CruisinUpinLife

Hello fellow cruisers! *I realize the ship will dictate the room options but we are very flexible right now. Looking for general thoughts and reasons why to help me decide. Thank you! I'm currently trying to plan a 4-5 night cruise with my husband, two children (at the time of cruise will be 1 year old and nearly 3 year old), set of in-laws (mother in law, father in law), and my mother. What would you recommend for room breakdown? Would you recommend a 2 bedroom suite for my family of 4 + my mother? Would you recommend my family of 4 pick a spacious room of some kind (ultra spacious ocean view, JR suite, anything else?) and my mother pick a balcony despite paying for two but only 1 person in room. My mother prefers to cruise with a balcony. My in-laws are going to want the cheapest room possible as that is how they roll in general. I know that will likely be an inside room. While I'd like to near each other, if we went the suite route, that would likely split us up more than other room combinations. Please let me know your thoughts and why you suggest that. While I've cruised with my husband several times, this will be a first time with children. I'll take all the tips you have to share. We will be flying to the cruise destination as we live in the Midwest.

Just know that the cancel refund may take a lot longer than refunds from CP purchases prior to March 2020. If you are okay with that, go for it! It's just something to always consider.

The magic 8 ball has broken and is no longer functioning...............thanks 2020. Pick a random yes or a random no to answer your question about the Alaska 2021 season. Both answers are correct, potentially. (Of course, no one knows what is going to actually happen.....)

I took this cruise on Freedom of the Seas in January 2020 and we did not tender at any of the stops. Have a great time!!!!

We did what @KristiZ suggested and had a short morning Royal excursion followed by taking a taxi ride to a small resort on the 7 mile beach afterwards. One of my favorite excursions and my first since returning to cruising as an adult. Grand Cayman is wonderful!!!!!!! You will enjoy it.

I really think it all depends on the cruise. Every sale is different and the true amount of the discount varies. I guess you are asking someone who will be on your sailing what they have found in terms of CP pricing.

No, unfortunately your cruise planner purchases will be cancelled and will need to be rebooked. Lift and Shift does not apply to cruise planner purchases.

I realize that but wanted to know this person's source. Thank you for the tip though.

Where did you get the vented COVID patients die stat from?

I believe to answer the shake question, that would be Johnny Rockets and I think you can just get a shake. Yes, you can order the virgin pina colada (free with refreshment package) and pay for a shot of rum on the side.

This is where they really should leverage TAs and/or the website better. These FCCs should be linked to a person's account so it's not so much work for RCCL to manage. However, I truly believe they are trying flex the business accounting with the process-make things spread across months, etc. There is probably more to it as well but frustrating all around.

Navigator of the Seas Nov 13, 2020

For my husband and I it is very cruise dependent. Short cruises-probably worth it. Longer cruises-not worth it unless we know we won't leave the ship much. Example: 7N Southern Caribbean route stopping at 5 ports and only 1 sea day at the end-no drink package. We did get lucky with a drink card appearing at the end of our cruise (which we had hoped for but knew it was very unknown if it would appear). We enjoyed beverages at the port stops and brought two bottles of wine on board. Fast forward to our upcoming 3N cruise including Coco Cay-will definitely purchase the drink package as it's a shorter cruise and we plan to only get off the ship at the Coco Cay stop which we can use the drink package there. (currently at $52 per day but have heard of people with 2020 sailings sometimes finding $49 per day) I think you have to think about all of your options and decide from there in combination with the total cost.

Great point @KathyC. I forgot that the refunds are very delayed right now.

I found my situation for a long weekend cruise out of Miami to be a little puzzling on the airline front. STL to Miami (nonstop there, 1 stop at ORD back) on AA was $490 total for 2 people (yes this is the basic/most economical ticket which has it's downfalls but we know what we are buying). Southwest STL to FLL (both nonstop) was $700 total for 2 people and then I'd have to transfer over to Miami. I fully expected to need to travel to FLL but to my surprise, the Miami route it is!

I would not recommend waiting for a sale. If there is something there that you'd like to do, go ahead and book. You can always cancel and rebook if the price goes lower but at least this will secure a place for you. You can also cancel if you change your mind. There is a catch in that you must pay when you book so you will lose out of that money between the time you book and the time you cancel (if you cancel it). I also believe it takes a few business days to get the refund back on your card. I think it's rare for there to be a time "where all the options are available" at once. I would imagine options can often be added, particularly if you are far our from the sailing or they secure new excursions. Additionally, some may already be sold out, which would be why you won't see them in your cruise planner.

If you are swapping the same grade of cabin, no matter the deck, with people on your reservation you should be able to call your Travel Agent if you used one or Royal Caribbean if you did not and make this switch now. I'm guessing if it's very close (3 days or less) to your sail date they may ask you to do this onboard at guest services.

I went to college at the U of M-Twin Cities. I always tell everyone about the coldest day I ever experienced while I was there....it was an unofficial J term (They didn't have J terms but my program did.) and the temperature was around -19 but the windchill was -54. I was walking from the bus stop back to my apartment when my eye started to tear up then it froze shut! It was a little scary but I was close to home and heat so I managed. Brrrrr. But the memories from college were THE BEST!

Given their unpredictability as you know, be flexible. Given you live in the SE, you could probably change your travel plans easier than someone coming from Seattle to Florida. There are a lot of blogs from when Dorian (not the time period you are asking about but not long after) changed itineraries for people (just search Dorian on this site). Those would be good ones to review to see what you could experience should a hurricane be heading to your embarkation port.

Are you trying to stay close to the pier to walk to it? I HIGHLY DO NOT recommend you do that. The pier is a long road without much walking area off of it. Plan to take a taxi/uber. Condado and OSJ are close and offer a short ride to the Pan American Pier where Freedom embarks from. RCCL cruises that depart from San Juan use the Pan American Pier that is NOT in Old San Juan. RCCL ships that are coming for a port stop use the pier in Old San Juan. This was true on 1/5/2020 when I took a FOTS sailing from San Juan, PR. Hope this helps! Have a great time!

Probably as often as you want. If you want to a quick turn around on drinks, I would suggest you just sit at your preferred bar. You are not likely to get that kind of frequency from your pool deck chair.

Here is a recent 12/31/2019 Cruise Compass from Adventure of the Seas for GC to help you. Of course this is all subject to change time wise but this should give you an idea:

I think @CruiseGus is referring to Barrachina's as a luggage storage option in OSJ but the time is 9am. This may/may not be the best. A little while later you could drop off at the Pam American Port then leave to explore. I will say, it's quite a long road in and out of the port, one lane each unless using a taxi-they seem to have priority getting in with their own lane.

@JBC1 Did you mean to attach something?

We loved cruising out of San Juan in January-it was nice and warm. I should also note that we were there and cruising during the earthquakes. When we returned-no damage to be seen. We'd do a cruise out of San Juan again in a heartbeat. The Southern Itineraries are amazing though we only did the Saint's itinerary and cannot wait to do the ABCs one day. Flights can be pricey so book early and keep checking-we got lucky following these two points. Have a wonderful time!!!!!!!!