Mum2Mercury

Ah, then I misunderstood, though I still don't understand how eating outdoors (or in your cabin) will be helpful if you go into crowds for other parts of the cruise. You've been fortunate, and I'm glad for you -- but I don't think your experience is typical. Perhaps you're made of more sturdy stuff than the average person?

I did this because it looked like my passport would not arrive in time for my cruise (even though my husband's had been "in hand" for more than a month) ... then it showed up in my mailbox LITERALLY as I was putting my suitcase in the car. I forgot to go online and change the information, and at the port they said, "You're traveling with a birth certificate?" I said no, showed my brand-new passport and explained ... and we all laughed.

The British bars onboard used to serve a very good trail mix in carafes -- we always used to liberate one to keep in our room, as we all LOVE trail mix. This was pre-Covid, and I didn't consider the difficulties of sharing, but a carafe requires that you pour a bit out into your hand, which seems a bit "safer". You can hit the elevator button with your elbow, eliminating one issue.

Oh, the connection between staying well and masking WAS quite direct -- but now the vaccine is a much more "sure thing". I was still teaching when Covid was raging (pre-vaccination), and I was very strict about masks in my classroom -- I didn't allow kids to be sloppy with them; for example, I wouldn't allow them to sit in my classroom with their mask under their nose (making the mask completely useless), and every half hour I opened the windows and let the air circulate. For 1 1/2 years I avoided Covid, as did the majority of my students ... then we went mask-optional, and I came down with Covid one week later. Yes, and you can eat on your balcony too -- but unless you're going to limit yourself to room service (and empty your pocketbook in the process), you're going to have to venture out to get food. Does this mean you'd also skip the pool, activities, shows? Well, I guess Movies Under The Stars would still be available to you if you weren't going to be in groups. No, avoiding crowds altogether sounds impossible. I mean, you've gotta be in a crowd just to board. That's a virus for you. It's quite possible for you to behave exactly the same way every day for a year and -- through luck -- avoid the virus, then catch it without any changes. Scientists are saying that this newest variant is easier to catch, but also easier to recover from. That's also the nature of viruses -- they dilute as time goes on.

Burgers of any type aren't my first choice, but -- if that's what I'm having -- I'll go with a hamburger. With tomato and lettuce. If they have chili nearby (which they often do), I like that too. I wish they made smaller slider burgers so I could have a burger + something else. People who want a bigger burger could take two.

First we stop by our Muster Station to take care of that necessity, then we do these same things. We also like to go to the top of the ship and circle our way down-down-down, seeing everything.

If you choose to mask, you'll be in the minority but certainly not alone. Consider, though, that the vaccination is better protection than the mask because it'll cover you 24/7, even when you have to remove the mask to eat.

I think I did: On our last cruise, we found our table assignment unacceptable. I went to the head waiter (on Day 1), and he immediately changed us to a table I liked. Regardless, I'd say that the Head Waiter's job is one of those things that -- when it's done well -- is invisible. That is, he doesn't directly interact with guests that much, but he manages all the wait staff; he makes sure they have everything they need, schedules them, and takes care of emergencies. In that manner, he helps every guest, even if he never speaks to them.

Disagree for several reasons: - If you pay ahead of time, you just include it with your cruise bill. You don't have to think about it on your vacation. That's literally no effort on your part; well, no additional effort since you're going to pay for your cruise ticket ahead of time. - If you have the RC VISA, you can earn extra points, taking you a bit closer to On Board Credit. Okay, that's not about saving effort, but having free money is certainly a good thing. - If you pay via envelopes onboard, you have to consider whom to include /exclude in your generosity, and you have to bring the cash onboard to divide up into those little envelopes. Speaking only for myself, since I rarely spend cash at home, this would require a trip to the bank to obtain small bills. - If you pay with envelopes, you have to find the right people -- your cabin steward will be easy enough to find, but occasionally your wait staff are "switched up" without warning. - You have no way to tip the "behind the scenes" staff who do quite a bit to make your vacation nice.

Exactly. Do the easy thing: Just pay up front and don't think about it again.

It's impossible to predict. My husband and I submitted our renewals on the same day (standard, not expedited). His was back in about two weeks, whereas mine took longer than the predicted time. Nothing was different between us -- we're both natural born Americans with no red flags.

We sailed twice at the end of 2022 and were pleased with the Windjammer food. To classify it as "cafeteria food" is unfair. The quality was good, if not exceptional, and we enjoyed the variety.

Yes, this. And tennis shoes ... partially because they're more bulky than the sandals I pack in the suitcase, partially because of the walking across the parking lot /up the gangplank /etc. We don't bother with staged pictures either.

