vanelli56

A little more info would help... what port / ship are you sailing on and where are you flying out of? Typically, I would say most cruises that arrive back on time, and start to disembark on time.... lets say, 7am.... they are probably done by 9 or 930 ish? But in general, if you are arriving back in port first thing in the morning... depending on the airport and your circumstances, most people recommend not booking any flights before 11am or noon-ish. But once again, there are a lot of variables that go into this. Just remember its always better to be 2 hours early than 2 mins late when it comes to travel arrangements.

We typically cruise out of Port Canaveral Florida... personally for us, we like to get going ASAP so we choose to self disembark. We have about a 6 hour drive home so we like to get an early start. For most folks, I think its either a convenience thing, a timing thing, or a personal preference thing. Lots of factors to think about. Flights, how many bags, traveling solo or as a couple, or as a family. etc. I'd say if you are not in a hurry, and want the easiest time getting off the ship, I would let them take your luggage. That is one less thing to carry/worry about while you can go grab a casual breakfast and wait to disembark.

My wife and I have booked our first Alaska cruise for May of 2020 out of Seattle on the Ovation OTS. The price was right, we enjoy the larger ships, and we can get a direct flight into Seattle. But definitely do your research and choose the best cruise for you.

Sailing on the Harmony in September... myself and 5 buddies. We have 3 cabins reserved... two cabins are reserved with a TA, and the 3rd cabin was booked directly through Royal. Took a little back and forth, but last email from the TA said she had all 3 reservations linked for dining. We have all checked in online, and when we look in the app at our information, one shows 'Traditional Dining 5:30pm', and another shows 'Traditional Dining 5:15pm'. I also went and looked at the most recent cruise compass for the Harmony OTS posted here... and it shows the main dining rooms opening at 5pm. Should we be concerned about our dinner plans regarding making sure we have a table to seat all 6 of us? Thanks for any input.

Typically they have a selection of teas and hot water available at some of the cafes and maybe even the buffet/drink stations. Near the self serve coffees.

Beds together; about a queen size. I would estimate about 1 hr after docking would be a good guesstimate to meet family when getting off the boat. On some of the boats, they will show movies on both the outdoor screen and sometimes in the theater/studio area. You should be able to check some recent cruise compasses to see what is playing on your boat, and where they show it. Have fun.

No! You would be missing out! My wife and I did a 3 night Mariner of the Seas cruise back in May... just so we could go to see and hang out at Coco Cay. We were there the 2nd weekend after if 'officially' opened. It was great. Not like the other ports where you have to fight the crowds from other ships, plus the maze of locals trying to braid your hair and rent you a scooter. You just walk off the ship.... and go relax, swim, drink, etc. While we were there, we didn't plan any excursions or anything like jet skis or the zip line... we just walked around to scope it out, then went to one of the beaches for about an hour to sun and swim. (there were some people there snorkeling on their own... seemed to be having fun). Then we found some loungers/umbrella close to the pool and pool bar. Hung out there for another few hours swimming, sunning, and partaking of some adult beverages. Also, played in the 4 on 4 beach volleyball competition. Then went to one of the 'snack shacks' for lunch... GREAT chicken sandwiches there! When we were ready to head back to the ship, we did walk through the larger buffet area to check it out... looked like they had a nice selection as well. Trust me.... what Royal has done with Coco cay, is the best thing going in the Bahamas right now. Its what people are looking for when they think of a tropical cruise. Usually you have to pay for an excursion at other ports just to have something close to this. Be sure to check out some of the daily cruise compasses that are loaded here on Matt's site... and you can see most of the activities planned while you are at Coco cay, so you can have a better idea of everything that is going on. Cheers and have fun.

Perhaps the solarium?

