MaritimeR&R

8 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Some rates don't show up if you try to book solo, such a some GTY rates, so it may look like you are paying more for solo. But in such a case, one can simply book it for two using TBD for the second person.

I believe she was talking about a rate she was quoted by a rep since unless she is pinnacle or booking an SB or SI, she would have to call RC to get the reduced solo supplement. Maybe i am misunderstanding her.

The rate being more is a mistake that has happened before with the SI and SB cabins in the Quantum Class. It may have happened on other classes, but i have had personal experience with this problem when booking cabins on Quantum ships. The reps are button pushers; they can only work with what is in front of them. Ask to speak to a supervisor or resolutions. It usually takes a few days to correct an erroneous fare.

Are you speakng of the reduced solo supplement given to D+ with 340 or more loyalty points? If so, it usually appears as 0 with the rate built into the cruise fare. Under no circumstances should that rate be more than booking it double occupancy. 

I believe that any RCI bookings made on or after July 31, 2018 will not allow for the accommodating of "emotional support" animals. So, that part of the issue should be gone at the very most by the end of spring 2020.  What remains to be seen is whether RC employees will approach and challenge passengers whose animals are engaged in behaviors that are listed as not permitted on board ship.  I think many employees will find that a difficult task especially if the passengers are upper tier C&A members who have grown accustomed to having "carte blanche" when it comes to their animals.

I'd print a copy, just in case things are not quite ready fro prime time.

:D Have you no faith...lol (I probably will just in case)

I downloaded the new app and it shows my set sail pass for my next sailing on Adventure. Do I need to print out a copy as well or can I just let them scan my phone like a boarding pass at the airport?

Adventure 8 night for a solo onboard pricing surf and stream one device 19.95 per = 159.60 minus the D+ discount of 39.90 equals 119.70

Current sale 8 night surf and stream one device 11.99 per = 95.92

As a solo I am better off with the current sale than waiting like I usually do to buy it on board.

Yes, on the Cunard ships, dogs spend the cruise in the kennel area.

I think that the pet owners can visit the dogs in this area,as the dogs are not allowed in cabins or in the public rooms.

Certainly there are accommodations made for service dogs who need to be with their persons to help them navigate through their daily routines.

Cunard's history of allowing pets to travel with their owners goes back a very long way. My Dad worked for Cunard and White/Cunard back in the days when all types of animals, not just dogs and cats, were allowed on board. Owners paid for the kenneling of their pets, there was a vet on board to tend to them, and the owners were free to visit with and play with their animals in the confines of the kennel area. Animals of any type were not allowed in other areas of the ship. Animals needed certification for up-to-date necessary vaccinations for the countries the ship would port in and had to be confined both before the ship left home port and upon its return for a minimum of 10 days. Of course, that was back in the days before the "revolving-door" cruising that is the standard for the industry now, so there was plenty of time (usually 14 days or more) between sailings for the boarding and quarantining of the animals, cargo loading, and maintenance to be done on the ship. Back then, passengers did not have someone painting a wall or varnishing a railing next to them while they were lounging on deck. I must admit visiting with all the animals in the kennel was always a blast when the ship was between sailings. Roller skating through the crews quarters below ship, visiting the galleys where the chefs would make my brother and I lunch and fantastic desserts, and, in general, exploring every part of the ship are some of the best memories of my childhood.

:)

What's D+? I know, stupid question but we've only cruised twice on RCI. Next is Alaska.

D+ stands for Diamond Plus which is one of the loyalty levels in Crown and Anchor, Royal Caribbean's Loyalty Program. Currently, you are awarded loyalty points for nights sailed on a RC ship, usually one point per night unless staying in a suite or cruising solo.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/

Geoblue no longer covers NY and Washington State residents. Looking for alternatives for annual policy.

Yes, every Oct Repo-Dec they do all major maint on Serenade

If that is the case, someone needs to make a better list of those things that need fixing. Three years in a row...same buttons for elevators don't work - same loose wallpaper ..same tears in furniture in CL. These may not be major maintenance, but left unchanged from year to year, it makes a poor impression.

Have you found out if you can combine the 30% Prime internet discount with the D+ $45 discount.