Personally, I'd rather have two separate rooms than a suite ... unless you can go for a separate-bedroom suite, which is big money, a suite is just a slightly larger room. You'll have more choices /more space /that second bathroom with connecting rooms. Yes, like you, I buy nothing onboard -- except drinks. The swimsuit thing was from my daughter /mother of my 1-year old grandson, but it's brilliant. He's much too precious to risk in any way. Here's another suggestion for toddlers: When my girls were small, I used to make homemade coloring books (not that I have one ounce of artistic ability) for them "to prepare them" for upcoming events. We'd color them together and talk about what would happen /what I expected of them. For example, if we were going to Disney, I would make a page about packing a suitcase, about bringing toys for the long-long drive, about waiting our turn to ride, about ordering food in restaurants. I'd include potential rewards -- like popcorn during a parade or getting their faces painted. They never failed to behave better /have more fun when I adequately prepared them /let them know how I expected them to behave.

That last sentence says it all: If there is one available. By the time your guarantee is assigned, most of the rooms will be taken. Don't get me wrong -- we love guarantees and have always been quite happy with our assignments -- but you must acknowledge the risk in choosing the guarantee. Agree! Almost all hotels have two sets of curtains -- I'm rather amazed that ships don't. Eh, I'd say it depends. We are scheduled for an ocean view balcony in the boardwalk area, and I'm quite excited about it ... we love deck 6, and we love the idea of being able to walk out of our hallway /being near Johnny Rockets for breakfast and Playmakers. But we're in an ocean view /not facing the boardwalk. The repetitive noise from the carousel would drive me nuts. We absolutely love Promenade rooms! No, closing the curtain isn't a big deal -- it's much overplayed on these boards.

We sailed out of both Miami and Port Canaveral last year, and Miami is 10xs more chaotic than Port Canaveral. Specifics: - Getting to the Miami port is easy; that is, the signage is good and you can drive right in ... but once you go through the tunnel, the road sizes decrease and the traffic is absolutely insane /taxis are incredibly aggressive. - Note that Royal uses two different terminals in Miami. Be sure you know which one is for you. - I would consider taking an Uber instead of Royal's transfer ... the airport is only about 10 miles /15 minutes from the port, but if you're forced to wait for everyone /their luggage to fill the bus, you'll wait a long time.

I've never sailed from Houston, but I am quite sure RC offers transfers from all airports. Having said that, I would never suggest flying in "day of" ... you should absolutely arrive a day ahead of time. In addition to the concerns about missing your sailing, consider that it'll be so much nicer for everyone to arrive a day ahead of time and have an evening in a hotel room to visit, prepare for boarding. No traveling on "day of" means you can sleep in a bit, enjoy a nice breakfast, then board refreshed. I'm jumping on the bandwagon here: Two connecting rooms will work perfectly for your group. The two older ladies in one room, you and your son in the other. If your budget is small, you can go with two adjoining interior rooms, or -- if cost is not so important -- two balcony rooms. Either way, two connecting rooms will give you two bathrooms, ample storage, and a bit more privacy. You should request that the beds be separated into two twin beds. If the budget says you must stay in one room, it's absolutely do-able ... just not as comfortable. If you must go this direction, look at the deck plans and choose a room near a public ladies' room ... this will ease the bathroom issue a bit. A room near the gym would also be good, as it would allow some of you to use the gym showers. Realistically, the internet package works for one (or more, if you pay for more) electronic item at a time. If you were to pass that item between you, it would still work. Photo package would be much the same. If you're together and are in the pictures together, you would have access to them -- who pays, who keeps the pictures is up to you. Having said that, I wouldn't recommend buying either of these packages. We sailed in early December 2022, and the decorations were lovely. On the first night of the cruise they had a "tree lighting" in the promenade, followed by Christmas carols. The tree provides a great opportunity for family pictures. I have always enjoyed MUTS (movies under the stars), but on our December cruise they played a lot of Christmas films that I've seen a hundred times (the Grinch, Elf) ... these might appeal to your 3-year old, but I wish I'd been able to see something new. If you intend to sail over Christmas, you'd better make your reservations ... yesterday. Holiday sailings, even at their inflated prices, go fast. Connecting rooms aren't unlimited, so that's another reason to move fast. We sailed over Thanksgiving once, which was a mistake, and their turkey dinner was quite good. You don't have to bring water ... the ship's tap water is good /is available in the Windjammer Buffet and Cafe Promenade. I'd bring a wide-mouth refillable drink bottle and pour cups of ice water into it. If you insist upon bottled water, you are allowed to bring on 12 bottles, or you can order them /have them delivered to your stateroom for a reasonable cost. Your mom will also find no end of diet sodas and coffees, all of which are good choices for diabetics. I assume your three-year old is in a bed? If you have the beds split into twins in an inside room, one side of each bed will be against the wall. When my girls were that age, I'd bring along a pool noodle (or roll up a bunch of towels) and put them UNDER the fitted sheet ... this would create a "bump" and keep them from rolling out. Three is good age because he will be allowed to go to the kids' club (no cost) ... he will love it. As soon as you board the ship, you should go straight to the kids' club and register him, then you can drop him off when you please ... you can check the Daily Compass for kids' club activities. Know that holiday cruises often sail "above capacity", meaning they have a larger than average number of 3rd and 4th passengers ... this means the kids' club will be more crowded than usual. I'd pack loads of clothing for a toddler, as he will make some messes and you won't have a washing machine. My daughter only allows her 1-year old son to wear swim trunks in red, orange or yellow, as they don't "blend in" with the water like a blue suit would do /makes him more visible, especially in a crowd. I'd pack a few sit-down-and-be-quiet toys (especially some things to occupy him while waiting for your meals), but he will have the playground and the kids' club and plenty to keep him entertained. Adults don't need to bring much beyond their clothes. I like to have an insulated cup to keep my drinks cool, and I like a couple magnetic hooks to keep my hat and my paperwork up /off the table. Definitely bring your own shampoo /conditioner, as the all-in-one provided in the shower isn't good. Definitely bring any OTC meds you might need, as they will cost a fortune onboard. Excursions? Can't recommend without knowing where you're stopping /the older lady's comfort level /your interests. You'll find plenty of opportunity for massages on the beaches, etc. that will be significantly cheaper than onboard. It's no exaggeration to say that all three of you could have a massage off the ship for what you'd pay for a single massage onboard.

