Poochie71

16 hours ago, minnie00 said:

 

we have been on Harmony and are avid hand washers. flu shots done. we are precautious in general. I have some autoimmune issues so am aware. thank you and will do

 

but I thought this was an airborne virus? 

It's not airborne, direct from the WHO website...

The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through contact with an infected person through respiratory droplets generated when a person, for example, coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. It is important that everyone practice good respiratory hygiene. For example, sneeze or cough into a flexed elbow, or use a tissue and discard it immediately into a closed bin.  It is also very important for people to wash their hands regularly with either alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Don't get sneezed/coughed on or touch a surface that someone has someone has.

20 hours ago, Nangelina said:

It's amazing to me that people can't get dressed up one night in their life and look their best.  I guess if that's what you'd look like at someone's wedding or a special social affair then by all means where your everyday look.  It's one night folks!!  Who knows, maybe you'll like it. 

Ok, I'm ready.  Give me all your snarly backlash!  I can take it.  😂

 

 

 

 

We've been there and done that for formal nights.  We travel from Australia and are away from home for  four - six weeks with the cruise just being a part of our travels plans so to pack formal or dressy outfits including shoes for just one or two nights isn't reasonable.  We don't go to the main dining room on these nights we go to the Windjammer.  It's our holiday as much as anyone else's, we're just there to have a good time and have some great experiences.

We don't take anything dressy anymore but we don't go to the main dining room that night either.  

On 12/30/2019 at 10:07 PM, Biker19 said:

No need for that, RCI knows all of the physical things you pointed out and most will be fixed during dry dock. The subjective things, like food, crew attitude, can happen on any sailing/ship.

Not sure this will happen. We've just salied on Voyager which has had a major dry dock and there was a lot of things that weren't updated like broken/cracked tiles, the public toilets hadn't changed at all, some of the carpet was still worn.  My husband just said that nothing stood out to him that it had been refurbished.

Both Explorer and Voyager have spent a few years in the Australian market and after sailing ships in the US market I don't think they've maintained the Australian ones aswell.  Radiance would be an exception to that and Ovation is only 5 years old.

8 hours ago, h20skibum said:

I wonder what criteria they will use to determine volcanoes they consider active?  I have visited Kilauea, Haleakala, and most recently, Mt. Vesuvius.  All would be considered active. 

 

I must admit, that I only associated Mt. Vesuvius with the destruction of Pompeii almost 2,000 years ago.  It was only after this event, that I researched how many volcanic events it has experienced since then.  It is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, because of the number of people living in the area that could be impacted by a major eruption.  A major event would reach Naples in about 5 minutes.

 

This video clip is one I took this summer.

 

 

I have yet to see any excursion, from any of the cruise lines, highlight any significant risks.  Maybe this will prompt us to all look a little deeper into what we do.

 

The survivors of the eruption at White Island will have a long and painful road to recovery.

We received an email yesterday that our shore excursion which included a hike up Mt Vesuvius has been cancelled.

Thanks for posting.  We're on the return journey from Dubai to Rome in March 2020.

Regards,

Tamara

3 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

As an update, since RCL locally has been so quiet, our foreign minister has just made an announcement that anyone with queries should call our local RCL number - i.e. the same one used for bookings.

 

Wonder how much help they're going to be in Guatemala when they get these calls...

 

Nothing even on the web site either. Interesting that a "crisis team" is activated there, yet nothing in Australia/NZ.

RCL have a post on Facebook and have an announcement on their website with the phone numbers to contact.  They're numbers that have been specifically set up for this tragedy.  I've also seen the number for Australians to contact posted on other sites.

My parents are currently on Pacific Aria to PNG.  My Dad can't swim, has been sea sick on ferries and was never keen on going on a cruise.  Mum finally convinced him and I've seen some photo's and the water looks very calm going along the Queensland coast and at their ports of call.  I did the research for their trip and PNG looks amazing.  Would be very different from NZ as PNG is not a developed country.

It's US Dollars.  Make sure you take some with you as the exchange rate in the casino is terrible.

