gmerick

Oh come on, folks.  UDP is an experience.  You're already blowing wads of cash vacationing.  The purpose of a cruise is to conspicuously consume ship fuel, service employee time, food and drink.  

This is a vacation, enjoy yourself.  Don't obsess over whether you've paid slightly less than your cabin neighbors for overpriced food. (same goes for drinks, beach loungers, bus rides at foreign ports ...)

Third time in a RCI solo balcony.  Yes the cabin is so small the ACLU would prohibit it from being a prison cell. But I've loved it each time, and I've got another booked for Jan 23.  Tip -- try to get a xx48 cabin.  The balcony for these cabins is bigger than the cabin.  Many nights I've slung my hammock between the balcony wall supports and slept under the stars.  The balcony is big enough for two recliners with footstools and the table, and the hammock, and two clotheslines for my SCUBA gear, and still room enough to walk around.  (xx50 balcony slightly larger than "normal", xx52 balcony just normal).  Be sure to watch for price drops.  The studio's start out at $400/night. About 15 months from sailing, the price goes down to $210/night, and I can usually book it with just a $100 deposit.  I'm now 8 months out, and today I called in for the latest price drop to $145/night.

I save my tray from Room Service breakfast, and take it to the buffet.  I can get drinks, entree, desert, salad, cutlery, condiments....  and I still have room for my book and sunglasses.  If I don't find a pleasing table with great ocean view, I carry the tray back to the solarium tables.

Sure do wish the buffets had a stack of trays.

Price drop this week on Jan 2023 Anthem OTS.  11 day cruises less than 150/day for studio balcony.

If you have the figure to conceal the GoPro chest mount under a halter top, go for it.  The attendant will never know.  Just adjust the halter discreetly at the beginning and end of the ride.

Before your cruise do a bit of shopping at Party City.  If the person manning the camera makes an issue of your scarf or beanie, swap it for something that rather inappropriately qualifies as a "wig". 

Will make good use of stream.  Surf is adequate for intermittent use, but for online collaboration stream will provide a more satisfying time.  My rationale -  I absolutely will have internet access, $250 added onto a $4000 cruise for internet is hardly noticeable.  If I know I'll actually be depending on it for work, I bump it up to stream for the duration.  If I get called in for work consultation during a cruise, I bump it up with a phone call to guest services.  

Another consideration - Ludites born before Woodstock may be able to cut the cord for a month.  Anyone without landline telephone probably needs stream (teens, tweens, included).  The rest of us can be satisfied with surf, and have the comfort of being in touch, but not "needing" to use it.

Give the guy stream, and ask him after the cruise how much else beside class it was useful for.

RCI staff are much better at health protocol than anyone I know.  Was very pleased my cabin every day.  Roy was so consistent about double mask, gloves all the time, and sanitizing his gloves before he came in (yes, he cleaned his gloves after parking the cart in front of the door and setting the door stop).  I was conscientious about either being gone, or being on the balcony with the door shut during his visits - I wasn't protecting myself so much as giving him the space and freedom to do his tasks without worry.

No, I want the twice daily maintenance, I like a professionally made bed, the filled ice bucket, the towel animal, the candies, the "have a good day" notes, the turned down bed, the pajamas folded and under the pillow.  Yes they are little things, but they make a day so much better.  

I got lists of pleasing things other staff do - waiters, bar staff, pool attendants, even the friendly lady that makes so many trips up and down my staircase to wipe the banisters every hour.

I'm on vacation -- PAMPER ME!

Massage is always good on day 1.  I need it after 12 hour flight, but sounds like you're within shouting distance of port.  Push that Chef's table well into the evening, and chill out for a couple hours before to let the massage glow settle.  While chilling, be sure to order your breakfast for 10:30AM delivery. You don't have a planned excursion on day 2, so the evening can go as long as the music lasts.  Spend some time after O`dark:30 watching the midnight movie under the stars wrapped up in the spare comforter under your bed.  

34 minutes ago, dcgrumpy said:

 

I don't know, but it seems like there is some sort of dispute going on between and the owners and someone else. Whether it's old owners or government officials, I don't know. https://roatan.online/little-french-key-fire

That roatan online piece is 4 years old:

Given in the port city of Roatán, on the 15th day of the month of August of the year 2018.

A lawyer

Myril Yannell Brooks Municipal Secretary

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/shoreExcursions/downloadBrochure/

Navigation path:  Click the "Hamburger" icon in the upper left corner to access the menu, Select "manage my cruise" from the drop down (not the blue menu on the top bar), select "shore excursion" onthe sub-menu.

