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On 3/6/2020 at 3:49 PM, smap said:

Just wondering if I truly do need to print my Set Sail passes (as it states in the Guest Ticket Booklet). We have them on our phones and saved in our Apple Wallet. I may print as backup, but debating whether it's necessary?? Can I just show on my phone? 

You've seen the other answers, but I am one who likes back-up.  Murphy's Law still applies...What does it cost to print one or two pages?

23 hours ago, KJ1231 said:

So we have our 6th cruise coming up in May to Alaska on 5/15/20 (2nd trip on Radiance). I redeemed 50,000 points on the RCCL card for $500 of Onboard Credit last July. To date the reward has not shown up in the cruise planner. I called the rewards desk today and am being told that it could be two weeks before the cruise (5/1)  before the OBC gets applied. What the heck? I was hoping to use it to purchase excursions. I have another 35K points to purchase more OBC but will miss sales, etc.

Anyone else experience this? I could have sworn we did this before and got $$ applied much sooner! Anyone higher we can complain to? Will be ditching the card after this upcoming cruise if we can't get OBC in time to use it for what we want.

One caveat - if we purchase excursions now, any way to get the $$ reimbursed when they do apply the OBC credit?

HELP!

I was able on two occasions to have the rep at the redemption center force through the on board credit.  I was buying about $100-$150 in points. 

7 hours ago, WannaCruise said:

We leave next weekend on Anthem.  No plans of cancelling and just pray none of us wakes up with a fever that day and no concerns while sailing where there is a quarantine.  But one thing got me thinking....should we cancel our excursion to Kennedy Space Center?   We are one of 2 ships in port (Norweigan Bliss) plus anyone else visiting Orlando.  I hear the place is usually quite busy.

What are others doing?  Going on as normal (with extra wipes and sanitizer) or are you considering cancelling excursions where there can be lots of people that might not have gone through such procedures as Royal?  Any any thoughts specifically to KSC?  I think some of it might be hands on so maybe we avoid those parts?  We have 2 kids so that is that part that would probably interest them.   

P.S. - Up to when can you cancel an excursion?

I, myself, would not be worried about the Orlando area.  I think keeping clean and sanitized is a good precaution even without the virus.  But we all have to make our own decisions about level of risk.  My son is on a cruise as we speak that just left Miami...I enjoyed my visit to KSC.

On 3/6/2020 at 12:13 PM, Jill said:

Now this would be awful:
 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-cruiseships-exclus/exclusive-u-s-considering-discouraging-some-travelers-from-cruises-sources-idUSKBN20T29M

I agree.  Cruises aren't the problem.  I don't think the Washington and New York experiences were cruise-related.  Cruises, however, are an example of a group meeting that can spread any disease.  In that sense, there is an increased level of risk.  But what about transit systems in a major city?  We do need to think about our lifestyle, but knocking out cruises, in my opinion, won't inhibit the spread of the disease because there will always be random cases in high-density places exacerbated by a long incubation period.  I vote for living life as you see fit, but being smart about it.  Easy for me to say, as I am getting older...I wish everyone safe and healthy travels.

4 hours ago, VRCruz said:

Hello everyone,

Has anyone purchased this card?  What size specialty coffee are you entitled to with this? We are on Freedom.  Freedom does not have Starbucks, I think.

The coffee card, which I have had on three ships, is for the premium drinks at the coffee shop on the promenade.  You can usually get a Chai Tea if you don't want the espresso-based drinks.  As noted, some drinks have 2 shots and require two punches, but that policy may be applied inconsistently, as@FManke  has stated.  The basic cappuccino on the Harmony in September was one punch.   The Caribbean Coconut, which is a large iced latte, was punched twice on my card.

4 hours ago, Matt said:

I believe they are simply playing a game of wait and see. It would be premature to change itineraries until they are absolutely certain there will be an issue getting to them.

Great video on corona virus!

