ChessE4
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Posts posted by ChessE4
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11 hours ago, Mandyc said:
First time cruiser here..probably doing too much reading ;-). I am leaving out of Miami on the Navigator this Monday Jan 20, going to Nassau then CocoCay..I’ve read a few places how rough the water has been in that area lately?! That they will have some decks closed & barf bags hanging out because so rough?! And that there’s a possibility they won’t be able to dock at CocoCay?! I am worried this will ruin the trip we have waited so long for & saved our $$ to be able to do!! Can anyone verify or is there a way to know ahead of time if the waters are in fact going to be super rough this next week?
In the days of tendering at Coco Cay, the waves could be an issue (we missed the port once). Now it is less of a problem with the pier. Twangster has already given you a weather update.
I have never gotten sick on a Royal ship, but a couple of times the seas were rough, and bags were hung in the staircases. I can't remember the last time that occurred to us.
Have a great trip!
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18 hours ago, Ditchdoc said:
Up to twelve I think.
it's hard.
On the Harmony last year, it was also 12 for us. We ended up breaking into sub-teams as clues were found, but we didn't really experience the "big picture". Although we solved the puzzle in the end, it was a little disjointed.
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14 hours ago, jcackler said:
We are 2 1/2 weeks out from our cruise! Given the current weather situation in the midwest - this is a GREAT thing. We discovered tonight, that my parents who we are traveling with us have My time dining - and we are scheduled for early dining - (and planning on using the My Family time dining service to expedite the boys meals and get them on their way to play hard while we have a relaxing end of meal.)
We know Grandpa and Grandma are hoping to dine with us as a group. At this point - we are not able to switch them to the early dining, so our choices appear to be
- We switch to My Time and try to schedule the group for 5:15 seating (what is currently available for anything that would be considered "early")
- We leave it as it is and head to the MDR upon arrival and see if we can switch Grandpa and Grandma to join our party
- Something else I'm not thinking of?
We are really looking forward to a traditional dining room experience -so hoping we can get this straightened out.
Thank you for sharing any tips, tricks and experiences.
The MTD times should be in the compass, and I've read posts that they start at 6:30 or 6:45.
We usually schedule traditional dining, and our requested shared table has often had vacant chairs. Not sure what you requested with your dining reservation (shared or just your family) -- a family of 3 might be given a table for 4 which allows for one extra chair but not two. Best of luck...
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16 hours ago, Code on the Boat said:
Hello,
I am new to the cruise. I am looking to get some OBC or rebate.
Not like hotels and airline booking where prices can be compared online easily, cruise booking requires to have a call with travel agent.
Is it normal to contact multiple travel agents and choose the best one and not respond to others?
Concur with @Allen2 , but I wouldn't emphasize OBC. Instead, I would be selective in picking a cruise that is fairly priced. As Matt and others have discussed, this involves looking farther out when schedules are first announced, considering older ships, and considering less expensive ports. When you have a good/fair price for your cruise, an extra $50 here or there really doesn't make a difference. But by purchasing the cruise with a credit card, you end up getting points of some sort that can be redeemed for OBC or cash, depending upon your bank. I use Royal's Visa through BofA but other passengers have found great deals with the cards they use.
I have no problem comparing cruise prices (across carriers) online before I talk to my agent. Just make sure you are making apples to apples comparison (is the fare before or after taxes and port fees, for example?).
A good agent can help with many complications. Knowing where your hotel is located the night before your cruise is important, and a knowledgeable agent can set you straight on that. We always use an agent.
Whatever you choose, have a great cruise.
- Allen2, Neesa and Code on the Boat
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1 hour ago, DavidTX said:
Is it possible to upload your security photo during e-check in? I was told it is possible but unable to find process. I will be leaving 26 Jan 2020.
When we checked in online from a computer, there was an option to upload a photo, which we didn't do. On other threads passengers have reported they must sometimes retake the photo at the port.
