KristiZ

It's a Very Long Way to get there. I would suggest taking a bit of extra time and breaking it up, like fly to Hawaii for a few days, or at least to LAX. You could do a bit of celebrating all the way there! Also, plan a couple of days beforehand in Sydney, both to see the city and also get over the jetlag.

I would not count on it. Memory foam will squash pretty small, so if it is a deal breaker I'd bring one.

Please be aware that if he does not have the required documentation to debark at all the stops on the cruise itinerary he may not be allowed to board at all. I have personally witnessed it happen and it is not a happy sight. Call Royal.

There's no C&A discount on full bottles of wine. There's a discount if you have the Deluxe Drink Package. If you look in the app you should be able to see the wine menu at one of the restaurants and then you'll know what the going rate for a bottle is, to compare to the gift price.

I've sailed Spectrum twice, and unfortunately most of the sales say "excluding Spectrum of the Seas" in the fine print Originally they were pricing her at set amounts and not ever offering discounts in order to match the expectations of the Chinese market. Not sure if that is still the case, but likely. However, I did notice that sometimes, unrelated to any advertised sale, items would just suddenly be lower price. So it is to your benefit to check often!

Your plan is solid!

Yes, lunch only, and sometimes only once per sailing. It’s held in Chops or Giovanni’s usually.

We've done Chef's Table twice. The first time we booked on board on a whim, but it was when there were far fewer passengers. The second time we booked ahead so we could get the night we wanted. We enjoyed it very much and will likely do it again on our next cruise. Pro tip: Book on a night before a sea day. You will be very uninterested in your shore excursion the next morning

We've done it once. It was fun! It's a luncheon. Here's the menu we had:

Likely they will offer Taste of Royal. Maybe not to book ahead (but check the cruise planner in case), but onboard it should show up in the app. Also possibly Sushi & Sake. Same drill.

Cabins are generally ready between 1pm and 2pm. You will have to drag your bags will you until then if you choose not to give them to the porters.

If you're shopping online, you'll want to get a Type C or Type F adapter.

Once you get out of town the roads tend to have no sidewalks and limited shoulder space. Just be careful! Honestly I'd just go to Seven Fathoms distillery and call it a day. But that's just me

I would not. It will be hot and not particularly interesting on the way there. You can take the public bus (minivan thing) there, though -- only caveat here is that you'll need local currency to do so. We enjoy using the buses to get around Grand Cayman!

No problem. We have had black and white tags before.

I personally wouldn't be comfortable with that departure time. Even if the ship docks on time at 6a, it still has to clear Port Authority. On a perfect day they would let people self-assist debark about 645a. In theory that could get you to the airport in a taxi by about 715a, again if everything was perfect. While 715a would be ok for checkin with bags, you couldn't be much later than that. I would be too stressed!

Welcome to the boards! Likely options in the cruise planner will trickle in over the next 3-12 months. I have cruises booked for Dec '23 and there is very little showing, none of it at decent prices. Just check back regularly.

How about this? 7 Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise | Royal Caribbean Cruises

As more ports open up in Asia, Royal will be scrambling to vet shore excursion providers to ensure the experiences they offer are up to par. Many of the companies they used prior to the pandemic are no longer in business, and some of the attractions have not yet fully opened. We had the same issue with our Arctic cruise this summer, with one port stop not showing any excursions until 3 weeks prior to sailing. Just keep checking every day and I bet you'll see options show up!

I believe so, yes. On the payment page it asks if you want to use more than one card. I assume it is to facilitate roommate-style cruisers.

I suspect it has to do with the mixers -- the more complicated the drink the more likely there will be an ingredient with gluten. Margarita mix, for example, often has gluten. Why, I don't know!

Correct!

They will issue you refundable onboard credit.

This is why many restaurants pool tips, so the back of the house staff can share in the compensation.

No changes for you -- the updates start Sept 5