MikeK

The Wow band is free for Jr Suite cabins and above.

Smart move! I havent had any dealings with MEI but from what I see on here they are good. I would take their advice!

Sounds like you already made up your mind. Like most of the experienced cruisers on here have said, you will be forking over $200 for a room upgrade (maybe) you havent even seen. So if that makes you feel good.....Go for it!

Be prepared for the sea gulls (rats with wings) on Coco Cay. They are thick around the eating venues and I saw some stealing food right off peoples plates.

Probably the vast majority of Americans cant afford to travel outside of the U.S. or cant get the time off work. In the UK you are a short train ride to mainland Europe. There are a large number that would be happy just to be able to see most of America. So you are comparing apples to oranges.

We got a balcony room on our 1st RC cruise and have gotten one ever since. I like to order a pot of coffee from room service first thing in the morning and really enjoy standing out on the balcony with my cup of tasty brew. My take on the price difference is if you can afford it , get it. You only have one go around in life so make it the most enjoyable.

Take it with you when you get off the ship. It will not do you any good locked in your safe in the cabin. Labadee and Coco Cay will be stops where you can leave it in the cabin.

Like Ben Franklin said..."Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead"......so dont tell anyone else.

Considering the amount of hours they put in a week the hourly wage would be a joke.

The formal nights in the MDR has been debated on here for years. I have seen everything from shorts, Tshirt and flip flops to tuxedos. If you have on nice slacks and a button up shirt you will be fine. If you are really worried what people think of you, by all means wear a coat and tie. You will not be turned away from the dining room not wearing a coat and tie.

If you have never used a credit card out of the country there could be a fee involved. It happened to us years ago so we only carry one for emergency purposes. Also if you have a medical problem and have to go to a local hospital and miss the ship, your passport doesn't do you any good locked in your safe in the cabin. You will have to jump through serious hoops to get back in the country. Relax and remember your on vacation!

I will be going on the Harmony in June and have been on the Harmony sister ships Oasis (3 times) and Allure. Generally speaking the Caribbean is relatively smooth sailing in the summer. There are always small summer storms that pop up here and there but it doesn't mean much on a ship this size. If you have a history of motion sickness I would get with your family Dr and get some prescription sea sick patches to take just in case or you can buy some over the counter meds but might not work as well. They make some people sleepy. Like many people on here I like to tip in cash. Take a wad of ones and fives for tipping and play it by ear. I more or less fall in with Tiny260 and WaaayTooo on tipping philosophy. Remember your on vacation. Relax and don't try to do too much. If your like us, this won't be your last cruise so you will be wiser for the next one.

I will be going on the Harmony in June and have been on the Harmony sister ships Oasis (3 times) and Allure. Generally speaking the Caribbean is relatively smooth sailing in the summer. There are always small summer storms that pop up here and there but it doesn't mean much on a ship this size. If you have a history of motion sickness I would get with your family Dr and get some prescription sea sick patches to take just in case or you can buy some over the counter meds but might not work as well. They make some people sleepy. Like many people on here I like to tip in cash. Take a wad of ones and fives for tipping and play it by ear. I more or less fall in with Tiny260 and WaaayTooo on tipping philosophy. Remember your on vacation. Relax and don't try to do too much. If your like us, this won't be your last cruise so you will be wiser for the next one.

Good for you tiny blonde. I m glad to see you will going on the cruise one way or the other. From what I have read on here from people that were in the Navy, the cruise ship will be much smoother than the Navy ships. They have much better anti nausea medicine now so check with your Dr. for some prescription meds or just buy some over the counter meds for your husband. Good Luck with your cruise, I know you will have a wonderful time. No matter your age.......most cruisers are ageless.

I agree with Matt on getting a good travel agent. Not sure where your from but some small town travel agencies don't have experience booking cruises. I haven't had any experience with the travel agency on this website but from what I have read on here they are top notch.

You need to think about the public transportation in San Juan. There is a bus route that skirts the outside of the city and a tram that does the inside of the city. When you get off the ship and come to the street right in front of the ship, the bus stop will be to the left a short distance. Look for the bus stop sign. It is a good way to see the city and it has a stop right in front of the fort. The tram like transportation is the inter part of Old San Juan. The best part.....it is free.

The Sistine Chapel is just part of the Vatican museum. There are 1000s of art pieces to see in the museum.

I didn't mention we did a 5 day pre cruise with our TA setting up the whole thing. RC had a 5 day pre cruise which we signed up originally but got canceled by RC because there wasn't enough people that signed up for it. Our TA then mirrored the same pre cruise with a lot of extras thrown in and still quite a bit cheaper. We had private cars (boats in Venice) picking us up when needed, 1st class train rides, and one on one private tours. On our Vatican tour a RC tour passed inside the Vatican museum about 20-30 moving at a fast pace. But like Pima1988 said you are taking a chance with a private tour as opposed to RC tour. Do you want to take a chance of something going wrong and missing the ship. On the cruise we used RC tours because we did't want to take that chance. You can really tell the difference between the private tours and RC tours. I seem to think our TA went through Perillo Tours.

Our TA set us up for private tours on our entire Med Cruise and it was worth every dime. One of the tours was the Vatican and like some others have said, we just met the guide and walked right in a spent 3 hours on an excellent tour with the guide, my wife and myself. It is worth the money.

Cozumel Old San Juan Key West St Thomas St Maartin Aruba Naples Oslo Rhodes

We also had several bad experiences with obnoxious people at tables. The first thing we did when boarding was go to the request desk at the main dining room and request a table for two. They always found us a table. Now we are high enough on the food chain (no pun intended) that we get our TA to request a table for two and we always get it.

And most men have done both!

I also have been to Disney numerous times. Your transportation from cruise port to Disney and back will eat up 3-4 hrs at best. Anyone who has spent much time at Disney will tell you Disney is about waiting in lines from the ticket entrance, transportation in the park and lines to the rides. Your 5 yr old will be a very frustrated child when you have to take him back to the ship due to the small taste of Disney he will experience. He will probably be a unhappy camper. Like most have said.......make Disney a vacation in itself.

Last year we were able to upgrade from a Jr. Suite to a Loft Suite on the Oasis for about $800 total. Since we wanted to try a Loft suite for a long time this was well worth it. In your case I dont think the upgrade would be worth it. We are on the Harmony this summer and hoping to upgrade again but the cost was about what you would be paying. Even with the Oasis class ship I dont believe it would be worth it.

On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time.