Keasel

We are taking a family cruise on AOS, June 29, from Port Liberty. Can someone help me with:

 

1. In doing the on-line check in, I have been asked to download a photo for each of us. I have never been asked this before. Is this necessary or will they take our picture at check in? Also, I have always printed 1 boarding pass for the reservation. Now, it seems to want 1 for each person. Is this correct?

 

2. I am told our key cards will be waiting outside our room doors. Is this for real, as I have always been handed the cards after I present my credit card for on board accounts.

They'll take your pictures at check in. It takes about 10 seconds. Even if you upload your pictures ahead of time, they might take a new picture at check in.

There is one boarding pass per person on Anthem because they don't hand you your key cards at check in. One should be on the door and the others should be in the cabin. This has worked fine for us on a couple of Anthem sayings. However, on one of the early Quantum sailings, our key card was on the next door over and the other keys were in the wrong cabins.

Radiance Class is still small enough to do the Med and of course Venice.

If Italy follows through, Radiance (and all larger) classes will dock on the mainland (rather than Venice) by 2021.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/venice-cruise-ship-ban-55-tonnes-marghera-port-where-is-it-italy-a8044026.html

By the year 2021, an Italian government committee chaired by transport minister Graziano Delrio has decided, cruise ships over 55,000 tonnes will no longer be able to pass through St Mark’s Basin and dock in the city.

Instead, they will sail through the Venice lagoon at a distance from the city, cut through at Malamocco (on the far end of the Lido, where the controversial Mose flood barrier is located), and dock on the mainland at Marghera, the industrial centre of the Veneto region.

http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Venice-Bans-Cruise-Ships-from-City-Center

This means that all ships from Carnival Cruise Line, all from Royal Caribbean aside from Empress of the Seas, and all from Norwegian Cruise Line will be banned from the canal.

I will be arriving in Baltimore at the Penn-Amtrak train station. I was going to Uber from there to the cruise terminal. However, I want to stop at a grocery store and get a 12-pack of coke. I also want 2 bottles of wine (don't think I can do that from the grocery store). However, don't want to have to switch uber cars with luggage, etc (don't want to uber to grocery store, then uber to liquor store, and then uber to cruise ship).

 

What do you suggest. A taxi and the waiting would probably be too much money. Is there a grocery/liquor store between the two points?

Go straight to the cruise terminal and check in. Then walk back through the entrance to the port, then a couple of hundred feet back up McComas (the street that you just drove into the terminal from), then under 95. There's a wine and beer store (The Cellars) and a Harris Teeter right there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.2667332,-76.5985152,556m/data=!3m1!1e3

https://www.shopthecellars.com/#/app/home

Also, answered another Pax question as to “why no large®ships sail out of Baltimore. Heconfirmed that a larger ship is not able to pass under the bridge(?). However, he went on to say that thereare/have been discussions with Baltimore officials about moving the embarkationprocess before the bridge, therefore allowing for larger class ships.

The Bay Bridge has a 186ft clearance. The Key Bridge has a 185ft clearance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key_Bridge_(Baltimore)

Both bridges have more clearance than the Sunshine Bridge in Tampa (180.5ft) that Radiance class ships sail under.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge

Ask Adam has addressed this.

Q. I live in Maryland and have been cruising from the Port of Baltimore since Royal Caribbean’s first year there. With the announcement that Carnival will no longer sail out of Baltimore after 2014, is there a chance that a second Royal Caribbean ship could use Baltimore as its home port? Also, do Radiance Class ships have access to the Port of Baltimore? I know there are height considerations given the height of the Key Bridge. – Jeff H.

A. Jeff, many thanks for your support of our deployment from Baltimore. We are not currently looking to add a second ship to Baltimore even with Carnival pulling out. However, we will always consider this if we feel that there is strong enough demand for a second ship. In the meantime, Radiance class can access the Port of Baltimore; however, we are pleased with the beautifully revitalized Grandeur of the Seas and are constantly looking at updating our deployment to provide variety and different ports of call.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/connect/ask-adam-blog-series-august-2013-q-a/

Is this the same rail line that Amtrak runs on?

No. Amtrak and TriRail run on the tracks near 95.

Brightline (FEC) has different tracks running through town closer to route 1.

The gates are only required at vehicular intersections.

If the road stops on one side of the tracks and starts back up on the other side, there is no requirement for crossing gates. Here is a pedestrian crossing over the Brightline route.

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.518574,-80.0606473,3a,60y,288.72h,96.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIwYrhji_QtNhf3UX9UWxXA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Second person in less than a week killed by high-speed Brightline train in South Florida

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/01/17/bicyclist-killed-new-brightline-train-florida/1042674001/

This link still works

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/16048689_RCI_Casino_CAS_Benefits_Chart_HR-1.pdf

What website do you go to, to find what ships are there the day you sail? We leave on April 28, 2018. Cannot wait!!!

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-from-fort-lauderdale-florida-2018.html

March 11th is the next day with 8 in port. April 28th has 3 ships.

I am sure the answer is yes but I can't seem to find the information. Long ago when we went on a smaller ship we docked right there downtown and I much preferred it to King's Wharf. Walking distance to downtown where there were churches, upscale shopping, etc. thanks.

