DunkelBierJay

Curious...there has been talk on Periscope and Facebook that a number of folks in the RC Blog community are booked on the Empress October 7 sailing to Key West and Havana... So, I guess this thread could serve as a roll call of sorts...I'd love to know who is on this sailing.

One idea is to use an app called Marine Traffic...you can track ships by name and position...there may be a delay in what you see, but it may help you estimate when to wake up and watch the ship arrive. I have used it successfully in my geekdom.

Question 1 : Mostly, yes, they would be included on the package if the menu price is $12 or under. Otherwise, they add the difference. I haven't seen that happen aside from some specialty drinks like something served in a pineapple, etc. Question 2 : Re open cafeteria -- On Royal, the lido buffet is called the Windjammer Buffet...it is fantastic and offers a wide variety...you can get coffee, juice, lemonade, fruit punches, etc. Anything carbonated is extra or part of the drink package. My teens don't drink carbonated, so I splurge for mocktails for them occasionally...1-2 per day per kid. They never seemed to want more than that...they do like Starbucks style coffee beverages, so I like to get the $31 Cafe Select coffee punch card (you can see it at the bottom of the beverage packages in the cruise planner)...you get 15 drinks, and when charged separately at $4-$5, it pays off quickly. Question 3 : Officially, no. Some people can get water through security in their carry on bag on embarkation day...they tend to look the other way at the ports I have used...I can't say for Galveston, but I suspect it's the same. Question 4: Yes, two bottles per stateroom...here's the policy http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&faqId=260&faqSubjectId=336 The way I read it, you can get two bottles per stateroom for a total of four. Note that there is a $15 corkage fee per bottle if you take it to dinner for example. If it's in your room, I understand there is no charge even if your stateroom attendant opens it for you. My $0.02 is that if you buy the drink package, why go to the trouble and expense of carrying wine on board? I have gone a couple of cruises when I bought the drink package without drinking all of the wine I brought. Hard alcohol is not allowed. It will be confiscated, and you can get it back at the end of your cruise. Also, if you buy duty free alcohol at a port or on board, they hold it for you until the last night of the cruise when they deliver it to your room. Question 5 : hard alcohol in your room...yes. Royal offers several options. They are available on the Royal Gifts section on the Royal site...I haven't seen it link in the cruise planner for some reason, but you can key your reservation ID and room # to make sure you get it delivered (it may not be available on Liberty -- you'll have to investigate that)...they are Absolut and Sprite, Bacardi and Coke, Sapphire and Tonic, Johnny Walker Red and Coke...these will be in your room on embarkation day...it's another instance where if you get the liquor package, it may not be worth it...it may be if you want to make cocktails in your room...your stateroom attendant can keep you stocked with ice. https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/royalgifts/onboard-delivery/wine-cellar/alcohol/

My pleasure. I am excited for you going on Navigator for the first time. It has many similarities to Freedom class, but is more intimate, and the crew is fantastic. The AC in the gym worked well, and I hope it does for you too. Don't forget to check out the peekaboo bridge just in front of the fitness center. You can access it from the forward side doors in the Solarium. This feature is lacking on Freedom class. Out of the four classes I have sailed, Voyager class is my favorite followed closely by Empress. If you haven't seen Matt's post about Navigator hidden secrets, here you go: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/05/19/top-10-royal-caribbean-navigator-of-the-seas-hidden-secrets

I would switch to Mariner

The gym on Navigator is every bit as good as the gym on Freedom which I assume is the same as on Indy. It is almost imperceptibly smaller. My favorite cool down spot was one of the stationary bikes on the starboard side...incredible views every time. Yes, I recall a hot tub in the middle of the gym between the aerobics room and the locker rooms.

While the ceiling effects on the Meraviglia's promenade look cool, the only advantage I saw that this ship had over Harmony was the tap with Murphys Stout on it. Despite this huge (to me) feature, I would book Harmony first.

If you were on Bus 3, you are one of the cool kids

Shuttles can be a good option. Here's one to consider...https://www.goportcanaveral.com/services/fly-snooze-cruise.php You can also consider a one-way car rental...both Hertz and Budget are very close to the port. There are also several hotels close to it. Last time, we stayed at the Residence Inn and used the Hertz one-way rental option as it is in the hotel parking lot. We used the Hertz shuttle from the hotel and were on board about twenty minutes later.

This may be an ignorant question...if the US site is showing pricing in US $s at half AUS $s, is this due to the difference in currency values, or are you making the conversion?

I find towel clips for deck loungers to be worth their weight in gold...

My $.02 is the 11:25 am on Southwest is your sweet spot. This airline does not assign seats, so you will need to check in online 24 hours in advance to get a good boarding position. In this case, you will either need VOOM or purchase internet for your last day...maybe Guest Services on board can offer other options. Southwest is a great airline, but I don't know if there's a European equivalent in procedure. Maybe EasyJet, but I'm not sure.