That would be great if you could... use the D+ for the two free days and then the 30% off ---but knowing how RC restricts combining other discounts, it's unlikely.

We have always been extremely pleased with Barcelona airport transfers by Bohigas.

 

Excellent clean vehicles friendly on time drivers child seats never had an issue with them.

I have used them as well - prompt, courteous service. I would definitely recommend them. Eah time that have met me at the airport gate of my arriving flight with a sign.

My issue is that they are forced to stand in the seats between the backs and your knees....what if they take a *****. Are they paper trained?

 

Can you imagine.....

Apart from the bulkhead area (they are excluded from the exit rows), I don't see how this is manageable--the average miniature horse's girth is between 16 and 22 inches. At roughly 34 inches tall, I can't see what the person who owns him is supposed to do with his own legs. There is only 32-33 inches as measured from the end of the armrest (per southwest) to the back of the seat in front of you. I don't believe the animal is allowed to infringe upon the legroom of the person sitting next to his owners seat or be allowed to block the aisle.

Am a little confused as to exactly who gets what of these toiletry amenities.

 

First of all, what is considered to be the "upgrade" - white tubes, Gilchrist & Soames, or both?

 

And for those that qualify for these, who exactly gets which one? D+?, D+ with 340 points?, Pinnacle?, Junior Suites?, and Full Suites?

I can only relay to you what I was told aboard Freedom and Serenade by Guest Services, the Conceirges and the LAs.

• "upgraded toiletries" are the white tubes and are given to D+ with 340 or more loyalty points. (Hmmn, I responded that was what I used to get back when I had turned Platinum and the G&S were from 340+. It was pointed out to me that toiletries are no longer mentioned in the benefits until you get to 340 in D+. Apparently, the removal of a benefit off that page does not require RC to notify anyone; it is up to members to note any changes.)
  
• GS and above get Gilchrist & Soames
  

They strictly adhered to this on Serenade. However, that was not the case on Freedom, where the Conceirge said that she made it a point to make sure her Pinnacles got Gilchrist & Soames no matter what cabin they were in.

Apparently,

I wonder what the cruise line does to ensure that passengers with severe alerigic reactions to pet dander are booked in a safe cabin. Is there a special deep cleaning of their cabin? Are animals restricted to specific cabins to avoid medical issues for future cruisers who could have a bad reaction, or is it just a roll of the dice?

Animals are not restricted to specific cabins. Insofar as cleaning goes, you can request through special needs that the cabin be deep cleaned prior to your arrival, but that's no guarantee that your request will be acted upon.

First experience on a cruise ship was 1951. I hadn't reached my first birthday yet.

You make excellent points, explaining a lot of things that I would guess most people are not aware of.

 

You mentioned perfume as something that people with these sensitivities avoid. Honest question...do you feel that people that wear perfume/cologne should refrain from doing so in a setting such as a cruise ship, so as not to cause problems for those that are sensitive to these things? I'm somewhat conflicted over how this differs from those that bring their pets on-board, in terms of the respiratory sensitivity aspects of it.

Perfume is a tricky issue. Ask a chemist and they will tell you that with very rare exception, most perfumes are primarily chemicals mixed to produce a given scent, albeit musk, floral, citrus, etc. The "essence" or oil of a particular flower or animal scent gland is (if it is there at all) is microscopic.

Things that are perfumed surround us everyday; from those items we use to cleanse ourselves as well as our homes to those items we use to deodorize the same. In the early 1980's, physicans' offices often used those plug-in type air fresheners to mask some of the less pleasant odors produced by their patients in treatment, especially pediatric offices. It wasn't until the AMA published articles linking instances of respiratory distress, vertigo, and headaches to these air fresheners that they were removed. You would be hard pressed to find one in a physician's office these days.

That said, those that bathe/douse themselves in perfumed toiletries see it as their right as part of their daily hygiene and that includes those who spray sunscreen on themselves and their surroundings on the pool decks. The law is on their side as to create any law that would in any way diminish a person's right to cleanse themselves in the manner they see fit would never get off any legislative floor. The law aside, I don't know of many people who consider what is might be like for someone who gets onto the elevator with them or after them and has to hold their breath until they are getting off or risk an asthma attack or who even think about why the person in the lounge chair next to theirs suddenly gets up and leaves after they have lathered themselves up with sunscreen or leaves the MDR after just being seated because the wafting of all those scents is causing the warning signs of an impending asthma attack.

