Balsam12

I realise it's a personal preference, but what's wrong with the MDR?

We have an 11 night coming up, and have booked the three night package plus one night at Chops for my partner's birthday, and the Mystery theatre dinner.

That's 5 nights in  specialty dining, leaving six nights for either MDR or windjammer (probably MDR for us).

I don't think MDR is so bad that we'd pay for the UDP. We definitely like to try the specialty dinning, hence the choices we've made above. We also don't do Izumi, so on Radiance, we have Chops, Giovanni's and Samba for our three night package.

I suppose on larger ships there are more options, but our OP hasn't mentioned the five night package as an option... is it not available for your sailing?

We don't normally do a big lunch either, so that wouldn't factor in it for us.

2 hours ago, rose6 said:

Before you "forget this whole thing" I suggest that you or a family member that belongs to the crown and anchor loyalty program contact them and ask them if they can do anything to remedy the situation. .

Please explain what the "remedy" would be?

The OP wanted a room for four people. That's what they now have.

The OP wanted the cheaper price. That's what they now have.

Looks to me like RCI has already remedied the situation and given them exactly what they wanted. 

5 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

  If you're really worried about it then have your husband buy that glass of wine on his card for you.  If you have the drink package you CAN still tell them you want to pay for a drink for someone else.  They don't have to know who that person is.

Great thinking.

3 minutes ago, Tulsacoker said:

looked up minimum age to rent a car in Australia and I realize its not a government law but a rental car policy  (same as here )

Yep... definitely some rental companies just won't take the risk, but there's no law against it. As I noted, those companies that will rent to 18 year olds will probably slug them a huge insurance cost or take a huge deposit/credit card hold.

This is pretty understandable, but the question should be "Will the company rent to a married 18yo but not a single 18yo?"

5 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Well, one thing we have definitely concluded here is that things are different in Australia than they are in the USA. 

 

CHEERS!

Yep, and I'll agree with you and leave this conversation alone.

As I noted, nothing here is within the control of anyone on CC ( unless Mr Trump is a member), so nothing will be changed by our discussion.

As for what adults can and can't do on RC ships, unfortunately I'm well past the age where it affects me in any way, and I have no kids, so that's not a concern either.

It would be interesting to hear from someone from a country like Italy, where the drinking age is 16, but maybe that's for another discussion.

 

2 minutes ago, Tulsacoker said:

 

not according to this

21 years of age or older

 

In order to rent a car while in Australia drivers must be a minimum of 21 years of age or older. Drivers between the ages of 21 to 25 may have to pay an additional young driver surcharge to the rental company.

Do you have a source for that quote?

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The Wal Mart link you posted  aren’t firearms. 

Are they guns?

Do they fire a projectile?

I never suggested you could buy an AK47 in walmart, just that you could buy a gun.

Air rifles can only be sold in Australia by licensed firearm dealers. They are treated the same as any other rifle.

10 minutes ago, Tulsacoker said:

 

Sorry I've must have missed the definition of adult is to be able to buy a drink. You cannot rent a car here in the USA  or Australia if your 18. Does that make them not an adult?   

An 18 yo can rent a car in Australia. They may have to pay a hefty insurance cost to do it, but they can definitely rent a car.

There are many definitions of an adult, but to me an adult can do everything we have discussed here, rent cars, buy drinks, book a holiday on their own etc. At least that's how it is in Australia.

It confuses me that someone who is not considered to be an adult can buy a gun or get married....

11 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Wrong on Wal Mart

 

Wrong On the insurance rates 

 

Correct, we don’t give our children chocolates with tiny toys inside to swallow; I guess that makes us monsters. 

Wrong on Walmart?

https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=rifle

Not sure what you mean by"wrong on insurance rates"? I'm not saying it is incorrect, just that I don't understand it.

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The insurance companies know a lot about this as their bottom line depends on it.

 

Biker, who expect the lock fairly soon.

Obviously, I don't know how insurance works in the US. This became obvious when I found out that in the US, you can get travel insurance that covers pre existing conditions as long as you buy it with a certain time of booking your travel.

In Australia, if you want cover for pre existing conditions, either you can't get it, or you are slugged a huge premium. 

For a serious discussion, and not trying to be funny now, I don't see how this works for the insurance company. If I have a pre existing condition, the risk for the insurer is obviously more. The fact that I purchase my insurance within a week of booking the trip does not change the risk for the insurer. Maybe someone with more knowledge of insurance can explain that one for me.

I don't dispute that in the US, a married 19yo can get a lower insurance premium than a single 19yo. I have simply never heard that before. I have been informed that it is possibly the same in the UK. In Australia, your marital status has no bearing on your insurance premium.

Yes, I like to take the mickey on some things, but I also realise most of what I'm talking about is beyond the control of anyone here on CC. I just find it funny how people refer to a 19 and 20 yo going on a cruise with parents as "kids". As noted by another poster very early in this thread, in 90%+ of countries, a 19 yo is an adult in all respects.

2 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Obviously I am shopping at the wrong supermarket, because I’ve been in the market for a .45;  what a ridiculous comment!!

