keishashadow

Since you keep swinging & appear determined to label me here, will take the high road & give it one more go. We can agree to disagree or not. Heck, I’ll even verge into the metaphysical here… “if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” every time I’ve sailed, only observed a few other people stroll thru in areas I prefer. Rarely any people sitting, always a fair amount of towels laid out poolside though If I ever would find people starting to circle that vacant chair beside me pre breakfast 9 am, wouldn’t hesitate to summon the mr to roll on up sooner. things indeed may have changed since last I was on a ship. Cannot wait to sail again in a month with the mr by my side. No amount of trolling is going to break that vibe. ☀️

🤨 um, sure? I’d venture guessing it’s far more commonplace for somebody to proffer a shady interpretation of another’s post. too bad it’s dead wrong. Good thing I do have thick skin, not unlike a 🐷 Now that Ret MP has graciously posted the official RCCL edict on the subject, we can all toe the same line…here at least For the larger cruising populace, suggest it would be prudent if RCCL makes a concerted effort to post it prominently on deck, in app & in onboard announcements to bring all up to speed

Smart idea. First thing I thot of was a couple of sailings on CCL, wherein there was a takeover by towel animals in the AM.

Thankfully, I’m not the arbiter. Let the cruise lines take that heat. If they would just lay down the rules to follow, then enforce them, this all would be a moot point & we could go back to complaining about dining. I’d answer “No” to you. IMO being out of chair for whatever break has been decreed permissible by the cruise line (whether 30 or 45 min) doesn’t meet the definition of being a chair hog. Some might argue the practice is a little bit piggy, however, not sure if it’s akin to being pregnant…you either are or you aren’t sort of thing.😏 YMMV. My take is a chair hog gets up early, claims a chair(s) and doesn’t return for hours, if at all.

My vantage point was from one already butt in chair who wanted to get a quick bite to eat. Worst case we will be having a picnic on deck. As for those on the hunt, most wouldn't need to necessarily hover like vultures over a lounger ticking towards expiration. I believe most would follow your lead Having a return by notice on loungers would be quite helpful for others who… want (loungers by bar, hot tub, pool or kids splash area etc) or need (medical conditions such as diabetes/meds & photosensitivity that warrant shade) specific areas Of course, the lines’ intent may just be lip service to sooth cruisers over the chair hog issue. In the end, a likelihood they don’t have the staff or inclination to execute whatever policy. Think this all just might be more of the effect of keep off the grass signs

Granted, haven’t cruised since precovid, many things have changed. In the past on RCCL & other lines, many times people would inquire if ‘tagged’ loungers next us were “ours”. Next question was whether the lounger had been occupied while we were there. When I’d indicate no, they took it upon themselves to fold up the towels & random flip flop/old book, place it upon another nearby lounger and plop down. Surprised to never observe any sort of major confrontation, even the one time the taggers did come ‘round. the couple just indicated the two loungers were open when they sat down & the other couple gathered their stuff & left. I generally wake early, especially when no balcony, I’m up on deck well before 7 am. Grab two loungers (try for partial shade). Quickly off for coffee, juice & a pastry, back on lounger to hold down the fort until the mr rises and joins me for breakfast around 9 am. I don’t see why you can’t just summon pool staff/visit them at the towel stand and get a post a note filled out to mark the lounger as to the time you departed & the clock starts ticking. Depending on the throng, IMO 30 minutes can be too short to eat in WJ, especially if you want an egg-white omelette. Thinking 45 minutes is more realistic.

For upcoming may cruise AoS, doing MTD, early on could only grab 7:30 - 7:45 pm for table of 2. Prefer 7 pm. I see no way to modify the time once you select other than cancelling it completely & starting over. Could be missing something there as still learning the in’s & out’s of the app Are you no longer to request a table for 2 when you board or at the podium when checking in for dining? is it permissible to have a res in hand but, just show up early and hope to be seated accordingly?

They are ones who don’t get sick often, already exposed to the worst of it lol

Smart employee! He’s prob top tier as to bonus tips In cash on board

I‘m not one to arbitrarily judge what’s cute for either kids and adults. I stand by Sport team fans are a part of a community, one that often wears jerseys with their favor players names It’s exactly the same thing in the Disney parks, where many people are as loyal and fervent fans as you’d find at any athletic event…if not more die hard just as this forum is comprised of cruising fans, you will find many out there that focus on Disney & Universal parks. Regardless, it’s nice know there are multiple places for fans to mingle and exchange their thoughts in a respectful manner, even if they differ 🙂

Hey, I resemble that remark. 🤨 It’s actually a given there, tshirts, pins & often pricey Dooney & Burke or coach mini back packs/crossbody bags to the left & right. In my mind, it equates to those whom wear player jerseys to sporting events…yeah, I wear them too as that sort of garb is both event appropriate and fun Never heard of this practice on RCCL. Time to order some ducks. GD will have a ball hiding some on our summer cruise as they have a tricked out jeep and she always shares when they are gifted with one

thanks. Unfamiliar with that area, would this be a public lot on the beach or the hotel’s lot? On a few islands we’ve made arrangements for taxi driver to come back at a certain time. Never on st Thomas. Usually wind up sharing a safari/multi person type vehicle there that slowly fills up or, the resort adjacent would summon a cab

RCCL AoS docks late, 1:30 pm, at Crown Bay our upcoming sailing looking for closest beach we can reach on our own, via cab, for a 2 -3 hours important to have easy transport back to ship Usually do Magens bay or ferry to St John. Don’t think we have enough time to do them justice. Is Emerald Beach a good option for 2 adults, just want to swim, flop & grab a couple of drinks believe there’s a hotel there that I hope would be good for finding a cab at end of day. any suggestions?

