twangster

First cruise, how exciting! Sea days tend to be busy by the pool regardless of the day of the itinerary simply because lounging by a pool is so relaxing and many people are there just to do that - relax. However, every cruise is slightly different. For the week of your sailing in December are local schools on break? This tends to see more families with children on board. More families often means more pool time. That week may trend to a more senior or retired crowd. Sometimes there are just not as many sun worshipers one cruise to the next. Weather can also be a factor. An overcast day on an early sea day may cause more people to seek the sun later in the cruise. Typically there will be some place to lounge even if it isn't the front row by the pool so there is little reason to spend a lot of time thinking about it.

Any time a venue has open times listed those are typically times that you can walk in the door and request service. Windjammer for example may close at 9pm. At 8:55pm you can walk in and eat. There is no requirement to be finished your meal by 9pm. When I had the UDP I went to Chops at 1:20pm and had lunch. No issues.

Busiest US Cruise Ports Miami Port Canaveral Ft Lauderdale Galveston These counts are based on passenger counts including those on day visits. Port Canaveral is on the only port on this list that functions both as an embarkation port and a port of call for day visits so it's numbers are inflated relative to the others. Ft Lauderdale was the very first Oasis embarkation port and the most convenient of them all. However none of them are hard to access. While the Miami airport is gateway to South America and serves other international destinations, Orlando's airport is the gateway to Disney World and not everyone is into Disney. Miami is the most challenging port due to tides and the channel used to enter the port. Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale airport has a larger domestic airline market and since it borders Port Everglades it is by far the easiest. Regardless, they'll all remain home ports for Oasis class I suspect. It's just a matter of which ship and when.

Cool SeaPass cards!

Entertainment is available for booking in the cruise planner at some point prior to sailing. Timing varies. In the past for other Oasis class ships that has ranged from 180 days (or more) from sailing, down to 60 days from sailing. Historically 90 days prior was the average time. Until it is available in your cruise planner online, you can review the Cruise Compass that past guests have scanned and sent to this blog. They won't be identical to your cruise but should give you an idea what to expect. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass?ship=1167

Yes, triple if solo.

2/23/19 - Last night at the top of the Strait of Florida soon after Navigator of the Seas finished her dry dock in Freeport. Unfortunately it was in the darkness of night and likely few others than the bridge officers of each ship knew. Image source: MarineTraffic.com

If you have valid passports no other ID is required. Your kids would need original birth certificates. My kids always had passports but that's a personal decision.

Following!

Great question. There is more than one. If I recall the first addressed the earlier year and the second went through Freedom if (I think). I saw them on Symphony I think, and it was memorable seeing the videos of that day refer to Freedom as the largest cruise ship in the world! I did find this link but the video is gone. http://www.royalcaribbean.com.au/ourCompany/ourHistory.do

Takes one to know one.

Be aware not all ships have Freestyle machines. Research your ship to see if it does.

I think the smallest ships are destined to leave the family. The cost to refit a Royal ship to meet Celebrity or Azamara standards would be cost prohibitive. Besides, those CEOs don't want them. That's why Celebrity is finally getting new ships. Look at the success of the Edge. If they spent 200 million on Vision and tried to bring it into the Celebrity fleet it would be a flop. Plus old ships have old inefficient power plants that can't be easily upgraded. Ships are built around the engines. Very difficult to rip them out and replace with modern technology. Vision class is unofficially for sale now, just no buyers because no one wants them. Carnival has the same challenge. Some of their small old ships are for sale at $66 million and no on buyers.

Shorter cruises are less dressy. The "wear your best" approach is found on Mariner since it only does 3 and 4 night cruises. However in general much of the fleet is sliding that way. Formal attire is a recommendation, not a requirement. Royal isn't in the business of alienating any paying guest who paid the same as the next person. Some people go all out and get dressed up. Some don't. Personally I have found what other people wear has no bearing on the taste of my food. Heck I don't even notice. Ask me what the guy at the next table is wearing and I'll stare at you like a deer in headlights. I've never gone so far as to wear shorts in the MDR but it happens.

On a recent cruise an older man brought an AM radio onto the sun deck (deck 12). We were quite enjoying the music of the pool deck below and relaxing in the sun when he cranked up his volume and proceeded to search for AM radio stations as we sailed past Cuba. He found a news cast from Cuba and listened to it at full volume. After the news was latin music. It clashed with the DJ's music on the pool deck and was quite annoying. It was a large radio, something like my parents had 30 years ago. If you bring music, don't be that guy. Use headphones in public places.

