leaveitallbehind

That seems unusual but I certainly have to accept your experience with this. But you did have the option to go ashore. You would have just checked in upon your return. Maybe others with more recent B2B experience can confirm if that has changed. The difference in our experience is that we left and reboarded after we initially checked in and boarded.

The reasons we have checked in first is to avoid having to do that on our return as it is much easier to just reboard. And depending on the time, it allows us to drop any carry on we have in the stateroom. We don't only do this to go eat but also to sightsee. However, we have a couple of restaurants in OSJ that we enjoy. We frequently eat lunch, and when port times allow, dinner in different ports. Part of our port of call visiting pleasure. With 50+ cruises to date we have enough opportunity for lunch on the ship during the cruise - LOL. Just our preference.

I'm not sure how you would do that. We have always just asked our stateroom attendant when we first meet them and they have always taken care of it.

When we have done it, it was so we could use the refrigerator for our own items. (Water, soda, etc.). I didn't see it as extra work as it only took a couple of minutes to remove anything and place it in a container. We have also experienced times where mistakes were made and we were charged for items we did not use and had to get an adjustment from GS. Just was better for us to just not have it in the stateroom. In fact on one occasion the first thing the attendant asked was if we intended to use the items and would we prefer if he removed them. Just our experience.

After boarding you can then leave the ship to do your sightseeing and then return. You just need to be back on board by 90 minutes prior to departure at the latest. Referencing my first response, this is what we have done in OSJ when departing from there,

I am not aware of any time restrictions regarding luggage drop off. The porters don't check your boarding time, they just confirm your docs and luggage tags. We have done this before, albeit not for several years, in PR, as well as other ports. BTW if interested Uber works well in OSJ. We have used them in the past for exactly what you are planning to do. We have arranged with our driver to meet us at a given location and time for our return to the ship.

From the Crown & Anchor tier benefits description with terms and conditions - fine print specific to free photos. I highlighted in bold the relevant comment: 29_Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle club members receive one free any size photo of your choice from your existing photograph selection. Special requests such as reprints, copies or modifications cannot be accommodated. Youth members are not eligible for this benefit.

Sounds very similar to our issue a few years back as mentioned. Very glad this was taken care of and will hopefully remain so for the rest of your cruise. JMO but given the issue and how long you had to deal with it, guest services may issue some amount OBC or an FCC as as gesture - who knows. Either way I hope the issue is resolved!

You can request to have anything that might be stocked in your stateroom as an a la carte charge item removed and not replaced by your stateroom attendant when you check into your stateroom.

As mentioned PR is considered a US port. Regarding your comment on B2B cruises, are you speaking from experience? A B2B is only that to you if you are a passenger on two itineraries that follow each other. As far as the cruise line is concerned they are two separate itineraries with two separate manifests, and you just happen to be on both. I don't see why there would be any certain restriction to getting off the ship once boarded just because you are on both manifests. And as @screwsmcernst indicates I am apparently not the only one who as been able to board, disembark, and reboard a ship prior to departing. Not arguing, but I believe your understanding of this is incorrect.

....which is even more ridiculous.

We have sailed out of Puerto Rico on several occasions and after check in and boarding, have left and taken an Uber to Old San Juan for lunch, and returned prior to the 90 minute all on board prior to sailing window without issue. I realize that is a different departure port but I would think the ability to leave and reboard would be the same.

Google says "yes": Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee and Mardi Gras do not have washers and dryers but have ironing rooms on several stateroom decks as well as Valet Laundry service. Took 15 seconds.

Also unusual since they built the pier in 2009. Must have been some pretty bad sea conditions!

I am curious as well - what steps?? I see no fault by the OP with this and don't know what a TA could have done to affect a different points outcome. Please enlighten us.

No way to predict. It all depends on sailing, market demand, etc., driven by their algorithms. There is no set timing that I am aware of. Just keep watching the planner.

Deleted.

