MaskedTurtle

Thanks everyone.  I will be cruising in this cabin in January with my brother and sister and was curious to see how much walking room we'll have at night.

Does anyone have any pix/video of room 1400 on FOS where the sofabed is opened up?  Any pix with the beds also seperated would be great too.  Thanks.

We're scheduled to be on the Freedom in January.  I'm wondering who the CD will be.  I'm glad to hear Jimmy Rhodes is with a different line.  We had him several times and didn't care for him at all.

Thanks everyone.  I did not get the insurance because it seemed like a lot for this trip.  We've gotten it in the past and have never needed it.  I figured we could spend that money on other cruise stuff.  It's been a few years since we've cruised, so yes, I did ask a lot of questions here, partly because I needed the info and partly because of the excitement of taking a cruise again.  We definitely will go, but it just won't be right now.

10 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Good luck to you, I hope it all works out. 

Thanks.

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Automatic.  Refunded to credit card(s) used for the purchases.

Thank you.  Right now I am just stressed, concerned, upset...you name it.  I'll have to keep an eye on my credit card for the refund.

5 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Anyone who does not go on the cruise gets their taxes refunded, whether a cancel or a no show.

 

Also refunded are prepaid gratuities and anything purchased via the Cruise Planner.

OK.  Thanks.  Do I have to contact Royal at all to make a request, or will they just automatically process things?

So, I have a question I didn't want to have to post, but here it goes.  First, a little bit of background.  My mom, sister, niece and I were supposed to go on a cruise on the Navigator next Monday out of Miami.  My sister had fairly major surgery a week and a half ago, but was still ready to go because she thought it would be good to relax.  Unfortunately, due to some complications, she can no longer go.  My mom, who has had her own health issues, who my sister and I take care of, doesn't feel comfortable going anymore.  My sister cannot currently care for my mom in her condition because she herself now needs some care.  So, it looks like I'll have to stay home too.  The cruise will most likely have to be cancelled.  I am not entitled to a refund of any cruise fare.  My question is about a refund of the port fees.  I've read on these boards that if guests end up not going, they are refunded port fees, etc.  Is that only if some guests do not cruise, or would that apply if nobody booked to the room goes?  Also,  does a refund apply in the case of no-shows, cancellations or both?  I am wondering if I need to go through the steps to officially cancel or not.  And, are the gratuities also refunded if we have pre-paid them?  Thanks for any answers.

How did it go?  What area did you end up on Cococay?  How was it navigating the island with a parent on wheels?   Our cruise is in a week, and my mom  will be in a wheelchair.

Does anyone have an updated cabana map?

1 minute ago, Magicat said:

So do you want to stay longer or leave early?  I would suggest you let the tour operator know your plans so they are not waiting for you while everyone else is on the bus going back.  In the past we have had excursions, when returning to the ship, drop us off along the way.  Clear communication is the key to reducing stress on everyone.

I consider not taking the official transportation back to the ship leaving early.  We would definitely let them know if we want to hang back.

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

You can leave the excursion early.

Cool.  Thanks.

If we book a tour type excursion, and we want to stay longer and not take the transportation back to the ship, does RC care?  Or would they be panicked that some passengers did not return to the ship on the official transport?  I know some excursion descriptions specifically say that you can stay and wander or head back to the ship, but this one doesn't say.  My niece and I want to do the Discover Atlantis tour, but we want to stay longer than the 2 1/2 hours to explore more and do the shops and casino.  Would that be an issue as far as RC is concerned?

34 minutes ago, Grandma Petania said:

My daughter and I were there in November 2019.  She was able to push me in my wheelchair along some walkways.  I believe they were bricks or paving stones part way.  I was able (with My cane and her help) to walk a distance to the beach.  In the meantime she used a bike lock to secure my chair near the eating place (which we skipped).  We didn’t see any of the beach wheelchairs, so I can’t attest to how good they are.  
 

One caution:  I had draped my cover-up over my folding wheelchair, and came back to find it covered in seagull droppings.  The beach going down to the water was a little more sloped than I liked, and the sand under the water shifted a lot, and I found it hard to keep my balance.  We decided that on our next cruise, we will try the fresh water pool.    So far, I much prefer the gentle more quiet beaches at Labadee.

