nanowerx

MarvinS,  Any problems getting drinks with the WOW bands?   Did you have to remove your band to purchase a drink at bars, pool side, etc?

Fair warning....please no political discussions here. It's a no-win and you'll never convince others of your opinion. Let's keep the bickering to whether or not the drink package or The Key is worth it!
Thanks!

If you think that's bad...imagine leaving the sea pass card in your room and getting locked out and trekking down to guest services in your underwear at 2am.....
 
Only time  I 'lost" a seapass card.....
 
I'd take losing a seapass card fully clothed anytime over that again.....

Home Alone ?

Yes you can bring but ...  I believe it has to be empty when you go through security both when you first enter the port and each time you board the ship.  As mentioned I think you'll have to transfer all drinks from the bar supplied glass to your cup.  With the ultimate drink package you'll be supplied with a RCL cup that while not as good as a Yeti it is insulated and the bar staff will refill directly for you.  Finally your glass will not work in the freestyle soda machines if they are available on your ship and you just want a non alcoholic drink to carry around.
My wife loves her Yeti cup also but that is one thing she leaves home when we cruise.
hope this helps have a great time.

Okay... umm, a paper straw?  How can you drink a drink with a paper straw!?
(rolling my eyes here)
Thanks for the advice.  When I do take my first ever cruise, I will pack some NORMAL straws in my carry-on.

Our 7 year old had the refreshment package and ordered virgin versions of my drinks, although i’m Not sure that was a great idea.  Ever since we got home she’s trying to order lava flows and daiquiri’s whenever we go out.  She also loved making virgin drinks at the bionic bar.

Ok. Since it is confession time, I will join you. We always get the DBP too and I am a Coke snob so wouldn’t be caught dead drinking a fountain Coke. Dan doesn’t drink any soda at all.  Not very time but SOME times, if I meet a worthy candidate, we will give our cups away to someone who will use it. I also recognize that this is not legal.  Confession complete.  Oooh. I feel so much better !
??

I will throw myself out there on this topic.  Whenever we cruise, my wife and I buy deluxe drink packages for each of us.  They come with a souvenir cup for the soda machines.  My wife and I drink zero soda, and honestly, we don't let our kids drink a ton of it either.  We don't buy an additional package for the kids, we let them get some soda with the cups from our packages.  Technically, this is wrong and against the rules.  Shoot me I guess.  I'm just not going to spend an additional $125 for my two kids to have some soda during the week, when I have already paid for it for myself and will not drink any of it.  If the kids didn't use the cups, then they would sit in our stateroom all week.
I am sure many others do this as well, but again, if you are going strictly by the rules, this isn't allowed.        

I think in my dozen cruises with Royal..only once did a sale result in a lower price.......and I check pricing often.....so taking 12 cruises, usually booking about a year out....that means that there have probably been close to 150 sales/promo's during my bookings...and 149 times the sale price was higher...
Something's wrong with that picture...lets be honest. Even if you love Royal (which I do) I am still smart enough to be annoyed with their "sales".
The only people that should fall for this is the first time cruisers....after that no one should. And I think most of us here are smart enough to see the games that Royal plays. Doesn't mean its right or you have to like it.
As for the pre-cruise planner...I have only looked at the drink promo's and sometimes they actually are on sale
 
That being said, I am still always looking for the next sale...I mean deal..I mean "promo" with Royal to book my next cruise.

I have always been "colorful" and not one to follow the beaten path. I have had a couple occasions  where staff had to ask me nicely to stop fishing off my balcony. This time I decided to go a slightly different direction. Brought my daughter to Coco Cay when she was about seven and came up with a "good way" to spice her trip up some. I brought her to the little shallow beach away from the popular snorkeling one to do some "special snorkeling". Being a fisherman and diver over the years I developed a collection of old galleon "pirate coins". brought one along tucked in my waist band. The water on that south beach was maybe knee deep, sand bottom and of course gin clear. We were maybe thirty yard from shore and I tossed the coin out in front of us without her seeing... I nudged her and kept her on course to "find" it... I remember her making noises through her snorkel when she "found" it.  
"Daddy its a pirate coin!" Wow was she excited! Mission accomplished  (or so I thought). We exited the water and she ran off showing the coin to every person she saw. Before I knew it,  the other areas emptied out and we were "joined" with a couple thousand "treasure hunters"... She's 27 this year and getting married. I had that coin set and unbeknownst to her I will make it available for her to wear when I walk her down the aisle... ?

#capitalismrocks

This is getting frustrating even as a loyal cruiser. 
you guys decide for yourself how shitty this promotion is;
"BOGO 2 night dining option for Quantum was offered for $58+"
this was took down and replaced by;
"Chops + 1 night dining @ $102" 
It's like Royal Caribbean is telling us - "Hey fellow cruisers, pls buy the same stuff but pay almost double the price & thank you for being stupid"
What a bad decision by them!

@tonyfsu21 They want to collect interest off your money for 1.5 years....don't you want to help them out. ??

You break out the emergency bee bee gun and start shooting holes in the balloon. 
Just kidding...
The company that makes them have them in operation around the world including Disney parks.  Presumably they have safety mechanisms and vents to control ascent in the unlikely event of a "rope" break.

