twangster

On Oasis. Long post that's a bit technical. As a network geek I'm sharing some details for other geeks to review and consider. Some Speedtests. "curl" is a linux command that can be used to obtain details about network activity. One check "curl" can perform is to lookup your public IP address. Running several "curl" commands consecutively for about 15 seconds yielded these public IP addresses: 129.222.83.83 98.97.173.134 129.222.82.93 98.97.172.99 129.222.82.93 98.97.168.194 98.97.175.9 129.222.82.225 129.222.83.60 98.97.172.99 98.97.175.9 98.97.174.221 129.222.80.247 129.222.83.60 129.222.83.45 129.222.83.45 129.222.82.93 98.97.172.99 129.222.83.83 129.222.83.32 129.222.80.247 98.97.168.194 98.97.170.217 98.97.170.217 129.222.80.107 98.97.173.134 129.222.83.45 129.222.83.32 129.222.80.107 129.222.80.247 129.222.83.60 129.222.82.93 98.97.175.9 129.222.80.247 98.97.172.99 129.222.80.247 98.97.175.9 Normally at home or on a pre-migration ship that used the old satellite providers before Starlink the public IP address would not change like this. Given the IP address changes every few seconds I suspect they are load balancing connections across all the antennas. We know Royal installs multiple antennas, somewhere between 6 and 8 typically. I suspect they do this since the Starlink maritime service is limited to ~350Mbps per modem/antenna. By operating several Starlink maritime modems and antennas in tandem they can distribute the load across them and achieve an aggregate speed n x 350Mbps. Each session a user starts is treated separately. One may go through antenna #1 and the next through antenna #6. In repeating the public IP address check VIA the curl command each curl command is a unique session and each was sent VIA a different modem/antenna. Not all that glitters is gold. Shortly after leaving Miami with a sky full of stars the internet was terrible. ping google.com PING google.com (172.217.15.206): 56 data bytes Request timeout for icmp_seq 0 Request timeout for icmp_seq 1 Request timeout for icmp_seq 2 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=0 ttl=107 time=3706.334 ms 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=1 ttl=107 time=3439.740 ms Request timeout for icmp_seq 5 Request timeout for icmp_seq 6 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=4 ttl=108 time=3271.785 ms Request timeout for icmp_seq 8 Request timeout for icmp_seq 9 Request timeout for icmp_seq 10 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=6 ttl=108 time=5275.419 ms 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=7 ttl=107 time=4666.947 ms 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=9 ttl=108 time=3839.767 ms 64 bytes from 172.217.15.206: icmp_seq=10 ttl=107 time=2881.380 ms Request timeout for icmp_seq 15 ^C --- google.com ping statistics --- 17 packets transmitted, 7 packets received, 58.8% packet loss round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 2881.380/3868.767/5275.419/770.748 ms Not long after that... ping 4.2.2.3 PING 4.2.2.3 (4.2.2.3): 56 data bytes Request timeout for icmp_seq 0 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=1 ttl=51 time=515.752 ms Request timeout for icmp_seq 2 Request timeout for icmp_seq 3 Request timeout for icmp_seq 4 Request timeout for icmp_seq 5 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=6 ttl=51 time=98.915 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=7 ttl=51 time=146.661 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=8 ttl=51 time=336.066 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=9 ttl=51 time=241.467 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=10 ttl=51 time=260.805 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=11 ttl=51 time=350.234 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=12 ttl=51 time=325.137 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=13 ttl=51 time=322.316 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=14 ttl=51 time=164.392 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=15 ttl=51 time=362.071 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=16 ttl=51 time=205.959 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=17 ttl=51 time=402.587 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=18 ttl=51 time=218.134 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=19 ttl=51 time=238.396 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=20 ttl=51 time=161.384 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=21 ttl=51 time=276.768 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=22 ttl=51 time=197.477 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=23 ttl=51 time=315.996 ms I still appeared to be using a Starlink public IP address so we didn't revert to O3b, these are Starlink latency numbers. Right this moment as I type this post: ping 4.2.2.3 PING 4.2.2.3 (4.2.2.3): 56 data bytes Request timeout for icmp_seq 0 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=1 ttl=51 time=65.922 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=2 ttl=51 time=41.868 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=3 ttl=51 time=46.399 ms Request timeout for icmp_seq 4 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=5 ttl=51 time=45.120 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=6 ttl=51 time=39.903 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=7 ttl=51 time=37.252 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=8 ttl=51 time=48.913 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=9 ttl=51 time=41.369 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=10 ttl=51 time=42.334 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=11 ttl=51 time=39.647 ms 64 bytes from 4.2.2.3: icmp_seq=12 ttl=51 time=70.350 ms ^C --- 4.2.2.3 ping statistics --- 13 packets transmitted, 11 packets received, 15.4% packet loss round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 37.252/47.189/70.350/10.400 ms curl results over 5 seconds: 129.222.83.60 98.97.173.212 98.97.172.99 129.222.83.83 98.97.168.194 98.97.172.99 98.97.170.217 98.97.173.212 129.222.82.93 98.97.175.9 98.97.168.194 Our position:

