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My son loved the teen club when he sailed on the Freedom at 16 and the Grandeur at 17. He actually found it was easier to make friends because no one knew who he was or had pre-conceived notions.

My recollection of the briefing is that it covered the various venues on the ship - where everything was located. It was an informative time-killer just before the muster. You had plenty of time to get something to drink and find your way to your muster station.

Correct, water shoes can't be worn on slides. They are worn to get to where you are going, on the beach, in the beach water, etc. Around the ship, they are probably safer than flip flops, but each person has his or her preference.

We have noticed there are many pre-cruise sales online, with discounts of varying amounts depending upon what you purchase. I don't know the pattern - it seems somewhat random. We don't book excursions unless they are on sale. We avoid the drink packages because you need to drink too much for them to pay off. But the coffee card is worth it (15 hand-made coffee drinks at the ship's coffee shop). We avoid getting anything on the ship, as prices are usually higher. We use AAA as our travel agent, and they usually provide some perks that mitigate the need to buy other stuff, like specialty dining. The main thing is to know what you actually want on vacation, not necessarily what other people are doing or buying...

As mentioned, the lamb shank is good in the MDR, and pork medallions when they are offered. We also love the lobster. I always love the escargot as an appetizer. All you really taste is the garlic butter sauce...

At Sabra's (on Harmony), both the steak quesadilla and the tacos were tasty. My wife especially liked the fresh-made guacamole. I enjoyed the sangria, too. It appears the lunch and dinner menus are the same. If you take a late lunch, you can skip dinner and get dessert or snacks later....

I had the same experience. I believe the rope is a safety feature. A few years ago I, the kayakers, and the scuba divers all had difficulty returning to the beach due to a strong current. I haven't spoken to any RCI staff, however.

We tried a snorkeling excursion once, but it was November so the water was cold. Should be great about now. The straw market is worth checking out, but remember there about 100 stalls all carrying similar items. So you will need to search to find something unique and not imported. We had friends who enjoyed renting bicycles....

I forgot to add some other tips from our recent Harmony cruise. There is a briefing for 1st time Harmony cruisers held the afternoon you board but before the muster. The WindJammer backs up, especially on day 1, because of the single-file line to handwashing stations (not sure why they don't go 2 x 2 as there are multiple stations). So look at alternative venues if you don't want to wait. The compass lists the hours of all of the eateries... Don't overlook Central Park as a music venue in later afternoon and evening. Other venues are very loud, but you feel like you're having a private concert in Central Park. Have fun and enjoy the new technology on the ship...

Don't forget Adventure Ocean or whatever it is called now. When my son was 5 through 17, he enjoyed the ship-sponsored youth programs. That was great way for him to meet others. Of course, at 17 he was more interested in girls.....but the teen groups worked for that as well. He still corresponds with people he met on the ship.

Let me just add something about breakfast. Two weeks ago on the Harmony, we found that the WindJammer backed up a lot due to the single-file entry requirement. Thus, we started eating breakfast at the Solarium Bistro, which had no line or just a short one. Johnny Rockets is available for breakfast, as has been mentioned, if you want wait service (no charge for breakfast), but I found the food wasn't hot enough for me, so I now prefer the Solarium Bistro. Have fun! You don't need to do everything on your first cruise, just go with the flow and enjoy. Remember the Oasis has a lot of resources, like the intimate musical performances in Central Park in the late afternoon or evening...

Remember also there is a travel card that works for cruises, and you can order one when you renew the passport. It costs extra, but it gives you a second picture ID, which might come in handy. For example, you can leave the passport in the ship safe and take the travel card and sea pass with you at port.

Moerdeng is the water shoe I got at Amazon. That's what I used at Coco Cay.

I wear water shoes, which I also take to the beach. They are light weight and have an elastic pull tab, so they are easy to take on and off. As has been stated, the pool decks can be very hot. My wife ordered my pair from Amazon.

That might be 2 hours before scheduled ship departure, in order to allow time for check in and processing....

To echo what others have said, MDR staff do rotate to other venues, like WJ. This seems to be true of assistant waiters in particular. We were told this by wait staff we got to know. So we prepay the full gratuities and then add a little extra to a few people for special service (we believe in 20% rather than 18%). Everywhere you go on the ship, someone is helping you or looking out for your interests, whether it is collecting towels, serving pastries and coffee, or attending to you in a restaurant. Again, others have pointed this out, but a little reinforcement doesn't hurt. When you get to the point of using the Diamond Lounge, remember the free drinks aren't billed to your SeaPass, so there is no gratuity for your drinks unless you provide it. Some folks tip in cash along the way (discreetly), while others wait until the end of the voyage and provide envelopes. When in Australia, the latter is preferred, as their customs are different (less tipping, higher wages, value-added tax, etc.).

