xxHadleyxx

On 3/24/2022 at 9:41 PM, Ashland said:

I'm also following. We have 3 pre-cruise days in Amsterdam before our July Arctic Circle RCI cruise.

https://testservice.nl/en/testlocatie/nieuwezijds-voorburgwal-178-amsterdam/

If I were a travel agent I would probably have the link to the RCI approaved emed site and 2-3 testing sites in the embarkation cities firgure out and send that to my clients as a courtesy to help them plan.  

Testing is a pain, but really not THAT difficut (and I say this as one of the people making an intercontinental flight the day before sailing on the Wonder TA, which only lets you test one day prior, and having to figure out how to make that work while we are travelling all of that day) and is pretty par for the course as far as travelling since covid.  

14 hours ago, Namelocg said:

About an hour ago I got another email reminder from Royal stating that all guests Regardless of age must be fully vaccinated in order to board the ship. The phone reps probably don't know that there is a difference for transatlantic cruises. They are just used to answering questions regarding cruises leaving from Florida to the Caribbean.

Exactly.  We ran into a similar issue when we were on a UK sailig last fall....US reps had no idea whatsoever that any ship was sailing under different protocols than the US based ships had.  I had to (politely) talk reps and even superviros I was transfered to through finding the infomoration on the website step by step (go the Healthy Sail Center, scroll down to Southamptom, now read what it says about testing there....)

13 hours ago, exm said:

I guess they are doing this in case a ship is in mid-Atlantic with unvaccinated children and a destination changes policies? 🤷‍♂️
 

There shouldn’t be too many children anyway on TA but this is really odd.

I think it is more likely that RCI (and/or their insurance company) doesn't want to risk a passenger having a severe case of COvid caught on board and needing medical help that is unavailable onboard when evacaution to a land based hospital is not possible for a few days of the sailing....given that the vast majority of serious cases of covid happen in unvaccianted people.

5 hours ago, fsjosh said:

 

At 23 if my parents told me that I was going to go on a cruise with just my family, and I have to room with my sister, I would have bailed too. lol  

Everyone's situation is different of course, but at 23 they are probably enjoying their life and independence and would rather hang out with their friends than be "stuck" with their family for a week. 

This.  Admittedly my 23 year old is cruising with me next moth (paying his own way), and we are both  excited for the trip...but wouldn't be upset at all if he had prefered to spend 2 weeks with his friends because that is kind of a normal thing to want as you grow up, and especially in that transitory 20s age range.  

2 hours ago, happy cruzer said:

How does getting coffee in the Diamond Lounge work?  Does the passenger use the coffee machine?  What coffee drinks are available?  Cappucino?

 

Is water available for no charge?

 

How crowded does the lounge typically get and when?

 

New to Diamond too!

The coffee machine is in the lounge.  Pre covid anyone with acess could go in and make themselves a coffee pretty much at any time (self service).  Its a machine that makes a variety of options like cappucino, espresso, etc.  Post covid, on our cruises thus far, there is an employee there to run the machine and make it for you sos it is not available 24/7 but still pretty much all day long.

There is a water disepenser and cups to fill in the lounge, but not bottled or canned water if that is what you are asking about.

Crowd levels vary dramatically from sailing to sailing IME, but are nearly always higher in the cocktail hours (even now that there is no free flowing alcohol then, there are snacks set out and people like to geth together before dinner) than at other times of the day

24 minutes ago, Lane Hog said:

Same on our 2/27 sailing.  Cards were in a cardboard folder on the bed.

Give everyone a $15 OBC if they do their muster within an hour of checking in.  You'll have 98% compliance without even trying.

ok, that is kind of brilliant.  

We're looking at placing some Royal Up bids for our upcomming sailing on Voyager and can't seem to find any information on what (if any) differences there are are between the suite perks on that ship/class.  

Is there anything that a Royal Suite or Owner's suite might get that a Grand Suite would not on Voyager of the Seas (other than the size of the room)?  (internet packages, UDP, drink package, etc) .  We're just wanting to make an informed decision about how much it is worth it to us to bid.  Thanks.