I know there is always talk about watching the online cruise planner for sales and price changes on the Ultimate drink package... and I have seen the price for that fluctuate from $46 to $56 pp/pd for my upcoming Harmony cruise. BUT, I have also been watching specialty dining options... mainly a single night at Chops or the Chops +1 package. Those prices have been the same for as long as I can remember. (49.99 and 74.99) Has anyone ever seen them go down?? Thanks

agree with all of the above. I started tracking prices for the major carriers on google flights about a month ago... b/c thats when the routes opened up. I have noticed most of my flights tracked have ticked up in price lately... which seems to follow the trend line of airfare pricing at this point.... so hopefully the trend will continue. We also will most likely wait until early 2020 to actually reserve our flights. That should be when the trend line shows the prices should start to decline. But, I have a good idea of the price range anyway... so if I catch a random day that prices just happen to drop... I may go ahead and lock it in. I agree on the airport situation. We have a mid sized airport 2 miles from us.... another regional AP about 45 mins away, and then two major airports about 1.5 hours away. So I check airfares from each. Sometimes the regionals are cheaper... sometimes the larger ones win. But yea, we put a time/price factor to having to drive to the distant airports vs. ticket price. Thanks for the tips so far.... keep them coming.

Yea. We are definitely going to be getting premium economy seats at a minimum. Maybe even splurge for 1st class since we have to go X-country. We've been banking up the travel miles/points to help pay for some of that extra cost to splurge on the nicer seats. ?

We are sailing out of Seattle to Alaska on the Ovation of the seas in May of 2020. We will be coming from the east coast and fly into SeaTac... I'm fairly savvy when it comes to trip planning and such. I love to research and review all aspects of a trip. But, typically we drive to Florida and leave out or port Canaveral or Tampa for our cruises. Next year we will be flying and wanted to get some tips regarding purchase of airfare, including the timing of buying tickets. I've read online all the statistics about the optimal time frame to buy airfare... but wanted to get any tips from people here. Any secrets or tips to getting a good deal? I'm already 'tracking' prices now... from multiple airports, multiple airlines, and different combination of days to fly in and fly out. But always open to tips and tricks. Also, do you usually book air fare yourselves, or let your TA handle it? Can they typically get a little bit better price on flights, or will it basically be the same as what I can find online? Thanks in advance for any thoughts, tips, and/or tricks of the trade.

Likewise.... 298 days until our first time in Alaska; May of 2020 on Ovation OTS. (But whos counting?) ? Ovation has been doing the Alaska routes already this year, and there are some decent youtube vids popping up on the regular now. Good way to get a taste of whats out there.

Have not been on the HoS yet... (going in Sep.)... but from what I remember on the Allure and the Oasis... while you might have access to an HDMI port on the TV... the Remote control does not have an option to change the source/feed. I have seen some videos on youtube, of people taking a universal remote to change the source/feed on the TV in order to do what you are talking about. So, it is possible in some cases. Just not sure about on this particular boat.

#1: Hopefully the chat feature on the app will be working by then. Otherwise, like people have said; set designated times to check in, leave voice mails on room phones, leave notes/messages on sticky notes or white boards either in or outside of the room. #2: Rarely is anything cheaper on the boat. But we never get the photo package.... we take too many selfies on our own already. lol. #3: No kids for us... so no comment. #4: I usually trust the daily cruise compass more than the app. The app may get better in the future... but I have found that over the last 3 cruises with RCI in the last 2 years, the app is fairly useless for daily planning. Rarely did it even show all the activities that the CC had. And of course, when I compared... the ones I were mainly interested in, were def. NOT on the apps. schedule. #5: You're the parent... if you want them to dress appropriately for the dining room.... then MAKE them dress appropriately. As others have already said, a nice pair of Khaki or dress shorts and a golf shirt will work for any of the dinning venues. #6; Most people really only prep for 'formal' night. Some people barely dress up, some folks go ALL-OUT!!!. But its your vacation... dress how you want. Sometimes there is a Caribbean night, and some folks will wear a tropical shirt to dinner. (But thats me EVERY night on a cruise!) ? You can look at previous cruise compasses on Matt's site here: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass That will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect each day on your cruise. Have fun!

Wear comfy shoes! :-) She's a big ship! If you are going down floors.... take the stairs. If you are going up only a minimal number of floors... take the stairs. Its good for you, plus you'll wait twice as long for an elevator then it will take for you to actually walk to your destination (most of the time). Book your shows and entertainment ahead of time. Unless they change it during the refurb.... there is a shuffle board court, behind the big screens of the aqua theater. If you want a sweet snack to save for later, you can ask for some 'Udi's Gluten free cookies' at the promanade cafe'. They are pre packaged, and delish!! (you would never know they are gluten free). We get some everytime we walk by, and just save them for midnight snacks or to take to the beach / pool. etc.

https://tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/ www.weatherbell.com

As a couple others have said.... RC 'craft' beer, is really non-existent... Basically your commercialized main stream 'craft' beer you can get anywhere nowadays. BUT..... likewise, I love to try new and different crafts.... so I make it a point to find local brews at all ports of call. I have found some interesting brews at Pirate republic brewing in Nassau, and some good brews in St. Martin as well. (cant remember the name right now) Just Google search or try trip adviser for some recommendations at your ports of call. ~Cheers!

