Smiles1984

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Kinda weird that with all the good flight options to the UK, they chose to embark crew there, but I assume there must be some convenience thing with Cyprus.

International arrivals to the UK are required to quarantine for 10 days, so rather than pay for a hotel etc it makes sense to collect them in a floating hotel so they can just float off the coast for a couple of weeks before starting service. 

I just had a refund processed in under 14 days. Most banking partners limit how many transactions can be processed in a single batch and their system should never have been designed to process these volumes of refunds, logically they'll have put in place a system that allocated priority based on multiple criteria. 

Your refund is coming, and processing times are (on the whole) improving.

1 hour ago, TheMastodon said:

 

Agree to disagree.  

 

You would wear a mask to avoid a cold ?  That blows my mind.  

Absolutely. A cold usually means I spend a week feeling rotten, something I'd happily avoid if all it requires is occasionally wear a piece of fabric over my nose and mouth for a short period of time. To be honest, I'd do that just to reduce other people feeling that way. People talk about cold/flu/covid and how we can never be rid of them but if everyone really did social distancing for a few weeks worldwide they could be eliminated pretty quickly, it would just rely on everyone sticking to it and being honest about symptoms.

The bit that blows my mind is that anyone would be more concerned with a minor inconvenience than helping those around them.

8 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

And I would lie about being ill. If I had the cruise on the Pearl to do over again. I would have bought imodium plus with me on the ship and just taken as opposed to going to the medical centre to get it. There was a bad Noro outbreak on that ship.

Case in point. You'll happily risk making others sick and potentially ruin their vacation rather than compromise your own. This attitude is why we're still dealing with covid, and why noro outbreaks are an issue. 

18 hours ago, TheMastodon said:

 

 

Give me a break.  We haven't done a great job (nothing you can really do anyways) mitigating Covid19 the past year - it has made its way around the USA / Europe at will even with over washing hands and wearing covid19 condoms and staying away from one another.  You are essentially saying hand washing, distancing, and face masks stopped flu BUT not covid19.   Soooo where does that leave us?

 

Viral Interference !!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're inferring a lot from my comment. First of all, we know that a virus where there is no pre-existing immunity will spread faster and more easily than one that's been around for decades where people have built immunity over years of being exposed to multiple variants. So regardless of measures taken, Covid was always going to spread faster. The same applies to the effect it has, people are likely to see stronger symptoms. Add to this that nobody was really sure how best to treat Covid, something that's still being fine tuned.

Social distancing and mask wearing has reduced the numbers, you don't need any kind of report to understand that, it's common sense. Airborne respiratory virus spreads in droplets that leave/enter the mouth, when you avoid people or cover your mouth in any way you reduce the odds of infection. Maybe only by a fraction, maybe by 100%, that depends on the virus, the person, and the circumstances.

Seasonal flu numbers are down, and (granted, not a scientific approach) I don't know a single person who has had a cold this year except a friend who has been working in an office since June in close proximity to others.

I'm not saying I'd remain in lockdown indefinitely to avoid a cold, I'm saying we can keep some elements we've adopted in the last 12 months in limited situations to improve everyone's lives. I'd happily wear a mask in the supermarket during the winter to avoid a cold. 

But my key point was the comparison to the nudists. The same people complaining that about a scenario where a nude person places a towel on a chair, sits on it, the chair is then cleaned, and weeks later they sit on the same chair are also complaining that they might on occasion be asked to wear a mask in a corridor to avoid spreading germs. It seems really backwards to me that personal convenience always trumps helping others out. The comment was shortly followed by someone explaining that they would happily hide symptoms of a contagious illness rather than lose a single day of vacation. 

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

NORO is more touch of surface and then face then airborne and can be dealt with imodium plus as I have learned from the NCL Pearl. If I had had imodium plus I never would have gone to the medical centre. They don't sell imodium plus on purpose you know. 

 

But yes masks might help to prevent NORO spread as well

Anyone wondering why Noro spreads on ships, here is your answer:

It's interesting how people's attitudes land. In the UK there are very few situations where you're indoors or in close proximity with others outside of your home where mask wearing isn't the norm, and for most it's just not an issue. I'd rather be wearing a mask on a cruise than be wearing one in the supermarket, and I'd rather have a holiday than not.

It's also fascinating to me that this year there have been hardly any cases of flu or colds, likely down to a combination of social distancing and mask use. It's a very small thing we can all do some of the time to make a big difference to anyone, but the overwhelming majority on here say they won't. Compare that to the response to the knowledge a short while ago that there were private nude cruises where people sit on towels and everything is cleaned afterwards, and the outrage from quite a number about the hygiene implications of that. 

Not having a go, it just strikes me as ironic. 

I can still see prices for the DBP I purchased for my Dec 2021 Anthem cruise which I purchased last November.

