rudeney

AMEX allows disputes well over 90 days if the cardholder can show a reason it took so long, such as if a payment for services was made that far in advance before services were to be rendered (like you mentioned for the wedding). I am an AMEX cardmember, but have also been a merchant. As a cardmember, I've not had to dispute anything beyond 30-60 days, but as a merchant, I had a customer dispute 6 months worth of charges. These were monthly software support and maintenance fees. Their claim is that our service was inadequate. AMEX gave us a chance to answer, but ultimately sided with their cardmember. They told us that if we felt they were in error, we were welcome to deal directly with their cardmember as a civil matter, but they (AMEX) were out of it. Since the customer was a lawyer, we just wrote if off. They were a "problem customer" anyhow (good riddance).

I went with my youngest kid to America's Best (optometrists/opticians) and immediately upon walking in, one of the three young girls in the store yelled at us to put on our masks. We haven't worn masks here in at least 6 ,months so we don't carry them and they had to provide them. Ironically, two of the three girls, including the one who yelled at us, had there masks hanging down below their chins.

Yes, the 18% gratuity is automatically added on the charge slip. It will be listed as "service charge" and added into the grand total. Below that will be a line for "additional tip" and "total' where you can add to that if you want.

Not on Odyssey, but on other ships (Freedom, Liberty, Navigator, etc.) I've always been up and using the pools and hot tubs well before 9am - more like 7am. When crew members were around, I have asked them permission and they have always said yes.

I won't go into the boring details, but I had to dispute a charge on my AMEX from Verizon. I had made many calls where their overseas CSRs all assured me it was erroneous and would be credited, but never was. They did send it to collections. I disputed the debt with the collection agency, and sent an email to the Verizon CEO, which was answered by someone in the executive offices who apologized profusely and sent me a signed letter stating that I owed nothing. My company creates software for debt collection attorneys, so i am very familiar with the collections industry. The documentation the OP @Lottie1974 posted above is very clear and RCCL should issue the refund in a timely basis. If the charge is disputed and RCCL sends it to collections, all it should take is one letter to the collection agency disputing the debt on those grounds. If they continue to attempt to collect, the next step is to hire a "debtor's attorney" and sue for compensation under FDCPA. You are correct, though, that the cruise line could refuse to allow you to book future trips with them. That is their prerogative and right. Personally, a company that would treat me that way no longer earns my business.

Per NEC, an extra breaker is not required unless the device is hardwired. For example, you have a 20amp circuit in your kitchen, but you likely plug in small appliances (blenders, etc.) that have cords only rated for 15amps. That appliance does not need its own circuit breaker, but yes, if it shorted and pulled more than 15amps but less than 20amps, it could catch fire and the circuit's 20amp breaker would not trip. An example of where additional breakers are required is when you have two AC compressor/condenser units on the same circuit. They each may require 30amps, so you run a single 60 amp circuit to them. That's acceptable but only if the each have a 30amp breaker where the 60amp feed is split to them. The idea that a power strip or any other device that provides multiple receptacles requires its own circuit breaker makes no sense. And neither UL or the NEC have any rules for that.

Then the cruise lines need to advertise and price accordingly. At this point, they are back to filling ships to 100%+ capacity and pricing like there is no COVID.

We were on Navigator and one night, it was very stormy. It was impossible to walk around the ship without holding a rail, and while sleeping, we had to hold onto the mattress to keep from being thrown out of bed. The next morning, we hear the crew talking about how they had run out of barf bags and carpet cleaner.

In a situation like that, if the cruise line did not give me a pro-rated refund, I'd call AMEX and dispute all the charges. That is one thing I like about AMEX - you can dispute charge up to 180 days.

What rules are you quoting? is this a maritime electrical code?

No - Apple's AirTags only work with Apple devices and Samsung's tags only work with their devices. Tile is the only one that works with both Apple and Android phones, but also requires the app be installed on any phone near the tag in order to report its location.

Although I am not an Apple fan, I agree that the proliferation of their iPhones makes the AirTags the probable best option. One thing to note is that the Bluetooth protocol used by AIrTags has range than can exceed 100ft. Since it's just a one-way transmission with no security and a very short message, it can travel much further than, say, your AirPods.

I check prices each morning to make sure the DBP, UDP and VOOM prices have not dropped since I bought them. When I checked this morning around 8am, and the DBP was still at $65 for my cruise (which is what I paid during the Memorial Day "sale"). I just noticed that the screen capture I posted this afternoon above shows it at $70. That's the first time I've seen a price change the same day.

