Jump to content

ang73

Members
  • Posts

    57
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

Everything posted by ang73

  1. Hello everyone! Our cruise is coming up soon and I have a question. Our family of 5 has only stayed in the family ocean view rooms before that sleep 6. This time we decided to get two balcony rooms. They are next door to each other and our plan is for our 15 and 19 year old sons to be in one room and my husband, daughter and I in the other. Because they will not allow anyone under 21 to be on a reservation without a parent they had to put my husband in one room and myself in the other on the reservation. My question is...do you think they'll allow us to have an extra room key for each room so that my husband can get into our room and my son into the other? They can swap cards if they have to but that might make purchases tricky. Any suggestions from anyone who had done this? The rooms are not connecting. Thanks in advance!! Angi
  2. We always enjoy paradise beach. As Melski94 said there is a small cover charge but well worth it. Very clean, you can use the pool and beach, clean restrooms and changing areas, good restaurant and bar. We usually leave there early enough to have our taxi take us back to town for some shopping and then we walk back to the boat.
  3. Hi Chris! I've read your online blogs and they are really great!! I'll be sure to follow you on Instagram and FB! We'll be on Independence of the Seas for our first time Jan 3-7! Look forward to meeting you!
  4. I've never had good luck with the shout wipes either. But I swear by the Wet Ones antibacterial wipes. They will take out most anything you spill on you. And then we obviously use them too to wipe our hands, tables etc to disinfect!
  5. I agree with checking when you board even after requesting ahead of time. One of our cruises we requested a table for just our family. I had planned on going to the dining room to check ahead of time but got busy and just figured since I called we'd probably be fine. We ended up at a table with others. It really wasn't a problem, just not what we would have preferred.
  6. Thank you all for the information!! Good to know about the tighter security so we are prepared!
  7. We've booked out 6th cruise on Independence of the Seas out of Ft Lauderdale in 161 days! Yay!! We've only ever cruised out of Port Canaveral before so I want to get some info ahead of time about Ft Lauderdale. We're going to be in Daytona for a few days before the cruise staying with family, then driving down to Ft Lauderdale the day of the cruise. When I google Ft Lauderdale cruise port, info about Port Everglades comes up and also about Miami. I'm assuming its Port Everglades in Ft Lauderdale but wondered if someone could tell me for sure. Just want to make sure I'm checking out the correct port. Thanks!
  8. I actually found that a cruise is my very best way to vacation without kids. I've always been the kind of parent who even when we did leave the kids for a getaway always felt the need to check in and make sure everythings ok. So I thought that not having as much connection with them over a cruise it would be really hard. Total opposite happened!! As soon as we were out of cell range I was like...Well, now the grandparents are in control. Anything that happens they'll have to deal with. They did just fine and it was the most relaxed I've ever been without kids!! Enjoy!!
  9. Been watching closely, as we're supposed to be leaving on Freedom of the Seas Sunday morning out of Port Canaveral. No changes to our cruise yet. My guess is at this point they just need to let Matthew pass through and then assess afterwards. Hopefully not too much damage and the port can still open Saturday as they are planning. We're going to start the drive down to FL from Indy tomorrow morning and just plan on staying inland, instead of staying Friday night on the coast as we had planned. As much as I REALLY hope this cruise still happens, I'm sure Royal will make the best decision for everyone! Fingers crossed!!
  10. Thank you!! Looks like we'll have to make a reservation after we get on the ship :)
  11. Hi Guys! We will be Freedom in about a week!! We haven't done Sabor before and would really like to try it this cruise. My questions are... The cruise planner only give times for dinner as an option to book ahead. Is Sabor open for lunch on Freedom? If it is open for lunch is there usually a price difference between lunch and dinner. We have a family of 5 because all 3 kids want to go, so if it's any cheaper for lunch it could save us a decent amount of money. Thanks in advance!! Angi
  12. Hanging out with my teens without any cell phones, and not cooking anyone dinner is definitely something I'm looking very forward to next month!!
  13. So I think we've decided to spend a little more this time and park at the port instead of off site. Basically for the convenience. My question for those of you that have parked at the port... Do you usually reserve and pay in advance or pay when you get there? Noticed online that you can prepay but wondered if there is any benefit to prepaying. Does it save time? Do they ever fill up and you can't park there? Just curious, thanks!!
  14. Mine didn't even print all of that. Mine just printed the barcode section. I called my TA and she checked with RC and they said that the only thing they really need is the barcode. So I'll be checking in with just that section :)
  15. Welcome!! I will be ending my vacation on Freedom the same day you will be beginning yours!! We took our first Royal Caribbean cruise 2 years ago on Freedom and loved it!! Can't wait to go again! Matt's podcasts, this site and Royal Caribbean's site will all have lots of great information for you. If you have any questions that come up just ask here. Everyone here is really helpful! Have fun!! I'll be wishing I was you as I step off the ship early on the morning of the 18th!! Angi