IMO that would be a big reason as in the years past that was the primary function of the RC and gaining the required numbers to confirm a formal M&M. Now, as @kruzerci points out, most people just organize their own on FB. In our experience, the M&M's towards the end were poorly attended and not what they were many years ago. We stopped attending ourselves quite some time ago opting, if we really wanted to meet anyone, for the more informally planned ones. The pandemic killed them altogether. They were never reinstated with the restart.

I am not trying to be insensitive to the OP's feelings. But I think a point that may be being confused here is the thought that because the cruise line retained the OP's original dollars, the OP deserved the points that would have been earned had she taken the cruise. IMO, the two are mutually exclusive. Why? The first is a business transaction that would provide for a cruise that in this case, thanks to insurance, will ultimately result in no money lost by the OP keeping her whole and with no damages. The second is a perk associated with physically taking a cruise. The second has nothing to do with the first. However, as discussed, points would not be awarded as the OP was not physically on the cruise. And even if an argument could be made that the money retained by the cruise line is a valid reason for points to be awarded, this very argument would be negated as, since the OP will ultimately be reimbursed that money, no money actually will be paid by her. She ultimately will have paid nothing and did not take a cruise. No money spent, no cruise, no points. It makes the whole debate moot IMO. Most importantly and IMO to the real point, I hope the OP recovers quickly and completely. Medical issues are always unpleasant and our health is of primary importance. I am glad you will eventually recover your money as it seems as though you already have new and better plans in place. Best to you moving forward.

I thought Allianz allowed you to set the total cruise value? Perhaps not on the annual policy. I hope you are made financially whole in your combined coverage. Also please note my apology for addressing my response to you as "he" (edited on my last post). Inadvertent in my haste to respond.

First of all I am not challenging you and feel bad for the circumstances of your situation. I am only responding from a business point of view as to why the money was not returned by the cruise line and why the points are not issued. The reasoning of how insurance would be applied in this situation makes perfect sense and is at it's core, its purpose. You will not have a financial loss as a result. If you did not have insurance, not only would you have been not awarded the points, you would lose your cruise fare dollars paid. That is exactly what would happen to those who don't purchase it. Your insurance through Allianz was a very good move as they would have better coverage levels than the cruise line sponsored insurance. Also, you only cited one sentence in my response at which to direct your comments. While I appreciate your thoughts, I think it is important to consider the entirety of what I said so as to not potentially have things seen out of context. And I apologize for typing "he" in my response in my haste - I just looked back and realized that. No offense was intended.

From a business standpoint IMO it makes a lot of sense. They may have gotten the money, but the insurance company will reimburse the OP. So he is not harmed and has no loss. Why should they not keep the money? Or by refunding it, potentially take a loss through no fault of their own? If they did they potentially would be the ones taking a loss for the OP's issue. The cruise company is entitled to the money as they may not be able on short notice to rebook the stateroom. Why should they absorb all the risk? That is the purpose of the insurance as all parties involved remain whole. It's also a matter of very typical terms and conditions, which is why insurance is always recommended. As to the CC points, if you are not on board the ship you never took the cruise so the points are not issued. The business side is of this is irrelevant, in particular as neither party is financially harmed and both remain whole. Again, terms and conditions, which IMO make sense regarding the points.

Interesting comment by the staff as we have been there 4 or 5 times and have always been able to dock without any issues. It can be affected by wind conditions, but depending on number of ships there at once, there are two docking direction options. As others have mentioned we have not had any issues at CocoCay in the past 4-5 times there as well since the pier was built. (Missed one time about 25 years ago due to rough conditions, but that was a tendering issue)

The venue with any entertainment and the bar closes, but the space remains open. In our experience they do not stay open for service because people are there, but you are free to remain.

I don't think you can be assured of an early check in, but I also agree that it may not be an issue at that port. Our last experience from there was July '22 and it was not being strictly enforced then. But that is no guarantee. Sorry I can't provide any more current direct experience. But let me know as we are sailing from there again this June and I am just curious.