Lexster

As Matt would say: it depends. Like you said, you'll be off for a couple days there for port days. It depends on how much you think you'll all drink on the ship. I got the package for my upcoming cruise because I didn't want to have to worry about how much I drank. I drink a ton of soda and since smoothies, mocktails, and fancy coffees are included, I know I'll be drinking a lof of those, too. If your family aren't big drinkers, then you might be better off ordering al a carte. From what I've seen, a soda is around the $4 mark. Smoothies are $8.25 according to the RC sample menu.

Honestly have been quarantining for two weeks. I work from home, so not really a huge change, but after having to wait two years for this cruise, I'm NOT taking a chance that I'll catch something right before.

On 4/25/2022 at 4:26 PM, FoxboroCruiser said:

We just sailed from Bayonne/Port Liberty and the experience was awesome.  Dropping the bags off with a porter, parking in the garage, boarding that whole process was fluid.  We never waited, never stood on line. After parking, we were on the ship in less than 15 minutes. 

Debarkation was almost as good. Slight delay getting the car over to the baggage pick up, may be 10 mins tops. It exceeded all expectations.

I'll be there this coming Sunday! Glad to hear this!

12 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Not really as travel is a leisure expense, so not having free testing for cruises/travel isn't up to the government. Those free testing perks were for people who needed to be tested to go back to work. 

It's not about it being free. It's $150 for 6 tests and these tests have the potential to be damaged or duds, which means using another. If you've got a family of 4, then you almost need to spend $300 to make sure you have enough. All I'm saying is they need to push the testing out. Many pharmacies are not doing rapid testing anymore which means you risk not having your results back in time if you do the lab test. If they'd let you get tested even 4 days out, that would give time for results to get back most of the time.

If this is the case, Royal Caribbean and the CDC are going to have to seriously reconsider the testing procedures. If people can't get tested two days before at any pharmacy, then the only option is the eMed tests which are pretty expensive and not full reimbursed by most insurance.

1 hour ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

I too am cruising Europe/Scandinavia in a couple months, and have similar questions. 
One big thing I’m wondering: there seems to be a lot of concern about iPhone vs tablets, etc. So, is it possible to have one person hold the phone as “cameraman” while the other person does the test?  Then switch roles for the next test?

You could, but the camera has to be on the test for the entire testing period, including the 15 minutes of wait time after you take the test. I don't think you'll be wanting to hold it in place that whole time.

The SetSail card opens the door. Some ships have the option of using your phone to unlock it as well through the Royal Caribbean app.

15 minutes ago, RiveraCruise said:

There is a scam in St. Maarten that I want everyone to know about... first a short background story.

We are a family of 4... with a teenage girl and a teenage boy.

We have been to St. Maarten in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2022.  Each year we have hired a local named Leo Brown to be our driver / tour guide. In the five years we have known Leo Brown he has become more of a family member than just a friend.

Every year, we end up at Maho beach to watch the planes land at the airport (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you haven't been to Maho beach).  Likewise, every year we end up having lunch at SUNSET BAR & RESTAURANT at the end of the beach.  This year (April 2022) my son was interested in getting his hair (about 7 inches long) braided by beach vendors.  These vendors are NOT associated with the restaurant and there is a sign stating this.  I followed my son towards the beach where a Jamaican lady asks us if we would like his hair braided.  My son says "yes", and we proceed to a chair where he sits down and, once he is looked at by the lady, I ask her "How much will it cost?"  Her answer is "Seventy ($70) dollars for the top and additional for the bottom".  I reply with "OK, let's start with the top and I will let you know about the bottom when the top is done."  She starts braiding.  Two... yes, you read that correctly... TWO hours later she finishes the top and asked me if she should continue to do the bottom.  Because of time, I said, "No.  We are good."  I follow it with, "How much to I owe you?"  She says, "Fifty-nine braids at five dollars a braid is THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS."  Again, you read that correctly... THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I reply with "you said it would be $70!!!"  She repeats her $300 statement.  I stand up and walk to the restaurant to get my two nuclear bombs... my wife and Leo Brown.  I get to the table and tell them that the lady wants to charge me $300 for something she said would cost $70 (which is still too much but something I had agreed to).  Before I am done telling them, Leo Brown, followed by my wife, are heading to the beach.  As Leo Brown is asking the lady how she is capable of scamming us, my wife is telling her to take ALL the braids out.  The lady replies with, "OK, I will just taker the $70."  My wife replies with, "You either take them all out or I will... but you're not getting a penny from us."  Mama Bear and Leo Brown were phenomenal.  Other than our time spent sitting on the beach getting my son's hair braided, we lost nothing.  After another 30 minutes, the lady finally finished removing all the braids and walked away saying, "Have a nice day. Enjoy my 70 dollars."   My reply was, "We will.  And I will give an extra $70 to Leo Brown."

