monctonguy

Check every other site. Don't even bother with Royal's they always have the highest prices. No matter what "sale" is on.

I just saved $900 for the EXACT same cruise by not booking or using Royal's pricing. Its crazy.

I don't ever pay attention to their constant  marketing ploys....

Now if only I could find a site that had better drink package  prices than Royals...lol

There isn't much in Saint John, NB...(St.John's is in Newfoundland)

I live about an hour away form there..besides the Reversing Falls, there isn't much to see or do. If you can go down to St. Andrews, there you will get some great fishing and whale watching tours etc.

Halifax is a great city to explore on foot..LOTS to see and do right around the pier area and Peggy's Cove is a must. Is it a tourist trap? Sure, but the views and scenery is denf worth it if your coming this way!

Just booked an amazing deal on this to celebrate our honeymoon!! We are getting married on Freedom of the Seas and then flying to San Juan the next day to enjoy this amazing cruise and ports for our honeymoon.

Anyone else joining us or have this booked already?!

Group is up to about 15 now and growing.....should be fun!!!

We are in...getting married on that cruise!!

Have  small group of 10 or so  so far coming with us!

We may do a back to back on this to make it a week long, but haven't booked the March1-3 yet.

I didn't see them anywhere when I was on Brilliance last month.

They didn't hand out the cups either to use the machines.

i think there are some wrong assumptions and info out there. Or perhaps it was diffetnet in the 80's and 90's.

Nowdays, You are inadmissible to the USA if you steal chocolate bar....and for some crimes, even if you are not found guilty, just the charge of the crime can be enough to ban you from the USA.

I have not heard that you get a free pass on a DUI..its a criminal code conviction here in Canada...pretty sure that makes you inadmissible to go to alot of places..

I don't think their are any or many hotels in that price range in Miami. I have stayed there before a few cruises in the past, and am currently looking for hotels in Feb of Next year. right now, the average would be over $200USD.

The Best Western is not near the airport or the cruise port, so not sure why you listed that as an option.

The Ramada one is nice.  rooms are fairly large, and Tom's restaurant and bar attached is nice. And there are a few places within walking distance as well which is nice. (mcdonalds, dennys etc) But again, never stayed for the prices you are looking for. Breakfast was pretty good too if I remember correctly...pre-covid of course.

Good luck!

Its the same both ways for the most part.

Its always funny how much Americans don't know about Canadian laws and rules(or history or politics or tv shows or the list goes on..lol). They aren't much different than the USA. In a lot of cases I would say even more lenient.

But, its like its a big deal/surprise that if you try to enter Canada with a DUI there might be a issue.....ummm, pretty sure its the same exact thing for Canadians going to the USA.

Not to rub salt in the wound...but i getter better offers from Celebrity's casino program..and I have only take ONE 3 day cruise with them and maybe gambled...$200.00.

I think this maybe another example of Royal not caring or not having to care as they are selling out at high prices without having to offer freebies and incentives??!

I am not sure it would be worth travelling hours to another airport to use a particular airline?!

It defn would cost more to do that, so there would be no savings. Plus the extra time required.  In all likelihood there would be an overnight  stay probably required as well.

Transportation is going to be more expensive than in the US, more limited and defn not as convenient as you maybe used to when travelling in and out of the USA. 

On 2/8/2023 at 11:22 AM, Xaa said:

 My guess is they will try to stick you for the whole thing.  Hope it works out sir.

No a la carte options.  And the fees listed for each package really aren't representative of the actual cost at all.

Thanks!

I am guessing they might as well. it will be their loss as we wont purchase anything through them if that's the case. Be cheaper to pay for and bring my own photographer and  wedding officiant.

I will post an update here once I hear back from someone.

Thanks..great overview!!

I guess I have to wait up to 3 days to hear back form Royals wedding planner department....to confirm if there is a la carte pricing as we don't want/need all they offer in their packages....

It is not..in North America....not sure where you are cruising from.

Does anyone know if you can pick things a la carte?..For example, just the officiant and the photographer.

Also, wondering if Freedom still has the wedding chapel...looks like it on the deck plans but i thought they had gotten rid of those?

That's crazy..I wouldn't take that chance..even if the flight was free!!!

