On 2/3/2023 at 10:17 AM, Wineaux007 said:

It's called "wifi calling."  Since you will be on the ship, make sure your phone is placed in airplane mode.  If you have a wifi connection, turn wifi calling on in your phone.  You can also "facetime" if you have an iPhone.  Make sure you are in "airplane" mode of you may get charged ship charges of $2 a minute or more.

I thought you needed Surf & Stream Package to Facetime and use WIFI Calling.  It was my belief that Surf only allowed you to text and browse the internet, with no streaming nor calling.  Has this changed?

This will be your 4th cruise on MSC using the Yacht Club.  Have loved the experience so far.  March will be our first time using Port Canaveral.  Just wondering,  when driving to the port.  Do  you park your car, then carry your bags from the parking lot to the Yacht Club Tent, or do  you pull up to the tent, drop off your bags, then go park your car.  No biggie, but I was just wondering.

Thanks

The times they are a changin…..relax and don’t look so hard. I like the relaxed standards…less to pack. 
 

I bring an Exercise Ball.  It lays flat in my baggage...when I get to the room, I blow it up...works well as a foot stool.  

Will WIFI calling (audio only) work with basic WIFI, or will we have to upgrade to the higher package?

21 hours ago, Wineaux007 said:

Saved yourself $40pp by not stopping there for one day. 

Really only 7 hours, if you include 1 hour getting off and 1 hour getting onboard....so your paying the Bermuda Government a bit over $5 per hour to set foot on their island...

Before COVID hit Alamo had a facility on  Eller Drive.   The last cruise we did out of Port Everglades about 9 months ago, it was closed due to COVID and lack of customers.  Does anyone know if the Eller Drive Facility has reopened, and if they shuttle you to the port?  Are there any better rental car options, other than returning a car back to FLL?  Thanks

Come on RCCL...your losing money to Carnival and NCL:

Carnival Cruise bookings soar after it eases COVID testing requirements

2 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

that happened on Odyssey. They didn’t scan our card when we took towels, they just wrote our cabin number 8n a book,  so when we dropped them off they never removed them!

The towel charges don’t come on account until the morning of disembarking so it was very annoying. 

Same thing happened to us on the Anthem...was on the phone for close to an hour trying to get charge removed.  Took a few days, but the charge was reversed.  Royal has to find a better way of doing their TOWEL ACCOUNTING.....very annoying!!

Both of us are Diamond Plus.  We both get 2 days internet.  We mainly want to use wifi calling and surf the internet.  Do we need SURF, or SURF and STREAM?  On a  seven night cruise are we better off using 2 days, then buying the remaining days with our Diamond Plus Discount.   In the past we have bought the package before boarding, but I don't think thats best for a 7 night cruise.

1 minute ago, Coochuck said:

it was Dec 24, 2021....have done 4 cruises since August...everyone was excellent...but in the past few weeks...things have turned upside down by omnicron strain.  Before ports were missed because of weather related problems.  Now...ships are being turned away because of infected crew/passenger combo which is a ratio greater than some islands will allow.

My bad...cruise on Anthem was Nov 14...got it confused with our Celebrity cruise taken in December.

56 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

A little context here may be in order. First, your previous Anthem sailing, which I assume was some other date and not Dec 14, was her usual 7 day run to PC and Bahamas, which are really cheap. You are comparing that to an 11 day sailing to the Eastern Caribbean - of course it'll be more expensive.

 

As mentioned by others, it may seem unacceptable to you, but in pre-COVID days, RCI rarely provided any compensation for missed ports and taxes are only returned if the over all taxes go down due to missing a port.

it was Dec 24, 2021....have done 4 cruises since August...everyone was excellent...but in the past few weeks...things have turned upside down by omnicron strain.  Before ports were missed because of weather related problems.  Now...ships are being turned away because of infected crew/passenger combo which is a ratio greater than some islands will allow.

1 hour ago, asalligo said:

RCCL is struggling greatly right now and we do have to go with the flow to cruise right now, but dang the cheerleaders on this board. OP did pay a pretty penny for the itinerary they picked. They can complain a little about not getting what they paid for. Comments like you should be happy to pay for being on a ship no matter what the situation is are ridiculous. 

