Matt

I went there on my own (not through RC). Have you tried calling the resort directly?

Be very careful with anything free. There is usually a catch

For questions 2 & 3, I'd recommend checking a past Cruise Compass for a ballpark idea of what to expect. http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass

I've used the Starbucks app to pay for drinks on Oasis class ship Starbucks, so yes. You just cannot redeem rewards onboard. I am in the same situation. I gave up soda a while ago, but I get the cup with the drink package. But if you never use it and your daughter is the only one using it, I don't see the harm considering only one person is using the refillable cup. Technically I am sure it is against the rules, but I see this as different than if someone is using their drink package to get drinks for them and another. Yes, you will see on the receipt an automatic 18% gratuity has been added. You can certainly tip more, but tip is automatically added to the bill.

Glad to hear that! Indy seems to be the lone hold out for honey stung chicken on embarkation day. God speed my fried friend.

I am not aware of a feature like that

Welcome, Michael!

Great job with this live blog. Thank you for sharing it with us!

Thanks for your live blog! What were your top 3 of Oasis of the Seas?

Thanks for sharing this, Russ. Do you have any kind of estimate of the hours required to play to win a cruise?

I am certain you can find kayaking at any of these ports, especially if you consider third party excursions. Many hotels on the beach offer something along those lines, so if no one provides any specific recommendations, I would recommend googling for things like "st martin kayak rental"

I always park at the port for the convenience. That being said, regardless of where you park, you should drop off your wife (and luggage) at the pier and then go park the car.

Regarding Alaska, you should check out our in-depth podcast series all about cruising to Alaska and the ports to visit: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/podcast/episode-147-alaska-when-go http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/podcast/episode-148-alaska-ships-ports-and-staterooms

Done it twice and both times, stayed in hotels near Newark airport. First time was in Springhill Suites: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/03/20/quantum-of-the-seas-live-blog-newark Second time at the Mariott at Newark Airport. Both were great and easy to get to port from the airport.

Lunch in the MDR is always a treat

Texting, even while roaming is pretty cheap. Check your carrier rates, but incoming texts are usually free and the worst outgoing rate I ever saw was 50 cents per message. There is no doubt this is the cheapest option.

Fairly same onboard experience. Generally, I'd say 9 nights is better than 7 nights, so go for the 9 night cruise. But if you really value Boston time (especially before your cruise), that might be a negligible difference and then go for Serenade. But 9 nights on a ship is pretty sweet!

I love the coffee at COZ. Did you happen to notice if their windows and air conditioning is back? When we went in September the glass where the windows are was missing and no A/C. It was so hot outside that I could not go in for a cup of coffee. Also, the gifts and knick knacks at Pancho's are always fun to look at.

Weclome! You will be okay if you have to wait to get onboard to make a reservation. If it comes to that, I would recommend making a reservation on embarkation day. If all else fails, show up to a North Star or iFly session 10-15 mins before it is scheduled to open on any given day. I've had good success finding little to no wait with that strategy.

If you cancel a cruise, an excursion booked with RC should be cancelled too. I would suggest not booking excursions until you are certain you are cruising (final payment date). Excursions rarely sell out in the Caribbean.

Congratulations on the crystal block! I am surprised to see the drink card show up. With 3 days left, surprising it is here this late, but it is good to see the drink card is alive and well (and on an Oasis class ship).

I think this Falmouth shore excursion reviews should provide a good frame of reference for fun excursions that show off the real Jamaica.... Peat Taylor Tours Falmouth: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/10/15/excursion-focus-peat-taylor-tours-falmouth

Thread of the day!

Thanks. Just an update, it was posted on an unofficial Instagram account.

I am really happy to read this. The goal of this site is to be as helpful as possible, and I'm glad it is working to that effect!