MikeK

Try to stay out of Miami. Yes, Miami is sexy and the clubs/bars/dining is fantastic but beyond that it's a tourist trap (especially South Beach). I am a South FL local and can tell you the traffic is horrific in Miami and crime is on the rise in South Beach. My suggestion would be like others on this thread, check out Key West (the drive down is fantastic and Key West is an amazing place) or the theme parks in Orlando. Another option is to get a hotel in Fort Lauderdale which happens to have an abundance of nightlife, beautiful beaches and hotels and cheaper! Fort Lauderdale is a 30 minute drive from Port of Miami. Do yourself a favor and stay out of Miami (I forgot to mention ZIKA).

I'm from Florida so if it was me, and you are determined to stay in that same area,  I would pick Ft. Lauderdale or maybe even Key West not Miami.   Doc brought up a good point about seeing Disney World.  I would suggest finding a good travel agency to help set things up so you have a no hassle vacation.  By the way I just got back from a Baltic Cruise in June and one of our stops was in Oslo.  Norway is a beautiful country and has lovely people there.   Good luck and where ever you choose I know you will have a good time.

Trying to smuggle booze on seems like more trouble than it's worth... So you can do what, sneak down to the room for shots or with a mixer? Drink alone in the room?
 
Most drinks ARE NOT $12... Either buy a drink package or pay for it. Just the stress of that process seems irritating.

The few times I used the room coffee maker it has always had the sealed coffee/filter combo like Wilson said.  The second thing I do when I get up in the morning is to call room service and order a large pot of coffee.  The time it takes for the coffee to get there compared to the coffee maker is about the same so the better coffee and the 2 or 3 dollar tip is worth the room service.  That is a wonderful part of the cruise to stand out on the balcony and drink my morning coffee

I understand your hesitation regarding Adventure Ocean and I may even be extra cautious as I use to work for Child Protective Services and my wife still does.  However, I have complete confidence in the program and in the safety of the children.
 
I'll admit that it did take my son some time to warm up to the kids programs on other ships.  He was older by the time we came back to Royal, so it wasn't an issue then.  It just took him time to realize what he was missing out on and now that's the only place he wants to be.  The key is to make sure you take them on the first day to the open house where they can explore the facility with you and then check them into the program the first night so that they make friends.  It's connecting with other kids that really makes the program desirous.  And if they don't end up liking it, there's no loss since it's a complimentary program.

We have been Diamond members on two cruises now both on Voyager class ships.  On these ships you needed to be in the Diamond lounge much earlier than 5pm(happy hour?)to get a seat.   Not sure how much bigger the Diamond Lounge is on the Oasis class ships but I would think you need to get there early also.  We are going on the Oasis in June so I will find out for myself but let us know how it goes  Thanks ...Mike

I can tell you what would happen if that was me 40,000 feet above the Atlantic..My wife would have told them to shove me out the door I have a cruise to go on!

I can tell you what would happen if that was me 40,000 feet above the Atlantic..My wife would have told them to shove me out the door I have a cruise to go on!

First of all, be assured that your gratuities do not include paid beverages. Those are included in the price of the drink. I think the casino is the same way. We never go to the casino, so we are in the same boat (so to speak) if our gratuities go for that. Secondly, you cabin steward has to clean and prepare for 4 people, regardless of their age. I have seen 10 year olds eat on the ship and am not sure I agree that they eat less than adults. :)
 
My hope and feeling is, that once you are on the ship, and see all the services they do provide, you will have no more qualms about paying the gratuity. These servers work hard to provide for their families and go for months without seeing them.
 
Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

That's a very good point.  Although $12.95 per days does sound like a lot, if one was dining in a traditional restaurant one would definitely end up tipping more over the course of three meals.  It's also important to remember that the cabin steward cleans the room twice a day and may be more inconvenienced with children in the room as they can create quite a mess compared to adults, especially if you're doing more room service and the like.

