Tree_skier

Yikes! For a Floridian like yourself that could spell death! You are wired for that. You'll need to head back to south Florida soon.

Well I made it home two days ago after a long stint away and yesterday SIL and GS and I got to go skiing. It was my first time up this year and I was pretty nervous. Thankfully the my knee held up pretty well with only occasional twinges of pain. I stuck to intermediate runs and didn't do anything particularly silly and had a great time. I know that weight loss would help a lot but sadly I just can't seem to discipline myself. I've promised DW that after Christmas I'll try again. I've got two cruises booked in the near future and cruises usually derail my dieting plan. Anyhow, Christmas is upon us. We are going to Texas De Brazil for Christmas Eve dinner with friends and then joining my daughter in-laws and all of my son in-law's family at my daughter and son in-laws house for a few festivities which will already be well underway when we arrive back from dinner. Tomorrow we'll spend the morning with the kids, go to church and then I head for a flight to Vancouver to see my sister and Grand nephew. It's a busy couple of days. Merry Christmas to all. Whether you celebrate or not, I hope that 2023 is a great year and that whatever your passion is, you live it to its fullest and that every dream is fulfilled. Dave

We've never bothered selecting anything. With two cruises as diamond we have gotten four bottles of water in our cabin each time.

My last cruise was like this. It was my first time on NCL. We cruised aboard Pride of America. I chose this cruise specifically because we of the itinerary. a Hawaii cruise that embarks in Honolulu and circumnavigates the Islands. It is a very unique cruise. I have no expectation that I will ever achieve any kind of status with NCL. We cruised in spite of it. We love Royal and it's product. The loyalty benefits are a nice perk but not the reason we book with them.

Now this sounds like a very good plan. First day on the slopes for me will be tomorrow! We just got home from AZ today and my son-in-law and Grandson are chomping at the bit to get me up.

Loved my Subarus over the years and I'd gladly buy another if I was shopping for a car. I've owned two and loved them both.

I do have to admit that I find it amusing reading all the hand wringing over the sure to degraded benefits. I think that recent evidence (4,5,6 drink vouchers) indicates that change can be a very good thing. In an a possible upcoming environment where disposable income may be more limited disincentivizing your established and loyal base is foolish. I don't think they are foolish.

When booking group space through my TA I always get the full amount and the TA's price is always better than the best sale Royal ever puts on. It is a rare thing that I need to get a price reduction since booking this way.

I have 6 future cruises with Royal booked. The next two are in suites and there wasn't any benefit because of other discounts that supplanted the C&A benefit. However, of the four remaining, they are balcony cabins and all four have a discount of $226 that I would not have received had I not been Diamond. That is good value to me. Had I been platinum or emerald and not diamond the discount would be less but it would still be a discount.

I agree that outside of the balcony discount there is little benefit from the loyalty program at gold, platinum or emerald. However, the incentive to reach diamond is the incentive. If that makes sense? By the time you reach emerald or platinum you have obviously decided you like the product enough to cruise get beyond 30 nights. The product keeps people coming back, the benefits that they will achieve at diamond incentivize the loyalty.

Balcony discount saved me money at both Platinum and Emerald. It wasn't huge but it was something,.

Yes but have you had them from a flying J truck stop at 2 am. That’s a special kind of hell.

Try being a truck driver. They have to survive on Red Bull and late night truck stop jalapeño poppers.

I’m discovering that I have to watch that. Especially later in the evening. I love a good burger but it’s lunch at the latest or else I pay at about 230 am

I have never been inside a JRs

The one advantage to the pay version on a sea day is they hang you out over the side of the ship. It’s kind of a cool view

Oatmeal raisin cookies looking like chocolate chip cookies is the reason I have trust issues.

For those interested in loading up a suitcase for these staff members currently starving... https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ramen-Express-by-Chef-Woo-Beef-Flavored-Ramen-Noodles-2-25-oz/810340691 or... https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ramen-Express-by-Chef-Woo-Roasted-Chicken-Flavored-Ramen-Noodles-2-25-oz-12-Pk/394717279?athcpid=394717279&athpgid=AthenaItempage&athcgid=null&athznid=si&athieid=v0&athstid=CS004&athguid=C2iIG3g7qtYj6OYVQuO9I89YhiDzeE_eZHZQ&athancid=null&athena=true I'm going to bring an extra suitcase full of these instead of extra tips. Instead of two $1 bills with my drink order I'm going to hand a noodle package with my seapass card. I'm sure my favorite bartender will enjoy 5 of these on day 7 more than an extra $20 bill I usually hand out on the last night.

🤣

You can ask your cabin steward for it anytime. We did one time right on day one of our trip that included a land portion prior boarding the ship.

I'm not so sure that that is true. With that many in kids in the age range they are, pretty islands aren't always the first criteria. I don't know much about Carnivals celebration but ship board entertainment for the kiddo's would be high on my list of things I care about.

Maybe, let us know how it goes? Have we confirmed it doesn't work yet?

Which ship?

Good to know 😃

You are right about the kids/teen programs. We took our three grand kids in Dec 2019. Ages were 16, 14 and 10. 16 and 14 year old had no interest but the 10 year old was absolutely stoked by it. It really depends on the temperament of the kids.