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Middle Aged Drama Queen Goes BIG: Solo & Last Minute on the ALLURE!!!

KansCocoa

By KansCocoa,
in Royal Caribbean International

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truffles2

truffles2

Posted
Posted
Just stumbled on this now, and am trying to catch up. I wish there was a way to just see OP's posts. These should be copy/pasted somewhere special in cruisecritic.com so they can be utilized more easily.

 

 

There is a way. Just go to a post by OP and click on screen name in upper left corner. There is an option to "find all posts by XXXX". It is about as easy to just scroll by all the replies by others.

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MrsKC08

MrsKC08

Posted
Posted
Loving your review! Looks like I'm going to have to fill my time while you are working with your past reviews.

 

Question: You mentioned something about negotiating a price you are comfortable with (in the jewelry store purchasing your tanzanite necklace). Should I take this as the prices not being firm? On my previous cruises I never thought to try and negotiate a lower price. I've only been on 3 cruises but there was a Tanzanite ring on each of those cruises that I absolutely fell in love with. I just couldn't bring myself to purchase the ring though because I didn't feel good about the price. It just didn't even cross my mind to try and get the price reduced. If this is the case I have a feeling I'll be getting myself a new ring on my next cruise!

 

 

Hate to barge in here, but I wanted to answer your question for you.

Prices on ANYTHING while in port is usually negotiable, especially jewelry. We have a jeweler that we deal with solely in St. Thomas (have been customers of theirs for 10+ years) and he has always told us that prices in the Caribbean are always negotiable. Many people don't know this and will pay the listed full price of jewelry. Don't be afraid to negotiate...you will be surprised how good of a deal you can get on pieces. OH, also know that many jewelers will take your old jewelry has credit/trade for new pieces. On our last trip to St. Thomas my husband took an old gold and diamond bracelet that he only wore a couple of times and was given such an awesome trade value. In exchange he got a Citizen's watch for himself, a diamond and tanzanite ring and a diamond and blue diamond ring for me along with a couple pairs of nice earrings.

 

 

By the way...although I am not sailing on Allure OR Oasis anytime soon, I am absolutely loving your review and look forward to each and every new entry! Thank you for taking the time out to do this. :)

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starlake

starlake

Posted
Posted

Sherri,

 

I just wanted to say I love your review. You have a great sense of humor and a great writing style. I have sailed 19 times on Royal and never done a review, now I know why. You do an outstanding job.

 

Hope things are going well in NY---all of the Broadway shows I have seen have been fantastic, I don't think you can go wrong.

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readytolose

readytolose

Posted
Posted
Hate to barge in here, but I wanted to answer your question for you.

Prices on ANYTHING while in port is usually negotiable, especially jewelry. We have a jeweler that we deal with solely in St. Thomas (have been customers of theirs for 10+ years) and he has always told us that prices in the Caribbean are always negotiable. Many people don't know this and will pay the listed full price of jewelry. Don't be afraid to negotiate...you will be surprised how good of a deal you can get on pieces. OH, also know that many jewelers will take your old jewelry has credit/trade for new pieces. On our last trip to St. Thomas my husband took an old gold and diamond bracelet that he only wore a couple of times and was given such an awesome trade value. In exchange he got a Citizen's watch for himself, a diamond and tanzanite ring and a diamond and blue diamond ring for me along with a couple pairs of nice earrings.

 

 

By the way...although I am not sailing on Allure OR Oasis anytime soon, I am absolutely loving your review and look forward to each and every new entry! Thank you for taking the time out to do this. :)

 

Thank you for the response. Does this apply to purchases on the ship too?

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clwnmt2

clwnmt2

Posted
Posted
Thank you for the response. Does this apply to purchases on the ship too?

 

When I have tried in the past I was told there is no price dickering on the ship but it sure could have changed. That was quite a while ago and I have stopped trying and just get my jewelry in port. That being said maybe it is different on each ship or things have changed. I am looking forward to what others have found out because we are sailing soon and would like to look while on the ship.

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KansCocoa

KansCocoa

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Hi, everyone!

 

I'm just checking in - wanted to say thank you to everyone for their kind comments and suggestions...I appreciate them all!

 

As for me, I'm actually across the river now in Jersey City, NJ - they have me at a giant warehouse, where I'm leading a project of doing an inventory of the warehouse. We still have a lot of items that we will be either distributing to people affected by Hurricane Sandy - or storing for the next disaster (like cots used in the shelters.) I didn't ask for this job, but you go where they send you - and when the Chief heard I was a good organizer and good with a computer - BAM. Off to Jersey City I was sent. I am now putting together a huge Excel spreadsheet with the inventory, and it's going very well. I feel like I've made tremendous progress the last couple of days. :)

 

Long days...long hours...I have to be up at 5:15 am and ready to hit the NJ Turnpike by 6:00 am - my day begins at 6:30 am and goes on pretty late...so I have been too exhausted to do much catching up on my laptop. I have Sunday off - so I'm hoping to ride the PATH train over to Manhattan and catch that Broadway show - but the weather forecast is calling for brutal temps, so we'll see! ;)

 

I am enjoying what I'm doing, and I feel like I'm making a huge difference...I just miss my family, my furry children - and of course, WRITING!!! I WILL be back and will be able to catch this up at some point, I promise!

