Steeler Nation At Sea

18 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

My plan for 2024:  TA to Barcelona, spend 5 nights near Monserrat, Spain.  Fly home.  5.5 months at home.  7 nights in Rome area, TA from Rome.  🙂

 

Not quite interporting, but, still, closing the loop! 😉  

On 12/27/2023 at 3:51 AM, Mick B said:

 

Again once at Barcelona, the port is very close to the city centre and again sometimes there are shuttle buses but they only take you to the bottom of La Rambla. If you want to walk then fine but there is a high bridge to walk over with cases and if your hotel is up near the top end then you have a further hours walk. Again a taxi to your hotel is only around 10 euros.

You will need a few days to enjoy Barcelona

The full loop on 7 day cruises returns to the embarkation point.  You're suggesting disembarking on what is usually the 4th day to spend time in 2 different cities before and after the cruise.  They'd need a cruise and a half to do this.  Yes, some companies offer that possibility, too, but, I don't think Royal does.

21 minutes ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

That was before the drone attacks on civil ships! Did you read up on all the freight lines sending their ships around Africa to avoid the Suez?

 I'm aware of the Red Sea attacks, nevertheless, the canal does remain open. 

On 12/25/2023 at 2:52 PM, tottenhamfc said:

So what will they offer in your experience for cancelled deployments? The Ovation TP is over the top pricewise. So you think we will know by May 24 

There is little consistency in my experience.  I've run the gamut on redeployment offers, from nothing more than a full refund without compensation for air, to being offered price protection on other sailings and credits for air expenses with a little OBC for the inconvenience.  Royal does inconsistency really, really well.

On 12/25/2023 at 2:44 PM, cruiseboy89130 said:

Suez is closed for passenger ships right now and probably for quite some month down the road .....if she can't get to Singapore in Oktober 24 ...she can't do a TP in 2025!

And the decision to re-deploy her will not be made later than May - I totally doubt Suez will take passenger ships before the end of 24 - So they need to rethink Anthem's deployment!

I'd question your claim that it's closed to passenger vessels.  NCL Dawn Transited with pax less than a month ago. Perhaps it's risky or even ill-advised, but, not closed.

11 hours ago, firefly333 said:

7 pools. I saw on the thread icon blocks are in the house the infinity pool was filled. First one ever built on a cruise ship. 

There are aft infinity edge pools on MSC "Sea" class ships already. I haven't paid attention to Icon photos to know how it compares, but, it's not a first unless you're talking about a first for Royal?

Edit to note that I found a video that mentions it's Icon that has the only "suspended" infinity pool, not just the only infinity pool.  So that's cool, I guess. I'm not one for using the pools very much.

I saw it $54.99 on the Black Friday sale

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Huh?  🤔

 

 I have been using my ceiling magnet hooks for hanging my hand wash laundry for years now.  Have posted my laundry method pictures online with CC over the years as well.  😉   Works well for me on our longer cruises.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Jake thought like I did at first glance that you had those hung from the sprinklers.  In the old days, I think there was an entirely different hack to stick a hanger in the sprinkler to allow you to smoke in the cabin? Your picture resembled that, at first glance.  Like the Christmas shirt!

45 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

I would worry yet, lot can change in 2-3yrs

The Suez transit being discussed is in 10 months.  I hope and pray the conflict is over by then for all those who are living daily with the impacts.

No, there's no sense worrying about a cruise provided you've booked refundable air, cruise, tour and hotel arrangements.

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Totally different from the MDR tonight.  Your picture looks good...forgot to take my phone...the MDR version...not so great.  😞  

 Aw, what a shame. Hope they make up for it on Christmas day dinner.

1 hour ago, Vancouver-Cruiser said:

We’re booked on the Anthem Suez cruise next fall. Keeping my fingers crossed that they don’t cancel before the Suez situation is brought under control. They’ve already cancelled Ashod unfortunately.

 

But why couldn’t the Anthem sail around Africa to get to Singapore, if necessary? I know it takes longer, but if they changed the Southampton to Civi leg they would have time. Has Royal ever offered a sailing around South Africa?

