kwbrad

Excited to see this, we are on her the next week (3/9-16) so this is a great preview. Have fun and thanks for sharing!

What a fun topic!  My unusual cruise stats:

• My first cruise I won a cruise at bingo and have been hooked since.
• I don't think I have ever made it past 1045pm on any cruise ever.  I am a morning person.
• I love to play in the casino around 530am.  Almost no one else there, smoke isn't bad, and I can get on whatever machine I want.

On 5/1/2023 at 9:43 AM, Ferry_Watcher said:

FYI, Seattle is returning to the pre-Covid embarkation procedures where there will be a Priority Line, an On Time line and and Early/Late line.  (During the Covid / ArriveCan seasons of '21 & '22, Seattle checked in passengers as they arrived at Pier 91).  This year staff will be checking arrival times.

According to folks that boarded this week it was chaos as usual and there were not separate lines.  I am hoping it was just first week crazy and they are actually going back to the lines.  Seattle was our worst embarking we have had ever (and I go out of Galveston a lot so that is saying something lol)

I have had something similar happen and it is just bc the waiters are writing down the numbers off the set sail pass, numbers get transposed or written wrong. 

Thanks everyone! I actually will have platinum benefits anyway on the first leg bc it’s an elite cruise. I was going to be sad if I had to go back to gold again after for the 2 days I’m lacking lol

So I am doing a back to back in May, and will turn platinum during the second leg.  Since the points from my first leg will not be in the system yet, so to speak, I am assuming my card will still be gold at that point.  Has anyone else had this situation and was able to go to guest services and get the correct card?  

Just now, mz-s said:

 

Just curious, I wonder what they'd say if you handed them a $5 instead of a bottle of lotion.

They said thank you, because I did.  Regular tips, plus $20 on the first day, $5-10 each additional day, and $20-40 on the last day depending on how the week went.  I am not skimping on my tips because I also make sure they had toiletries they could not get at the time. I have sailed 7 times since cruising restarted, I started this after the first couple after multiple conversations with crew who had realized once they got on that they were having a hard time getting basic goods.  And the bottle of lotion was given to a steward who specifically asked me for that because she had run out and did not want to buy it onboard at the high prices and didn't know when she would be allowed off.  

25 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

The crew are well trained to accept offered items with graciousness.  

Yes I know, and they may have just been polite.  But around the same time when I asked crew what they needed at port, most were saying things like lotion, a new toothbrush, one asked for some laundry detergent.  So I got the impression they needed those things.  Remember that when cruising started back off many crew were not allowed off at ports for months.  

3 hours ago, momof4boys said:

Exactly   And all those folks wanting to give them deodorant and body wash.....YIKES   How does that make the person feel.. GIVE the $$$$$$$$

I brought extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc. when cruising first started back up and crew were not allowed to get off the ship.  Some had been on for several months and were running out of stuff.  So they were really happy to get stuff they were out of.  Had one crew member ask if they could take some extras for their friends that needed some as well.  

I still tipped my normal.  This was just stuff they could not get at that time.  Now I don't bring that any more (because they are allowed off the ship again) I just ask them if there is anything I can get at port for them.  Usually it ends up being something they cannot get on the ship (a particular snack or drink) or something they have run out of and have not had time to get.  

4 hours ago, ChuckF said:

With limited staff, the crew has less time to go on shore during port days. Last cruise we asked steward and wait staff if they needed anything while we were out at Cozumel.  They all wanted Doritos.  Go figure. 

That is what we do... we ask our cabin steward and any others we have gotten to know what we can get them when onshore.  Most of the times it is some type of toiletry they have run out of, or snacks they cannot get on the ship.  Of course we also tip, but this is something else for them that they need/want.

2 hours ago, dwHokie said:

 

 

 

 

Hey I can see my ponytail and my husband's bald spot in this picture lol (we were on this cruise as well and are sitting right at the ice, it was really cool to see the show that close)

Getting on the allure next weekend, but after that I do not have any Royal cruises booked. Next is spring break on carnival.  

On 12/10/2022 at 6:08 AM, PhillyFan33579 said:

Sort of surprised that a lot of experienced cruisers would do a B2B without having the same cabin booked for both (or more) cruises. Having the same cabin is my first rule when booking a B2B. 

