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Everything posted by resjes

  1. So I'm going to bring a wristlet, evening bag/fancy bag, and then I'm hoping to get away with the below bag for the rest of the trip..like in ports and stuff. Is it large enough? I'm also going to be alone so I wanted to make sure I could swing the bag to the front and zip it...oh and on ports where I will be on the beach, will have a beach bag too. Tips/tricks for packing light in the purse, I would appreciate it lol I typically use a tote on day-to-day basis...
  2. I'm Jessica. First time cruiser (since I was 5 for a Disney cruise), as well as solo cruiser. Going on RCI's Anthem of the Seas for May 23rd, 9 day cruise.
  3. sorry I'm late to this and don't have time to read through every post. how do you find an extension cord WITHOUT a circuit breaker/surge protector?? all of mine have at least a circuit breaker. as a first time cruiser, I didn't even think about bringing a light rain jacket..that is a good point. thanks for the tips!
  4. Solarium was complimentary for me. And yes, menus are online in the cruise planner. I have many allergies/dietary restrictions, so this is one of the few "specialty restaurants" that I will be dining at.
  5. Going on Anthem of the Seas cruise. The name of the spa treatment is in the topic title. It is $169 (I have a cruise credit so that is the only reason I'm even considering it). I have never done acupuncture. Doing it on a cruise with an unknown therapist? Eh, not sure. But I wanted to know if anyone here had any positive/negative experiences with acupuncture ON the cruise. Many people have recommended it to me so I thought this would be a good way to "try" it for a decent cost LOL. Acupuncture in my area is not cheap. Thanks!
  6. Following this post! I am a solo cruiser looking for beach time during half of the day, and shopping the other half. I don't want to overpay for a single beach chair at Great Bay Beach!
  7. I have a Passport Booklet and Passport Card. I would prefer to bring the Passport Card at port, and leave the Passport Booklet in my room, to minimize damage (e.g. getting wet). Will the cruise allow me back on with just a Passport Card? I'm told a Passport Card is like the smaller version of the Passport Booklet but I don't want to be the idiot dealing with staff because I left my Passport Booklet on the ship.
  8. People - just to clarify. I made this topic so I could be informed about vaccines. Please keep your thoughts to yourself regarding if I should reconsider my trip because I sound too sick to you. Thanks. I will go to the travel doctor (and pay the $95 out of pocket). I'd rather have vaccines done in a doctor's office and have the recordation. Hopefully, I won't need too many vaccines and the oral meds are covered by my insurance (oddly, the shot vaccines are not!). Thanks to everyone who has given me valuable input on this topic.
  9. It says "unspecified formula" on mine, I guess my pediatrician didn't write it down on their chart. It has a HEP A shot in June 2006 and again June 2007. My HEP B was June 2000, August 2000 (I was most likely away and that is why it was 2 months apart), and May 2001. Regarding the typhoid via oral route, does it interact with meds? I noticed a lot of "oral immunizations" are really just antibiotics. Which, I am highly allergic to many. I'm hearing different things about Labadee. Some have said the food/water comes from cruise but others says that just because it is a port owned by RCI, doesn't mean the food can't be contaminated with cholera, etc.
  10. I also have a mayo allergy/intolerance. I don't know if it's the dairy or what it is but I've had it for awhile. I hate the taste anyway. I'm thinking of giving the Head Waiter a list of things I can't eat and a list of things I can eat..it is obnoxious but the easiest way to do things.
  11. I have one or two excursions. Both happen to start in the morning or shortly after the cruise ports. I agree - no food in the morning is probably the best bet to avoid the typical IBS symptoms...it is horrible what we go through! Part of the reason I picked this as my vacation this year was so that I could be near a toilet 😕
  12. I did this reservation without a travel agent. Thanks to these boards, I was able to locate the special needs email, remove excursions from the cruise planner, and now I'm learning about the differences between complimentary food on the cruise. I will definitely take the suggestion to hunt down the Head Waiter. Also. I did make reservations for the shows on the sea days as I knew I needed activities on those days. 🙂
  13. Yes, this forum has given me sooo much info!! I will note that the special needs department marked me as disabled without me telling them, which I hope doesn't prevent me from doing things..because I'm not physically disabled, per-say..
  14. Already did this form 🙂 that is how they marked me as disabled, as I have a few other medical needs unrelated to dietary issues...
  15. So the "my time dining" that I signed up for on my cruise planner is in the MDR, according to the description. I did not know that had wait staff. So the Windjammer and Two70 are buffet? The MDR is NOT buffet, only wait staffed tables? I just saw your other post..can't delete!
  16. It says on my cruise planner that "my time dining" is in the main dining room. Is that the Windjammer? I thought the Windjammer was another area to eat that wasn't on the cruise planner? Or am I confused with Two70? How easy is it to flag down the Head Waiter? I don't want to be that obnoxious person but as you said, running to the bathroom is no fun either. I have difficulty with holding it in if I eat trigger foods. In your experience, are certain restaurants more flexible with adjusting for your/your wife's diet?
