Polster

Yeah I booked this deal... Looking forward to live streaming much of our January Ovation cruise to Facebook :)

Thanks Matt, I did check there first, but thought maybe my post would prompt a recent Ovation cruiser to forward one to you to put up. Getting a bit excited :)

Any and all Cruise Compass' I run across I post here: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass

You can added these packages to your shopping cart and just leave them in the cart until about 3 days before the cruise and pay at that time. Or you can pay now, the major difference is that if they are having a sale or change the price. They can stop sales, change pricing etc, until the purchase is paid.
 
Unlike the cruise fare once you pay the deposit the price is locked in, for these extra packages the price is not confirmed until paid in full.

I just added a beverage package yesterday (a Sunday) and the charges hit my card the same day.  The same thing happened a few weeks ago when I booked a cabana.
 
As an additional data point, this is for the Sept group cruise sailing, so final payment hasn't yet been made.

Not sure about beverages, but I pay for my dinner reservations when I book them,, months out. I would assume the beverage package is the same.

This is really simple since most of us pay with credit cards the credit card services have the final say not the cruise line. If they did not refunded within a reasonable time just dispute the charge, it costs you the customer nothing. However it does costs the merchant and they are required to reply and answer the dispute. Also your credit card service stops all interest on the transactions, so disputing is a very reasonable action for you to take. And really does not matter, if you are within the USA, AU, Europe, as all credit card transactions are control by International Rules.

Polster - that is unusual and may be because you are outside the US
I transfer money all the time- actually all they do is make the new booking and
keep the money on the booking - very very easy
 
Nicky - look at prices online
Don't cancel your cruise there is no need to do that unless the new offers says
FOR NEW BOOKINGS ONLY -
 
Any good RCI agent, can just adjust your pricing - key is getting someone
that knows how to do this - Keep in mind you may lose onboard credits
(if that came with original prices) or get less obc etc.
 
What I am seeing as a trend now is BOOK EARLY
The clients I have that have booked 9 months or more out are getting the
best deals on their pricing - even when new offers come out - their original
prices are better

Embarkation day is roughly 3/4 - 1/2 of a day and disembarkation day is 1/4 - 1/2 of a day, so it evens itself out in the grand scheme of things.

...so you are NOT charged for the last day but it is still good in the morning before you disembark !

It's charged based on the number of nights, not days. Also, you don't have to buy it on the first day. It will be prorated if you opt to buy it later in the cruise.

The Seapass remains the same. And while they give lanyards to kids when you sign them up for Adventure Ocean, they don't provide them for adults, but they will punch them for you at Guest Services. Therefore, bring your own lanyard for the adults or you can buy some in the shops onboard for about $6.

February 2016

7 - jlynn222 (Freedom of the Seas)

7 - Nicole (Freedom of the Seas)

7 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

8 - scottstein1 (Enchantment of the Seas)

8 - ian91 (Splendour of the Seas)

8 - klaconqueso (Independence of the Seas)

13 - OBX (Adventure of the Seas)

14 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

20 - OBX (Adventure of the Seas)

21 - Matt (Allure of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

21 - AGSLC5 (Allure of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

21 - WAAAYTOOO (Allure  of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

21 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

21 - Jerel (Allure of the Seas)

21 - eaglesfaninfl (Freedom of the Seas)

21 - Ludacris (Anthem of the Seas)

22 - monctonguy (Brilliance of the Seas)

28 - PRC (Liberty of the Seas)

 

March 2016

4 - Dan (Anthem of the Seas)

13 - Marc (Freedom of the Seas)

13 - Cowcrazy65 (Grandeur of the Seas)

13 - Knisley96 (Navigator of the Seas)

20 - RedRambler (Allure of the Seas)

30 - maccab66 (Grandeur of the Seas)

 

April 2016

2 - bcarney (Vision of the Seas)

2 - OBX (Navigator of the Seas)

3 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

3 - Steve (Liberty of the Seas)

9 - Mandykat9270 (Brilliance of the Seas)

10 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

10 - Ragman54 (Allure of the Seas)

10 - OBX (Navigator of the Seas)

11 - WAAAYTOOO (Empress of the Seas)

16 - theweets (Voyager of the Seas)

23 - monctonguy (Adventure of the Seas)

30 - Matt (Navigator of the Seas)

30 - tmccleey1 (Anthem of the Seas)

 

May 2016

8 - NoddyNYC

12 - deatonte (Granduer of the Seas)

21 - Welshrose15 (Navigator of the Seas)

22 - PRC (Freedom of the Seas)

22 - J_Keeble (Harmony of the Seas)

 

June 2016

12 - Shocked (Harmony of the Seas)