19 minutes ago, lm121 said:

If I could get the kids vaccinated and I was choosing not to then I would completely understand this decision. But my kids can't be vaccinated in the UK 

At least, from what i Have heard, you will finally be able to get kids under 12 vaxxed starting next month.  It must be frustrating in the meantime.  One can hardly blame the cruise lines for making rules that most passengers from most nations can follow.

On 3/22/2022 at 1:32 PM, molly361 said:

They should have the E Muster folks ready as soon as you board.  On the past 3 cruises I have been on I have boarded before noon and tried to visit the muster station on my way into the ship.  All three times  I was told to come back around 12 - 12:30pm

I fully agree with this.  We were on for a full hour before our lunch reservation but it was too early to check into the station (something I had not known in advance would be an issue).....then lunch took a long time (not our fault, we ordered right away) and I had to leave before dessert even came for a prebooked spa appointment and left that with only a few minutes to spare to check in (my husband was there waiting for me, with my card he'd fetched from me in the spa, and having explained why I wasn't there yet and promising to get me there and talking to anyone they wanted as SOON as I was done.).  The whole thing was very stressful and basically insured that I will no longer book boarding day pedicures.  

Other than that, I absolutely love the new system.

On 3/20/2022 at 5:02 PM, WeMissSeaView said:

Was on the Wonder last week and earned a block.  Was told by the LA that the Wonder and Odyssey blocks will be mailed in April.  (Will also be receiving a block for the Odyssey)

I'll earn a block on the Wonder TA...sounds like I should plan on getting it mailed ot me, eventually...  thanks

1 hour ago, MandyMooToo said:

 I guess we are getting our statistical information from somewhere else as everything I have seen (20+ years working in the alcohol and drug and criminal justice field) says the opposite. But I am sure if you look hard enough anyone can find the numbers to support their theories, so we will have to agree to disagree on this. 
 

As for shame, I never said it was shameful to drink or anything of the like. I was specifically responding to comments about the US vs UK and/or Europe as a whole. 

If this is your field of study I am sure your stats are right....I shouldn't have saud "historically binge drinking is lower in europe" without actually looking it up, which I did not. To be honest, I never cared.  I cared about what i felt would work in our family and with our kids and was legal and allowed and that was IT:  So far so good, my 20 somethings seem to drink reasonbaley and responsibly (which would have occurred no matter which country they spent their teen years in I would guess, our family approach not being all taht different either place).

 I was just going by both my and my kids' experiences in both areas and what I always "hear" but we know that can often be wrong.  No need to accuse anyone of looking for information to justify a position, geez.

Otherwise, the topic came up in relation to comments about "would you take your kid to a bar!????" and that somehow justifying not allowing children staying in suites into the suite lounge with parents...even though the suite lounge really isn't a bar and many of us DO (or did in my case) allow our kids in bars with and without us growing up.   It wasn't about where there is more drinking, but about ATTITUDES of the adults in various areas to exposing kids to seeing adults drinking and maybe in more "adult" places (not always designed to be family friendly).   So, you know, my son's 11th grade class play on closing night we could hear the prosecco corks popping backstage before the audience was even out of the auditorium and the teachers were back there with them.  No one batted an eye except my husband and I laughing about how that would never happen in the US...totally different attitudes and approaches.  

(and the "shame" thing was in response to you posting that is is weird to say the  US is "prudish" about some things.......I wasn't saying YOU think things are shameful, but that some ways the US handles things like alcohol or sex ed or dress codes etc could be interpreted as "shameful" or "prudish" in comparison to how those things are handled in some of the nations I listed.  Again, just a discussion about the different cultures and their attitudes about these things.  

1 hour ago, MandyMooToo said:

 

This is not true at all.  I have read many comments in this thread basically saying the US a prudish place to live that shuns alcohol in a ridiculous manner (an exaggeration maybe but pretty much sums it up).  The UK has higher rates of alcoholism than the US.  Look it up and you will see.  Also higher rates of episodic drinking (something like 27% of Brits are binge drinkers).  The funny thing here is that much like Carnival and RCCL, we (Americans) have more in common with the Brits than not.  Most of the stories being told here, i.e. "My cousin couldn't believe the amount of drinking college students do in the US" are anecdotal only. 