I think it might be more accurate to say that ancient people often died for lack of lamb shanks and polenta -- snails and crawly things aren't particularly filling. I suspect none of us cruisers are in danger of starving, regardless of what menu set we favor.

A dozen extra-large at Lidl are $3.75 ... somehow I can't say "only $3.75" because that's still too much for eggs. This is temporary though; eggs'll go down again.

Yes, as long as it's not one of those seriously massive suitcases, your plan will work. In reality, though, suitcases reach your room pretty quickly. We always try to be in the first boarding group, and our luggage is always in the hallway when "rooms open up" around 1:00. I would tag the suitcase just in case you end up giving it to the porters. If your luggage gets lost once while boarding a cruise ship you could chalk it up to bad luck. If it's happening "often", you're not labeling your suitcases well.

Even if you show up early, you're still going to have to search for your things in an absolute sea of luggage. It seems to me that -- assuming you're able to do it -- carrying off your own luggage is faster and easier. If you're going to send your stuff through this way, at least do something to make it look different. Probably 90% of the luggage is plain black. If you're choosing new luggage, choose a bright color. Or buy a stretch cover for your luggage, or mark it with colorful duct tape, or tie something bright to the handle. The bottom line is that you've gotta do what makes you comfortable. That is good sense. When I saw the woman fall, no staff member was anywhere nearby -- could have been an odd moment when the person was forced to step away.

No, but it's not likely to happen. You can guard against accidental suitcase-theft by bringing something unique-looking.

Thanks for this. If you have porters take your luggage, there's no hurry to have to claim it at the port correct? No. If you put your luggage out for the porters, you're assigned a time slot when your luggage will be put out. You're expected to show up during that time slot: - Show up early, and your luggage won't yet be available. - Show up on time, and you'll have a sea of luggage through which you must sort. - Show up late, and your stuff will have been removed so the new time slot's luggage can be set out.

Oh, my ... if you ever find those, share the source with me. My husband is wonderful, but he seriously can't dress himself. Ask him where he gets his clothes; he'll tell you, "Foot of the bed." In his experience /33 years of marriage, that's where he gets them. I don't know exactly what time they'll kick you out, but you can absolutely have a nice breakfast before you leave. Unless you're married to my husband, of course; he can only see the car and the road on the last day.

Eh, I don't see this as a big worry. How many people will remember the old menu options? And, if they do remember, how many people are going to think it's okay to ask for something off-menu? No surprise it's Talapia -- that's kinda the cheapest of white fish. Agree. I also missed the options in the top box. I think I'd have been less likely to miss it if I were holding the paper menu.