melski94

I use an Anker 6 port that has a detachable power cord. I can't find it right now or I'd post a picture. 

Yes, all you need is the reservation number and last name.  Despite Matt says, I think MTD is really easy for larger groups as they are much more willing to push tables together  to make a large party happen.  
On Harmony, we had 7 and so considered a large party.  We were in 3 staterooms so 3 different reservation numbers.  I linked all together to make reservations online and verified our table once we were onboard.  In our section, we were the smallest "large" party.  They had tables set up for 8, 12 and about 20 people.  Rather than only using the round tables, they would pull 4 top tables together based on what they needed.  It worked great.  

Yes, you can be done by then.  On Harmony, our dining took about an hour to an hour fifteen although the first night was longer (seems everything takes longer that first night).  I would just tell your wait staff when you are seated that you would like to be done by 7:15.  That way its fair to them and sets the expectation up front. They can hurry up the kitchen if necessary.  Worst case scenario is you skip dessert and head to WJ later.  

I just realized this morning that my cruise this year is the week after one of these!  Yuck!  Packing my hospital grade sanitation wipes!  I may want to carry them everywhere!

I have no info on Voyager specifically but here are a few general tips:
Matt's podcast:  https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/podcast/episode-180-guide-cruising-young-children-royal-caribbean
 
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/02/28/first-time-cruisers-what-you-need-know-about-taking-royal-caribbean-cruise

I guess for me its all in my head and here is my .02.  I prefer not to pay anything off earlier than necessary as I like to keep my money in my bank account as long as possible.  I have a dedicated vacation savings account so my cruise is "paid" for but I don't hand over the money to RC until about 100 days.  Anything could happen that could force us to cancel a trip.  It would probably be a major reason and I would prefer not to have to deal with getting my money back from RC or deal with trip insurance when I am already stressed out for whatever reason I had to cancel.  Probably a worst case scenario and not a completely logical reason but it just makes me feel better.

Unfortunately, yes it looks like the 6:30 time slot is booked.  Typically there is a "blackout" period around 6:30-7:30 (give or take 15 minutes) where they offer no reservations because the MDR will be full with the first set of diners.  However, you should see a 6:00, 6:15 and 6:30 reservation times so I would assume those times are fully booked (at least for a large party) as those are very popular times.  
I would grab the time you would be happy with and ask at the desk upon embarkation if you can move it to 6:15 or 6:30.  They may not allow it as it could mess up other reservations but then again they might.

You will be stuck standing in line.  It is a Homeland Security rule.    Good luck and have a fun cruise.

