Ret MP

As you said, "attitude". I believe most things in life are influenced by about 90% of your attitude going in. It is my opinion that "MOST", if not a hefty % of negative reviews are with a bias of some type. I do have a bias about Rustucket Cruise Lines. That's why I don't review it if not asked, I know I'm biased against the lines. My negativity towards it is my own thing and it involves not ever calling it by its real name. Rust has nothing to do with my nickname for the line.

This message board is also called a "discussion board". Using your logic, nobody should express what they desire, how they feel about policies, the quality of their food, the lack of good services, like or dislike of new itineraries, etc, etc. etc, etc. BTW, I have no doubt that if I ask for extra towels, I'll/we'll get them, just exactly like I do at hotels. Yes, when I check in at hotels, as always ask for 2 extra towels as we shower when we get there and again in the morning. And when I cruise Star Class, which isn't every cruise, I'll get 2x service every day. Please feel free to "discuss" more if you'd like!

Come on @S.A.M.J.R.. I personally didn't say anything about 2x service a day. What I want is to refresh my towels or leave me double the normal amount of towels, and I said so. I just want a fresh towel to dry off with when I get out of the shower. It's just that simple, isn't it!

Having spent 20+ years in the Army (active duty), I've spent weeks not even being able to take a shower and not having laundry service available. I've used the same washcloth to wash with and the same towel to dry with while in the field. My bathtub was a helmet, or river, or hose, and cold water (back in the day). I'm no longer in the Army (retired) and don't have to live like that anymore and am not going to. I pay good money to have a fresh towel available for every shower/bath. I don't think it is too much to ask. AND I don't believe I'm the only person that cruises that prefers to have a clean towel for their shower(s). It's not a problem, it's a desire, one that is easily taken care of.

Until you use it. My comments have nothing with how clean or not the laundry does the laundry. It's about after using a towel. However, I actually do believe that if the ship's laundry does its job, the laundry comes out as clean and bacteria-free as is humanly possible, without using medical-grade chemicals, etc.

Meals, actually any/all meats cooked to order, in the Main Dining Room vs., the meats ordered in the Steakhouses are two completely different things. I very rarely eat in the MDR, for a dinner meal, or on any cruise line, just because of the lack of being able to cook the steak to my desired doneness. However, I pay a premium in a Steakhouse to get a steak done how I like it on the first try and hopefully a "prime" cut of meat, too. YMMV

I know, that's why I put the emoji first, I did find your comment funny. I quoted you to my comment just as a point of connectivity to the subject. Maybe quoting you muddied the waters a little.

Well, there is a mix of psychology and science involved. I'm one that hates using a towel twice, especially one that is not part of my own inventory at home. I know exactly where a towel comes from, how it was washed, and when it was washed. The science: (at least my knowledge of the science) No household bath soap manufacturer can guarantee that it will kill and wash away all bacteria from your body during a shower. So, if I wash my body, as usual, and then I dry my undercarriage, caboose, and underarms, have I just transferred some bacteria from my body to the towel I just used? If I wake up at 6:00 AM, hang up the towel for use later in the day, and then at about 6:00 PM take my second shower of the day, the towel has had 12 hours for the bacteria (some not bad and some not so good) to multiply/spread on the towel? Then, if I get up the next day before the attendant comes for the first and only cleaning of the day, there is a possibility of another 12 hours passing before refreshing the towel and another 12 hours of additional bacteria accumulating/growing/spreading/multiplying. Has anybody ever gotten sick or had any adverse reactions from using the same towel over and over again, within reason of course? No, not that I can prove and I don't believe so. And that is where the phycology of this comes in. To me, it's just gross to use the same towel, especially one not in my home inventory. That's why I'm going to ask the attendant to leave behind double the usual cabin inventory of towels each day. This is my thing. If they don't, I'll be calling to have more brought to my cabin in the evening. Doesn't have to be anybody else's!

"I'm so sorry to hear that the other member of your party was not able to accompany you on this cruise. The good news, we will secure that bottle that was intended for him/her right here in the Terminal, and upon your return, you can retrieve it and take it to the intended party. Have a great cruise"!

