island lady

Mine finally did last week. Passport book on Thursday, the card on Friday. Total four weeks turn around time. And I did expedite.

I am not disappointed any longer. Looking forward to being on Viking now. 😉

Our Viking cruise is two legs. First is 30 days circumnavigating all of Australia, plus going to Bali. Then hopping over to the second ship to do NZ and Taz. We were hoping for a TP for the return trip to the U.S.....but could not make that happen. Soooo we will simply spend a few weeks land based in the Aussie wine country post cruise instead, then fly back.

We as well. Understandable about the Covid cancellation to us, but to cancel the very next booking we did when Aussie cruises were fresh on again after shut down...was not right. This was simply to yank Radiance out of Australia and put her in New Orleans. RCI should have realized we were all cancellation weary from Covid. Was not the right time to do cancellations again so soon, just for the convenience and whim of RCI. 🤬 They lost our $$ business in Australia. Viking happy to pick up our 46 night adventure "down under".

You are not alone on a September Danube Viking cruise. We are a full 3 weeks European Sojourn on Viking Vidar from Bucharest to Amsterdam Sept. 20th. And yes...those long ships are all identical for a reason. I am not stressing over it in the least. I just figured..."poop happens". Be prepared for the worst, happy with the best, basically "Que Sera Sera". 😉

Gave up waiting on the Aussie 24/25 season that was promised to come out each month by Next Cruise since last December. Viking now has that business from us. Already booked weeks ago with Viking. Not to mention our Aussie adventure was cancelled by RCI not once, but twice. Done with RCI on that. Their loss.

That was my thought as well. Hello "Disneyfied" 3 and 4 night theme cruises to Coco Cay and Nassau. 😄

Yeah, agree...not a fan of the location of the SL on Quantum class...but it is indeed a beautiful lounge once you get way back there. 🙂 I do love CK on those ships, the floor to ceiling windows to the sea are so nice, and IMHO is better to have it as stand alone, versus attached to the SL.

I am only on 1/2 of the WC...but am happy breaking it up into two sections, first 1/4 and last. Gives us a chance for "catch up"....before we catch back up to the ship in Barcelona. It works for us with each leg being 62 nights. Simply getting fresh overstock of meds before we leave, and have neighbor 2 doors down that makes a living taking care of community homes when owners are away and keeps a key to our house. Pets......sigh, that is one of the big reasons we are booking these longer adventures, since our sweet girls have since passed into fur baby heaven 4 years ago. We remain pet less, but still miss them so much. Medical care is actually quite good on deck one when you need it for emergencies...I know for sure. 😉

Atrium (yes midship/aft) accesses all decks from 4 -10. Only real problem with the atrium for us...is being used as a smokestack. The large open doors, at both starboard and port side, to the casino at the atrium forward blows smoke out of there and upwards...with the atrium using it like chimney. Really bad on sea days. Many have complained about this, but RCI still refuses to put doors at casino entrance. We have stayed as close as 3 cabins down from the atrium, which was minimum keeping away from the noise and most of the smoke. We could not hear or smell anything inside the cabin once the door was closed. We prefer just aft of the atrium on deck 10. The elevators are directly on the port side of the atrium. The stairs are aft of the atrium. There are no elevators on the starboard side.

Good point...perhaps they need to list that as "red zone...do not cross". 😉

I don't feel sad. I love booking the aft cabins on all four Radiance sisters (on calmer itineraries anyway). Much less foot traffic back there. As stated previously. If it is too long for you to walk without a nearby staircase...don't book the aft cabins. Book "mid ship" nearer to the stairs and elevators for your convenience.

It is required to be listed there as an emergency exit. Nothing "mean" about it.

Crew only...no pax allowed. Especially used when they bring up luggage at embarkation day.

LOL!! Some people leave little plastic ducks around the ship...we put small change from the casino in odd places. 😄 Hmmm...think I will leave a couple of pennies near the bananas...but need to find the ketchup location to find them first. 🤣

Yeah, she was one extremely popular lady. 😮

Do keep in mind the only cash you can take back out of your OBC at GS is the refundable kind...not the non-refundable which will be clearly listed on your OBC account list.

Love...love the cheese on the ship. Bucky especially adores the "stinky cheese"....AKA Blue cheese when they have it.

Sounds interesting...never heard of it. Will check it out. Naturally we are going to "Mama's" (birthday) and the required Luau (anniversary). 😉 Let's see....ummm (try to stay on topic). No decent DLs on Maui...drats. But I will be scanning the sea for Symphony! 😄

Cost. Gifts, putting aside a lounge, putting out snacks and coffee, and taking up time by an officer and food service crew members for the event. There are sooo many cost cutting things going on with RCI right now, this is just one of many.

That's nice.

Yes...FB seems more popular...but I as well, do not post or read on that forum. Another thing is the demise of the Meet and Mingle party hosted by the ship. Another Covid casualty that RCI is happy not to restart. 😉

No, he is not on this cruise...but for some reason started the roll call.

He is doing well, and in surprisingly good spirits. We just passed his wife walking their dog a few minutes ago. She was pretty freaked out originally, understandably.

Don't know..sorry.