to stop, saying it was dangerous, and they just laughed -- I called security in, and that stopped it. That's it. In 20 years of cruising, those are the only stories I have about bad kids. Oh, I've seen some being a bit loud -- but I've never moved my pool chair because of them; whereas loud adults have prompted me to move. I have seen kids in the MDR in outfits I wouldn't have allowed, and I have seen kids /teens overfilling their plates, but that's not really bad behavior. When our children were younger, we had a set of strict rules, and we found that most parents had similar expectations for their kids.

For any ladies needing cover-ups, try Lands End. They have a good selection of tee-shirt style, dress-style cover-ups. I probably have 6-8 in in a variety of colors -- all purchased at the end of the season, some for less than $10, and they all have pockets. No, I've never seen anyone walking through the halls or in the elevators in just a swimsuit, but with a cover-up you can feel comfortable in those areas -- or walking into the buffet to pick up a drink. While you're planning your outfits, don't neglect a hat and sunglasses.

We only sail in the fall, and we share the ship with relatively few children and teens.

Thoughts: - We never need extra outlets, as we don't use electronics much; however, if you do, take a minute and paint them a bright color. On a recent cruise we "inherited" an outlet extender that someone had left behind -- easy to do when they're all white /blend in with the wall. Our daughter claimed it, painted the front with bright blue nail polish and wrapped the edges with blue-print washi tape, and now it's a pretty thing that's not likely to be missed. - Some of the newer ships have USB /cords at some bars, so you can charge your phones while drinking. - We have tiny flashlights that are attached to our backpacks with carabiners -- useful for seeing in the safe, but not much good for anything else. In an emergency, the ship has a backup generator to power lights in the hallways. If you want a small, soft light for nighttime, pick up glow sticks from the dollar store. Or Amazon. - More useful than the flashlights, we also have small watches (on carabiners) that stay on our backpacks. An analog clock is useful, as you know it's not flipping between time zones. I move mine to my beach bag when I go to the pool. - Never yet found a use for duct tape. - Before you pack laundry detergent, find out whether your ship has a laundry room. If you plan to rinse things out in the sink, consider using the ship's shampoo. It's already available. - Before you start tipping everyone on the ship, note that they add an automatic 18% gratuity to, well, everything -- this is a Royal Caribbean thing; verify with other carriers. If you want to tip more, by all means, that's your business, but do consider that you've already tipped once. - The room has a lot of storage. The over-the-door shoe hanger just brings your clutter out in the open. - If you're storing pictures of your passport (or credit card or other sensitive information), definitely add a password lock to your phone. You don't want just anyone seeing your stuff. - Also take a picture of the spot you parked. It's easy to forget over the course of your cruise. - Keep your copy of your cruise documents in your carry-on. That's personal information. - When you're buying Bonine, be sure to choose the 24-hour stuff. - Know that you don't automatically get paper copies of the Daily Compass anymore. Everything's in the app, and a lot of people are fine with that. (I still like paper.) - I do like a couple magnet hooks ... good for hanging hats by the door. Don't over-do. - Yes, Royal Caribbean also requires you to claim a check-in time (45 days out?). It's a better system: crowds are smaller than they used to be, and you provide much of your boarding information ahead of time. - Along those lines, Muster Drills are now "drop bys". Still a necessity. - Read everything. For example, I remember seeing a You-Tube in which a well-known, well-spoken cruise blogger complained he didn't realize until the end of the cruise that El Loco Fresh is a no-charge food venue and Johnny Rockets serves no-charge breakfast on Oasis class ships. If he'd read his Daily Compass, he'd have known these things! - Don't return your towels to the towel station; instead, exchange them for fresh towels. This means you have clean towels if you go to the hot tubs early /late when the towel station isn't open, and the fewer times your cabin number goes in /out of "the system", the fewer opportunities for human error. - If you're bringing beverages onboard, place them in ziplock bags. Better than being sorry later. - If you're getting a free mug with a beverage package, bring along a bit of dishwashing soap. Rinsing isn't enough. - Board wearing your swimsuit so you're ready to hit the slides or Flowrider right away. Don't bother trying to change in a small bathroom. - Bring plenty of sunscreen, Tylenol, etc. These things -- if you can get them onboard -- will be quite expensive. - If more than two people are sharing a room, consider booking near the gym (for showers) or near a public rest room. The gym showers are also larger, if you find the cabin showers claustrophobic. - If you're in an Inside Cabin, keep the TV tuned to the Forward Bridge Camera. It'll give you a view of outside /let you know whether the sun's up /whether it's raining. - Don't feel you need to "upgrade" everything -- or anything. You can have a fantastic cruise in an Inside Cabin, without a drink package, eating only no-extra-cost food. - You can ask the pizza people to make you a pizza just as you like it, and they'll box it up for you. It's nice to watch an evening movie by the pool with your pizza. - Consider bringing something to identify your door. Our artist daughter made us a set of kissing goldfish. I laminated them /put magnets inside the lamination, and now they are easy to pop on/off the magnetic doors. - Your cabin steward knows EVERYTHING. If you have a problem, consider him your first contact person. - We bring a pack of sticky notes and leave notes to one another on the TV: At the pool. At the Ice Show. You will not have a notepad /pen in your stateroom -- in fact, we're not seeing them in hotels like we used to. - Unless you're local, arrive in your port city a day ahead of time. Its the cheapest insurance you can buy. We stay about 30 minutes "out" because prices are lower, and we consider that a reasonable "morning of" drive. - Before you decide to buy the cruise ship's comprehensive travel insurance, look into third-part JUST evacuation or medical + evacuation insurance. It's about 15-20% the cost of a comprehensive package ... but do consider your own needs. - Men, consider bringing one pair of pants + 4-5 shirts for dinner. It'll work out fine. - Ladies, bring 3-4 dresses (or outfits) for dinner and assume you'll wear each one twice. Bring one pair of dressy shoes in a basic color to match ALL your dinner outfits -- huge space saver. - Most important thing you can bring: A good attitude and a flexible spirit.