The Tile, AirTag and Samsung tags all use Bluetooth. But it does not have to be in the limited Bluetooth range of your phone. Any phone with the app for that particular brand of tracking device and Internet access will "see" it and report the tag's serial number and the phone's GPS location back to the service provider (Apple, Tile or Samsung). Basically, it's a mesh or crowd network that locates these trackers. Here are the problems. First, all three use different "apps". The Apple AirTag app is built into and activated on all newer model Apple devices. The same goes for the Samsung tags and Samsung phones. But with Tile, which works with both Apple and Android, it only gets tracked by phones that have the Tile app installed. So if you have a Tile and are relying on my phone or my wife's phone to keep up with your lost items location, you'd be SOL because neither of us has the Tile app. Note that I said these "crowd" phones report the phones location and only when the phones have Internet access. If the tag never get close enough to a phone to be tracked, or the phone that tracks it does not have Internet access, then you'll not know where it is.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here. If an electrical outlet is only rated for 15amps, then there better be a circuit breaker somewhere between it and it's feed line also rated at 15 amps. If so, then I don't care how many splitters, surge protectors, or extension cords you plug into it, if all of them together draw more than the 15amps on that outlet, then the breaker feeding that outlet better trip. Simple splitters, power strips and extension cords do not need circuit breakers.

I have seen some people out and about who looked really sick, but it's rare. I can say that for me, I always have some sort of upper respiratory issue - sneezing, coughing, congestion - I just have year-round allergies. I also have a neurological disorder that causes constant headaches that very from a 5 to an 11 on the 10-point pain scale, so sometimes, I might look "sick" when in reality, I don't "feel sick" and it's just my normal. You may be right, though, because I know people will push themselves when it comes to losing money or opportunity.

I don't care about my C&A status being printed on my luggage tags, but we are in a suite - a GRAND suite - and they darn well better bring my luggage FIRST and it better be in my room before they give me access at 1:00 or 1:30, and it better not be damaged or wet. I expect the bags to be neatly placed and arranged by size, too. If not, I will be writing a STRONGLY WORDED letter! I know the CEO's email address! 😜

Given the chance, I'd try it. I'll try any food once, though I do draw the line at food that is still alive and wiggling.

This is what I see on mine (old version of CP): If I click on the gray photo, it then shows the price:

For some, it may the expense, especially if they don't realize they can pay $10-$20 for a proctored test instead of $100++ at a chain drugstore. For most, I believe it's the stress of having to take a test that is a snapshot measurement of something totally beyond their control. Most people would not board a cruise ship or even go out in public if they were truly sick, but with this, you can test positive and have your entire vacation canceled yet experience zero symptoms or symptoms no worse than allergies. We here reports on the forums every day that someone came back from a cruise and tested positive for COVID and felt a little bad for a few days, or even that one spouse was positive and one was not. I've not seen a single person say they were so sick they needed medical treatment, although a few did get it prophylactically. If people were truly getting very sick or even dying because of COVID on a cruise ship, it would be plastered all over the news with headlines about "petri dishes". Continue to test and making otherwise healthy positive people stay home is about in line with being told you have cooties.

Looking back at our first RCCL cruise over 15 years ago on Freedom of the Seas, we paid just hundreds of dollars less for the same cabin (GS) on that ship as we are paying on Voyage this October. Drink prices have more than doubled. Gratuites have increased by 50%. Food & beverage tips went from 15% to 18% (a 20% increase on top of the increased prices they are calculated against). Chops was $25pp, now it's $59pp. A few months back, I checked the price of a solo inside GTY for this next cruise (our granddaughter thought about going along) and it was going to be right at $500 inclusive of taxes, fees and gratuities. I mean, that is an absolute bargain.

Yes, they do, and I will follow them because I want to cruise. It does seem like those rules are changing quickly. I understand you are very concerned about COVID, so you should keep doing what you feel is best for you, just don't try to force those feelings on others when the rest of the world has come out of the "fog" of 2020 COVID.

This ain't your 2020 COVID. Even if asymptomatic super-spreaders were a real thing, they aren't now. What if I have the cold virus or even the flu, but I have no symptoms? And what if I get on the ship and pass it to others who have health problems and it makes them very sick? We don't bother testing for those things, so why COVID?

Oh, I'll be proudly wearing my lanyard which will be carrying my SeaPass, Passport, and a printed and laminated copy of the day's Cruise Compass. It will be a great compliment to my denim fanny pack, jogging shorts, Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt, and flipflops with white socks - see you in the MDR!