chiquita cruiser

On ‎8‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 5:38 PM, loudbmw said:

We were on the Oasis when Hurricane Irma hit Florida in 2017.  Since the storm was scheduled to make landfall around the end of our cruise, the Captain made the wise decision  to wait out the storm in the Gulf of Mexico where the weather was perfect.

 

Our seven day cruise ended up being ten days.  It wouldn’t have made any sense to even try to attempt to dock any sooner as all the airports were closed and the power was out for days in many places.

 

There were a ton of no shows for the following shortened cruise.  RCCL offered reduced rates for us to stay on board for the shortened cruise.  That worked out well since gas was in short supply in Florida and we were driving to Virginia.

 

We learned a few lessons while cruising during hurricane season, we ran out of meds but were able to buy them in Cozumel.  We now pack at least a week’s extra.  We filled our tank prior to parking so gas wasn’t needed until we got to South Carolina.

 

Parking in the terminal garage was also a wise decision.  Some guests that parked in off site surface lots found their cars totaled when a tornado hit one of the off site lots.

 

Lou

 

 

Thank you for the heads up.  We will certainly pack extra meds.. we fly but appreciate your sharing.

Hello fellow Cruisers:

Don't forget your seasick pills or patches like I did once.  Not fun in rough waters.

Hi all:

I don't mean to throw cold water on this topic.  Personally we dress with hubby wearing a suit or nice sports coat and myself sporting something special like a cocktail dress, etc.  However, we have spotted and once were led to a table where everyone was wearing an old T-shirt and shorts.. Yes.. and no one said a word.  So we looked great all dressed up while others wore their lets go clean out the yard attire.  Unless the cruise ship management begins to enforce their rules, its open season and folks wear what they please which we find slightly annoying and somewhat disrespectful to other cruisers who so enjoy this portion of their cruise.  If you can afford to pay for your vacation, then you can afford acceptable clothing, or you can spend your money elsewhere.  I guess it depends on your point of view.   

Hi -

It is my understanding that children in diapers are not permitted in any public pool by the Health regulations as a general rule.  Therefore, it is not surprising that cruise ships would follow the same standards especially since they are so closely regulated by local health officials.  As a Mom of 6,  I fail to understand why you would want your little one in a pool that is so overly chlorinated in an effort by the cruise lines to limit the number of e-coli bacteria contaminating the water as well as other more dangerous bacteria that can come from fecal contamination of water sources. 

 

FYI - there are others using the pool that although adults, may have some incontinence issues or, not have the best personal hygiene practices as well as youngsters who will also contaminate the pool water.  As a longtime cruiser, I have personally seen cruise personnel having to close the pools due to youngsters and intolerable levels of fecal contamination that took place while kids were swimming/playing in the adult pools. 

So my advice, enjoy your cruise and take your baby to enjoy the beach on all those beautiful beaches that you will be visiting while cruising.

Happy cruising,

Chiquita

That is actually not what is reported from what I am reading and you are missing the point which is that people who are at risk, should be contained and not among the general population until it is clear that they have not contacted the disease. I would feel the same about someone with the flu spreading germs. We all have a responsibility to each other.

 

However, the young nurse who flew to Ohio, shopped and placed her loved ones at risk was reported to know that she was not well. Also at risk were all the passengers who flew with her and then the airplane that flew 5 more flights before they realized there was a problem. This is a serious issue. We don't need to panic, just do the "right" thing...

 

While there are no certainties, I would like to take my cruise vacation (that I saved for all year) with a fairly clear idea that someone is dealing with the problem. The information has been muddy and now we have someone without a public health background... where is the common sense..

Hello:

It seems we have a bigger problem here than is evident. First, why did the person who thought there might be a problem wait so long to report this. When we board we fill out a form that asks specific health questions. Also, if the disease is found to be incubating, what about all the people he came in contact with who may not know at this point if they are infected? This includes ship workers, cabs, airlines, hotel employees, travelers?

 

Second, why are people who were at risk from this disease travelling all over the country? Should not this hospital be instructing their workers to monitor themselves and stay close?

 

It does not appear as if the agencies in place and our "elected" idiots have a clue or can agree on what to do. Let's hope this has been contained.

 

Just saying..

We have had a time of it on our QOS cruise with the Dynamic Dining RCI is in the process of installing. It had been resolved after countless "hours" and frustration. Then we got an email telling us that our 4:00pm dinner res was cancelled due to the fact that this restaurant was not open for dinner at 4. We NEVER booked this 4pm res.

 

I thought RCI had been hacked as well as they gave a name and number to call and when I called the number given it is was a man with a heavy accent, not at all anyone we are used to dealing with from RCI. who was seeking personal info.. I hung up and called the regular RCI number and was told to ignore it... So we did!! Very weird.. Is RCI sending their IT overseas as others have?? Who knows..

C

Good news!! They just caught the hacker. RCI is back on line.

 

 

Thanks for the laugh. Too adorable and helped make my day.

:)

C

Hello:
I have lurked and read the pros and cons of DD. We are booked on Quantum's first Carib. cruise out and I can tell you from our experience and those of the folks traveling with us that DD has been a royal pain.
It appears that you have a choice between dining rooms, but in actuality, you do not. The times for each restaurant are limited. Unless you get really lucky you cannot get in at the time you want because either the website won't allow it or the times available for that restaurant are full. Therefore, you may ask for 6:00pm but may have to settle for as late as 9pm dinner. You may request a certain venue for that evening, but that venue mostly likely is full for that day so you have to chose either Asian or burgers, whatever is open at whatever time there is an opening. I truly fail to see that as a choice!
Moreover, you have to coordinate the dinner time with the shows and once again base that on availability.

