dodgestang

Text - yes Internet calls (think facetime, snapchat, whatsapp) yes Standard call - no, that's cell based With that said....I've used my cell all over the islands...never a problem most carriers cover it without roaming (at least in my experience). It's only out at sea you worry about high roaming charges. Every port I get into I put my phone back into regular mode and use it.

For most place that offer free wfi....Look at phone, go to settings, select wifi, scroll down to the find the one usually the name of the beach club + the word guest and hit log on. Be aware open networks are...open....so try to avoid doing things that involve passwords ;). If its free wifi with a password....they will have signs and/or tell you the password when you get there.

Standard practice....someone was playing and dealer dropped a chip because they said they would be back in a little bit, no chips sitting or nothing....just being reserved because someone had been playing. Got to the point where I called the pit boss over and was like "dude it's been an hour and half...at least let me play till he gets back"....then several other times gambler A was playing......gambler B walks over talks to A about how great dinner was and then A says "hey I was going to a show, here you play" and they would swap and a new player checked in even though 2-3 people waiting for a seat. ITS WAS INFURIATING.

Figures in 2024 when I have winnings they make it easy....but all the previous years when I lost money they made it hard.

We're gonna have a good time

Public toilet on deck 3 or 4? Just saying.....I'm convinced this is the unspoken rule/plan that many cruisers use.

I find talking to the host to be a waste of time. I spent hours standing waiting to play texas hold'em....wandering back and forth between the 3 tables all with empty seats but not accepting players multiple nights in row. When I did get to play I made money and I also made money on slots....talk the host about it and how to overcome the mindless milling and not being able to play, tables being help for min betters for hours.....ended the cruise 4 point short of Prime.....4 f'in points. EVERY CRUISE and I mean EVERY cruise I have been on I made prime by the second night (if not the first). And I gambled the same way I always do......so still rather upset by the whole thing 7.5 months later....because I was only taking 1 cruise in 2024 and now I no longer had status at the casino for 2025.

In all seriousness, when they first started the program I recall and boat (pun) lead of people complaining about never getting email/no knowing about the program...so it may have been easier to win with less competition.

Yeah....booking a casino cruise and then upgrade the room....USED to be a great way to score a great cruise with a heavy discount on price. That doesn't work anymore.

Honestly neither did I. When I went to book I said "I want this room"...and they said "sorry..." so I said "I'll settle for this other room then" and we booked. Then 2 months later they called and said they had noted my room preference and it was available now, would I like to pay for an upgrade into it.

Also you can 'stand' around on the 17th all you want.....go hang out in the lounge and have a drink while you wait. You are not prevented from going to the 17th without a card....there are glass doors that the key will open for you to get to the private room areas on 17....which of course will be all open on the first day since you have no card to open them with yet.

I bid on a royal up once.......about an hour later the casino called me and offered me a 'pay' to upgrade into the room because I had asked them to let me know if it opened up....so I never got the chance to see if the bid would have won.

Single use

Bring your own paddle and balls. Except for when I stayed in the Ultimate Family suite which has a table and nice paddles...the white and blue ones are 'meh'. And everytime I am on Anthem which is nice for ping pong by the end of the second day you can just stand there and watch 8-16 yr olds with no supervision from parents just intentionally breaking every ball there. Symphony (and similar class ships) have a nice ares glass walled in on the upper decks but then also a couple tables down low by the running track.

Suddenly reminded of the good old days.....I never did get to wear my "Shut up liver I only paid $18 for the drink package" shirt......covid cancelled all my sailings I had with it.

So update here......while it was not available online, calls to RC where unfruitful....downloaded a fresh copy of the app this evening and look at that.....jet skis available for booking. Based on how they are last in list in the APP....I'm willing to bet pagination is broken on their cruise planner site....aka....the last item in their list isn't appearing because it exceeds what can be displayed on 1 page in their site design.

My kids have always just ordered them from/at any bar. Strawberry smoothies.

That's what the courts will figure out......now back to me, me ,me....I actually asked RC and the response was "Well they may be sold out or they may not be available"...so useless which means I am literally stuck checking the planner now daily for months to see if they ever become available to rent

Sometimes its just best to call. Call up, tell them the sailing you want, the room you want that you see when filtered for 4 people, and then give them 3 guest names.

-Looking to cruise late March & want child to be able to enjoy pools/slides - Its the equator....always warm for swimming IMO *What's the weather usually like during these months from experienced cruise goers? same as above *Advice on difference in "ultra-Roomy w/ bunk beds" versus a suite - I personally would get a room with a bed and a convertible sofa...you don't need to be up in a suite for that, but the small porthole rooms with a bed and bunks are really small (at least I think so) but ultimately it will depend on your budget. A nice balcony room fits 2 adults with a child quite well. *How many families have you seen onboard during this month/cruise? - Spring break season right ;). I've found the most families with kids on board in the summer and holidays...then again...with pre-school age kids you can really travel anytime which saves money. *Are excursions through cruise safe? (do they get you back to ship on time?) - Yes and yes. Primary reason to book a RC excursion is the ship won't leave without if the excursion runs late. *In your experience, during these months on this cruise, do they offer a 'formal night' option? 5 nights.... 1 formal....7 nights....2 formals.....amount of people who dress formal....decreases annually. *Are the casino games legit or a gimmick? - Real casino. Odds aren't the best on Texes Holdem/black jack but playing is just like playing at a tight casino on land.

I've decided to try plan C Long story short...I've always booked with Royal direct (or Casino direct) when I called to add a 6th person (kids are taking their friends this time around) they wanted to charge me $1100 MORE than the 3, 4, and 5th...so after an hour and an escalation it all got squared away.........BUT......I was so mad I transferred the booking to my MEI Agent I met last year ;)....so I'll ask her to help.

So my little girl is now 14.....I 'looks' like I can book her into mani/pedi at the spa (like I do for the wife every cruise)....BUT.....I'm into new and virgin territory here....if I've got 3 ladies...all getting a mani/pedi....is it possible to book/schedule them all for the same time so they can 'hang out'.....using the website it looks/feels like I have to schedule them serial and no option for parallel?

I get weird looks....I pick/poke at everything except the fish and the steak....the soup, the scallops, the lobster....its all meh to me....but the Branzino and Filet are always good. I also don't generally like whites....so I am always chomping at the bit to get to the reds ;). But the wife likes to go.....so we go and always have a nice time meeting people.

I kinda agree with that sentiment. But I suppose I can also understand why they do it....makes it very easy to swap in and out staff between vessels if its all the same.

My google-fu appears weak today. Long story short....we've done Chef's table on Anthem, Vision, Serenade, Adventure, Granduer.....it has always been the same meal. So with that said....is Symphony the same menu as everybody else or do they have something different given its a 'newer' ship class