Ret MP

In a weird way, this kinda reminds me of the good old (or bad old, depending on one's perspective) days at Disney Parks that had the A, B, C, D, & E tickets, E being the best rides.

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!! While there is no guarantee that this will eliminate childish behavior by adults, it's a start. Now, if they would only enforce their own rules.

I'm not sure. That would be great for a whole other discussion on another board, somewhere. Oh, just an FYI, I do remove my chewing tobacco from my mouth, place it on a napkin, sip my wine with my pinky sticking out, and then replace the chewing tobacco. After all, I'm a man of culture, I'd never drink wine with tobacco in my mouth.

I don't remember if it was Allure or Symphony that had a Brizillian Steak House menu in the Solarium Bistro. We loved it. Wish/hope it is still available.

Of course, it is. I bet you drink your wine with your pinky finger sticking out, too.

Exactly!

I'm not trying to do anything, this started out as a question with disclaimers attached and later suggestions. I don't have to be an expert in all, most, or anything involved to make suggestions. I see an issue or experience and issue and I make suggestions. Doesn't mean they are received, possible, or possible. I'm not a negative kind of guy, I see possibilities. I don't believe in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality or it's just too hard.

I must say, I haven't either. But, I can't remember a time when the seas were that rough on any of my more recent (last decade or so) cruises.

LOL Do they ever?

Ya, what he said!

Yep, start from scratch, even international treaties would have to be amended/modified/deleted, and rewritten. I'm not saying it's an easy task. But, as I said, if a healthcare law can contain thousands of pages and references to thousands of other regulations/publications and so on, this can be done. Or how about the tax code?

LOL I like to think of myself as a somewhat savvy 72-year-old sexy senior citizen who knows more about tech than most of the 20 - 30-something-year-olds, at least on selective IT items. Now they may know more about the Snap-Chat ins and outs and so on. But, I can navigate around the Internet, get apps, troubleshoot many issues, adjust settings in the advanced settings area, and so on. Oh, and I remember how to dial a dial phone.

Yep, the same exact ones. And they multiply!

The rising cost of cruising is largely due to government issues which we can't discuss on this forum. I don't doubt the intent of your reply. But, I only pointed out that it was a question about whether it would be a more convenient way to do business that would benefit customers/passengers. Side note: Someone mentioned that the Jones/PVSA is too complex for the lawmakers to change/amend. I say, if a law has become too complex to modify, repeal it and start over and make it more up-to-date. Hell, we had a bill dealing with healthcare that was thousands of pages long and referred to thousands of other publications, I think we can write a new law from scratch if there was truly a desire to do so.

I could go on and on and answer most major issues that you have brought up. But, I think you didn't fully appreciate that my post was basically a question of convenience for passengers, not the government, industry, or anything else other than passengers, with a few disclaimers (Albatross, Rules/Laws/Regulations, Cost, Hand greasing, and so on. So, yes I know/knew that it is an impossibility. But, I do appreciate it, and I mean it, your effort in explaining things, some I knew, some I didn't.

I can only think of a few industries that require U.S. citizenship to be employed and they all have something to do with national security. The hypocrisy of our government is amazing. My first two years in the U.S. Army were not as a U.S. Citizen (however, I could not get a security clearance, which is not a career enhancer, until I became a U.S. Citizen). Don't get me wrong, I believe in hiring U.S. Citizens for jobs in the U.S., but that should be the companies/industries policy, if there is no national security involved, that is.

Of course! 🤬

Yep, that's what I edited in before your.

And, doesn't it have to be a "round trip"/embark and debark at the same port? I've never done a B2B but I have witnessed many times the B2B folks have to debark from the first cruise and embark on the 2nd cruise just so they officially debarked and went through whatever the regulations/laws are at the time. I'm not sure about the cost of registering a cruise ship in the U.S. and its attached regulations/rules/laws. But, wouldn't it be much easier if cruise lines that operate mostly out of U.S. ports were registered in the U.S. of A? Then they could open up a whole other type of cruising experience for many folks, embark in NYC, cruise to the Caribbean, a few get off and maybe embark more people in Key West, got to CocoCay, and then the ship continues back to NYC with the people that didn't get off in KW, for example. Medical emergencies would not be an issue. But, I'm sure the cost of U.S. registration and the Albatross around the necks of cruise lines because of it would be a big factor. Not to mention the politician's hands that would have to be greased. Edited in: Repositioning cruises have a little different way of doing things ("distant Ports").

What is this YOUR PENALTY stuff? I believe, from what I've been reading and researching, it is a penalty on the Cruise Line, not the passenger. Word games and phycological games. Well, the bottom line is that you are getting your/their money back or at least promised. Good for you all. That is the bottom line.

I didn't mention this, but I printed my boarding pass and laminated it, on both sides. I also have it available on my phone. I take no chances. So, I just pissed off folks on both sides of the issue. The laminated boarding pass (and jab record when they were required) are inside my passport and my passport in hand as I approach the security and final check-in folks. If I need the electronic version, it is in my pocket.

It never fails for me, I get behind someone at a toll booth, ATM, Cashier, whatever and the people in front of me or a few ahead of me just don't realize that it takes money, credit card, or other document to get by. Then he has to get his wallet out of his back pocket and fiddle with it for what seems like an eternity OR she has to rummage through a purse that is as full as the NYC landfill. PEOPLE HAVE YOUR STUFF READY. Oh, and then there are those that after spending an eternity looking for whatever, the card is declined. Then there is the arguing about it. PEOPLE, the attendant/cashier has nothing to do with a card being declined. It's the bank! Get out of line and call the bank, the number on the back of the card. Arguing with the attendant is futile, he/she has nothing to do with it, especially if you swipe, tap, or insert it.

LOL, I hear ya, However, being prior Law Enforcement, Truck Driver, and military, long-distance driving is not a big deal for me. A 10-hour haul is like a walk in the park.

Yep, I (and my wife) have had total knee replacements. The doctors assured us that it would not affect Airport Security (TSA). Nothing further from the truth. I used to never be bothered by TSA, but now it's 100%, not that we fly a lot, almost never.

It includes 18%, of course!