Exactly! Humans have been swimming in the oceans of the world since, well, since there have been humans. The ocean(s) are filled with things that can hurt or even kill you. But, millions and millions of people (me included) have made their way into the ocean incident free. I will not live in fear of things like the possibility of JF. I tend to be aware of my surroundings and listen to the locals and their "OFFICIAL" warnings. If there is something within my safe space, and I'm not just talking about being in the ocean, I make adjustments to my activities. I would hope that RCCL would post warnings about the current conditions surrounding their island just to keep its customers safe and comfortable. I grew up in Dania (now Dania Beach) Florida. My mom would take us, pre-school age, to the beach almost every day. The lifeguards would post signage if there was an undertow or riptide, JF issues, etc. The ocean was part of my, almost, everyday activities (I surfed throughout my Jr High and High School years). The worst that happened to me was I got a mouth full of seaweed once. So, again, I say go and enjoy yourself but be aware of the conditions.

That's the way I took your post, a request for information, to get a comparison from actual RCCL experienced cruisers that have also cruised on that other line (I call it Rustbucket Cruise Lines which has nothing to do with "rust", and it seems to trigger some folks). Having said all that, I'd suggest you try, at least once, whatever sparks your curiosity. If it sounds good to you, go for it. We are all different in our own way. What I dislike, you may like.

Neither do I, Fred!

I understand that!

https://magazine.keycaribe.com/travel/are-there-jellyfish-in-the-caribbean/ Jellyfish season Jellyfish are slightly more common in Caribbean waters during the warmer months. This is because the trade winds direct them toward the islands from March to June. In addition, these creatures prefer warmer waters. By the end of November, very few of them are left, thanks to cooler water temperatures.

With any luck, it will be L.A.vation, a U2 Tribute band. Great band! But, just checked their schedule for the rest of the year, and no cruises on their schedule. Too Bad.

Can also make you bark at the moon, too. Don't ask how I know!

100% right-on! Not really flying, but maybe a little bit. I don't like what the airlines have turned into and I can't stand TSA.

Ya, I know. Was hoping someone found something unusual and up my alley. Not doing Cunard.

Dates? Symphony my Favorite! Hoping for a TA from the U.S. and back though. And can't do it until no sooner than mid-2024.

I've spent some time in the Arctic Circle, Northern Norway, a few hundred miles north of the Circle while on a NATO Exercise. It was mid-winter and the Arora Borealis (Northern Lights) was so vivid it looked like I could reach up and grab them. If you get a chance to see them at the ultimate time, do it, they are great.

I'm one of those that would be very happy with no Ports of Call. Just cruise for 7 or 8 nights. As long as I don't see land, I don't care where it goes, even if the ship only goes offshore about 20 miles and goes around in slow circles.

I can't think of too many Caribbean Ports of Call we haven't been to already or don't already have booked now. We have been to Bermuda, Panama, and Alaska. Don't have any desire to return to Alaskan, not that there is anything wrong with Alaska, just not my thing, and I have no desire to do a European cruise either unless it is a B2B TA. Would love to go back to Bermuda. My wife wants to do the eastern Canadian Provinces cruise(s) but I have no desire to go. But, she wants to so I guess it is in the future plans. Happy wife, happy life.

I have done very few excursions. However, we usually just step off of the ship, go into the port's market, or whatever they call it, for an hour or less, and then return to the ship (only a couple exceptions to that, like Grand Cayman and Bermuda, I like those islands). It is great exploring and experiencing the ship on port days, it's not crowded. However, many venues on the ship are not available while in port, especially the casino. So, the ship has its limitations for entertainment value. We do make sure we get off the ship if it is an island/country that we haven't been to before, just to say we've been there (I feel one must at least put boots on the ground to say they've been there). On port days is when we take advantage of the spa(s)/hot tubs and some of the restaurants, if open, that are usually crowded. It's nice just walking around the ship and not bumping shoulder-to-shoulder with the masses. I've only been on one excursion that I thought was outstanding. It was a tour boat through a few of the locks of the Panama Canal. Well worth the time, effort, and price. My grandfather was one of the engineers (engineers loosely defined. He was more like a specialized laborer but was still called an engineer) that built the canal. So, I had a connection to the canal.

I've cruised Star Class many times and never heard of the Peloton bikes being delivered to a suite. But, I've never asked either. If it is true, I'd like current info on that.

It's all about the little things that a Genie can offer, exceeding your expectations. On one cruise, the Solarium Bistro was not open for the entire cruise. I told the Genie that I was disappointed because I really like the Bocklava in the bistro and I'd miss it. Well, sitting in Chops one night I hadn't ordered dessert yet. Just when the server came to take our dessert order, another server came over and put in the middle of the table a whole pan of Bocklava and said that it was complements of the Genie. Totally unexpected and appreciated. A Conseriage can't/won't do that for you.