 

I know that I cannot put up with cruising in its current format and am just booking land vacations for now. I am here every day in hope though that we will get our old cruising back. 

 

You are 100% correct in your statement about not getting what she paid for her cruise.  We were on the Anthem Dec 14th....got what we paid for....Didn't get off the ship in Port Canaveral, nor Nassau, but we did enjoy a day at Coco Cay.  We are on the Jan 20th Anthem Cruise and paid a lot more for this cruise with the expectaion of great ports of call.  Now they are changing the ports which we will visit due to the Omnicron outbreak which I understand.  With that being said, not returning Port Taxes for missed stops (San Juan so far), nor offering any compensation for missing St Lucia is unacceptable.  We have the same class of cabin from out December and January cruises...but the price difference is close to $1000.00 difference between the cruises.

3 hours ago, cruising247365 said:

So disappointed!  What was supposed to be our first cruise since 2019 (gasp!) has turned out to be exactly what we were fearing would happen.  Ruined due to covid.  Wanted to let others know, if you are on the same sailing for the 20th.  We just got emailed that Anthem will not be going to San Juan due to the new testing requirements.  So losing a port.  We were okay with that but then also were notified that St Lucia is also now gone, replaced by St Thomas, which we have been to 4 times.  St Lucia was the only one we cared about.

 

We are frustrated not because this happened but because RCCL seems to be acting in a shady manner with all of this.  We just booked a couple weeks ago, only to read that other sailings were notified/changed prior to this.  Yet, RCL has left it listed (even now!) and are letting people buy it, knowing that this will NOT be the itinerary.  We have also seen St Kitts pulled from multiple sailings (like Piper's live blog this week) but RCL is not notifying of that being pulled as yet.

 

We all defend our fave lines, but this is the wrong way to do business.  One thing to leave Haiti options up for months out, but this is current, now.  They know exactly what is going to be the case but are leaving things up as they are, and not telling people of the changed itineraries.  There is no reason for them to cancel St Lucia, as it has nothing to do with covid...other ships are still going there and are in fact there now.  We know that St Kitts will also be gone, as the current sailing has done, and other ships have done. 

 

Was really hoping that cruising was back (lol, especially as shareholders!) but it sadly just is not.  We are just lucky that we were not having to fly in, as that would have been lost money too!  By the way, we called immediately and they said they would NOT be reimbursing for the loss of San Juan.  They would for other ports, but not that one.  Perhaps because it is a US port, they would not specify. Seems not right, still selling an itinerary you KNOW will not be happening, and not offering credits either!

I had my Travel Agent check with Royal to see if they were going to offer any OBC's or refunds for a missed cruise stop, and change of ports. Royal's answer was NO. So I guess they get to keep the Port Taxes, and save money on fuel by not going further south to St Lucia.  The one way distance between St Kitts and St Lucia is equal to 265.07 miles, and 230.19 nautical miles. It looks like ST Kitts is the farthest south we are going now.....so the cruise line is saving a considerable amount of money.  There should be refunds in the way of OBC's or cash refunds!!

48 minutes ago, HicksRA said:

Yes. We’ve done that. 

53 minutes ago, 2nsmom said:

If you still had a drink or 2 left before midnight, could you use it to get a bottle of water?

Or ask for a bottle of beer, and keep the cap on.

2 minutes ago, forgotmyCCname said:

They have cameras everywhere. You list where you have been and they can pull it up , even with masks on the facial recognition works.

it must be an arduous task and they may limit it to dining , but it can be done.

Agreed....Facial Recognition works as you depart the ship in most US Ports now.  You don't even have to pull out your Passport..just look at the Cam...it dings, and the Rep tells your your done....go home

Great to hear the cruise lines have upgraded the crew masks.   A win/win for both crew and customers!!

