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dcuttler

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  1. Like
    dcuttler reacted to Jan115 in Live from Panama Canal and Coral Princess   
    We’re now into Day 6 of a partial transit of the Panama Canal, round trip from Ft. Lauderdale, aboard the beautiful Coral Princess. After two relaxing sea days, we had a short stop in Aruba, followed by Cartagena, Columbia, and today’s main attraction - the Panama Canal. This morning we experienced passage through Gatun locks, quite a magnificent sight. Some are getting off to see the rest of the canal or do excursions. Many, like us, are enjoying the ship, much quieter with over half the guests off the ship. 
    As expected, it’s oh so HOT and sunny here, and we do think of our friends up north who are still getting snow.?
    Stay tuned for photos!

  2. Like
    dcuttler got a reaction from Shari2 in Mom:  Armed guards yanked her off Disney cruise for being too pregnant   
    When we planned a cruise with our kids and grandkids, the first thing I checked was the minimum age to travel.  My youngest granddaughter was too young.  We chose another date.  Seems simple enough.  
  3. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Jason in Fascinating Timelapse Of A Cruise Ship Being Built   
    Canada and New England out of Bayonne NJ early summer.
  4. Like
    dcuttler got a reaction from AndiD in Mom:  Armed guards yanked her off Disney cruise for being too pregnant   
    When we planned a cruise with our kids and grandkids, the first thing I checked was the minimum age to travel.  My youngest granddaughter was too young.  We chose another date.  Seems simple enough.  
  5. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Jason in Fascinating Timelapse Of A Cruise Ship Being Built   
    One of the best time lapse videos I have seen.  Thanks for sharing it with us.
  6. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Shari2 in Royal Caribbean Returning to St. Maarten and San Juan   
    I was so sad to see the destruction caused by the recent hurricanes at many of my past ports of call.  Besides affecting the cruise industry and it's traveling public, the local population was devastated by these storms.  I can't wait to visit these ports again, mingle with the locals and spend a little money.
  7. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Jan115 in Royal Caribbean Returning to St. Maarten and San Juan   
    I was so sad to see the destruction caused by the recent hurricanes at many of my past ports of call.  Besides affecting the cruise industry and it's traveling public, the local population was devastated by these storms.  I can't wait to visit these ports again, mingle with the locals and spend a little money.
  8. Love
    dcuttler reacted to Jason in New details revealed for world's largest cruise ship   
    While Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas is set to become the world’s largest cruise ship next year, it will have a lot in common with its sister ships.
    Except they won’t have laser tag.
    “I think it will be a mind-blowing blast for kids of all ages,” said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley on a call revealing some of what will make the fourth Oasis-class ship unique.
    Bayley touted it as the “world's largest laser tag arena,” and headed for the ship’s Studio B, which is also where the cruise line’s signature ice skating productions take place. It will be a glow-in-the-dark venue themed around the fate of the last planets of the galaxy, Bayley said.
    “We think the kids are going to engage with this big time,” he said.
    It’s part of an overall pitch by the line to target families, according to Bayley, as is a new Ultimate Family Suite, a two-level suite that will feature a slide, a floor-to-ceiling Lego wall, air hockey, movie-theater-style TV room with popcorn machine as well as a 212-square-foot wraparound balcony with its own climbing wall feature, bumper pool table and whirlpool. It’s a two-bedroom suite that can accommodate up to eight guests.
    “I think we should put a guarantee on it that if you kids aren't happy we'll give you your money back,” Bayley said.
    Much of the ship will be similar to sister ship Harmony of the Seas including the presence of the 10-story Ultimate Abyss dry slide, Perfect Storm water park, twin 40-foot-tall rock climbing walls, FlowRider surf simulators, zip line and more.
    Something slightly different than Harmony of the Seas, though, will be a shift in the design of the Boardwalk neighborhood.
    “We're bringing a whole new level of energy and interactive experience mostly with technology,” Bayley said. “We're going to kind of change the whole vibe to a kind of day-night experience.”
    Those changes include the removal of the Sabor’s Mexican dining venue and Starbucks in favor or a sports bar and arcade called Playmakers that will span the length of the Boardwalk. Some shopping venues will also be making way for Sugar Beach, an ice cream and candy venue.
    Starbucks fans will be glad to know that the venue isn’t going away, although it won’t be on board for the ship’s European sailings that begin when it debuts next April. It will be located on the Royal Promenade, though, when the ship makes its ways to PortMiami to begin Caribbean sailings in November 2018.
