Donna G

just be aware for anyone trying to RU. If you have connecting rooms or multiple rooms in a row, you are not guaranteed that all the rooms will win, or that the rooms will be anywhere near each other.  If anyone is trying to do the bidding thing, just know you don't have lots of control. 

bottom line, it costs nothing to ask.

I'd be worried about shore excursions and drink packages etc that were already linked to my room.  It's not like you are just changing a seat on a plane, so much more involved.  Or what if the room on the other side of them has their other family members they want to be near.  My husband won't even change seats in the movie theater when we pick seats. But I do wish you good luck and hope whatever happens works out for you. 

 

We are 27 days out. I did receive an email right after I posted this from what appeared to be the person's personal email address that said their computer wasn't working and they were waiting on IT to fix it. So maybe that was the issue. I'm not going to lie but it did seem a little weird that it came from a non-rccl email address.

I really hate calling people - If I'm ordering takeout from somewhere, I will only choose places that have an online order option  but I may have to go this route in a week or so. 

you might get a faster answer to your questions this way.  

it's so difficult to get a rental car these days. Definitely book in advance.  Did you try to pull up Avis on the map of locations to see what is near the cruise port?  I would call Avis directly.  

Just remember, "worth" is all in the eye of the beholder.  What I think is worth the money may not be your idea.  Look at what is offered and make an informed decision.  I was just listening to a podcast where they were discussing this and what I decided was that for my first or even second trip to CocoCay I would not do it because I want to experience everything the island has and if I had the Beach club I would want to stay there and get the most for my money. BUT, after those first visits I think I will definitely do the Beach Club to just kick back and relax. 

pros and cons for bringing your own.  

Pros

you know it fits, no need to worry about if it was washed properly between use, no need to wait in a line to get your gear = more water time, saves some $$ at CocoCay

cons

takes up space in your suitcase

99% of the time you don't need fins to snorkel, just float around. 

 

Not sure if this excursion is available given the bacon shortage. 

oh no! First a big Chicken Wing shortage and now Bacon?  forget Covid, now the world really is coming to an end.

 

Would calling be easier?  Or do they have long hold times and you don't have time?  Just wondering if it's an option. 

I don't know why, but this is so appealing to me! Something about swimming with cute little piggies in the ocean.  Nope, don't want to swim with sharks or sting rays..give me cute little pigs.  I hope you get your excursion! This will be something that I look for on my first trip to CocoCay!

 

all great info and recommendations!  I learned to dive in Hawaii and really miss it. I will always be comparing my experience to those dives. 

As someone who is a diver, I would recommend looking at your local community center/YMCA or Padi shop to see if you can take classes and get your dive card. You get much more out of becoming a PADI certified diver than just the lesson you get on the ship before going out into the ocean.  I know it's not like they are taking you on a super deep dive where you need to worry about decompressing on your way back up, but there are safety things that you really should learn.  Can you do it on the ship and dive?? yes, of course.  Will you feel more comfortable and confident if you are better trained? you bet.  

In Skagway we booked the Hike/Float tour and we really enjoyed it but when we do Alaska again we will definitely sign up for the train ride.  The pictures people came back with were beautiful.  We did really like the hike/float. We hiked up part of the old Yukon trail and then had a super relaxing float back to town.  We didn't have to paddle at all. Just enjoy the ride and look for eagles.  The guide did all of the rowing. 

In Juneau we didn't plan an excursion.  We just got off the ship and grabbed a taxi to the glacier and stayed as long as we wanted. We hiked trails and just enjoyed the area. Then we called for a taxi to pick us up and had them drop us back in town where we went to the Alaska Brewing Co and did their tour (they drove us from the shop in town out to the factory area). So it was a great day and we did things that people were paying a lot more for with excursions.  It was really nice to have the extra time at the glacier. People on excursions only had a short time there because they had to load back on the bus and move on to the next stop.  

 

It may also depend on the excursion company.  Some may have contracts negotiated sooner than others.  I had all of my March 2022 excursions booked and got notice that one was cancelled. Just keep checking. You can always cancel and rebook if something better comes along or if a sale comes along. 

Just be sure to get a milkshake to go with those onion rings!!

Oh I would also love to know. This is one restaurant that I have not experienced.  Would anyone mind chiming in with their favorite meal, lunch or dinner?  

 

Thanks!  Do you happen to know how far in advance you can schedule a Rapid test, and if you do so online?

For us in VA we can book really far in advance. A few weeks ago I booked our test for a December cruise. 

Fantastic!  I wish my husband could take the time off to cruise that much.  Counting the days to retirement so we can YOLO book back to back cruises too.  

will you have a car for a day or so? if not, you can go to the visitors center and see what kind of tours you may like. There is a wildlife park that we went to about 30-40 min away. I know that there is a tour there.  Some nice museums right there in town that you can just walk to. 

My husband was a Coast Guard search and rescue pilot for 20 years and saw too many helicopter and small plane accidents so we don't do those.  When we were in Ketchikan we just rented a car and drove ourselves to the bear viewing area, this way we could stay as long as we wanted. Then we went to the other end of town for the totem park.  It was so nice to be on our own schedule.  

When we did our AK cruise a few summers ago I did notice that if a buisiness was locally owned and operated there was a special sign in the window. This way you can avoid the chain stores that we see in every port.  Also, don't forget the local restaurants. We found a brewery in every port since we were traveling with our 20 something boys.  That made it even more fun and special.  

This is part of the info in the letter from Royal.  

"Dear Guest,

We've been diligently working through all the details to prepare for our Royal Comeback. It's taken months of planning and coordinating to get up and running, and since our return, we've delivered fantastic vacation experiences to over 110,000 guests.

We've taken a measured approach to our return, welcoming one ship at a time back onto the high seas. The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the destinations we visit remain at the forefront of everything we do.

As we continue to navigate our journey, we've had to make additional changes to our plans. As a result, we will need to cancel additional sailings. These decisions are incredibly hard as we recognize the importance of vacations - especially these days. Unfortunately, this means your sailing will be canceled."

The rest of the letter is just the options for FCC or refund. 

I have already received notice that April 10, 2022 Panama Canal cruise on the Radiance of the Seas that starts in Miami and ends in Los Angeles was cancelled.  That's really far in advance.  The only thing I can think of is that some of the ports are an issue?  What other reason can we come up with for a cruise to be cancelled so far in advance?  Usually Royal waits until the last minute (aka right near final payment) to see if the cruise may still go.  So I'm at a loss why this is already cancelled.  

we are doing the same thing in Oct.  A Disney stay for a week then down to Miami.  Initially we thought we would be driving from SC to Orlando and then to Miami and have our own car but that plan has now changed and we are wondering the best way to do the travels. Now we are flying into MCO, doing Disney for the week, renting a car to drive to Miami and then flying home out of Miami.  I can't really see any other way working without a huge cost.  

I would not expect C&A points, but it would be a nice surprise if they did give them.