Parachute.

8 hours ago, ace2542 said:

I always thought Green was the bottom of the pile the expensive being ones Black and Gold with Red and Blue in the middle.  🤣

The problem with JW is that once you reach something palatable, you're paying far too much for what you're getting. Personally, I wouldn't drink anything below the gold label by choice (and there is literally always a choice), but for the cost there are so many amazing options. 

2 hours ago, ace2542 said:

Then he must be quite picky. I seem to recall seeing a wide selection of Whiskey including many American brands. I seem to recall on the Indy it was 13 bucks covered or 14 even and you pay every dollar over. So if his brand if 15 bucks. He pays 2?

Very limited selection of scotch, mostly generic brands like Glenfiddich or Johnnie walker. No high end bourbons I saw, and the rums were all either spiced or dosed, very few actually Caribbean rums. They have to stock it before you can buy it!

Picky is a matter of perspective. To each their own and fair play to all, but most spirits drinkers prefer quality over quantity.

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Sounds like the UK has a drinking problem. 😎

It absolutely does. Chain bars have created a culture of preferring large quantities of cheap booze over drinking something enjoyable. There's a particular chain called Wetherspoons which is the Walmart of bars that has done significant damage to the hospitality industry.

14 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

What is with the brown paper bags you see people drinking out of on TV and maybe even in the real world? Is that just for show or does it make it legal if the drink is in a bag?

Many states have laws prohibiting a visibly open container of alcohol in public. While the bag doesn't negate the rules, many police will turn a blind eye rather than going through the hassle of writing a ticket if they can say they couldn't see it.

9 hours ago, ace2542 said:

What is the point?. Just smash the drinks package and get yourself into profit. I drunk more on Indy then I paid for the cruise and package and on NCL Gem and Pearl. More on the Gem then the 26 night christmas package cost me.

The point in the OP is that Royal don't have the drinks they enjoy, not that they're not able to pound away as many drinks as they want. 

I feel your pain. I'm a rum drinker and the selection on board (while extensive) is very poor. I've offered to bring a few bottles for them to keep at the bar, to be poured at their discretion, and they keep what's left, but not even that was allowed. It's a shame as I think they'd have ended up choosing to stock it!

3 hours ago, welshrich said:

Hi, We've had a few cruises cancelled and rebooked some of them for this year and next year, I got a great deal on flights with Virgin and went with it as they are offering free rebooking, might be worth looking into it and just be resigned to the fact if it cancels you can get a credit but not a refund.  Not much comfort but until things really improve anything could happen.

That's a really good shout, looks like I could rebook for a trip in 2022 if it all falls apart. Thanks for the headsup!

5 minutes ago, Tin can said:

to correct you slightly the UK is 2nd or 3rd I think in the world vaccinating its population currently and although its really grim here at the moment it has to improve surely despite what that scientist says!

 

We might be high in the rankings, but we're still behind schedule already and the government schedules are unlikely to be fulfilled.

I'm unlikely to qualify for one anytime soon. Which is right, front line workers like NHS, Blue Lights, teachers etc should get them.

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Make it more like 8 months. 

Ouch. By that time I'll definitely be flying economy, which if I booked now would be a cost I wouldn't worry too much about losing!

This is where I keep leading myself in circles. Booking economy now would be cheap enough that I could deal with the risk, but then I'd spend the year wondering if I had missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime treat. But with the uncertainty around the cruise even happening, booking the upgraded seats is too much of an outlay to risk just losing. So booking with Royal solves the issue if it's affordable, but if they keep me waiting for months to find out it might cost too much, by which time I'm paying a lot more for downgraded seats whoever I go with!

Of course the safest option would be to cancel the drinks package, and assume the cruise will cancel before final payment (november), or if it doesn't just cancel then and lose the £300 deposit. But I think knowing the ship then went on to sail would finish me off after the year I've had!

If any UK users have actually booked flights through Royal in the last few months, I'd really appreciate a rough idea of how the cost compared with booking flights direct?

Thanks!

I've found myself with a bit of a dilemma recently.

I don't get to cruise often, so the cruise I previously had booked for 2 weeks around the med on Anthem last June was a big thing for me. It was booked before covid, and when things kicked off I moved it to Dec 2021 in the Caribbean, thinking things would likely be back to normal by then. Throughout 2020, looking ahead to this has been the focus of my "let's get through this, there's a reward at the end" mindset.

When I moved the booking, there was actually a bit of confusion on my part between the sailing dates of the cruise in 2020 vs 2021, and it was only after moving it I realised I'd be flying back to the UK from NY on Xmas eve, landing on the 25th. Initially I panicked, thinking this would cost a fortune, but it actually produced an unexpected benefit. I didn't realise how much cheaper flights can be at this time, and for not much more than an economy round trip in the summer, I could fly out in premium, and back in business or first, which is an item on my bucket list I didn't think I'd ever get to tick off. I've been watching prices on December 2020 flights all year to get an idea of the best times to book once the 2021 flights started to become available.

