twangster

James Van Fleet, Royal’s Chief Meteorologist tweeted about Majesty making a similar swap.  High seas and surge in Costa Maya made it unsafe to dock one day this week so they headed to Cozumel.  Perhaps Indy did the same.  

Unfortunately no.  You need to buy the Deluxe drink package like anyone else.  

The only reason to stay on board in Labadee is if you are not a beach person.  
Yes there will be spa deals in port just as there are in most ports.  Lines in places like the Windjammer will be shorter in port.  
If you desire front row chairs get off early.  No different than the pool deck.  Getting up at 10am on a sea day and expecting front row pool chairs is going to lead to disappointment.  Getting off at Labadee late will yield similar results but plenty of seats further from the front line of the beach will be available. 
Cabanas and less expensive alternatives are popular so they sell out quickly.  On a smaller ship that is less of any issue but still occurs.  Book them early, months before sailing if it's important to you.  
Consider exploring Labadee beyond the beach.  The nature trails, some excursions by boat that take you down the coast to see more of Haiti for example.  
I love Labadee.  I'll be there soon, for nearly the 10th time.  Still one of my favorite stops.

Welcome to the message boards!
Each specialty dining venue has it's own menu as you've seen.  Most items are included but there are typically a few items that cost more than the cover charge you pay to eat there.  Full Maine Lobster in Chops for example carries an additional charge above the cover charge.  Those extra charge items have a price on the menu.
The specialty dining restaurants tend to have some rules.  You can't order 10 steaks in Chops for example.  You might be able to order 10 side dishes though.  To be honest it's so much food I've never tried.  Your waiter will explain it all.  Ask as many questions as you like.  
Soda packages typically work anywhere on the ship except room service.  
SeaPass cards are handed over when there is a chargeable item involved.  When you visit the MDR (main dining room) they will ask your cabin number.  You'll never have to produce your SeaPass card unless you request something that isn't free.  If you have the soda package they'll ask for your card to confirm you do indeed have the soda package.  Sorrentos is included so no SeaPass card involved.  Asking for a chargeable beverage at Sorrentos will require a SeaPass card.  
Debarking - A letter will be provided a day or two before arriving back.  The letter will explain the process and times for "self-assist" guests like yourselves who carry their own luggage off.  Self assist typically starts as soon as US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) give them the clearance to start.  There will be a stated time in the letter such as 7:30am to 8:30am for self-assist.  Early birds will go to the designated self-assist meeting point before the stated start time.  A line will begin to form and your place in the line is based on when you arrive at the self-assist meeting point.  Once CBP give the go ahead, the line begins to move and you leave the ship.  Once the line starts moving it typically is pretty fast to get through CBP so budget 30 to 60 minutes to reach your car.  
On my Liberty cruise last year the scheduled arrival was 8am.  i lined up at 7am and was about 30 from the front of the line.  They started letting us off at 7:30am (early).  I was outside hailing a Lyft at 7:45am.  I got lucky, have cruised a lot, know the routine and CBP was kind that day.  My Lyft ride share had me at Hobby airport at 8:40am.
On boarding day they always have some restaurants open typically starting around 11:30am.  Getting on the ship right at 10am is unlikely.  The terminal typically opens around 10am to begin check in and the ship has to wait for all previous guests to leave and only when US Customs says the ship is clear can they start taking on new guests.  That is typically closer to between 11am to noon but if you are lucky could happen before 11am.  Consequently there usually isn't much of a wait to enjoy lunch.    