Man, did I need this vacation. My wife and I managed to book side-by-side inside rooms (7045 & 7049) with our friends on Enchantment of the Seas, leaving out of Port Canaveral On September 17th for 4 nights to Coco Cay and Nassau. The trip to Port Canaveral from just north of Tampa went fairly smooth, and we managed to get to the port and park by 12:30pm. Thankfully, we were early enough not to be stuck on the top deck of the parking garage. Entry and embarkation were fairly seamless, except having to check certain dive equipment with security, which didn’t take too long, and the confiscation of our friend’s extension cord (non-surge) for his C-Pap machine, which delayed their luggage for several hours. We met our stateroom attendant, Imade (his name, coincidentally, is very common in Indonesia), and tipped him $20, telling him we understand he’ll be very busy this week, but we wanted him to know we really appreciate all he and the rest of the staff do. He was fantastic and very attentive to both couples the entire trip. Did some exploring around the ship, especially the art gallery (yes, I’m an art fanatic, had to check it out). The Park West staff was very friendly and I had some great conversations with them throughout the cruise.
Night one found us enjoying the Main Dining Room and the Solarium (yeah, not sure if I’ll ever sail on a ship without one now, even though I do like Majesty). The food was excellent, though I do miss the spice-themed menus.
Day two found us in Coco Cay. We started with coffee at Café Latte-tudes and went up on Deck 10 forward to watch the sunrise as we approached the island. After a leisurely breakfast in the MDR, we gathered our gear and headed to the tender. The seas were relatively calm, so the ride over was pleasant. Coco Cay, itself, was beautiful. The beaches have soft, white sand, plenty of loungers among scattered palms, and cool, clear water. There are plenty of things to do for any desired activity level, from just soaking up the sun on the beach, to snorkeling, diving, jet skiing, and a host of other activities. 3 of the four of us opted for snorkeling, so we picked a lounger, left our other gear with our friend’s wife, who opted to catch up on some reading in the shade, grabbed our snorkel gear, and headed toward the water. It was my wife’s first time snorkeling in open water, and I’m pretty sure that now she is hooked. Our next investments will be fins and a decent underwater camera. The fish and anemones were plentiful and spectacular. After my wife went in to rest, I continued to swim out to the “pirate wreck,” having a stare-off with a 3-foot barracuda, before he decided that there was no possible way he’d be able to eat all of me. My friend, who is one of my old paramedic partners and an avid diver, made it out to the planes, and had just as much fun as the rest of us. We finished our loop of the area and headed in to what I have to describe as the hands-down best beach barbeque I have even eaten. Burgers, ribs, roasted whole pig, and all the sides and desserts to go with them. And, of course, let us not forget the Coco Loco in a pineapple. That was quite tasty.
We called it a day on the island at about 1pm, catching tenders back to the ship. My wife and I made it back in plenty of time to wash off the salt and head for the art auction. This was a first for both of us, and the staff took time to explain some of the ins and outs of the process. We only bid on one item, but won (even with shipping, under $80), and enjoyed the free champagne as we watched the rest of the auction unfold. There are some beautiful works on display. I highly recommend going, just to have the experience, even just once.
Dinner that evening was formal in the MDR, so we all dressed (yes, I was the only one on the ship in a kilt) and headed down to My Fair Lady. The food was good, but a little underwhelming, particularly the seafood linguini, which, in all of our opinions, would have been better with a white sauce, instead of the underseasoned red sauce it had. Otherwise, dessert did redeem the meal.
After dinner we caught the production show, “From Stage to Screen,” in the Orpheum. The theatre is very nice, even if the chairs are somewhat tight (My friend and I are both solid Norsemen). The show was good. The lead female vocalists were particularly on point. After the show, we went back to the rooms to get ready for the next day in Nassau.
As with the first few days, day 3 found me awake at 4:30am, relaxing in the cabin until 6am, when I climbed out of the rack and started getting ready for our day in Nassau. Full of coffee from Café Latte-tudes, and breakfast in the MDR, we went back to our stateroom and grabbed our gear for our hike through Nassau.
Disclaimer: To all those who think the vendors and drivers are pushy, remember, they are trying to feed their families in an economy that depends on tourism. A simple “No, thank you,” will usually do the trick.
Disembarking was a breeze, and we walked quickly through the Festival Place, past the few vendors that were open before 9am, and through the gates to downtown Nassau. The taxi drivers and horse-drawn carriage operators were persistent, but responsive and friendly when we passed on their services. We went up the plaza and cut across Bay Street, which between there being only one cruise ship in the harbor and that day being Yom Kippur, the sidewalks were relatively empty and the majority of the major jewelry stores were closed. We passed the Straw Market by (a little too claustrophobic in feel for my liking in there, though the wood carvers alley on the west side is quite impressive), noting the new fountain added to Pompey Square since our last trip. We found Marlborough Street (It’s the second Marlborough Street, where the road curves to follow Junkanoo Beach), and headed uphill. For those not accustomed to walking up a hill with what I would guess to be at minimum a 25% incline, take a taxi. It’s a bit of a climb, and slightly uneven. The pedestrian path is well marked, but keep an eye out. The law of the land may give you the right of way, the laws of physics will say that you will still lose to the cars tat cross into the path to avoid the cars parked along the other side of the street. At the top of the hill, we were greeted by the yellow and white exterior of the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. This gem is a converted manor house with an outdoor theatre and sculptures dotted throughout the grounds. Admission was on $10 per person, and worth every penny. There are some fantastic exhibits on the Bahamian culture, history, and people, and some interesting featured artists that definitely put a lot of effort into their craft. The gift shop is small but adequate, and offers souvenirs, prints, original works, and cold drinks. We picked out 2 prints from a local artist named T. Tucker, popped them into my waterproof pack and stepped onto the porch to be greeted by a seriously cool, heavy rain. Thankfully, the gallery offers free wifi and a dry place to hang out and talk to the locals. Once the rain let up a touch, we made a mad dash across the street and over to the well-manicured grounds of John Watling’s Distillery. After leapfrogging from tree to tree, trying not to trip over the roosters taking cover among the roots, we made it to the entrance, where we were greeted with warm smiles and pina colada samples. The staff also guided us to the restrooms, where we took advantage of the dryers to take away some of the rain water that just about soaked us through (Yes, packing rain gear next time). We waited for the free guided tour to start, and proceeded to learn about the distillery’s pirate past, current operations, and involvement in the filming of Casino Royale (Bond, James Bond). The rum tasting area was simple but nicely appointed, and the rum, well, let’s just say when this bottle runs out, we plan on going back for more.
We managed to catch a taxi at Watling’s, and negotiated to have him take us back to port for $20. If you have the chance to catch a ride with Mr. Ricardo Deveaux, do it. His taxi may be older and a little rough looking on the inside, but his love of the island really shines through. He had to drop another couple off at Baha Mar Hotel, but he happily had us ride along and showed us some of the high points between the hotel and the port. We made it back to port at about 1pm and hopped back aboard and checked our rum with the purser. After a quick lunch at the Windjhamere, we went back out and negotiated a 3-hour tour (No, not with Gilligan) of the island by taxi. And when I say tour, I mean tour. Sir Wellington took us to quite a few highlights, including the caves, past Baha Mar, through the neighborhoods, which was an eye opener for sure, but added to the realness of the tour, up the hill to the water tower and Fort Fincastle, and across Sydney Poitier Bridge to Atlantis, where he gave us about a half and hour to explore. We wandered into the casino and had a Kalik and some great conversation with the bartender at Olive’s, before we headed back to the taxi and back to port.
Dinner this night was in the MDR again, and definitely was better tonight. During dinner, we found out that our friend had lucked out on his dive excursion he booked on board. He was the only diver on the boat besides the three dive masters, and he dove on at least 6 wrecks (I think he’s still grinning about that today). We meandered around the ship after dinner, finally ending up in the Schooner Bar to listen to the piano player before calling it a night.
Our sea day was relaxing, for us, anyway. One guest had to be evac’d from the ship, so we met the Coast Guard just off West Palm Beach to get that person ashore and to the hospital. Hats off to the Captain and Crew for how well that was handled. Breakfast was in the Windjhamere, followed by the finale art auction for me, and pool time for my wife. We passed on lunch and ordered an early dinner of pizza and wings through room service. Was expecting better, but it wasn’t terrible. So, back to the solarium for a little more pool time, and then out to the main pool to watch Solo: A Star Wars Story on the jumbotron. We caught snacks in the Windjhamere after the movie and headed back in to pack.
Disembarkation is always kind of a bummer. One, I could always cruise longer, and two, Mal de Debarquement Syndrome is a royal pain in the ears.
On the whole, the cruise was fantastic. The food was very good, with few exceptions. The staff was incredible. Our Cruise Director, Cruisin’ Susan, was an absolute trip, Scottish accent and all. Yes, she’s an older ship, and could use a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint, but Enchantment is a solid vessel with a good crew. We were happy to be aboard.