Why have something dangling around your neck?  It reminds me too much of the spinster librarian with the steel grey hair that always had glasses hanging down.  Seems like folks use those dangly things to draw attention to "massive tracts of land".

Have used the laundry service most every cruise.  I do dockers and UnderArmour polos in the wash and fold  along with underwear and socks.  Never a problem, and it's so much cheaper than checking an extra bag on an airplane.  I've twice had them do a natural hemp formal Guayabera  (of course not wash and fold), and it has come back gleaming white with nary a wrinkle.  I use laundry service at home for everything that goes on hangers, and the Royal Caribbean service is better.

Staff is supposed to give reminders to fill out the survey.  If my cabin attendant, dining room waiter, or any other RCI staff member failed to remind me of the importance of the survey, that should be a downcheck.  The surveys are very important for corporate governance.  RCI e-mail makes it clear the surveys are valuable, and do much to improve my experience with the company.

I answer "Yes" I was reminded to fill out the survey.  I answer "Yes" my cabin attendant says my survey  response is personally important.

Experience from December and February on Anthem:

My first try at Flowrider was in December.  I did boogie twice in Mixed sessions.  I wasn't impressed.  

During the mixed sessions, some passengers were attempting stand-up.  They either succeeded or failed on their two tries (which really worked out to three falls, in each of two turns on the wave).   Most managed to get onto the wave standing, some reverted to boogie, no one went away disappointed.

I wanted to try the stand-up thing, but I'm an overweight senior citizen, and wanted to avoid getting hurt, because I had SCUBA excursions ahead.  I paid for a lesson, and had 6 tries at the wave with great assistance during my hour.  For my 4th session on the wave during the December cruise, I was again in a Mixed session, and did successfully earn my blue band.

During the February cruise, I paid for another lesson on Day 2 AM, got my blue band on Day 2 PM during a mixed session, then participated in 5 advanced sessions.  The Mixed sessions were all somewhat crowded, I could get maybe 2 or 3 turns on the wave in an hour.  The February advanced sessions were very relaxed, with 3 or 4 riders present.  There was plenty opportunity to ride, but often as not, I skipped a turn on the wave.  The Flowrider team were wonderful coaches.  Sometimes I think they encouraged harder skills on us to keep the excitement up and getting an earlier wipeout so the rider rotation went quicker.

Big take-away -- pay for a lesson or two, it makes the rest of the cruise a whole bunch more fun.

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

In October, the vessel received its two 307-ton LNG fuel tank, which, according to Royal Caribbean, are the largest in the entire cruise industry.

2 hours ago, twangster said:

"Constructed in just one year, our 100,000 gallon-per-day Miami liquefier was commissioned in 2015.

LNG weighs 4 lbs / gallon

Miami liquifier can create 100,000 gallons of LNG per day.  

A residential 500 gallon propane tank weighs 1000 lbs, and holds 2000 lbs of propane.

At the same weight ratio, two 307 ton tanks will contain 600,000 gallons of LNG.

(The weight ratio underestimates fuel capacity by up to an order of magnitude.  Oasis class ships can hold 2,000,000 gallons of bunker fuel.  LNG energy density is 40% less than that of bunker fuel, so for the same sailing range, ICON may need 3,000,000 gallons of LNG)

The Miami plant will have to run 24 hours a day just to fill ICON's gas tank once a week.

The barges will still be running.  (Figures can lie, and liars can figure, but the math is still fun)

If you can avoid the life guard on the tower, get snorkel gear and swim out where the airplane is, then head north and sneak up on that rocky bit of reef east of where the ships dock.  Make sure you're wearing reef shoes in your fins; the reef will tear up bare feet.  If there's any waves, don't get tossed.

The scuba excursions go on the north side of that rocky bit of reef.

Don't get caught, or you get kicked off the island.

Sounds like you need travelers advice from the early 20th century:

Place all the contraband in it's own suitcase, and apply a 100 year old label to the outside:

Baby shampoo, dishwashing liquid, expensive Mask Defog drops.  All do an OK job of making the fine droplets of water on the inside of a mask coalesce.  The real trick is to stop that fogging at the root cause.  Don't exhale out the nose into the mask.  That warm air from your nose hitting the cooler glass will always fog up.  I know the instructor says exhale through your nose to clear the water from your mask -- but do it sparingly.  

