Diamond Dandy

Browsing through the RCI website before our January Wonder B2B.  I assumed it was too early to make entertainment reservations, but thought I would try it anyway.  I reached a page, the image of which I will try to attach.  The point is that Wonder is not included in the footnote listing ships which require reservations. I am betting this is just an oversight.  Right?

OK, thanks!

Will someone please tell me where the smoking sections are on Wonder?  As a non-smoker I would like to know what areas to avoid.  Thank You!

I will echo the good comments about Cruise Control Transport. Just spoke with Corey for shuttle for our January cruise. It was painless and he was both friendly and thorough. 
 

We had also had the same previously mentioned trouble getting reservations with Cortrans. We liked them as well. Maybe it is a workforce problem or perhaps I was a little late contacting them.

We will be boarding Equinox on 7/2, tests permitting, for B2B for a total of 14 days.  My understanding is that masks are required in the Casino, as well as the Theatre where there is also no drink service.  Am I right?

Thank you very much, blue_water. I very much appreciate the map link.

The formatting of my original post looked much better before I sent it, Sorry.

My wife and I will be on Celebrity Equinox, my son and his family will be on Norwegian Breakaway, both visiting Tortola on July 7, 2022. We just found this out a couple of days ago.

It would be nice to meet up with them. We would like to draw upon your collective experience for some suggestions.

Factors: Their group will be 6 people including 2 teenagers and one impatient 8-year-old. Just the 2 of us.

                Looking for something short and simple, as we will be on different schedules

                I expect something in the pier area would be best, maybe a meet for some food and drinks.

Appreciate your suggestions.

Sailed the Oceanic twice! These were our first cruises also.  We weren’t sure how we would handle it, so we booked one of the (I think 6 or 8 ) suites. The cruises were 3 or 4 days, with the remaining days of the week long vacation spent at Disney World. Stayed at Grand Floridian once, and once in some Tree House suite.  Fond memories.

Did Royal supply masks?

Amazing. Thanks.

Setting aside for the moment all the concerns about pre-sale testing for everybody.

We just received our cruise documents for our 8/29 Allure cruise.  I actually read through the cruise contract. I was surprised that the lawyers found it necessary to include a new section dealing with drones!  Basically you can bring them on board but cannot use them on board.  You cannot use them in the port area. Use on shore is governed by local regulations.  Still, I wonder what was behind this addition.

Have drones been a problem on the ships? I have heard nothing on the subject. Interested in hearing any related stories.

I no longer see any mention on the Royal website of a discount on the drink package for D+ members. If I remember correctly the deal was buy one, get half off the 2nd.

I do see a 30% off the package in cruise planner. Am I better off buying ahead of time?

We’ve been to “Perfect Day” before with a drink package, and found the process seamless. Do you have experience with the process if you do not have a drink package?

Currently scheduled on 8/29 and 9/5 voyages of Allure. I am hoping these come to pass.

While a lot of questions remain as yet unanswered, I am assuming (yes, I know) that the Royal App will be part of the experience.  I am still on the uphill side of the technology mountain and at my age it seems increasingly unlikely that I will do much more climbing.

So I look again to you knowledgeable folks on CC for help. I will be grateful for any input. Questions like: How does App affect registration and check-in ? How necessary is it to use it during the cruise? Do both my wife and I have to use it individually.  Can you get by without using it (not looking forward to carrying around our cell phones).

I vaguely remember some talk on this subject in the past, but searching for “App” yielded an unmanageable amount of information, so if someone can direct me to a good source of information I will be grateful. Otherwise any other response is welcome as always.

Watching all the cancellation news as are all of you.

We have a new wrinkle on all of this. Anxiously awaiting a decision on August cruises, as we are booked on Allure 8/29. Hopefully that will be an August decision even though much of the cruise actually occurs in September. 
 

Once that is decided we go through it all again due to our B2B booking on 9/5. There is even the possibility of a “No” for August and a “Yes” for September, although everything remains a “Maybe” for now.

