Ripley's Lady

My husband and I are booked on this cruise - really looking forward to seeing everyone on board. I am curious about which Covid test is required by Cyprus to fly into the country. Anybody sure? I think the specifics have changed since an antigen test is done on the pier.

Yep, Ovation will be replacing Explorer in Seattle for the Alaska season, and from what I've heard Explorer will be based in Asia and Australia.

There looks to be a brief lull in Singapore then it will go through the Suez canal! Have a look - starting March 10th 2019 we are B2B2B on her and have been checking her next itineraries frequently. It MAY be booked out from Singapore for some fixing or a charter - then it looks like the run to Europe through the Suez from Dubai. So we may have to fly from Singapore to Dubai if anyone cares continuing Explorer's repositioning run.

Just signed up for the Brilliance of the Seas Meet and Mingle Party. We are on deck eight for the TA. We also did the fall TA from Barcelona. It was absolutely super. I think Brilliance is the cleanest ship in the fleet with GREAT staff! Looking forward to meeting everyone. :)

Embarkation was easy. We arrived around 12:30 and it took about 15-20 minutes. We are diamond so we were in the priority check in line. The line for general check-in seemed much longer. Rooms were ready at 1:00pm.

 

Disembarkation was not as much fun. We did self assist this morning. We went to leave around 7:15 and were not off until almost 8am. Not sure what the hold up was, but it was pretty disorganized in our perspective.

Just a quick reply to your comments about the disembarcation it was NOT disorganized - there was a medical problem with a guest that held us up. I am grateful for consientious staff who put the ill person as a priority!

I am intrigued - does anyone know when Sitmar Fairsky was sold to Princess? What happened to the Sitmar Llne's ships Fairseas and Fairwinds??

with the age of the op,Iwouldguess you know the Fairsky was broken up,in Turkey.My mother and I sailed on hertoAlaska via the inside passage,in1985on her dime..The ship was beautiful,the food was good, and the service was impeccable.The Erie thing was the complete lack of vibration when the ship was underway.We had what they called amino-suite.No balcony,but a huge salsealedpicture window and a nice seating area.We were seated at dinner with a nice doctor and his wife.A couple of times ,we had them up to the room after dinner for drinks and snacks.My mother and Iwere both fond ofJohnnie Walker Black scotch at the time.It turned out the Doctorand hist wifeliked the stuf too,so they appreciated us sharing a bottle with them

NO! I did not know Faisky was broken up in Turkey. I heard she was sold to Princess. Thanks for your reply - and for jogging my memory of long ago sails. We sailed Australia New Zealand on her in 1975.

Tickets are now on sale for a Country Music Charter 13 - 21 November 2016 Legend of the Seas South Pacific from here in Brisbane. Australia.

So Legend in Brisbane must be the first confirmed deployment for the 16/17 season.

Rhapsody has done these charters last few year.

2015 Radiance of the Seas.

So it appears Radiance leaving Oz in 2016 must be true.

Spring Aussie: You must be a country music fan OR you sleep with your laptop under your pillow.

I'm not sure how typical I am of Royal passengers, but I thought Keith was good, second (after John Blair) of the 4 or 5 CD's I've experienced.

 

Roy

Does anyone know where the Blairs are working? John Blair and his wife were an amazing CD/Activity Team!

You might better enjoy a week on a larger Royal Caribbean ship like Oasis or Allure or even the Freedom class with their phenomenal athletics, ice skating and mini golf, wave pools, and even zip lines on Oasis and Allure of the Seas. Research your next ship carefully and you may be more pleased. On another topic, the Oasis ships have AMAZING ENTERTAINMENT every night of the week.

If something is wrong - writing a note to Guest Services or the Hotel Director should solve a problem. Good luck choosing a more simpatico ship for your next vacation!

Dear Diamond & up Crown & Anchor members:

 

More and more ships are putting three drink "vouchers" on your SeaPass card. You can still go to the CL or DL if you are eligible. The vouchers are good between 5 & 8:30 P.M. This has only benefits; there is no downside.

 

I am currently on the Explorer of the Seas, where there is no DL. Diamonds can get three drinks now, not just wine & soda. Same kind of standard drinks as in DL and CL.

 

BUT

 

BUT

 

BUT

 

PLEASE tip your bar waiters!!!!

 

Out there at random bars around the ship, they get NOTHING except what you give them.

 

PLEASE give them a gratuity!!!!!

Good reminder to us all Carol.

We usually use the concierge or D+ areas but on occasion we have drinks with friends in the lounges before dinner. It is also a good idea to tip in local currency so they can buy a meal or a Tshirt in port. For instance, on our upcoming Canada New England cruise, DH and I will tip in blue and purple $ dollar bills for the staff to purchase items in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Thanks for your tip on tips!

