Mrs. RoyalMoyal

This became a big issue this morning as we started to pack for our cruise on the Freedom this weekend.  My husband really doesn't want to dress up this cruise. He asked if he could wear nice shorts to the MDR (with a polo type shirt). It looks like he can get away with that.  For formal nights we will I guess eat at Windjammer but as I told him I am still dressing up. ? I don't get an excuse to wear my fancy dresses and heels very often. 

The real answer is none of us are arbiters of what you can or cannot wear to dinner. Royal Caribbean leaves the rules purposefully vague and rarely enforces the rules they do have, so in reality you have a lot of latitude in what to wear.

We recently took two teenage grandkids on the LOS. I set the rule they could not wear shorts in the dining room- jeans, long  pants, nice shirt or top ok. To my surprise my 16 year old grandson remarked “ I feel underdressed; I should have brought another shirt.”
The second formal night he was scrounging around in his closet looking for something clean to wear since he had spilled gravy on his nice shirt. Jokingly I offered my white button up blouse. He took me up on it, rolled up the sleeves and the photo is attached. 
I believe it is a good lesson to teach young people how to dress for certain occasions. 

We did 12 nights on the Explorer, out of Bayonne,  in January when my boys were 2 and 4, no nursery,  no children's program for my 2 year old. All 4 in an inside room with Pullman beds on deck 10, under the Solarium hot tub. It was GREAT! Do it! The Baltic will be like nothing else. If you have the time to take to go on this journey, take it. 

Yes I would definitely do this. A couple years ago, a junior suite was cheaper than what we had originally paid for a balcony. Even though it was after final payment, I called and they gave us a "free upgrade" to the junior suite since we had paid more for the balcony. It was the only time we've ever booked a suite of any kind ?

I've always assumed that people aren't stealing them, so much as they are defacing them (i.e. taking it and throwing away or putting it on a door down the hall).
Well, perhaps there are folks who recognize the sheer inherit value of a RCBlog magnet and then want it for themselves.

In the end you know your kids best. 
No one here can properly advise on this simply because we are different and our kids are different.
In my case I would have a honest conversation with mine.  "The cruise line doesn't allow athletic shorts in the dining room.  How do you want to handle that?"
That approach may not work in your family but I'd be surprised if this was the first time in their lives you have had to negotiate around something.  Follow your gut, you know your kids better than anyone here does.

The gentlemen in the group I will be traveling with do the whole "proper Bermuda short" thing for formal night (as we are going to Bermuda). They wear full tie and jacket but Bermuda shorts dress socks/shoes with them. It actually looks kind of nice and sort of a tip your hat to Bermuda thing. They've been doing this on this particular cruise for some time (sounds like they go every year) and it's been well received in the MDR. But this was on a Bermuda only cruise so keep that in mind. (This is a pic I found on the internet as I don't have one of them but their wives showed me the pics when we were discussing formal nights).

 

We had a chance to visit CocoCay on TH 6/27 off of the Mariner of the Seas.
Summary
- Amazing, outstanding, a true game-changer.
- Flexible enough to meet the needs of everybody. 
- You can have a great time with excursions or without. 
- Thrill Park is great.  If that is your thing. 
- Overall, highly recommended. 
Our group
- 2 families with children (11, 8, 7 years old)
- We booked the full day Thrill Park via Cruise Planner at $47/adult as well as the kid rate (I forgot the total).
- 2nd RCCL trip (1st was Harmony)

