mom2mybugs

1 hour ago, FManke said:

Do you think hitting the WJ about 9 and then debarkation, sound feasible?

I have in my head that windjammer closes earlier than that,  but i could totally be wrong!   Jane

1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

 

When we go on the Group cruise on Harmony in September we are actually flying in and out of Miami.  The itins and prices were better so we will try Miami this time.  In the "old days", it used to be cheaper to fly to FLL than to MIA but these days that has reversed.

So i have never done the lauderdale port.  We will be cruising next march (3 of us).  I don't tend to be a car renter but we are flying in likely the day before (or even friday night for a sunday cruise) and then staying over the Saturday night after.  Is it really easy to get from miami to lauderdale?   Are there lots of options for cheap one day (easy return) rentals , shuttles,  ubers etc?  Im a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing...port canaveral was easy!   Jane

Curious on these responses.   We are also starting over the day after our trip the week before yours!   Jane

7 hours ago, JLMoran said:

 

One other thing I just remembered was pointed out to me in one of my first questions -- I was warned that an 18 to 20-year old might find it a little frustrating getting involved with ship activities. The teen-oriented activities cut off at age 17, so he can't get into the teen club at Adventure Ocean or other events on the ship geared to that social group. But the activities geared to adults generally are for people 21 and older and he may not be able to take part in those, either. 

My 18 (and then 19 the next cruise)  did have a hard time meeting people,  and mostly hung with me.  She did find someone on our roll call on cruise critic she met up with periodically but it is a tricky age for finding a niche on the boat.  The bigger ships will have more to do in general but she found things to do with me on both vision and freedom and really used the time to relax!   Jane

We have managed 4 on vision with an outside view and 3 on freedom with a balcony.   It just didn't seem that insanely crowded,  but then i was usually out in the sun on the pool deck and my 13 year old was never in the room!   Jane

7 hours ago, JLMoran said:

I'm on the March 31 Freedom sailing. If you're disembarking that day, we'll have to wave at each other as you're leaving the port and I'm driving in! 

I wish i was going on your longer one!  I will be the sad looking person getting off!  We are going to book a hotel and stay a day in fort lauderdale so i won't be too sad! Jane

We are going on Freedom of the seas march 25, 2018!   Jane (mom2mybugs)

11 hours ago, FManke said:

I guess everyone will have to decide if bringing a wine that they really like onboard to have with dinner is worth the $15 premium that comes along with the corkage fee. I don't know what the prices of wine are on board or the selection, but I guess people will have to make that decision for themselves. Are a lot of people bringing wine on board specifically to drink during dinner? I got the feeling most of it was to consume in their cabins.

I brought mine usually to have with dinner.  Often to get a glad of wine quickly is a real challenge.  When i travel with my husband,  he usually drinks the wine and i get the drink pkg.  Until they start charging to bring it on,  we will just ask the room attendant for a corkscrew or frankly enjoy one of the gazillion great screwtop wines available (die to the cork shortage! )  Jane

21 minutes ago, cabradl said:

Upon further review...

We (wife and I) didn't think enough about the points that the great folks here said...that RC is a lot cheaper than Disney...someone said that it's best to think of it as a la carte rather than the 'nickel and dimeing'.

It's better to only purchase what you need.

Great advice from all...and great reminders! We wanted something 'cheaper' than Disney and we got that...however, we lost track of the 'pay for only what you want' aspect.

Our main gripe with RC was not having a good way for family members to easily (and free) communicate with each other like it is on the Quantum class or Disney.

Again, great advice from all, and thanks for the re-adjustment to our thinking...we were miffed about the communication options and that resulted in some sweeping generalizations which were not expressed well.

 

 

 

Just hope you have a great cruise!  I get caught up in the add ons, and then i remember that its vacation and still cheaper than my last disney park trip!  Im still dying to do disney cruise line,   but until they drop,  i will just be doing the parks!  Enjoy royal,  try not to compare and let us know how it goes!  Jane

3 hours ago, SFLcruiser said:

If kids, teenagers. 

Which one would be closest to Oasis class? Husband  has only been on Oasis class (ever) and I know he wants to take his side of the family now and show them all of the same cool things. I guess we could still do Allure, Harmony is out of my budget, but we do like the itineraries for the smaller ships better

Ive been on both freedom and adventure.   Freedom is bigger,  and has more,  but adventure will be done with all its refurbishments.  My youngest teen was happy on freedom and loved the fact that it was bigger and had more kids on board to meet ...that might be a problem with serenade.  Freedom also had more specialty dining and a sorrentos pizza, which adventure didn't.   Jane

2 hours ago, LaurieB said:

I'm the type of person who makes spreadsheets when we go to Disney World (which is fairly often since we are Vacation Club owners.) But when we cruise our pace slows. I don't know if I want to bring the Super Planner Laurie out for this trip. Will our experience be lessened if we don't go to specialty restaurants? Also is the entertainment appropriate for young teenagers? 

Laurie, you and i would get along great (says Jane wearing her mickey earrings and bracelet).  Im an uber planner who loves disney and just came back from an 8 day spring break trip to the world.   I would kill to do a disney cruise, but there is no way to afford it like i can royal.  I went on my first cruise 2 years ago on royal and have loved it!  The mdr and windjammer have great food in my opinion,  but you will find that food is subjective.  We have really enjoyed trying the specialty restaurants, but you can totally survive without them.   I haven't been on the big ships (freedom is the largest I've been on) and my understanding is that they definitely need more planning for dining and shows.  However,  my guess is you can relax just like on any other ship and they have a ton for the kids.  My 14 year old has yet to be bored, even on the smaller ships,  and she absolutely loved the teen center.   The kids area are amazing on the royal ships.    I can't do any comparing to disney since i haven't been lucky enough to go on them,  but if you have any specific questions ask away here....lots of us have had amazing experiences on royal and can advise away!   Have a great trip!   Jane

4 hours ago, whitsmom said:

Glad you said something as I didn't think about that! 

