kurukthemal

We have a short-term window to go on a cruise to Bahamas this February break. We have three kids 17, 16 and 14 (age at time of sailing) and all have passports that expire in May 2023. Question - would we be okay bringing birth certificates and passports for this cruise? I'd prefer not to rush order passport replacements as they expire within six months of cruise. Thanks!

Has Carnival implemented any type of peace of mind type policy for future bookings? I can't find anything on their website. We are very much looking to cruise again, but are still nervous regarding the next 6-9 months of travel. Thanks!

We are well past the first 30 days of the potential "up to 90 days" refund timeline by NCL. I am curious if anyone has received their money yet? Cheers and happy future sailings!

When choosing between FCC and cash - do both stateroom parties need to agree? Can one take FCC and the other take cash? Thanks!

We arrived about 11am and our room wasn't ready. I told them what we were doing and any room would essentially do. They didn't seem to mind and gave us another room which was ready. They do provide lockers for guests that are waiting to check in so you can use everything upon check-in if your room isn't ready. You will need your hotel key and then go to a kiosk located at various points in the park to get your water park wrist bands. It was a fairly smooth process. My final recommendation is that if you do have a room reservation - get there as early as possible. With five ships in port and about 50% of people deciding to go to Atlantis, it was very, very, very crowded by noon. 

We arrived about 11am and our room wasn't ready. I told them what we were doing and any room would essentially do. They didn't seem to mind and gave us another room which was ready. They do provide lockers for guests that are waiting to check in so you can use everything upon check-in if your room isn't ready. You will need your hotel key and then go to a kiosk located at various points in the park to get your water park wrist bands. It was a fairly smooth process.

We eventually didn't get it as I was off on my math and it was too much. That being said, we went during winter school break a theoretically crowded time. We never had any issue getting seats for any show, usually there 30 minutes prior. Also the "key" show seating area was consistently empty. I wouldn't get it unless they increased the offerings. Good luck!

I did not...was able to book a single Tuesday night. Booked it about three months out

I wanted to provide a quick update - this 100% worked with no issues at all. I guess the value depends on how many people are in your party. For our family it was four and RCL was charging $199/person for a full day at Atlantis. My total bill for the Beach tower room was $350 and we received water park bands for all four of us. Additionally, having a room to shower in before heading back to the ship was invaluable. Also getting the taxi to and fro when you want, as opposed to the excursion mass departure was lovely as well. Happy cruising!

And...I found this on the Atlantis website...

WHAT ARE THE CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT TIMES?

My mistake - I reserved the BEACH and not the CORAL. Sorry for the confusion.

Just checked and taxes and fees bring it to $281. Still should beat the excursion rate which is $199/person. Room rate was $180, but not sure if I got a Marriott Rewards discount.

I was able to get the Coral for $180 and there are four of us. Haven’t checked day passes.

Has anyone ever reserved a room for their port day? We're on the Mariner and it's a full day, departing midnight, in Nassau. Reserving a room at Atlantis is significantly cheaper for our family of four. I realise check in is  4pm, but will they allow us access to water park, beach etc. earlier? Just curious how it works from those that have done it. Thanks!

14 hours ago, frank808 said:

If you buy the 4 device package it should be no more than $45 a day. 

Your right, my math was off. I have to stop drinking!  Lol

We are on Mariner for four days in February. There will be three teenagers and was already planning to get Voom which is $16. So, I went for the Key which is $3 more and perhaps worth the extras. We will see. Happy sailing!

I thought I post this from the Wizard of Odds website because I always had questions about the auto shuffler. The advantage is more hands played in a shorter period of time, but the in game advantage actually goes up for the player.

Blackjack - Shuffling

What is your opinion of the continuous shuffle machines now being used at the blackjack tables in Las Vegas? Do these machines give the house more of and edge even when a person is using basic strategy?

JOHN FROM LONDON, CANADA

For those who don't understand what you're asking, there are new machines that take the blackjack discards and place them randomly back in the deck after each hand. If you are using basic strategy, then the shufflers actually lower the house edge slightly, due to the omission of the cut card effect. It is my understanding that they do provide an honest random shuffle. However, the shuffling machine allows the dealer to waste less time shuffling and spend more time dealing. This means you will spend more time playing, and thus more hands for the house edge to grind you down.

I am a bit confused on what Priority Boarding time means with FTTF. We have FTTF and when we did our registration our choice for port arrival time was 12:30pm. Is this the priority boarding time or is it something different? I get that we would board post P/D, but I was confused when I saw some posting about getting there at 11am. Thanks!!

Thanks all and I am going with the later flight. Maybe if we get in early we can standby the earlier flight. We are on the 8/12 sailing. Thanks again!

what do you think of a 12:15pm flight out of bwi? safe? next option is 3:05pm.

Just curious about the future - I'm the single DD and my oldest is currently 13 plus there are two more right behind her. We LOVE a cruise vacation and plan on doing many more. However, at some point, I am not sure I want to be in a room for seven days with three older teen age girls. I believe you can't book a cabin under 25 for most, if not all cruise lines. Outside of booking a suite, are they any options for us? Would the cruise lines let me book two rooms with a connecting door?

Here was my experience from the Getaway last month:

1) all excursions were pre-paid

2) up to $50 was credited to my stateroom around 6pm each night in a port

3) up to $50 was credited per port, one excursion (kayak at Harvest Caye) was $29 and the credit was $29

It was a fairly simply process and they also did give me the Latitudes discount. Good luck and happy sailing!

put grandma with the 3 kids on the reservation.

 

order cheers for the 3 adults in the one room and once you are onboard, you can move people any way you want.

Thanks! I knew there was going to be an obvious and easy answer to it. Very much appreciated!

Here's our situation and I am just curious if you would risk it knowing the policy

Stateroom #1:

Two adults

One 90+ Grandmom

Stateroom #2:

One adult

Three kids

Grandmom isn't interested in Cheers package, but all three adults are. Should we get Cheers package for Stateroom #1 and rely on Grandmom's ability to order for adult in Stateroom #2? Or is the no sharing policy truly and strictly enforced?

Thanks all!

How much is the butler and how do you request him/her? Thanks!