The problem is that people were taking advantage of the previous policies.  They would book several cruises knowing they would likely never actually take them.  Then just before final payment was due they would cancel them and move to another ship   They would do this over and over, creating fake bookings they never planned to take just to keep their certificate.
From Royal’s perspective this created an excess amount of inventory suddenly appearing 90 days before sailing and they had difficult times filling all the cabins.  It created booking volatility.
The original concept was never to allow people to manipulate the system to keep a cruise certificate for years by constantly creating fake or placeholder bookings.
Royal is a business.  It has share holders it is responsible for.  Like many other cruise lines they changed policy to avoid people booking cruises they never intended to take.  
The policies in place now are designed to motivate people to only book a cruise that they intend to sail.  The $100 fee also allows them to cover some of their losses when they have to discount prices closer to sail date due to cancelations.  
Like most policy changes they change because people were taking advantage of them abusing the rules for their own gain.  
The current rules reduce booking volatility and create stable and predictable bookings which allows them to offer better overall pricing to all guests. In the past their losses from booking volatility were covered by fare increases for everyone.  This is one of the ways the current pricing available hasn’t increased compared with the overall inflation trends outside of the cruise industry.  

The only reason to stay on board in Labadee is if you are not a beach person.  
Yes there will be spa deals in port just as there are in most ports.  Lines in places like the Windjammer will be shorter in port.  
If you desire front row chairs get off early.  No different than the pool deck.  Getting up at 10am on a sea day and expecting front row pool chairs is going to lead to disappointment.  Getting off at Labadee late will yield similar results but plenty of seats further from the front line of the beach will be available. 
Cabanas and less expensive alternatives are popular so they sell out quickly.  On a smaller ship that is less of any issue but still occurs.  Book them early, months before sailing if it's important to you.  
Consider exploring Labadee beyond the beach.  The nature trails, some excursions by boat that take you down the coast to see more of Haiti for example.  
I love Labadee.  I'll be there soon, for nearly the 10th time.  Still one of my favorite stops.

Actually, that recently changed.  MEI can now book anyone, anywhere due to the nature of the global reach of the blog. But in general, your assessment is correct.
 

The theater is multi use so all the set pieces for Grease have to be stowed and put away so other events can use the theater.  They schedule different shows so that once everything is setup for that event they don’t impact other events. 
I’ve taken several backstage tours where they explain these things.  They don’t have a lot of space backstage so it’s all about using the available space efficiently and wisely.  

James Van Fleet, Royal’s Chief Meteorologist tweeted about Majesty making a similar swap.  High seas and surge in Costa Maya made it unsafe to dock one day this week so they headed to Cozumel.  Perhaps Indy did the same.  

As promised,  here are the photos that I took today of construction progress. I don't have a fancy camera and I didn't edit at all (sorry, guys) but you'll get the gist. 

If prices dropped they are trying to stimulate sales.  
I like to joke we see it when the next interim payment is due on current ship being built.  If they need an influx of cash, put it on sale!

Fourth busiest US cruise port.  When you leave the same ship in place for too long bad things happen.
Carnival has moved a number of ships in and out since Libery had been glued to Galveston.  Don't get me wrong, Liberty is a great ship, but briefly adding Vision or Enchantment doesn't come close to Carnival's movement and rotation of ships into TX, including it's largest ships.  
Liberty has been doing the same two itineraries (for the most part) for a dog's age.  Yawn.  Snooze.  Even Baltimore itineraries get some variety.  5, 7, 9, 12 Southern, Bermuda, Bahamas.  It's pretty telling when some of Grandeur's itineraries look more enticing than a Freedom class ship in TX.  
It was either give up on the fourth largest cruise port in the US or shake it up and try to take on the competition.
 

If prices dropped they are trying to stimulate sales.  
I like to joke we see it when the next interim payment is due on current ship being built.  If they need an influx of cash, put it on sale!

If prices dropped they are trying to stimulate sales.  
I like to joke we see it when the next interim payment is due on current ship being built.  If they need an influx of cash, put it on sale!