    And while Sabor’s is leaving, there will be a Mexican food option called El Loco Fresh as well as a new casual seafood option called Hooked that will be located in the redesigned Solarium.
    “The focus of the new seafood restaurant will be fresh seafood, a robust raw bar, oysters shucked to order,” Bayley said, “Casual, high quality and the most unbelievable views at seas.”
    The ship will also feature many dining venues found on its sister ships including fusion food venue Wonderland, Jamie Oliver's Italian dining venue, Japanese cuisine at Izumi, the Chops Grill steakhouse and 150 Central Park, which serves seasonal American cuisine.
    Entertainment offerings were also announced including the return of the Broadway show “Hairspray,” which was once the featured show on board Oasis of the Seas. Augmenting the marquee stage show will be an original production called “Flight” that is a humorous look at the history for flight from the Wright Brothers all the way to the first tourist trip to Mars. On the ice will be a skating show titled “1977” and in the AquaTheater will be a show titled “HiRo.”
    “We're the only brand and product that can offer you ice shows, air shows, water shows and stage shows,” Bayley said.
    One other feature coming to the ship will be the introduction of app-based mobile check in, that will be available in both Europe and when it comes to North America.
    “The nickname we've given this is frictionless arrival, which means guest will be able to use their mobile phone to check in and walk on the ship with just one security check,” Bayley said.
    Symphony of the Seas' gross registered tons will be more than Harmony of the Seas, which comes in at 226,963 tons. Harmony of the Seas currently holds the title for world's largest cruise ship, slightly larger than the original ships, 2009's Oasis of the Seas and 2010's Allure of the Seas.
    Symphony will feature 28 more staterooms than Harmony of the Seas with a Royal Suite class, neighborhood balconies overlooking Central Park, virtual balconies on inside staterooms, and the highest number of ocean-view cabins at sea.
    The ship is set to debut April 21, 2018 with an inaugural sailing from Barcelona as it spends its first season of cruising in the Mediterranean. It then repositions to PortMiami on a 12-night transatlantic voyage that departs Oct. 28 and begins Caribbean sailings on Nov. 9 with the first seven-night cruise on Nov. 17.
    By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel

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  9. Love
    dcuttler reacted to Jan115 in Royal Caribbean Returning to St. Maarten and San Juan   
    A few months after a series of hurricanes battered the Caribbean, cruise ships are planning to return to many of the islands.
    Most recently, some of the hardest hit islands, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico, will welcome back cruise ships to their ports.
    Royal Caribbean announced it will return to both Caribbean gems before the end of the year. On November 30, Freedom of the Seas will be the first ship in the fleet to call on San Juan, Puerto Rico. On December 17, the Grandeur of the Seas will be the first cruise ship to sail into St. Maarten since Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas arrived with humanitarian aid.
    "Royal Caribbean is encouraged by the commendable progress that has been made by the governments of Puerto Rico and St. Maarten towards the recovery of these destinations and it means a lot to us that we are heading back home,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.
    “We have been part of the Caribbean community for almost 50 years and for all of us, it has been paramount that we focus on supporting our long-standing partners–who feel more like family after so many years," added Bayley. "Supporting these destinations that are so reliant on tourism is key to the future of the islands and the best thing we–as travelers and businesses–can do for the islands."
    The cruise line has worked with the local governments in both destinations to be able to offer destination experiences that highlight the beauty and culture of the islands.
    In San Juan, guests will be able to tour the city by foot, bike, Segway or bus and explore the epic fortresses of El Morro and San Cristobal in Old San Juan. They will also be able to spend the day on the beach at VIVO Beach Club or admire the countryside through Cueva Ventana – the Window Cave – which sits atop an 800-foot limestone cliff.
    In St. Maarten, shops, restaurants and bars in and around the port city of Philipsburg will be fully operational and offer an extensive array of dining, shopping and activities in the area.
    Starting November 30, calls in St. Thomas and San Juan will operate as normal across the fleet and beginning December 17, calls to St. Maarten will operate as scheduled on all itineraries with the exception of Oasis of the Seas, which will make her return to St. Maarten on January 1, during her New Year’s Eve cruise.
     
    Article Courtesy Travel Pulse and Seven Sea Journeys/News Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more.
    Photo Credit: J. Neves

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  10. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from jacketwatch in New Cruise Review - Oasis of the Seas   
    What a great review! We have been on Oasis twice and absolutely love her. Even more than Quantum. Put some of the technology from Quantum onto the Oasis and I think I will just move in. I think you brought up a very interesting point in that the Crown and Anchor representatives seem to be more "customer service" oriented than Customer Service.
