LIVE! B2B on the Grandeur March 7-27, 2020 with Dragon of the Seas

[OnTheJourney]

21 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

 

 I heard a woman decline the sanitizer and the staff told her she had to have some. 

 

 

 

Unless she has her own with her at all times, I can't understand anyone declining. Seriously? Has she been watching the news the past 2 months?  

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Last night was the Crow Super moon--or so I read on the internet.  Here are a couple pictures from the ship. It was a beautiful, but chilly night.

 

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

11 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

 I wanted to mention a crack down on taking drinks out of the Diamond Lounge during Happy Hour.  There has always been a rule that you are supposed to consume all drinks/food before leaving.  It was seldom enforced.  On this cruise there has been a staff member by the door taking drinks away from passengers as they leave.  

 

I have observe a few very poor encounters. 🙁

 

The internet is not working well tonight.  I had a couple of other things to post.  But, I think I will wait for morning. 

 

 

Unless I'm with a cruise line that includes drinks anyway - such as wine at dinner - I never avail myself of any packages. But anyway, what is the purpose of this restriction? So that other passengers - many of which have to pay for their drinks - don't see people bringing complimentary drinks out of the lounge? (At least I'm assuming they're complimentary? I'm diamond..so should know this but have done so few RCL cruises since being diamond that I never thought about it.)

[OnTheJourney]

3 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Last night was the Crow Super moon--or so I read on the internet.  Here are a couple pictures from the ship. It was a beautiful, but chilly night.

 

 

 

 

Ah....gorgeous...full moon on the water. This is one of those never advertised perks that I really enjoy about cruising. Thanks for all the pictures! 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

8 minutes ago, LBumb said:

following  boarding on grandeur next Thursday.

thanks for posting

DH and I will be here.  😁  I am sure you are feeling a little apprehensive right now.  I know before we boarded we listened to all the news and wondered if we were making the right decision.  

 

It has been a very good cruise so far.

 

Last night one of the performers in the theatre called a couple of children to the stage.  The little girl walked verrrry slowly to the stage.  He said "take your time, we have all the time in the world.  We are not stopping at any ports."  He got a lot of laughter.  Nothing has been announced . . .  or even hinted, but we all wonder. 😏 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

7 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Unless I'm with a cruise line that includes drinks anyway - such as wine at dinner - I never avail myself of any packages. But anyway, what is the purpose of this restriction? So that other passengers - many of which have to pay for their drinks - don't see people bringing complimentary drinks out of the lounge? (At least I'm assuming they're complimentary? I'm diamond..so should know this but have done so few RCL cruises since being diamond that I never thought about it.)

Yes, they are complimentary.

[dreadpirate3]

22 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Last night was the Crow Super moon--or so I read on the internet.  Here are a couple pictures from the ship. It was a beautiful, but chilly night.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful one!

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

The internet is really spotty again today.  I hope it improves.  I always laugh at the ads for the internet [Voom]  "The fastest Internet at Sea"  🤣

[Another_Critic]

3 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

The internet is really spotty again today.  I hope it improves.  I always laugh at the ads for the internet [Voom]  "The fastest Internet at Sea"  🤣

 

Blame it on the full moon.  😉

[dorifuta]

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Unless she has her own with her at all times, I can't understand anyone declining. Seriously? Has she been watching the news the past 2 months?  

It was me. I do have my own on me at all times. I also have a skin condition that is exacerbated by hand sanitizer and has become very painful. Washing with soap and water isnt as bad for it (and is better than hand sanitizer anyway) so I have been washing often, especially right before meals. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

9 minutes ago, dorifuta said:

It was me. I do have my own on me at all times. I also have a skin condition that is exacerbated by hand sanitizer and has become very painful. Washing with soap and water isnt as bad for it (and is better than hand sanitizer anyway) so I have been washing often, especially right before meals. 

That must be hard for you under the current circumstances.  . . . but, it was not you.  It was a woman in front of me going into the theatre for the Top Tier Event and you have said this is your first cruise on Royal Caribbean..  

 

I have been washing very often and using the sanitizer.  Then when I get back to my cabin I wash my hands again to get the sanitizer off.  

 

Good luck with your condition.

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I want to post about the movies we have available.  These are shown in the theatre and on the big screen by the pool. A couple of them have been shown more than once.  I would like to see Yesterday.  However, it was on the pool deck last night.  It has been too cool to watch the pool movies, but we are nearing the tropics.😀

 

It is a very good selection so far:

Downton Abbey

Judy

Aladdin

The Joker

Jumanji

Yesterday

Gemini Man

Charlie's Angels

Midway

The Notebook

[crusnbee]

1 hour ago, dorifuta said:

It was me. I do have my own on me at all times. I also have a skin condition that is exacerbated by hand sanitizer and has become very painful. Washing with soap and water isnt as bad for it (and is better than hand sanitizer anyway) so I have been washing often, especially right before meals. 