True upgrades wouldn't happen until after final payment.  It typically involves some type of cost especially when you get to the suites.   Most ships sail full and so many of us have never experienced a upgrade offer but we know it does happen. 
What you can do since the booked so far out is to check the price with every sale or ask your travel agent to do it for you.  Every once in a while, you can find a sale where the category above you is at or near the price you paid.  If you like that price, you can call and request to be moved to that category at the new promotion price. With the new promotion price, you could gain or lose OBC so factor that in too.  Black Friday weekend and in January there can be very good sales.  Also, check your cruise planner often for sales as you can cancel and rebook if you find a better price.  

At 12 your son will be in the teen club.  There is freedom in that he can come and go as he pleases.  Not all ships have a registration (Harmony did, Liberty didn't).  It will be in the Cruise Compass is there is one and it was different than Adventure Ocean registration.  
The teen club is for 12-17 year olds.  With your sailing being a school break, I am sure they will break the teens into 2 groups: 12-14 and 15-17.  It is very important that he go to the teen club the first night at 8pm.  The first night the teen club will have meet up games and the first night is when they break themselves into little groups.  My teens rarely did the activities in the teen club but would use it to meet their new friends and then leave to hang out.
You may want to consider how to keep in touch with him and a curfew.  

Sorry you feel that way but I don't see where RC is nickel and diming anything different than other cruise lines.  I think the value is that you don't have to pay for anything extra if you won't use it.  There are higher end cruises where everything is included and the price is built into the cruise fare.  Nothing is really "free".   
A quick internet search shows that Princess has their Premium Internet at $16 per day which is similar to RC.  The beverage package on Princess is $60 per day which once again is similar to RC.    
 