Arriving at the airport at 6:25pm.....if the flight is on time.....disembark....get luggage......get shuttle/ride to the port...its probably 8pm..then you have to go through security.then check in..then get on board.....

I wouldn't try that in a million years..

I don't know why you would check in later? You pay for the first day and you don't get a full day as is so.

Its going to be busy anywhere and evrerywhere...my experience is the longer wait the busier it will be by the time you get on. The bars, pools etc will all be packed so it will be even longer waits.

I am not sure how long the Muster drills are now, but keep in mind that everything is closed during that time as well.

So Brilliance would still be Seapass cards for everything then?

Its all a moot point....if we are arguing for TIPS, then use the official definition of it. And none of these threads do. Its  insane arguing  for something, but not even using the official meaning or definition of it. 

What the Cruise lines do is NOT tipping.

We all know its a game...cruise lines pay their staff lower wages and then charge customers mandatory tips to compensate...insane really.

Everyone who is encouraging and supporting the cruise industry to keep doing this are actually enabling them to keep wages low for the workers.

I have never seen people on such high or large soapboxes in my life, as I do when it comes to tipping in the cruise industry.

All those who feel so strongly about giving a tip to anyone and everyone on board to feel better or to justify the 'low" price of cruising, please feel free to contact guest services on each cruise so you can pay the staff what you think is a living wage. Please feel free to add a 4-500% tip if you like.

I hope you do the same when you shop at Walmart, or order from Amazon etc. Please take into consideration the origin of the product and the laws/customs in that country about tipping so as not to offend anyone to make sure everyone gets an adequate amount of compensation(whatever you think is the magic number of  course) so we can all do our part to top up everything we pay for...

Next time an item is on "sale" when your out shopping..perhaps you should offer to pay full price to make sure the company isn't doing this on the backs of their workers like the cruise industry, or offer to tip to bring up the cost of what you are paying..lol

It's madness...it really is.

Well you said that it was akin to leaving something for not so great service.....

I thought leaving a bad  or low tip in the service industry was akin to leaving nothing. It is not seen as an insult?

Perhaps its a cultural thing between Americans and Canadians?

What if the cruise I paid for was $299(and i have paid less than that before)....then does a $600 tip minimum make sense? So the tip is 200% of the cruise fare and it could be the worst cruise and service ever....but yup, pay up??!...lmao

Its assinine to call it a tip at $16/day for good or bad or no service. for a short cruise or long cruise. Whether you use everything or nothing on the ship etc...

Again..its a fee, not a tip. 

Therein lies the problem......

18 minutes ago, Wheeler825 said:

Aren't most flagged out of the bahamas and staffed mostly by people from low income caribbean nations?

BINGO!...

And why do they do that? Answer that question, and you will get the reason why they try to mask extra fees as "mandatory tips" on their ships!

14 minutes ago, ChessE4 said:

In a lot of states the minimum wage for servers may be reduced by the employer due to expected tips.  My state is one.  Times are changing, but actual compensation laws are far behind...

I am from Canada, doesn't work that way here. $35k is minimum salary for any worker pretty much in Canada..and free healthcare and benefits in most cases.

So perhaps cruise line should start basing their ships out of Canada and pay their staff living wages..problem solved I guess.

56 minutes ago, PL8SWPR said:

 

.  The $16 is akin to leaving just something for not so great service and as we all know, the vast majority of service people on a cruise ship are well above that level.

really....so you think that the $300 plus dollars we "leave" as a tip on week on a cruise is akin to leaving NOTHING??.....

($16USDx2x7 =$300CAD)

Plus we pay another $300 in drink tips or should I say fee.s

So $600 plus in "tips" that are mandatory and required before we leave an extra cent??!

43 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

I would rather they include it with the fare or call it a service fee, which is what it really is.

Having said that, right or wrong, it's how the crew are compensated. 

That's the problem. For some reason, cruisers seem like its their patriotic duty to take care of the laundry people on the cruise.  Or whatever hidden department they come up with when tips are discussed.

Perhaps we should start blaming the cruise lines for NOT paying their staff properly..imagine that??!!

And you think that its all fair and given to the person who washed your sheets?..lol. Or the random person who wiped your table in the windjammer? You have no idea who gets it and if they deserve it.

Plus..bottom line.......a  fee is not the same as a tip...ever.