djandnic

We purchased whatever insurance Delta offered/has. The insurance company is Allianz.

 

What airline were you going with?

It makes a difference what level of travel insurance you buy. Most only cover for a medical or life type event. If you purchase the 'cancel for any reason' which cost a little more, reasons outside of the 'normally covered' reason are covered at 80% refund.

So it would be helpful to know if you had the 'normal' travel insurance or the 'cancel for any reason' trip insurance.

We're from Pittsburgh and big Steeler fans. Hopefully we'll see you on the ship. But I feel the same way. My husband and I were booked on the 3/30 sailing and leaving the day before as well. We rebooked for the 4/30 sailing as well. Hopefully, it's a go, if they cancel again because the can get into Cuba, I will never sail with them again.

Hope to see you on board! We'll usually at the pool bar after we get on, and most days there after!!:D

I just hope they hold up their end of the bargain in fulfilling the cruises they have scheduled. We were booked on the 3/30 cruise, first one out of dry-dock, and it was cancelled 12 days before sailing, 11 days before we were scheduled to leave for Florida to celebrate our 36 wedding anniversary and return to Key West (our honeymoon destination, which is why we picked this short cruise).

We re-booked for the 4/30 cruise (same itinerary) and just hope they honor their commitment. We lost enough money on their negligence, mismanagement or greed (because I don't think we'll honestly ever know why the first 6 sailings were cancelled) and hope it doesn't happen again! But some how I can see them getting the green light for Cuba and kicking us all out again, which will be the end of me on RC, or any RC affiliated cruise line, if that happens!

From the pix posted here, it looks like they are not only obstructed, but look downward INTO the lifeboats.

 

Why are so many people on here getting so excited over this dated little old ship coming back into the fleet? (other than sentimentality)

Ships come in all size; some like the bigger ones and like to stay on them longer, and some like smaller ones that have shorter routes. To each their own, but as I say, it's always good to have choices.

More of a Love Boat theme if you ask me. Looking forward to making the comparison after many cruises on the really large ships.

I wish Graham Seymour would be on the Empress; we are going on the March 30 cruise and he is the funniest CD we've ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes!! OMG the area is absolutely beautiful! You can either cab or uber over to the Miracle Mile and shop and dine.

 

Very safe area, gorgeous, amazing.

 

Ortanique is one of the best restaurants you'll ever eat in!

 

The Biltmore itself is one of the most beautiful hotels on the planet.

 

I'm jealous! One of my girlfriends was in town for the Dolphins football game Sunday and stayed there and we had an amazing day at the hotel.

How far away is "Ortanique is one of the best restaurants you'll ever eat in!" from the Intercontinental? Thanks.

Your reference is "Bayside Marketplace" which is a local outdoor mall. You'll find some chain restaurants, a starbucks, (there's one in the hotel lobby as well) and also plenty of shops for stuff you may need. I remember last year we went over there for a quick lunch. We got to the hotel (holiday inn) early and couldn't check in until 4pm so we got lunch at a cuban sandwich place. We also went over in the evening just to go shopping and walk around and just kill some time browsing.

 

I will be staying at the IC next weekend, is there anything specific you have questions about?

Nothing specific about the hotel, thanks for asking, but if you find or have any recommendations for a good evening meal, I would appreciate hearing that. Thanks again!

Has anyone stayed at the Intercontinental in Miami lately? I did a search on this forum but didn't find anything that wasn't several years old.

We got a good price, for Miami standards, and the reviews I read seemed overall very good.

It seems like it's in a good location for restaurants and stores. I also saw a reference to Bayside Market (?), not sure what that is, but might be another area to explore.

Based on the pictures I've seen, it appears to be very, very close to the port as well.

Any and all information is appreciated!

Does anyone know if they show Monday Night Football on the big screen at the pool on Adventure of the Seas? Thanks for the replies.

You really don't need to print your boarding passes unless you are just trying to avoid having to stop at the airport kiosk or ticket counter. As a frequent business traveler, I find it a bigger hassle to find a place to print a boarding pass at my hotel than to just stop at the curbside baggage check or in-terminal airline kiosk to get my boarding pass. I always check bags, so I am stopping at an airport counter anyhow.