 
 

This is pre-Thanksgiving cruise (get back on Thanksgiving Day) so may not be considered a holiday sailing which may be why everything seems to be a good deal. 
Voom was $10.79 for 1 and $29.99 for 4 devices.  Have never seen the price for 4 devices that low!  
Drink package not a great deal at $47 but it was the cheapest I've seen for this cruise.
By far the cheapest prices for Labadee excursions too.   

Well...I am turning into the "Girl who cried wolf"...we just turned our 169 day dry dock into a 98 day dry dock.  Just booked Indy for NYE 2018!!!!
We've done some pretty "not so wise" things in the past but this booking has got to be "our best" example of "YOLO Book It" to date. Suites and connecting rooms are completely sold out. All 4 of us are cramming into an Ocean View Panoramic cabin (1L). Going to be a very tight squeeze!  Not even close to good value as the cost of the 1L can get me a JS on Indy next NYE (but I am not good at waiting). Airfare is double what we normally pay to fly from DTW to FLL. Definitely a YOLO moment!
The surprise this booking was that airfare was cheaper to book through Air2Sea rather than direct with Delta. Not a huge savings, but $164 cheaper, same flight times, same airline. I always thought Air2Sea would be more for domestic. Worthwhile to check.

Day 6 continued...
The weather was fantastic with following winds keeping the wind well in check on deck. With us doing 20 knots, I would say the apparent wind was about 10 mph. Super comfortable as we made home base on the sundeck right before the solarium starts. It's a great place to have the best of both the solarium and pool deck fun. 
Finished the daytime off with a five mile run on the track. Hope to do another five tomorrow as it's my incentive to eat just a bit more ?
Talking about eating, the food on the 2nd formal was delicious as the lobster tails came out. What was lacking was the organization. This particular service was slow while the wait staff seemed to be running  around.  Please share, if anyone knows, what is so different about the 2nd formal night that makes it so hard?
The main stage computer was still down so no show tonight besides a comedic magician who did a fun yet corny 25 minute set. He is a current entertainer on the ship who offered to do magic. The effort was appreciated. 
Although disappointed with not seeing Come Fly With Me we stumbled into Dazzles and stayed 90 minutes listening to an talented and energetic band called the Temperature. We missed their Motown show a day ago but caught this country and rock themed show that had us dancing the night away. Just wish Dazzles was a but bigger as the audience was full and chairs hard to come by.
A stroll around the ship took us to midnight so we turned in. One more day and we hope go out with a bang!!

We had the same experience as @ellcee on Harmony.  We had 7 and I linked our dining reservations for our March Harmony cruise.  We also had the same time and same wait staff the entire week.  After boarding, I double checked at the MDR to make sure our reservation was set and the wait staff told us a huge tip.  The tip is that 2nd reservation desk on the left (its just behind the first one) deals with the larger parties.  They told us to bypass the long line for the first desk and go right to the second desk to check in and we were seated very quickly every night.  
Your cruise planner should have the shows already.  If not, then look at a previous cruise compass as they don't change that much.  We had a 6:15 reservation and had no problem getting to the shows.  

Verizon's $5 Travel Pass does NOT include cruise ships.  Here is from Verizon's International Travel page.  The Travel Pass would cover many of the ports but not while on the ship nor does it cover data.  Now if you are only going to send and receive only a handful of texts, even using the pay as you go rate would be cheaper than VOOM.  The following is copied from Verizon's website.  
*************************************
 
For cruises: Use your phone on more than 400 cruise ships with pay-as-you-go plans. Visit the Trip Planner and enter your ship or destination to check availability.  
Cruise Ship Rates
You can talk and message on more than 400 cruise ships.
Cruise ship Pay as You Go pricing Voice Pricing $2.99/min Text Messaging $0.50/message sent$0.05/message received

1. The cost is the difference between the 2.
2.  Yes
3.  Because RC doesn't typically do free upgrades especially on suites.  Why? Because they don't have to.   There are people checking the prices on the category above them daily to see if they can get the next category for a "good price".  At about 4 weeks away the difference may be less but there will still be a difference.  With all the JS on the ship, RC can offer a GS for say $XXXX more and someone will jump on the price.  So the difference may come down but it is typically not free especially when it comes to suites.  

1. The cost is the difference between the 2.
2.  Yes
3.  Because RC doesn't typically do free upgrades especially on suites.  Why? Because they don't have to.   There are people checking the prices on the category above them daily to see if they can get the next category for a "good price".  At about 4 weeks away the difference may be less but there will still be a difference.  With all the JS on the ship, RC can offer a GS for say $XXXX more and someone will jump on the price.  So the difference may come down but it is typically not free especially when it comes to suites.  

