KJ1231

We added a family (9 of us) for 7/13/2019 on Anthem of the Seas

@gabling Glen - can't thank you enough! And absolutely agree about the lengths people will go to on this site to help complete strangers! I can't imagine what cruising would be like without all the hints and tips I've received here. For all out there - if I can pay Glen's help forward by picking up ornaments, models, etc. on my upcoming cruises (list below) just let me know!

Western Caribbean Holiday (Grand Cayman and Cozumel) and Bahamas in March (Nassau and CocoCay) - I got better price on a couple refreshment packages ($15 and $17). At one point the Bahamas and Bermuda (July) were showing $15 refreshment packages but were $17 in cart. Eventually reverted back to $17 everywhere. Excursions I got the same or better prices back in July and August...

We are also doing the 8-hour Tulum excursions. We get to Cozumel at 10:00 AM and leave at 7:30 PM. The excursion is 10:30-6:30 and I assume that regardless of what time we leave the ship, we will be back by 6:30PM. Reminds me of a time in Ireland when they were having horse races in Sheephaven Bay in Donegal. The bay is dry at low tide and they drive down into the sand and set up a race course. The races were late getting started and when we talked to one of the bookies he let us know that they may not start on time, but they will end on time. Otherwise the horses will be swimming instead of running.....

Looking around more I found an email address for the Dockyard Visitors Information Center. I asked two questions -first was there a way to get transit passes in advance so we could go directly from the ship to the ferry and what time the mini-buses to Horseshoe Bay start running since we'll probbaly go on Day 2 and get an early start. Here was the response: Good evening Ken, Glad to hear you are cruising to Bermuda! Our ticket booth out at the end of your ship next July is where you will need to purchase in person, your 1 or 2 day adult passes and well as 1 and 2 day child passes. We also sell individual ride tokens as well. You then can proceed to the ferry to head out of dockyard. You can take the ferry directly in to Hamilton in the middle of the island or take the St. George’s ferry Monday through Friday directly to the east end or other end of the island. The mini buses are a great way to get to horseshoe bay beach. They start to take passengers there around 8:00am and continue on a loop throughout the day. You do not have to pre arrange the mini buses. They are right near the ticket booth at the end of your ship. It is 7 dollars per person each way. Takes about 25 minutes to reach the beach. You can visit the visitor Services Centre in dockyard by the ferry for maps, info, exclusive merchandise and to book experiences and excursions with local vendors at a lower cost than on the ship. Please also visit www.gotobermuda.com Here you can download all of our schedules, maps and other literature to help you plan your stay. See you in July!

Does anyone know what time the mini-bus shuttles start running each morning? Like a few people mentioned, it's better to NOT go the first day in port. We could be up and out early the second day since we'd have to leave by 3:00 to avoid being pier runners.

When we went on our first cruise this year (Alaska) the excursions were cool but as we learned later you can do some of them on your own at a lower price. We have upcoming cruises to the Caribean, Bahamas and Bermuda. Caribbean we got good RC excursion prices for dolphin/stingray, into to scuba and Tulem ruins so being it's out first time to Grand Cayman and Cozumel with teenage kids we figured we'd go the RC excursion route. For Bahamas we are doing a foodie tour in Nassau (not RC) and splurged for a cabana on Cococa (RC) Bermuda is the one I am currently researching and all of the excursions are $$$$. I'm taking the whole family (7 adults, 2 under 5) so I am currently looking to plan our own excursions. One day I want to take the grandkids to zoo/aquarium/caves and next day do the beach. It would cost a fortune to do this with RC. For example, admission to zoo/aquarium is $10 for adults, kids under 5 are free. Total admission for 9 us is $70. Caves are $22 for adults so $154 total. For the two I come up with $224. The RC excursion price is $126 for adults and $118 for kids or $1,360 and total time, including transportation back & forth is only 4 hours. I think I can find transportation for 9 of us for under $1,000 and go at a leisurely pace.....

So was looking at drink packages for family cruise next July. Deluxe had been $52 and refreshment $17. When I log into cruise planner today it's advertising $50 and $15 respectively. So I canceled my $17 so I could add the $15. When I click on add to cart, the price in the cart is $17. Weird.......hopefully it gets fixed before sale is over.....

Checkout meitravel.com for current "perks". I have gotten gratuities covered on the 3 cruises I booked through MEI. Right now it looks like you get specialty dining when booking particular ships.

I called the other day and they said "two weeks before the cruise", which is in July. I seem to remember it showing up sooner than that in the past. Before I started using MEI it came in handy to use the OBC to cover the gratuities (I don't prepay). All 3 upcoming cruises MEI is paying gratuities so I would probably use the OBC towards casino credit assuming that remains in the cruise planner.

They were $50 on eBay - if they’re the same one. 5 will be awesome. Let me know how to get payment to you.... check, PayPal, Venmo or Zelle all work for me.... Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving!!