    We saw CATS on Broadway so we took a pass on our July cruise. Though we did not see CATS on this trip, our table mates loved it and thought that the cast was as much or more Broadway caliber performers than when they saw it on Broadway.
    Again, thanks for sharing a great review.
  11. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from WeCruiseToo in New Cruise Review - Oasis of the Seas   
    What a great review! We have been on Oasis twice and absolutely love her. Even more than Quantum. Put some of the technology from Quantum onto the Oasis and I think I will just move in. I think you brought up a very interesting point in that the Crown and Anchor representatives seem to be more "customer service" oriented than Customer Service.
    We saw CATS on Broadway so we took a pass on our July cruise. Though we did not see CATS on this trip, our table mates loved it and thought that the cast was as much or more Broadway caliber performers than when they saw it on Broadway.
    Again, thanks for sharing a great review.
  12. Love
    dcuttler reacted to jacketwatch in New Cruise Review - Oasis of the Seas   
    We had a great time and there were lessons learned. We will no longer use ships transport and forget about calling RCI customer relations. We will call C and A and I have email and phone numbers for CS issues that are higher up.
  13. Love
    dcuttler reacted to jacketwatch in New Cruise Review - Oasis of the Seas   
    Jan I think there are different shows on other ships which are likely more appealing like "Mamma Mia" on the Allure so that would be much better. A show that is fun like "Grease" or "Jersey Boys" would be cool too.
    The nightmare continued with calls to customer relations for RCI. I asked for a $50.00 OBC for our future sailing on the Ovation as I think this is reasonable for the horrible transfer and callous treatment. I made a call to some gal who seemingly was more concerned with winning an argument and refused, yes refused to give me her supervisors name. She was stuck on the point that all they had to do was get us there on time. To her nothing else mattered. Unbelievable. Another call got me the same "no, we don't do that" but at least this time I got a supers name. I then called Crown and Anchor and found the real people who gave me that OBC in no time and reported my issues up the ladder. The next day I spoke with a higher up about how their customer relations (a true oxymoron) folks treated me. She was about as astounded as me and said she knew the person who refused to give me her supers name and said she called him to say she would handle it from here. I get the idea miss "no I wont tell you his name" will get a talking to. We also were given further compensation, a free bottle of wine and dinner for two at any of their speciality restaurants on the Ovation so that is very fair.
  14. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Shari2 in Royal Caribbean   
    We were on Oasis in July with kids and grandkids. What a wonderful ship. The onboard staff and crew are simply the best. We brought our wine to the dining room and were never charged the corkage fee. Must have been my 2 year old granddaughter flirting with all the wait staff. LOL
  15. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Jan115 in Carnival Revises Carry-On Beverage Policy: Bans Bottled Water   
    Royal Caribbean still allows you to bring water (at least they did in July) but we decided that for future travels we won't be bringing water with us. You are absolutely correct about the tap water. We are going with that along with a couple of travel mugs when we venture off the ship in port. Cheers!
  16. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Jan115 in Just for kicks ...   
    Not sure $14.50 can get you a margarita these days.
  17. Love
    dcuttler reacted to Jan115 in The Truth About Cruise Insurance   
    This is a great article. I'd like to add a couple of other points when deciding whether or not to invest in travel insurance.
    If you choose a policy that covers pre-existing conditions, with most plans, you must purchase the policy within 15 days of your trip deposit.
    Also, travel agents offer policies that are considerably less expensive than the cruise line which can be customized to the individual. For instance, if you're bringing the kids, they can be insured for free. Options can be added to suit, such as adding a cancel for any reason feature, increasing the limits for a single portion of the policy (medical, evacuation, etc.). Plus, while the cruise line may sell a one-fits-all policy, your travel agent will make available a number of policies for you to consider - from the bare basics to a premium plan.
    Lastly, if you're a loyalty member with a particular cruise line, take a look at the cruise line's policy. For instance, Princess will upgrade it's Platinum members to it's platinum insurance coverage for free.
  18. Love
    dcuttler reacted to Jason in The Truth About Cruise Insurance   
    When you buy a cruise your travel agent or the cruise line will likely give you a pitch to buy cruise insurance to cover your vacation. The agent gets commissioned, and cruise lines view insurance as a profit area. A big selling point will likely be that you're making an investment in your cruise vacation and will want to protect that investment should you need to cancel. Without insurance, you'll be hit with a huge cancellation penalty and may not get any money back at all.