I have no idea if they ever sailed West Africa, but, if they did switch as you suggest,  you'd likely end up with a  Cape Town changeover and new Singapore leg with Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius route instead of Dubai, Oman and India. I can't see them coming further north in the Indian Ocean.   NCL is returning to Europe via West Africa and MSC still scheduled East Africa via Suez transit after their respective winter sailings from Cape Town.

Edit to add that I missed my Haifa stop on Oct. 16th on another line.  Boarded on the 11th without knowing where we'd end up that day as the situation was just unfolding, but I knew we weren't going to Israel.  

@cruisin from florida

Pretty sure poster is referring to the Israeli/Hamas war and the potential for a canceled Suez transit next fall.  Without that transit, the ship won't make it to Singapore in '25.  

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

I seem to remember it offered in 150?  Or was it Chops.  Indeed, not even sure if I have had it..but if I did, had to be years ago.  Always fun to try new things.  🥰

1 hour ago, RFerrington said:

Yes, I’m pretty sure it’s on the 150 menu but I’ve never ordered it.  

It's a lamb Wellington in 150.....and it is delicious! 

40 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks!  Have another cruise line booked that does the "blue nose ceremony" when you cross the Arctic circle.  I think they do something  on this ship as well.  And if we are lucky...we cross the Antarctic circle as long as weather permits....so says Captain Stig.  😉 

Did the blue nose ceremony in the Voyager last September on the Iceland/Greenland TA. 

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

And who makes up these names, mini bites for free mexican food. Surely they could have come up with a name implying mexican. 

Started out with burger sliders, fries, taquitos, fruit skewers, brownies and the like.  If it's skewing more Mexican now, maybe its following the lead of the El Loco Fresh on other ships.

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

The app on my android says it's no longer compatible 

Just update it from the Google  app store or install the latest version.  They are up to version 1.49.2 as of a release just the other day. As long as you have above Android 7, you should be okay with the update.

14 minutes ago, orville99 said:

I don't know f the group still exists, but at the height of their popularity there were actually several touring groups and one that was in "residence" for a while at Disney World. They got their big break by appearing in a series of IBM (big Blue) ads.

Not sure if they still tour, but, they definitely still have residencies in several entertainment capitals.  They used to be a feature show on NCL Epic, at one point.  The act is the same every time and place that you see it, pretty much. 

7 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Interesting, since we get back to Seattle on May 8 with an overnight, and debark on May 9. I’m looking at the confirmation email from Royal, with the itinerary attached.

You are absolutely right ✅️ 

I read "day 11" repeating and added the May all by myself.  Dangerous before my second cup of coffee.

6 minutes ago, Tlbecker1 said:

They have changed it on the website to a 15N.

Oops, just missed this while I was posting the same thing.

27 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Yes, it seems that on the consumer website, they never calculate the repeat day for coming back over International Dateline. On this TP, we repeat May 5 2025.

Not what I'm seeing and the repeated day is May 11 it says further into the booking.

9 minutes ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

You just need a hi limit credit card.

 

Kind of a given on a voyage like this

 

According to spa manager, 10 folks out of 650+ booked the pkg. We were #11

 

Didn't ask how the mini legs were selling

Are you both able to use the one package? 

26 minutes ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

Really, just curb your parental judgement already. I find people that need to offer this sort of unsolicited commentary here are generally just overcompensating for the misery and failure in their own life.

And yet here you are offering your unsolicited commentary 🤣

1 hour ago, doghog said:

And yet you felt compelled to call out your tier level here. 😂

Not compelled at all in the way that you're implying, but, you're right. I could've merely said that I was lounge eligible to make the same point. 

5 minutes ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

$16,798 with 20% gratuity.

 

YOLO

That is exactly what I would pay for 100 75 minute services at my spa, just not billed all at once.  Seems a fair price to me.

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks!  She and I could be twins, and get that all the time, though she is 3 years younger than I am.  

 

Really messes her up when I come to see her at her clinic.   They all think I am the doctor...I told Laurie I was writing scripts for them.  😄   Even funnier when I visit her in the hospital...nurses chasing me down with questions.  

So much for incognito Pat!  I'll now know who to lookout for if we ever wind up on the same ship.  Was disappointed that we never did get to sail together in the covid aftermath. I know I canceled the Wonder TA, but, I think Covid canceled another, must have been Allure?