The desperate need for nosegays and perfumes disappeared with indoor plumbing, as soap is cheap (and manufacturers are going more organic and scent free as I write," but to answer your question, "How do I feel?" My feelings really go along with those I expressed in my earlier post about causing harm to others: I don't do it and I wish others would not as well.

People who are allergic to dog or cat dander and suffer from asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, or cystic fibrosis should not be unnecessarily subjected to having their lungs inflamed. They also have the right to get through their lives as "normally" as possible, and that means being able to breathe.

Respiratory distress produces anxiety and sometimes, death. If a person is lucky enough to survive, they will deal with the physical aftermath and the expense of the meds they needed to take.

A pulmonologist once described each serious "episode" as equivalent to being hit in the chest with a sledgehammer: tachycardia, broken blood vessels in the lungs and throat causing the person to spit up blood, sore ribs and total exhaustion, often resulting in hospitalization.

For those people who suffer from even the mildest form of respiratory disease if it is has proven itself to be serious enough, their disease is considered to be a disability by both the ADA and SSA.

I believe if you were ask someone with a respiratory disease if they had a problem with a true "service animal" that is trained to provide support for a basic physical function that their master is missing or a physical disability, most if not all, would answer no as they can empathize with such people in need.

Insofar as PTSD or mental issues their answers will likely be a bit more split as weighing their failing oxygen saturation levels against someone else not being tachypneic and tachycardic, etc. would likely not quite equal out on their scales.

If you were to ask them about sharing space with "comfort animals," most if not all would say no.

1. Most of these people who suffer from respiratory distress already make necessary concessions in going about their daily routines; they avoid places, people and animals where they are likely to be exposed to dander, dust, pollen, perfumes, mold, grasses, etc. The occasional trained service animal is something they cope with.
   
2. They stay in accommodations that are not pet friendly (slowly disappearing since it appears very few people are checking in with their pet, but rather with their service animal) and often incur the additional expense of having to book first class on planes in the hopes of limiting their exposure to the ever-increasing-numbers of "comfort animals" accompanying other passengers. Again, the occasional trained service animal is something they cope with.
   
3. Many will tell you that they can't rationalize the "uncertainty" of the necessity for a comfort animal with their necessity for an environment that is reasonably stimuli free.
   

Personally, I don't believe that anyone should subject another person to physical harm, but I can live with

laws that allow trained service animals to accompany those that they are providing a service for and I do believe that documentation of the animals training should be required.

I do not believe that a person who wishes to travel with a "comfort animal" has the right to jeopardize another person's life for the sake of their "comfort," albeit in any public venue, but especially on planes, in hotel rooms, and on cruise ships.

If you like pasta, the Macchina Pasta Bar makes fresh pasta on the spot. There are several of them. I have only eaten at the Carrer de Balmas one as it is near the Hotel Jazz where I usually stay. It's not fancy, but it is delicious. There are a few tables outside and others inside. I have eaten there every time I have been to Barcelona and they never disappoint.

http://macchinapastabar.com/?utm_source=tripadvisor&utm_medium=referral

Also, once you get the match, you have to cruise at least once every 3 years to maintain the level they gave you in the match.

Yes, I ust got an email from them telling me I need to book within the next year or I will lose my Black status. I don't remember reading about any time limit when I applied, however that was two years ago.

I wonder if after it lapses, you can reapply.

I go to the dashboard which shows bookings but doesn’t give access to invoice like I might expect.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Options: check your email back when you made your reservation for a copy of the invoice. They are customarily emailed to the address you have on file.

call RC with your reservation number and either ask for the date or have them email a copy of your reservation confirmation. The final payment date is on that.

Are you saying that Pinnacle level members could not use the Suite Lounge?

Bob, aren't you on Adventure now, or just off of her? Are or were you able to use the lounge?

you can't look this up?

I find it a mixture of amazing and annoying that many people either don't know how to or are too lazy to do an internet search or, for that matter, use the search button on this website (hence the same questions over and over.)

Does anyone know about the Explorer...? We're aboard her in September.......

Explorer still had one in Oct 2017.