SeaHunt

I'm a tipper (my husband is not lol) but a tip I didn't appreciate giving was a few years ago when I purchased a couple "glow glasses" from a table set up in the Royal Promenade before a parade.;)

It was a table like they usually have with T shirt sales, etc., and had all these twinkling glasses and other "light up" items (necklaces, beads, etc.) on it.

It was the kind of stuff kids would like (and kids were swarming the table), and I thought they would be cute for kids Xmas stockings, so I handed a couple to the guy to ring up and didn't notice until I got back to the room that I was charged an 18% tip!

It just seemed strange to have a tip charged for those - I mean, I could understand if they had some booze in them, but just an empty glass on a sale table?

FYI - we soon learned not to go there when the live band was playing across the way or you'll have to shout to be heard!

It was kind of funny to see the agents answering questions while keeping time to the music though LOL

We live central North Carolina but have a home in Emerald Isle

I had never heard of Emerald Isle before but on my local paper this morning (DB News Journal) there was a picture of a man lifting a board that was captioned "Tim Avery pulls boards to the third story of a home as he prepares for Hurricane Florence in Emerald Isle, NC on Wednesday"

And then I saw a poster on storm2k.org who says he's the mayor of Emerald Isle (of course, don't know if true or not) posting as "emeraldislenc" telling about conditions there now.

And then you have posted that you have a house there, so Emerald Isle is popular today!

My fingers are crossed for you that everything is good for your house with no damage ;)

Yikes. I just saw that there was a wind gust of 116.6 kts on a buoy near Wrightsville Beach (per google 116.6 kts = 134.180 mph!)

Jeff P. (storm chaser) is in a bad part of the storm right now :

If anyone's interested in following a storm chaser here's a link to Jeff Piotrowski:

https://www.pscp.tv/Jeff_Piotrowski/1rmGPNXPPOQxN

Showing the storm surge going through the houses on the barrier islands.

Try Motioneaze, it really works for me :D

And it's especially nice for kids because it's all natural, drug free and they don't have to swallow anything - just rub in a drop behind each ear:

https://motioneaze.com/motion-sickness-relief-kids/

I read where about 200 people decided to stay on Ocracoke Island :eek:

"Hutcherson thinks the island will weather Florence just fine and estimated that about 200 residents remained on the island. Among the holdouts Wednesday, many were biking or walking dogs, as if nothing out of the ordinary was about to happen".

https://ocracokeobserver.com/2018/09/12/last-ferries-leave-as-ocracoke-islanders-await-hurricane-florence/

Wikipedia shows the elevation of Ocracoke as:

Elevation3 ft (1 m)

3 ft? Really hoping they don't regret their decision.

Scary stuff - prayers to all to stay safe! I feel very guilty that I am relieved it is not striking us here in FL, but we are "stormed out". :(

Wave heights to 83 ft were measured early this morning under the NE quadrant of Hurricane Florence. These enormous waves are produced by being trapped along with very strong winds moving in the same direction the storm's motion.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/fl-ne-hurricane-florence-tropics-sept12-story.html

83 feet?! Yikes. I read a post over on storm2k.org with a video of a reporter talking to a mom with 3 young kids on the beach who were not evacuating. Her reasoning? "It takes too long to return home with all the traffic" and that a few neighbors were also staying and "there is strength in numbers". God help them.

(edited to add that I know waves won't be that high when coming onshore, but still...yikes)

We were on the Oasis last December with friends who would make a stop in the Windjammer after dinner just to see what bread pudding/cobbler was being offered that night, and if they liked it we would sit with them while they had a little bit. Not sure this happens on every ship, but I thought it was a nice gesture that the manager and waiters would come through the Windjammer passing glasses of champagne, serving Christmas cookies and chocolate covered strawberries while wishing everyone Happy Holidays :D

He still has a job?

IKR? I remembered him from his stint as a weatherman at a local TV station (Orlando, before he moved to Tampa) where he presented a feature called "Weather Babies" and sang country songs with the weather.