5 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

Was your cruise last year? the drink packages went up about that much.

No it was in March this year.   It's more the fact that the service charge has been added when normally on the Australian website we don't pay it (it may be included) but why is it showing as separate item?

3 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

All drink packages have gratuity included. Your cruise fare has no added gratuity, they just increased your prices to cover the gratuity that you do not wish to pay. 

The current price is AUD$68.50 plus the 18% service charge.  Out last cruise we paid about AUD$67 with no added service charge.  The price we paid for the actual cruise was cheaper than what I looked it up online on both the Australian site and the US site (taking into account conversion rates).

Hi.  My husband and I are Australian and we have booked a cruise from Rome to Dubai while on our South Pacific Cruise earlier this year.  The Rome to Dubai cruise was booked in Australian dollars.  I have just gone to book our Drink Packages which is is Australian dollars and it is has added the 18% service charge.  I'm wondering why it has done this as normally in Australia we don't pay the service charge.  Could it be that we booked the cruise onboard and we are on US Terms & Conditions and not Australian?

Thanks,

Tamara.

Hi

My husband and I have booked Royal Caribbean from Dubai to Rome in March 2020.  One of our stops is Aqaba Jordan and I'm trying to find put if we need a Visa to enter (well to board the ship really as we understand that if we don't have the correct Visa's for the countries we visit they may not let us board).  I've found that Oman is ok to visit for cruise ship passengers without a visa and we're in European countries but I can't find anything specific for cruise ship passengers for Jordan.

Would love to hear from anyone with any information on this region.  Thanks so much.

Regards,

Tamara.

Hi.  We're going on Jewel next March Dubai to Rome for 16 nights.  We're both night owls and was wondering what food if any is available late at night?  On other ships we usually grab a piece of pizza before heading off to bed.  Thanks.

Thanks so much for your responses, I appreciate it.

Hi

I've booked my parents (in their 70's) on their first cruise to PNG.  I'm currently looking at travel insurance for them.  With some companies I can choose a South Pacific Cruise, do you think PNG would be classed as South Pacific?   

When I travel I use Travel Insurance Direct but of anyone has any suggestions on who to use for a PNG cruise I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

Tamara

They might not add another ship to Sydney  With Radiance serving Brisbane and surrounds there might not be the demand for another ship in Sydney.

Suggest calling them regularly and do your own enquiries online to see if anything opens up.

I've been looking at booking a cruise in March 2020 and no where does it have a non-refundable deposit option. Over the years I  think RC have gone from all bookings being refundable to having the option of refundable/non-refundable and now only non-refundable.  It's like they were transitioning us to get us used to the idea of non-refundable deposits.

I  think things like jewellery making and scrapbooking will show up in the Cruise Compass while you're on the ship.  Just keep an eye out for them.

4 hours ago, voyager70 said:

 

Correct, it's a violation of the PVSA.  As  long as he books the third leg to Sydney he's OK.

 

They're two back to back cruises that both visit Canada. I don't see an issue.

The cruises are Seattle to Vancouver (Alaskan cruise) and the next cruise is Vancouver to Hawaii so there's no issues with any legislation.

Would doubt Ovation will go back to Singapore as they have the new Sprectrum of the Seas moving into the Asian market.

Hi

We've been looking at doing the Dubai to Rome cruise through the Suez Canal on Jewel of the Seas in March 2020.  I've planned our itinerary before and after the cruise from Australia with a cruise date of 20th March 2020 but I've just look again and the cruise date is now 23rd  March 2020.  I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this date change?

Not a huge deal as I haven't booked flights/accommodation or the cruise yet but am wondering if I'm going crazy.

Thanks

Tamara

Hi

We've sailed to the Caribbean a few times and have never needed a visa. There were no ports that we visited where they checked anyone's passports/visa's. You just get off the ship and go on your way.

For getting back in to the US make sure you have a printed copy of your ESTA.

Looks like you are just keeping your current booking, as there seems to be no online option and you refuse to call or use a TA.:rolleyes:

No didn't say I refuse to call just prefer not to.

Don't see the point in a travel agent.