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-hamilton-bermuda-2018.html

BARS & LOUNGES

COMEDY LIVE

BLAZE

JAZZ ON 4

BOLEROS

RISING TIDE

SCHOONER BAR

CHAMPAGNE BAR

SABOR BAR

GLOBE & ATLAS PUB

SOLARIUM BAR

DIAMOND CLUB

https://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/fact-sheet/21/oasis-of-the-seas/

Cruising in the Veendam in late August and am curious if we have to go through customs & immigration again when we disembark in Boston. The last port we visit is Bar Harbor and we definitely have to go through it there. Never been on a cruise that had a US port stop before disembarking in the states.

You'll probably go through immigration in Bar Harbor and customs when you get back to Boston.

follow the blue dot road:

 

 

SBtS

I was there a few weeks ago. But you couldn't cut through the fenced off area (where the sailing teams have their headquarters) as suggested by the blue dot path. I had to walk up Pender to get there from the ship.

Going on upcoming Anthem 5 night to Bermuda.

 

- Watched her dock the other day on portbermudawebcam.com. What is the ferry/boat that is alongside her just after docking? It appears that a group of passengers gets onto that ferry, and then only after that are other passengers allowed to disembark. What excursion is that for / where does it go?

The ferry you see is the complimentary one for Norwegian cruises.

:DKey lime lollipops

I just flipped through some of the compasses from our last anthem cruise and I don't see the bionic bar listed. I do recall it had limited hours though and wasn't open many times when we passed through that area.

I only saw it open twice on my cruise last week and one time no one was ordering drinks. It's not listed on the compasses with the other bar's times. They seem to be phasing out some of the "technology" items that are not working well like the RFID tracking of luggage and the waiters taking orders on tablets that lose wifi connection too often.

To OP, I wouldn't be surprised if the bionic bar doesn't make it to next year. Pets at Sea would probably do better.

First time on North Star in January 2016, there was a bathroom type scale and everyone was weighed. I do not recall being weighed, or not, in January 2017. I do not think there is an individual weight limit but there is a combined weight limit of all the passengers. The attendant wrote down everyone's weight and also said it aloud so that those nearby did hear.

The requirement for the individual weight limit is for the safety equipment to take you down if NorthStar gets stuck in the up position. I was on the May 20th cruise. The online signup required you to state that you were under 300 lbs. They didn't weigh anyone when we went last week. But I was probably the closest to 300 and I'm not that close. It was an easy group to eyeball the weight and let everyone on.

I'm not sure why we had to go through customs twice. However, it was efficient. Great cruise!!

You probably went through immigration in Boston and customs in Bayonne.

This has been kicked around before, no bridges to worry about

 

 

 

http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/0514/plan-to-bring-cruise-ships-to-solomons-seeks-support.html

That location is upstream of the current 140' Thomas Johnson bridge. Have they decided how tall the replacement bridge will be? This (old) article suggests that the new bridge would be at most 140' and could be 70' to save costs. Have they even definitely decided to replace the bridge?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/st-marys-commissioners-want-new-route-4-bridge-at-same-height/2011/07/11/gIQALxZHEI_story.html?utm_term=.f5fdc78c8de8

If we're going to dream of new ports, let's replace the current two spans of the Bay Bridge with two new 4-lane spans with 220' clearance and move Cruise Maryland to Sparrow's Point. :)

Does anyone think they will build a water park on the same scale as Atlantis? I'd be surprised if they build something as large as the older part of Atlantis by Beach Tower.

WHere does it show up and is it different if you have a TA. I applied mine about 2 months ago and my sailing is in 3 weeks. I am not seeing it. But I do have a TA. I did not apply it with my TA though, I went onto my credit card account and applied the points myself.

I went through BoA website on April 16 and the credit appeared on the cruise planner on April 19. In my cruise planner, it shows up at the top of the screen between "ORDER HISTORY" and "CART". There is an icon of a credit card and the dollar amount of the credit.

I believe you can enter from the outside, and you can get to that outside deck by elevator.

If you plan on entering through the emergency exit doors, you may want to have someone on staff open the door.

I have no personal knowledge. But I can't imagine them not accommodating someone.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/grandeur-of-the-seas-74/fitness-center-191067/fitness-center--v9940443/

Cruise Critic has a photo gallery of the Grandeur's fitness center. This seems to be a few years old. But the equipment is representative of what is there.

"Good Deal"

 

Norfolk would probably pay Royal!

 

Instead of Royal charging us port fees we would get a credit.....

 

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

Maybe they are returning to Norfolk.

Royal's website has directions to Norfolk.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&faqId=317&faqSubjectId=331

But it could just be an old link.

You don't have MTD - you have traditional early seating - hence no ability to make reservations. If you want MTD, ask whoever you booked with to change you to MTD now, or do it once you board.

 

Biker, who is not surprised RCI has not fixed the language (there's no longer any rotation) left over from the DD days.

Thanks. Any help is appreciated. Early and late were wait listed when we booked a few days ago. So My Time Dining was selected (only option). The Booking Confirmation lists Guest #1 Dining as MY TIME() and Guest #2 Dining is listed as MY TIME(5:30 PM).

I'm on the May 20th sailing and have MTD. I can make reservations for specialty restaurants. But I can't make MTD reservations. The cruise planner states I'll get my rotation once onboard :confused:. Is 2+ months too far out to make reservations for MTD?

My Time Dining

Complimentary

Since they are made on the ship, their distribution can be faster and more efficient on the ship as well (as opposed to bringing them into the terminal, putting them in a big pile and then have the agents try to find them) - at least that's why I assume RCI is doing this.

Labor is much cheaper onboard. So it is cheaper to distribute the cards onboard than at the terminal