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Did you have the drink package on this cruise? ? Just kidding...

This was answered in the other post but I'll try again. Yes, you can go to guest services and ask to have them removed. If you choose to tip on your own, supposedly the staff needs to turn in those tips to the pool. If you paid the daily gratuities and then give additional tip the staff may keep it. Don't forget the daily gratuities are split among many staff not just those you personally see. For example, the dining portion of the tip doesn't only include your MDR staff but also the staff in the Windjammer or those who serve breakfast and lunch. There are many people working behind the scenes to make your cruise incredible. If you really want to reward outstanding staff members, the best thing you could do is use their name on compliment cards and the post cruise survey. This goes in their file and is best for their long term career.

Just so you know. Supposedly, if you remove gratuities and then tip on your own, the staff is required to turn those tips in to the "pool". While you may think you are doing certain staff a favor, you really are not. Staff may keep any additional tip on top of the daily gratuities. If you really want to help the staff that deserve it, get their name and use their name on the post cruise survey or any compliment card you find. This helps their long term career and they really appreciate it.

I would try the Schooner Bar. In addition to the Old Fashioned, they have a drink menu with several variations on the Old Fashioned. Schooner has been one of our favorite bars in general on board Royal ships.

My embarkation day routine is pretty much as follows: 1. Board the ship while taking eight billion photos on the way LOL. 2. Try not to look like a dork squeeing in delight as I step aboard. 3. Try to patiently wait for elevator for that sweet, sweet buffet Jammer food. 4. Try to patiently wait in Jammer line and resist temptation to feel like Veruca Salt ? 5. Continue to take eight billion photos. 6. Try to behave like an adult and not eat everything in sight. 7. Locate prison cell studio stateroom when rooms become available and praise the cruising gods that you don't have to share it with anyone else this week ? 8. Find prison warden stateroom attendant to say hi. 9. Continue to explore ship and take eight billion photos. 10. Post photos online with the explicit purpose of making people at home jealous. 11. Attend muster drill and resist temptation not to sing along loudly and take eight billion photos. 12. Celebrate, WE ARE ON VACATION!

There's a running track on a cruise ship ? Who knew.... ?

Is there anything you don't know??? You really are a BOT aren't you?? LOL!! I learn more from you on a day to day basis than I did in college!?

Just realized last night that I forgot to include a few pics. So here they are in no particular order: Mariner Gym: Ping Pong Table (deck 12, outside of Adventure Ocean) Starbucks menu: Dining Room: And last but not least...Always dedicated to Royal Caribbean Blog ? Thanks again all for following along this week ?

Found a video on the wet dock for Adventure earlier this year. Adventure of the Seas Wet Dock

What we have found to be the most cost effective strategy for us has been to book the trips on a credit card that covers up to $5000 in trip cancellation (although they usually do not have the "cancel for any reason" clause) and then purchase medical insurance separately from GeoBlue, getting their Voyager Choice single trip option. They have really good evacuation and pre-existing condition coverage, along with choices for amount of coverage, deductibles, etc . I showed 3 examples of their costs below. Do be aware that their policies are secondary, so you'd have to submit any claims to your primary insurer first and then submit the resulting paperwork to them. Also keep in mind that you most likely would not need any medivac helicopters on your land vacations, so check if the medical coverage from your private insurance and/or credit card is satisfactory and if so, you can buy the medical plan for just your cruises. We have have bought these plans both directly from them and also through a third party company whose website will give you many comparisons. www.geobluetravelinsurance.com www.insuremytrip.com I just made up a week trip in December with $500,000 medical and $100 deductible. Prices shown are not per person-they are for all 4 people. Hope this helps and enjoys all your upcoming trips! This is for 2 adults in their 30's with 2 preteens for 7 nights in December (4 & 5 nights will be just a few dollars less.): This is for 4 adults, 2 age 50, one 20 and one 15 for 7 nights in December (4 & 5 nights will be just a few dollars less.): This is for 4 adults, 2 age 65, 2 age 35 for 7 nights in December (4 & 5 nights will be just a few dollars less.):

Good luck teachers! Thank you for all you do! School started 11 days ago for us! Don't judge me because I did a happy dance! Now for the oldest to be off to college tomorrow.