I was very disappointed at his handling of the Galveston debacle. Now it looks like he better be hitting up RCI for a raise with all this hurricane work because he's being sued for lawyers fees in a Tampa case and blaming having to take a $55K pay cut when joining RCI:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/Ex-WTSP-meteorologist-sued-over-almost-60-000-owed-to-lawyers_170784447

Non smoker here, but I remembered that Bimmer09's fabulous review of the Silhouette a couple years ago spoke of smoking spots (since he smoked) and also included photos of those areas.

Here's a link to his review:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=48880163#post48880163

Here's some of the smoking info below from his review. Hopefully someone else can chime in and advise if this is still correct:

Re the Smoking I was more than happy with the areas and comforts X provided.

Comfy chairs everywhere there is designated smoking.More smoker- considerate than PCL in fact.

I prefer to smoke outside where there are trillions of acres of air above to dilute the smoke and not offend anyone who is used to inhaling only the pristine diesel air of our cities. That's sarcastic and is only directed at those people who have the fake coughing attacks when walking past a person who is legitimately puffing in a "smoking section". I heard the words "Goddam smokers" from an old geezer walking through the smoking section at the Sunset Bar while using the path as a walking track.

My smoking was enjoyed by the Sunset bar ( Port) Promenade (deck5) aft and fwd port side and the Mast Bar (fwd Starboard) and when super windy in the a.m before the ship awoke I smoked by the pool in the smoking section.

Besides those I smoked in the elevators, the restaurants and in bed. Oh-and in the shower but it was hard to stay lit.

Norris

Being from the Antipodes I have no idea of the weather in the Caribbean. What is the likelihood of any adverse weather conditions in the March-April period?

Most cruisers are more concerned about Spring Breakers during those months lol :D

Here's a list of US college spring break dates for 2019:

https://www.studentcity.com/when-is-my-spring-break

I found an old post asking about the overhang of Reflection 1605 (titled "AQ 1605 on Reflection. Support beams on balcony?") that elena7seas answered with a picture that might help you too:

(Notice she says 1605 is a great cabin, as does xport who answered in the link below :D)

I was on the Solstice in December, in AQ 1552, and that cabin has the same overhang as 1605. This photo shows the overhang:

 

 

 

At the left side, there is very little overhang, but the amount increases as the balcony angles back. This picture was taken at c. 1:00 pm, when the sun was high in the sky. There was more sun on the deck later in the afternoon.

 

There are other pictures of the deck, and the adjoining cabin overhang, on my webpage, as well as detailed pictures of the storage in the stateroom:

 

http://leftcoasters.smugmug.com/gallery/7051726_Pzoiv#451759896_DCzpX

 

1605 is a great cabin and a great location.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1908746&highlight=1605

That's what I would like to know! Even if i used both my credit cards I still wouldn't have enough to cover $10,000. So i wonder what they they do then.

You'll be on the phone calling relatives and anyone you can think of to come up with $$$ to help you out. ;)

And remember the ship will sail on time, and you will have to get yourself back home too.

Something as simple as tripping and falling on a cobblestone/broken pavement while walking in a port can necessitate a hospital visit, and there you are.

I always try and get a medical travel insurance plan marked as "primary" - (based on the plan) a primary plan can be one that will arrange advance payment to hospitals to get you admitted, etc., unlike "secondary" plans where you pay upfront.

Also, personally I am more concerned about medical costs and evacuation than lost luggage, delays, etc., so I can save $$$ there. I agree with the poster above, talk to Steve and tell him what you are worried about and he will point you in the right direction. Of course you don't have to buy from him but you'll learn what to look for in various policies to compare them and find one that will suit you. :D

Sorry no first hand knowledge here, but just in case you hadn't seen these I did find some older posts by jenfromjersey, m-fromjersey and 4everAfamily mentioning it:):

We were in 13250 and had no noise issues, and bonus extra large balcony. I would rebook that room in a heartbeat and I am a light sleeper.

