vanelli56

Why not price out the benefits - would you pay $210 over one week for the benefits?   A lot of people do, we don't.  We'd prefer to spend the $$ on excursions or a night in a motel before the cruise.  It also depends whether you have other benefits because of the stateroom you reserved (like meal vouchers and such).  Different people have different attitudes toward spending money, as well as different perks that give them joy.   I can see $20/day because of Voom, if I needed the wifi, which I don't.  Whatever you choose, have a great cruise!  The late September cruises on Harmony are a good value (stateroom prices) compared to May, so you already may have saved a bundle.

We used it on Symphony in May and loved it. Here are my thoughts on it that I posted on page 8 my live blog:
Which brings me to the KEY. We did get it at the $19.99pp/pd price and was worth every penny to us. Priority embarkation was really nice, and they did walk us through saving time on line. But the whole process in the new Miami Terminal A is so easy anyway that not having it wouldn't be a deal breaker. Boarding at 11, dropping off the carry on luggage and having it delivered to the room before the 1PM ready time is a winning idea. Loved not having to keep it with us for 2 hours or having to drag them into Chops for the included and delicious embarkation day lunch. VOOM, priority seating at shows---all good. They nailed the priority debarkation. After finishing the breakfast they sent up an escort to take us all way from the dining room, off the ship and through the terminal right to our waiting luggage. Now (drum roll, please) the best perk is not even listed in the Key description, so take note if you buy it....you never have to scan your seapass card when taking as many pool towels as you like. Seapass card has a Key sticker on it. Just show the attendant, take your towels and walk away. Especially when returning to the ship from a port, not having to wait in line for them to scan your card for returning the towels is a blessing. Free milkshakes at Johnny Rockets..woohoo. No purchase necessary. Sit there and enjoy it or take it out. Funny part is, they didn't scan our card. Probably could have gone back for more, but we didn't. So, thumbs up for the Key. However, if next year's is more expensive and multiply by 12 days, we'll have a really tough decision to make.
Also, the debarkation breakfast was fabulous:


Know that everyone in the cabin must buy it (except for children under a certain age, which I do not remember.
Also,Keep in mind that they do limit (or at least they did then) the number of "Keys" they sell. So if you see a price you are comfortable with order it. If the price drops, call them to cancel and rebook at the lower cost. But do call and have then handle the switch--don't do it on line because when you cancel, you may not get it back.
Hope this helps and happy sailing.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Perhaps the solarium?

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. ? 

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. 

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!

#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!

#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.  

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!  

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!  

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!  

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!  

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!

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. ? 

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. ? 

We were on that same cruise !  It was our first Thanksgiving cruise and we really enjoyed watching the decorations being put up.