Back during Katrina, a number of ships were volunteered to help in New Orleans. The ships were absolutely Trashed. The recipients of the cruise line largesse did not seem to appreciate it.

I was hoping to catch the eye of someone already on board, but nothing yet. If nobody answers, I will try to update after I go through it on Saturday. This won't help you other 2 folks, though.

You are absolutely right!!

To correct my error:  

We will be boarding on 3/14!

(This year is going fast, but not THAT fast,)

We will be boarding on 7/14.  We are curious how the increased health screening impacted the boarding process. For example, when was your temperature checked?  Just trying to know what to expect.  Thanks for taking time out from your vacation. Hope you have a good trip.

Based on the deck plans and the photos I have been able to find, it looks like the only water options therein are 2 side-by-side hot tubs. Am I correct?  I had hoped for an easy-entry pool like on other Oasis Class ships. As many of us grow older, some maladies make it very difficult to get out of the usual pools.

We've stayed in the Low Rise area several times (Aruba Beach Club).  From your ship you will clearly see the High Rise area in the distance toward the left as you face the shore. Low Rise area is about half that distance. There is an IGA store up that way, Ling and Sons. It is, however, about a mile and a half from the cruise port. Also near that is Kong Hing supermarket slightly closer to the port, but we have not shopped there in quite a while.  Last cruise we actually walked to the Low Rise area from the ship (a couple of miles total), and the only other food outlet on the way was a small convenience store attached to a gas station.

Note all of this is to the left, as you leave the ship. I have no idea if there is a closer store to the right (toward the airport).

Our Silhouette cruise ended Sunday 12/1. We flew round trip to FLL, the starting point and originally the disembarkation point, which was changed to Miami.

Celebrity arranged a number of transports back to the Port Everglades parking garage, all of which were complimentary. A couple sailing with us had to contact the shuttle from there to their off-site parking lot. A little delay there, but all worked out.

Disembarkation for Transports to FLL (our concern) were scheduled based on flight times, again complimentary. I would assume these went well, but perhaps someone who used them could comment.

We had a flight time earlier than intended for the ship's first transport, but one which would not have been a problem if we had returned to Port Everglades. There were no seats on later flights (this was Thanksgiving Sunday) so we chose Lyft. After clearing Customs I ordered the ride. Wait time was less than 5 minutes. Pick up point was at the curb opposite the loading busses (several people told us where to be picked up).  Had a very enjoyable ride with a retired Marine Sgt. Major. We were at the airport about 40 minutes later, in plenty of time for our flight. Cost was just over $30, plus the optional cash tip we gave him for helping with the luggage.

I would imagine the situation would be very similar for your Miami to Fort Lauderdale sailing.

On our upcoming Silhouette cruise 11/22 to 12/1, the disembarkation port has been changed. Some type of conflict in Port Everglades.

Originally, making a 11:20 flight from FLL would not have been a problem. Now, however, we are concerned:

Celebrity has promised transport to FLL, but is it realistic to expect to make it in time?

Uber/Lyft is a possibility, but how easy is this to arrange considering the indefinite time for getting off the ship. Comments?

Do you know of any other private transportation options with which you have had satisfactory experience?

Thanks in advance for your assistance. I did wade through the first 20 pages on the board but did not find a mention of this.

Just off Harmony on 10/13 after 2 weeks. 

People using their screens to photograph or record during shows is really becoming a big problem, in my opinion.

They hold the screens up to take the pic, usually blocking part of the view or at least distracting those behind them. Venue doesn't matter: it happens in Aqua Theater, main show room, and the ice shows. We've noticed this on other Oasis class ships, but it seems to be much more commonplace now. 

(Besides annoying us on the cruise they'll no doubt hold folks at home hostage to watch them, or worse never even look at them again, but I digress.)

Not as big an annoyance as the good old chair hogs, or Diamond Club chair hogs, but it is getting there.