Nancy:)

I am actually glad to pre-pay our gratuities. That way we don't have to think about it. It's already done. We always tip our room steward over and above on day one, because we do truly appreciate his/her service. We want them to know that on day 1. I think it's unthinkable to remove auto gratuities. Knowing me, I'd have a hard time being gracious to travel mates I know have stiffed the staff.

Bravo Karen!

I love tipping well on the first day! It works well - especially on TA's - would love to cruise with you someday....however we avoid the P ships -as I had a nasty case of food poisoning (in a Specialty Restaurant )on our first and only p-ship. I

I think people may occasionally become ill on a holiday - but for the cruise line not to follow up on a restaurant issue means no one cares! That's a marketing oops.

Nancy - a nurse from Canada!

They usually put on a shuttle bus to the centre of the CBD. There aren't any nearby shopping centres or tourist sights.:)

Thanks Aus!

Any suggestions for an independent tour off a cruise ship?

If the "shuttle" takes us to the "CBD" - which I assume is a Central Business District, what do folks do....

Although we have travelled extensively in central and northern Australia and done coastal cities other than the Gold Coast, we are wondering about what can be done via a cruise ship...Would there be any car rental spots that would allow us to get off at the Grain Terminal and do the coast overnight then pick up the same ship in Airlie Beach?

this is a candidate for "post of the year".

Thank you

David did they stop at Brisbane and if their complaining about White Bay what would they say if they had to dock at the grain terminal

Hi - I am wondering if there is a bus or train to/from the grain terminal in Brisbane? How does the cruise line handle this - surely there must be shuttles to nearby shopping or sites.... Or is it just ships tours available???

Interesting that many people posting about booking the new ship - Anthem of the Seas - have reported that they have not been given the choice. Pre-paying tips was mandatory. In our case, it matters not, we always pre-pay anyway. I hesitate to suggest that RCCI are going down this road without causing uproar and before anyone suggests that this only applies in the UK - some posters are from the US. It appears that at this point they are only offering Mytime dining and that is the reason for this change. I do wonder though if pre-paying was a condition of booking any cruise, if people would just accept it. I know that a lot of people believe that pre-paying takes away the personal touch and also want to use OBC for tips. My one complaint is that the cruise lines persist in showing prices minus tips and then people are shocked when they realise that the cruise price is not xxxx but xxxx+. We have never had the tips removed but I can sort of understand why some people do.

I suspect this is a new overall policy throughout the cruise line as I noticed the gratuities were automatically put our accounts on our last cruise in November 2014 on Legend of the Seas (through the Panama canal to San Diego. Durint a cruise the two weeks preceeding we did a TA on Vision, we had prepaid gratutities so I don't know when this new policy actually started.

Apparently a Problem shared is a problem halved ??

 

We will be travelling in May on INDY , 6th Cruise , 2nd with RCCL .

 

HOWEVER

 

A family that is cruising with us ( never cruised before ) are planning on immediately taking their Auto Grats on as they 'technically don't have to pay them so why would you ?'

 

Makes me cringe , anyone ever been in this situation before , Iv had may say but it has little effect ..... Makes Me Cringe !

Sorry to hear your friends do not understand the importance of tips to the staff. I have seen hard working cruise staff in tears when they were denied their tips just before Christmas on TA's.

What you might do is quietly model the correct gratefulness to staff.

For instance, let your friends SEE you handing a dollar or two in US currency to bar staff and/or waiters in the Windjammer. When they notice that a waiter runs across the dining room to help you and calls you by name.... the point will be gracefully made. Remember, you are responsible for your actions and attitudes - not theirs!.

Let me share a story: My Scottish grandfather used to tell me stories of the sea and sailings by ship.

On his first passage from the UK to New York on a Cunard ship, an older friend told him: "Willie, to ensure good service, tip your stateroom attendant and dining staff well on the first night with the words: I want you to have this now, just in case I miss seeing you at the end of the sailing." You must believe, he always had GREAT onboard service.

Here's another way to show your friends your own gratefulness:

On a Canada New England cruise, I handed my stateroom attendant some blue and purple Canadian cash before arriving in the port of Halifax. I told her it was the correct currency for Canada and it would be enough for some shopping or a meal and drinks in port. She was delighted and showed me a Tshirt she bought! She said I will remember you when I wear it.

Don't stress your friends attitude. If it is their first cruise, just model a different sort of behaviour without lecturing them. Good luck!! Have a wonderful cruise!!

Does anyone know what ship Royal has booked under the name of Legend of the Seas 3,15 and 27 November 2015 in Rome now that Legend is coming down under?

 

http://www.port-of-rome.org/en/content/ship-arrivals-and-departures

 

Legend also appears 13/05/05 for interest sake in Rome.