 

One last tidbit, since this comment specifies Europe as a whole and not the UK as some of the others, I will say that Europeans drink more than any other continent.  

 

Sorry OP, I realize this post has little to do with your original comment but I felt the need to respond.

Yes, Europeans in general drink a lot....I don't think  anyone said otherwise.....but it is not considered shameful to drink, thus not having rules against kids being around drinking in the same way that the US does.  That was kind of the point in replying to the person who was all offended at the idea of kids "in a bar"

(and while binge drinking is absolutely on teh rise in Germany and I think much of continetal Western Europe, it has not been at US or UK levels historically)

24 minutes ago, topnole said:

I’m talking about youth binge drinking.  Clearly there are no absolute truths.  There is youth binge drinking in Europe too.   But my read of things, and experience, suggests youth binge drinking is a societal problem in the US.  Yes it happens everywhere, but kids who grow up being able to drink aren’t over indulging in the forbidden fruit (as often) when in college or when they turn 21.  
 

Americans being considered prude.  Now that is funny.  Maybe these folks visited the Bible Belt or Disney?  They certainly skipped a lot of places, not to mention New Orleans or Vegas to come away with that view.  

I think for many comparing to Western Europe it is more about things like:  school dress codes with weird rules about how long shorts can be or if shoulders can be bare and a drinking age higher than the age of majority otherwise.  Many school distrcits which teach abstinance only......

Regardless of if you feel those are good or bad things, they are defitnely a BIG contrast to France, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, etc in approach

11 hours ago, ckruetze said:

 

I just wish people would apply the same rules for adults. I don't think I've ever seen someone who removed his/her husband/wife due to misbehavior.

 

I have defintely seen spouses/partners at least trying to cajole a poorly behaved person out of a club/lounge on ships.  In any healthy romantic relationship one person cannot order another around as a parent might a misbahving child, but getting them moving where they need to. yeah, it happens sometimes, though not nearly as often as it should.  Most of the time it seems like both adults who are together are misbahving if one is.

17 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

While I agree it’s unlikely they will just people, the Covid dynamic has changed completely since last Summer. Vaccination programs were still working through age groups, the concept of booster shots was just being discussed, society as a whole were dealing with various levels of restrictions. A cruise planned for Summer 2022 should not start from the basis of what restrictions worked last year. 

And the covid dynamic has changed completely again in the past few weeks......much of Europe is seeing numbers climbing and restrictions coming back.  Here in Germany you have to be vaccinated or have a certified negative test result less than 24 hours old to use public transit and to go to work.  School kids are still testing multiple times per week in our state, etc.  I am honestly not seeing that the Copenhagen cruise protocols are out of synch with what is happening where we live.  

2 hours ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Interesting to see no specifics on this.  At home tests with no supervision accepted?  I haven't taken any home tests, so what would you bring to show negative?  How would they even know it was yours?  Why not take PCRs?  In US, the NAAT test was easy to get at Walgreens, but that's not antigen, it's a PCR.

Even the UK closed loop cruises last year required a supervised test with a medical certificate to board....I cannot imagine that is going to change. They are not just going to trust people to say they performed a home test, don't worry.

Why not take PCRs?  Because there is limited equipment to perform them and in many areas with covid surges that needs to be reserved for actually suspected cases. 

Also, most of Europe we can get antigen tests for free or inexpensively with certified results in 20ish minutes but a PCR test is about $100 (unless an antigen test has come back positive and you need a confirmation, or you have serious symptomes, etc and your doctor orders the PCR).  

3 minutes ago, ridge4 said:

We are sailing on an Anthem TA in May. I’m trying to decide if I want purchase internet on this 11 night sailing. That many nights makes the price pretty steep.  My question is will internet function correctly in the middle of the Atlantic?  Would love to hear from anyone with experience using internet on a TA.  

Normally it works well...sometimes there are a couple off times if weather is bad.