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44 minutes ago, KBugNC said:
Has anyone been at Coco Cay with only one ship docked?
I was there with two ships, Mariner and Navigator, and it was not too bad. I can imagine 3-4 ships would be awful.
When I booked that cruise, the Mariner and Navigator were leaving different ports and had opposite schedules according to the itinerary. One was going to Coco Cay first and Nassau second. The other ship was Nassau first and Coco Cay second. It turned out that both ships were in Coco Cay and Nassau on the same days.
I see lots of days on the Coco Cay schedule with only one ship but with my past experience, I'm not convinced that it can happen.
Can anyone confirm if this unicorn exists? Thanks!
As others have said, we were there twice in 2019 with only one ship docked.
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4 hours ago, FrostyMom said:
Hi - we just booked the 7 day cruise out of Puerto Rico leaving 12-20-2020, Freedom of the Seas. Traveling will be myself, my husband and our 2 kids who will be 14 and 12 at the time. Any tips, tricks or thing recommend we do (or avoid) for this trip. We plan to fly down the day before and add a few days after so anything for Puerto Rico would also be great to hear.
We have not cruised Royal Caribbean in 15 years and took the kids on a Disney cruise years ago (when they were 4 and 6) so this will all be pretty new to them.
Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions.
I am not sure how the earthquake recovery is going in Puerto Rico, but we have enjoyed checking out the fort in San Juan, walking through the shopping area, and trying local food.
As a teen, my son enjoyed Royal's teen groups on the ship. I'd recommend you have a plan for communicating with each other on the shop -- like notes in the room, designated meeting times for meals, etc.
Getting familiar with the ship is easy to do on line -- check out the deck plans.
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/freedom-of-the-seas/deck-plans/1860/02
When you settle on excursions for any destinations, remember to book online in advance to get a better price.
Have a great cruise!
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7 hours ago, steverk said:
Does anyone have experience in non-Caribbean ports, such as Australia or New Zealand?
We cruised NZ and Australia in Jan 2018. While some port gift shops accepted multiple currencies, we used local currency. We re-supplied at ATMs, taking out our money in local $. Also, you'll want local currency for cab drivers, etc.
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4 minutes ago, ajmp5 said:
What is everyone's ideology regarding carrying foreign currency for excursion tips and or market purchases? I'll be going on Western Caribbean cruise and want to know if I should carry Pesos or not.
Thanks again!
Concur with others, but note that when you are the restricted port shopping, some stores give a better price in pesos, others in dollars. Example: The peso on our recent trip was about 19/US $1 but one store converted at 15 per dollar. Also, when buying coffee at a port Starbucks with US, use the smallest bills you have -- they may not be able to break a $20 bill.
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41 minutes ago, Panda said:
First time going on a cruise, along with the our first trip going to Europe. We are looking to come in a day or two prior to our cruise, to Spain, but when working with my travel agent they only provide the nightly rate through RCL. The Nightly rates are $100+ more than if we booked online. Is it better to book to RCL or just book on our own? If we book a cruise transfers, do they pick you up at your hotel, or do you need to meet in a central location?
The time we had a pre-cruise package, which included transfers, the shuttle driver picked us up at the hotel. I'd double check with Royal to be safe. Because transfer tickets from Royal are typically per person, it is sometimes cheaper/same cost to book with Royal (with the transfers included) rather than finding a hotel on your own (and then paying extra per person). That said, you have a better selection when you book on your own. There have been comments on other threads about Barcelona, for example -- places to stay that are economical or convenient.
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4 hours ago, HAPPY SAILS said:
Hi cruisers.
Will there no longer be any Sailings from Galveston to Cococay after this year?
PS. This is the link for the Jan 2021 cruise to Coco Cay/Bahamas from Galveston.
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4 hours ago, HAPPY SAILS said:
Hi cruisers.
Will there no longer be any Sailings from Galveston to Cococay after this year?
There is a 9 night cruise to augment 7 night cruises. It is Western Caribbean, Jan 2021
I see for Eastern Caribbean (going to Coco Cay) the 7 night.