In the five years we have known Leo Brown, we have never seen him this upset.  He was upset because he is a proud local from Sint Maarten and does not want any tourist (the number ONE revenue source for the island) to get scammed by anyone... locals or non-locals.

I am sure the lady said it would be $300 because this scam has worked before. 

Tourists beware. My advice is not to get your hair braided at Maho beach.  However, if you want to, please make sure you have the INITAL conversation when the lady tells you the price ON VIDEO.  This way, when she changes the price at the end (and she will), you can show them the video of your agreement.

Best of luck with your future trip.

 

I have longish hair and thought about doing a braid, but now I'll definitely have to reconsider.

Just wondering how important the check-in photo is. My husband got his hair color changed yesterday. Anyone know how important it is for the check-in photo to match current appearance?

17 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Don't forget. You can buy drinks as you go without a package.

Right, I think it's easy to think you need a package. If you only have a couple drinks per day, it's way cheaper to just calculate a budget per day and stick with it.

I'm not a drinker and I got the refreshment package, but yeah drinking 11 drinks every single day for 12 days straight just to break even is insane to me.

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Welcome to the message boards.

You cannot buy your way into the Diamond Lounge. It doesn't work that you could use someone else's card.

Love how much patience Matt has in every situation.

7 minutes ago, 1st Mate said:

No, I didn't say that I expect anything!  I presented a scenario and opinion.  I also said that I don't care either way.  

I know you didn't. I'm giving my opinion in return

2 hours ago, mrcrab2022 said:

Well then, don't give me a final invoice and add extra charges to my credit card days afterwards. 

Getting an invoice doesn't mean they won't put further charges. It's just telling you what the final bill will ultimately be. They may simply not have gone through yet before you got off the ship. If you look at the invoice and see extra charges that aren't there on the invoice, then by all means contact Royal.

39 minutes ago, CGTLH said:

For PRIME you have to earn 2500 points, SIGNATURE 25,000 points, and MASTERS 100,000 points in a year (April 1 to March 31). Similar to Frequent Flyer programs once you hit the earned points you'll gain status for the rest of the current and the next year.

1 point = $5 in slot machine play or $10 video poker play.

Tables games: how long you play, average wager, and table game. However, I'm sure a Ouija board is used somewhere in the point calculation process. 

Holy crap! That's a LOT of money just to get a free cruise. You could just use that money to get multiple cruises. And on top of that, it only lasts for a year or two?!

15 hours ago, MikeK said:

I totally agree but that's part of the problem.  My last cruise out of Port Canaveral,  we arrived on time and there were about 6 lines out side in the covered area by the doors that your enter to go through security check.  These lines were checking for correct paperwork, vaccine cards , covid tests etc. even though when you get in for the real check in you will have to show it again. There was a large family in from of me that finally made it to the check in and lo and behold they then started dragging out their paperwork.  They were looking in purses, backpacks, carry-ons for the paperwork.   It took at least 30 minutes for them to do something simple. Wouldn't you think they might have had that ready way ahead of time.  Like days before.  It was a major cluster watching them scream at each other.  Not trying to say we are perfect but we have all that stuff paperclipped together ready to go well in advance.  If anything they should have been looking for it while waiting in line.  It was comical and frustrating at the same time.