Welcome to the message boards!
Each specialty dining venue has it's own menu as you've seen.  Most items are included but there are typically a few items that cost more than the cover charge you pay to eat there.  Full Maine Lobster in Chops for example carries an additional charge above the cover charge.  Those extra charge items have a price on the menu.
The specialty dining restaurants tend to have some rules.  You can't order 10 steaks in Chops for example.  You might be able to order 10 side dishes though.  To be honest it's so much food I've never tried.  Your waiter will explain it all.  Ask as many questions as you like.  
Soda packages typically work anywhere on the ship except room service.  
SeaPass cards are handed over when there is a chargeable item involved.  When you visit the MDR (main dining room) they will ask your cabin number.  You'll never have to produce your SeaPass card unless you request something that isn't free.  If you have the soda package they'll ask for your card to confirm you do indeed have the soda package.  Sorrentos is included so no SeaPass card involved.  Asking for a chargeable beverage at Sorrentos will require a SeaPass card.  
Debarking - A letter will be provided a day or two before arriving back.  The letter will explain the process and times for "self-assist" guests like yourselves who carry their own luggage off.  Self assist typically starts as soon as US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) give them the clearance to start.  There will be a stated time in the letter such as 7:30am to 8:30am for self-assist.  Early birds will go to the designated self-assist meeting point before the stated start time.  A line will begin to form and your place in the line is based on when you arrive at the self-assist meeting point.  Once CBP give the go ahead, the line begins to move and you leave the ship.  Once the line starts moving it typically is pretty fast to get through CBP so budget 30 to 60 minutes to reach your car.  
On my Liberty cruise last year the scheduled arrival was 8am.  i lined up at 7am and was about 30 from the front of the line.  They started letting us off at 7:30am (early).  I was outside hailing a Lyft at 7:45am.  I got lucky, have cruised a lot, know the routine and CBP was kind that day.  My Lyft ride share had me at Hobby airport at 8:40am.
On boarding day they always have some restaurants open typically starting around 11:30am.  Getting on the ship right at 10am is unlikely.  The terminal typically opens around 10am to begin check in and the ship has to wait for all previous guests to leave and only when US Customs says the ship is clear can they start taking on new guests.  That is typically closer to between 11am to noon but if you are lucky could happen before 11am.  Consequently there usually isn't much of a wait to enjoy lunch.    

If prices dropped they are trying to stimulate sales.  
I like to joke we see it when the next interim payment is due on current ship being built.  If they need an influx of cash, put it on sale!

I'm glad I found this blog and review it on a regular basis!  My drink package just dropped to $46, putting $56 back in my pocket!

I'm trying for a 10:40am Southwest flight out of FLL from Port Miami in March.  It's risky but I have travel insurance and accept that I'm pushing my luck.  There will be some out of pocket costs if I miss my flight but traveling alone, getting up early and being near the front of the self-assist line should help.
A 10:20am flight will work if the stars align but understand you are pushing your luck.

If prices dropped they are trying to stimulate sales.  
I like to joke we see it when the next interim payment is due on current ship being built.  If they need an influx of cash, put it on sale!