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On 1/9/2020 at 4:20 PM, l9dance said:
I am going on Navigator of the Seas next week and debating what to do in Nassau. Suggestions on what to do on land or on board are appreciated! We have been to Atlantis once before and nothing else on land looks appealing but I am open to ideas!
Concur with @Jill that the port needs something. Beware of high winds -- that would motivate me to stay on the ship. Also, if you snorkel, avoid the cheap excursions that overload the small boats. We found it difficult to enjoy because of the crowd in the water. Have a great trip!
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16 hours ago, Thecatlady said:
We are going on our first cruise, Oasis of the Seas, in the fall. Anything in particular to do regarding romance on the ship? Hacks? Restaurants?
We find dancing as well as dressing up for dinner very romantic. One does need to search for the best venues for the preferred style of dancing (we prefer ballroom).
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16 hours ago, Thecatlady said:
We will be on Oasis in the fall, any romantic things to do? Restaurants? Hacks?
We found Central Park concerts in the late afternoon or evening romantic -- if you arrive early and snag a drink, it is like a private performance.
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15 hours ago, Cam044 said:
We just got back from a holiday cruise on Explorer (which was awesome), and we wanted to book the same cruise next year, but unfortunately it leaves on a day I can’t get off work. As we are looking for an 8-12 day cruise and my departure days are very limited, I’m not left with a pile of options. One itinerary that came up for me was an 11 night from Ft. Lauderdale on Vision of the Seas. After looking up this boat I’m a little underwhelmed and wondering if I might end up disappointed. Two others are on either the Empress or Enchantment. I’m looking for anyone who has any sort of input positive or negative. I loved the size of the Explorer. Not too big, but not so small either. The entertainment was a little lacklustre, but not terrible. I will be travelling with two older teens as well.
At Royal's site for Vision, there is a video that explains a little about the ship. You might want to check it out or explore the deck plans.
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/vision-of-the-seas
Whatever you choose, have a great cruise.
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27 minutes ago, Don Hudspeth said:
Is there a facility on board that can break larger bills? Need tip money.... etc. Allure of the Seas. TIA
I've always done what @Psycho and Barb describe. Have a great cruise!
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On 1/9/2020 at 11:10 AM, Louise Metcalfe said: hi I'm due to holiday on jewel of the seas on Monday (13th January 2020) we are a little apprehensive about the cruise as it's Dubai.....
Just wondering your views, safe to go etc......
Ta.
Whenever you travel overseas, you'll want to be vigilant and practice safe travel practices. Your odds of getting pick-pocketed would be higher in Barcelona or Rome because you'd take those places for granted. I think you'll have a great trip as long as you are aware of your surroundings, use the safe on the ship, keep valuables hidden and secure, etc.
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52 minutes ago, stallings06 said:
Hey guys! We are getting ready to hit BOOK on our first Royal Caribbean cruise. We are flying in from Virginia to Fort Lauderdale and the ship is leaving from Miami. Airfare is half as much to land in Ft Lauderdale and Uber to the Miami port (45 mins). Our flight lands in Ft Lauderdale at 0951, so assuming all runs on time and we grab the Uber without issue and no traffic, we should be to Miami around 11am. Is this okay? Are we leaving too much to chance?
THANKS!
Just make sure you have trip insurance (e.g., in case of a travel delay). We successfully flew to and cruised from Europe twice while arriving on the same day as the departure. But we carried insurance, and I had a list of alternative routes in case we were delayed en route.
That said, I would normally follow the lead of others and travel a day early. We do this now since we drive. Have a great trip!
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11 hours ago, SteveinSC said:
Just wondering if anyone had a pre-cruise list of things to do, things to be aware of, things to take note of, once youre inside 90 days? Im at 87!!!
We consider our packing requirements, e.g., new shoes or clothes. The idea is to buy on sale in the last 90 days....