We spent a lot of time on our balcony too. We were in cabin 13250 and my husband had correctly predicted that it was an extended balcony. I would say it was about 50% larger than a normal balcony, as it is on the back end of the hump. Since it was deck 13, it was also fully covered as the pool deck hangs over. It was super early to get to the pool, windjammer and seaplex and I would TOTALLY book that cabin again.

My wife and I were in 13250 on the 1/15/16 10-day (which turned into an 11-day thanks to Winter Storm Jonas), and I can verify that the balcony is indeed larger than the standard balcony. You can see from the photos below that the angle shown on the deck plan is accurate; additionally, the balcony seems slightly larger than it is because the asymmetrical design gives a more open feel to the balcony than on a standard balcony. You're not going to be dancing the waltz out there, but it's plenty of room for 2 people to sit comfortably.

 

 

(Photos by @jenfromjersey)

We were in 13250 on Anthem last year and never heard the elevators from our cabin. (Of course, on our cruise, many of the elevators were out of commission from the constant swaying of the ship the first few days...)

We have stayed in 13248 and 13250 with no problems. If you are traveling with kids, it's a great location. The overhang helps keep the cabin cooler and didn't affect our view.

Thank you for writing a positive review on my next cruise :D Sounds like you had a (mostly) wonderful sailing!

Did you utilize Cafe al Bacio much? Always a favorite of mine. Yum.

To get from boat drill deck 5 to our cabin deck 11 meant the stairs. It took us 30 minutes to get back to our cabin and our waiting bags. Elevators can not accommodate the entire ship at the same time.

Oh yes, this brought back some sad memories for me. :loudcry:

We were traveling with friends who were slowly working their way up the stairs (and down) for the muster drill, and while waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs (we're not spring chickens but got there first with the wave of people pushing and rushing us down the stairs), I saw a few people who were in obvious physical distress - pausing and gulping for air, shaking, hanging onto the rail, etc. - and I looked across to the man monitoring the elevators and thought PLEASE don't let them continue. Please point them over to an elevator, even if they have to wait - and please have a few chairs made available for those who just can't make it.

My husband sprang to assist them, but I wonder if Celebrity couldn't offer a little training that if the attendants see someone struggling to get them off the stairs. It would be far better than having to call the squad and remove someone from the cruise before it even starts!

You will discover that your fellow passengers get up early, on sea days especially, to commandeer all available lounges and disappear until much later. Cruise line threats of removing towels and personal items from unattended lounges go unheeded and are empty threats.

Seems like this is a common complaint on every cruise line now. Maybe it's time for the cruise lines to go back to the (really) olden days where they had pool attendants who checked you in and out for chairs? They "assigned" and led you to your chairs and you had to use them right then (no holding with towels, etc. for a much later time, i.e. putting stuff down at 7AM, coming back after lunch). They also gave you your towels, and you told the attendants when you were leaving so they could free up the chairs, return the towels, etc. If you wanted to grab a quick lunch they made a note and you had to return within a certain amount of time - you couldn't just leave your chair for hours - or they would remove your items and those chairs were freed up.

It seemed to work well back then, anyway. Pretty civilized, so probably wouldn't fly nowadays though!

I think the best burgers were room service, but now you must pay for them...but they were great the last time we did them.

Was this the "Royal Burger"?

Surprised me how delicious it was, nom nom :D...

Description from the (suite) room service menu:

The Royal Burger

8 oz Prime Wagyu beef, crispy bacon, aged cheddar, carmelized onions, toasted bun

Came with good fries and small dishes of condiments (mustard, ketchup, mayo, etc.) so you could add what you want.

Room service was free in a suite, but I would pay for these - and since the room service charge is per order, not per item - might as well add some chocolate cake with caramel sauce and maybe a piece of NY cheesecake too lol :D

I always tell everyone on the boards to give Motioneaze a try :D

I can suffer from terrible motion sickness and always used Bonine in the past, but now just use Motioneaze.