It's like the people who are waiting in line at a fast food place and only start looking at the menu once they reach the cashier. Why are people like this?

16 hours ago, 1st Mate said:

While I don't care, much, either way, I'll survive, I hope, I do see issues with the enforced check in times.  Here's why:

I would venture to say that a very large % of us fly in either the night before or the day before embarkation.  My point, we have to rely on someone/thing else to get us to the port on time, not early, not late.  We are relying on an entity that we can not control.  I call that "stress +".   If you show up early, you are stuck in front of the terminal like a homeless person with, at least your carry-on(s).  Arrive too late and you are left to the whim of someone/thing else, again out in front of the terminal like a homeless person.  Pre-COVID, you just showed up and went with the flow.  In fact, pre-COVID, I don't remember having a chick-in time.  If there was, I didn't pay any attention to it.  For me, and I'm sure many other elderly folks, getting to the airport, possibly parking, checking in at the airport, flying, getting your luggage at the destination airport, transferring to hotel, hoteling, transferring to the port (hoping the vehicle shows up on time), and boarding is already a stressful process.  But, worth it.  Adding a hardcore embarkation time where there wasn't one before is just an unnecessary (opinion)  added step to an already stressful process.  

On the other hand, IF ALL GOES WELL, and you show up during your check-in time window, it's smooth sailing <every pun intended>.  

But, like I said, I'm good either way.  

I do think it would be nice that if RC is going to enforce times from now on, that they have an indoor waiting area at least, but I still would prefer it this way. If you get there early, then...yeah, waiting is the next step and I'm okay with that. I would expect to wait if it were me. If you get there late, then I think there should be some sort of "late arrival" line where you can sort of get priority through the boarding process.

Must be a recent change. My sailing is May 8th. When my 45 days hit, I was able to pick a time. I'm going on the Oasis of the Seas.

I hope it stays this way. I never experienced the previous way, but I like having a time I know to be there and not having to arrive to see a sea of people ahead of me. Shorter, more manageable lines, seems to make way more sense. If someone wants an earlier check-in, then they can check-in early like I did.

1 hour ago, Cmorg86 said:

When does check-in time begin? We are about to hit the 45-day mark this Friday, 04/22/22, and I was wondering will it allow me to check-in at 12:01 AM Eastern, or is it just some random time during the day?

Mine hit at exactly 45 days and the app let me check-in at about 12:05 AM. It could probably fluctuate by a few minutes, but pretty sure it's usually available after midnight.

I have a two night dining package and it says there's a $10 surcharge for hibachi. Is that per person or just an extra $10 overall? The planner site isn't super clear.

13 hours ago, wordell1 said:

My son would rather be doing things with his friends rather than eat with us, but our rule on a cruise is that he has to eat dinner with us.  

"You'll eat with us and you'll like it!"

10 hours ago, Andy &amp; Sheryl Unwin said:

We usually have first breakfast of coffee and danish delivered to the cabin at about 0700.  We enjoy it on the balcony then scrub up and change for second breakfast in the MDR.

about an hour later, will find us in the Windjammer for a small snack and coffee.

We did this on Freedom in September, so yes the MDR is open for breakfast.  Very good it is too.

 

I am definitely not usually a breakfast person, but I'm totally going to do this. Looking forward to breakfast, second breakfast!

On 4/16/2022 at 2:06 PM, Micheleyd said:

Hello all!

I noticed that a $100 OBC showed up on my account yesterday. I just booked during the kids sail free sale with a $400 credit I had from March of 2020 due to Covid. I wondered what the credit would be for? Not that I am complaining about free money lol! 

I had that happen with my previous booking (before the pandemic hit and I had to rebook). For some reason a random $50 OBC showed up. I'm pre-Gold, so I don't get any C&A benefits. No idea where it came from and never even got to use it.

4 hours ago, anxiouscruiser said:

dumb question but is the STRAWBERRIES WITH BRUT CHAMPAGNE ST MICHELLE

a whole bottle or just two glasses. thanks. 

For the price, it BETTER be a bottle, but the listing isn't super clear.