Right now the current most likely prediction is that Florence will make landfall in SC/NC on Thursday/Friday.  The second but less likely prediction is that it turns North and becomes a slow Nor'easter skimming the NE coast.  It is really too early to tell.
RC will cancel the cruise if the port would take a direct hit on embarkation day.  This is highly unlikely for Oasis so I would plan on cruising.  RC will stay out of the path of the storm which according the the most likely predictions right now by Sunday it is looking like it will be well north of Oasis.  You could experience port changes if RC deems necessary (heavy waves could make it difficult to dock in a port).  
Now for flights.  Where are your coming from/connecting thru?  If you are flying in on Saturday, I think you would be in the clear unless you are coming from the northeast.  I would also be mindful if you are connecting through Charlotte on Thursday and Friday.  The airlines will probably start allowing changes with no change fees in the next day or 2.  If it was me and I was flying through the mid-atlantic/NE coast, I would look at changing my ticket.  If necessary, do it as soon as they allow the change without fees rather than waiting to see what happens as the flight you would like to have could be full.  
You should follow James Van Fleet on Facebook or twitter.  He is the RC's chief meteorologist and he typically posts changes.  RC also posts changes on their site and follow your airline notifications.  
Remember, it is still too early for the meteorologists to decide on where Florence will actually hit but they have it down to 2 likely scenarios.  It is a good idea to start coming up with back up plans especially if you think it will affect your flight. 
Finally, I would stock up on Dramamine/ginger pills and sea bands before I leave as waves from the NE can have an affect on the Caribbean.  
 

I sure hope y'all have gotten out or will be evacuating soon.
 
I have been, and will continue to pray for your safety and for your homes and belongings.  This is 
gonna be a tough one, especially for central and eastern North Carolina.  Somehow, it appears that
we in Charleston have dodged a serious bullet.
 
My office has closed down until Monday - man, I sure wish I could jump on a ship and enjoy using up my vacation days.
 
Stay safe and Godspeed

Delta changed my flight to Thursday. They were really great and helpful. Leaving Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon! Extended vacation! Can't wait!

AO will encourage you to take their cards with you especially in the Aquanauts group.  You do need their card to check in to AO but your card to check them out.   AO will give them an AO lanyard which does help especially when leaving and coming back to the ship.

Right now the current most likely prediction is that Florence will make landfall in SC/NC on Thursday/Friday.  The second but less likely prediction is that it turns North and becomes a slow Nor'easter skimming the NE coast.  It is really too early to tell.
RC will cancel the cruise if the port would take a direct hit on embarkation day.  This is highly unlikely for Oasis so I would plan on cruising.  RC will stay out of the path of the storm which according the the most likely predictions right now by Sunday it is looking like it will be well north of Oasis.  You could experience port changes if RC deems necessary (heavy waves could make it difficult to dock in a port).  
Now for flights.  Where are your coming from/connecting thru?  If you are flying in on Saturday, I think you would be in the clear unless you are coming from the northeast.  I would also be mindful if you are connecting through Charlotte on Thursday and Friday.  The airlines will probably start allowing changes with no change fees in the next day or 2.  If it was me and I was flying through the mid-atlantic/NE coast, I would look at changing my ticket.  If necessary, do it as soon as they allow the change without fees rather than waiting to see what happens as the flight you would like to have could be full.  
You should follow James Van Fleet on Facebook or twitter.  He is the RC's chief meteorologist and he typically posts changes.  RC also posts changes on their site and follow your airline notifications.  
Remember, it is still too early for the meteorologists to decide on where Florence will actually hit but they have it down to 2 likely scenarios.  It is a good idea to start coming up with back up plans especially if you think it will affect your flight. 
Finally, I would stock up on Dramamine/ginger pills and sea bands before I leave as waves from the NE can have an affect on the Caribbean.  
 

My advice is to work with a travel agent. MEI travel sponsors this blog and many of us receive excellent service from them.  The TA would be able to help you understand the KSF breakdown.  
There are very few staterooms that fit 5 people.  Look for the word "Family" in the stateroom description (Family Oceanview, Family Promenade, Family Suite, etc).  Since you are looking for a Spring Break cruise in 2019 they may already be booked.  A travel agent would be able to quickly see if there are any options.
I travel in connecting staterooms (2 staterooms with a door in the middle).  Once again, those book quickly and a travel agent could see if those are available.  However, that would not qualify for KSF.