It's like any other beach for baby friendliness...the bathrooms don't have changing tables...there is an absence of US construction codes, but I don't think that's a huge issue. You can pretty much wheel a stroller around the restaurant and pool area, but I don't recall any ramps. Bring lots of sunscreen. The palapas are large and offer lots of shade coverage.

We recently visited Nachi Cocom during a Empress stop in Cozumel. We disembarked and walked through the cruise port to the taxi stand and immediately took the 15-20 minute $17 US drive south to the day resort. The cost was $55 per person with an $11 per person deposit. We received a confirmation upon booking which we printed out and took to the resort. Our driver dropped us off at the entrance and we were warmly greeted by the staff member who took our picture and briefed us on the process. We were then directed to the reception area in the restaurant where we paid the remaining balance and were introduced to our waiter for the day and taken to our palapa not far from the pool. We had two beach chairs, and the option to buy some extras. We chose the floating beach mat for $7 for the day. Later I purchased a massage in the nearby massage tent for a much more reasonable cost than on the ship we were sailing. The complimentary drinks were cold, delicious and plentiful. Our waiter, visited us often and took great care of us. Our ship was set to sail at 6:30, so we left a little before 4 in order to do some souvenir shopping in the port. To get a cab, all we needed to do was let our waiter know what time we wanted to leave, and he handled all the details. I left him a generous tip, told him we would be back and thanked him for the great service. I am certain there are other spots on Cozumel where once can have a great experience. We chose Nacho Cocom because of it's reputation as a quieter and more low key destination.

On a recent 4 night cruise I bought the Cafe Select card for 15 coffee drinks. My daughter and I used 14 of them...still a bargain off of the a la carte prices. I did not buy the drink package, and did not miss it since I only bought four girly drinks and a couple beers while on board. I liked not having the feeling of needing to drink to get my money's worth.

I hope more people buy VOOM so that they can compare to land prices while on board, and show it to the staff. Eventually, that may drive prices down in cases where they are too high. On the other hand, there is a nice convenience factor as well as sentimental reasons for buying something on board.

Arriving at 10 is a good time to arrive. You may have a short wait if there are no issues with the ship or terminal logistics. You will receive an email from Royal with a recommended boarding time. It is safe to ignore it. Usually, cabins are available at 1:00 pm. I like to go a few minutes after if I didn't hear an announcement. If it's not available, the main doors to the corridors will be closed. If so, that's a good time to check out another bar on board. The dining package and pre-paid gratutites are separate. Wow...that is cutting it close despite how near FLL is to Port Everglades. If you self carry, get to the designated disembarkation location as early as possible...I would say a few minutes before the time on your disembarkation sheet. I would not use Royal's luggage service. That will pin you into designated disembarkation time that could easily be well after your flight. So, self-carry is your only option as I see it. I have not used the passport app, but I hear that it speeds things up in customs -- I think it is only available for US citizens, so if you are Irish, you may have to do it the traditional way -- someone correct me if I am wrong. You may also be able to get a porter to get you to the front of the line after you get off the ship. They work on tips. If there are no weather issues, no issues with customs clearing the ship for disembarkation, and you're at the front of the line, you should be able to make your flight. At any rate, if it were me, I would investigate whether or not I could change to a later flight. You will be with 6,000 other passengers, many of whom have may similar situations. The most fortunate thing is the proximity of the airport to the port. You are cutting it very close...way too close in my estimation, because there are so many things that could affect the ship's arrival as well as the bottle neck possibilities at customs even with self-carry off the ship. Like I wrote above, I would see if there is a way to get a later flight without a penalty. You could always call the airline and plead a little...

Can anyone say where sports events are broadcast on Empress? I am particularly interested in the NHL finals on June 3 and 5. I at least want to have it on in the background.

I don't go to Sabor expecting authentic Mexican...the Freedom and Voyager class ships label it as New Mexican, so I see it as more of a Mexican fusion cuisine. I really like it, but understand when others don't.

You benefit from the service of many who would receive a portion of the daily gratuity, and you may not realize it. Doing it with whom you like to tip rips off some of the crew. If you receive substandard service, guest services should be alerted.

My favorite part of Sint Maartin was the time spent in Marigot for breakfast and a little trinket shopping...and if you like wine, a visit to Le Gout du Vin, a French wine store is not to be missed. There's a great selection of French wines at fantastic prices, and everyone is very friendly. Sadly, we drank all the wine we bought within a few weeks. Therefore, it is necessary to return.

I enjoyed a water taxi ride there one year...

Did I hear on the FB Live yesterday while I was cutting the grass that a Cruise Planner sale is a few days away?

One of the greatest movies of all time...COME OUT TO PLAAAYYYY

I just want to commend RC's service. I called the C&A number last night, and they called me while I was driving from Tennessee to Alabama this morning and asked if I wanted to do a booking. I told them that I didn't want to sacrifice my existing Symphony (GC) booking to do it, but that I wanted to watch out for other possible PC sailings. I really appreciated the follow through from them.