Our Day (Part 1:  Thrill Park)
- RC provided a map and a 1-page fact sheet the evening before.  We felt very prepared. 
- Checked out towels and then met the gang for breakfast at 7:30am.
- Left the boat at 8:30am.  It was very fast.  No towel check-out was provided at level 1.  You will need to get towels in advance at the pool deck.
- Trams were waiting on the pier to talk folks if desired.
- Less than 5 min walk from the boat to the entrance to the island and the Thrill Park.  Live music, dancers, etc.  lots of energy.
- Easy entry to the Thrill Park, use your sea pass.  RCCL staff is onsite.
- Locker to your right after entering the park (free).
- We divided into two groups.  One group went straight to the Devil's Tower.  They rode it once and had a very small line.  Within an hour of opening the wait time was 45-60- minutes.  Key point:  Plan ahead and arrive early.  The other group secured lounger chairs under umbrellas (between the Devils Tower and the other Slide section) and headed over to the Sling Shot (the half pipe ride), Twister, and Racers.  
- Easy to find chairs.  Lots available with lots of shade. 
- Easy to find beverage (adult) and water.
- All the water slides are strong.  Fun, thrilling, scaring, high energy, etc. 
- After the slides, we hit the wave pool.  Recommended as well. Make sure you watch the young kids.  The pool is crowded and life guards can see only so much.
- We also spent time on the adventure pool.  Both adults and kids were using the attraction.  Lots of fun. 
- After about 2.5 hours on the Thrill Park we decided to go to Chill Island.  One of the reasons was the wait on the Tower Slides was getting long and we saw storms in the distance and wanted to hedge our time.
Out Day (Part 2:  Chill Island).
- Relaxing.  Laid back. Really a different vibe and energy.
- Rented snorkel equipment. My kids saw stingrays and fish.
- After about 2 hours, headed to Chill Grill for lunch. Taco bar and grilled chicken wings were strong.  We also liked the fact you can pour your own beer (w Seapass Card).  Kids loved the ice cream.
- BIG ISSUE:  TONS of birds are seagulls are onsite at Chill Grill and are very aggressive.  They are swarming on guests and attacking their plates while guests sat at picnic tables.  I saw a bird swoop down and steal a chicken wing from a guest who was about to it eat.  This needs to be fixed.  Think the movie "The Birds".
- Went to Oasis Lagoon for the rest of the day and drank our share of Miami Vice, Kracken and Diet Coke, and beer.  The Pool bar is strong and the staff are fast.  
- The pool itself is very large and can accommodate a lot of folks.  Loud music.  Party atmosphere. 
- Some lighting delays throughout our day, but no biggie.  
- Took the tram home.  
General thoughts
- Great time.  Really strong move by RCCL.  Disney will have to up its game.  Huge contrast to other cruise private islands.
- Easy to navigate and everything is pretty much 10 minutes away.  Walk or Tram.
- Totally different vibes between the water park and Chill Island. 
- Even though we only were at the water park for 2 hours, it was so fun we still feel as though we got our $$$ worth.
- Staff was great. 
- The island and layout are such that the crowded feeling is likely to be minimized.  
- Easy to get food, adult beverages, water etc.  Lockers are free.
- We did not rent a cabana.  They looked very nice.  Our hesitation is that if you rent a cabana you may feel limited to stay in the cabana and consequently miss other areas of the island.  We liked our approach of spending time at the water park, the beach, and the big pool.
- Talked to a few officer types at the island and they shared that RCCL plans on building a hotel for guests on the island and back-to-back CocoCay stays will be offered in Jan 2020. 
- The day before we stopped at Nassau and stayed until 8:30pm.  I really wish we could have stayed that long at CocoCay and shortened our time in Nassau. 
- The birds at Chill Grill are an issue.
- Other guests we were talking too on the ship felt the same about the island - it is fantastic. 
- Have a high-level plan so you can make the most of the day.  You don't have to plan every minute, but at least consider where you want "Home base" and what you want to do on the island in some order.  Hit the waterpark early to avoid lines.
Hope his helps.  Have.a blast.
Andy
 
 
 
 
 

I love Labadee.  It's a beach day but they've done a nice job on their little secluded area.
Royal employees nearly 500 locals so it's good for locals of this very poor nation.  Some local artisans are allowed to sell their wares in a straw market.  They can be aggressive in their tactics but understand they are very poor and only trying to support their family so I cut them some slack.  They must remain in the market area so if that puts you off, simply avoid that area and you'll be fine.

December 8 2019 Oasis of the Seas

I used the RCCL shuttle on Christmas eve with my son, it worked out well, we were on the first shuttle at the pier and arrived about 10 minutes before the gates opened, and he enjoyed the free WIFI while we waited for the park to open. It included admission.  I thought about doing it all on my own, either renting a car or getting an uber ride there and back, but the total cost would have been about the same, and I had OBC to spend.  I am glad I took water and snacks in a small backpack, and the lunch was pretty good for a museum lunch, budget at least $10.00 per person for lunch. 

I used the RCCL shuttle on Christmas eve with my son, it worked out well, we were on the first shuttle at the pier and arrived about 10 minutes before the gates opened, and he enjoyed the free WIFI while we waited for the park to open. It included admission.  I thought about doing it all on my own, either renting a car or getting an uber ride there and back, but the total cost would have been about the same, and I had OBC to spend.  I am glad I took water and snacks in a small backpack, and the lunch was pretty good for a museum lunch, budget at least $10.00 per person for lunch. 

December 8 2019 Oasis of the Seas

Here are three example for Adventure, Brilliance and Serenade coming from North East ports repositioning to other US ports.  All include some of the ABC islands.

By the way, sometimes these repo cruises are good deals as seen above.  11 nights for $620.  Need points to raise the family up the C&A ladder?  Cruise solo.  With double solo points that would be 22 points for $1,240 (with solo supplement)  plus ports fees and taxes.  Nice bump of 22 points to level up you and your significant other.  
 

I am now in my happy place...on a cruise ship, all CK reservations made for the week. No problems getting the times we wanted ?

Support for the argument of arriving early...
 

Take a picture with him...I send you the money
#cowgirlbot

I read on FB that CK is Pinnacle only now.  
It's on FB, it must be true.

The only time I notice, and can be bothered by crowding is right after the Muster Drill. It really depends on the ship, but if you are outside, under your lifeboat, and if crowds get to you, wait for everyone to disperse then head back into the ship. If you are inside in a public venue, wait comfortably in your seat! This is a nice time to walk all the way aft or all the way forward (if you can get to the helicopter pad) on your ship, deck 4 is a nice, quiet getaway on sea days - one side will be smoking, one side will be non-smoking.