I remember............it's "Scooter".... to me. ;)  Howdy neighbor.
 
15 days and 7 hours till I start adding additional tips at the bar. 
Brilliance out of Tampa.  First, and can't wait.
 
Bought the drink package... What's the problem with slipping the bartender a couple
of bucks cash, instead of on the ticket as a tip?  I've done that before in places that "pool" tips.
 
Problem?
Love keeping up with you all. Thanks for the great information, from a newbie.
Rob-o

Scott,
 
While I agree with your stance on this issue, until the cruise lines make the fee permanent and/or include it in the base fare, it ultimately is a personal decision. Should someone remove the gratuities? No! Can they? Yes. Thus, it's a personal decision which I may or may not agree with depending on what decision you make. ;). See, I have my own biases, too. :)
 
Some cruise lines do not allow the gratuities to be removed, which I expect will become the norm moving forward.

An automatic gratuity of 18% is added to all drink purchases onboard.  If you purchase any of the beverage packages, then the gratuity is included in the cost of the package.  No additional gratuity is required, although I have tipped additional for exceptional service (e.g., the server at the coffee bar starting my drink as he sees me approaching from across the centrum).  To me, any service above and beyond deserves recognition.  I don't tip additional every time, just here and there.

I think this is one of the things that often catches new cruisers by surprise as it isn't often well explained by the cruise lines and travel agents don't always make it clear to their clients.  I choose to add it to the reservation simply so that I don't have to deal with it later.  Note, though, that outside of the gratuities, there is no requirement or expectation that you spend more on anything else.  You can do everything on your own in port, dine in the included restaurants, drink from the included beverages, etc.
 
Ultimately, tipping is a personal decision and only you can decide what to do.

(Here comes my "form letter" once again. "Insiders" will understand what I mean.)
 
;)
 
This is from a different post on these boards (http://www.royalcari...n-july/?p=11005), but instead of making you search, here are my thoughts....
 
B) 
 
First, my disclaimer: I am a bartender at Dockside Margaritas in Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I live on tips. So, admittedly, I am biased. That said, I can still present an objective argument as to why tips really are not included when you purchase the drink package. Yes, technically, they are. But, it is a set dollar amount regardless of how much you drink or do not drink.
 

For example, let's say that the total gratuity amount is $50 (it's not, but it's close to that - round numbers are just easier, obviously). Then let's say you get 10 drinks over the course of your cruise. Each bartender would get $5 per drink. But, you never would get just 10 drinks, because to break even on the drink package, you would need to drink 5-8 drinks per day (easy for this guy to do! not so easy for others). So now let's say now that you get 50 drinks. Each bartender would get $1 per drink. You see how their tip just dropped a lot? But still, you probably wouldn't get just 50 drinks, because then why buy the package? You didn't come out ahead and you should have just bought the drinks individually. BUT!!! It gets worse. They tip share! Not only do they tip share with the people at their specific bar - let's say R Bar - but they also split with other people at other bars - let's say the On Air Bar. The bars are grouped, so stronger bars will help support the staff at weaker ones. So when you give the bartender $1, you're really giving that bartender $1 divided by the amount of people sharing that $1. In the case of the R Bar and On Air folks, that's split at least 6 ways. So instead of the traditional 15-20% tip a tipped crew member should receive, they're receiving something like 2-3%. I don't know about you, but I think the service I receive from the Royal Caribbean crew is worth far more than 2-3%.
 
So what we do is leave a buck per drink on top of the "included gratuity" - in some cases two bucks for more difficult to make drinks, like mojitos,etc. At the R Bar, the bar we spent the most amount of time at, we ended up giving them a lot more than that. But, we weren't just paying for someone to put liquid in a cup. They provided such a unique experience that we felt the need to say thank you in a big way. Remember, if you do not do the drink package, you still have an included gratuity. We always round that up as well, again because they earn more than they're being given.
 