Last ship we were on didn’t have baileys. Made do with Frangelico & cream for my morning coffee treat at suggestion of server Even without a drink package in hand, one fun thing while cruising I do enjoy is to try drinks far different than those basic ones I typically enjoy at home. Especially the over the top frozen ones on the pool deck 🙂

and vice-a-versa re women taking care to make their partner happy! it’s unspoken give & take, along with little acts of kindness toward each other, that add up to a long and happy relationship (and many stress free cruises) that is quite the novel take on cruise planning

Yes, have checked in & out at their front desk multiple times when cruising. Not recently tho. Note/you can’t charge back to the room in that case make sure to bring a CC to Atlantis, most places didn’t accept cash our last visit. Well, Except casino slots lol I’d book online, making sure to price out all the various discount rates. lastly, would email then & get written conf they are still offering the included day passes to Atlantis

Looking at the menus for upcoming cruise, there are nights I’d prefer to the skip the entree entirely and have 2 (or 3 appetizers such as salad, soup and escargot or shrimp), then skip directly to dessert. Wonder if it’s even worth asking if they could accommodate that request now? Last thing I want to do is over stress the waitstaff. I’m sure they have their hands full explaining the new rules to guests.

Nice for those that live near airports offering the service. At least for week or so trips at those prices versus checking another bag. Always good to have options Out of curiosity did just double check the ‘international’ one near us, it doesn’t offer thst service curious tho as to security, assume they’d put the bags thru TSA level of inspection before accepting

Those ideas would be options to consider, however neither offered at either of my area airports ‘Wasteful’ strikes me as a rather subjective term. In my universe it surely doesn’t apply to taking at least one checked bag (preferably one per person) for any vacation travel over a 3 or 4 days. Unless there is a washer & dryer unit in my room, I’ll go as far to classify it as a non-negotiable need, not a want. for those that prefer to pack light, ‘carry on’!

No major issues with any of our RCCL sailings, thus far lol. After reading several uncomplimentary threads re the Independence, appears we may be in the minority here but, enjoyed the Independence enough to rebook her for 3 day this summer. Oasis our current favorite. Love the layout of the solariums on that class. Covid cancelled our sailing on the Allure, thrilled to work it in this November if only for four nights.

How was the steak?

Had no idea, thanks for posting. So, in theory, I could laminate that pic they returned with the passport and take off the ship with the sea pass. No worries about losing DL.

Not necessarily… In many of the larger northern cities in the US, parking is at a distinct premium (both spaces & price) at the airport proper. Ours is infamous for lousy shuttle service from the long term lot. Not about to walk a mile+ lugging a suitcase to reach the terminal It’s not unusual to find big clusters of offsite parking garages & surface lots, solely for flyers, located several miles away from large airports. Since our home airport is a good 15 miles out of the city & in a rural area, it’s no more than 10 min or so shuttle run from them, even if a good 7 from the airport. However, you do have to wait for said shuttle outside at all of them. Below zero and wind from being up high = it’s c-o-l-d. We do have packable down coats specifically for travel. Still, they take up room in the luggage. I do swear by compression bags to help the cause when packing. Our outer wear comes off as soon as we hit the airport & into a checked bag it goes. FA friend mentioned they get a kick out of guests who look like the pillsbury dough boy when boarding flights. Her theory, they are trying save $ on paying for a carryon roller lol. Lastly, we never fly into port the day of a cruise. It’s nice to start trip out stress free and enjoy the port city. Have had one too many flights delayed or cancelled outright in the last 3 years. That winter gear comes along for the ride. Sorry to veer OT here, back to topic at hand… my thots on the longshoremen: as OT described, that sounds quite heavy-handed. However, most travelers realize it’s generally considered customary in the US to tip everyone who touches a suitcase. My DH also overtips (land and sea), we’ve both moonlighted in tip-able positions in the service industry way back in the day and enjoy paying it forward now…just how we roll

I’m of the to each their own, just couldn’t resist pulling out the mom joke.

Somewhere, his mother is cringing over the thot of her child wearing dirty underwear…what if he got in an accident? 🤪 I admit to often just wearing a insulated vest & gloves in harsh weather when I’m driving, etc. It’s the outdoor wait for the shuttle back to our car @ the airport, usually late at night, when I appreciate a warm coat…especially after my blood has thinned out from the warmer climes. That first blast of icy air is a real jolt lol