Mrs. Thomas

Was there a virus outbreak situation when you sailed on those other cruise lines?  If not, it would be unfair to compare your previous cruising experiences with what is going on right now.  The situation is very fluid and the travel industry is being impacted negatively in a big way.  We’ve known Royal to take care of its customers' welfare but it might be overwhelmed by the challenges  of this virus at the moment. A little understanding goes a long way.

You can still check in, just select which form of ID you are using instead (passport card, certified birth certificate).

There Are Tons Of Life Vest On The Island. 

There are areas where they are available on cocoCay so they don't need to be taken of the ship.  The ship has them as well for use in the pools onboard.  

I think you really need to try each in order to decide what is best for you. I'm taking my first cruise in an inside cabin next month. We will see how it goes and how much I miss the balcony. 

This ^^^^^ And I can"t stress this enough.....this^^^^^^^^^
 
Of course, there isn't necessarily a right answer to this question, it is just a matter of preference. Some people are on the ship purely for relaxation and so the balcony makes sense. Myself, I cruise for the experiences. I've often said I don't even need a cabin just get me on the ship. I'll sleep on a deck chair and shower in the gym. (My wife disagrees with this philosophy).

The only concession I've made so far to anything but an inside room is thanks to this weekend's sale, the price dropped enough that I was able to switch to a non-refundable deposit for my holiday sailing on Grandeur and upgrade to an ocean-view stateroom. Did I need it? No...but the price is dead-even with what I owe for final payment for this particular cruise. Plus, I was able to get the ocean-view cabin directly across from the inside cabin I'll have on my May cruise on Grandeur. Hey, I'm easily entertained! ?

Hope you have a great time! I still have 179 days until I'm on SOS.

I am not one to just sit around in my room and watch TV or whatever, so 2 cruises with interior rooms is what I would do. There are always places on the ship that is pretty much quiet and you can just chill out. My room is for changing clothes, bathing, and sleeping. Personally, the balcony is a waste of money because I won't be staying in the room very often. It all comes down to what  you use your room for and if you are ok being in a smaller room. Also, some ships have a virtual balcony for not much more than a regular inside room. It has a real time view of outside.

There isn't a limit. Enjoy! 

On our recent Allure of the Seas Cruise, we had the refreshment package and ordered, and enjoyed, virgin strawberry daiquiris, pina coladas and lava flows. Yum!

This isn't included in the cruise fare, but rather a tip for included with the refreshment or deluxe beverage packages that not everyone knows about. One of my favorite things about the Oasis class ships is that the fresh fruit smoothies and juices at the Vitality Spa Cafe are included in the (non-soda) beverage packages. The only thing not included is if you want to add a shot of protein powder. So yummy and with WAY less sugar than those daiquiri syrup mixes. 

Same! We just had this snow here in NC and I'm wanting palm trees. I can't book but one cruise every few years and this will be the first time for my kids. The fact that it's a surprise for them is making it worse. My poor mom (who is going too) has to hear me talk about it all the time. 178 days to go.

I think I read on Royal's site that over 50% of folks cruising are celebrating something, wow! My cousin got a towel cake from our steward for his birthday, it was the first I'd seen that and thought it was coolest towel creation!

I celebrated my 50th birthday on freedom OTS back in May 2019.   We advised RCI of such during our booking .   nothing really happened..  oh well. still thought, it was my 1st cruise and I loved it.
 
On my next birthday cruise, I will buy a package and have the room decorated before I arrive... lol

i was on Symphony last year for my birthday. i decorated my door, our waiter (forgot... but my tablemates reminded him by singing to me) brought me cake and a line of singing waitstaff.. and our room steward made us TWO towel animals. a mom and a baby elephant!! they were so cute!

We had a birthday and an anniversary on harmony. Mdr sang birthday and an anniversary song (they were identical with a word changed out).
Room stewarts gave us a tiwel cake and decorated the room with a package one of our traveling mates bought.
 
Tell everyone everything lol

At the beginning  of the cruise  I mentioned my daughters  birthday to the head waiter. He told me to make sure to come to the MDR on that day. After dinner they brought  some dessert  over with a candle on it, and him and others  sang happy  birthday  to her. I also mentioned  it to my cabin attendant and when  we got back to the room  from one of our excursions, he had the front door  and  the room  decorated  with balloons and other things.

We were dining at Giovannis on the night we were celebrating my mom’s birthday (it was a week before her actual birthday, but I wanted to celebrate her on the vacation so I went with the one week before). I swung by the Giovanni’s hostess station a couple of days before to mention to them that we had a reservation and wanted to celebrate a birthday but wanted it to be a surprise. I tried to get them to have carrot cake which is my mom’s favorite cake. They said they weren’t sure if they could make that happen, but they would try their best. It turns out it wasn’t available, but our waitress wanted my mom to have something special so got her personal favorite dessert on the ship and brought over the passion fruit cake from 150 Central Park with a candle.  It was really sweet of them to bring something over from a whole other specialty restaurant. They really will try to go out of their way to make things special for you if you give them advance notice. 

Following...….we will be sailing on my birthday later this year and interested to see what transpires.   I was asked during booking if we would be in the MDR that night so maybe they will do something.   
 

If you tell your wait staff, they will put a candle in the dessert and sing happy birthday.  You can also have a cake delivered to your table by purchasing it at guest services (always double check with your waiter that they have it before your dinner).  Once again they will put a candle in it and sing.  
I would bring decorations as the ones that you can buy on the ship are overpriced.  I purchased a magnetic door personalized decoration on Etsy and put it on my son's door on his birthday.  If your MIL is up for it, you could buy her a personalized birthday shirt and have her wear it that day.  https://www.etsy.com/listing/611691301/cruise-shirts-ah-ship-its-my-birthday?ref=pla_similar_listing_top-3&frs=1
 

Our room steward knew that it was my husband's birthday and left him a huge towel cake complete with candle. It was pretty awesome.  I honestly don't remember if they did anything for him for dinner.

Somehow they knew it was my bday and they sang to me and gave me dessert.
You could always decorate the room with a little something. Go to the Dollar Store and get a few things.. and get magnetic clips- most of the room is metal ?

...and I'm okay with it.  ? 
My wife came home yesterday and said she was looking at short cruises for this fall (we are already booked for two weeks in 2021).  Tonight we emailed our TA to go on a 4-night on Navigator in November.

Up until this happened, I thought I was the cruise monster in the relationship.

 

I've been to St. Thomas and Puerto Rico a few times and never needed bug spray. In Puerto Rico we have walked around and did the forts, the Bacardi tour, a mall, and stayed once pre-cruise. In St. Thomas it's usually a beach day at either Magens Bay or Sapphire and ALWAYS end the day at Paradise Point. 
For a point of reference, during the summer months, the NY mosquito's love my sweet Irish blood.