Rancher Dave

We don't have long to wait...makes me hungry reading up on the Crab Shack even though I ate a couple hours ago.

Yes to save money it does make sense to move a child in with Grandma. The child can sleep in either place ultimately. Try to get the inside across the hall from your cabin and you should then end up in the same lifeboat station as well, which helps as well.

If y'all have different muster stations the one child will need to go with grandma to that muster station during the drill and if there is an emergency but that's unlikely so should be a non issue.

glad I already ate before seeing the pictures of Crab Shack. Instead of Smoked Halibut, I'd have ended up going for crawfish. Not long and we can do that on the EP so I suppose I should continue to eat up the 100s of pounds of Alaskan fish we brought home last Summer.

they can't cancel without your ok....well they can but, they could end up in court if they damage your vacation...or cost you more money to reschedule it...I just recently shifted a booking between TA's ecause one was willing to offer MUCH more in OBC...(over 1700.00 more) I gave them a chance to meet it...when they would not..I had them transfer the booking...which they did with no problem

You were lucky...the TA could just as easily have refused to transfer it and you'd have been stuck cancelling and rebooking etc...

To OP, your TA may give various responses, in part it will likely depend how much work they have put in on your booking. If you had them do a lot to get to the point of the booking, like searching out several cruise options research various add-ons, etc...they likely will not just turn it over to another agent who then gets paid for all the work already done on the rez. If you are just going for a better offer from another TA, think about what you've asked the first TA to do, and if it amounts to more than just a few minutes of their time don't expect them to say fine let me give it to someone else to get paid for the booking.

Yup, RCI claims this ship has more bandwidth than all outer cruise ships combined.

 

I am not sure if the same technology will be available when the ship relocates to China later this year.

 

I do not think it is still free based on posts like the following on the RCI board with Royal posts:

 

"Scott needed to do a little checking in with work so got the 24 hour internet package to do what he needed to. He didn’t think he needed continuous access and figured a day now, maybe a day later in the trip should be good enough."

 

"You can only pay for the internet on board."

 

"The internet is great! I paid $153 for two devices - diamond plus member."

They definitely charge for it now. I believe this same new technology will begin to roll out as retrofits on other ships across many lines over the next several years to keep the ships on an even playing field.

I'm all for the environment, but using my regular key card would have put my key card in an unfamiliar position and I might have forgotten it (I keep the lanyard with it hanging from the doorknob). Accordingly, I used another cruise card I happened to have with me. Petty or no, I'm paying for the privilege. I generally left the card in, but shut off the lights when leaving the cabin. My steward never touched it.

Yes, it is different for many of us...and I did forget it in there once. Fortunately room steward was a few steps away...and I remembered it right after the door shut. He let me back in and suggested perhaps getting a spare. That was on NCL Getaway with same system.

Im glad you think your travel agent should work for free......

I'm sure OP would gladly give their boss back part of their pay check for the privilege of working in their job. :D:eek:

What's funny are the folks who think the best TAs are the ones who give up the most commission to get the booking...likely they don't end up making enough to actually travel and know the destinations first hand. The best agents can offer more than just cash back to the cruise passenger using the TA for the booking.

I bought and paid for some gifts for my parents on a cunard world cruise, to be delivered and various points through there trip. In particular a birthday cake for Dad. They delivered the cake at the appropriate time but made out it was from the ship!

 

Very cheeky. :mad:

With technology the way it is now and even has been for quite a while there is just no excuse for errors like you spotted, or your dad spotted. I hope Cunard made it up to you/your dad.

RancherDave, I got a call from my dad as they were departing. He said they were going to Costa Maya first (Mahahual), then to Belize, and then Cozumel, followed by two sea days. So, it sounds like they will get to all the ports, with Cozumel being last instead of first.

Ah, that was the name I saw...didn't have time to look it up before a meeting I had. Thanks for adding the clarity for all.

Saw them depart...just a random check of the webcam at the right moment on my part. AIS shows a port on it for 4 days out from now, a name when I saw it I didn't recognize.

I guess the official word on ports of call will all be out shortly. Perhaps the AIS is reporting a name in Belize other than the Belize City destination, go there first, then Roatan and back up to Cozumel perhaps?

Fog in Galveston seems to be thinning out somewhat...maybe the ship will be able to sail very soon. Hope so for those who want to get to all the ports on time.

There is now a Dense Fog Advisory thru 6am in the morning for Galveston...hopefully it's away from the channel well before then.

Last look at the WX Forecast shows fog projected until the wee hours of the morning. Dense Fog warning/alert until 10pm so I suspect it will be a while before the ship sails. Hopefully they can sail before it affects ports of call timing.

We left the hotel at 2 PM and drove to the port. They sent us to a holding lot where we joined a line and set for almost 2 hours. They finally let us go to the terminal. The problem is that there is only one way into and out of the fenced area around the terminal and parking area. So we had to wait until the parking lot was emptied of all returning pax. As per usual they took our checked bag (yes singular-it is only one week) and sent us to the parking lot to park. We walked into the terminal and got through security (we are preferred), checked in and went straight to the ship boarding around 4:40 pm. We are now aboard. They just announced that the safety briefing will be at 7:20D PM and the MDR and HC will close at 6:45 and reopen after the drill.

 

We have our first day patter. I tried to call the dining line to reserve a table for the crab shack but was not able to do it. Later I guess. The elite/platinum lounge in skywalkers is open 5 to 7 PM. Tonight is guacamole, chips and $5 margaritas.

 

The captain Marco Fortezze, the CD Lee Childers (we have seen him before) and our cabin attendant is Rey. Tonight in the HC is the bon voyage buffet – more on that later.