14 hours ago, Cruiser nic said:

Anyone else getting no response to emails in regards to upcoming cruises? 
Ive paid premium price for eight people to cruise around the South Pacific well before Caronavirus was announced. The ports we are stopping at have refused entry to Cruise ships over the past few weeks. I’ve sent emails. No response. I have rang and been told the original itinerary still stands. Yesterday after being told all is going ahead on the phone I received an email from RC stating that we now needed to purchase travel insurance to disembark in New Caledonian ports. So I spend a few hundred dollars extra on that to be told today by my travel agent that those ports are closed. Apparently I won’t be compensated. It’s an absolute joke.

so I can’t be refunded for the cruise that will now be changing it’s itinerary ( to where now who knows. No one can tell me) and I have now paid extra for something for no reason and not only will I not be reimbursed but the staff have been extremely unhelpful and basically don’t comment or even try to resolve any issues. We’ve cruised with P&O, Carnival, Norwegian and Carnival and have never had a problem. 
I’m already regretting booking an RC cruise that I was told was superiors to the other companies. What a joke! 

New Caledonia visa requirements include medical insurance.  Most travelers would have had that in hand already for the entire trip, making an extra purchase unnecessary.  I am sorry you have had a nice vacation discombobulated. But travel insurance is more or less a good idea regardless of where you go.  I like Matt's recent video that puts it all in perspective.  Nothing can make your disappointment go away entirely, but I find that if I plan appropriately and "go with the flow" I can find something positive in the experience.  I have fretted about hurricanes (almost a direct hit by Dorian), but my wife and I try not to hold the carrier responsible for uncontrollable events.  Again, I am sorry you appear to be missing your desired port calls.

21 hours ago, Bgmichigan said:

Whats the best travel agent to use for Royal Caribbean cruises?

We use AAA because we already pay for an automobile membership.  Otherwise, we'd consider other agencies, such as MEI.

22 hours ago, kenem said:

Can anyone recommend a place to stay the night before our cruise?

You might decide if you want to see the beach or just relax after travel.  We've tried the Radisson with courtesy shuttle to the Port, but the park and ride was a little pricey in peak season, and the shuttle coordination was a mess (too many ships!).  We now use Best Western by the pier as we want to enjoy a few hours of the beach.  Like most of the beach hotels, is dated, but the "tower" building is nicer with a great view of the ocean.  There are fancier hotels depending upon your price point, but you need to decide first if you want ready beach access.

5 hours ago, momneedsavacation said:

Do I need water shoes for Coco Cay?

Concur with other answers.  There is a small issue washing the sand off your feet when you leave.  There are showers, but sometimes you pick up a little more sand on the way to the pier, so look for some kiddy water fountains on the way out.

5 hours ago, FManke said:

With all the impending doom and gloom of the news today, when it comes to Covid-19 and such, let's look on the bright side.

What's your happy place?

What's the one spot on any ship, or specific spot on a specific ship that you look forward to when you cruise? 

Mine is on any ship, at the rail with a cup of coffee in hand at sunrise.

Happy cruising!

On Oasis class ships, I look forward to having a glass of wine in Central Park while listening to the afternoon or evening performance.

On vision class and similar ships, I love to relax in the Centrum or have my coffee on deck 5 watching the sunrise you mentioned.

1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

Got this in my daily headlines from WaPo. This is written by a gent in his 60s who was on Diamond Princess but not diagnosed until he was on the flight home to the US.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/28/i-have-coronavirus-so-far-it-isnt-that-bad/

To summarize, apart from the high fever he said this is not even close to the worst he’s ever been sick. It’s been a lot of Gatorade and some Advil when the fever went back over 100, and lots of poking and prodding while he’s been taking voluntary part in efforts to find a treatment for the virus. But at no time did he feel like he was at death’s door or even in particular danger.

It is nice to hear about a "normal" case given that the media emphasizes the extreme situations. 

2 hours ago, raahc said:

Thank you all so much for helping me organize our cruise!  We returned from Harmony last Sunday (Feb 16), and had a great time.  We had a few bumps along the way, and the sea was quite rough for the first three days – just goes to show that you can’t predict a cruise by the weather/month of sailing!

I’m experiencing vertigo (trying to get my land legs back) so still not feeling 100% (lasted two weeks last time).  I’ll keep this short ... just wanted to give my appreciation to everyone who answered every little question I had, no matter how big, small or silly!

Oh, and the best way to deal with post cruise depression?  Book another cruise! 

Some vertigo is relatively common, and there are exercises for your head/inner ear you can find on the internet to "realign" yourself.  Usually, I've been able to function with only a bit of a "sea sensation".