 

Many airlines now issue them electronically, so you just show your smartphone screen to the TSA and gate agents. The only caveat would be if you are flying Southwest where you need to do online check-in to get a boarding position assignment. But you can pay a nominal extra fee to get Early Bird check-in and not have to worry about that, either.

So I always wanted to ask someone about this, and it seems you know, so here goes. If you do the electronic boarding pass on your phone, how does TSA identify that as being checked? We have always used the paper ones and then initial it when you go through, so I've always wondered, how does anyone after security validate that TSA has checked you when using the electronic version?

Difficult to have a virtual balcony club meeting :rolleyes:

We went to one on another ship; we weren't fans, an most likely not do again. JMO.

According to RC web site, the ultimate includes the coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. We're going in a couple weeks and bought the ultimate package for the same reason, so I'll be anxious to see what they say on our B2B cruise.

I guess the good news I will only have to 'clarify' it the first week and they're know me the second week! :o

We are on this cruise as well (doing the week prior too). I don't think we have anything planned at this stop, but most likely won't if this is the case!!:eek:

Thanks for the update.

Never had an issue using these certificates on any cruise, regardless of the 'deal' and I don't believe we have ever taken a 'full price' cruise.

Maybe it's an issue with overseas booking versus US booking, but this doesn't make sense to me.

All the certificate does is reduce the amount of the deposit when you book a cruise and the amount of OBC. It doesn't alter the price of the cruise at all.

I would discuss with the TA again since the certificate has nothing to do with the price of the cruise. It sounds like the TA is not handling correctly IMO.

No, but thank you for responding and trying!

I read a thread the other day about how a B2B works, and told my wife. She went to read it and said she couldn't find it. So I went back in and I can't find it either.

I did a search (I'm not the best at that) and still couldn't find it. Is there a way to see if it was moved?

There wasn't anyone fighting or anything, so I can't believed it would have been poofed. Not sure if there is a way to find it, but it had good information about how a B2B works, how to get through immigration if you leave the ship on turn around day, and other good information.

I would very much like for my wife to read this too so we both understand what to expect or how to go through this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

from when you sign on the first time. so it is possible to get 4 days out of a pair of coupons.. just time it so that you sign on mid to late afternoon and then check the next day around lunchtime.

That's good advice, thanks!

I'm curious about this too. I tried a search yesterday but couldn't find the answer and looked at RC web site but couldn't find anything on there either.

DW usually checks in with family once a day or so for a few minutes. Being diamond, we both had 45 minutes per week, which was plenty of time.

I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars for a few minutes each day. :eek:

I would book as soon as possible to get the best choice of staterooms. If prices go down before final payment date, Royal usually allows you to get the lower price.

I'll second that. We are doing a B2B in October, booked it as soon as it became available, just a great corner aft balcony, and we are paying jus $200 more for BOTH weeks what a single week for our room would be now!!!

We have 1688 on upcoming B2B cruise!!! But now I have to pack wipes and a wad of dollar bills;)

Probably because those with tours through the ship were being escorted to dedicated tenders that took them to the pier that has bus access

It seemed like everyone was dropped off at the same spot and those with excursion walked through town to an area where there were lots of buses. But I couldn't say for sure if everyone had excursions through private parties or through the ship, so I guess it could have all been private excursions. I know ours was a private excursion.

When tendering in Santorini I have been told that unless you have a ships excursion booked you will be tendered to the Old Pier. I need to meet a private tour at the New Pier, will RC allow me to be tendered to the New Pier?

When we were there last October, there was only one stopping area for the tenders. No one asked us if we had an excursion through the ship or not when we got on the tender, so unless things changed, the tenders only went to one drop off / pick up point.

I can't even remember another area that a tender could stop, it was a very limited area where they dropped you off and picked you up. I think you may have gotten some wrong information.

We are going on the Anthem of the Seas in March 2016, how I wish Graham Seymour would still be on this ship! He is by far the best CD we have ever seen!!! Not to knock the others, but he is so funny I almost never stop laughing the entire cruise.:D

I still tell jokes from the last cruise I was on with him several years ago. I may have to book a cruise on the Explore just to see him!!

Never made a reservation for MTD on any night, regular or formal, and never had an issue or waited more than a couple minutes. This was true when it's just my wife and I or with a group.