Mum2Mercury

I see lots of things that were offered on Explorer in September -- but the menu format is different. I'd be interested to hear what people enjoyed /would skip next time. Prime Rib -- my husband was not impressed. Roasted chicken from the Classic menu -- my husband liked it. Key Lime Pie -- one of the best desserts we had. French Onion Soup -- good, but I'm only a so-so fan of this recipe, no matter how well done. Shrimp Cocktail -- I had it every night; good, but wish it were more than 4 shrimp. Escargot -- My husband had it most nights and enjoyed it. Coconut Cake -- the one thing I would not order again; tasted frozen. Turtle "cheesecake" from the Vegan menu -- good. Dark chocolate brownie -- my husband's favorite of the week -- nice presentation. Lobster (regular, not the upsell option) -- my husband had two; one was bad, one was okay. The lobster tails were on the small side but were not cut in half. We did not try the included-in-the-price steak but were not impressed with what we saw on other people's plates. I had the fish entree most nights and was always pleased. I heard many people compliment the Fish-and-Chips; I'd like to see it added to the Classic menu. I see more than a few people have keyed into why they're serving so much Indian food: It's an easy way to disguise last night's extra roasted chicken; the spices and sauces cover up leftovers quite well. I'm not against being thrifty, but I see it for what it is. Check the menus on your phone: they include a Vegan menu and a Children's menu. These don't show up on the paper menu, but you may order from them.

Colleges tend to run 14-week semesters, and their spring break is at the halfway point -- so usually mid-March. BUT some schools start earlier /later than others; for example, my kids attended a university in a snowy area, and they always started a week later than other colleges. On the other hand, public K-12 schools tend to schedule spring break either the week before OR the week after Easter, and that can fall in either March or April -- depends upon the Equinoxal storms.

Thanks for the advice! I'm on hold right now, and -- if I give up -- I'll try again this evening, as you suggest. It's irritating -- why don't they hire enough people to manage their call volume? Someone else mentioned a $400 drop. I'd stay online a while for that. It's not like I can't do something else while listening to their music. I'm sitting in my spare bedroom organizing Christmas gifts.

Someone's certainly calling Royal Caribbean for some deals! I'm on hold right now -- they estimated a 2 hour wait "because of our outstanding current promotions". I have to stay on because they've left the Jr. off my husband's name for our very-soon cruise booking, and that could prevent him from boarding. To anyone who's currently kicking around baby names: Jr. will cause small problems for your future son!

I'm with those who say ICK to wearing a lanyard on vacation. I didn't particularly like wearing one with my work ID. All my shorts /day dresses /swim cover-ups have pockets for a Ship ID, and in the evening I carry a small wristlet bag. I'll call 100% BS on "literally everyone" wearing lanyards onboard. Certainly the lanyard crew is made up of more than a few members, but they're in the minority. More to the spirit of the question: If you really want to use a lanyard, don't wait and hope for a punch. Either purchase a lanyard that comes with a plastic "holder" attached, or go to Walmart's sporting goods department and purchase one. They're intended to hold /keep dry paper fishing licenses, and they cost about $1. Office supply stores sell them too, but they tend to sell them in packets of 5 or 10, and you probably don't need that many.

