Levi is good

I was kind of embarrasingly surprised how early they wanted us off the ship this past Sunday (it's been a while, I'd forgotten ) and how awfully long it took in the cab line for one that could take the four of us to the BCN airport. But we had a 1:20 flight and it wasn't as comfortably early as I'd hoped. The Key helped us disembark, but we lingered onboard first until probably 8:30, 8:45 thinking we had all this time. I'd get off earlier.

We have a situation where one of our cruise party is having a flareup of a fully non-contagious, non-life-threatening medical issue, that might be enough of an issue that we can't go. We will not know until 72 hours before our flight next week if he can go on the cruise. If he stays home, I do, too. We are insured. I was just wondering if anyone has had to cancel their cruise before without the whole Future Cruise Credit thing. I know we would not get a penny back from RC, but I'm wondering if there a way to do this anyone has found that puts us in the best position when it comes to insurance claims. Thank you. Hopefully this post won't be needed but being prepared makes me feel a little bit in control. The others in our party would still go.

Thank you Atlantix2000 and OCSC Mike, it's been a while since I've been on a ship, and first time with adult kids where them paying for their own things even factored into it all. I appreciate the help.

I tried to search this question online and on the board, can Discover card be used on the ships? I know you can pay for a cruise with it.

Thank you twangster. That makes sense.

As the official planner and irrational-over-worrier for my family unit, I'm concerned about any potential problem. Just looking for info so I can be an informed traveler, I guess I've never pondered it before. What if there is a medical issue in port, or something larger than can be dealt with on board? Do they know which hospitals to take people to? Do they get you to someone else who is, perhaps, a medical representative for that port? For a random example, in Naples. Is there a certain hospital to go to? To avoid? Does Royal help with translating or are we on our own? We are fully covered with excellent travel insurance including medical, and a pre-existing condition waiver as well. We also have medical insurance that will reimburse for problems we may have abroad, though we'd have to pay upfront and submit bills. We are all in good health. But what if out of the blue something happens that's serious? Life is unpredictable, and I would have ZERO idea where to go in any of my ports. Any information is appreciated, thank you. We are from the US, traveling to Spain/France/Italy.

Hello, we are on the same sailing as you and did buy the Key. If you are going to get it, the price isn't too bad right now. We got it for $24.99 and that's the lowest it's been, but right now it's at $26.99.

Thank you very much DoomSlayer and FloatyBoaty, that is helpful.

Thank you smokeybandit. The piece I'm really surprised by is "make no representation... regarding their suitability or safety." I have always assumed the excursions and activities booked through RC, whether online or at the excursions desk, had been vetted ahead of time by RC as safe and suitable. If they now say that's not the case, then literally the only benefit of going with RC excursions vs. independent operators would be to make sure they hold the ship if I'm late getting back. edit: This is evidently not new, thank you DoomSlayer.

I'm looking through it and I'm taken aback by the shore excursions language. If I'm reading it right, and I'm certainly not a lawyer... RCI holds zero financial or any other kind of liability if the tour operator doesn't deliver the excursion as described in any way. That we'd have to pursue the independent tour operator for reimbursement. That strikes me as very odd. Am I reading this correctly, and has it always been this way? Because if this is the case, Royal Caribbean needs to disclose the name of the independent tour operators with whom they are contracting, so we can do the research ourselves to have the proper information we need to make informed decisions. Again, perhaps this has always been the case and I'm totally misreading, but the update has the specific portion in bold lettering, so I'm thinking it's new. I do not understand how they can offer certain excursions on their website and then have legal culpability of zero if the tour operator just throws up their hands and says I don't feel like going today. Sitting at the doctor's office right now going through email, lol, I will cut and paste the applicable portion as soon as I can but it's in the email that went out.

Hi everyone, Purchased the Key for my upcoming cruise on Symphony 5/21/23. I have not heard a word from Royal except a receipt for purchase. I re-read the description they have online, and figured out that I needed to sign up for a boarding time and show times like I would without the Key, but it's odd to me they wouldn't have anything clarifying that. Granted we're a few weeks out, but should I be expecting Key-specific communications from RC? Thanks very much.