25 minutes ago, Coochuck said:

Have been on 4 cruises in the past few months.  The staff all have been wearing cloth masks, as opposed to now CDC suggested KN95, or N95 masks for the best type of protection against COVID.  Why haven't the cruise lines provided their staff with these, or have they changed over in the past few weeks?  A bartender I spoke with on our last Celebrity cruise told me that he had the same mask for the past 4 months, and he wears it all day, and washes it when he returns to his cabin.  Not good....Cruise Lines should be doing a better job with their masking for the Crew, and their Customer Base!

A good read from USA Today on Masks....

 COVID mask guide: As omicron surges, N95 and KN95 are safer than cloth (usatoday.com)

Have been on 4 cruises in the past few months.  The staff all have been wearing cloth masks, as opposed to now CDC suggested KN95, or N95 masks for the best type of protection against COVID.  Why haven't the cruise lines provided their staff with these, or have they changed over in the past few weeks?  A bartender I spoke with on our last Celebrity cruise told me that he had the same mask for the past 4 months, and he wears it all day, and washes it when he returns to his cabin.  Not good....Cruise Lines should be doing a better job with their masking for the Crew, and their Customer Base!

15 hours ago, Donoiv11 said:

I STAND CORRECTED! 

 

I just got the “2 Coke Zeros” I ordered along with dinner.  Someone must like me! Never been a fan of Bud… but this is about to be the BEST BEER EVER!

 

Cheers!!!

Do me a favor...ask for a bottle of wine to be delivered...wonder if your request will be filled?

43 minutes ago, Donoiv11 said:

I STAND CORRECTED! 

 

I just got the “2 Coke Zeros” I ordered along with dinner.  Someone must like me! Never been a fan of Bud… but this is about to be the BEST BEER EVER!

 

Cheers!!!

 .Thanks....There is a Ship God!!!!!

I have read if you test positive for COVID you are moved to the Quarantine Floor.  You are provided Internet, Movies, Room Service, and the Medical Staff will take care of  you till you get off of the ship.  Important question....Can you use Room Service to order BOOZE?   I can't imagine lasting several days stuck in an Ocean View Room  (in my case, up to 11 Days) with no wine, beer, wiskey!!

What about the expenses for the medical care and meds?   Was that taken care of?  You mentioned that a person was assigned to you to take care of the financials...What does that mean?  Thank you for sharing your experience.  It helps us in determining if we want to go on our scheduled January 20th cruise on the Anthem.  Hope your family fully recovers.  

23 hours ago, Heidi pour another Beer said:

They only told us about the one case and the "negative contacts" nothing else after that. I have a post on here when that occurred. It was business as usual but we the passengers or at least the groups I was in contact with had growing concerns. More and more people with cold symptoms.

I had purchased tests when I booked in September for when I return from cruising. Also my county here in Florida gave them away at a local high school before I left. I know I am very fortunate to have them. When I left we only were dealing with omicron at 1%, now it has escalated to 70% or higher. I would not have cruised right now had I known this would happen. 

I have developed a cough and runny nose as has my son. I believe we will be fine.

 

WOW...I was on this same cruise and feel the Cruise Line and Staff did a fantstic job.  If you were so paranoid that you had to walk around with a mask all the time, you should not have been cruising.  It was such a relief to take off our masks after visiting our ports of call, and once we departed the cruise terminal.  This was our 4th time on a ship since August.  Of course your taking a chance whenever you walk out of your house.  You stand a better chance of catching something at  your local Walmart or Supermarket than  you do on a cruise ship.  Almost everyone  was vaccinated, and myself, and would assume anyone who had to opportunity to get a booster shot at least 2 weeks before leaving home did also.  There were so few children on our cruise, and the way the cruise line tested the children, I felt perfectly safe.  If you ever felt you got to close to someone, and it scared you...you really don't belong on a ship.  I have cruised Royal, Carnival, and Celebrity in the past few months, and I do have to say I felt the most safe on Celebrity.  You had the opportunity to cancel your cruise with Celebrity up to 48 hours, so you knew the current situation and still chose to cruise.  I do hope you and your son recover quickly, and continue to crusie as the world recovers from this COVID mess, as things open up.  

Has anyone tried to call Celebrity to purchase the Steam Plan with the Elite Discount?  I held on the phone for an hour and gave up.   No one answers the phone there.