CruiseGus

Honestly, after many many cruises, I find that the tip "a lot" advice you get on any of the forums is very exaggerated. You pay your gratuities that are charged daily or prepaid. This also covers the buffet, Cafe Promenade and El Loco Fresh who area all in the tip pool. You pay18% per drink or via the package purchase that added the 18% You pay an 18% gratuity for a specialty restaurant, or if pre-purchase before boarding it is included in the price. Really about the only time you have to worry about extra tipping is when you finally reach a C&A level where you are getting free drinks, or use the services of the concierge, then it seems more appropriate. Then again if any service is way over the top, then you might consider a little extra. No one on the staff is going to label as "that cheapie" , they reserve that for those that remove their daily gratuities .... ?

go to shore excursion desk as soon as you board, It is possible they will have a few open slots, much like the dining rooms do.

in most states if actually depends on the school district as they set school schedule, within state mandated guideline. I know in here in contiguous cities the spring break weeks are different

please review your experience with the rest of us once you are reached out to

this is correct, the price in the cruise planner has the gratuity included

If i remeber even on the Oasis class ships which normally have the actual "Starbucks Kiosks" your drink selection will be limited, a good variety but limited. Also note that will pay the 18% gratuity even if you are using your Starbucks card.

also want to add that all MTD dinners will be in the same dining room as to not interfere with the traditional dining service.

yes Royal for the past years has seemed to have a very active relief effort especially noticed in the Caribbean. My complements to the management.

I would agree, use until exhausted

Tampa has major restrictions on the size of ship that can get under the Skyway Bridge into Tampa Bay

Yes big difference in policy. Carnival has to be cans or cartons only No plastic allowed. 12 pack of vitamin water in plastic bottle less than 17 oz or less each bottle can be brought on Royal during embarkation

I have always had mine hole punched and when purchasing something I just take the whole lanyard over my head and hand it to the bartender

Royal should be providing what I have normally seen as generous compensation

And NCL "free" drink package does not even include bottled water. Also premium liquors are priced above the limit on the package. When I compare like cruises same type cabin same weeks, I almost always find RCCL cheaper even including a drink package and internet purchase to make them comparable

The recent comments led me to do another web search on subject and I could find no information new or even from anytime in August 2019 I do wish that the final San Juan police investigation report would be made public. That would answer a lot of questions I believe

I like the way you're thinking about this

That was the main problem I had. I guess I hadn't noticed on any of the forums that CK was space A for JS. If it states that specifically in RCCL literature I sure never saw it. Although we love the extra room and tub in a JS I might not have sprung for a JS on that cruise had I known I could not I had a chance of not getting into CK for dinner. It is the only time in all our RCCL cruises I have really been unsatisfied. I agree so i just camped out till the door opened then went to the podium.

great laugh, I actually thought i was going to find something to help keep my DW out of the gym for a couple of hours each day while on a cruise. Her workout throws my whole routine off every day.

Our kids were a little older when we did our first Xmas cruise and that was their present. In fact being a year or 2 past the Santa stage, I said to them, I can buy a little bit of junk or you can go on this awsome cruise over Xmas, the response was overwhelming. But I like @DMLM suggestion, a few thing and the rest at home. It's like with one of our grand-kids that has Xmas day with us every other year, his cousins know they get 2 Christmas's that year

very good explanation

Congrats to the OP. Enjoy the benefits. Royal definitely has the best loyalty perks of any cruise line.

Was my experience 2 year ago on Alure, I actually couldn't get in at all or lets just say after the 5th straight day in a row I gave up trying those last 2 days. The part that bothered me the most was that I had booked approx 2 years prior and there had been no talk of JS being "Space Available" and at the time I couldn't find that anywhere is Royal literature. So I never was able to experience CK and really didn't like the Oasis Class ship that much, especially having to book your shows which to me defeated the purpose of a leisurely cruise vacation.

Why wouldn't your wife be smiling?? You know the saying "What's hers is hers and what's yours is hers". I thought that was a universal truth.

This is the 2nd time i have heard this recently. Personally I think it is outrageous on the part of RCCL to allow their vendors to do this. I just did a private ATV excursion in the ABC islands this past Feb and have another one booked in Cozumel for Nov and no one is asking for a damage deposit. Its not like these ATV are all that expensive, major brands can easily be had for 15K .

DMLM has it correct. OP currently has "My Time" dining and is on the waitlist for early seating.