S.A.M.J.R.

I wouldn't go that far. We dropped off our renewals at a passport facility (actually the county clerk's office). BUT, we only did that because we were there getting new passports for our kids. 🙂

You can't do that if you don't have a drink package? Someone forces you to finish every drink?

Totally agree. On a Sea Day, even for me, a "casual" drinker, I can easily break even. it's the PORT days that mess me up. Because those put me "behind" the curve. Let's say you need 5 drinks a day (5*15=$75) to "break even". I'm not including the coffees, juices, waters to just keep things simple. Now, how many sea days vs port days (non private island) do you have? Let's say on a 7 day cruise, you have 2 sea days, 1 private island (basically a sea day), and 4 port days. You still need 35 drinks over the course of the week. If you only get 3 on port days, you need to make up the other 8 on your sea days. I think the question of whether you WOULD normally drink that much is a good one. Take cost out of the issue, would you drink 35 drinks in a week?

You can just mail in a renewal form. You don't need to go to an acceptance facility.

Just a note that you can't renew a passport if it was issued before the child was 16. It will be a new application. That requires a trip to a passport center.

You're both wrong. the winners are the cruise lines that I *GUARANTEE* are making money off selling the package. Maybe not off you, but from the majority of people.

If I had a cruise with all sea days, the DBP would "make sense" for me. Doing some rough math based on the above, looks like ~$100 (assuming "a few beers" = 3 and "a few glasses of wine" = 2). However, port days is where I lose interest. So the drinks I would normally have on board (at least 2-3 if not more), I can't take advantage of in port, so that means I need to "make them up" on other days.

If the issue was "what you truly need", then no specialty restaurants would be on board. Take the Spa out. Demolish all the cabanas on Labadee and Coco Cay. Bye Bye to the Ship's Tour. They can get more room by taking out the arcade. Heck, shrink the cabins to a single size and put in bunk beds. If someone wants to get the drink package, more power to them. My family is getting the refreshment package. It's not a "need", we'd survive without it very easily, but it's a "want"... as is much of a vacation... anywhere.

Interesting thought.

Of course, a ship can back in with the port OR starboard side to the dock, and can pull in with the port or starboard side to the dock (depends on which side of the dock the ship is on). While there's no guarantee, based on my limited knowledge, there's a better chance of a "port" view with a starboard cabin. 😄

It is difficult to do an accurate search with vague terms. Do you include "is it worth it" "drink package" "dbp" "should I buy it" "alcohol" and/or some combination? Only within the last couple of months, when DBP pricing has jumped to $65+/day have people started shying away. Trust those of us who have been here awhile that there have been LOTS of posts saying "just get it". Now, I get it. You have a problem with those posts hinting someone must have a drinking problem if they "get their money's worth" out of the drink package. But don't you see how others would have a similar issue with you claiming there are many "small minded" people on here?

I'm not sure why you quoted me. I wasn't defending RC.

Your anecdotal experience? Of all of 6 weeks? And why is YOUR "anecdotal experience" any more valid than mine? I'll admit, as the drink packages have started to rise in price, many more people are either "on the fence" or deciding to forgo it. But since I've been reading here (over a decade), many people have come out and said "just get the package". So that's MY impression over the years. Personally, I found your post calling people "small minded" rude and insulting, and it read as you thought that because they disagreed with you. If someone wants to get the drink package, not one person on here is saying they shouldn't. They are saying it might not be worth it to THEM, but how is that any different than saying it is worth it to them?

Funny. I get the same feeling from the "pro drink plan people". Any question about "is it worth it?" and they come out of the woodwork with "Yes! Definitely get it!" without finding out how much the questioner would actually take advantage of it. So the drink package works for you? Good for you; go have a cookie about it. Personally, I don't want or need an alcoholic drink every hour. One time I got the package, and I drank more than what I normally would have to make sure I got my money's worth. The last couple days it was a struggle. Sure, you can get coffee, juice, water, etc, but you can get that with the refreshment package also... a LOT cheaper. So that's what we're doing, and I'll add in the alcohol a la carte.

So what happens if someone younger than 18 comes down with Covid during the cruise? We have two 17yos travelling with us in July. What if one of them comes down with Covid during the trip? Surely they don't have 17yos stay by themselves in a quarantine room. One of the 17yos is not a family member.

By who?

Mango lava flows are good too. 🙂

Based just on the part you quoted... it says they will "coordinate and ASSIST with the costs of shoreside ACCOMODATIONS". To me, that reads as they'll help you find a hotel to quarantine at and provide part (90%? 50%? 1%? they don't say) of the costs for the hotel. It says nothing about helping with flights home.

Does anyone else giggle when reading the thread title? "Runny noise" makes me say "go get maintenance".

This answers the question. Thanks!

I was thinking putting all six in the suite, then everyone gets suite perks.

Just got a Royal Up email. Here's the situation... We have six people travelling in two adjoining (not connecting) cabins. One of the Royal Up offers is for a 2 Bedroom Grand Suite (the others are all single bedroom and we're not interested in that). I would be willing to bid for the GS *IF* we can cancel the 2nd cabin and use that money to bid on the GS. Guessing it wouldn't work like that, but hey, why not ask? Good idea? Bad idea? No way in Hell?

Are you allowed to take cameras on the water slides (on ship or Coco Cay)? Thinking Gopro or other waterproof one obviously.

Isn't the easy solution to put your phone/tablet in airplane mode, THEN turn wifi on? This way, if wifi drops out, you're not using data, right?

But the booster still is not required, correct?