melmar02

Thanks for posting about the internet speed. We're flying out of Vancouver at the end of our southbound in a few weeks and will need to test before we fly. It seems like we may need to schedule tests at the airport instead of relying on the ships internet with an emed test.

I have seen in past Cruise Compasses that the Solarium has family hours if the temperature going to be under 60 degrees (I'm assuming they mean the daily high). It was also noted that hot tubs are still adults only in the Solarium though. We're bringing our swim suits in a few weeks - my 10 and 13 year olds are looking forward to saying they swam in Alaska.

Radiance actually has a waterside, but it's small and meant for kids I believe. It's next to the sports court on deck 12. It's an open air slide if I'm remembering correctly from videos I have seen, so I think it would be chilly even if the water was heated.

My son loves to look for them and usually finds a couple. He brings one home and re-hides any others.

Check the Events section of the page. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/events

We don't make reservations when we have MTD. We just show up when we want. The most we have had to wait was 5 minutes.

Good to know. Are they charging for the antigen test / clinic visit?

Thank you for being the pioneer this Alaska season and posting your experience! I know I'm not the only reader headed North later this year who will be following along for all the details. Have a great trip!

Is Canada one of the places that requires everyone take a Royal excursion to get off the ship, or can guests come and go at their own will / take private excursions? If the later, I would think the completing the ArriveCan step is not optional. While you currently have no intent of leaving the ship, there is nothing else stopping you from deciding at the last minute to change your mind.

Yes. My kids live on virgin strawberry daiquiris with the refreshment package.

Yes, It can be on either a port or sea day.

You select your arrival time when you complete the check in process online or in the app. You can check in about 45 days before your cruise - check your sailing in the app for the exact date you can complete the process.

That's what I thought at first since she hasn't started sailing yet, but we're less than 60 days out now.

Not sure - it's our first time on her. I would be surprised if the photo package is ship dependent though since it's a service. It's also been available on every other ship we've been on.

@jay1021 That's not available on our Radiance sailings. @Peter D Here's the digital option that is showing up - just unavailable since it was listed in the cruise planner. The 100 Prints option and Photo Session are the other two packages.

Anyone on Radiance?

Digital or prints? We're May 10, and only the prints are available.

Does anyone with an upcoming Alaska cruise have an option for a digital photo package in their cruise planner? We always get one of the digital photo packages, but there hasn't been one available on our upcoming Alaska cruise. We booked the cruise when the sailing first opened, and I've been checking since before anything was available for purchase in the CP. Once items were available, the CP has always had the print options but the "check onboard" message for the digital package (like when the Key sells out).

Squeeze on Liberty is not a juice /smoothie bar. It's just another bar on the pool deck next to Splashaway Bay. They have an orange juicer way in the back, but I've never actually seen any oranges in it.

My son said the grilled cheese in the MDR was good. I would assume it's similar fleet wide, but he's only had it on Liberty and Enchantment though so YMMV.

@SpeedNoodles guessed correctly. You can call AO and ask how your kids are doing without having to go there.

We're planning on doing a couple of the add on land tour excursions. How are they paid for? I'm assuming they don't transfer a bill to the ship to be paid at the end of the cruise. Do you just pay as you go?

Make sure to apply sunscreen to her scalp between the braids. A sunburn on the head is no fun according to my bald husband.

I thought RC didn't allow down lining anymore. Did they switch back to the old policy?

The two weeks prior to our cruise in Feb. we started pulling back from public things. We homeschool anyway, but we went back to grocery pickup, kids didn't have any extra curricular activities the first week and we masked the week before the cruise at our co-op, scouts, etc. DH masked at work when he had to go in and worked from home when he could.