DirtyDawg

16 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I honestly had no idea how many people would read their own FACTS into the question. 

Ever since I joined CC people have been reading their own FACTS into every question. 😉

Royal paid out about $1.4 Billion in interest costs over the past year. They'd have to fire a few thousand Van Fleets to really take a bite out of that albatross. 🐦

The whole fleet is scheduled to have Starlink by the end of 2023 so the internet should be better than in the past.

Here's a review https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/06/28/i-tried-elon-musks-starlink-internet-royal-caribbean-cruise-ship

9 hours ago, Ret MP said:

DELETED.  Probably would have been deleted for me anyway

DELETED.

Spare post. 😉

40 minutes ago, D4 said:

I like this idea!  I imagine that not everyone in the extended family would want to pay extra for a specialty restaurant.

Count me in on this one too. 

For those who think a cruise is too much of a graduation gift, our three boys wanted, as a graduation gifts, for us to forgive their student debt they borrowed from us. That would be WAY more than the cost of a cruise!

We bought them a couple of pizzas! 🍕

29 minutes ago, shippmates said:

That is good to hear that more people are dressing up on formal nights.  That was always the highlight of our cruises.  I loved seeing my husband dressed in his tux and me in my long dresses as we do not get to dress like that at home.  I still take my long dresses and wear them as I do not care what others are wearing.  I wonder if some of the passenger are embarrassed on formal night when all the table is dressed to the nines and there they are in the gym shorts and t shirts.

If they chose to wear shorts and a t-shirt on "formal" night knowing it was 'formal' night, they would not likely be embarrassed one iota. They would probably be wondering why are all our tablemates dressed to the nines at a floating Applebee's? 😁

47 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

RCL reports the deposits separately in their SEC filings, so I assume it includes all of them. I think everyone who requested deposit refunds for the bankrupt Pullmantur (was part of RCG pre-COVID) got it.

The deposits are initially just a liability on the balance sheet and then taken into revenue when the service is delivered. That is just an accounting convention.

I was thinking more of the Crystal bankruptcy. 

https://www.fmc.gov/update-notice-to-passengers-regarding-crystal-cruises/

I'm not sure if other country's have the same requirements as the FMC has for U.S.  departing cruises.  Interesting, I did a search on the RCL 10K and lots of mentions of "deposits" but none for "escrow". 

All in all, the chances of Royal going bankrupt is small (but greater than in the past) and in that event the chances of losing all your deposit is likely small. But, all I'm saying, is this  should be considered and consumers should make themselves aware of this possibility, not to just simply ignore it. And I think you are saying the same thing. 

9 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

If something bad enough happens to cause RCI to go bankrupt, folks would have way more pressing issues to worry about than their deposit. BTW, RCL keeps deposits in escrow so they are available for refunds in case of bankruptcy.

I know your Federal Maritime Commission requires them for all cruises departing U.S. ports but are those escrow accounts in place for all deposits?

Lots of benefits to booking early BUT you have to consider at least 2 other things.

1. What is the opportunity cost of not having the deposit in your pocket/bank account/investment account for the time before your cruise. If you are giving up nothing because the money would otherwise be stuffed in your mattress, the opportunity cost is zero. (Could actually be negative because your deposit will not lose purchasing power due to inflation)  But if you give up 2 years of investment earrings, it could be significant.  (ex. the historic return of the S&P 500 is about 11%-12% per year since it's inception). Of course, the Crypto fans would say if you 'invest' in Crypto your would be giving up a whole lot more.😉 Now, since any opportunity cost is just on your deposit, in most cases it will not be a significant offset to the benefits of booking early, but they need to be considered. 

2. With the current financial state of the cruise industry you should also consider the probability of losing your deposit if the cruise line goes bankrupt before your cruise.  @goldentrio I don't know your location but you should check relevant consumer protection laws where you are located and/or recovery possibilities through your credit card provider if you are planning to pay the deposit that way. 

Again. lots of benefits from booking early but you also have to consider, at least, some of the downsides.  Have a great cruise in 2025!

And as @firefly333 said, if you do book early book refundable.

I would not sail in an inside but I'm glad others like them and buy that real estate on the ships.

If it wasn't for inside cruisers we'd all have to pay more for our balcony real estate.

Or share the ship with these guys. 

😁

I sure hope Royal brings back REAL formal nights. It's been too long since I was able to wear my REAL Formal attire. 

32 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Just numbers to us, does it really matter? Pretty sure none of what they are doing is really worth what they are getting paid for.

But @Jimbo, are any of us worth what we are getting (got) paid for?😉

EQ or SIL?

I thought this tread was about cruising with Emotional Intelligence i.e. emotional quotient (EQ) or your Sister-in-Law (SIL).

If it was me I'd pick EQ every day of the week! 😁

That name is gross. I'd 'try-out' a few different massage types. I'd 'taste' a flight of beer. I'd go to a wine 'tasting'. But there's no way I'd want to 'taste' a massage. Good Lord, I hope a foot massage isn't included in the 'tasting'! 🤢

🙃

Cruise cabin pring is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

13 hours ago, markeb said:

 

No. The BEST way was a fully salaried, all expenses paid, three year tour in Bavaria courtesy of the US Army. Our own car, our own place. An hour and a half from Munich and about three hours to the Alps...

I tried your way but for some reason the U.S. Army wouldn't let me join them. I think it had  something to do with me breaking out in Oh Canada when they wanted me to swear allegiance to something. 🤔

😁

1 minute ago, mfs2k said:

That ship has sailed. 

Sailed and sunk for some of us! 😊

2 hours ago, George C said:

I believe a cruise is the best way to visit Europe the first time, in most cases you are at a port during the day and cruising at night waking up in a new port/city/country. We have done two Athens to Rome and then round trip from Barcelona with 9 ports including 4 countries.

I have to disagree with you George. The BEST way to visit Europe for the first time is to backpack around it, sleeping in hostels, while you are single and in your early twenties. 😉

😀

I agree with @mahdnc, the better way to experience Europe is a land vacation. But a cruise could be a good 'teaser' vacation to get a small taste of Europe and find out where you would want to return to for a land vacation in the future. 

If you can, try to get to Barcelona a couple of days before your cruise and stay a couple of days in Rome after your cruise. 

38 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

It’s fun to see how men wearing shorts can ruin someone else’s vacation. Just like the pinnnacle pin and people wearing lanyard. 
 

Hilarious. 

Of course if they were wearing a pinnacle pin and lanyard without any other clothes on it might  ruin a lot of other cruisers vacations. 😱

C'mon people, after a certain age no one wants to see our hairy old legs while they are eating. 😱

Cover up and wear something that covers your legs right down to the ankles! 

Oh, and that goes for the ladies too!  😊

I once had an stomach issue after eating liver with some fava beans, and a nice Chianti.

But I don't blame the cruise line. It was a bad census taker. 😉

I once had an stomach issue after eating liver with some fava beans, and a nice Chianti.

But I don't blame the cruise line. It was a bad census taker. 😉

I once had an stomach issue after eating liver with some fava beans, and a nice Chianti.

But I don't blame the cruise line. It was a bad census taker. 😉

Reading about all the great times some cruisers have had sailing in inside cabins I sometimes will think to myself that perhaps I should try an inside cabin, at least once.

Then I rewatch that 1979 Clit Eastwood film, Escape from Alcatraz, and it cures me of such thoughts. 😉 😁