Zobertlab

Hey all,
 
We're looking at booking a european/mediterranean cruise out of Southhampton, England. We're wondering what the ships currency will be? (for on-board purchases, playing in the casino, etc.) Is it US or will it be pounds?
 
Alsooo, what itinerary would you recommend? 

Does anyone know why I cant rent a Cabana on Barefoot Beach on line?  When I log in it will allow to rent a cabana  on the other beaches but not on the Barefoot Beach.  I know Barefoot Beach is for suite guests, but I am staying in a Crown Loft Suite.  In my mind I should be able to reserve it now, but it says to reserve onboard.  I am wanting a specific location and want to reserve early to get it.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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

Earlier this year, I posted a Drink Package Decision Tree based on a post by DisneyBartenderScott.  The original thread can be seen here:  http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php/topic/1469-royal-caribbean-drink-package-decision-tree/?hl=%2Bdecision+%2Btree
 
In trying to update the decision tree with the various sales going on and the streamlining of the drink package, I found that doing so was nearly impossible.  So instead, I came up with a 10-item quiz to help you decide if you should consider purchasing the drink package.  If you score above a 5, you should contemplate purchasing the drink package.  If you score a 7 or higher, the drink package seems to be a slam dunk in my opinion.  Also, feel free to suggest revisions and/or new items.  For example, I would suspect Matt would suggest something about distributing the costs.
 
Update: A self-scoring version of the test can be taken here:  https://testmoz.com/922297
 
Deluxe Drink Package Decision Test
 
Answer TRUE or FALSE for the following items:
 
1.       I like to have more than just a glass or two of wine with dinner each night.
2.       I like to drink specialty coffees and/or bottled water each day.
3.       I will be dining in multiple specialty restaurants during my cruise.
4.       I drink four or more alcoholic drinks per day.
5.       I am not a Diamond, Diamond Plus, Pinnacle member of the Crown and Anchor Society.
6.       I have a lot of sea days during my cruise.
7.       I plan to arrive as early as possible on embarkation day.
8.       My itinerary includes Coco Cay or Labadee.
9.       I enjoy starting my day with a morning cocktail (e.g., mimosa or Blood Mary).
10.     I can take advantage of a discount by prepurchasing the drink package before my cruise.
 
Scoring Instructions: Add up the number of TRUE answers.  If you answered TRUE for 5 or more, consider buying the drink package.  If you answered TRUE to 7 or more items, the drink package is likely your best option.
 
Important considerations:
 
Item #1: If you answered FALSE but enjoy a glass of wine or two with dinner, consider bringing on two bottles of wine with you.  Royal Caribbean allows two bottles of wine to be brought on per cabin and does not charge a corkage fee.
Item #4: If you answered FALSE but still like specialty coffees, frozen drinks without alcohol, etc., consider the Refreshment package.
Item #7: If you are boarding late, then purchasing the package after Day 1 to save a little money.

Has anyone taken Royal's stingray swim in Antigua? Forgive my ignorance but don't these creatures sting?!

I vote we do a pre cruise meet up to get the party started!

Just booked July 30-August 5, 2017. Yay!!!!!!!

Just thought it would be interesting to keep track of who's going when.
 
Our next cruise is on Allure on November 10

I'd love to get a Navigator ship figurine to commemorate my wife and I's trip last year. However, i neglected to pick one up on the ship, and they are apparently hard to get on land! I'm hoping someone might be able to pick one up for me! Thanks in advance either way -- You'll love the ship!

Please use caution using the steps leading into the outdoor pool on Anthem.  The plastic coating is coming off leaving a very sharp edge.  My granddaughter severely cut her heel last week while going down the steps on the side of the pool near the towel desk.  Medical glued and butterflied it but now it has become infected.  Co-pay, 3 meds and crutches later.  Emailed Royal Caribbean but they haven't returned my email or contacted me in any way.  Did meet with chief safety officer after the event.  Not sure if they have done anything about it though.

I never did make it to the library on Navigator recently but then I had my kindle and some audio books too so there was never really an urgent need. However discussing books to read with one of the other passengers on deck one of the days he was telling me that the library was predominantly for people playing scrabble and other board games too and further that the selection of books was pretty poor anyway with some books not in the English language.
There may well be a time on another cruise when I am out of reading material and want to find something good to read. Has anyone found the libraries on board worth visiting assuming you are not a fan of scrabble that is or are the books there only those that other cruisers choose to leave behind?

Matt, sorry I was not clear in my post. I'm not talking about just sending a bottle through X Ray. What I am saying is purchase a bottle in a metal case or a metal tube. The X Ray Scanner Machine then just see a metal box, or metal tube. Back in the 35 & 120 mm film days I would carry my cameras inside zero metal cases. If the scanner see these do you really believe they would stop and catch them?

There was a table of 14 that had been recently seated and I suspect they were the reason our guacamole got rushed. Still, I don't think great table side guacamole is worth the $60 (for 2) they charge for dinner at Sabor.