That said there have been reports of internet issues on some of the RCI ships lately, so if the system is malfunctioning it might be an issue regardless of where the ship sails

I have had family members do video job interviews online from the middle of a TA without any issues

somtimes...but often it is just meant to be funny and lighten the mood.   Personally, I don't really see that post as aimed at irritating anyone....maybe I am missing something though.

5 minutes ago, AlohaLivin said:

As someone who’s paid a great deal of money for a suite  you want me not to be able to drink in the lounge because someone wants their child there in the evening? I can’t even believe someone would think that was a rational idea no matter how indulgent or irrational a parent they are. Or was the point just to irritate?

The post you quoted is pretty obviously sarcasm

On 3/18/2022 at 9:40 AM, Kbonner said:

3 weeks ago the continental European Pinnacles were invited for the all-inclusive-free inaugural 6-8 May 22 cruise. Don't know whether UK also were included. The inaugural Europe cruise is a free media/travel agencies/Pinnacle cruise.

We gave it a go.

Once you signed up, did you get any confirmation email?   We didn't, and I'm slightly worried about that.

1 hour ago, time4u2go said:

A lot of major airports have testing available.  You should check with whatever airport you are flying out of.

Yes, there is a testing center in BCN international terminal.  Antigen tests with results in 20 minutes for 30 euro.  Really a pretty easy option https://flycovidtestcenter.com/en/barcelona-t1/

6 hours ago, little britain said:

Yes, many of my UK 🍍 chums have been invited. Several of them are on the TA so they also had the bring kicked off for 2 days dilemma 

I just found my invite in my junk folder.  I am one who will have that 2 day gap.  Or maybe I'll fly home to Germany,  pick up my husband (who is not on the TA) and fly back.  Depends largely on if Air2Sea will let me change my post cruise flight without an upcharge.

On the one hand, it seems silly  to put much effort or travel cost into a free 2 day cruise.  On the other hand it sounds like a lot of fun with probably a whoe lot of people we've sailed with before ending up onboard.  Decisions, decisions.

10 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I'm on a b2b2b on Carnival in Europe starting in Barcelona in May and ending in Dover in June. I don't think Spain has an expiration on when your booster shot expires. The expiration date is regarding the timeframe for the intial vaccine. 

Correct as of now.  Here is what the Spanish governemnt site says:

"has been vaccinated against COVID-19, with a complete schedule or booster dose. In the case of a complete vaccination schedule, you should check the validity periods: from 1 February 2022, this certificate will be valid from 14 days after the administration of the last dose of the complete vaccination schedule and will be valid up to 270 days from the administration of this last dose. Thereafter, in order to be valid, the vaccination certificate must reflect the administration of a booster dose. These certificates will be considered valid from the day the booster dose is administered." 

https://www.spth.gob.es/

I'm not sure if they would let you sit at a table to get only shakes, but you can order them to go without dining there otherwise.

23 minutes ago, Grandma Dazzles said:

You need to contact Special Needs department prior to the cruise. They will have in your cabin when you arrive. You cannot take an extension cord on board. 

Is there a specific phone number (or email) or do I just call the main line and ask to be transferred?  My in laws are joining us on a sailing in August and my father in law will need an extension cord and distilled water for a CPAP machine

19 minutes ago, cantgetaname said:

Hope you all don't mind me asking this here.  I'm flying to the Uk from Barcelona after a cruise on Wonder of the Seas.  My flight to Manchester was supposed to be12:40 not it's moved to 12:10   Hopefully I'll be able to get there in time.  I got 'The Key' so hoping to get to disembark at a good time.  Think I'll be ok getting to the airport.  Flying on a BA/Veuling code share flight. 

 

  I think you should be fine.  We sailed BCN this past October and nothing has changed as far as availability of taxis is concencerned...never have waited more than 5 minutes to actually be put in a taxi disembarking in Barcelona...usually they load faster than people can walk through the queue.  

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

The cruises I was on the fuel surcharge was added, there was a line at guest services removing the auto tips to get even.

how awful!  (there were no auto tips on teh sailing I was on....that was still recomended and you gave it out yourself on the last day; sadly, I bet you are correct that many petty people took teh fee out on the crew and reduced their gratuities)