LeeBe

Goldgirl, there is no time difference in GC right now, there will be when the States "springs" forward to Daylight Saving Time. Right now GC and the eastern US are on Eastern Standard Time.

Is there one??? At least we are suffering some unnecessary, caustic, or "cute" comments from the male side of this forum!

Here you are:D... https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=182

Bill was last seen on Splendour from May 4 until July 11 2015. He usually does fill-ins and is not part of a regular rotation on a particular ship, so it's unpredictable when he will have a new assignment.

 

You could try to search for him on social media and contact him to find out where/when he'll be next. (Edited to add: I could not find him)

Thanks:)... I had just been looking at who is on which ship and realized that I had not seen his name in awhile. Good to know that he and cruise line did not part company!

Just wondering if anyone knows where Bill Brunkhorst went to? He was the CD on one of my early Royal Caribbean cruises and thought he had a very nice low key demeanor. Have not seen him on any of the recent lists recently.

Thanks...

My experience with officer visits has been the intermittent variety... on some ships more than others. Seems I have seen the hotel director or one of his top assistants drop by for a few words with those in the lounge. On a few occasions, the cruise director and the captain as well.

Very nice touch:).

I'm surprised you had to wear your life jacket in 2012. I thought that Royal Caribbean had discontinued that practice prior to that. I don't remember having to wear mine back then.

Seems to me they phased out the life jackets at muster when the Oasis started sailing. Wasn't that somewhere around 2009?

Let me add that a BC is fine for a US citizen born in the US, a US citizen born abroad would need alternate proof of citizenship.

The bottom line is you do not earn any points until you have completed a cruise. Anyone getting benefits early from an LA is not fair to those that do not get those same benefits from another LA.

 

And FWIW,if you are in a suite, then you will have full access to the Concierge Lounge so there is no reason to bother the LA about getting additional benefits. The only reason to ask for Diamond benefits before actually earning them is access to the Diamond lounge throughout the cruise.

Thank you for the bottom line... I know the rules and I believe the OP knows them as well. I simply was responding to the OP's question with what I have observed. I am fairly certain that you have cruised enough with Royal to know that their policies are not uniformly enforced on all ships by all employees.

In the FWIW worth department suites due include Junior suites and they do not include the Concierge Lounge, and since I do not know what ship the OP is traveling on there still is one ship in the fleet that only has a Diamond Event that they might be able to attend. If the LA decides that the OP can "administratively" allow the OP Diamond status, I don't see any erosion of the fairness scale to those who were denied the additional benefit a scant few days before official entitlement. Every instance has their own set of circumstances.

You never know until you ask and being prepared for a "no" is still good advice.

The short answer to your question is yes, I have witnessed it. Being prepared for a "no" is good advice... however there are many things that can influence the decision as to elevate you mid cruise or not. Things like are you in a suite, are you moving to Diamond early in the cruise, (I think your situation would be early), is it a longer cruise... 12-14 days or just a 4-5 day, is the cruise maxed out with Diamonds needing to go to an overflow lounge? Ask and hope for the best, if does not work out book another cruise real soon:)

I booked two balcony cabins with the other half in the second cabin when the kids were traveling with us. Once on board we just got duplicate keys and moved around where it suited us. All the charges went through as originally set up on the credit cards. It just meant that someone had to carry two cards... one for charging against the on board account and one to get into the cabin.

I think most ladies enjoy seeing a man in a skirt!:p I know, I know it is not a skirt. (At least that is what we tell the guys;))

Although I may be in a minority, I think a few years back when they went to the present menu it was a step back. While I was bored with the "old" menu, I would go back to it in a New York minute. That being said I still can find things I am satisfied with and do thoroughly enjoy the foods being brought to me me in very nice surroundings. Guess I like being waited on!

Royal now allows 2 bottles per cabin and you are free to enjoy them anywhere. Take your wine to the MDR and enjoy... or course a glass or two on a balcony are great as well:)!

I am sure if the ship had facilities I probably would use them becuase it may be convenient, but when they don't it is really not a problem. My longest cruise was on a ship with no passenger facilities and everything went to the ship's laundry... 20 days worth. It really wasn't a problem and not all that expensive.

Haven't had one that is too long yet! So far the longest has been 20 days and really was not ready to head home.

Have seen the usual suspects (Flying fish, dolphins etc.) mentioned above, on one occasion we were leaving Key West and the ship sailed through a huge expanse of jelly fish. They just dotted the surface not more than a couple of feet between them, we were several miles off shore although land was still visible. Another time in open and extremely calm waters I saw the biggest hammerhead shark leisurely swimming about 10 ft. from the ship as we past by.

Hve done two B2Bs so far and both had the special lunch offered which was very nice. On the second of the B2B they offered champagne at the meeting on the procedures on turn around day. I think the biggest perk is knowing you won't be joining the huddled masses leaving the ship to go rejoin the real world!

Enjoyed the diversion:):)!

All 3 of ours were delivered by the master of this craft... I was so excited I did not think to capture the moment with a picture;):D!

The only thing that I would add to what Bob posted is some nights they will schedule the show for the late seating guests at around 7 and first seating show around 9. On other nights the show for the first seating guest will start 8:30-9 and the show for the late seating guests would be sometime after the first show which would be after most will have finished second seating dinner. As long as you know when the shows are that night you won't have any problem scheduling MTD to get to the show.

Thank you!! I looked at Celebrity but they stop the panama cruises from May to September and those are the months I'm available :/

Perhaps you can find a Canal cruise to the West coast early May and then an East bound cruise mid to late September, but there is usually nothing during the bulk of that time frame. The Summer months are not the time for Canal cruises.

The pictures heading towards the Bridge of Americas looked wonderful!

I hope the liquid sunshine at Gatun did not put a damper on things:)!

The one and done folks must have a bigger budget for the hired help that does the laundry at their estates than moi! You know good help is just so hard to find with minimum wage, insurance and you just can't administer corporal punishment any more... sigh! Kidding aside;)... As much as I would not mind fresh towels (not to mention bed sheets) every day, I am not up to the task and I don't change my habits because there is someone else to do the chore. Honestly I don't understand on a practical point... you are taking of bit of clean water off of a washed body... what makes the towel so unclean?

To each their own...

We did squeeze in a 3 day in a JS a few weeks ago. (We were really anxious to get back on the water.):) Now, when we sail on the Freedom in September, we will sail as Diamonds. :D

That's just prudent planning:):)!