I suggest wearing an analog watch. Cell phones may switch back-and-forth between time zones, but your analog watch won't.

Your sail-away time may vary from port to port, but it'll always be announced the day before in your daily newsletter and/or app. I personally aim to be back on the ship two hours before sail-away -- not to start heading back to the ship, but to set foot on the gangplank two hours before sail-away. That way, if anything goes wrong, I have time to deal with it and still return in time.

Not really. I'm thinking you're not familiar with ENOs. https://www.amazon.com/ENO-Outfitters-DoubleNest-Lightweight-Sapphire/dp/B09KNZ6BRG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2E5J2TBMVAFXF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KkCYd_Ap2U86UFLYJmwA-JTs6rHMFUQ5pD9X4Au8V1RLvEAuyewan7rfh7exNhgAVRFUBFwVK72kDfVS2HWdx37ui5aOHNwuVQn0ca_ORtFMGut2Sj5CUWrOlK2tcqpHjhwD0vzd0Z2FsKvilTJ0XJDX8m3QGmFRuC9sSBGYpy5toFVYgbtiHSEuW1N0vvocU6KeThULtY0FtUjEf2UVGNz6XtVcwHP5ESu88j9dKHavk749XtNPVo0dKl241VXVnbOSyo9YKcQBSE-Ji3ICcPkMEJxGd62ZNW_Y6MC5CSc.TfVhLtxR06zMOsm4njmp5RT6ENEb3SKMT4A38vU4L7Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=eno%2Bhammocks&qid=1709139376&sprefix=eno%2Bhammocks%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-5&th=1

- Yes, change into your swimwear in your cabin. It's larger, more comfortable, and you have all your own things (and a mirror) nearby. - Wear a cover-up (if you're a lady) or a tee that matches your swim trunks (if you're a man) to the pool. You will see people walking around the outdoor areas of the ship in this type of clothing -- even coming in and out of the buffet. - You may or may not have a robe in the cabin, but that's really not appropriate to wear "out and about". - You'll find bathrooms but not changing rooms near the pool. Okay you could change in the toilet, but why would you?