  16. We will be on Freedom of the Seas for the October 9, 2016 cruise!!
  17. Yes, that's right! Another reason we booked early is because we had scoped out a specific room we wanted on Freedom last time we cruised. We were able to get that specific room by booking early!
  18. I know it's pretty common knowledge among cruisers. But to anyone new to cruising or just to confirm for those who've heard it before...book early to get the best price!! We booked within days of Royal Caribbean releasing our October 2016 cruise. So well over a year out from our cruise. Our travel agent has checked EVERY sale that has come out since and not one has been able to give us a better deal than our original booking. Even with higher percentages off, and even with OBC added, we still have a better deal. So while of course I'm still hoping there's that one magical sale that will save us some money before final payment....I'm really glad we booked as early as we did since prices seem to only go up from there! Happy Cruising :)
  19. Hello all!! I haven't been on the site in quite a while because we were busy planning a Walt Disney World vacation for this October and I was consumed with all that came with it. But I just have to share with you what my kids have said since returning home from vacation 2 days ago. First of all , we are a huge Disney family. Have done the parks, the cruises, and my kids have grown up only knowing Disney vacations. That is until fall of 2014 when we went on our first RCI cruise on FOS and had a wonderful time!! I shared on one of Matt's periscopes that my 8 yr old daughter had told me before we left for Disney last week that Disney would be the 2nd best vacation place because our cruise on FOS was the best. Well, you know how kids are, and whatever they did most recent is the best. So I totally expected this to change after Disney. Well, I asked my 8 yr old daughter and 12 yr old son, both separately at the end of the trip. And they BOTH said without hesitation "The FOS cruise" I was shocked!! But honestly I think I agree. Disney is amazing and has some things you can only get at Disney, but I found myself very done with the trip and exhausted by the end. Instead of like at the end of our cruise where all I wanted to do was get back onboard!! Also, I didn't even ask my 16 yr old what he thought because I knew his answer. Because he told me multiple times at Disney "there are no teenagers here to hang out with". Now of course there were teens, but there was no place to get together and meet them. He made so many friends on our cruise in the teen area and had a great time hanging out with all of them! Sorry this is so long, but I just had to share! We are really missing RCI and aren't booked again until Fall 2016. On Freedom again!! But until then I will count down, enjoy the blogs, boards and periscopes and dream of the cruise!! Thanks for listening!! Angela
  20. We haven't stayed in a family ocean view on Navigator, only Freedom. But I can tell you we had plenty of room even for a family of 5! And our kids aren't tiny anymore they were 7, 11 15 when we went. Loved it so much we booked another one for our next cruise.
  21. I have not seen the new staterooms so I can't give any opinion on those. But I can tell you that we did find when you are forward and higher you can feel the motion of the ship more if seas are rough. 4 of the 5 of us have no problem with this, but our middle son did get very sea sick one day. We did have a pretty rough day on our last sea day (enough that sea sickness bags were placed on railings, water was sloshing out of the pools, etc.) And our son couldn't stay in the room. He had to be out on the deck all day in the fresh air. Hope I'm not coming off negative!!! Because we loved that area of the ship, we were all the way forward deck 9. Loved it so much our next cruise on FOS we are booked same place just one deck down. Just wanted to give you a heads up so if you have trouble with sea sickness you can go prepared :)
  22. Thanks everyone!! I appreciate all of the responses! Looks like I'm good just watching for any price reductions myself, since even if I went with a TA I may need to do that myself anyway. And I really don't mind the planning and watching for deals. That's half the fun right :)
  23. So, we did our first RCI cruise in 2014 on Freedom and loved it!!! Due to a 2015 vacation already booked and our schedules being crazy, the next time we are going to be able to cruise is October 2016. We are now booked on Freedom again for an October 9-16 cruise, YAY!!! And we talked my parents, who have never cruised on RCI, into joining us!! My dilemma is.... I planned on using a TA for 2 reasons 1- I wanted to make sure and book as soon as it became available to get a specific room 2- I wanted someone who could keep an eye out for discounts that may come up between booking and the cruise since we are booking so far out. The first TA I contacted got my info, said she would get back to me and never did. The 2nd looked into booking and didn't know why she couldn't find the family ocean view rooms online. At this time since one didn't call, and one knew less about booking RCI than I did, I decided to just book it myself. So my question is....now that it is booked, should I try a 3rd time and transfer to a TA so they can watch for price drops or better deals for me? Anyone have experience in getting better prices after their original booking, or is it likely I've already got the best price I will get. (right now it is about $1,000 more than we paid for our 2014 cruise, same # of nights and everything) Thank in advance for any advice you have! Angela *just realized I posted this in the wrong place! Sorry Matt! Feel free to move it!!
×
×
  • Create New...