 

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DisnyMik

DisnyMik

Posted
Posted

Sherri, what an awesome review! Thanks!

 

We sailed Oasis in May '10 just DH and me and loved it! I have to agree with you about getting a balcony on those ships! I told DH the same thing, that if I didn't have the balcony I would not have been happy not to see the water when I wanted. It was odd not being able to just look out and see the water whenever you wanted. I want to do either the Allure or the Oasis again and take my DS-15 with us. He has only been on 2 Disney cruises but he was 4 & 6, so he is ready to do the Freedom in May!

 

I had to LOL when I read that you plan your cruises and you can't sleep the night before! Although I don't do spreadsheets! So much of what you say reminds me of me.

 

I am going to read the Freedom review next and can't wait!

 

Thanks for bringing back memories of our Oasis cruise!

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njmomof2

njmomof2

Posted
Posted

It is particularly cold today, much colder than the last couple of days, like Friday when I walked outside for a lunch meeting and thought it felt like summer!

 

Hopefully you'll bundle up and hit the city today, and remember once you're in the theater, you'll be nice and toasty.

 

Enjoy your day off and again, thank you for all you're doing for those affected by natural disasters.

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beej

beej

Posted
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Sherri, I just booked b2b on the Oasis and the Allure. After starting your amazing Epic, I may have to just stay on the Allure. Oh, the decisions. Thank you for all the Epic episodes, so far, and thanx for all the work you do with everything else. You are amazing

 

Now, back to page 15. Lucky Me!

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alohayall

alohayall

Posted
Posted
Just stumbled on this now, and am trying to catch up. I wish there was a way to just see OP's posts. These should be copy/pasted somewhere special in cruisecritic.com so they can be utilized more easily.

 

Try a different "DISPLAY MODE" - in the blue bar above the posts - on the right - select "Threaded Mode"

 

It might be what you are looking for.

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ccsci

ccsci

Posted
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Wow, a three hour ordeal! I do not think my contract even stated I had that as an option! I am getting married in June, not long after fldogmassage! My guest list keeps growing now that the formal invites went out. After the save the dates, so many people said "no". Now, more are saying "yes". Must be your reviews Sherri! I heard about yours from a family member raving about it! I wonder if things are different now that the weddings are run in house. Have you heard anything new about timelines on receptions fldogmassage? Alwayshappytocruise, can I ask what kind of reception your sister had for her wedding?

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skittl1321 Great Review Rare

skittl1321

Posted
Posted (edited)

Really enjoying this review! I've subscribed to the thread so I remember to come back and read the rest when you're able to update it again. I'm off to read your other reviews in the mean time!

 

It certainly seems like an exciting ship to be on. I haven't made it to RCCL yet (we just go for cheap vacation!) but it definitely looks fun, I don't usually spend any money onboard (my sign and sail cards are usually under $10, I'm a sucker for chocolate covered strawberries), and it seems like there is a lot to miss out on here if you don't use pay restaurants. I do think if I do RCCL it will be starting on a smaller ship! (That's how I'm starting Celebrity- going really small!)

Edited by skittl1321
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vince5251

vince5251

Posted
Posted
Good morning, everyone!

 

Thanks to all who are reading and following and commenting...some of you are new to my reviews, so, welcome...

 

...and a special welcome to my "followers" who followed us on our adventures in Europe this past summer. I enjoyed writing about them, so I'm glad you enjoyed reading! :)

 

 

I'm relatively new to the CC threads, but I am so glad I've found your review. DW and I are heading out on the Oasis at the end of April and you have answered so many of my questions. I can't thank you enough. I love reading someone with such a great sense of humor!

 

Please tell my how I can find your previous adventures! Your references have lured me in. I would additionally like to find Gambee's, as you have mentioned it several times. Any "simple instructions" I'm missing on subscribing? I just have this link bookmarked to the computer and keep coming back for more. PS- I'm in the middle of remodeling the kitchen and am supposed to be removing wallpaper (No, I didn't put it up, it was there when we moved in. Don't ever, ever put up wallpaper!), but keep coming to do "research" for our cruise. DW can't understand why it is taking so long to read "a story" about the cruise!

 

Again, I have greatly enjoyed this read! All my best~

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skittl1321 Great Review Rare

skittl1321

Posted
Posted
"simple instructions" I'm missing on subscribing?

 

At the top of the thread there is a thing that says "thread tools". There is a drop down there, and you can choose to subscribe to the thread. You then have to tell it what frequency with which to subscribe. For example, I have it set to email me at the end of each day.

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vince5251

vince5251

Posted
Posted
Thanks for your continued EPIC review. The nearer it gets to our time on Allure, the more interesting all your info is, especially the discounted Mojitos! Boleros and Mojitos are one of our favs on RCI ships!

 

 

Where did I miss the part about "discounted mojitos"? I saw the part about the Rita's Cantina feista and margaritas, but not Mojitos. What did I miss?

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