When water starts interfering with seeing the fish, tilt your head toward the surface just enough to get the water to settle under your nose where your mask meets your upper lip.  Use your hand to hold the top of the mask against your forehead, push it about half an inch toward your face.  Be careful not to push at an angle that allows the bottom of the mask to come away from your upper lip, this will just let more water in.  Then exhale a small amount of air into the mask, just enough to push the accumulated water out the bottom of the mask.  When you now release the pressure against the top of the mask, a slight vacuum will be left in the mask to hold the mask against your face, and aid in sealing it against further water incursion.

Remember to not breathe out your nose.  bubbles coming from around the mask are a sure indicator that the mask will again immediately fog up. 

If there is significant fogging, before starting the mask clearing, rotate your head slowly to cause the water puddle inside the mask to rinse off the glass.

If your hearts are set on having separate cabins, do nothing with the first cabin, and simply book a second cabin.  You don't even need to change names of the guests for the second cabin.  With your disappointment with the big box agent, for the second cabin just book directly with RCCL.  Once you have that second booking, it will be easier for you to book dining, drinks excursions, directly through the planner.  Those purchases can be made for both reservations.  The only caveat would be if you are purchasing the DBP for all 4, you will want to do that for the 4-person cabin, not the 2.

Cruised 12 days in December, 11 in February.  Also took a 8 day Belize vacation.  

I'm not asking anyone else to make it safe for me to travel.  I'll take care of myself, thank-you very much.  If you and I are on the same boat, you do as you wish.  I may avoid some folks, but I won't tell anyone else what to do.

I wear a mask appropriate to my perceived risk to myself, p100 on airplanes, n95 in crowded areas, none in low risk areas.  If forced to mask, I wear n95.  Never a surgical mask, never a cloth face decoration.

I've vaxed and boosted, both Pfizer and Moderna, and flu, Hep, shingles, typhoid, yellow fever, (too bad a vax for the common cold or arthritis hasn't come arround, or I'd get them).

I carry hand sanitizer, and wash hands frequently.  

I used both on my post-Covid cruises.  The Cruise Compass is a nice souvenir.  I'm a person who is already used to getting news, work schedules, airline tickets, ... on my tablet and cell phone.  It is so much more convenient to look for events on the app.  I only really "read" the Cruise Compass after dinner while relaxing before the evening's entertainment.  After that (short 15 minute) time, I put it in the drawer with all the other paper clutter.  That clutter ended up in the cruise paperwork packet in my suitcase on the last evening.  It's still in the packet stacked with my other cruise items.  I imagine it will be there yet when it's someone else's responsibility to clean out my house and dispose of my "treasures".

No, I don't regret the passing of the Compass.  Let them dedicate the resources to improving the information presentation in the App.

Last two cruises (Dec 21, Feb 22).  I shuddered at what was allowed for food service protocol in all of the staff served buffets, so I mostly stayed away.  I did frequent Sorentino's, 270 cafe, and Solarium cafe when they were not crowded.  Breakfast was either MDR or room service (hey, it was free!).  Lunch on sea days was MDR or show up late for buffet.  In port I was usually under water at lunch time, and the sushi offerings were a bit too fresh for my taste.

Even before COVID, I was uncomfortable with Windjammer, so nothing really changed.

Two cruises using e-Muster.  The system is ineffective.  I did not download the App prior to sailing.  I did not view the video.  I reported to the e-Muster site between dropping my bags in the restaurant and dining at the Key lunch.  I was asked if I had used the App for muster, and I equivocated.  

At the time, the cabin passages were still locked, so I still did not have my SeaPass card.  Otherwise I may have suggested the SeaPass be initially set to expire 90 minutes prior to sailing, and only fully activated at the eMuster check-in. 

Cabin locks do not appear to be centrally managed, but, like hotel door locks, reset by an initial code placed on the arriving guest's SeaPass.  The SeaPass however does have a RFID chip, and the long-range RFID scanners that track passenger traffic for marketing and revenue departments can be used to broadcast a voice reminder as passengers transit the RFID enabled spaces.  Likewise the pop-up kiosks so prevelant on boarding day can also be equiped with the long-range RFID scanners, and the crew hawking beverages, dining, massages, and whatnot can also give a friendly reminder to do the eMuster thing.

Twice your price point, but folks I was diving with had a great experience with:  

If you like how your cell phone does pictures, this can't be beat.