Candleonwater

4 minutes ago, Tlbecker1 said:

Even though you used a TA, you can still login to your Royal account and see if it looks like this:

Doesn't have that information at all. I've got Check-in unavailable and View more details (it just shows guarantee).

I've read horror stories of TA's not making final payment. So of course, I'm assuming that will happen, even though the actual final payment charge was made by RCL.

Sorry if this is redundant, but I have never used a TA before and I am stressing. When I paid the deposit, I received an email from RCL with the booking confirmation (showing the deposit paid). I recently made the final payment, am I wrong to have expected another email from RCL showing $0 balance?

I'll admit, I'm a control freak, so using a TA is stressful, but the price couldn't be beat. I received the booking confirmation almost immediately after paying the deposit. Is it normal for there to be a delay on final payment? I see the charge by RCL on my credit card.

Also, since I booked a guarantee, any idea of the EARLIEST I could find out my cabin? I did a guaranty once before, and found out the day before sailing, so I know it's a big window.

11 hours ago, BallFour4 said:

When you register for your cruise a selection is made for what type of identification will be used. If you select passport then you enter the number and other pertinent information. That's the one you'd bring to board.

 Side note; for US cruises that are closed loop and don't require a passport there are posts that claim "if you are injured and need to disembark you cannot get home." That's not true, we've had this experience twice with family and friends. Both couples were traveling with a birth certificate and Texas Drivers License, and both had a parent die. They were headed back to Houston aboard a plane before the ship left port. The port agent for Carnival was fantastic in handling the situation.
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This is good to hear

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Both 4D GTY were booked with group rates via a TA.  I received a 4D balcony each time.

 

Cabins are usually assigned by the 30 day mark, but can be as late as boarding day.

I've never paid attention to the codes - what is a 4D cabin?

1 hour ago, LorraineP said:

When I booked all balconies were guarantees. Booked anyway. Went on line & all specialty restaurants only had late dining. Went to reserve MTD same only late 8:30. I know that once on ship I could always see if anything is available for 6:00 or 6:30. But with that & not knowing where my cabin would be decided to cancel. First & last time booking a guarantee. 

I'm confused - how does booking a guarantee affect dining?

On 2/19/2024 at 11:45 PM, Another_Critic said:

I've booked 4D GTY twice (via a TA).

I'm curious what you ended up with each time? I booked my daughter the same thing (through a TA), and I noticed it says "Stateroom Obstructed View Percentage: Pending".

Granted I booked this for less than half what a balcony has been going for, and they were originally looking at PR cabins, so even an obstructed view isn't the worst thing (I think).

I'm too much of a control freak to typically book GTY cabins. At what point do they usually assign the cabin? Does paying the balance early ever speed up the process? Is there any risk of not getting on the ship?

If it's anything like the 5 nighter I just booked for my daughter, I would go with Anthem. Treat the ship as a destination. What I found with the 5 nights to Bermuda, yes, it's great that you're there overnight, but it's an awkward time (at least for their sailing). By the time the ship is cleared, you disembark, and you get to horseshoe bay, the day is getting short.

On 2/9/2024 at 3:03 PM, GetToLivin said:

So I'm not the only one 🤣 I will leave my suitcase before I will leave my documentation!

We sailed out of Florida in August - Imagine my surprise when we go to check in and my daughter looks at me and says "you didn't tell me I needed my passport!".  As we were doing the walk of shame, about to eat the cost of the cruise, I remembered I had her BC on me. You better believe I did a happy dance heading to the ship!

I felt this way about my Aft JS - I've had to learn to lower my standards a LOT! Actually stayed in a PR cabin on my last sailing. I still remember my daughter opening what she thought was the bathroom door - it was the walk in closet. We joked that it could be her own bedroom.

Are you dressing for them, or yourselves? My daughter loves dressing up, but I don't, so I go to dinner looking like the raggedy old me. We're both happy.

Watched the live feed of Icon arriving and got to see the Chief Dog Officer. I feel bad for the dog, but it seemed happy.

Was just at Atlantis, and without a wristband, there are limits to where you are allowed to walk. Not sure exactly what those limits are, but I definitely saw guards.

As far as swimming with pigs, it is a MUST do at least once. We did it on Coco Cay and absolutely loved it. So much so that Exuma is on our bucket list.  I looked into it, as a cruise ship passenger, and most cruise ships don't seem to be in port long enough to really do this excisions well.  It seems better as a day trip for people who are staying in the Bahamas.

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

On the off chance that they do find them and return them to you, they will more than likely also want to charge you for FedExing them back to you. In the long run, you would probably be better off just going out to scuba dot com and buying DD a new pair.

Sadly, these have more sentimental value - my mother (who is no longer with us) bought them for her.  Fingers crossed, but as we're coming up on a week after our sailing, I'm losing hope.  At least she has her mask and snorkel which were SO hard to find the perfect fit for her.

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

Was it any good?  We are spoiled by the ABCs.  We were at Coco Cay before but just vegetated at South Beach.  I saw a YouTube video about decent snorkeling to the far right of south beach and we were thinking of heading there possibly as it didn't look crowded.  