I didn't have any problem with my tags sticking on the 3 cruises ive been on...just pulled them right out of the plastic.   Wonder if it depends on the tag brands or printer brand ink.  Jane

15 minutes ago, DocLC said:

:)  Does this make me famous or you famous? <jk>

You!! However i did impress my husband with it (though he thinks im a bit obsessed when we don't cruise for close to 300 days)  and i know it will make my teenager laugh! 

I love that no question here is too silly or controversial, and people actually listen!  Jane

On 5/30/2017 at 4:15 AM, L454S said:

Just did 21 days on the Rhapsody. I was impressed with how well maintained and clean the ship is. For me, I like a ship as opposed to the an amusement park. Just personal preference.

I would LOVE to do 21 days on a ship!   I think i agree with you,  especially because cruising to me is as much about the relaxing.   Alot of the big ship "perks" like the flowrider and the wall,  ive never done.   My favorite ship memory was looking out the window of the vision schooner bar in a rainstorm!   

Can i ask....how much luggage did you bring?   I overpack for 7 days!   Jane

On 5/30/2017 at 4:00 AM, J_Keeble said:

. I must say I really loved the experience, the ship was full yet seemed so quiet and there was never ever a shortage of sunbeds. the ship does not look dated or tired if I am honest, a few fixtures and fittings look a little old and outdated but that does not take anything away from the ship what so ever.

 

any more questions about the ship just ask me :)

I think im not picky....i was on adventure last summer and yes, there was some rust but it was nicer than home lol!  Im beginning to look at maybe 2019 minus the teenager,  so i may be asking lots of questions!   Jane

On 5/30/2017 at 8:04 AM, Matt said:

I'm doing Rhapsody out of Tampa next year for spring break.

You should be very aware of the differences between Rhapsody and Freedom, especially in terms of what the ship offers (and does not offer).  

In the end,  my daughter wants to try the flowrider for the first time while dad goes to the ruins in costa maya (we went without him on our first cruise)  and did not want to go back to a ship with no sorrentos.  But after Rich and Tammy's periscopes, im thinking im leaning towards smaller as opposed to bells and whistles of the oasis class when im sailing kid free....someday lol!  Jane

On 5/29/2017 at 2:21 PM, DocLC said:

I love Tampa, too, and also like the Rhapsody, but if stuck with the Freedom, personally, as she had so much more to offer. 

I was so excited to hear you refer to this question on your call on the 200 podcast.  This is what i love about these boards...learning from everyone's experiences!  Thanks so much,  Jane

On 5/30/2017 at 11:17 AM, JLMoran said:

@mom2mybugs, do you have flexibility with that March date next year? If you can go on March 31, that's an 8-night Eastern Caribbean on Freedom (the one my family and I are taking). Goes to St. Kitts, St. Maarten, San Juan, and Labadee, with four sea days.

We have no flexibility...my husband and i are both teachers and my 15 year old in school!  I would absolutely love 8 days...6 is going to be tough.  I think my next cruise without a teen is going to be on a smaller ship again because i love the fewer crowds and the cuba periscopes made me really remember that small ship feel!   But in much discussion,  the teen wants to try more of the ship things.  So i guess we do freedom again and hey...all good!  Jane

Its a win/win, because i did love freedom.  I just wish it was 7, not 6 days!  Guess i need to figure out what to do in fort lauderdale!  Jane

Hi!  So my first sailing was on vision and i loved it.  My 2nd was on freedom and loved it too.  We are booked on a 6 night on freedom next march, but im seeing for 100 more we could do a 7 night on rhapsody.  My 14 year old (will be 15) seems to not care as long as we go...spring break had plenty of girls for her even on the small vision.  Anyone been on rhapsody lately?  Showing its age bigtime?  It heads out of tampa (which i loved as a port) and switches grand cayman for key West and belize. FWP i know but just curious on opinions!  Jane 

I keep debating in my head between those 2 places....you all are not helping!   Because im getting the drink pkg on board though,  im thinking of not drinking very much though ans hate to pay for what i don't use.  Which one is a better fit for a 14 year old?  We might just head to chankannaub though...loved the beach area there and my husband has never met dolphins!   I know i can look all this stuff up but that's what i love about this site...i can be lazy!  Jane

On 5/16/2017 at 10:08 AM, Katiel53 said:

  I know lasagna isn't served at night in there and that would be her choice for dinner if it were available.

I know that michael on his review of oasis said that he asked for lasagna and got it several times as there were leftovers from lunch.   No guarantees but always pays to ask!  Jane

On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 6:12 AM, MikeK said:

Did they taste like chicken?

They actually tasted like mint.  It was so weird!  I could only do it because they were so little!   Jane

On Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 7:38 PM, FManke said:

Don't forget the blazers with the big shoulder pads, ankle socks with pumps and parachute pants! 

Im sure i burned all the shoulder pad jackets, but i absolutely loved my purple parachute pants!   Sigh....and to think my children think we looked dorky in the 80s.  I have to admit,  im not wearing the huge glasses,  even for 80s night! 

My very first cruise in 2015 was on vision when it was in tampa.  The first sea day was the most relaxing day of my life and i have been on 2 cruises since with 1 planned for 2018.  I loved vision...it didn't have every bell and whistle but i didn't need it!  I wasnt overwhelmed by the ship and could relax.   We loved izumi, enjoyed trivia in the sooner bar and just had a great time in the 4 ports we spotted at.   Like mentioned before,  check out the cruise compass and you will find a million things you can do.   Have a great time!  Jane