We purchased the Key on our 5/19/19 cruise on Allure along with our friends. The Key was worth every penny to us especially at $19.99! The overall experience was so amazing that we unanimously feel we have to purchase the Key from now on as long as it's offered at a reasonable price! We are only Platinum level in C&A and it's unlikely we'll be able to book a suite anytime soon so the Key was the only way to get some of that amazing VIP treatment!
We all wanted the VOOM package anyway, so for effectively less than $10/person per day more, it was a no-brainer for all of us! Priority check-in and boarding (Ft. Lauderdale/Port Everglades) was a mess for us and seems to be hit or miss with the Key program (our only sore point). Just make sure your SetSail pass has the Key logo on it to avoid aggravation! We had to speak to a number of terminal employees before they finally let us cut the line and board (they had just let the suite and Key guests board when we got to the boarding area) since our SetSail pass did not have the Key logo and they had no way to validate (no scanners, etc.).
The ability to drop off all of our carry-ons as soon as you board the ship for delivery to our cabin was really nice... no more dragging carry-ons around while your explore the ship and have lunch until your cabin is ready. The complimentary lunch on embarkation day (Chops Grille for us) was excellent... no fighting the crowds in the Windjammer. 
Regarding priority port of call debarkation, we only received an earlier assigned time for Jamaica (memo left in cabin the evening before with time and place to meet). We went to Guest Services earlier in the cruise and it was explained to us that on the other port days when there is no earlier Key departure time, we just need to get down to the gangway early and if there is a line, let them know and they would escort us to the front. We spoke to a crew member at the gangway that first port day and she confirmed that we just need to let them know. We only cared to get off the ship early in Labadee as the Nellie's Beach cabanas were assigned first come, first served and we had our pick! We wound up being the second group in line anyway so it really did not matter that we had the Key. 
We never had the time to take advantage of the private hours for the zipline, etc., but that may be a really nice perk if they include any of the slides on the other ships. The best perk for us was the "VIP" seating for all of the shows! Instead of racing down to the show after dinner 30-40 minutes prior to the start in order to get a decent seat, we only had to show up 10-15 minutes prior and we would be escorted to a designated center reserved section next to the suite guests which was roped off. Excellent seats! 
Finally, the special debarkation breakfast in the MDR was very nice. Even better was the escort off of the ship when we were ready (you do not get an assigned time with the Key - you disembark when you want to). You meet at a designated location (Champagne Bar for us) and they escort you through the terminal past everyone else to your luggage in a designated area next to the Star class banners and lane (the general line to get through customs was mobbed - snaked around the terminal!). A porter met us there and loaded our bags on a cart and led us through the Star class lane to a dedicated customs desk (no one ahead of us) and were out to the street in less than 10 minutes (ship to taxi)!
Generally, I would say that if you want the VOOM package ($10+ per device) and you are able to purchase the Key at say $19.99-$24.99, then it's an easier decision. If you don't want the VOOM package, then for many it's not worth it. If you don't care about prime seating and the convenience of only having to arrive 15 minutes before the show, then it's not worth it. Also, if you are booking a suite, then you will already be receiving many of the perks (reserved seating, priority boarding, etc.).
It's an individual decision as you can see from the varying experiences and opinions, but we all would get it again at the right price!

just to add on to the convenience factor when parking at the port...
when you drive in the luggage drop off is immediate. They have plenty of long shore men to assist and the lines move quickly and is well controlled.
you drive on maybe 300 feet and you are at the garage, parked and luggage free. The terminal is literally next door to the garage and there is even a convenient set of restrooms even before you enter the terminal so you can stop and freshen up if needed. @fonemanbob  is on point regarding walking off and getting on the interstate in an hour is priceless to us. Do make sure that you pay for your parking at the kiosks before going to your car though!
 
 

I've often been stuck flying for business the Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend.  The only thing I'd suggest is more time for security.  When the bulk of people aren't frequent fliers the security process slows down.  Who knew you couldn't bring a jug of laundry detergent on the plane?
Other than that the planes fly on time no different from any other day.  It's not like they wait for people for get stuck in long security lines.

Not sure on that one, you'd be talking about replacing every stateroom lock with an RFID pad.
If the can do that would be amazing as I really like the Wow Bands but I'd really hate to be the contractor who would say they could get that done in 68 days. You'd be talking doing about 36/37 rooms a day

We are on Deck 7 in a obstructed ocean view balcony for our upcoming Ovation cruise.  We found pictures of our room online before booking.  Our balcony has a small section of the davit in the corner view.  Plus we are on the hump so it is a bigger balcony.  It was over $1,000 cheaper than the regular balconies.   I'll happily look at the davit and keep the $1,000 in our bank account any day!   There are lots of pictures and videos online to help you make a decision.  Good luck!