Yesterday I experienced a trip delay returning on a cruise and I thought it would make an interesting "lessons learned" post.
My 4 night cruise on Brilliance of the Seas left Tampa on time and on schedule.  It was a great cruise with a group of friends and we all enjoyed it.  When we finished our day in Cozumel and re-boarded the ship none of us knew how mother nature had her own plans for our return to Tampa despite calm seas and smooth sailing.
Fog.  Heavy fog.  
To reach the pier in Tampa you need to pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.  In 1980 during severe weather a freighter struct the original bridge sending a section of the bridge crashing into the bay killing 35 people.  As such, Tampa and it's pilots don't take chances when it comes to weather.
We arrived to the Tampa pilot station six hours ahead of schedule in an attempt to beat the fog but the fog beat us, arriving earlier than forecast.
Our attempt to beat the fog and arrive early didn't come without cost.  Running any boat, vessel, craft or ship at full speed consumes a massive amount of fuel compared to running at a nominal cruising speed.  Royal spent tens of thousands of dollars on fuel and it's an example how Royal does try to do the best thing for everyone involved even if it costs them significant sums of money.
Waking up early on debark day I noted our speed was zero but we were still outside of Tampa Bay. Oh boy, here we go.  Up on deck 12 I could see several cargo and tanker ships hanging around with us in the fog.  Beyond the lights of the other ships you couldn't see much of anything.  Fog.
The Captain informed us that the channel into the port was closed by the Coast Guard and we would need to wait until the channel opened and a pilot could come out to board the ship.  The initial estimate was a 2:30pm arrival at the pier.
Not long after the Captain informed us that he just got word that another cruise ship got stuck in port the day before and couldn't leave due to the fog.  The channel through Tampa Bay is narrow and only one cruise ship can occupy it at a time, two ships cannot pass each other in the channel.  It takes 2 to 3 hours for a ship to transit the channel.  We had no choice but to wait for that ship to depart and clear the bay before could begin our entrance to the bay.  Estimated arrival now 5:30pm.  
Lesson 1 - Don't book early flights.
While sitting around an airport for a day doesn't sound that attractive you need to understand the risk that comes with booking an early flight.  Delays happens for a number of reasons most of which are no one's fault and unavoidable.  Weather delays happen, some ports like Tampa or Galveston are more likely to experience delays at certain times of the year.  Do some research before booking that flight.  Delays can occur for many reasons beyond weather.  
In my case, I had booked a 6:30pm flight home because it was cheapest, like $175 cheaper than the 10:30am direct flight.  Over the weeks before the cruise I kept looking at that knowing I could pay the difference on Southwest and grab the earlier direct flight but if someone said to me "I'll give you $175 and all you need to do is stay at an airport for 8 hours" I'd take that deal every time.
I knew I could get some work done using the free airport wifi so my plan was to get off the ship early and spend the day working from the airport knowing if there was a delay, I could be relaxed and not stressed out.  Not only did I save money but the later flight also saved me a bunch of stress during this experience.
Lesson 2 - Travel Insurance.  This is a perfect example of how travel insurance needs to be high on anyone's list to consider. 
Our group of about 70 included folks with travel insurance and some "self insured" as they put it.  Some people were out $400 or $500 per person to rebook next day airfare and they had to pay for a hotel and meals on top of that.  For a couple that can be over $1,000.  For a family of four that could be over $2,000.  Those with insurance will get some, if not all of that back.  Those without just lost a whole lot of money.
However know your travel insurance coverage and limits.  My annual travel insurance policy was chosen primarily for medical coverage.  It has some trip interruption coverage but it doesn't have great reimbursement for delays of this nature.  
Lesson 3 - If you have travel insurance, know how to use it.
A lot of people in our group had insurance but had no idea what to do in the hour of need.  What is their phone number? What is the policy number?  What is covered and what isn't?  How much is covered?  Do you need pre-approval? What documentation is required?  The ship had letters pre-printed and available at guest services stating there was a weather delay and some insurance companies will need that documentation for a claim to proceed.  
If you buy insurance that's great, but know what to do when you need to use it.
Lesson 4 - They keep the food and beverages flowing.  
No need to worry about your extra time on board, they have ample food for such events and lined up more activities to keep us busy.  Most people took it all in stride and rolled with it.  It was quite enjoyable, much like any sea day.
Lesson 5 - Listen to announcements and pay attention. 
On the last night of the cruise many people put their luggage tags on their bag and place them in the hallway.  Bags are collected by the crew and prepared to be offloaded once the ship reaches the pier.  It takes time for the pier personnel to offload thousands of bags.  There is a reason why bag tags have numbers and bags are offloaded in order so that numbers can be called only when those bags will be ready and waiting in the terminal.  
During an event like this there a natural tendency to want to get off as soon as the ship arrives but cruise terminals cannot hold thousands of people waiting hours for luggage to be offloaded.  
Of course what occurred once we did finally reach the pier?  Hundreds of guests ignored the announcements, made a stampede to exit during the "self assist" time and found themselves having to stand outside the terminal waiting for up to 2 hours for their luggage, with no where to sit and no food or water.  If they had listened to the announcements they could have been sitting comfortably on the ship with access to restrooms, food and beverages. Instead they made the self-assist process more chaotic and accomplished nothing but misery for themselves in the process. 
Listen to the announcements, follow instructions.  
Lesson 6 - You can't fight mother nature. 
It's not the crew's fault, it's not the Captains fault, it's not the cruise line's fault. Don't be one of those people making an already difficult situation any worse.   Even if you are one of those people who choose to ignore the lessons above, at the end of the day becoming ugly or snarky with the crew or terminal employees accomplishes nothing.  Sit back, take a deep breathe and relax.  Life will go on and it will all work out in the end.  Put a smile on in the face of adversity.  Be kind to other's and don't get everyone else spun up.  Staying calm and friendly helps other's stay calm and friendly.  If you are stressed out, it will make your spouse and/or kids stressed out.  If you are calm and smiling through it, your loved ones will be more relaxed.  Do it for them.
Lesson 7 - If you don't buy insurance you've only got yourself to blame.
Accept the fact that you saved some money by not buying insurance.  You took a gamble and lost.  The money saved by not buying insurance may take a small bite out of your losses.  No cruise line can change factors beyond their control.  It's not their fault.  You took the chance and lost.  Accept responsibility and move on.  
Me?  I got lucky.  A lot of factors combined to work out in my favor.  I had booked a later flight.  I have travel insurance.  I always use self-assist.  Customs was fast.  Taxi's were waiting.   TSA Pre lines had no wait.  Southwest did an amazing job getting my luggage on the plane checking in at 38 minutes before departure.  The stars aligned for me perfectly and I didn't need to make a claim against my insurance policy.  I was fortunate but in a small group of lucky guests.