7 hours ago, Paml514 said:

We will be sailing on Symphony of the seas this July and I was wondering if I could get some information on formal night. We were on Harmony in 2018  (first cruise in many years) and I was unclear as to what night of the week will be formal night, and what differentiates it from the other nights, is it just attire and  the pictures?  I must admit it was somewhat confusing  to see people dressed very well sitting next to people in shorts. 

Sometimes the 2nd formal night is also a "white night" for a late party on the pool deck.  We noticed on the Harmony that many folks wore white to dinner in the MDR.  Not sure what folks on the Symphony do.

On 2/26/2020 at 11:37 AM, shannon622 said:

We will be going to Grand Cayman and Cozumel on IOS in April.  We will have our 10 year old son with us.  Any suggestions on what to do.  It seems like the Royal excursions are a little pricey.  Is it safe to go with a third party? Any recommendations?   Also, are there any hotels you can go to for the day and use their amenities???  Thank you!

In the past out of Cozumel we have tried horseback riding as well as Mayan or caving excursions that require a fast ferry ride to the mainland.  At 10, my son enjoyed Tulum, but the boat ride can make you a little queasy.  It's also possible to just take a taxi to downtown Cozumel and sight-see/shop before or after visiting a beach.

At Grand Cayman, we did a turtle rescue excursion that allowed snorkeling in a man-made "live" lake.  There were lots of fish to see.

An adventurous excursion can run about $100 per person when you order early online, and we avoid paying more than that.  Sometimes you can get something for less.  Otherwise, $45-$60 is normal for a lot of beach and snorkeling experiences.  You can also just pay for ground transportation and rent beach equipment...Other threads explain beaches in Cozumel.

Whatever you choose, have a great cruise.

1 hour ago, NancyL2648 said:

I recently received a gift certificate for an upcoming cruise for my birthday. I followed the directions and applied it to my account....that was almost a month ago.  Any idea when Royal will add it to my account for OBC?

Thanks for any info.

When I redeem points for OBC, it doesn't get loaded until a week or two before the cruise.  Not sure if that fits your situation or not.  I have called before and asked for the credit to be applied quickly so I can use Cruise Planner.  The RC "points people" accommodated me.  Good luck!

3 hours ago, SteveinSC said:

Look, people...this is supposed to be our happy place, where we talk about things that make us happy. A sanctuary from the outside nonsense of the world. Our distraction from the chaos.  I have participated in, and observed a lot of division of opinion and ideology on this board lately.....so I figured Id give us something to talk about that we can all agree on. WE LOVE CRUISING!  So, im going to pose a couple questions to you.....

1. Whats your favorite thing about cruising? Relaxation, seeing parts of the world, the food, the party? 

2. If you could go on a cruise, anywhere in the world, right now.....where would you go and on which ship? 

Kumbaya, Peace be with you, Woosah, Hakuna matata....... 

1. My wife and I cruise in order to see the world economically, listen to live music, dance, and eat good food.  I need to emphasize music and dancing, because many land resorts don't offer that at the same level as a Royal Caribbean cruise.  For us, even a "normal" cruise kind of seems like it is all inclusive (except for some of our beverages).  I dearly love visiting other countries, especially if I can practice my language skills.

2/ Where we want to go for our 25th anniversary is French Polynesia, and right now Oceania's itineraries seem better than Royal's, but we haven't booked anything.  I also want to do another Med cruise.

18 hours ago, DublinFC said:

So not really an excursion question, but excursion related I guess.  We are looking at the possibility of buying our own snorkel equipment to take on our cruises.  Any suggestions on what to look into?  We are not going to use it a lot, so more for just vacation use.  Any suggestions to help us decide are appreciated.  

The equipment needs to fit properly -- something you don't need to wrestle with. There are some newer styles that are worth checking out. On my older gear, the strap around the snorkel attachment keeps getting twisted.

15 hours ago, m00cat said:

Hello, 

So me and my wife are going on our first cruise in June 2020
It's a sailing on Harmony of the Seas for 7 nights to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan and Coco Cay. 

I'm kind of wondering if we really need all of the extras we've booked. 

We have the Unlimited dining package, deluxe beverage package
Coco Beach Club day pass, not to mention shore excursions for every port. 