All I can tell you is that there is a new safety feature at the cove that I use for snorkeling. There is now a floating rope that extends from one of the rock walls to the life guard's floating platform. So you wouldn't want to go beyond the rope on your own (leave that for kayakers). I found numerous fish and many types of coral near the man-made reefs about 20 yards from the beach (adjacent to the floating mat stand).

As a retired compensation analyst who has observed crew on a number of cruises, I'd say they aren't overpaid--they deserve the gratuities they receive. Pay is seldom "fair" because we all have different underlying assumptions of fairness, but pay can and should be consistent with governing laws and the employer's policies. So compensation analysts look at consistency/reliability because pay validity is an elusive target. I think the general demeanor of crew on RCI ships tells us a lot, as does the cited retention rate. It appears to me that RCI invests in human capital, and I've always enjoyed interacting with the staff.

We had a similar situation less than 2 weeks ago on the Harmony. What we discovered is that since my wife and I each had CAS accounts, and we responded to "sale" e-mails from RCI, we sometimes booked under one name and other times booked excursions or amenities under the other name. Since we were traveling with a friend, my wife and I were in separate rooms. So the "app" didn't see everything all of the time, but if we looked up each stateroom separately, all reservations were covered. As has been stated, I always default to the online system and am confidant everything is good because I print my reservation receipts. Have fun!

To echo the previous post, I wouldn't worry. We, a family of 3 without any accessibility issues, were once sold an accessible room by the on-board cruise staff because it had been "released" for booking at a certain point a few months before the scheduled departure. That was on Freedom of the Seas in 2013. Just act in good faith, and if you have a travel agent, maybe ask your agent to follow-up if your situation changes. You may find that the fatigue of traveling leads you to use the chair or a walker, anyway.

Here is another tip courtesy of my wife. If you have a smart phone, you can download the RCI app and peruse it Now sometimes it will tell you the calendar is still being finalized, but we were able to get some idea of many events critical for us. Note: The phone number you use should be consistent with your cruise check-in profile. I made the mistake of putting my wife's phone number on my check-in profile, so the App was confused about who was who. If you are linked in the same reservation, there is no problem, but if you have a large group and are scattered in multiple rooms, keep the phone/app associated with its owner. Have fun!

I'd recommend against the hole punch if on a newer ship. For example, the Harmony has a new type of card with an embedded antenna because it is used with a proximity reader -- you tap and go. However, on the Harmony you also place your SeaPass in the light switch by the door (as in many German hotels). Thus, when you leave your stateroom, all lights turn out after about a minute. Given all of this, you want a plastic sleeve on a lanyard. You can buy souvenir lanyards at the port check in or on the ship ($8 and up), or you can recycle some other holder you may have. I recommend "hard" plastic as soft plastic tends to tear -- you don't want to lose the SeaPass. The advantage of all of this is that you can lock up your wallet in your room safe and wander the ship with just your SeaPass. Avoid magnets - like a purse/satchel with a magnetic snap. Some cruisers have two lanyards, a 'dressier" version for dining out and the standard version for the pool. One thought--a couple of people in your party will likely want a water-proof holder -- the large size that can hold a phone and has double snaps to seal the seal, as it were. This is useful when you are at the beach or the pool and no one is available to watch your bags. Bags are pilfered all the time, so never leave your lanyard or valuables unattended. Places like Coco Cay and many excursion sites also have lockers. Have fun! Don't get discouraged by lines or delays, just go with the flow and become familiar with all of the resources your ship will offer. There is always a quiet place or dining venue that is calm, friendly, and less hectic than WindJammer.

Yes, for all of the fun excursions, there is a ferry ride from Cozumel to the main land that can be bumpy, but it is worth it for a tour like the Amazing Secret River near Playa del Carmen. This excursion requires getting wet and swimming/hiking through caves. You can't do this in the US due to potential hazards, like dodging stalactites. That said, if you don't have mobility issues or a bad back, it is delightful. Even my wife managed it (we are in our 60's), although she won't try it again. Our guide spent an hour and a half taking us through the caves in the pleasantly cool water. You are fitted with life preservers, lighted hard hats, and walking sticks (they are a must). We had a nice lunch afterwards (described as a "snack" but very filling), and there are showers/lockers for a change of clothes. Of all of the excursions I have ever taken, this was the best "adventure". Another alternative is Tulum, and if you wear shorts or swimsuits, you might be able to cool off at the beach for a few minutes after you see the ruins. Now Mexico in June is HOT, so take water or buy it from vendors on arrival.

We were just there a couple of weeks ago and there were lots of umbrellas already planted by the lounge chairs. Just get out to the beach earlier in the day (we shoot for 9ish). No $$ needed. We used the cove/beach next to the floating mat rental, and there were lots of fish to see snorkeling by the rocks at the edge of the cove.

Take bug spray. You'll be in a jungle area, which was fascinating to our family, but lots of buzzing around us, depending upon the weather. Climbing the ruins is fun but watch your step, especially with children. There is a bit of a bus ride, but that was fun, too.