joeyancho

14 minutes ago, Pratique said:

Glad to hear you are good to go. They probably just called this guy in. 😄

 

Red Green.  

Famous last words......"I'll have it fixed in no time".     I feel bad for everyone who traveled so far only to be let down.  Last minute flights home are not cheap.   

I

3 hours ago, IrishWhisperer said:

Yeah two days refund, two days FCC, and free booze for two days. Not very generous - hopefully they fix it by Sunday. 

What does your cruise look like?  

We are on board the Radiance now.  We are docked in Vancouver since around 9 pm.   Rumors are everywhere.   Many people on board are book for the next leg for Alaska.   Some say the ship will board passengers but stay tied up for 3 days.  Then take some abbreviated Voyage.  One couple said that they were told to leave the ship and go through customs and then get back on.  Apparently engineers have flown in from Finland.   Probably more news in the morning.   

Good luck.  If it was Miami or Los Angeles I could tell you how to do it.   Dubai who knows?   

24 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Why is this your dream? Just to do more 4 nighters out of Galveston with four free drinks per day?

LOL,  it's not like your life changes.  A couple of drinks.  

On 5/22/2023 at 6:47 AM, 20165 said:

Anyway, instead of bringing out own washcloths, we are just going to bring a pair of scissors.  Problem solved...

Be careful and don't run with those scissors.   It's funny until someone gets hurt,  then it's hilarious 😂 

Catsup is gross.  Why ruin perfectly fine food with high fructose corn syrup  sweetened tomato sauce.  🍅?   The crew mockingly calls it American sauce.  And don't even get me started with pineapple on pizza.  Sorry for the rant but the Steelers got thumped today and I am not over it. LOL

How is your husband? 

We are on Seascape right now.  We are in Yacht Club.   I have been down to the main buffet several times.   It is huge and nicely appointed  but  I have never seen a buffet so crowded.  Just waves of humanity.  No where to sit.  The rest of the ship is crowded but not to the extent that the buffet is.  It is because there is no other place to eat.  The main dining room is open for meals but the hours are limited.  I doubt I will cruise MSC again if not in YC.  Just too crowded.  

2 hours ago, psmarkle said:

 

You're in the YC...you can check in when you want. We have also had an "assigned 3pm" check-in time...1030 it was for us! No problems!

 

Welcome to the YC! 😁

Ok, thanks mucho. 

USD...map boolay

3 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

the boat captain made us sign another waiver.

I don't think the excursion provider can hide behind the waiver if the captain left the prop running while people are in the water.  That is gross negligence.   If you were injured seek the advice of an attorney.   

This is too late for the OP but,  we leave Seascape YC,   Miami,    Dec 2nd.    Just received a text saying our boarding time is 3 pm.  

On 11/21/2023 at 11:11 AM, PACrew said:

This is dead on. My upcoming MSC cruise is 50% of the cost of Royal. Do I expect the same as Royal -  no. (However, the food on our last royal cruise was not great at all and frankly I feel it was a rip off at the price we paid. They are clearly milking the cow for all its worth.). 

I have noticed how far down the food on Royal has gone just in the past 18 months.  Which is why, even though we are Diamond Plus on Royal,  our next cruise is on MSC.  Royal has a lot of debt to service,  since the pandemic shutdown and a lot of stockholders that expect  dividends.  That is why they are squeezing at both ends.  Offer less and charge more.  MSC is a privately (family)  owned.  So their financial situation is different.   They do not answer to stockholders.  MSC cruise line is part of MSC holdings, the largest shipping company in the world.  The shipping business did not stop during the pandemic.  They have much deeper pockets that the big three cruise lines.  This is part of the reason why prices are lower on MSC. They are the fastest growing cruise line in the world.   

Thanks for posting.   I often wondered what the menu is on Thanksgiving on an Italian ship.  Looks to be quite traditional.  I could go for some deviled eggs right now, lol.

As you might suspect,  I have a special relationship with my bath curtain. 

