NatsFanOnBoard

Can you tell me what time they start the water taxis going in the morning? And, did you have to wait long before the taxi left the pier for the island? Thanks for the help!

The water taxi vendors were out there as soon as we got off the ship around 8:30. We were on our way out to Klein by 9:00.

Are there facilities at Klein Beach? Bathrooms?

No facilities whatsoever. The island is completely barren except for one tiny little wooden picnic pavilion that is right where the water taxis and excursions will drop you off.

I have a family member who will complain about everything. Frankly it is embarrassing to go out with them. Cruising with them was nearly intolerable. You just can't make some people happy. I feel sorry for the staff that have to deal with those people.

Tell your waiter and dining room manager on the first night. I'm sure there are a few things on every dinner menu that you could eat. I'm sure you don't have to settle for making your own instant oatmeal at the table!

 

With multiple soups at every meal, you could surely have a couple of those. Even something with "chunks" will have a nice broth - french onion, cream of crab or lobster, tomato, etc... And mashed potatoes or some kind of vegetable puree is on every dinner menu as well, sometimes grits or polenta too. If you can tolerate it, there is also mac and cheese on the kids menu, and gnocchi is sometimes served. maybe some other soft pastas.

 

I'm sure you will have more options than you imagined.

 

Edit: Looks like JoyMouse beat me to it on a few items!

Ingredients:

Unicorn Tears, Essence of Awesomeness

I love it!!! My thoughts exactly!

Sensitivities to gluten can be wide-ranging. Since she has just been diagnosed, she should consult with her doctor regarding the severity of her condition and her sensitivity to cross contamination. Some with her condition must maintain a strict gluten-free diet where no cross-contamination can occur at all, and others could eat the filling out of a pie, for example, leaving the crust, and be just fine. She should have some idea of where she falls on that spectrum.

 

No matter her circumstances though, inform Royal Caribbean of the dietary restriction, and she'll be just fine. When we traveled with someone with celiac recently, the waiter would bring her the next day's menu each evening at dinner, and she would pick out what she wanted. They were then able to prepare just about any menu item for her as a gluten-free item for the next evening (in addition to a number of already identified gluten-free items on every menu.

This topic has been beaten to death. Some people will get one, some will get it renewed, and some will travel without it. It's a personal choice and whatever you pick is up to you.

 

Now to answer one question that comes up all the time on this topic is about only having a birth certificate and needing to fly home for some emergency or as came up recently people not being allowed to disembark a ship due to landing at a port other than the one they departed from. Therefore, making it not a "closed loop". So, what happens when you get to the USA?

 

I just happened to be at San Francisco airport on business this last week and I asked a CBP officer that exact question. BTW: he had also worked the cruise port. CBP is not going to deny you entry just because you don't have a passport and only a BC. They have a database where they can run you information and confirm you are good to enter. They might scan your prints, but probably not. You will probably take a little longer to clear CBP, but not much. He said it's not that uncommon.

Thank you for posting this account.

Don't forget that there are a couple of items on the regular menu that can be kid-friendly too. Sliders are really good and can be prepared without the fancy condiments, pastas can be served without sauce or with sauce on the side, etc. It doesn't all have to be chicken nuggets and pizza.

They were played on the 7 night cruise - sign up in the casino where they have the schedule. Original buy in was $50, with rebuys of $25. Very quick levels, 10 minutes so the tournament is over in 2 hours. Limited to 10 players per session, final table is winners of each session. Prize is dependent on the number of players but so offer one free cruise per tournament. If he is used to playing in good casinos, be aware the dealers are not that experienced, mistakes on the deal happened a couple of times.

This was the general format I've seen as well. I was somewhat disappointed that there were no payouts on the daily tournaments. If you win, you get a seat at the final table on the last night. There were also no cash games - just the nightly tournament. I stuck to blackjack instead.

I stopped at the NextCruise desk last time I cruised, and the representative was not very helpful at all. After about 15 minutes of futile efforts and little reward being offered, I wondered to myself why people waste their precious vacation time booking on board.

Been airlines people I can tell you the laws are more strict now than ever. You do need a passport if you have to fly back to the US from out of the country, No exceptions made.

Except that's not true. There are exceptions. You may be detained, you may be questioned, but a US citizen will not be denied reentry.

Also been in insurance for so many years, you do need Insurance and believe it or not US insurance and Medicare do not cover outside the US

Also not true. My medical insurance certainly does cover medical care outside the United States.

Surely any couple who boards with matching "WE'RE ON OUR HONEYMOON, GIVE US FREE STUFF" t-shirts will soon find that Royal has booted the folks who booked the highest of high suites down to an inside cabin so the honeymooners can be upgraded..

Geez, it was a legitimate question. Whenever we travel or even dine out for an anniversary or significant birthday, we always let the restaurant, hotel, airline, etc., know. We've almost always received some little (or big) gesture of the occasion - upgraded room, a bottle of champagne, etc. We were even upgraded to first class on a flight to Miami for our honeymoon/first cruise back in the day. All these gestures are simply good business as they tend to generate brand loyalty. It never hurts to ask, even if it isn't a common occurrence on a cruise ship.

Of course you could leave the door open between the cabins. In your scenario, not only will you save money (still not sure how that is possible), but you will have the benefit of an additional bathroom and a lot more space. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Glad this all worked out, but I agree with other posters that you actually proved the opposite point. You presented yourself with what documentation you had, told your story, answered a few questions, and were permitted to travel. This just confirms my thought that in an emergency, a US citizen will be able to get home just fine.