Eh, yes and no. You've heard the phrase, "You eat with your eyes first"? It means, of course, that the plating of your food matters -- that attractive food tastes better than food that's just slapped on the plate. When I was working, people always used to comment on the lunches I'd bring in -- they'd say how pretty they were. I do take time to make my family's meals look nice, especially with lots of colorful veg. Anyway -- to some extent -- that extends to the atmosphere of the room, which sets the stage for the meal. Taking some care with your dress, walking into a nice room -- this mentally prepares you for a nice meal. Disagree, as others on this thread have said, gym shorts and dress shorts are not the same animal. I did wear shorts to dinner twice on our last cruise -- nice dress shorts paired with a dressy, gauzy blouse, wedge heels, nice hair and make-up and jewelry. That's a long way from what I wore for the gym: gray Sofies and a school mascot tee that some kid left in my classroom years ago. I don't think any single thing is responsible for the drop in organized religion in America. Oh, come on, you may not WANT to dress up, but pulling on a pair of pants or a sundress isn't really stressful. Hey, hey, hey -- do you see a fork in the man's hand? He's not at dinner! Dressing up occasionally makes me feel good about myself. During the pandemic we -- like so many other people -- fell into a pattern of slovenly dress: PJ pants, hair in a ponytail - just not caring. As things were winding down, we were invited to a wedding. I wore a lovely lace dress and heels -- both things that've been in my closet a long time. I did my hair and make-up. I looked really good, and I felt good about myself. It set the tone for a nice evening, and it made me realize that I feel better about myself when I put in some effort. My husband definitely noticed, and it made him happy -- not that he was complaining before.

I agree with you! We're retired now, so we're not hurrying back to a job. BUT when my husband knows we have a drive ahead of us, he kinda goes nuts. ALL HE CAN THINK ABOUT is getting behind the wheel. He lets me pick the ship, lets me plan our island activities, lets me have my way in everything really ... but this is his thing. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, GET TO THE CAR. I think he'd behave the same way if we lived an hour from the port.

We have a long drive ahead after disembarkation, so we like to get up early and get off ASAP. Well, no, we don't LIKE it, but it's the best thing for us. My husband gets mean on the last morning, and all he can see is the car and the road. On our recent Explorer cruise (Miami), we got into line about 6:45 (7:00 was the docking time), and I'd estimate 75 people were ahead of us. The line snaked through the dining room, and everyone was pleasant ... this was a longer line than we have experienced in the past. They started letting people off about 7:15-7:20ish, and once the line started moving, we moved fast. I'd say we were out of the terminal at 7:30. We were driving by 7:40. I really don't know if that's the best thing, or -- if we were to wait an hour -- whether the line would've died down. I sorta think no. I think we hit the line at the right time. Rambling comments on self-disembarkation: - Assuming you're able to manage your own luggage, it's so much easier than putting out your luggage the night before, hitting the right exit time, then searching for your luggage in terminal. - Self-disembarkation is definitely faster. - You must be able to manage your own luggage by yourself. You will have NO HELP /NO CARTS available until ... well, I'm not sure when. Obviously, this is much more do-able if you pack lightly ... preferably in wheeled luggage and backpacks. - We saw one family (with kids) boarding with a collapsible beach wagon ... if you must haul kids and multiple bags, that might be a good choice. - Keep your Ship ID in your pocket ... you must "ping out" as you leave the ship. It's how they know when everyone's off. Keep your passport, etc. on your person too. As we were disembarking, we saw a woman standing off to the side with all her luggage ... she was crying; I suspect she had lost her documents, and her significant other had gone back to search for them. - Once you're down the gangplank /off the ship, you'll have to either take the elevator OR the escalator down ... WITH your luggage. The line for the elevator is considerably longer. - On this last cruise, we were allowed to choose the elevator or escalator for ourselves ... but in the past I've seen a cruise employee sending people to one or the other. I know that (in the past) they've looked at my husband as if they were judging whether he could manage the family's luggage. - Don't lie to yourself about whether you can manage your luggage: When we left Explorer in September, a middle-aged woman and her elderly mother were in front of us -- both were pulling a LARGE suitcase AND a rolling carry-on suitcase. The mother was having trouble on the flat surface, but the daughter kept saying, "You can do the escalator." I waited /didn't get on right after her, even though my husband was pushing me (like I said, he's mean on the last morning) ... and I was glad I did: The mother, who was following her daughter, lost control of her suitcases /fell at the bottom of the escalator. If I hadn't left so much space between us, the escalator would've pushed me onto her. Since I was way back, the daughter was able to snatch away the suitcases and help her mother up ... but it was a close thing. - Once we were off the escalator and left the mother/daughter behind us, we walked quickly to Customs. It was SO FAST that I didn't quite understand we were DONE. That facial recognition software is good. - After that, it was straight to the parking deck and the road home. Again, I think we left the terminal about 7:30 and had our luggage situated /drove out of the parking deck about 7:40. - They do serve breakfast in the Windjammer AND the MDR on Disembarkation day, but it's smaller than the other days' breakfasts and the mood is definitely somber. I just got a bowl of oatmeal, and my husband stared daggers at me while I choked it down -- did I mention he's mean on the last morning? Perhaps if you go later in the day, it's different? - Most people go to breakfast, then return to their rooms for their luggage. The Windjammer wasn't crowded ... next time I might consider bringing my luggage to breakfast /heading straight to the line afterward.