Maybe the "supermarket" bit was an exaggeration, but you can buy guns in Walmart, and you can't buy a Kinder surprise with the toy inside.

If anyone can show that I'm incorrect on either of these points, I will put my hand up and admit I was wrong.

As for someone getting a different insurance rate because they are married.... no, I know nothing of this, and it makes zero sense to me. To be honest, a 19 year old that gets married is probably less responsible that one that stays single, but that's a completely different argument which I won't get into here.

I would agree that someone in the armed forces probably has more sense, even if it's only because they know the consequences if they misbehave.

34 minutes ago, Tulsacoker said:

Nope adults in the USA, you might not realize but Royal ships are registered and under Bahama flag.

1. How can you say they are "adults in the USA", when they are not allowed to buy a drink?

2. The legal drinking age in the Bahamas is 18.

Don't talk to me about ignorance when your own posts make zero sense.

10 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

If they are married or joined the Army, Royal will allow them to book their own room regardless of age. 

So if someone gets married, they instantly become more responsible that their single friends of the same age?

I suppose I should expect such rubbish from a country where I can buy a gun in the supermarket, but Kinder Surprise is banned.

7 hours ago, Homosassa said:

You have just given the reason for the steadfast denial of having a 19 and 20 year old in a cabin.

 

The cruise line has experience with kids of this age being unsupervised in a cabin and has found it prudent to have adult supervision in each cabin.

People of this age are not "Kids", they are adults... except in America.

8 hours ago, Tatka said:

 

Are you serious? They are adults. In most of other countries they would be able to book their own cabin. 🙂

Yep, but not in America... a 20 year old is only allowed to get married, have children, buy a gun or join the army.

They couldn't possibly be responsible enough to have a cabin on their own, let alone have a drink.

4 hours ago, yogimax said:

Just curious, why was it important to mention the gender of the two representatives?  It jumped off the page to me as being an unnecessary detail.

Maybe it was just to establish that they were two different people?

 

Yep.... sometime around Christmas 2022.

You can't even book a cruise for Christmas 2021 yet.

In all honesty, the whole "private island" bit doesn't interest me. I'm obviously not reflective of the overall customer base, but why would I want to go to an island? I could go to a theme park at home for a lot less. If I did happen to be on a cruise that went there, I'd probably stay on the ship and have a relaxing time while everyone else is on the island.

I also read on these forums about the cost of renting cabanas etc, and just don't get it.

45 minutes ago, ldubs said:

Wait a minute. Reading through this thread,  I think there might be a CC  first. 

 

It appears that a CHOG is complaining that other CHOGs are keeping them from Chogging the choicest seats.   

Yes. I thought the same.

It's a bit like a shoplifter complaining that the things they wanted to steal were out of stock...

3 hours ago, klfrodo said:

Ask yourself is losing the non-refundable deposit will ruin you financially? If yes, insure now. If not, then wait your normal amount.

If losing your deposit would ruin you financially, you should really be questioning spending money on a cruise on the first place...

Sympathy for your wife's situation, however two words come to mind...

Travel Insurance.

Interesting topic about Seapass cards.

Personally, I don't see the issue with them on the door, either in a sealed envelope or an unsealed one. As noted, there is nothing in the room to steal anyway. I would be more understanding of people being concerned about their luggage being left in a corridor than the issue with the Seapass cards.

As much as I do understand a solo female traveller being wary about entering an unsecured room, I really think that isn't a problem here. Firstly, the person hiding in your room would need to know they had picked the room with the solo female, and not the one with two Marines. Secondly, if their intention was to rob you, embarkation day would be the worst time to do that.. there are plenty too many people wandering around the corridors for that. Finally, if their intention was to attack you, again, the first day of the cruise would be a silly time for that as well. If you're that concerned, you could always wait for the cabin stewars to be around and ask them to show you into the room, I'm sure they would be only too happy to assist

If you're concerned about someone using your card to buy drinks etc, then the first thing you should do is turn on the TV and check your account.

Also, this may be a thing for US sailings only. On our last cruise out of Singapore, we were handed our Seapass cards at check in.

4 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

The unlimited dining package is relatively new.

 

But maybe you didn't know that?

Good point, and perhaps my post was too hasty. Apologies to Jimbo.

Interesting that someone can get to Diamond + and still has to ask about things like dining packages... or is it just another D+ person wanting to let everyone know their status?

Last cruise we flew from the UK to Singapore to board Voyager as the final part of a month long trip (we are from.Australia).

Picked up two bottles of Scotch in the UK to take home. Simply carried them in a separate bag at check in and were taken to a different desk, where they were tagged and taken away. 

Last night of the cruise they were delivered to our room. 

As long as you declare the booze at check in so it's obvious you're not trying to smuggle it on board,  you won't have any problems. 

3 hours ago, mr walker said:

 

- attracts less kids than the larger ships with all the bells & whistles

Have not sailed on Radiance as yet (booked for March 2020), but this was a prominent thing in our thinking.... 

Less for the kids, and also an 11 night cruise would also be less attractive to those with kids. Also made sure not to pick date that line up with school holidays.