Cruisingmama

My wife and I had the same question as we will be sailing this Saturday for the first time as Diamond.  Thanks for all the answers.

or a shot of Baileys for the next morning's coffee

Last night I used a diamond voucher for a Johnny Rockets milkshake. 😋 yummy 

Also PowerAde and occasional juices if anyone in your group wants something bottled besides water

Other options for unopened drinks to keep in your cooler (assuming it's cold enough which varies greatly) are cans of soda, bottles of beer, cans of Truly, etc.

Another tip is to stop by a bar and use any remaining vouchers for that day to get bottled water as you head up to your cabin for the night.
 

I too have my first Diamond cruise coming up in a couple of weeks (congrats @Cruisingmama!)
Anybody able to confirm if Johnny Rockets shakes ARE included please? Thanks

OH RIGHT! Almost forgot about that! thanks!

It also varies greatly from ship to ship, sailing to sailing, and even bar to bar if you actually get a slip.
We have always tipped in cash as well for various reasons.

Even without verbally specifying, I've never had a waiter/bartender not use an available voucher for an alcoholic drink.   
 
They do tend to ask though when ordering non-alcoholic drinks if I want to pay or just a voucher.

Yes you should let your server know any time you want to use them.  You may want to use them all for $14 cocktails and not $7 beer (you have a couple 50% off glass of beer and wine vouchers in addition to D vouchers).  Drinking is a science and does involve math. System works well.  We always take a stack of $1 bills for gratuities.  The servers get no automatic gratuity for a voucher.  You can tip by using the slip they bring you but we have noticed they like cash better.  We've noticed using cash there are more times they give you a freebie.  Check your vouchers from the app to see if a freebie was given. 
Works the same in MDR.  Congratulations on Diamond!

Personally I think more cold weather ships with indoor water areas for families are due. Anthem is the only ship now with an indoor family pool and that is being replaced out of NJ with the Odyssey - which baffles my mind. November through April you have back to back (other than January) 7 night cruises with 3.5+ days of no "outside" time unless you are wearing a coat. Defeats the entire purpose of "escaping" the winter.  Certainly won't feel like a vacation - more like being snowed in - in a crowded ship with lots of bored children and stressed parents. I also anticipate the solarium adult only rules will not often apply... But I digress.  For NE winter and Europe sailings (especially shoulder season Europe) - Would be smart for them to build a few more cold weather ships having a nice combination of the Quantum/Oasis class features with indoor water retreat for families and some new bells and whistles.  
A few smaller ships are also due - but I think there's some time for those yet.

Would be helpful if you would know the bed configuration BEFORE getting an invoice.. For 3 or 4 you have to ask Dr. Google whether there's a sofa bed or pull down depending on the ship/cabin. Really annoying.

Personally I think more cold weather ships with indoor water areas for families are due. Anthem is the only ship now with an indoor family pool and that is being replaced out of NJ with the Odyssey - which baffles my mind. November through April you have back to back (other than January) 7 night cruises with 3.5+ days of no "outside" time unless you are wearing a coat. Defeats the entire purpose of "escaping" the winter.  Certainly won't feel like a vacation - more like being snowed in - in a crowded ship with lots of bored children and stressed parents. I also anticipate the solarium adult only rules will not often apply... But I digress.  For NE winter and Europe sailings (especially shoulder season Europe) - Would be smart for them to build a few more cold weather ships having a nice combination of the Quantum/Oasis class features with indoor water retreat for families and some new bells and whistles.  
A few smaller ships are also due - but I think there's some time for those yet.

Yes we had it on day 4 last cruise and went especially for the apple blossom. It was pretty annoying because we don't do MDR lunch since we don't like to spend so much time in restaurants throughout the day. We generally only do MDR in the evenings but the apple blossom was an exception.
 