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16 hours ago, Babs said:
We are leaving Saturday on Empress. My husband said he read they don’t do formal nights on this ship. Can anyone verify?
PS. I just took a quick peek at a compass and didn't see anything stated. If you plan on smart casual for dinner, you should be fine.
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16 hours ago, Babs said:
We are leaving Saturday on Empress. My husband said he read they don’t do formal nights on this ship. Can anyone verify?
Check a recent cruise compass (link at the top of the browser) and you'll what recommended attire would be, or wait for a reply from a recent traveler.
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1 hour ago, FatimaS said:
First let me say, I enjoyed all the shows. The entertainers were amazingly talented. The actor who plays Kenickie in Grease is phenomenal. But I found some parts tasteless. The choreography on Grease and Columbus seemed to say, "Hey everybody, we have crotches!" An example: In Grease Rizzo grinds an album to her crotch while she lies on her back, legs spread. The look on my teens' faces was shock. In Columbus the men literally have an exaggerated pouch in front. Why? I guess to be funny? The obsession with this area was cheap and vulgar.
The Ice Skating Show was again populated with great talent. But why did they feel the need to have two male skaters dress as and parody women? The plot was overall thin and there was no reason, that I could see, for this. Would black face be funny too?
The comic water show (not The Fine Line, the other one) was the perfect opportunity to parody all the "serious" shows. The serious shows have little to no story, even Grease (the take away is, if you can't get your man being you, change). But, alas, the comic show was boring, although again incredible talent is on display. Years ago there was a show at Sea World called "Relieve" which was a parody of the show, "Believe." It was hilarious, because for all the pretension about the big shows, really the plot is usually sparse at best, and delivers a bad message at worst. So, a little honest self-reflection and parody of these shows would go far for RC.
The two comedians were funny, although both were funnier when they did the "family" show which just proved that every other word doesn't have to be an F-bomb. The second gentleman who joked about cruising was funnier, probably because he was poking fun at things we were all experiencing.
The headliner was the best show. It was a band out of Tennessee, I believe, and the lead singer poked fun at famous singers while crooning their songs. The guitar player and violin player were great. It was fun and entertaining, without being crass.
On the whole, I agree the shows are a little odd, but I find myself admiring the singing, the skating, and the incredible maneuvers the ship in Columbus makes. I didn't worry much about anything else. I actually prefer the production shows on smaller ships. That said, the cast often performs their songs in more intimate settings, such as Central Park or the Jazz lounge. So one could actually skip the scheduled shows and listen to the performers in other venues, most of which we found fantastic. But I agree with you, I was not fond of the show plots.
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2 hours ago, eugenchivu said:
This is very strange.
I am trying to book a cruise in the Carribean in August.
The price per person is much lower if I check 2 persons as opposed to 2 persons and a 1 year old baby. for example for 2 persons something like 17xx usd for each to which the 2nd guest discount is applied. If I check for three it starts from 28xx pe person and adds the discount. So basically for 2 it would be 23xx usd and for 3 it would be 43xx, despite the third guest being a baby.
The staterooms are all 182 sqf in both simulations...
What is going on? How can I book this at the same rates as for 2...it's almost double if I add an 1 year old!
Look at the ending price after all adjustments. Normally, you end up paying for food for your child. It does depend on itineraries. Med cruises aren't discounted much for 3rd or 4th person.
Diamond Event on Majesty
in Royal Caribbean News and Rumors
Posted
I hear you, but I've got to note that we found service in the Harmony Diamond Lounge very slow last year on two cruises -- even though we arrived early to snag a small table. We've also found that we don't need appetizers since there is plenty of food at dinner. Soooo, while a lounge can be peaceful, I have noted it is faster getting a drink at bar using the Seapass voucher, and I won't be violating the rule on taking items out of the Diamond Lounge (seldom enforced, but still posted on our last cruise).
For me, the best part of having the Diamond Lounge is getting an espresso in the morning....and maybe one of those apple danishes. Have a great cruise!