One contrary point. If the bartender isn't happy to see you, seems to begrudgingly pour the liquid in the cup, and doesn't seem to care if you are there or not, feel free to stiff the guy! Well, okay, maybe not stiff. He still lives on tips. So maybe just a bad tip. ;) Just because I'm in the industry, doesn't mean I don't recognize that there are horrible servers and bartenders out there.
 
Speaking of servers, you should also give them something more. Calculate the amount of money you would have to spend for any meal based on the prices you'd pay on land, and then consider how much of a tip you'd give your land-based server - 15-20%. Then consider how much you're giving your sea-based server. Then, don't be a curmudgeon! If you can afford to spend thousands on a cruise, find a few bucks for the service you're receiving. If you can't afford it, maybe you can't afford the cruise in the first place.
 
Finally, don't forget to tip something anytime someone goes above and beyond for you. If you're stateroom attendant does his job and nothing more, then he is already being tipped. But, if the deck patrol guy does something WOWing for you, give him a few. He probably doesn't get that often - you'll make his day! If he WOWed you, WOW him!!! Instant Karma!!!

Wow! Gratuites are always such a hot button issue! (And, obviously, I'm biased as hell!)

As people in the service industry (especially at Disney), my wife and I can both say, unreservedly, that children are nearly always more time- and energy-consuming than adults. You may not think your children are, but trust me, they are. That's not to say anything bad about your children. They're children. That's the nature of a child, and, as a parent, you know how children can be. I have never met a truly bad child (only bad parents), but even an angel can be unruly or messy or whatever. Unless you, as the parent, are going to make sure there is no additional work caused by your children. If that's the case, then forego the gratuity. That's highly unlikely though.

The service fee (which is what it should be called, because it should not be optional) will be well-earned!

Royal's revenue, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with the income that the individual crew member is, or is not, receiving via gratuities. The question was about gratuities, no? And yes, you should still pay for service! Just remember, one of the ways in which companies, like Disney and Royal, keep the sticker price so low is by making everything a la carte, including service. They underpay their people (to the legal minimum - which I'm not sure even applies in Royal's case) with the understanding that the consumer will make up the difference. I have no problem with this system, by the way. I just have a problem with people stealing service (ie. being served and not paying for it). Never stiff a server, bartender, bellman, car attendant, baggage handler, etc. You're taking something for nothing.

Documentation is probably the most important thing here.  It can make a difference on getting on the ship or watching it sail off from the pier.  Not trying to scare you but it is vital that your paperwork is correct.  If you dont have passports then make sure your birth certificates have an official stamp or raised seal.  Dont bring photo copies or copies from a printer.  If your name on your birth certificate is different from your current name have the official documents to back it , marriage certificate etc.   Have a good time,  I know you will.   Mike

Documentation is probably the most important thing here.  It can make a difference on getting on the ship or watching it sail off from the pier.  Not trying to scare you but it is vital that your paperwork is correct.  If you dont have passports then make sure your birth certificates have an official stamp or raised seal.  Dont bring photo copies or copies from a printer.  If your name on your birth certificate is different from your current name have the official documents to back it , marriage certificate etc.   Have a good time,  I know you will.   Mike

It has been quite awhile since I was in Key West so I dont know if it still exist but you might try the Mel Fisher sunken treasure museum.

Keep the magnets away from your sea pass card!

Remember to keep the magnets away from your sea pass card!

Sailed on the Navigator out of New Orleans a few years ago and it was great!  I am leaving out of Southhampton June 16th on a Baltic cruise so I would recommend the Navigator.  

I tend to agree with your TA but you know what they say about opinions.  If you can get one of the bigger ships (Voyager class and above) for a short cruise I would do that.  I live in Fl so I can drive to the ports so it makes it easier.  I wouldnt go on anything shorter than a 5 day cruise because it seems like on the short cruises you are barely unpacked and the cruise is over.  What ever you decide,  have a good time and remember you can never have too much fun.