I like their version of a floating bar:

Stocking up on bacon; best tip of the entire thread!

Thanks for the response, this will probably be the route I take, just let them have a sip or two every now and then (no chugging or continuous drinking). My 10 year old did mention that she wanted to get a Shirley Temple from the Bionic Bar, so I will definitely pay for her to get one or two of those.
I do have odd children, 99% of the time they would rather drink water, juice or a ginger ale over soda any day of the week! Not that I am complaining ?

Thanks for the response, this will probably be the route I take, just let them have a sip or two every now and then (no chugging or continuous drinking). My 10 year old did mention that she wanted to get a Shirley Temple from the Bionic Bar, so I will definitely pay for her to get one or two of those.
I do have odd children, 99% of the time they would rather drink water, juice or a ginger ale over soda any day of the week! Not that I am complaining ?

My kids fall into the same scenario you do, and I just buy them a soda individually. It's cheaper than a drink package and half the time they don't charge me for it (probably since I'm ordering it when I have a drink package and the bartender can't be bothered to swipe the included drink and re-swipe for the paid soda).
Is it fine to give them literally one or two sips of yours? Of course. But I think when it reaches a point where they are quenching their thirst or enjoying most of a drink with your drink package benefits then there's cause for concern.  
Of course, all of this is just my opinion and neither I nor anyone here, are the arbitor of drink package enforcement.

Wasn't referring to you..and it wasn't just the smoking issue. In my defense...I took puffers every day and had visits to the hospital as a kid, but here I am.
 
Being in a confined room/car for 18 years with parents that smoke..is NOT the same as putting up with some smoke for an hr at a bar on a ship or wherever.
 
There are extreme examples of anything and everything of course...but yes, our society has become a snowflake one. In every way possible.
 
The amount of pollutants that the cruise ship puts off is insane. I wonder how many people are affected or killed by that.....airplanes as well. Noone NEEDs to smoke and no one NEEDS to cruise or fly so........

You may want to bring custody papers.  I assume those say that your wife has sole custody along with parental rights.   You may also want to bring your marriage certificate which  could show your wife's name change and her previous name which possibly matches the birth certificate. 
Congrats on the adoption!  

Have this form filled out by you and signed by the Father and notarized.
Parent consent_form_US_22Mar2018.pdf

Gratz on going through the adoption process.  The birth certificate should work.  Wouldn't hurt to also bring a copy of the parental rights just as a backup.  

... then they put your room up for the RoyalUp program so someone else will take it - lol - then you may have to book an interior room down by the engine ?  #Don'tMissTheFinalPayment

Most of my cruises have been out of Port Canaveral or Miami.  Boarding and departure times vary an hour or two but usually boarding is about noon and departure about five. You might board as early as 10am and depart as late as 7pm.
In general, once the passengers from the previous cruise have departed, been accounted for and customs is cleared, passengers for the next cruise can start boarding. I have seen boarding start 2 and 3 hours ahead of scheduled boarding time. I am sure unusual circumstances could delay boarding but its never happed to me.
When you arrive, you and everyone else will be excited. Adrenalin will be flowing. Take a moment, breathe deep, don't get crazy. Have your bags tagged with your name and cabin information with the tags that RCCL provides on line. If you don't have them, agents at the curb will provide them. Have all your 'stuff' organized and ready. The curb agents may want to see your paperwork, probably not if your bags are tagged and ready. Depending on how you arrive, you may need to park your car. RCCL staff will be all along the way to help direct you where you need to go. Various levels of Crown and Anchor members may have shorter lines. If you have done all the 'pre-boarding' work on-line, check in will go pretty quick. You will get a quick photo taken for security (no glasses or hats). New technology is being introduced that includes facial recognition. I have not seen it in use yet, hopefully it just speeds things up a bit.
If you are able to board early, do not count on your room being ready. They are often not 'refurbished/ready' until 2 or 3pm and perhaps a bit later. Sometimes your luggage will not arrive until 5 or 6pm and sometimes a bit later.
There is always a long gangway walk up to the ship. RCCL personnel along the way will take your picture if you want or just by-pass them. Others will welcome you on board. If its your first time, you will be Wowed by the ship and totally lost.
Use the time between being able to board and when your room is ready to explore the ship, have lunch (the Windjammer will be serving) sit by the pool or enjoy a drink. Don't burden yourself down with too much carry on. You may have a couple bottles of wine in your carry on. Have any medications you may need, sun glasses, a hat, your camera or phone. Your Seapass card is now your money and ID. You probably will not need anything else until your room is ready.
If you are physically fit, taking the stairs is a good way to burn a few calories you bound to run into for the next few days. During busy times, such as boarding, the elevators can take a while. The Windjammer will be crowded as people eat their first meal on board. People will be staking out spots around the pool. A band will probably be playing. At the same time, there will quiet spots on the ship you can settle in, cool off and people watch if you just need to relax a bit after a hectic arrival.
So roam around, find out where your cabin is, even if its not ready, and start exploring from there. A lot of times I've been on the ship 3 days and am still finding places I haven't seen before.