RFerrington

On Radiance now. They do not have lunch on sea days….it is brunch only. On port days the MDR is not open for lunch.

@CSHS1979, how is Laura doing ?

Yes.

The official answer is “no”. You didn’t mention which ship or port so opinions will vary. If you board after the initial “push” has occurred (after, say, 11:00) your assigned boarding time or stateroom status will likely have little to no impact. If you want to get into the terminal “first thing” not only will the actual ability to get into the terminal be a factor, but also where (and when) you will wait for the ship to start boarding as at most ports the Suites and Pinnacles have a separate “lounge” for waiting. Again, depending upon the port, chances are that they will not be enforcing the arrival times so even those with the late arrival times will be able to get into the terminal at the same time as the early birds. I know this isn’t a popular opinion for some, but it’s just the way it is now. WHERE you plan to line up for entry into the terminal will, however, still be an issue. Only Suites and Pinnacles can use the Suites and Pinnacles queue. Most ports (fair to say “all” of them) are very strict on this one. My recommendation is, if it is vitally important that you all board together, then plan to board with later group in the GenPop queue. If you want to be among the first on the ship, plan on using the S/P queue and catch up with the rest of your group later.

+1 for this theory. I think you are correct. At least they’re working on it (if this is, in fact, the reason for these glitches).

I just checked my bookings and on my 5-5-24 Wonder booking almost all of the restaurant options are showing "Sold Out". Luckily I have already made all of my CP purchases for that cruise. Obviously there is something going on with the system. I do not believe that the venues are sold out. Probably just an IT update...or they are in the process of increasing prices, which sounds about right.

@firefly333, I am happy to hear that you have a "moving on" plan. I did much the same when my parents passed. Since I lived "away" and the rest of them were local, I just said, "take it all" and I moved on. I have virtually nothing from my parents....but that's ok. Good luck with the move. I know that will be a tough one. We moved from VA to FL and your move will be even further. You are SO SMART to hire someone else to do it. We moved ourselves. UGH. No bueno. How's your hand/arm doing ? Last time I saw you, you still had a brace.

It's difficult to say these days with so many cutbacks going on BUT the last time we were SC (Dec. 2022) you could order as much as you liked of anything on the menu. With so many of the restaurants NOT included on Icon I would say that might be the one exceptions. But the last experience we had, you basically had TRUE unlimited dining. What you used to be able to do, but I think they have stopped, is ordering something from one of the other specialty restaurants when you were dining in another. For instance, I can recall back a few years ago, if I was dining in Giovannis and wanted the cream of mushroom soup from Chops, they would get that for me. I am fairly certain that service has stopped. If it's on the menu, you can have it, If it's not, tough luck.

Jane, I didn't know you were buying another condo. Where is this one ? Do you still own the one you bought a few years back in Coco Beach ?

I love the “do” on that peacock.

I don't think anyone really knows or even if there is a real difference in the priority. With these categories, it seems to be first come, first served.

Casino offers can be combined but only if they have the same offer code - meaning that they had to have been earned on the same cruise. Since my husband and I both play, we will often both receive offers on the same sailing. Those can be combined but that’s the only situation where offers can be combined.

I've never used a gift card so I don't know for sure...but I have heard that gift cards are very difficult to use. I believe I even read somewhere that gift cards are only good toward cruise fare and not able to be used for cruise planner or onboard purchases. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will respond.

On Allure now and I had to empty the coffee grounds about an hour ago ! Happy to do it though...

I would call and get a different agent. Recently I moved a cruise and they just added the $100 PP fee onto the balance due on the replacement booking. Didn’t pay anything at the time of the change. US booking.

I hope that the "out catching thrills" signs are back. To my knowledge, only Adventure is still using them. I really don't understand why them banished those signs but it was not a coincidence that they disappeared at the same time as they decided to go to once-a-day cabin service. When we were on AD a few months ago, I asked our room attendant for one of the "out catching thrills" signs, which he graciously gave me. I put it in my luggage so that I would have it to use on our next cruise. I can't recall which ship that was...but when I put the 'out catching thrills" sign up, it disappeared ! I assumed someone had snatched it off the door....but when I asked the room attendant about it, he said that he had taken it and that he had been "ordered" to remove that sign, if he saw one. I demanded it back, which he did. So now I have one, but I dare not use it. 🙄

No. When you go to the CK to make your reservations, they will cancel anything that needs to be cancelled.

I’ve never even heard of a sunset balcony on EX. Have they reclassified room categories AGAIN ?

We are on this one, too….as well as the Christmas cruise immediately prior to this one. We did AD for Christmas/NY this past holiday season. Lovely cruises. Looking forward to doing it again.

I have heard that "chair circle" referred to as "holding court" (meaning Royal court, not legal court). It is, indeed, an interesting phenomenon....and it is most definitely NOT exclusive to Galveston. I see it often in the Suites' Lounge. I have not yet seen it in the CL b/c I haven't yet been on a sailing where the Pinns are excluded from the SL. We have been invited into the "Court" (a lady in waiting, I'm guessing) and it is nice to be "included" but it is not something that I seek out. We are not ones to frequent any of the loyalty lounges during "Happy Hour" unless there is a reason for us to be there (prearranged meet-up, for example). I almost exclusively use the lounge (whichever one I can go to) for coffee in the morning. If I have business with the Concierge I may come in during the afternoon but frankly, we stay away in the evenings....especially on sailings where this behavior is prevalent. Don't get me wrong. Those Pinns could not have been nicer to us. They are truly lovely people...but I do find that circle to be somewhat exclusive of others and I have seen the Suites' Concierge roll his/her eyes, presumably at the thought of having to drag all of that furniture back to its "home". On the few occasions when we have been at court, we try and move our chairs back but sometimes the court is in full session when we leave so it's not possible. I truly do not believe that the Court is intended to make anyone feel excluded...but it unfortunately does have that undertone.

Honestly....IMO it isn't about wanting to spend time in the lounge(s). It's about being told you CANNOT go into the lounge that is disturbing to some.

Pat, and all of the others who are departing today - have a safe and fun trip home. Thank you for taking the time to bring us along.

😔

I wonder if sales on the ship (not on shore) will be subject to the new VAT similar to the way Texas taxes alcohol in port. I almost never get off the ship anywhere in the Bahamas so a shore-based tax will not be an issue for us….but if the shipboard charges are also subject to the VAR tax (which will almost certainly be the case, IMO), then they (The Bahamas govt) may get a few shekels from me. Not enough to be any serious problem but….

WOOHOO !!!!!!