  17. Hello All - you are probably tired of seeing me post on this forum..sorry, as a first time cruiser (since I was 5 anyway), I have so many questions. Going on Anthem of the Seas for a 9 day cruise. I have booked the "my time dining" at the buffets. **** Except one night at Solarium because it was complimentary. I have been reading through posts/reviews and a lot of people say the food in the buffets is not that good/have gotten food poisoning. I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), lactose-intolerance, and have allergies to things like foods with preservatives (e.g. powdered eggs). I have already emailed special needs and they have marked me as "disabled with allergies", per the invoice I received. I'm wondering if I should fork up the extra cash for the specialty restaurants, hoping that the chance for an issue will be lower at the expensive restaurant than at the buffet? I read one review that said they had a companion with allergies, who alerted staff, but was ignored and became ill from the food. I've looked at a few menus and the restaurants seem exotic for my stomach, to be honest. So I don't want to pay to go to a nice restaurant and then get plain pasta or something for $50. Also, to add a kicker to this, I cannot eat RAW vegetables, so that reduces my options. Thanks for the tips! ****sorry to be confusing. Apparently, the my time dining is NOT a buffet, which I did not know. I thought my time dining was a buffet and that was why it was complimentary.
  18. I have an appointment with a travel medicine/infectious disease doctor a month before the cruise embarks. Her office says I will most likely have to get a typhoid vaccination, and since I had a HEP A vaccination, I don't have to do it again. I'm hoping to avoid the cholera/malaria drugs as those are expensive (they are not vaccinations apparently). Also, from what I've read, they are not great for those who are already on a lot of medications. I guess I'm worrying because I was hospitalized a year ago for a bad stomach infection, and I already have "pre-exisiting" conditions. I don't know if I'm considered "immuno-compromised" or not but it feels like it sometimes. I'm erring on the side of caution I suppose. Thanks all for your feedback. I have enough information now.
  19. That is what I am thinking .. It is such a brief window. I have an appointment with a travel medicine doctor to go over what she thinks I should get or not get.
  20. According to my list..I had the tetanus shot in 2001 (it says td adult) but the tetanus/pertussis shot (says Tdap) in 2011..don't know the differences. Waiting for internist.
  21. Does anyone actually take medication/get vaccinated for malaria and cholera? Or am I just being super worried for nothing? I don't have the best immune system. I also just emailed the doctor about getting the malaria and cholera stuff straightened out.
  22. Someone told me that Labadee Haiti could have contaminated water but another poster said the food comes off the cruise ship. According to the CDC... Malaria You will need to take prescription medicine before, during, and after your trip to prevent malaria. Your doctor can help you decide which medicine is right for you, and also talk to you about other steps you can take to prevent malaria. Areas of Haiti with risk of malaria: All (including Port Labadee). See more detailed information about malaria in Haiti. Cholera CDC recommends this vaccine for adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission. Cholera is found in most parts of Haiti. Cholera is rare in travelers but can be severe. Certain factors may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease (more information). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also prevent cholera.
  23. Also, this is what the CDC says regarding yellow fever..since I am from the USA, I suppose this won't be an issue. "There is no risk of yellow fever in Sint Maarten. The government of Sint Maarten requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US. If you are traveling from a country other than the US, check this list to see if you may be required to get the yellow fever vaccine: Countries with risk of yellow fever virus (YFV) transmission. For more information on recommendations and requirements, see yellow fever recommendations and requirements for Sint Maarten. Your doctor can help you decide if this vaccine is right for you based on your travel plans. Note: Yellow fever vaccine availability in the United States is currently limited. If you need to be vaccinated before your trip, you may need to travel some distance and schedule your appointment well in advance. Find the clinic nearest you."
  24. I am emailing my internist now - as she has all of my vaccinations on record. I have a list of them and it includes vaccinations such as Hep A and B..tdap/tetanus. Meningococcal/pneumococcal and then polio as baby. I apparently even had the measles vaccine. I'm also doing as one person suggested and checking each port's recommended vaccinations..so far, I have what they recommend. Also, again, I haven't been vaccinated for over 10 years and only get a flu shot once a year. I am not well versed on vaccinations and I would imagine most people I know personally don't know what is required each year for vaccinations. Thanks everyone for your input!! Super useful!
  25. My apologies for not being clear. What I meant to say is, what if something serious (e.g. meningitis) does break out on board or someone has it? Will they evac the person or? I don't believe quarantining everyone would be enough, is what I mean. And yes, I was also asking about the Norovirus, which does not have the vaccination. The only option the cruise has is to quarantine everyone to their rooms? FYI - I am vaccinated but got most of these vaccinations as a teenager/child. I have no knowledge if these vaccinations "expired" or if I need to get them redone. I get a flu shot every year. Also, thank you for the CDC website information, I didn't know they had recommended vaccinations listed for other countries than the USA. So my next question would be - since the cruise cannot force you to obtain a vaccination, will customs just not allow you to get off the port if you don't have the documentation showing proof of vaccination? I have never heard of this vaccination. Will the cruise line alert everyone months in advance if certain vaccinations will be required? I can easily get proof of vaccinations I had 10+ years ago but like I said above..I don't know if I need to get them redone?
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