However (I get there in the end), the dilemma has now presented itself. The UK is already well behind in its vaccine roll out plans and the need for more lockdowns next winter are now being discussed, and every travel insurer I've spoken to has stated that they would consider an itinerary change/cancellation to be down to covid, and therefore not covered. This means that if Royal cancel the cruise for any reason, or if a vaccination is required and I can't get one, I'm stuck with the flights. The only way I'd be able to cancel them once booked is if the UK/US closed their borders and the flight itself didn't go, or if I myself had covid. Most airlines also appear pretty inflexible around this, as I'd expect them to be. 

Royal don't currently have any flights available for that far ahead, and have advised waiting at least 3 months before approaching them, but does anyone have any recent experience booking flights through them from the UK, and have any ideas of how much more expensive they are? I know it used to be roughly 10% pre-covid, can anyone reliably advise what premium I can expect to pay? 

I'm booked on a 12 night. Fingers crossed it happens!

Thanks for the confirmation!

If I book the 3 or 5 night dining package, can I decide whether a speciality dining venue is counted as a use of this or just pay for it?

Specifically, if I eat at Johnny Rockets, I'd prefer to just pay for it and save my 5 nights for the 'real' restaurants. Can I do this?

DBP on my 12 night anthem December 2021 cruise is down to £30pppn from £41, pretty decent drop which makes me wonder if they expect my cruise to happen. Meh. Ordered it anyway!

Having shifted our 12 night cruise to Dec 2021 we were starting to feel confident, in fact I'm still hopeful it will sail, enough to be taking advantage of the reduction on the DBP that appeared today, but then again we can always cancel that.

My big concern at the moment is booking flights from the UK. Things are starting to look good with vaccines, but there's a significant saving if I book my flights as soon as they go on sale in early Jan, especially for upgraded cabins (business/first). However most travel insurances available won't cover the cost of the flights if the cruise is cancelled for covid reasons, or cost 90% of the cost of the cruise itself. Airlines are offering a credit if you need to change your flights, but only up to August. 

I am getting twitchy!

There seems to be a slight blurring here on whether the US will approve a certain vaccine for use within its borders and whether they will accept a non-US citizen vaccinated with it for entry into the country. 

Authorising a vaccine for use is decided by a number of factors, whether it works, whether it produces side effects, how expensive it is, and whether or not the politician signing the form (or a member of their family/a friend/babysitter etc) makes any money from it.

Allowing visitors from another country based on whether they have had a particular vaccine will be decided by whether the vaccine works, and whether there is anything to be lost/gained by antagonising the country in question.

8 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Surely those figures must be the wrong way round? How can it be less effective with dosage?

They have said themselves that they do not understand the discrepancy. Keep in mind that these are very early tests and done on a very small scale. They gave half the subjects a placebo, and the other half the vaccine. They take the number of placebo subjects who catch the virus and the number of vaccinated subjects who catch it to work out the effectiveness. For example, if 100 placebo subjects and 10 vaccinated subjects catch it, it's 90% effective. 

While this is promising, I wouldn't put too much faith in the numbers. There is a lot more work to be done.

8 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Mother's milk.  My favorite Scotch.  However the price increases have sadly seen it appear less and less in my home.

 

Royal has never been known for great Scotch selections.  I have often found myself falling back to Black Label in a desperate attempt to seek out some of the flavors of my favorite singles.  Black Label is not a complimentary choice in the lounges, it's a paid option but covered by the DX.  At least they added Glenfiddich to the suite lounge/happy hour menu last year.  Before that the basic complimentary Scotch choices included in the lounge was pretty dire.   

Didn't they used to let you pay the difference on upgraded spirits? I might cancel my DBP in that case!

10 hours ago, twangster said:

I think it was Harmony where the SL surprised me and had a couple unusual Scotch in the SL.  They were not covered entirely by the DX but it was pretty cool to see Lagavulin 16 behind the bar.  That was 3 or 4 years ago now.  I'd be highly shocked to see now but I probably said that before boarding Harmony so ...

 

Make no mistake,  Lagavulin was well above the cap of the DX.   Well above.

How on earth do they justify that? It's the baseline of Islays!

2 hours ago, notmyrealnameoremail said:

But,  that is on the Singapore site it and is for the upcoming cruises out of Singapore.  While much of it may carry over to cruises out of other countries, some may not.

Yes. The video this thread is based on applies to them, since they are the first cruises.

1 hour ago, beerman2 said:

That is 7, where are the other 67 the "Healthy Sail" panel put together and is recommending? 

This is about the video. People responded stating that the video was not official, I provided a link to the official statement to back it up.