It will be Rhapsody swinging back and forth to Rome. at least that is info I received when I asked RCCL

We are booked Singapore to Dubai on Rhapsody's repo, From Dubai it goes on to Istanbul - with some time there - then eventually gets to Rome.

Proper hand-washing with soap and water will keep you very safe (remember to then open the door of the public bathroom with a paper towel or some toilet paper, since you can't always trust others to be good about washy washy).

 

While SuzyQ's friend is right about alcohol killing off most microorganisms (good and bad) on your hands, it is still the recommended option if it's not practical to do a full hand-washing after touching a surface. The chemicals in the anti-bacterial soaps and cleansers (like triclosan) is what microbes, specifically bacteria, not norovirus, are developing resistance to. The mechanism of alcohol for killing microbes is much harder to evolve a resistance to. All of those "natural" products are just less potent chemicals that kill a smaller percent of all microbes on your skin (no matter what the packaging says, it cannot target the bad and keep the good) and are no more "natural" than rubbing alcohol (which is usually just made from corn or other grains). Be practical, avoid people exhibiting signs of sickness, wash your hands often, and don't buy into fear-mongering deceptive advertisements.

Well said BUT:

ALSO REMEMBER TO USE A PAPER TOWEL TO OPEN DOORS AFTER YOU WASH YOUR HANDS IN A PUBLIC WASHROOM! THE SHIP WILL HAVE A SPECIAL WASTE BASKET BY THE DOOR SO YOU CAN GET IT OPEN, TOSS THE CLEAN TOWEL INTO THE GARBAGE CAN AND GET YOURSELF OUT THE DOOR.

Sometimes, the Captain is the last to know.:D For further evidence of this fact, see Captain Johnny's claim that the Mariner would never leave Florida.;)

Heh heh heh DH and I were on that 46 day cruise he and the staff captain piloted away from Florida on the Mariner of the Seas "Around the Horn " of South America from Cape Canaveral to Los Angeles. It was a GREAT cruise enjoyed by us as well as Captain Johnny!

Personally. I think they will replace Majesty and still keep a ship in Miami when the time comes to retire her.

Why would they give up a lucrative earner.

Who's to say they wont bring a bigger ship to join Majesty in Miami as Fort Lauderdale get more congested.

They were planning to sell Majesty of the Seas in 2010 - I heard the brass from Miami came on board and had such a great time onboard that she got a reprieve!

My thinking is that a Vision class ship will replace Majesty.

Nancy

So will it swing back and forth between Dubai and Istanbul?? Or will it do other things out of Turkey??? Hmmmm'

Rhapsody will stay in Istanbul for a few trips before going to Rome and doing the Eastern Med.

Jewel will replace Rhapsody in Alaska

So will you share your sources of this amazing knowledge or do I have to bribe you with a drink of your choice in a RCCL Lounge??

Many thanks,

Nancy

Because dry Dock Will no be in Rotterdam !!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Liz, Dub237, and BigEck:

How do you smart folks know all this? where is the link???

It drives me crazy to hunt for a B2B2B on a repo that does not list WHERE the ship will end up. For instance, Rhapsody of the Seas is comes off its Australian to Hawaii and from there to the West Coast and Alaska run next year(2015).

Instead Rhapsody goes from Australia/NZ to Singapore then to Dubai on the next `15 days. If one remains on the ship it goes from Dubai to Istanbul. No further information about what happens to the Rhapsody after Istanbul.

If it does the Greek islands, I want to be on it. If they are scrapping her.... I'm off the ship like a rat.

Quantum won't fit thru the Panama Canal, so they would have to either go around South America or go to Australia during on the off season. Also, with Quantum being so long, it might be a tighter squeeze in the glacier viewing areas than they are comfortable with.

Which Canal?? The old Panama Canal or the new super canal they are currently building BESIDE the old canal?? When we were through in November, we saw some mighty big cranes working alongside the old canal!

You may well be right - as I don't have specifics on exactly what size will traverse the new on.... but we heard that the Walmart super tanker ships would take the shortcut.

Sapphire or whatever the rumour says it might be called, should go between Emerald and Diamond, with the required points to achieve D and D+ being increased, That said people should be grandfathered in at their present level. Also any changes should be made with a long announcement time, maybe even a year. Which would give those close to the next tier to achieve it before any changes.

Also consideration should be given to reducing points to those that do not cruise over a period of time ( say 2 years ) that way the Loyalty scheme would actually encourage loyalty. ( Many Airlines do this ) Many people now achieve Diamond and are happy with those benefits as they do not increase a lot after that, and therefore then opt to try other cruise lines. Consideration should also be given to giving some credit if a Royal Member chooses Celebrity or Azamara, even if it is only half of the regular points awarded. JMO

Very Interesting - a thought provoking post!