I never said a status match can't be achieved ahead of time. Ah hell, I give up. Another site to avoid for a while...

He's is welcome to mow my lawn anytime.

He can't. A never cruised guest has no entry in the CAS database until after they sail. He is a CAS nobody before he steps on board for the first time.

Given he has never sailed Royal he shouldn't have an address in the system. 🤣

February 2022 departure time lapse. Where we turned is near the location of the new cruise terminal that will open soon. Any sea can have rough weather and calm weather. Galveston in certain times of the year is known for fog more than terrible seas. Yet the seasonal fog is not a given, it all depends. The morning this video was taken there was fog yet the ship made it back into port safely and sail away was... pretty awesome.

I flew to every cruise for my first 750 points and I flew home with many crystal blocks, some times international, some times domestic. It was never a hassle. Sometimes I had two blocks with me. I tended to do B2B or S2S since I was flying and when near a block threshold it's common to get a block from both ships since the points don't post until a week after a cruise. That meant flying home with two blocks. Still not a hassle.

I had 8160 in November. Never heard any noise. The stairs and elevator lobby go through a fire door so it's not exactly wide open. I specifically chose this area. Out the door and into Central Park in a handful of steps. I look for cabins in this area for quick access to the elevators and Central Park. I'd book it again.

Captain Johnny: "I'm going to tweet that Royal just bought Carnival. Watch this... I'm going to commandeer terminal 3".

The enhanced embarking process is why the Crown and Anchor priority queues have become meaningless. Some people gripe when they hear there are no CAS based queues like before but what you describe for embarkation is what Royal started working towards before the pandemic. "Car to Bar in 15 minutes".

All things being equal such as departure city and ease of access to the port, if they all sailed from the same port on the same day I'd rank them: 1. Freedom 2. Indy 3. Liberty If Liberty ever gets amped that could change. Truth be told they are all great ships and I'd sail them all but Liberty is in need of her postponed amplification.

Still waiting on 3 Odyssey and 1 Wonder block. September 2021 for the first Odyssey block.

Sorry for everything that has happened up to this point and I hope your wife begins to feel better soon. As far as Royal's position it does appear they should work on their wording which appears to suggest you should board with whatever possible infection may be present as long as it isn't "COVID-19". There has to be a better way to handle this scenario independent of the financial impact of no refund/no FCC which clearly they should not be expected to provide. Perhaps they are hesitant to state you shouldn't board as that implies they are instructing you not to cruise which could have implications in a legal or financial sense. For example if they "deny" you boarding (by telling you not to board) then a credit card company could look at that as if Royal failed as a merchant to provide the service you purchased. Disney charges outrageous prices so they can bury losses and still be profitable. As a company that is their prerogative to take this approach. That doesn't mean every other company on the planet should follow the Disney way. As a consumer I don't want to overpay for my purchases so that others can not follow policy. I feel terrible for everything your family is going through but I don't think Royal should deviate from their policy and grant you a refund or FCC. I state this as I myself will probably walk away from a cruise in a week knowing all I'll get back is port fees and taxes. My personal situation has changed since I booked this cruise and now with a week to go I accept that's on me. No refund, no FCC, no attempt will be made to lie or fake a false positive or any other means to weasel a refund. At this point unless there is a pop up hurricane induced refund option I will lose my money and I accept that is on me.