I brought exactly enough on my recent 7-day cruise -- I wanted for nothing, and I used everything I brought. This includes what I wore for embarkation. I kept notes so I could do it right again: - 3 casual dresses - White jeans & 2 nice blouses to match - 3 pairs shorts & 4 cute tops - Chambray shirt that could serve as a light jacket - 2 swim suits & 2 cover ups - 1 night gown - 1 hat & hair accessories - 1 small purse for dinner & 1 small pool bag - 1 pair each: tennis shoes, walking sandals, dressy wedges for dinner, and water shoes (if needed for excursions) If I were doing a 14-day, I'd probably go to 4-5 dresses ... they don't really get dirty at dinner, and they fold down to nothing. One pair of jeans is enough ... but I'd add 2 more nice blouses for variety. I'd double the shorts and daytime tops, as they do get sweaty. And I'd add at least one more swimsuit, but no additional shoes. I was glad I brought extra hair ties and hair pins, as the wind blew some of mine away. This would all fit in a medium-sized suitcase and would not require washing clothes mid-trip.

You usually don't need your passport or license in port (a few locations or excursions may require ID); no need even for a copy ... just be back on board with a couple hours to spare. Few people stay out 'til the last-last-minute anyway. Pick up a disposable camera. No one will bother to steal it. No one wants your beach bag, towel or sunscreen. Don't wear any jewelry. If you feel you must bring valuables to the beach, an around-the-neck waterproof container is probably your best option. I always make sure my husband has swim trunks with a zippered pocket, and he carries our ship ID, a couple dollars and a credit card. He puts a safety pin on his pocket to make it harder to access. Consider going to the beach with a group ... your fellow cruisers aren't likely to be thieves. You can contact people on your future cruise through this board. If you feel you must bring valuables to the beach, an around-the-neck waterproof container is probably your best option. Well, I wouldn't have thought anyone would steal your shoes! I do remember being on a cruise line's private island (Disney?) and seeing a bunch of used shoes for sale in the straw market. I assumed they were shoes previous passengers had left behind. Maybe I was wrong! I agree these bags CAN be opened ... but the idea is to make the thief keep walking /keep looking for an easier target.

Everything I've been watching has been going up-up-up ... I suspect so they can have "a sale" next week.

Neither of my two cruises will even open today.

I got mine within hours. I completed it on my phone as we drove home.

The cruise line will check your passports as a part of the Embarkation process; once they've looked at your passport (or other documents) once, they will not do it again. Realistically, the ship just wants to know that you will be able to re-enter the US /won't be stuck in their terminal at the end of your cruise. They will give you a Ship ID Card, and that's all the ship cares about from that point on. As you leave the ship (adult or child), you must run that Ship ID Card through a scanner, which will "ping you off the ship". When you return, same thing -- they'll "ping you back on the ship". Coming /going for island stops only requires the Ship ID cards. Excursions don't care about your passport. Why would they care? Occasionally you'll have a need for another ID -- maybe because a specific country requires it, maybe because you're going to be driving during the excursion and they want to know you have a driver's license. But, in general, you need your passport only for boarding the ship and for passing through Customs /re-entering the US at the end of your trip. You say you're doing ship excursions. Typically the ship will give you a paper "ticket" that serves as a reminder of your excursion's meeting time /location -- and it lets the ship's representative know you've paid for the excursion. If you change these to private excursions (which are less crowded, more personalized, and -- as a bonus -- cheaper), you'd exit the ship and meet your tour guide near the pier. Typically they hold a sign to identify themselves. But neither a ship excursion nor a private excursion will typically ask for your passport or other ID.