16 - MikeK (Navigator of the Seas)

 

July 2016

4 - Cruiseman (Radiance of the Seas)

24 - DocLC (Serenade of the Seas)

 

August 2016

7 - amejiajr8 (Allure of the Seas)

21 - Davyb33 (Jewel of the Seas)

25 - AGSLC5 (Anthem of the Seas)

28 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

 

September 2016

3 - CMcLarty (Anthem of the Seas)

4 - Matt (Freedom of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

9 - klaconqueso (Enchantment of the Seas)

18 - JohnK6404 (Allure of the Seas)

18 - sulross (Liberty of the Seas)

 

October 2016

8 - J_Keeble (Oasis of the Seas)

9 - Marc (Liberty of the Seas)

9 - deatonte (Harmony of the Seas)

17 - deatonte (Brilliance of the Seas)

23 - sulross (Harmony of the Seas)

23 - OBX (Allure of the Seas)

30 - OBX (Allure of the Seas)

 

November 2016

5 - klaconqueso (Brilliance of the Seas)

19 - bcarney (Adventure of the Seas)

21 - PRC (Serenade of the Seas)

 

December 2016

4 - Steve (Liberty of the Seas)

3 - Dancing Biker (Rhapsody of the Seas)

3 - dh1ch1 (Brilliance of the Seas)

15 - Polster (Ovation of the Seas)

23 - WAAAYTOOO (Navigator of the Seas)

26 - CMcLarty (Liberty of the Seas)

30 - theweets (Ovation of the Seas)

 

January 2017

2 - DocLC (Allure of the Seas)

9 - rekkie (Ovation of the Seas)

29 - ransrider (Liberty of the Seas)

29 - Steve (Liberty of the Seas)

 

February 2017

7 - JohnK6404 (Anthem of the Seas)

11 - WAAAYTOOO (Harmony of the Seas)

11 - AGSLC5 (Harmony of the Seas)

17 - Matt (Navigator of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

17 - Jerel (Navigator of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

17 - DocLC (Navigator of the Seas Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!)

 

March 2017

4 - Marc (Freedom of the Seas)

 

April 2017

14 - scottstein1 (Navigator of the Seas)

14 - deatonte (Navigator of the Seas)

Just curious if anyone knows when to expect a muster drill on an itinerary when the ships spends the first night in port.  We board the ship on Sunday, July 24th in Stockholm, but the ship doesn't sail until 4 p.m. on Monday, July 25th.  Is it safe to assume that the muster drill will be just before sailing on the 25th or should we expect it to be on boarding day?
 
I've never been on a ship that spent the first night in port, so I'm not sure how this is handled.

What can I say? I teach. I'm into visuals. If I had more time, I could even make it prettier.

Scott,
 
This is what I took from your post.  Essentially, you've given us a decision tree regarding the drink package.

Thanks guys :)

What DocLC said.
 
Be sure to call the Aussie office... many times there are different policies, regulations, etc in different regions.

All you need to do is call.

It's a 500 mL cup. Approximately 17 oz.

 

Thanks for the advice. There is a 2pm flight home so I will book that one.

As Doc said, I have never sailed in/out of Sydney, but in general, it's advisable not to book flights before noon just because you never know about customs and lines getting off the ship.
 
Plenty of people have made flights before noon, although perhaps they developed some grey hairs as result ;)

I'm not familiar with Sydney, but I never book a flight before noon; sometimes later if it is some distance to the port. Although your ship docks at 6:30, they won't likely begin disembarking passengers until 8 a.m. And it can take 2-3 hours for them to clear the entire ship. Plus it takes time to retrieve luggage and to go through customs. In addition, if you're flying internationally, you'll want to be at the airport at least 2, if not 3, hours before your flight.
 
Many will say Herve been fine with earlier flights; it all depends on what level of stress you're willing to tolerate.

Hi !
 
I'm a first time cruiser and will be cruising on the new Ovation of the Seas in December 2016. Our ship will be docking back in Sydney Australia at 0630 hours.
 
In your experience, how long does it take to get us all off (on average) as I am needing to be booking flights home?
 
I realise this is a new ship and this route wouldn't have happened before, but just wanting to get a bit of an idea? We would be happy to take our own luggage off the ship. Maybe someone who has cruised on Radiance of the Seas would have some experience disembarking at the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal??
 
Thanks in advance :D
 

Welcome aboard, Paulette (and hubby)! :D
 
You're doomed! :lol: You're starting on the Ovation of the Seas! B) You'll never be able to sail any other ship or any other line ever again! ;) The amazing experience you'll have will be unbeatable! I'm totally jealous!
 
Feel free to ask questions. We're all here to help.