Glass Block - what is it

[NJoynCruisin]

What is a glass block and how do you earn it?

[njkruzer]

18 minutes ago, NJoynCruisin said:

What is a glass block and how do you earn it?

It's a glass block given beginning at 170 pts and every 70 pts after. It has the the name of the ship you earned it on.  There was a delay during covid but there shipping again.   This isn't a very good picture.

[Coralc]

I think it is 140 points. 

[Another_Critic]

2 minutes ago, Coralc said:

I think it is 140 points. 

Correct.

 

140, 210, 280, 350, 420, 490, 560, 630, 70, etc.

[RobInMN]

The big Crystal Block thread is here. Random pictures if you're interested.

 

[joeyancho]

It's a weapon,  lol

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, joeyancho said:

It's a weapon,  lol

Nah, a paper weight. I'm already at 50# in my bag flying home from Cruise.. Some sell their's, see those available to Buy online. Older Blocks from Ships no longer in Royal Fleet fetch a pretty penny. Hey, only 75 shopping days til Xmas

[Tin can]

Do you ever get given these on the actual ship you earned it on. We are UK based and will reach 140 points on Anthem next April and whilst looking forward to it  being awarded I could see it causing issues at JFK with a solid glass block in hand luggage.

[OCSC Mike]

12 minutes ago, Tin can said:

Do you ever get given these on the actual ship you earned it on. We are UK based and will reach 140 points on Anthem next April and whilst looking forward to it  being awarded I could see it causing issues at JFK with a solid glass block in hand luggage.

If they are in stock on the ship, yes. Currently you are supposed to receive a form in your cabin asking you if you would like it on the ship, shipped to your home, or if you don’t want it at all.

 

If you don’t get that form, go see the loyalty ambassador.

[Tin can]

3 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

If they are in stock on the ship, yes. Currently you are supposed to receive a form in your cabin asking you if you would like it on the ship, shipped to your home, or if you don’t want it at all.

 

If you don’t get that form, go see the loyalty ambassador.

 

Thank you for confirming that, I wasn't sure how it all worked.

[OCSC Mike]

56 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

Thank you for confirming that, I wasn't sure how it all worked.

 

No problem. I didn’t know either until I never got the form on my 140 Harmony cruise earlier this year & read about it here. I called C&A afterwards & it was shipped after about 3 months b/c of the new supplier’s backlog.

[What If]

1 hour ago, Tin can said:

Do you ever get given these on the actual ship you earned it on. We are UK based and will reach 140 points on Anthem next April and whilst looking forward to it  being awarded I could see it causing issues at JFK with a solid glass block in hand luggage.

TSA will go through if you take it as a carry on. The X-ray machine can not tell what it is. At least that is my experience. 
 

[Tin can]

1 hour ago, What If said:

TSA will go through if you take it as a carry on. The X-ray machine can not tell what it is. At least that is my experience. 
 

 

I think you are right, the X Ray machine will struggle to identify what it is. I can only see hassle trying to get it on a plane from JFK to Heathrow.

[Anton]

2 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

I think you are right, the X Ray machine will struggle to identify what it is. I can only see hassle trying to get it on a plane from JFK to Heathrow.

It’s not a big deal.  TSA just wants to physically inspect the block and then they let it pass.  It happens to me every time, such that now I remove it from my carry on and put it on a tray for easy access by TSA.  If you put it in checked baggage they will probably flag the bag for secondary inspection too.  I’d prefer they do it in front of me.

[twangster]

I flew to every cruise for my first 750 points and I flew home with many crystal blocks, some times international, some times domestic.  It was never a hassle.  

 

Sometimes I had two blocks with me.  I tended to do B2B or S2S since I was flying and when near a block threshold it's common to get a block from both ships since the points don't post until a week after a cruise.  That meant flying home with two blocks.  Still not a hassle.  

[Cruise Gopher]

I earned a block on my cruise the first week of September and filled out the form onboard and I got the block delivered about two and a half weeks later. So fulfillment is happening very quickly now. 

[Ourusualbeach]

46 minutes ago, Anton said:

It’s not a big deal.  TSA just wants to physically inspect the block and then they let it pass.  It happens to me every time, such that now I remove it from my carry on and put it on a tray for easy access by TSA.  If you put it in checked baggage they will probably flag the bag for secondary inspection too.  I’d prefer they do it in front of me.

I have flown with 6 blocks now in total both in checked and carry on and never checked or had luggage opened

[Anton]

8 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I have flown with 6 blocks now in total both in checked and carry on and never checked or had luggage opened

It must be my suspicious looking face then.  Seriously, now that I think about it, of my 11 blocks there probably was one or two that they didn't want to see but it hasn't been lately.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Anton

[Ourusualbeach]

39 minutes ago, Anton said:

It must be my suspicious looking face then.  Seriously, now that I think about it, of my 11 blocks there probably was one or two that they didn't want to see but it hasn't been lately.

Not sure if having Global entry and TSA pre has anything to do with it.

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, Cruise Gopher said:

I earned a block on my cruise the first week of September and filled out the form onboard and I got the block delivered about two and a half weeks later. So fulfillment is happening very quickly now. 

 

It depends on the ship. Some are in stock, some are still very behind.

Edited October 10, 2022 by OCSC Mike

[TwinMamainMN]

What is it? A dust collector.

 

We aren't anywhere close to having one, and wouldn't want it anyway. We collect memories and have photographs, but very few tchotchkes or knick-knacks in our home. To each their own.

[OCSC Mike]

25 minutes ago, TwinMamainMN said:

What is it? A dust collector.

 

Yes.

[shipgeeks]

Agreed.  I don't want extra "things" (ice buckets, plates of fruit, wine, towel animals) in my cabin, and I don't want "things" in my home.  Unfortunately for me, DH likes things, so we now have an increasing collection.

[Cruise Gopher]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

It depends on the ship. Some are in stock, some are still very behind.

Mine was Wonder of the Seas in case anyone is curious.