My personal best off an Oasis class ship in Port Everglades using self-assist, taking a cab, checking a bag and using TSA Pre to get through FLL security got me to my gate at 7:55am.  
I would not plan on that because the stars aligned perfectly for me.  It's simply to illustrate what is possible.
On Monday I was coming off Brilliance and had a 10 hour fog delay.  I barely made my 6:30pm flight.
That gives you spectrum of best case to worst case scenario.  
Allure's luggage valet program requires the flight depart after 11:30am so that gives you an idea of what they consider safe.  

Welcome to the message boards!
There is no "always" when to comes to which side of the ship is to the pier.  It tends to be starboard so it's pointed towards the sea and ready to sail but that isn't guaranteed.  PTZtv.com has webcams for the Port of Miami and marinetraffic.com can be used to see which way the ship is pointed.  Check them out on any given weekend and over time you'll see the trends, if there is one.   

It never hurts to call and ask!
Another idea is to check out the next best cabin type.  Sometimes an upgrade with a small difference in cruise fare can be obtained after final payment due date.  If you really like your cabin and location,  enjoy it knowing those slightly cheaper fares are probably for cabins that may not be in the same exact category or not in a great location.

Welcome to the message boards!
There is no "always" when to comes to which side of the ship is to the pier.  It tends to be starboard so it's pointed towards the sea and ready to sail but that isn't guaranteed.  PTZtv.com has webcams for the Port of Miami and marinetraffic.com can be used to see which way the ship is pointed.  Check them out on any given weekend and over time you'll see the trends, if there is one.   

On this site there are a collection of "Cruise Compass":
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass?ship=277
This is a daily newsletter left in your cabin highlighting all that's going on around the ship and open times for activities and restaurants.  Familiarize yourself with one from Liberty.  They won't be identical to your cruise but usually close enough so you'll get an idea.  
This one is from my cruise on Liberty and contains the departure letter explaining self-assist:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compasses/liberty-of-the-seas/sun-2018-02-25-0000