It's all natural, just put a drop behind each ear and you're good to go. No side effects (does not make your drowsy, etc.) Great for kids too (no pill to swallow).

The only "con" I've found is that you smell kind of like lavender for a few minutes, but that passes.

https://motioneaze.com/stop-seasickness-with-motioneaze/

(No, I don't work for them - just trying to help others who have the same problem! It's the bomb!)

Oh this brings back memories of last year - had my laparoscopic gallbladder removal in November, then cruised on Oasis of the Seas six weeks later.

I wasn't as worried about food as I was about maneuvering the stairs in our stateroom (Loft Suite with bedroom upstairs), hoping they wouldn't cause any discomfort at the surgery site.

But no problems with either - I was able to eat everything I wanted (plus some!), and the stairs were no hassle at all. :D (Well, actually the stairs did have one bad design - for some reason, they only lit every other step, and coming down those at night - with cataracts - was a little dicey LOL. Had those cataracts fixed too, one eye in February, one in March ;p)

Good luck with your surgery - hopefully it will be as easy as mine was. Have a wonderful cruise!

I always use Motion Eaze (available at Wal-mart, over-the-counter/no prescription needed). It's a liquid you dab behind your ears. Very effective. It's the only product that works for me. Inexpensive and non-drowsy.

Me too and LOVE it! All natural too. :D

I have to preach about it to everybody because I am prone to terrible motion sickness, and this stuff really works.

Even the charter fishing captains down here have it aboard for all the tourists, because you can take it AFTER you start to get queasy and it works quickly. Guess a lot of people don't think they're going to get seasick until they bob around out in the open ocean in a little fishing boat - and it's always better to catch fish than to feed them over the side of the boat LOL.

https://motioneaze.com/stop-seasickness-with-motioneaze/

Besides googling, I also try this site (doesn't show all, but quite a few):

http://themecruisefinder.com/

I use "Advanced Search" then "All Categories" and input the name of the ship where it says "Search anywhere in the ads". :)

Don't forget she'll lose the perks that came with the Boardwalk cabin (Eat Drink Play) and might want to book the soda package if she was counting on that :)

Boardwalk View Balcony

• Complimentary soda package for two guests
  
• Complimentary meal for four at Johnny Rockets
  
• Rock climbing wall session for the entire family
  

Besides googling, you can also try these sites. I don't see it yet on either of them, but keep checking!

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/full-cruise-ship-charters.html

http://themecruisefinder.com/

(use Advanced Search with the word "Ovation")

From the link posted by SkiTeton above:

Following a voyage across the Atlantic, the Song of America entered service with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines on 5 December 1982 on a cruise from Miami to Nassau, San Juan and St. Thomas. This remained her main itinerary for the early parts of her career with RCCL.

I did a couple cruises on her, including a New Years cruise where we had a terrible time getting to the ship because of being fogged in and our flight was cancelled. We made it though, and had a wonderful cruise! :D:D (Have no idea why our guys were in cowboy hats with their tuxes though!)

Silhouette 6309 is a sunset veranda

6307 in the Eclipse is the same as 6309 on Silhouette

JMO, but look at the picture kindly posted above by gerelmx, and note how much larger the balcony on 6312 is (listed as 30% larger on the cruise deck plans site). If you want to stick to deck 6 I'd switch your stateroom to 6314 on Silhouette (6312 on Eclipse in the picture is 6314 on Silhouette).

That said, if you'd move up a deck I'd pick 7366 (and previously did!) on Silhouette (shown as 7364 in picture on Eclipse) Larger balcony PLUS you're on the same floor as "The Hideaway". So convenient to run over and get a coffee/tea (complimentary) or just relax in the comfy chairs - especially when waiting for the cabins to open up when boarding.

7366 on Silhouette:

You will love the Silhouette!

Besides googling, I always check:

http://themecruisefinder.com/

Just went to "Advanced Search" there and typed in Navigator of the Seas with 0 results. Typed in Royal Caribbean and found 28 results - but none on Navigator :D