I am not sure this is in effect for sailings past April 30th, if that matters.

Thanks very much wordell1. I will have to think about that. I'm fine making sure I'm up to it physically but not sure everyone else is.

Hi everyone. Cruising with two young adult kids, I've booked a "Biking in Provence" tour for our Marseille, France stop off the Symphony in late May of this year. It is not e-bike, it's regular biking. My family knows how to ride bikes, but I need to find out exactly how rigorous and hilly this ride will be, so I'm asking around. Has anyone taken this excursion, or might know who to ask? I've tried cutting and pasting the tour description online to find out the tour operator's name, no luck. I've tried looking up similar tours and all I find are e-bike ones. The one thing I have NOT done is call customer service, and that's 100% on me, but I just feel like they're going to read me the website description and tell me it's rated "strenuous." Advice appreciated. Thank you. Edit to add actual website description:

I'm getting a message saying the offices are closed. Maybe they all gave up and went home. At the time I called should have been another 1.5 hours in the work day according to the web site.

Post titled as such because that's the question I asked my husband, to which he replied, "I don't think Rome went anywhere. It's been there a while." What I ACTUALLY meant, was, my cruise next May '23 is supposed to have a stop in Civitavecchia/Rome, but all the other locations have their shore excursions posted except that one. I am wondering if anyone's cruises in that neck of the woods for next year have their Rome excursions posted yet, by chance? I'm assuming they are still just figuring out what companies to subcontract with, etc... it's still a bit unnerving to see all the ports posted except that single one. I called customer service, they said it was still on the itinerary but they had no idea why it wouldn't be listed with excursions. I have been on cruises, but have never had this happen. Thanks!

Jeff you mentioned you aren't doing AOTS, I believe you might be able to switch the cruise over to them if it isn't too late. And if it is, I know that they've given RC some sort of designation as being autism friendly. I would contact RC's special needs department and explain your situation, perhaps they could make arrangements for boarding? It's been many years since my little guy (now 20) needed accommodations on board, but I do recall that if the right people were made aware, they'd do everything they could. Your TA might be right, it might be on your official paperwork/info, but my concern would be getting that information to the right people with the right timing. Also, can you stay in Civitavecchia itself the night before the cruise, to minimize the craziness, instead of coming in from Rome city? I recall it's a bit of a schlep from Rome to the port.

I will always remember my first RC cruise where at the end of the week they had a "last chance" sale on tee shirts and there was a mob (of which I was a part) trying to get the great deals they'd have because the cruise was almost over. Felt like a moron when I got back to the room with a bunch of tee shirts and my husband said "you realize they will just bring out the same stuff next week for the next group." I don't know why in my head I forgot there was a next week, and a week after that... lol. It would be fun to actually have some interesting and unique items. I'd jump at jewelry from steel of the ship material, how fun that would be. Maybe some local artists from the ports could have a corner to showcase. It's the same old same old and it's a bummer.

Jeez i hope so...

This is a difficult age to be on a cruise in my experience. I've cruised with both my kids in this age range, and your concerns are legit. As fireclan mentioned there may be a specific meet and greet for your age range, and if not, I believe you can request one. But it is hard... Too old for the teen club, too young for the bars. As Moby Dick mentioned it's probable you can get into the bars, but speaking for my own kids, they just weren't comfortable socializing with people that much older. For the cruises where this was an issue for our family, they ended up hanging out more with us, it's just the way it went. If that's not an option, definitely see about the meet and greets for your age range. Okay I just saw you're on the Odyssey... So in the Mediterranean I believe the rules are you can drink in the bars, but double check that. If that's the case, that's probably where your age range will go.

You can get the booster shot at any point, even walking onto the ship as I understand it. The 14 days thing is for being fully vaccinated with the 2-shot series (or 1 shot if J&J).

Does check-in open at midnight in the time zone of the departure port, or some other standard? Thanks