It has taken us over 3 mos. working on DD with the RC personnel and we were calling in the first day it was offered. We got on at 9:00am (first day) and were told that almost all our options were not open then. We really were open to getting dressed every night and appearing at the Grande (which I guess was the min dining room.) I, like most of you, just want to go into dinner, relax with my beverage, eat a nice meal while someone other than me, cleans the table and places a napkin on my lap. If I had a big lunch, then I can order a light meal without all the courses. We do not frequent the Windjammer for dinner. That is for port day mornings and snacks.

BTW, we had to settle and never did get our first choice but one night. If that sounds good to you then go for it. We are going because the ship is the destination, I am pretty sure that we will probably be eating out at the specialty restaurants more than usual. I believe that RC is attempting to push more business into these restaurants, after all the revenue would increase.

To be fair, I have read cc posters saying that they got all their requested dinner selections, but I really doubt it judging from our experience.

I just want a vacation, which is what RCI has told me my money will buy!!
C

I absolutely love this thread. What a fab idea. Anything goes without condemnation.. Thank you. Finally, I can get all the "stuff" off my chest that needs to be aired. I am all for uniting everyone who has a love - hate relationship with RCI. Congrats to the person who thought it up.. Lets keep it on page 1 where it belongs..

 

BTW - I am still waiting to hear from the RCI Resolution Person to call or email me about my Quantum dining options that I was assured would be no problem when they first came up with the bright idea of Dynamic Dining for people for don't want to eat anywhere else than the standard MDR. We showed up for dinner on time and appropriately dressed, why are WE being penalized?????? We enjoy meeting our wait staff persons and listening as they share about their families and life on board a ship.. ..

C

One item I have not seen mentioned a lot are the musical selections. For a few years. we noticed that the music has changed on most of the RCI and even X ships. What we now get instead of Caribbean type music are the "canned" cd music they now play at the poolside most of the day.

We used to hear some good Carib. musicans,. We now are treated to the top twenty rap musical selections for 12 year olds or the same 3 guys playing the same songs for days on end. Since most cruisers (regulars), are between 40 to 65 it would seem a better business decision to play to your audience. I do realize that the companies tend to hire younger people for these type of jobs, however, those young adults could all stand to learn how to listen to soothing musical sounds not intended to promote rape, incest and violence.

 

RCI, please give me some good musical tones on my vacation.

C

Well its been an entire day, and after viewing my res. site I see that nothing has changed. I forgot to mention that we were also booked into a specialty rest. by RCI that we did not chose. Now that is hutzpah.. ...when you don't have the product the customer paid for just substitute another AND charge them an additional fee as well even if its not even the same product!! When we attempted to cancel this res. the website said sorry, we are unable to accept your input..

 

Who set up the dining website, the folks that got fired from the government health site for Obamacare? This vacation is turning into aggravation.. did it ever occur to the genius who thought up this dinner change that no everyone might be on board and that the system should be in place first for such massive changes? HELP:eek:

C

We are booked with friends for Quantum. RCI has totally messed up with this dining fiasco. Firstly, they "chose" some passengers "at random' to book early to get the glitches out of the system.. Quote = ..

Well, on the cc boards we began to read about passengers who "were not on this preferred list" BOOKING their dinner res early.

 

When I called, was told, oh no! This is not happening, not to worry, your dinner preference's will be honored.

 

.. Well, our TA spent all day yesterday with RCI.. final outcome.. we were booked at times other than requested and at restaurants other than requested, one of them being an a la carte (paying) site. When we questioned being placed into a restaurant other than requested, we were told, well there is always the Windjammer. Thanks.. but no thanks. . If we decided to eat dinner at the Windjammer, then it should be our choice.. if we decided to treat ourselves at one of the specialty restaurants, that should be our option as well.

 

We are diamond with RCI and Elite with X. Today when we I finish this post, I am looking into other cruise lines like Norwegian or HA or Azamara or Princess. Sorry, RCI has lost it completely and pretty soon they will lose us as well.

 

Right now I have been on the phone for over 2 hrs. and still have not talked with someone who can help me.

 

What a Royal Mess..

C

We were not preselected. I am ok with test marketing. However, if it is only for the "in" listed folks then that is how it should stay. Test marketing a small percentage is a far cry from what I am hearing is happening on this food fiasco.

 

My annoyance is with passengers stating that they kept calling RCI and eventually were placed on the "in" list. So that means that in order to be selected for this I have to call until someone gives me what I am already entitled to? That is, a meal in the dining room at a time that I had already preselected at booking and hopefully at a size table setting that we requested.

 

For one, we are not interested in what they call their "dining options". How is it an option when you are forced to eat your meals while on vacation at a venue you would not have selected had you not been forced to do so? RCI also lists the Windjammer as a dining option. Are they for real?

 

I believe that this is nothing more than RCI applying more cost savings methods to food choices. We have noticed that many people book the MDR and then do not show up. The rest are choosing my time which I am ok with as long as I make the choice. I am paying for a vacation, not aggravation. As for a computer meltdown, what do they think will occur on May 15th when everyone not pre-selected calls in? lol

C.

We have cruised quite often on EOS. It has always been a great experience. Too bad about the passengers & crew. I was sick once (sinus infection) while on OAS and spent my cruise in our cabin.. so I do understand.. however, lots of people don't wash their hands either on ships or on land. We avoid buffets whenever possible...

 

I just want to thank everyone who has posted on this thread. I have truly enjoyed the exchange of views and had some good laughs as well..

Happy cruising to us all.

C