Ret MP

Stole my exact thunder. The new Terminal looks beautiful and the majority of reviews I've read are positive to very positive. Galveston is one of my top 4 ports. #1 - Port Everglades (because I retired from the Port and I grew up just a mile or two from there), #2 - Port of Miami, only because of the terminal, not the port or city. #3 - Port of Canaveral, it's closer to home for us. #4 - Galveston because we have friends that live in Seguin, TX and we stay there the night before the cruise, 3 - 4 hour drive to the port. Only criticism, no parking garage attached to the terminal, only surface lots. Yes, I've read that they are convenient, but nothing is as convenient as being attached to the terminal.

Is that only if you don't have OBC? Our cruise in May, we had over $1800.00 in OBC and we never put cash in the slots all play via the card. But, we never paid a % either. Just wondering because we won't always have large amounts of OBCs. May possibly change how much cash we bring onboard. I absolutely hate carrying cash (tip cash excluded) especially now that it isn't necessarily needed, except now that I find out I may have to for the casino.

I used to use Express VPN, it was very good at not slowing things down. But, I found that there were a lot of sites that wouldn't let me in with, at least, that VPN. So, I ditched VPN all together. So, I now use PCMatic, Duckduckgo and Brave. Not sure if they provide the same security as VPN but I'm happy.

Yes!

My luck is so bad, that for me that would be considered a machine malfunction!

I win EVERY time I go to the casino. Yep, I go to the ATM machine and I always get money out. I'm guessing here that if you are a lucky person, like my wife and win often, you think the slots are loose. If you are the unlucky type, like me, you think they are very very tight. I don't think you will ever get RCCL or any other cruise lines to tell you what their actual slot odds are (not that I've seen) and if or how many times they change the odds or when. Places like Vegas are tightly controlled by the State Gambling Commission or whatever it's called and the odds are published publicly.

Very true. Also, and I freely admit that I don't know the policy on RCCL, they may not be allowed into the dining rooms/MDR if not physically on duty. I do know that the crew is very restricted as to where they are allow to be in. For example, laundry room crew CAN NOT go into the guest cabin areas, on duty or off. Officers, and only certain officers can go into certain food venues that are normally used by guests. There are lots of restriction on crew members as to where and when they can go or not go. I was once told by an entertainer that regardless of being on duty or not. in uniform or not, in guest areas or not, ALL crew members must have either their crew ID displayed or Name Tag.

If you are cruising in Star Class, your arrival time is between you and your Genie. Doesn't matter what time you select during the filling out the document stage(s). If the actual boarding of a cruise is delayed for what ever reason, when the start to board, they'll start off with the first arrival time, regardless of what time it actually is, and work from there. That's my experience at Canaveral. Post COVID, I don't think I've seen or heard RCCL use "Boarding Time". Just "Arrival Time". Again, that's my experience.

I hope that means that you don't have to download Whatsapp to keep in touch with the Genie. I download Whatsapp just for a specific cruise then uninstall it (Royal's app too) when I complete the cruise.

Gotchya! However, although the OP or anybody else, including me, didn't mention it, I'm not limiting my generosity to just a paper photo. And, I don't understand the adversity to having "strangers" or what is natural to the surrounding in a photo. BTW, there are lots of apps that will scan a photo to be sent via email or any other electronic media. "in a much more interesting and meaningful place" = a matter of prospective and purpose of the subject. See post #33. Sometimes it isn't the gift, it's the thought. I think if I gave a server a paper 8X10 glossy or SD card of him/her as the focal point of the photo AND a nice tip, they'd be happy with one, the other, or both. At this point I hope he/se is pleased but I know I feel good about what I just did, goodwill. Not being the ugly-American. For general consumption> No, that's not to saying that if you don't do what I do makes you and ugly-American (you have to watch what you say around here, there's a lot of thin skinned folks in here and those that get their exercise by jumping to conclusions and rushing to judgement).

Tooooooo funny. I'd like to, or maybe not, say that that was me.

LOL Not always the best thing to do with a good picture and/or if you want, "choice of composition" the general public, patrons, whatever in the picture. I picture of your real world. One, me = Selfie One, not me = not selfie Can you tell which one is which? BTW, the selfie was cropped!

Just curious: Not being deaf myself, but close, someone tapping on your shoulder or back or forearm or wherever, doesn't it startle you? I'm very jumpy, especially in public places, being former Military/Law Enforcement, I tend to react, in a defensive way, when touched unexpectedly or even loud noises. Defensive = not meaning I jump into a Kung Fu stance, pulling out a weapon of any kind, or anything like that. Just tighten up and become very aware of my surroundings until I know what's going on.

Tomato/toomaaaato Potato/Pootaaaato Dancing/self pleasure LOL

Well, I'm not sure I fully understand what you are trying to get at. But, that's Okay, I'm old. However, just about any picture, professional or not, carefully posed or not, in an active dining room, will include strangers, if that's the choice of composition, and many many people are proud of their "work uniform", I don't see why a server, the Captain, or dishwasher on a RCCL cruise ship would be any different.

If it is a requirement to be in the photo, that doesn't mean that you have to be the focal point of the picture. Maybe just sitting at table way in the background or up front at the bottom of the frame or something. When there is a will there's a way. Having said that, what if you want the photographer to take a picture of a beautiful island off of a balcony/deck?

This could go on for ever. However, we are and I'm responding to the Server having a professional grade photo taken in the MDR, with or without the guest(s) or a selfie in the MDR, with or without the guests. I don't think the ship's "professional grade photographers" will follow guests or crew to those beautiful landmarks. So, I guess it's obvious, or should be, that the discussion of "professional Grade Photos" is limited to the ship and, possibly, pier.

Yes, at least in their main terminal, terminal #18, I think the number is (I haven't cruised out of Terminal #25 so I don't know about that one). I believe there are a few retail kiosks just before you go up the stairs/escalators that have the lanyards and many other touristy things for sale.

Let me see, Selfie or Professional Grade Photo, Selfie or Professional Grade Photo, Selfie or Professional Grade Photo, Selfie or Professional Grade Photo, Selfie or Professional Grade Photo? Yep, Professional Grade Photo every time. No brainer! NOTE: By Professional Grade, I mean RCCL's version of Professional Grade.

When I drove truck for a living in the late 90's, my CB handle was Big Red, and others.

I believe that's all a tall tail!

LOL I think there are two separate people here. CruisinNole and CruisingNole. Note the "g"

Yep, I believe that is correct. However, I'm hoping that that is because of the Supply Chain and COVID debacle and not being able to plan ahead as easily. Hoping that it eases as time goes on and they will be able to commit to many things a little earlier. Or maybe they've tasted the waters and like it the way it is. <they = RCCL, of course>

LOL You should see my original. It's from Montreal Canada and it has a big (about 3 inch dia) red, wax looking, but isn't, raised, seal on it. Also looks like real old parchment paper.

I virtually believe that!