Mrs. Thomas

I believe the cost is now $10

We're the same. If we do eat out, it's cheap fast food that's average at best. We end up enjoying the food because it's different than our norm. Personally, I like not having to do the dishes. LOL

Is there anywhere that has the prices for the specialty restaurants listed? I'm trying to figure out if I want to take my daughter to one and if we can afford it on our SOS trip.

If you felt hungry on Allure, cruising on RC may not be for you.

Yes, when I said "free" I meant that I don't have to pay for it when my cruise is over. (girl math lol) If I decided that I actually want my pina colada a little stronger I can just mix in a shot and save a few dollars. 🙂 Thank you to everyone for your advice!

We are leaving the day you get back 3-2-25. 😃 It's a surprise sweet 16 birthday present for our daughter. She will know a few weeks ahead of time, but our son won't know until we get to port. Neither have never cruised before, nor have my parents who are joining us. I'm so excited as I haven't been on a ship since my honeymoon in 2013! I hope you have a great time!

We are leaving the day you get back 3-2-25. 😃 It's a surprise sweet 16 birthday present for our daughter. She will know a few weeks ahead of time, but our son won't know until we get to port. Neither have never cruised before, nor have my parents who are joining us. I'm so excited as I haven't been on a ship since my honeymoon in 2013! I hope you have a great time!

Yes, when I said "free" I meant that I don't have to pay for it when my cruise is over. (girl math lol) If I decided that I actually want my pina colada a little stronger I can just mix in a shot and save a few dollars. 🙂 Thank you to everyone for your advice!

They don't have to get anything. Only when someone purchases the DBP does everyone in the cabin have to at least get the refreshment package.

Nope, that rule only applies when someone purchases the deluxe beverage package (includes alcohol).

My oldest is also an introvert and the best success we had on a cruise is when we connected with others around the same age on roll calls ahead of time. There were a few of us parents worried about our teens having fun because we didn't have the kind of kid who would just show up to a teen event and jump in. We discovered some common interests, and then met up before the actual teen meet up, and walked all together to register them for the program. We (the parents) had a WhatsApp chat going, and the teens ended up hanging out together a lot on that sailing - sometimes going to a teen event or other times just meeting up for one of the shows, or some pizza, or whatever. One family even decided to go with us to our Costa Maya excursion while they were on the ship.

@USCG Teacher That would be fun either way. I'm really just trying to think of things that my 14yr old might be interested in doing. She can be a little bit of an introvert, unlike her mother. LOL

You can still see her on the live camera for Port Miami. She's a big girl! (I can relate lol) I won't be able to sail on her for awhile, but sailing on an Icon class ship just got put on my bucket list! Happy Sailing to everyone who is getting to go!

You can still see her on the live camera for Port Miami. She's a big girl! (I can relate lol) I won't be able to sail on her for awhile, but sailing on an Icon class ship just got put on my bucket list! Happy Sailing to everyone who is getting to go!

@need2cruz I don't have a passport, though I'm seriously thinking about getting one. However, I'm taking the marriage certificate to show that my maiden name is the same as what is on my daughter's birth certificate. I would rather have too many documents than not enough. No big deal for me. I'm truly looking forward to FINALLY getting to cruise again!

UPDATE: I called RC and they said that I will be just fine with the documentation that I have. This saves me a few thousand dollars on a lawyer and going to court. Thank you to everyone for your input. It helps to know that there is one less thing I have to pay for to get ready for this. Life keeps moving and there are always bills, but sometimes you have to make a few sacrifices to enjoy the limited time we all have on this earth to spend it with those we love. Safe travels everyone!

@need2cruz I don't have a passport, though I'm seriously thinking about getting one. However, I'm taking the marriage certificate to show that my maiden name is the same as what is on my daughter's birth certificate. I would rather have too many documents than not enough. No big deal for me. I'm truly looking forward to FINALLY getting to cruise again!

UPDATE: I called RC and they said that I will be just fine with the documentation that I have. This saves me a few thousand dollars on a lawyer and going to court. Thank you to everyone for your input. It helps to know that there is one less thing I have to pay for to get ready for this. Life keeps moving and there are always bills, but sometimes you have to make a few sacrifices to enjoy the limited time we all have on this earth to spend it with those we love. Safe travels everyone!

@Atlantix2000 I talked to my TA and she is double checking with RC. I will be taking my own BC as well as my daughters and my marriage certificate. It will show that she is my daughter. I'm still looking into other avenues as we have a little over a year before we leave. If she were to get a passport, it would prove that there isn't a problem due to custody because you have to have the other parent's permission before a minor child can get one. However, I don't know his whereabouts so that isn't a thing I can do.

@Xaa I will definitely look into it as I want to go to some places in the future that I need one. Once she turns 16 I hope to get her one so we can travel together.
@WAAAYTOOO The custody issue, to be completely transparent, is that there isn't a set custody determination. We never went to court for it because he has had zero contact since she was 2. I don't even know where he is or how to contact him. This makes it impossible to get the proper documents signed. I've looked into getting full custody but it's more money than I have right now.
@PL8SWPR My plan is to take both her birth certificate and my marriage license. I will be double checking all of this with my TA too. 

@OCSC Mike Thank you so much! This is to be a surprise birthday trip for our daughter and, due to custody issues, I am unable to get her a passport. Her last name is different than mine so I'll have to take her BC. Will I need my marriage certificate too since my name on the BC was my maiden name?

I am planning a family cruise that will take us to St. Maarten. Do you need a passport to get off the ship there? I went 10 years ago and we didn't need one, but everywhere I look it says I do. Have things changed? TIA

I'm eligible for either a senior discount or a military veteran discount. One or the other discount used to pop up occasionally last year ... not this year.   It is sad because the military discounts used to be substantial.
I still look for opportunities to reprice a cruise but those opportunities are few and far between too.   I don't recall seeing any discounts this year except for C&A discounts.  Price increases are mostly what I see.  I'm glad I booked my remaining cruises last year.

I have had luck here and there with the Senior discount…but most of the time now Royal will give you either that or the CAS discount for my current level of Platinum when I book a Balcony.  I will be Emerald after my November cruise but I think the discount remains the same.  Now…the couple we cruise with got an unbelievable discount for our November cruise because he is a fireman!  
At any rate…discounts are what they are and often change from sale to sale!

Unfortunately, the military discount is almost non-existent.  Every blue moon you will see a fare that permits a military discount but it's really, really rare.  I would not expect to see any kind of military discount and then be extremely happy if one shows up.
As for the senior discount, if your parents have no Crown & Anchor status then a senior discount might apply.  I wouldn't look for it to be much but since I haven't qualified for a senior discount - maybe ever (I'm certainly old enough but never seem to see a senior discount apply 😪) I'm not sure how much it would likely be.  Not much, I'm guessing...