 

MUTS tonight is The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. Crooner’s pianist is Darren Bethell and the only live band tonight is the Sunshine Duo in the Wheelhouse. DJ Dekade is in Skywalkers.

Any other questions I can answer. More to come.

Sounds like everything is flowing well now that you are aboard. Timing of shut down and muster is a bit difficult, but by tomorrow the normal flow of a cruise should be going just great.

We've done SB on cruises and also at family beach house in South Padre. Saw far worse behavior in Padre than on a cruise ship. Do some kids get out of line on the cruises? Oh yes some do, but generally the overall flow of the ship seems to remain better order than I've seen in Padre.

OP you will be fine.

Per WX Channel forecast (not will necessarily really will happen) there will be dense fog in Galveston until between 10-11pm when as I can piece it together a rain line will move thru the area.

Can't tell from radar if that is accurate especially as it's several hours out still.

If they are correct, by the time ship is loaded etc...if Galveston Bay is clear maybe they can push off by 8 or a bit later...maybe they wait until Galveston fog is clear and depart after 10 or 11pm. I'd expect EP to get out tonight sometime though...likely should still be able to arrive on time to first port of call.

Hope they get underway soon.

 

 

They told new pax to arrive at 5pm and later so it will be a few hours...probably at least 7 maybe 8 based on what I saw posted earlier of when folks should show up to check in and board.

We got off at noon and cleared customs by 12:30. Got to IAH just in time to check luggage but picked the wrong kiosk and by the time we found a functioning one it was too late. Took us over an hour to talk to an actual United agent who worked miracles and got us on a flight later tonight despite the fact that everything shows as sold out through tomorrow. Wish we would have opted for a back to back cruise - missing the Emerald already.

Glad you are getting a flight home. Understand how a b2b would be so much nicer.

You can atleast see the ship from the holding lot

Nice. Looks better there than on the other side of Houston right at the moment.

How far away is the holding lot from the primary parking lot, and how did you find out about it?

They raised the speed limit on I-10 to 75 for most of the way which in Texas means at least 80 if not faster! :D

If only the 18 wheeler drivers knew that...between S-burg and home on Friday about 5-6 times they pulled out going 65 to pass trucks going 64, so the process took several miles.

Glad your hotel is kind enough to give an extended stay in the room.

I've left from Galveston late for fog before. If you keep a clear, logical head that is weather and not the cruise lines fault, you will be much better off.

 

Hope you get onboard at 5 or so. Let us know about happy hours. I really would love to get 2 for 1 bottles of wine. Also any 50th anniversary details would be great.

Well put.

For us, if there is a repeat when we go in a couple weeks, I will stay home until we know they are processing folks. Since we are 45 minutes from the parking lot, no reason for us to crowd the terminal when those flying in may have no other place to go...same with getting off the ship if there is a delay, as long as we are off by mid afternoon, I will be happy since we don't have flights, DD on the other hand will be stressed about prepping for school next day.

We are docked. No announcements made yet about disembarkation but it seems like half the ship is walk off so it will take a while. Wishing those of you getting ready to board

a wonderful cruise - our's was fantastic before the fog!

Would be nice if those with tight flights could get off first instead of those with cars in the parking lot... Houston/Galveston attract so many local cruisers and those who drive in, it's always been a huge crowd of folks who walked off. At least for those who drove to the port the delay is only a few hours from when they could reasonably expected to get off the ship. Some who miss early flights this afternoon could be in for a far worse delay given weather delays this weekend around the USA causing flights to become messed up.

Despite y'all being at the dock the POH webcam still only shows fog.

We are booked on Serenade of the seas for 11 day Balitics cruise.

 

This morning my son's (3rd guest/child) rate dropped to $330 plus $201 taxes = $531 !!!!!

 

I am still in shock! But yes the sale does exist :p

 

Jasmine

Just make sure of what it does to the 1st and 2nd person fares, the total cabin fare may not be any different than it was before. 3/4+pax pricing is not independent of the 1/2pax pricing for a cabin.

Hopefully for your situation yes you are saving overall.

If they both made final payment, the person sailing will not have to pay anything extra.

 

If before final payment than the person sailing would have to change to solo pricing.

 

The person that can't make it should get taxes back from the cruise line and fare from insurance.

Only want to add it depends how far after final payment they are...the cabin will end up re-priced to single and any monies kept by the line applied to that pricing. I will add based on the cabin fare contracted for this cabin, not at new pricing levels. If within the last couple weeks when no refunds would be given insurance pays out the pax and no other money needs to change hands, before that the line can refund some to the pax and insurance the rest, then the remaining pax files a claim as well for the extra cost incurred.

I know this from personal experience. We were in last two weeks when MIL had a minor CVA. Filed both claims at the same time and no money had to change hands, just the check from insurer to MIL for her cruise fare even though we had paid her fare (that is just how the insurer cut the check) and a refund from cruise line to my CC for the taxes paid. (MIL was lucky her situation was a mild CVA and she is pretty much back to normal considering age.)

Hope the OP family/friends are all back to good health quickly.

Heads up! The port of Houston has been closed since 1:30 this morning. We are currently at anchor outside of the port with fog and rain. Looks like you guys will be delayed boarding.

Yeah before I went to bed, late last night the forecast and Galveston web cams didn't look promising for an on time arrival. Was surprised to not find EP speeding back for an early arrival to beat the fog.

At least now y'all appear to be just a few miles off your berth in Bayport.

Last year at Spring Break we sped back the last day and beat not only the fog, but also the barge wreck that closed down the channel for a few days. Did we ever get lucky on that one. Later in the day I saw that the channel was closed since early in the morning due to both fog and the crash.

Hope weather improves enough this afternoon to get the next crowd out on time.