    If you're fine with taking a chance, just say no to the sales pitch.
    But if you're considering insurance, it pays to look at what's covered and what's not and to make sure what you're getting from the cruise line is the best deal. You may be better off going with a third-party travel insurance company. "You may find a more comprehensive policy for a cheaper price," said Megan Singh, spokeswoman for Squaremouth, a website where you can compare travel insurance products from dozens of providers. "It isn't always in the best interest of the traveler to go with the cruise line's policy."
    Travel insurance policies will typically cost you from 4% to 10% of your total trip cost – so you lay out $100 to $250, based on a $2,500 cruise vacation. If you go with the cruise line policy, you are opting for the cruise line's set pricing structure, which may be on the high side. Most people buy bundled policies, and that's what cruise lines sell. But what's in that bundle may vary, and the cruise line's insurance product may not be the most comprehensive on the market for the price.
    The most common travel insurance policies combine coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, baggage protection, medical expenses, and emergency evacuation. There might also be a set amount of death and dismemberment insurance. One thing not in cruise line policies, but is available when you buy other travel insurance policies, is protection should a cruise line suddenly go out of business, Singh said.
    When looking at trip cancellation and trip disruption insurance, you should carefully read the fine print in terms of what timeline may apply – does the insurance kick in after 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours or another amount of time? You'll also want to look at whether or not a cruise line's policy will give you cash back or whether the reimbursement is in the form of credit for a future cruise. Squaremouth lets you choose from a list of coverage options, but does not generally recommend you buy the type of insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason, Singh said. That's because it's the most expensive insurance and has some drawbacks – including that you can't usually cancel last minute.
    Another misnomer is that emergency evacuation means you'll be airlifted wherever you say. It doesn't. "If you get ill at a port in Mexico you would be taken to a hospital in Mexico," Singh said. Those who want medical evacuation coverage may want to look at plans offered by Medjet Assist, which will transport you to a location of your choice.
    You can dismiss travel insurance for your cruise as a waste of money, and for some people that's true. But there are circumstances where people will want to be insured including if you or a close relative has a medical condition that could flare up, if you're cruising in hurricane season or caught in a geopolitical crisis, or if you're not covered internationally for medical insurance.
    But again, that's where reading the small print comes in. Cruise line policies tend not to apply to pre-existing conditions. The cruise line policies also won't cover you for any air tickets you purchase on your own (not through the cruise line). Consider too that your homeowner's policy, health insurance and credit cards may already cover you in some areas – meaning the cruise line's bundled plan may provide coverage you already have.
    On the plus side, if you buy from the cruise line you can pay for your insurance at the same time that you pony up for your cruise fare.
    By Fran Golden, Special for USA TODAY
    For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecrazies.com/index.html
    Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more
    http://www.cruisecrazies.com

    View full article
  19. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from Shari2 in 12 Pre-Trip Tasks Essential for a Smooth Journey   
    Never thought of taking pictures of the luggage. Great tip. All great tips. For safety sake I probably would advise against posting upcoming cruises on social media. It is tempting and I'm guilty of it too at times but not a good idea to post when you aren't going to be around.
  20. Love
    dcuttler got a reaction from WeCruiseToo in New to CruiseCrazies - Now Feed My Addiction   
    My name is David and I am a cruiseaholic.
    My wife and I took our first cruise in 2003 with seasoned cruisers. I have to admit I never had a desire to cruise and went to Miami, from NJ, kicking and screaming to board Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. BAM! One hour later, the ship hasn't even left port and I am hooked.
    That is my short story. My introduction to the fabulous world of cruising. Thank you to the Admins for allowing me to join and I hope to get a chance to meet many of you through these virtual pages. I'm not sure I'll get cured of my addiction on this site but I have a sneaky suspicion it is going to be all right.
  21. Love
    dcuttler reacted to Jan115 in New to CruiseCrazies - Now Feed My Addiction   
    Welcome David. We all suffer from the same ailment as you. There's no cure. What's the best treatment, you might ask? Book another cruise, the minute you walk in the door from the last one. In the meantime, come here for therapy - we're all cruiseaholics, and this is therapy - you've come to the right place!
    My husband and I went on our first cruise a year before you, and even though I read everything ever written about cruising in advance of our new adventure, it never prepared us for the excitement we felt on board a floating resort in the Caribbean.
    So - where are you headed to next?
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