Making reservations is not a manual task. Mowing your lawn is a manual task. I despise those phone menus. Eh, other than the DMV I haven't waited in a 15 minute line in ... forever. I usually like self check-out -- mainly because I like to bag my own groceries and know they're put together correctly (and without being wasteful of bags). BUT if I have a coupon or a difficulty of some sort, I'll go to a full-service check-out. I am retired. I am occasionally in a hurry. I don't need to be occupied in a line. Eh, that might be possible for people who are good with money -- but I've thought numerous times, "What do people who can't maintain a credit card do?" Debit cards or pre-paid cards might be a partial answer, but a whole lot of people simply can't seem to understand anything except cash-in-hand. I'm thinking of adults, but the same thing is true of children. Children /teens need to understand cash before they move on to the abstract concept of spending with a credit card. When my kids were in college, the laundry in their dorm basement took cards /sent a text when the load was done. It was kinda a pain because the kids had "two accounts" on their college ID card -- one for the meal plan; the other for laundry, xerox machines and a couple other small items. I'm not sure whether the washer/dryer also took quarters. Well, just to be difficult, you could've used your phone to order an earwax removal kit from CVS.

Thanks! What's the deposit for a suite?

On our recent cruise (My Time Dining) we were seated within minutes every night but one. On that night, we waited about five minutes. I have heard that the later you book, the faster you'll be seated. Said differently, most people seem to want early reservations. We were kinda mid-way with our times. They seem to have mostly two-seater /four-seater tables.

We're considering planning a family group trip in 2024. My husband and I'll be sailing between now and then, so we would be able to make the reservations for everyone while we're onboard. I've made Next Cruise ressies for just the two of us -- but never for more. I'd appreciate help with any of the following: - We'll probably need 4-5 rooms. The Next Cruise rules online say EACH PERSON can reserve up to three rooms -- does that mean I could make three reservations and my husband could make three reservations? For a total of up to six? - Would each room get the same benefits we'd get? That is, reduced reservation fee of $100 and $100 OBC (assuming one week cruise)? - Anything that's not obvious about this plan? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

We've sailed with four in a cabin and have had a great time! Much depends upon your attitude!

On Royal Caribbean you can make dinner reservations (yes, for My Time Dining) pretty much as soon as you've reserved your cruise. They can be the same time every night, or they can vary. I've already made mine for my next-October cruise (I'm typing this in November).

Increased safety. Agree.

Eh, most of the crew on our recent cruise were wearing their masks under their noses, so -- in reality -- they were already optional.

Obvious question: Now that you're a three-person group, are you sticking with two cabins, or will you drop to one? One cabin -- even a larger cabin -- would be cheaper. Regardless, the answer is, You've gotta call Royal's Customer Service. Yeah, but short-term girlfriends don't usually get taken along on cruises with mom and dad.

I know what an international airport is, but what's an international hospital? I think hospitals exist in other countries, and it's possible you'd go to one for treatment -- doesn't make them "international".

Random thoughts, in no particular order: - No, travel insurance is not mandatory, but I wouldn't sail without it. - The #1 thing against which you really want to be protected is Emergency Evacuation. Transportation to a nearby hospital /then back home can cost thousands upon thousands upon thousands. - If you were to become sick or injured on an island, you'd almost certainly be better off returning to the ship for treatment. - Depending upon which travel insurance you choose, you may also be covered for travel delay (i.e., the airplane is late), for lost luggage, etc. Definitely read your paperwork.