My goal is to not receive an extraordinary bill at the end of our sailing but I recognize we probably don't need all of these extras.  Do you think we have too much booked?
What extras do you normally book for a seven night cruise?

I would scratch the Coco Beach Club day pass as the regular beaches are just fine.  I'd rather take a nice excursion in another port.  On the other hand, it the price is right for you, it's not a bad idea to try it once. It boils down to what your vacation objectives really are.  I also avoid the deluxe beverage package because it's overpriced and encourages alcoholism (really).  Others swear by it, but that is my 2 cents worth.

16 hours ago, spursfreak21 said:

On our last cruise my wife and I discovered we were in dire need of a luggage upgrade, as ours was falling apart.

What brands does everyone recommend? I found some "American Tourister" (who are apparently owed by Samsonite) sets at Costco, has anyone used or owned this brand?  Any other recommendations? I'm trying not to spend an arm and a leg.

I have compared warranties and haven't found much difference among the brands sold in department stores, so I get what is on sale and has the features I want.  Over the years, one or two have been ruined by airlines, but one of those was replaced at the airport with a new one from stock.  Royal actually lost one of our suitcases on disembarkation, so I try not to be emotionally invested in my suitcase brand.  Had American Tourister, and it was fine for years.  If I were independently wealthy I might pay more for an indestructible brand, but most of us don't fall into that category.  Whatever you choose, have a great cruise!  Just remember to cross-pack clothes for the eventual loss or luggage delay!

1 hour ago, Clay Purvis said:

We’ve never done any specialty dining on board, but I thought we might try something different next cruise.  JR is the least expensive option and we love the MDR for dinner so I thought lunch one day at JR. I’m a little fuzzy on how it works. I’ve looked at the menu and I assume each person can order one appetizer, one burger, and one desert? Is anything unlimited?  Also I understand beverages are not included in the $9.95 or whatever fee it is unless you have a package. So if you have the refreshments package does that cover all beverages including milkshakes? And honestly is it even worth doing?  We have always enjoyed the complementary dining on previous cruises but Mariner has way more options than our two outings on Enchantment, so I figured if we were going to try something now is the time. 

The main reason we go to JR is for a change of pace and a good burger.  As more ships have good burgers in other venues, it isn't a "must do".  I like breakfast there once per cruise - no charge.

3 hours ago, MotleyCruiser said:

I just got off the Monsters of Rock Cruise on Independence of the Seas (my 8th) and my first as Diamond status. I noticed when I ordered a beer they just looked at the SeaPass card and handed it back to me then handed me the beer.  NO SWIPING. Cocktails they swiped at the register.  Anyone else notice this??? Is this policy???

Yes, I noticed in September that it appeared to depend upon how busy the bartender was.  (Harmony)  Can't say for sure it's a policy change.  Twangster or Matt probably know.

15 hours ago, Quilter620 said:

At the beginning of March, I am cruising to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas,  Punta Canna, and Grand Bahamas. Should I pack bug spray and plan to wear it in the ports? In St. Thomas and Grand Bahamas we plan to just walk around the port. We are doing the chocolate, rum, and shopping excursion in Punta Canna and the Let's have some rum excursion I. Puerto Rico. Thanks for the advice. 

We only used insect spray for forest and jungle areas, which you don't appear to be visiting.    Concur with other posts.  If you ever go on a cruise involving jungle/river boat rides, take the spray just in case. 

1 hour ago, klemire626 said:

I did not purchase a beverage package for my kids, only the deluxe refreshment package for my husband and I.  What drinks are complimentary for the kids to drink?  

I have sometimes seen lemonade but can't remember exactly when -- the flavored waters seem to rotate across various venues and machines.

11 minutes ago, spursfreak21 said:

Hey all. I’m going to be on Enchantment this summer and plan on booking my next cruise on board. I’ve only cruised from Galveston and since that’s driving distance from where I live it’s easy to plan. If I’m looking to book for summer of 2021 what’s a good strategy considering most airlines don’t have their schedules released by then. Do you just book the cruise and hope you can find an reasonable accompanying flight later? 

Exactly.  We start checking prices after the schedules come out, but there was a study done that supports the strategy proposed by @brianmorris .    I don't wait for the lowest price, I just wait for a reasonable price.  We recently booked a 2022 cruise and won't be looking at airlines for at least another year.