I have a very similar issue and am cringing to think that I will have to use sanitizer, especially during a flare up. I also have issues with soap and water occasionally, but do it anyway. Anything else special you do? Thanks for sharing.

[OnTheJourney]

3 hours ago, dorifuta said:

It was me. I do have my own on me at all times. I also have a skin condition that is exacerbated by hand sanitizer and has become very painful. Washing with soap and water isnt as bad for it (and is better than hand sanitizer anyway) so I have been washing often, especially right before meals. 

 

My apologies!  Thanks for explaining....

Edited March 10, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[LBumb]

eight days at sea is still sounding awesome to me.  love being single digits away 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

15 hours ago, LBumb said:

eight days at sea is still sounding awesome to me.  love being single digits away 

We are encouraged that other ships have been able to call at Caribbean ports earlier this week.  Thus far the Captain has not mentioned any problems with our ports.

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We have just had an announcement by Zoey, the hotel director, that there have been a number of guests that have gone to medical with stomach issues.  She says staff has been instructed to not shake hands.  I have not noticed anyone doing that before this announcement.  She urged everyone to wash their hands.  I am not sure how I could wash them any more than I do now.  

 

I am not sure how this will impact our port stops.  Wish us luck! I will keep you up to date. 

 

I got an email yesterday from Royal Caribbean about our second cruise.  It repeated the restrictions on places you have visited in the last 14 days and then added this:

 

"Additionally, for Caribbean itineraries only: Any person who has - or has been in contact with someone who has – traveled from, to, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan 20 days prior to embarkation." is restricted from boarding. 

[OnTheJourney]

Uh-oh.....hoping for the best. Hopefully noro and not corona (though noro is not very pleasant either!) Please keep us posted...

Edited March 11, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[DragonOfTheSeas]

4 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Uh-oh.....hoping for the best. Please keep us posted...

I will be interested in the Captain's noon briefing. . . . I will let you know.

[OnTheJourney]

A special meeting of some sort, or just the usual mid-day intercom announcement? They might not report much more until they know. I assume cruise ships now have access to COVID-19 testing kits or whatever is used to determine if it is or isn't (?)  Then, too, how long does it take to get results? 

Edited March 11, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[DragonOfTheSeas]

16 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

A special meeting of some sort, or just the usual mid-day intercom announcement? They might not report much more until they know. I assume cruise ships now have access to COVID-19 testing kits or whatever is used to determine if it is or isn't (?)  Then, too, how long does it take to get results? 

His briefing is via the PA.  There is always a Captain's announcement at noon on any ship I have been on.  Maybe I should have used that word because I do not think it is anything out of the ordinary.

 

I do not know anything about testing. 

 

Zoey came on the PA again a few minutes ago to tell us they have gone to a stronger and more lasting sanitizer.  She said we will notice it on all railings and they will seem wet and sticky and it can leave marks.  They are also using this on the windjammer tables and they will feel the same way.

 

My reaction was good and yuck. 😏

[dixieva]

Are they still allowing passengers to serve themselves in the Windjammer?

 

If so I think I might try to stay out of there and do Park Cafe or dining room for lunch.

 

Are you in St. Maarten tomorrow?

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

11 minutes ago, dixieva said:

 

 

Are you in St. Maarten tomorrow?

 

 

 

I'm not on the ship but, yes, schedule is to be at St. Maarten on the 12th, followed by Dominica (in place of St. Lucia), Barbados, and St. Kitts before the sea days returning to Baltimore. 

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

His briefing is via the PA.  There is always a Captain's announcement at noon on any ship I have been on.  Maybe I should have used that word because I do not think it is anything out of the ordinary.

 

😏

 

I figured you were referring to the general mid-day announcement. Interesting about the stronger sanitizer. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

43 minutes ago, dixieva said:

Are they still allowing passengers to serve themselves in the Windjammer?

 

If so I think I might try to stay out of there and do Park Cafe or dining room for lunch.

 

Are you in St. Maarten tomorrow?

 

 

Yes, St Martin is tomorrow.  We have not heard anything different. The Captain just announced that we will get there at 8 am and we will stay an extra hour and not leave until 6pm.  

 

Yes, they are still allowing guests to serve themselves.  [or they were yesterday]  We went to the Main Dining Room for breakfast this am.. . . but, even there guests served themselves the fruit, yogurt, pastries and buffet in the center of the room.  We ordered off the menu.

 

The Captain repeated much of what Zoey said in his noon announcements.  There must be quite a few cases of gastro which he says is commonly caused by Noro virus for them to make all of these announcements.  

 

I am sure all of the nausea is made worse by the rolling of the ocean.  We still have 8 ft waves.  DH and I are fine, but we know others that have been sick. The Captain said the waves will die down later today. [but he said that yesterday]

 

On a positive note--it is 73 degrees and the morning showers have stopped and it is sunny!.  It is still pretty breezy at 26 nts.

Edited March 11, 2020 by DragonOfTheSeas