I also saw it daily on some recent Coastal Kitchen menus - but that's for the upper class not for us steerage folks..😜

Booked my first ever GTY balcony on liberty as well. 3x in a room at just over $700/pp. First time booking a GTY but the current prices are insane. I booked this a little over a month ago and now GTY is no longer available for this sailing and choose your cabin price is $1,370 pp... Liberty doesn't have any obstructed OV balcony cabins, which is the only reason I bit (with a refundable deposit though). Worst case scenario there will be a long walk to the elevators which I'm fine with.
 
We usually also do an August sailing - but RCI has priced me out. Booking MSC for next summer at almost half the cost of RCI's cabin only rate with MSC's rate having drinks and wifi included. 

Booked my first ever GTY balcony on liberty as well. 3x in a room at just over $700/pp. First time booking a GTY but the current prices are insane. I booked this a little over a month ago and now GTY is no longer available for this sailing and choose your cabin price is $1,370 pp... Liberty doesn't have any obstructed OV balcony cabins, which is the only reason I bit (with a refundable deposit though). Worst case scenario there will be a long walk to the elevators which I'm fine with.
 
We usually also do an August sailing - but RCI has priced me out. Booking MSC for next summer at almost half the cost of RCI's cabin only rate with MSC's rate having drinks and wifi included. 

Personally I think more cold weather ships with indoor water areas for families are due. Anthem is the only ship now with an indoor family pool and that is being replaced out of NJ with the Odyssey - which baffles my mind. November through April you have back to back (other than January) 7 night cruises with 3.5+ days of no "outside" time unless you are wearing a coat. Defeats the entire purpose of "escaping" the winter.  Certainly won't feel like a vacation - more like being snowed in - in a crowded ship with lots of bored children and stressed parents. I also anticipate the solarium adult only rules will not often apply... But I digress.  For NE winter and Europe sailings (especially shoulder season Europe) - Would be smart for them to build a few more cold weather ships having a nice combination of the Quantum/Oasis class features with indoor water retreat for families and some new bells and whistles.  
A few smaller ships are also due - but I think there's some time for those yet.

Now if they'd just have a courtesy 50% off button, then I'd have a lot on that tab

Yup. My sentiments exactly. Last week, after coming back from my 10th RCCL cruise in 3 years was the first time I started researching land vacations... Options are VERY VERY attractive - especially with pricing and amenities offered, large sprawling rooms, enormous resorts with highly rated animation teams, pools you can actually swim in without having to rub into a stranger, Hot tubs with ample elbow room and NO ADD ON FEES!   Also looked into NCL and even Carnival which are also coming in at much less.  After my last cruise on Oasis in July I don't see the added value in paying for RCCL "enhanced" experience...

I keep waiting to be employee of the month at my local Walmart. I do great work in self checkout!

If you have to do that, you might as well keep a proportionate share of the gratuities for you outstanding service..

If you have to do that, you might as well keep a proportionate share of the gratuities for you outstanding service..

I guess I must have had a lazy Cabin Steward.  I just got off the Navigator of the Seas and our Sofa Bed was left open the entire week.

Cruisers Beware!!!
We were told we had the choice to leave our mentally disabled son and cruise for 5 days! Our son just graduated High school so we booked a cruise we love to cruise and the kids always have so much fun. Since our son turned 18 two months before the cruise we scheduled him an appointment at the Tx DPS in February 2023, the next available appointment was for 7/20 which was great since our cruise was set for 8/7. The day of his appointment we waited for an hour and DPS had to reschedule do to scheduling issues. I called Royal before we left the parking lot on 7/20, I was advised on a recorded call that our account would be noted and he can bring his birth certificate, social, and Expired Id and we was assured that we would be fine. After driving for and hundreds and miles, he was denied. The port workers laughed in my face stating that they are contractors and they have the final say no matter what Royal says. We were told to leave our son who is mentally impaired alone, with no accommodations or don’t go. After calling Royal while still at the port, they confirmed my previous call weeks prior and that I was giving false information, but no refunds would be issues for my husband, daughter or myself. But since they messed up they’ll refund my son. What a joke! So we’re out thousands because of there mistake and they could careless. They didn’t even offer a rain check! I requested they listen to the call I made before our trip and they confirmed everything I said was factual but they do not care!