Some additional thoughts.... Regarding any documents/paperwork/etc.... take a picture of it and send it to yourself or store it to a cloud server. That way in the event you forget, misplace, lose a document, you would have access to them digitally. Granted, in some cases a digital copy will not work (like a passport).... but it cant ever hurt. Clothes.... What ever you think you will need.... reduce that by half. ? Seriously, most people on the ship live in the same swim suite/beach apparel all week, and then change into something for dinner/evening activities. (And even then, you can reuse those) Take some cash with you for tips and miscellaneous expenses. (Some vendors in the ports dont take cards, plus you can haggle a little more with a 'cash price' on some services and trinkets) MOTION SICKNESS meds!***** If you have never cruised before, even if you dont typically get motion sickness... get some and take it with you! It can happen to anyone, at any time! If you are prone to motion sickness, go to your Dr. and get the patches that go behind your ears. If not, then just get some Dramamine and a set of Sea-Bands you put on your wrists. Just know that you need to use/take these items ASAP if you feel motion sickness coming. Its way easier to prevent it, then it is to stop it. SUNSCREEN. USE IT... OFTEN and ALWAYS! If you like to watch movies, read, or listen to music.... download them to your device before you go. While you may or may not have the internet package, it is not 100% reliable and the speeds can vary greatly. At least that way you will have something available if service goes out. Also.... use earbuds/headphones. Dont be that person that brings a blutooth speaker. I can promise you, the only person that 100% likes your music... is you! hahahahahaha. COMFY SHOES/sandals.... and I do mean COMFORTABLE!!!!! you will be doing lot of walking. So dont go by a new pair of anything the day before your cruise. The last thing you want to do is get a blister on your 1st day. Makes for a miserable cruise after that. Other than that.... really just make sure you have your required items, and everything else is just a matter of preference. Also, be sure to pack patience and an open mind. While cruising can be SOOOOOOOO much fun... its what you make of it. Just remember, you will be in a close space with a lot of people.... and sometimes that can be a bit stressful. But just go with the flow and have a blast!

As Matt has said.... the Oasis Lagoon pool is a great location. If you actually get a couple of chairs and umbrellas just behind the pool bar, you are steps away from the bar, the pool, restrooms, a snack shack, and south beach. We went to Coco cay about 4 weeks ago, and just happened to pick this spot by chance, turned out to be the perfect location. Enjoy!

Anyone have confirmation about some of the questionable (a' la cart) places for the new 'Unlimited' package? Such as playmakers specifically? I love pub/bar food (sliders, wings, etc.)... and it seems that there are mixed reports scattered about, so would love to hear confirmation from anyone that has recently sailed since the new unlimited package has went into effect. We leave on Mariner of the seas in 15 days and trying to decide if we want to go with the UDP or not. Thanks

Yes, it was cute... basically had a crew member dressed as a turkey, and the head chef chased them around the promenade, while that 'benny hill music' was playing. But of course... the turkey got away. ?

Small world! We actually rather enjoyed the 'turkey pardon' they also had on the promenade That week. It was pretty funny. My wife and I are going on the Oasis in January... so it will be nice to see one of Allures sister ships.

We were on the Allure over Thanksgiving week in 2017, they actually put up decorations and did a tree lighting that same week (Late in the week).

Just got back from a similar itinerary. For Costa maya, check out Tropicante... it's a beach side cantinas that is awesome! Great service, great food. You can easily hop off the ship, get out of the hustle and bustle of that fake commercial port area, grab a taxi, and you're the in about 5 mins. You can Google them, or check out trip advisor. I Facebook messaged Steve, the owner, and he reserved us some chairs, no charge, just need to order some drinks and some lunch. Which you'll want to do anyway! The food was great! You won't be disappointed.