Al Horner

What about ordering room service? (OK, I've never done it either) but it's my understanding you can order coffee and some continental breakfast items (??) the night before. Even then I'm not sure what's the earliest they deliver without adding some exorbitant over-night charge.

I ordered the refreshment drink package for our May cruise on the Symphony. Do you think I could use a Yeti or thermos to take coffee with me?

Maybe this is inappropriate, but I want to commend KLA for using the word "they're" correctly. In this day and age of using shortcuts for social media, many people have forgotten some basic grammar and punctuation rules. A personal pet peeve is when someone uses "there" for the contraction for "they are". OK. I'm done.

Sounds like a program to avoid.

As we run around trying to get everything ready for a Christmas Eve family get-together, I took a moment to look at the Cruise Port of Miami video cam and I saw 4-5 cruise ships all lined up on Christmas Eve Day. I wonder what it's like to take a Christmas cruise? Is it less hectic? How's the food for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? I imagine they must decorate the ship nicely. I've still got 144 days until my cruise. I think, I could be talked into a holiday cruise - next year?

I'm not a beach guy so for St Kitts we booked the "Caribbean Scenic Railway Tour." It's a ride on a railway part way around the island completed by a bus tour the rest of the way. You can only book this through RCL (your cruise planner). As far as Caribbean shore excursions go, this is something a little different. It is highly recommended though we haven't done it yet. We go in May 2019.

This just reinforces what I have thought about the Bahamas in general. I typically try to avoid cruises going to the Bahamas but, if I do go, I stay on the ship.

Matt, that was a very helpful blog! Here's another question. My cruise will be going to St Thomas which is American. Does anyone know if Verizon is there and, if so, would that be considered roaming? I guess I should just ask Verizon.

OK, I am a technological dinosaur. Normally, the first thing I do when I get on a cruise ship is turn off my cell phone and put it in the safe. On the night before the end of the cruise, I take the phone out and charge it up. For me, that's bliss! For my next cruise, I purchased "The Key" which includes Voom. I do know what the internet is but am I going to get hit with roaming charges? Does this have anything to do with making calls or is it just for accessing the internet? I've read horror stories of people getting hit with huge charges for using their phone on a cruise? Hey! Just another thought. If my wife actually turned her phone on, could we communicate with each other?

Well, the Key IS expensive but I still signed up for it. The one thing I want to verify is that we can just show up for priority seating at shows without making prior reservations. That's the part that sold me.

Anyone know the status of the Perfect Day pier and attractions?

Living near Houston, TX, this new Galveston terminal will be very nice. I just hope that RCL will include some new itineraries from Galveston.

We're sailing on the Symphony in May so I was very interested in the Black Friday sales. I was able to purchase the 4 night specialty dining package for $115 per person (not great but not bad) and the Refreshment package for $17 per person. What's interesting is that RCL almost immediately stopped offering the 4 night specialty package at any price and the refreshment package went right back up to $26 per person. The Deluxe package briefly dipped from $52 pp to $49 pp and then went right back up to $52 pp. We signed up for the All Access Ship Tour but that price never moved. The price of our St Kitts shore excursion actually went up a couple of dollars. It would be interesting to see what the RCL logic is in these sale prices.

Was it a la cart or just one specialty dining fee? Let us know what your thoughts are any of the other specialty restaurants - particularly Wonderland and/or their Chops. Thanks!

First, is Wonderland included in the 4 night specialty dining package? When you look at a Wonderland menu, you see all sorts of strange things that are both interesting and worrisome. Is the food real or do you leave and then go look for a hotdog because you never actually ate anything of substance? Does the food taste good? I'd like to try it out but I want to make sure it really is a meal.

If there is a RCL shore excursion I really want, then I book it in advance. For me, the other options are, (1) book a non-RCL shore excursion because they're typically cheaper, or (2) just get off the ship and walk around if you feel comfortable with the port (I do walk around Cozumel, St Thomas, St Martins, Grand Cayman, but I would not walk around Belize, Falmouth, or anywhere in the Bahamas - just my personal opinion), or (3) just stay on the ship and enjoy the reduced crowds!

We will be on the Symphony OTS in May 2019. The specialty dining packages just became available on my Cruise Planner. I was looking at the Three Night Dining Package but it is listed as $95 per person. That's roughly $32 per meal which seems pretty high to me. Anyone know what specialty dining typically costs now? Maybe the price will go down on Black Friday.

Nice Question! I enjoy the anticipation. I normally book a cruise more than a year in advance. During that time I check out different shore excursions, prices of specialty dining and drink packages, and just chatter about the cruise. I've never been on an Oasis class ship and our next cruise is on the Symphony. I've studied the ship so much I could probably give tours now without having ever seen it. Once on the ship, I like to unpack and know that I wont have to repack until the end of the cruise. I like going to the MDR and Windjammer and leaving without having to pay a check. My wife and I don't go out much so we really enjoy the shows and all the entertainment. We always book a Junior Suite and I love going on our balcony day and night and just looking at the ocean. I think I just talked myself into booking another cruise!

I'm waiting (hopefully) to find any bargains for drink packages and/or specialty dining packages!

I'm going to be on the Symphony OTS in 198 days (May 2019). I was wondering when Specialty Dining Reservations would become available on the RCL Cruise Planner?

I would like to see a snack vending machine with some American snacks in it. Just some suggestions would include candy, cookies, chips, etc. It seems hard to find good snacks on these ships.

Great review! I will be on the Symphony out of Miami in exactly 200 days!

Does Symphony OTS use the Wow bands? If so, do people like them? Do they have a watch/time function or do you have to wear them in addition to your watch? Finally, where and when would you get them and how much do they cost?  Thanks!

If RCL is going to introduce new on-ship excursions - how about the .50 cal pirate shoot? You get 200 rounds of .50 cal and whoever sinks the most Somali pirates - wins a prize!

Sorry, I did not mean to imply that I was boycotting Cococay. I'm sure we will walk around, eat and have a drink. Maybe I'm just naïve, but I thought $600 - $800 was a lot of money for a few hours in a cabana. It's all a matter of personal values. While I won't pay for the cabana, I probably will pay for the balloon ride.