Snorkeling at Chill Beach was just meh, but I only do it casually (to say hi to some fish). Supposedly here are sunken items (boats?) if you venture out a bit. This was our first stop at Coco Cay since the change.  As skeptical as I was, I LOVE the change. We have always just gone to South Beach, but I hate the way the water is gone during low tide.  Will have to check out the area you mentioned next time.

1 hour ago, marci22 said:

I suspect it is variable. Did she leave them under the bed? They could still be there. Did a cruiser find them? Maybe they kept them. Was your attendant having a busy day? Maybe they went into the trash. ymmv

 

 

They were propped up against the wall and curtain.  I'll be so sad if they aren't recovered.

On our sailing last week, RCL screwed up and didn't deliver my water order until later in the cruise. Not a chance I was drinking all of it, and no way was I packing it to go! Asked the attendant if he would like it, and he said yes, just leave it in the room.

Now, question about items mistakenly left in cabins. Do they EVER get turned into lost and found? DD left her snorkel flippers. She immediately filed a claim, but hasn't heard anything...

10 hours ago, aisahunterrider said:

Candleonwater - Coco Cay Island market is a bunch of little kiosks .(way more expensive then Nassau's straw market)  Last time I think about 6 were open. I have bought many items on different trips and had to pay cash. No Sea Pass card. They are vendors of the Bahamas, not the cruise line from what the ladies have told me. It may have changed recently, maybe someone else may know. 

I actually pulled the sheet out of my bag, from my cruise last week. Looks to me like it's changed.

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

ugh.  Thanks.  Do not understand the point when you can stand in shallow water of life vests.  If regular swimmers don't have to wear them, makes zero sense that snorkelers do.  Looks like we are not snorkeling at coco cay.  

I was snorkeling at Chill Beach, out beyond the rocks, and no one said anything to me about a vest.  That being said, even though I'm a good swimmer, almost wish I had one on.

On 4/9/2023 at 7:12 PM, aisahunterrider said:

Just an extra note- If you hit the little straw market they require you to pay cash (so you do not have to run back to ship like I did once).

is the straw market the same as the CocoCay Island Market?  If so, cash and SeaPass are accepted there...

Just realized we forgot to look at photos - was so much easier when we saw the display all the time, but being down by Studio B, I never went down there.

Is there any way to be able to see them after the fact?

18 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

If someone marries into a status and they get divorced or the spouse dies what happens to their status? Do they keep it or do they revert?

From what DD was told, the status can be revoked, so in the case of a divorce, the person who actually owned the status could call and have the status removed from the other person.

1 hour ago, robmtx said:

 

Sounds like your DD wanted to throw you to the wolves here 😉

 

Fair, she probably did. Turns out she was just trying to prepare herself for a fight (if necessary) to get him to NOT wear shorts in the dining room.

DD bid almost minimum, and was upgraded from Inside to OV (on a full ship), but that's our only experience with it.

18 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Many use the match to get their current casual boyfriend/girlfriend matching status. 

 

That was not the intent.    Originally the match was only for spouse.  Royal added partner or significant other as  at that time there were single gender couples who could not get married. It was an effort to make the match equal for all couples. 

 

Now everyone uses the match to get their current date the matching status.  Rarely is the status revoked and now the old boyfriend who  took one cruise is  Diamond and retains  that.  Then he brings his new girlfriend on a cruise, and she is matched as D as well.  You can easily see how the program has gotten out of control. 

 

M

I agree as far as it should not apply to casual relationships. I think, with any sort of program, people will always find a way to cheat it.  Kind of a pain in the butt to contain it. Old boyfriend shouldn't be able to have new girlfriend match based on his matched status, etc.  As far as DD's boyfriend, RCL made her jump through hoops to prove they actually live together, and it's not just a casual relationship.

8 hours ago, twangster said:

It's interesting (to me) they've moved verbiage about dependents to a different area of the benefits grid now.  Specific pinnacle dependent status added.  

 

Children share the same tier (up to Diamond Plus) as their

parent until age 18. Children of Pinnacle Club members enjoy

select onboard benefits of their parents, however, not the

tier. Children will be removed from a loyalty relationship with

a parent or guardian upon their 18th birthday. If it is found

that a dependent or child is not immediately removed from

a relationship upon their 18th birthday and accumulates a

higher tier status outside of this time period, the dependent’s

record will be adjusted back to the appropriate tier status

without notice.

That seems pretty cut and dried? I think it's only fair. I'm all for allowing dependents to share their parents status, while they are dependents, but then kick them out of the nest and let them earn it on their own.

8 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

I rather wish they would remove the matching status if/when the spousal or significant other relationship ends.  The previous spouse/SO loses their linked status before a new new one can be attached to the account. I see no reason a person with a series of temporary live-in GF’s or BF’s should pass permanent C&A status to each of those ex’s, for example. 

Based on what DD was told, live-ins do not have permenant status, it can be revoked. Fingers crossed she doesn't need to ever explore that option though.