Royal has been testing higher cabana rates at Labadee given the seemingly endless number of guests willing to pay outrageous cabana pricing at CocoCay. When they jacked the rates there were fewer suite guests buying them at the new price point so they opened BB cabanas up to non-suite guests. There was a thread about this at the time. They still enforce suite only access for non-cabanas guests. In July I saw some interlopers booted from BB.

Long been that way.

Princess may have an opening because Royal built a new terminal and is moving. Without the new terminal it may have been difficult for Princess to secure weekend berthing.

Often GGG rates require full payment since they are within final payment due date. Once a booking is paid in full it can't be transferred. For the purpose of GGG your favorite TA not getting the booking isn't the end of the world. Commission typically is very little for GGG rates. Unless the cruise ends up cancelled by Royal there typically isn't a lot of servicing that a TA can perform on a cruise booked after final payment due date. Talk to you TA about it. That's what I did. She didn't lose sleep over a few GGG direct bookings I made.

It depends. Even though there is verbiage that people hang their hats on in the end the price is the price. NextCruise in my experience provides a reduced OBC amount or nothing for GGG bookings. I've received weird amounts like $19.50 in OBC for solo GGG and for others the NextCruise OBC for GGG was $0. Since GGG is often after final payment due date there is no reduced deposit at NextCruise either. When they are offering rates like $70pp pre-tax for a cabin I would not expect to find a full CAS balcony discount available, it won't make the cruise free. Same with NextCruise OBC, I think you'll find $0 on the el cheapo rates. Yet the verbiage says "...combinable with...". At the end of the day there are some GGG rates so cheap they can't offer CAS and/or NextCruise discounts.

This is where you need to call and speak to them. Everyone above is correct by the words of the policy yet Royal is based in FL and "gets it". If you don't reach a sympathetic ear the first time politely hang up and try again. Calling CAS may help.

Prior to the shutdown North Star was complimentary except in China. Over the years I have taken many rides on that basis. As a solo cruiser it was almost assured to get in on a standby basis without a complimentary reservation. Years ago, thinking 2017-ish on Anthem there was no paid versions offered ever - it was always complimentary. In 2019 Ovation only charged for rides in Alaska at the glaciers the rest of the time it was complimentary. Later in 2019 on the way to Hawaii all Ovation North Star rides were complimentary. Early in 2020 Ovation and Anthem were complimentary, Ovation to New Zealand and Anthem to the Caribbean. When cruising restarted in North America Odyssey debuted with a charge for the rides that were 20 minutes and went over the sides of the ship. On port days there were some complimentary 15 minute rides that did not go over the edge of the ship. Other Q class ships followed this approach as they restarted. Quantum to Alaska in 2022 had some complimentary times but they were loaded into the system daily so if you didn't check often you might assume there were never complimentary rides available. The new approach seems to have triggered demand. Under the old approach it was common for folks to make complementary reservations and skip them. Now it seems demand is up and few people skip their reservations complimentary or paid.

I never leave my cell phone out mostly because a phone in the sun can quickly overheat to the point it shuts down or slows down. Crimes of opportunity will happen on ship so that is another reason not to leave a phone out.

I've walked to "downtown" several times from Crown Bay. The first half of the walk is without sidewalks, the second half has sidewalks. I've never found the walk dangerous. Pop up rain showers can occur anytime so your best option is to pay for a Safari taxi ride (back of modified pickup). I used to live on St. Thomas so the lack of sidewalks doesn't phase me. That's St. Thomas. Charlotte Amalie has sidewalks for the most part, depending on what you consider to be the town limits. The shopping is better in "downtown" compared to Havensight where the merchants pay a bloody fortune to be in Havensight and pass that additional expense to consumers. I can see why tourists might like the environment of Havensight more with less vehicle traffic and ease of walking around like a tourist (not watching for traffic) but downtown has better deals.

All dining packages are capacity controlled so there is availability for reservations at full price. If they oversold the dining packages they'd lose money since no one could book a specialty venue either in advance or on board at full price. They aren't trying to pull the wool over your eyes, it's not a matter of being stupid. You probably did get the last dining package available.

Crown Bay unless it's full and space is available at Havensight.

I'm not expecting very much on the back side.