DeanB

Heading to CocoCay in about a month. Paid for the Oasis Lagoon Cabana on the cruise planner for myself and my fiancee. 

For those who have been in that cabana, how was your experience? Would you recommend it? Is it a bit overkill for just the 2 of us? 

TIA!

I am staying in MIami for a cruise next month and had to go with AirBNB. The hotel prices for the time I'm there skyrocketed (I don't see anything on when I'm there, so I don't see why). I'm staying in Little Havana which is about 10 minutes from the port and 'touristy Miami'. I'm planning on just catching Uber or Lyft the whole time. 

I think the best rule of thumb is don't try and do everything but make sure to set out what's most important to you! 

The one thing I took from my first cruise on Explorer of the Seas was that breakfast is NOT the most important meal of the day. While the breakfast was nice, it was usually the same thing every day. For my next cruise I'm already planning on sleeping in past breakfast and enjoying the different options every day for lunch! 

Hey Kim! I'm also going out of Miami in February. The hotel prices are INSANE and I have no idea why! I'm flying in 2 days before the cruise an staying in an AirBNB in Little Havana. It's a 15 or so minute ride to the port and is more inland so I won't be waking up to the view of the ocean BUT I am only paying $144 for 2 nights, so I am NOT complaining! 

I noticed there are a lot of rooms on AirBNB, so if you're like me, make sure to look for full houses to rent!

I'm planning to use Uber or Lyft (whatever is cheaper at the time) but I'm heading to an AirBNB about 20 minutes from the port. To be honest though, I'll be using Uber to go everywhere haha! 

I'm going on Symphony and all I hope is for another $10 Royal t-shirt! The one I have is so comfy so I want another one... or 4?

My fiancee just designed the shirts for the cruise we are going on in December! We are celebrating both my parents 50th birthdays so we have matching shirts with a picture of them that we are all going to wear. It's still a surprise to everyone else coming but it should look good in the photos since there are 9 of us!

I' m pretty sure the easiest way to save time is to book another cruise that's earlier, right?

On 11/16/2019 at 9:13 AM, djm619 said:

Can I order a steak each night in the main dining room ?

?

Of course! They have a set number of options that are there every night (including steak (yum)).

Always talk to your waiter/waitress, they'll always be happy to bring you all the steak you'd like! 

So I called Royal Caribbean and they were able to help me out with it. I found it to be about $70 cheaper which I thought was a good deal (basically enough money for another dinner on board) but what I didn't think about was the INCREDIBLE price I had on the VOOM + Drink package. I ended up saving $70 but after re-purchasing the package, I ended up losing $120. 

I don't think they always make you cancel everything on the cruise planner (it happened to me because I used Staff Friends & Family discount) so do also keep that in mind. 

I always take Matt's advice to book what I want on the Cruise Planner and if they become cheaper, cancel and repurchase. I've done this twice for the VOOM package so far for my cruise. 

If you can find somewhere to leave your bags, I'd just make a day of it. Go see Little Havana which is full of culture or Bayside Marketplace if you just want to do some shopping and eating (not sure if you'd want to after a cruise, though).

5 minutes ago, teddy said:

I've always tipped $5 for two bags. 

I tip right then and there when they take the bags.  Once they take the bags, we go our own way and they go theirs (with the bags). 

Awesome! Thanks for letting me know! 

I'll be flying in from Australia to Miami next year for a cruise and need to know how to tip a porter. I understand they help take your bags for you and know you should tip them a couple of dollars per bag (I'm thinking of giving my porter $5 for the 2 bags I'll have) but do I tip the porter when he takes my bags or do we follow him and he drops my bags somewhere and then I tip him? We don't really have porters so I have no idea what I really do with the porter! Any help would be awesome!

Thanks!

On 9/19/2019 at 10:27 PM, RatedPG said:

How were you able to use a friend's crew discount?   I have friends working on several cruise lines.

He gave me his crew number and I had to call Royal to book the cruise. When they told me the price I mentioned I am going on the cruise to visit my friend (I think you can only use the code for the sailing your friend is on) and he proceeded to ask me for the crew number and the crew members name and voila price dropped!

On 9/19/2019 at 11:08 PM, Matt said:

Hope the re-price offset whatever other perks you lost.

Unfortunately not, BUT I am checking the cruise planner every day like a mad man trying to get the price I had before haha! 

On 9/19/2019 at 4:10 PM, twangster said:

Lesson learned. Repricing usually requires losing certain perks or benefits to take advantage of current promos.  . Particularly in your case if they have to cancel a booking and create a new one that is clue #1 you will have any cruise planner purchases cancelled. 

Next time you know the questions to ask.  

My biggest mistake was calling Royal Caribbean in the morning. I thought I'd have plenty of time but in the end I had to stay on the phone all the way to work so I didn't have enough time to figure out pricing and such!

I listened to an old Podcast about price matching already booked cruises so I did some checking and found the cruise I've already booked for $140 cheaper than what I've booked. I called Royal Caribbean and got them to price match and after 40 minutes I was able to get the new price, but wait, there's more. 

Apparently because I was using my friends crew discount, they needed to cancel my cruise and rebook it, which was fine. There was one thing I didn't think about though. I had already booked my soda + stream package at an AWESOME price of $21AUD per day per person. But since they were canceling my booking I lost that price and had to re-purchase the soda + stream package at $33AUD per day per person... So in the end I basically lost money at this current point in time... I'll check every day for the soda + stream package to drop down in price, but until then my price match was just a price blunder!

1 hour ago, cruisestuff said:

Hello! 

I am on your same sailing and my Cruise Planner is currently locked.  Last time I saw the Cruise Planner (a few days ago) there was no entertainment and 2 options for dining so I think  you are good to go.

AWESOME! You made me feel so much better! Thanks so much! See you on the cruise :D

Hey all, 

I thought I'd be safe rather than sorry so I thought I'd ask as this is my first cruise out of the US and wasn't sure if anything is different compared to Australia, so, I'm not seeing much (only 2 options) under dining and nothing under entertainment. I only booked this cruise last week so I wanted to make sure that the cruise planner just hasn't updated yet rather than me missing everything? Can someone who's booked the same cruise just let me know if dining reservations have already been released and I missed them all somehow or if I'm just too early, please!

Thanks in advance, 

Dean AKA the worrying traveler. 

1 hour ago, WhiteSoxFan said:

C & A will provide equal benefits to significant others living at the same address.  For example my daughter's fiance enjoys Diamond status even though he only has 21 cruise points as they live at the same address and she has notified C & A that he is her SO.

in your case you will receive Gold benefits but your traveling companion will not unless she has at least one cruise with RC.

In regards to check-in and boarding I would simply show them your set sail & sea pass with your gold status, I do not think they will ask to see hers.   

Thanks for the response! I guess milkshakes will be on me then  

Hey there, 

Sorry if this question has been posted before, I tried to search for an answer myself, but wasn't really sure what to even search for this so I thought it would be easier making a new post! 

After listing to a past Royal Caribbean Blog podcast episode about the Crown and Anchor Society and realising I can link a cruise I went on in 2012, I signed right up as I am going on a cruise in a little over a month and wanted to be a Gold Member when on board. I am going on the cruise with my girlfriend and wasn't sure what this meant for my benefits when it comes to her on the cruise. 

I read something online saying those in the same household can share benefits however, we live separately so will she be able to use the onboard discounts like any other Gold Member would be able to? and more importantly, would she be able to board with me earlier, or would she have to board with nonmembers? (Which if that's the case, I'll obviously board with her)

Thanks in advance for the responses.