CHOPPERTESTER

Normal, no, but it's all about the Benjamins and some groups have a lot more than us.

Depends on the rate being offered. Some only require a deposit, some you have to pay say $200 for OBC up front, some it is pay in full at booking. Our 21 night in Nov 23 S Caribe/Canal was a deposit type booking. Our 21 night Iceland/British Isles in June 2024 was a pay in full at booking.

Sorry to here that. Makes sense. There doesn't appear to be a cost savings (apples to apples ie pre-cruise cost includes the 18% gratuity charge vs onboard cost plus 18% added) when purchasing pre-cruise to onboard purchase. No currency exchange savings either (like crew appreciation fees) as the pre-cruise beverage purchases are in USD regardless of currency used for the booking.

Thx Mary229. I looked at Roger's menus but couldn't find anything else other than the Cellar 1/2/3 packages. I have read on CC that if they sell out of a wine in your package they will offer a substitute from a higher level package or even a wine not on any of the package lists. Sounds like that is what your MDR wine person set up for you.

You are correct. What wine packages are there besides the 4/6/8 bottle cellar 1/2/3 packages? I might be interested. Ideally wine packages that allow you choose specific wines.

Pre-purchasing the Cellar 1/2/3 wine packages has no effect on wines available once onboard. You get what's available.

For Vancouver, no, two hours makes sense as the time to get through US customs & then check in will eat that up in no time. We did a S2S between RCCL ships in Vancouver in May this year and even being escorted (wheelchair passenger) it took 90 minutes.

What about.. "Any questions... yes, you in the back..."

Unfortunately only one of you will be able to use the $25 credit for the $49.50 clam shell excursion. Each clamshell comes with two chairs. Remember to deselect your husband or vice versa or it will try to charge you $99. We're in the same boat with HIA credits but are visiting HMC twice so DW will book it one day and I the other day. Try the stingray excursion instead.

Justmer, we are on the 24 Nov Rotterdam and are onboard until 15 Dec. Look at the following Notes for the Veragua excursion for Puerto Limon on 11 Dec. It seems it is wheelchair friendly (not sure about the bus).

Need to pull a Jack. Google "Jack Nicholson Five Easy Pieces Toast"

Diamond of the Seas... no wait.. Crown of the Seas (but only between 5 & 8 PM)

Yes Alaska was good this past May 2023. We had wheelchair accessible tours (or on our own) in Victoria (Butchart Gardens & Butterfly Garden), Sitka (Raptor & Cultural Center), Skagway (Whitehorse Pass & Yukon Railway), Juneau (Whale watching boat tour & Mendenhall Glacier park). Let us know your itinerary and we might be able to help.

Good question. Excursions desk onboard should be able to provide you a list or maybe you'll get a letter in your cabin.

The excursions are tied to your Navigator app or you can check-in at the meeting point with your cabin key card. No more paper excursion tickets. There may be excursions that can accommodate folding up a wheelchair if your wife can manage a couple of steps. Sometimes the HO-HO buses can accommodate wheelchairs. Give HAL special services a call.

We've brought bottles of International Delight on board many times when we could get them locally before boarding. Sometimes we bring the individual UHT treated "creamers" from home that do not need a fridge (cooler on some ships) if we can't source locally before boarding. For us it is a lactose issue and cannot use real cream in our coffee and will not use the soy/oat/almond milk they have on board.

It's good your clients repriced and the prevailing rates for port fees & taxes didn't change. Sounds like they thought they had a price drop but it was only a new booking price due to lower port fees & taxes. Is this what you are implying? If the cruise line drops a panama canal transit for another port they better let me reprice with the lower port fees & taxes.

If you change rooms or rebook your cabin you do so at prevailing rates/offers including port fees & taxes. Seen it happen many times.

Example: At final payment you paid a total of $125 in port fees. After final payment the port fees for RCCL go up to $140. They do not charge you the extra $15. If you miss a port that would return $10 then you are not going to get a refund because you have already paid less than the actual cost.

Not necessarily. Depends on what you paid in port fees overall at final payment. If overall fees went up after final payment they do not charge you but when missing ports they take that into consideration and you may not get any refund.

Gotta be careful. Sydney to Seattle as a single itinerary (doubtful) would pass PVSA. B2Bs not so much. We were on a planned B2B on Radiance LA to Vancouver then Radiance Vancouver to (Alaska) to Seattle with no break in Vancouver and were not allowed. Changed it to Radiance LA to Vancouver and S2S Ovation Vancouver to (Alaska) Seattle which did pass PVSA as they were not the same ship. I don't think Hawaii to Vancouver then Vancouver to Seattle on the same ship with no break in between will pass PVSA.

Even if not in "state" or "local" waters other taxes can apply and they may not be insignificant. Google Spanish VAT for closed loop cruises from Spanish ports when one of the port stops does not include a non-EU country.

Thanx for the info. Oasis was amped last dry dock in 2019. What would they be doing this time? Just a 5 year inspection?

Booked the TA on Oasis 24 Oct 2024 but tried to see if a B2B was available and nothing is showing after its last cruise in Sept 2024. Seems to be off the charts for 3 1/2 weeks. Tried a search for dry docks and charters with no luck. Does anyone have any insight on its status for Oct 2024? Or are they holding back bookings for something else?

I agree about Boston. At best one ship at a time, never had issues there. Vancouver however was a s$%tshow due to three ships in port and the US Customs lines. Still took us 1 1/2 hrs to get through eventhough we were guided by RCCL staff for a S2S transfer in May this year. Next cruise is out of Port Everglades and we love the ride on the golden escalator.