I am always skeptical when a review says "everything " was bad.  With 53 cruises I know sometimes something is bad , but never everything.  I have sailed 5 different lines and find them to all be similar.  The differences come down to personal preference.  There is a reason MSC is the fastest growing cruise line.  I am about to take my second MSC cruise.  Things I like about them:  the ship was beautiful,  especially nicer than Carnival.   The food was really good.  Not the same old same old of other lines.  The international mix of passengers.  The reasonable price.  The itinerary,  a little different.   The crew was very friendly,  always calling me by name.  Finally,  the PIZZA. 

14 minutes ago, Juliecruzin said:

I am hoping they’ll have one (I think they normally do from Southampton) I need it for making up formula as well as cleaning. At least I can hopefully ask the steward if there isn’t one.

 

yes it’s a balcony guarantee - I wasn’t sure if they definitely gave you a cabin for 3/4 with an infant as won’t use the sofa bed but hopefully as would give the best layout. Our most recent quantum class was on ovation but was pre covid and can’t remember the set up.

 

We’ve picked a Norway  cruise so docking directly into the towns to save having to worry about long distances to get to the sights (just need to accept we might not get the best weather!)
 

 

 

We were tempted to invite my parents but we also need a dog/cat sitter so guess we’ll need to rely on the nursery to get a few hours off. 
 

Thanks again to everyone for their help

They do a very nice job taking care of the little ones.  They will notify you if there any problems.  

For pre-dinner:  French martini w/ Chambord.

For post-dinner classic:  grasshopper.  

For poolside fun: Frozen mango daiquiri w/ Appleton float. 

For the ladies: lavender martini.

For something refreshing:  Aperol Spritz.

For me: Pellegrino with ice and lime (no alcohol for me). 

God Bless all those pilots, air and sea, who risk their lives to help those in need. 

Ret MP.  Thank for your service to our country.  God bless.

My 2 cents part 2:

If price is a concern,  have you considered a different cruise line?  We are diamond plus on Royal.  So we give up quite a few perks if we cruise another line.  But after our last cruise we took a step back to assess the situation.   We were not pleased with the menu changes and the dining room service and the once per day room attendant and the skyrocketing prices of specialty dining,  etc.   We decided to cancel our next rccl cruise.  The wow factor just wasn't there anymore.   After a bit of research we decided to book a cruise on MSC.  The price was considerably less than rccl.  We have cruised with them once before and enjoyed it very much.   Most American cruisers are not familiar with their product or company.  They are a privately owned company (so they don't answer to stock holders).  They specialize in commercial shipping.  They are one of the largest in the world with over 700 ships.  Recently they have ventured into passenger cruising. They are the 4th largest cruise line and the fastest growing line in the world.   They mainly focus on the European market.  So you will find a more diverse mix of nationalities on board.  It is Italian style cruising.   The pizza is fantastic,  lol.  So if you are dissatisfied with the same old same old,  consider a change of scenery.  You might find that it is fun to "sleep around."  Bon Voyage.  

The Rhapsody holds a special place in my heart as it was the first ship I ever took a seven day cruise on.  Before that it was just weekenders. Besides the obvious differences between the ships the Rhapsody is more outwardly focused.  Meaning that there is a lot of glass so you always have a  view of the sea.  The big ships have an inward focus.  Meaning they are more centered on what is going on inside the ship.  Not that this is bad, just different.  I prefer the outward focus.  The Rhapsody is more of a classic style cruise ship.  The Harmony is more like a shopping mall or an amusement park.  One additional plus is that on the Rhapsody nothing is a far walk due to its smaller size. Being 69yo,  I like that.  Whichever you choose I am sure you will have a great time.  Being together as a family can't be beat.   

Stealing luggage is pretty low.  Most people know to carry off their jewelry,  electronics,  cash and other valuables.  So what can they get?  Dirty clothes?  Used luggage?  Cheap souvenirs?   Why would a port worker risk their job for such a low reward?