Toss the Champagne Bar into the mix. Don't let the name fool you, they are more then just Champagne.

Yes you can, but as @melski94 explained, you are still obligated to tip. You can certainly go to Guest Services and opt to pay in cash, but keep in mind that the current structure of cruises necessitates paying gratuity to the wait staff and stateroom attendants. You may already be keenly aware of that, but I wanted to make sure anyone else reading this thread was aware.

Glad to hear this! We used it on Allure in October and functionality was still pretty limited, but sounds like a lot more has been added. Looking forward to trying it again in October!

All because a helium balloon ride didn't open on time? Cococay will be open, a particular excursion such as the water park may slip. They've already provided a schedule when they estimate each attraction becoming available but if those slip you'll still visit Cococay. You'll still have the beach that you have today.

I am recovering from our brief but abruptly ended recent trip to Paris. We were supposed to stay in Paris 11 days and then board a Viking River Cruise of the Seine. To make a long story short, we had been in Paris 5 amazing days when we got a call from home with an emergency involving our 15 year old daughter. While I won't get into details, we had to get home immediately. I placed a call to Sharla at MEI and she did everything... Changed our tickets, notified Viking, re-sent our invoice and Allianz policy number and gave us piece of mind. If you have ever doubted the necessity of buying travel insurance or the usefulness of an agent...DON'T!!!!! While I am still waiting on the claim to be processed, I'm hopeful we will get closer to $10,000 back on our dream vacation that now we might be able to do again in the future. Feeling a bit sad and glum, my fifteen year old and I decided to look at spring break cruises to surprise my husband with. Sharla looked up 3 cruises for us with nary a complaint, put holds on them while we waffled, and booked us on Allure of the seas for next march. Of the Oasis class, I was the least interested in this one, but the price was equal to Oasis and my daughter liked the ports better. I'm excited to finally go to labadee and she is thrilled to go to San Juan, even if the port hours aren't great. The cost was significantly more than liberty out of Galveston when you consider plane tickets to Miami but travel cancelled induced yolo is real and we are excited! The only thing that will change this is if my college sophomore studies abroad in Germany next winter/spring. If so we will try Europe again and I will have to wait to see royal until our vision of the seas med/Greek isles trip in July!!! BUY THE INSURANCE! USE THE AGENT! ENJOY THE PEACE OF MIND!! Jane

Wow! Glad to hear your daughter is OK, and at the same time sorry to hear you had to abort before you even had a chance to board. Fingers crossed for a speedy claims process and reimbursement!

Consistent with my Indy approach I've booked Navigator right before her AMPING. This way I'll have an excuse to return soon again afterwards and compare.

Looks correct. Month of January 2019 has no Navigator sailings

Here's the direct quote from the ADA website: The ADA recognizes psychiatric service animals, but that does not include nebulous "emotional support" animals.

We are actually on the sailing after yours, leaving Sept 6, and we have brew bus tours for both Portland and Halifax. Portland is booked through Maine Brew Bus, and the Halifax one is actually through Royal Caribbean. Here's the link for Maine Brew Bus. We are really looking forward to it, as we are huge beer people and that's what we like to do whenever we are in a new place! I've dubbed this #beercruise because there's just going to be SO MUCH BEER in the ports. https://themainebrewbus.com/drinks-about-town/

I have not used the companies you mentioned, but I have used others and have had claims. I have used Roam Right and my husband developed pneumonia and we had to cancel a couple of weeks before the cruise and our refund arrived a couple of weeks after we sent in a doctor's letter. Another time I had Nationwide and had a fall on a cruise where I had a broken arm and a couple of hematomas which resulted in medical care from the ship. Although the cruise line did not charge me for their medical care, I was sent by ambulance from the ship to Tulane Medical Center in NOLA. Fortunately, the fall happened on the next to the last night on the ship. I now use insurance that is primary as I want to be sure that I don't have to submit anything to my medical insurance and get a rejection (Medicare supplement which does not cover me outside the USA) I don't expect anything to happen, but who knows? My biggest concern is medical evacuation insurance and even though my credit cards cover some things, they don't cover that. I think it's kind of funny that when I was a lot younger, my husband and I got insurance because we were concerned about something happening to our parents, now it's because something could happen to me.