First time I've looked at this. I played a little on our first cruise and have what may be obvious questions. Here are the details in the planner: Limit one denomination per Offer, Offer limit up to $2,000 value per person. Offer must be redeemed at Casino cage during casino open hours by the guest who purchased Offer. Redemption is the responsibility of the guest; value of Offer expires at the end of the cruise. For table play, promotional chips will be issued all at once; promotional chips must be played through and are not redeemable for cash. No contra betting permitted on Roulette or Baccarat. Promotional chips must be used by the SeaPass holder who purchased Offer. Chip denominations are subject to availability. Guest must present SeaPass at table play for Casino recording. If I bet $25 on a hand of blackjack and lose, obviously I lose the chips. If I win, do I retain the $25 in promotion chips and get $25 in real chips? Or do they take the $25 promotional and give me $50 in real chips? Are the chips transferable across ships? So if I buy $2,000 in chips for December cruise on Brilliance, can I use the chips on Enchantment in March and/or Anthem in July? I'm assuming "No" since "offer expires at the end fo the cruise". $2,000 nets $200 in extra chips and 4,000 reward points on RCCL credit card (equates to $40 in OBC) and the $20 scratch off....

I'm seeing the same for our Bermuda cruise in July - $27.49/day for surf & stream for 4 (may be easier than 7 of us on my router ?) and refreshment package is $17/day. $15/day for Caribbean at Christmas

Like @twangster we did the southbound on Radiance and the train ride was awesome. While there is probably more we could at the ports on that cruise (Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Pointe/Hoonah, Ketchikan), I was looking at HAL as well. in 2019 they have a 14-day that includes Anchorage, Homer, Kodiak and Sitka - along with those from the RCCL. When the 2020 schedule was released Homer and Sitka were replaced by Valdez and an additional cruising day. Really wish RCCL would expand the list of Alaskan ports. In the meantime, I am still look at Alaska for 2020.....

Friends are telling me I need to start CA. I told them it (Cocaine Anonymous) already exists to which they tell me I need to start Cruisers Anonymous. The first step: "We admitted we were powerless over cruising and that our lives have become unmanageable". Yep, describes me perfectly..... I tell them could be worse, could be cocaine....

Any 5 are fine.... smaller is fine as sometimes the bigger ones struggle to stay on the tree. Thank you again for your help! Thanks for the offer!!!! My wife and I have a "vacation" tree with ornaments collected over the 29 years we've been married. Hope to add lots of ships over the coming years:-) I could still use a Radiance OTS ornament from our Alaska cruise in June if anyone is sailing on her.....

gabling - thanks so much for the offer!! Here is one that I found on ebay.....

I would like to get 5 Anthem ornaments to give my wife and 4 kids for Christmas. If anyone would be willing to get them and send to me I will be happy to compensate you! I can send funds via PayPal, Venmo or Zelle immediately! Message me if you can help!

Robes provided in the suites....

If you book with MEI before 11/18 you get gratuities paid for the first two in each cabin. On a 5 night cruise that's $145 per cabin.... I don't know if you get the same deal on a transfer. I have booked 3 cruises with Michelle ([email protected]) and gotten free gratuities each time AND it doesn't impact OBC from RCCL.

We are late 50's and never thought of cruising until this year - and only at the recommendation of my in-laws who had never cruised. We'll be doing 4 cruises in 13 months including the first one. Why? 1. Multiple cities/ports in one trip without having to pack and unpack 2. Relaxing on a balcony as the sun comes up or goes down - nothing better 3. Don't have to cook, clean, etc. 4. We always rented houses at the beach in NJ or SC and cruising is cost-competitive especially when you consider (3.)

Since someone else moved this up - just a reminder to check out the MyVegas Facebook/iPhone app. Just cashed 50,000 points for $100 OBC for cruise next July We had made the reservation last week and cashed the points yesterday....

I saw the thread about model ships and then came across some ornaments when searching online. I told my older two kids that for Christmas they are getting a cruise to Bermuda in July. The two younger kids are getting Caribbean and Bermuda (we offered the older two the Caribbean but they couldn't do it when we could, i.e. school break). Since we don't plan to get them much else, I thought it would be cool to get them an Anthem Christmas ornament. I was curious as to what they cost on the ship before I make a purchase elsewhere. I'd like to get 5 Anthem, 3 Brilliance and a Radiance at some point - would be great if I could manage to get them before Christmas (*hint*)

+1 for Michelle! I don't know if it's because I booked 3 cruises within the coming year or not. Long-time members might get better service because they are repeat customers. However, Michelle has been great since day one and I put her through the wringer with the first cruise she did with me as she had to repeatedly go back to the Casino Royale folks. Hope she's enjoying her time on Symphony this week!

I am taking the whole family to Bermuda and have 3 staterooms. I was going to get the package for 4 to share between 7 adults. In cruise planner it asks for the guests and only lets me do the 2 in my room. Will I still get 4 "passwords" when we get to our cabin? Or should I get it for the cabin that has 4 in it (even if 2 of them are 3 and 2). I know that only one person can connect per password at any given time.