Thanks for the recent intel.  Which beach area did you stay at/in/on?  How far was it from where you settled to the walkways?  My mom can only walk very short distances before getting winded and wobbly, so I'm trying to figure out how she'd do if walking is necessary, especially if there is more loose sand than packed sand.  I assume nobody said anything about locking the wheelchair somewhere.  I am concerned that you said you didn't see any beach wheelchairs.  I read somewhere that there are 2 or 3 locations that they are usually placed, and sometimes they do go quick, so perhaps you didn't get to any in time.  I'm hoping that's it.  I'm gonna try to get off early enough to grab one.

I think I'll bring some sort of cover or disposable plastic (maybe a cheap shower curtain) to cover the wheelchair if we leave it.  My mom doesn't go in the water anymore, but I do, and I appreciate the caution about the sand.  I sometimes lose my balance in the water.  We are going to try to stick with Chill Island since it seems to meet our needs and interests.  We've never been to Cococay, but we have been to Labadee, which we love but Mom was much more mobile last time we went.  We're hoping for the best this trip.

Are there any official areas to leave regular wheelchairs after transferring to the sand wheelchairs yet?  I was planning on bringing a bike lock and chaining my mom's chair somewhere.  Would that be ok/allowed?

Hey OP!  How did this turn out?

8 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Normally 2 on the Royal Promenade and 2 near Windjammer. Maybe another near the arcade.

 

I'd use the wide mouth.

OK.  Thanks.

3 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Yes, for soda.  But not for water and ice.

Do you know where they are located on the ship?  And, would it be better to use wide-mouth bottles,  or can those with smaller openings be used?

Does anyone know how high the beach beds are?  Are the mattresses firm or do they really sink down when you sit on them?  Are they easy/difficult to sit on or get up from for those with limited mobility?  Thanks.

3 minutes ago, Cel_cruise said:

In our experience - we can also get ice water in a cup at just about every bar on the ship...and I believe Navigator has freestyle machines where you should also be able to refill...

 

I have those Brita bottles but find that I rarely use them as much as I think I will! 

I thought I read about Navigator having them.  Where are they located?  Can we use them to fill our own bottles or are they for those who purchase drink packages?

5 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

A suggestion for you, in place of carrying on a single bottle in port.  (although I don't understand why you don't just do it in the Windjammer with a glass.

 

I have done it in the Windjammer like that before.  It's gets to be a pain filling with individual cups, especially for multiple people in a room.  Besides, depending on where I am when I need a refill, I may not want to have to head to the Windjammer.  I was just starting to look into water filters and bottles like this.  Thanks for the suggestion.

So, I messaged RC on Facebook, and got some answers... sort of.  First, I was told that water was only allowed on embarkation day, and it must be carried on.  To clarify, I asked if we could bring on a single bottle of water/juice/soda, and I was told that "these regulations vary by port", so I should ask security before I leave the ship.  I thought it was up to Royal as to whether I can bring a bottle of water onboard, so I asked what Royal's stance was, and I was told that it is a case but case basis, so again, ask while onboard.  So, not a really solid answer, bit an official one...I guess.

10 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

You can fill your own bottles in Windjammer or Cafe Promenade.  Just fill a clean glass and then pour that into your water bottles.

 

There are people selling water in Nassau just outside the cruise terminal building.  There is also a grocery store on the same streen as Hard Rock.

Thanks.  I used to end up filling bottles 1 cup at a time, was just wondering if things were different with the refurb.  It's good to know there is a grocery store.  I'll have to look it up to see where.

Is there a shop in Nassau near the pier where we can get a few extra bottles of water to take onboard?  We are going to bring our allowance of water on embarkation, but there are 4 of us, so it won't last long.

Does the Navigator have any of those special water fountains that allow you to fill your water bottle in a more sanitary way?  Or do the staff have to fill the bottles for you? 

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Never heard of prints being sent.  Our experience has been that it takes a day to make a print.

It's been a few years since we last cruised (dad passed away, so we lost our zest for a bit), and on our last few cruises we didn't buy any photos.  We bought them when I was a kid since cruising was new to us then.  I wasn't sure how they did things now.