On Brilliance last month they had a Voom offer only on the final sea day. 60 mins for $9.99. Perfect for checking in flights and a quick look at email or what ever. I haven't seen that before so maybe it's just a Brilliance thing or maybe it will be available on more ships going forward.

Good question and one many people go through every cruise they take. First of all, understand, you don't have to buy any beverage package. I'm not a soda drinker. I often sail with no beverage package of any sort. They have water, one or two juices and plain coffee included in your cruise fare. I drink the tap water all the time and never have a problem. Do you or your son consume a lot of soda or other drinks? The reason to buy a drink package usually starts when the included beverages do not satisfy your needs. I'm okay with plain coffee from the buffet. It's included. Some people love fancy coffee's and will drink several each day. For them it's makes sense to consider a coffee card. For me? Not so much. If your son drinks a lot of soda (no judgement, he's your son) then getting a soda package for him might make sense. Unlike the deluxe alcohol packages, you and your son don't have to buy the same package. If you love fancy coffee, see if the coffee card makes sense for you. He can get no package or maybe the soda package. Most importantly, don't feel like you must get a beverage package.

Welcome to the message boards! The daily gratuities cover you for items such as cabin and dining service but it does not address bar service since some people may not drink anything with a charge. As far as beverages, from soda, to specialty coffee to alcohol, if you don't have a drink package, every purchased drink is subject to 18% gratuity charged when you pay for that drink. When you purchase a drink package the price displayed is subject to the 18% gratuity (service charge) as you go through the check out process. So you pay the 18% drink gratuity one way or another. When you have a drink package they sometimes print a zero bill giving you an opportunity to tip even more that isn't required, you can simply sign and walk away knowing your drink already has gratuity included. In this manner the daily $14.50 gratuity is different than per drink gratuity. So the $14.50 gratuity remains in effect if you buy a drink package. Carnival is pretty much the same way (sailed 10 times with them). In reference to your sister, be aware that just because a cabin can sleep 4 people, as the ship fills up they might not be able to accomodate her if you try add her at a later date. Each section of the ship is associated with a lifeboat station. Lifeboats have a finite capacity. If a lot of people in your area add additional guests at a certain point the lifeboats for that area are full. They can't continue to add people at this point even if cabins that can take 4 guests only have two guests booked, international regulations and conventions prohibit it because there would not be room in a lifeboat for her. The cost to add an additional guest can vary but since you already have a 3rd guest often they will add a 4th at the price that the 3rd guest paid. It depends. As soon as she can commit, get her added to the reservation. Enjoy planning your cruise vacation, that's often half as much fun as the cruise itself.

Interesting. It was there in September.

I suggest asking on board, or in your case ask the Genie when exchanging emails with them. The spa is outsourced to Steiner Leisure who operates the spas on many different cruise lines. Your masseuse may have been on a Princess ship last contract, or a Holland ship, or a... Consequently they aren't directly under Royal's control but they like money, a lot, so I'd be surprised if you can't work out something.

Welcome to the message boards! Those cabins used to get Junior Suite benefits but were changed to receive Full Suite benefits last year. Since they don't have a balcony they are kind of in their own space. More bedding options than a typical JS but not quite like a GS either, especially with no balcony. Great views though. I don't know about ranking them low, they are pretty nice rooms if you don't need a balcony.

Log in and step through the wizard is the easiest that I have found.

Adventure's dry dock was scheduled for 2016 but Hurricane Matthew blew through Freeport and caused the dry dock to be delayed. Her refreshment was plotted before the Royal Amplified program was conceived. They actually spread Adventure's updates over three smaller breaks in her cruise schedule and completed the last of them just last February. Keep in mind that Royal may purposely go with different features and designs so that the ships are not cookie cutter copies of each other. If that was the case, why go on another cruise? By keeping the ships slightly different it's easier to justify another cruise on another ship to experience the differences.

The Royal website lists extension cords as being prohibited. Newer ships have an outlet by the bed but most RCI ships have 2 - 110V outlets (North American style) and 1 - European 220v power port at the desk. Some ships have 2 North American and 2 European outlets.

Welcome to the message boards! One option to consider is a day pass to a resort that meets some of your needs. It is walkable from the port but a private resort so not subject to the disadvantages of the public beach. There is a cost but since you are willing to pay for an excursion or transportation that doesn't appear to be an issue. Have a look: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/04/03/excursion-focus-british-colonial-hilton-nassau-bahamas