 

Signed,

 

"Good to have a passport but I'm not about to shell out $600+ for my kids to get them for an occasional closed loop cruise"

Book by phone, and be sure to tell them about your special occasion. On our last booking, I was surprised when the agent asked us if anyone in our group was celebrating anything. We happened to have a few special occasions that we were recognizing, and when we boarded, we had a variety of treats in our cabins and one cabin was completely decorated - no charge. The dining room also was notified and we had several serenades at dessert during the week.

I thought that was every shower on every royal ship. [emoji16]

I can never get cold water to come out of there showers. I get cooked like a lobster all the time, then sit and sweat for five minutes after the shower. [emoji29]Then I think I'm all sweaty now I need another shower. [emoji848]

 

 

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Well I didn't find the showers to be THAT hot, but the cold water is definitely not cool enough for me either. Even my kids commented one morning about not being able to take a cool shower. Even on straight cold water, it feels lukewarm.

 

I suppose it is because the potable water on board is going to be no cooler than the coolest part of the ship, unlike at home where your cold water supply is coming from (the usually cooler) underground. I guess we can't exactly expect RC to chill the bathing water for us.

I understand that, but about 20 people have pointed out that you only get the tail.

 

And MOST people only eat the tail.

 

I would guess, that they only have the tails, as having the whole lobster would take up a LOT more space, for little gain.

 

Before you go off on and complain you want the whole lobster, remember, it is NO EXTRA COST.

 

If you want the whole thing, order the upcharge lobster

Geez - chill out. I was responding directly below (and quoted) your post that said some people like to eat the guts out of the body. Kind of hard to do that if there's no body on your plate, isn't it?

 

And folks, these lobster tails aren't any different from the $5 frozen specials that you get at your neighborhood grocery store. Really nothing to write home about.

They are warm water lobster. AKA longusta or longustino.

 

They don't have claws.

 

But I do know that some people eat the guts from the body of the lobster, but most people do not.

On the cruise ship, typically only the tail is served, not the whole lobster.

Hey you're giving your fellow Nats fans a "bad name" with this approach. [emoji12]

 

Go Nats!

 

Cheers

I never said I didn't tip - at the recommended level or beyond. I just object to the position that many are taking regarding the obligation to pay the staff's wages (other than through payment of the cruise fare).

Aren't you concerned about your sister sleeping with your husband? Oh, wait, maybe I misread that.

 

Seriously - I'd wait until you get on board. Do you know for a fact that her cabin doesn't have a third bunk? If it does, it would be easier for your daughter to just move over to their cabin. If not, you could switch it around once on board. That way you don't have any of the complications that others have experienced trying to book minors in cabins other than their parents'.

Anyone else see anything funny about an "excursion" that is described as "on your own" - and paying for it no less!

Once your cruise documents are ready, just email your loved one a copy. The packet includes your booking confirmation number, itinerary, stateroom assignments, how to reach the ship in an emergency, how to reach Royal Caribbean, etc. It would include any information that a loved one would need in the event of an emergency.

And you are cheap. Period. You take it out on the less fortunate. That's ok, but at least stop making excuses for it. It's been explained over and over how employee compensation works. It IS very much a major part of their "standard compensation" and removing tips is stiffing them. That's not even a debatable fact. But you will partake in some pretty intense written gymnastics, I'm sure, to try and argue otherwise. Tipping is not mandatory but it's absolutely how employees are compensated. You don't want them to be compensated? Fine, you can do that, but it says a heck of a lot about you - and none of it's positive.

 

But keep protesting and stiffing the staff. You'll show those underprivileged, overworked and underpaid crew what's up!!! Good for you!!!

I'll debate it. This is the same so-called moral high ground that higher minimum wage or so-called "living wage" advocates will try to use, that somehow it is a moral imperative for me to go along with the scam. I believe strongly in charity - I perform good works and donate plenty of money. However, it isn't my job to interject myself between an employer and an employee. Laissez-faire. If the cruise line uses the gratuity as a de facto wage, that's not my problem; that's between the employee and the employer. As long as they call it a gratuity, I'll treat it as such. If they want to re-categorize it as "Crew wages" and make it mandatory, well, then, I'll take that into consideration when determining how to recognize notable acts beyond that.

You put the dirty diapers in "garbage that will be emptied anyway"? Do you honestly not know that human waste products (whether from diapers or injections or bleeding) MUST be handled differently from "garbage"? Is anyone actually that stupid?

I'm actually that stupid.

 

I've seen a few references in this thread to disposing of diapers "in accordance with maritime law" and other similar references as if there were some special protocol for diapers.

 

In all my searching, I find general distinctions between sewage, gray water, and solid waste (referring to trash, not poo in particular), and what can be discharged, how it can be discharged, where it can be discharged, etc., plus a few references to sorting of recyclables from other trash. I haven't been able to come up with any specific references to the poor cabin steward having to sort diapers from other trash and haul it to some hazmat location on the ship.

 

Can someone who believes this to be true please provide a link to something that would back up these comments?

 

I estimate I've put something on the order of 30,000* diapers in the "regular trash" over the years, so I'm particularly interested!

 

* (8 diapers per day x 365 days per year x 2 years x 5 kids = 29,200)

Currently 3 hours 19 minutes from Springfield, 4 hours 27 minutes from where I'm sitting, according to Waze. I'd rather drive to BWI (25 minutes) and fly to FLL and get on a ship there... it would certainly take me less time than driving to Norfolk. And probably cheaper.

Amen to that. No way would I chance driving from DC to Norfolk on a Saturday morning to board a ship that afternoon. Too much aggravation.