Have one coming up next year on carnival, and booked using two different casino deals.  First one was a free balcony and second was free suite.  Wasn't about to turn that down so... two different rooms.  

51 minutes ago, niksmom630 said:

Day 7 blues intensified 🥹 assuming future Galveston Allure cruisers  might find this of interest tho! 

 

 

 

 

Do you happen to know how they assign the groups for self assist? 

Thanks for all the pictures.  What was your arrival time?  Did you have to wait for a parking spot?  We have a spot in north lot reserved I am hoping it will be too backed up.

Thank you for all of the great pictures!  We are on the breeze in a couple of weeks, and although I have been on her a couple of times I am bad about not taking very many pictures. So this was great to remind myself about her layout and features.  

Thank you for the reminder about the 6 feet! He was at lunch with several people and I didn’t think to ask where they were sitting. 

25 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Everyone is exposed to COVID within 14 days of their cruise embarkation date, especially since Omicron. Unless they just stay in bed for the 2 weeks before their cruise and arrive at the pier in a hyperbaric chamber I guess. It's just that it doesn't help anything by answering yes to that question. It just causes more work and stress for everyone involved.

 

The only reason to answer yes to that question is if you want to get out of the cruise. In which case there are easier ways to accomplish that.

Again, I am NOT trying to get out of the cruise.  I am pissed off I am going to miss it, and pissed at my hubby's friend that went to lunch knowing he felt bad but didn't tell anyone until he tested positive later that same day.  Hubby will answer yes to that question because he is an honest individual, and is going to get penalized for being honest.  But I cannot fault him for having integrity.  So please stop with the "if you want to get out of the cruise" nonsense because everyone that knows me knows I love cruising and want to be on board more than home lol.  

2 hours ago, jsglow said:

It's interesting to me that nobody has seemingly experienced this scenario.  OP, I might suggest you call Carnival and get clarification.  I sure would want to know my potential fate before boarding a plane only to get denied at the pier, not saying you will.

Right?  I find it hard to believe hubby is the first person to know for a fact he came in contact with a covid positive person within 14 days of the cruise.  

We are driving, not flying, and it is just a 4 hour drive from here.  Plan is to answer (truthfully) the health assessment, then when we get the uh oh screen with the phone number, call and talk to them.  Find out what the chances are of getting on and make a decision from there.  I am pretty sure they are going to say nope and we will get a future cruise credit.  

Thanks everyone for the input.  

9 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Other than the ethical duty that some may feel to answer truthfully, I can't see any reason to do so given you are asymptomatic and test negative. All it is going to do is delay boarding. Unless you're trying to get out of the cruise, in which case there are easier ways to accomplish that.

Yeah this is an elite cruise (Casino cruise) so free shore excursion, free drinks all over the ship, etc, etc.  I have been looking forward to this trip for 6 months,  Definitely NOT trying to get out of it.  However, we choose not to lie about the exposure.  So we will answer truthfully.  I was just hoping that someone had the experience of still being able to board.  

1 minute ago, tallnthensome said:

Read through some of these search fuction results.  Some discuss when someone has done what you're saying. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?&q=Health assessment &type=forums_topic&nodes=133&search_and_or=or&search_in=titles&start_after=year

Thanks I will re-read them.  I looked through them before I posted but everything seemed to be about answering yes to symptoms not exposure.  Maybe I missed one.  

1 minute ago, tallnthensome said:

The vast .... and I mean vast majority of people aren't going to answer yes to that question even if they have been . 

Thanks. I understand.  But hubby was exposed and we are not going to lie on the question.  So just trying to figure out if anyone else who was exposed has been honest about it and what happened when they were.  Most likely no one has lmao. Fortunately we will test before leaving home, and will fill out the health assessment once it is available, so I will find out in a few days if we get immediately cancelled, but I am hoping someone has had this experience and a negative test and were still able to board. 

Thanks so much!  I board on Saturday so I am loving every bit of info I can get on the Vista right now.  

Did you happen to head to the imax?  I have heard a couple of different things about what is playing in there this month.  

If you have time, would you find out what the imax movies are for July, and if the thrill theater is running or still shut down.

Have a great time!