Hello friends! I am not a regular traveller, but loves to take a vacation once in a while. I have went for cruise only once in my life time and that too several years back. Now my wife and I are planning a month long vacation next year by April-May. We haven't decided on a destination yet, but Bahamas and Caribbean islands are what we have in our mind. We are not even sure if it is a good time to go there. A little advise on that would be great. The rough plan we have is to visit both Bahamas and Caribbean islands in a cruise trip, then spend rest of the vacation somewhere in Caribbean islands, possibly in a good resort with a good view of nature. I would like some advise there as well. While searching on the internet, I found a few resorts in Barbados like The Crane, The Club and a few others. As we know nothing about any of those, we haven't decided anything . Anyway, the return trip will be by flight. This is just a small plan we made within a couple of hours. We will be making changes according to the situations and what the experienced advises us to do. Is there a cruise line that could fulfil our plan? Any other good suggestions to make our vacation as perfect as possible are also welcome.

Newbie here, so apologies if this has been asked before.
Really enjoyed reading the pros and cons of purchasing the drinks package. I heard a rumor that you could bring two bottle of wine onboard for consumption in your cabin. Can anyone confirm??

My wife and I cruised on Navigator of the Seas November 2015  -- Our first experience with Royal Caribbean. Loved the promenade concept of the ship -- That was really a focal point. However, the very best thing about the ship was the California Wine Pairing dinner we had at the Chops Grille. Wonderful! We are cruising on the Liberty of the Seas December 2016, and the very first thing we signed up for was the Chef's Table Dinner. We are looking forward to it.
 
What are the coolest or most unique things you have found about the ships you have been on? I am particularly interested in Liberty, but eager to hear what everyone thinks.
 
-Ukulele Cruiser
10/09 -- Carnival Conquest
10/12 -- Carnival Conquest
11/15 -- Navigator of the Seas
12/16 -- Liberty of the Seas
12/17 -- Norwegian Pearl

I have a story to tell. I just got back from a Panama Canal 14 day cruise, (not RCCL). I ate in the MDR with the same woman 5 different night, she was a solo cruiser like myself. She explained to me that flying was her greatest fear and she refused to do it, so every year she plans a 4 to 5 month cruise, (many different cruise lines, a few hotel stays), to not fly. She has done this for the past 5 years.
 
Her starting point was San Diego, we ended in Miami, from there she was spending a day or two in a hotel and then doing a 4 day RCCL cruise, hotel again, then a 7 day Allure cruise, getting off of Allure and doing a 15 day TA, I think on the Independence, this would take her through most of November. While in London she was doing a HAL cruise of the Mediterranean, 10 days I think, doing another HAL with Spain, Italy, etc. Until at the end of February, beginning of March, she would board a TA that would bring her to Vancouver or Seattle and then a cruise from Vancouver/Seattle to San Diego. On the Panama Canal cruise she had an interior, all other cruises were an ocean view or a balcony.
 
All of this so she doesn't have to fly. My first question, after her cruise itinerary, was "Isn't this expensive" and of course it is, but it is only once a year and she said you told me that you have 6 cruises booked for 2017, with another possibly being booked, (SNAP, she showed me). Next question, "Aren't you seeing a lot of the same ports" and of course she is, so she doesn't get off, she reads, she does needlework.
 
She explained to me she led a very frugal life, she was married, now a widow, had no children, and when her husband passed she sold her home in Denver and moved into the RV that she and her husband vacationed in, after moving the RV to her sister's farm, so no rent.
 
If you were able, would you do something like this? I am not afraid of flying, and to me, it is way too much trouble to set all of this up, just so you don't have to get on a plane, plus being on a ship for 4 months is just mind boggling to me.
 
Sorry to go on and on, but I found this to be so interesting. 
 
Candie

I just found out my son will graduate from college in December. With changes of majors we were thinking it would be a year and a half later. I had planned to book a celebration cruise for him and my wife in May 2018 but now he will probably be working.
 
I am booked on Rhapsody out of Tampa Feb 4th. Its about a week before final payment is due. I am considering getting him a cabin on this cruise. Its about $1600 with the current sale. Am I better off waiting until after final payment to book this room? We got a great rate on our room. This is almost double what we paid for my wife and I. I don't mind spending the money. Do prices generally drop after final payment date?

This is a message for the really hardcore ship-followers here... Does anyone know if the recent hurricane that hit Freeport Bahamas had any impact on the refurbishments being done on Adventure of the Seas?  
 
There is a five day sailing after the refurb scheduled on Nov 14th, and then we're on her Nov 19th. I'm curious as to if the hurricane may have impacted the ships refurb schedule.

So, last night as Tyna and I are sitting around a bonfire up on the mountain, we're talking about how badly we want to get back to Bermuda .....soooo....
 
WE BOOKED IT AGAIN!!! -- While we were throwing logs on the fire - Hey, cell service works there too.
 
We're going back on Grandeur for their 5-night sailing to Bermuda next September.  Same itinerary, same cabin, same everything .... only $300 cheaper (go figure) ---- Oh, and to top it all off, we've been in touch with another couple that we met on board and it would appear they want to do the same thing....
 
Plus, we still have the Rhapsody cruise the following April....
 
So, as I see it, ZERO cruises for 7 years, then 3 cruises in 2 1/2 years.....I don't consider that to be a bad thing at all.
 
You folks are a bad influence, scratch that, a GOOD influence on us.
 
The questions I have for everyone is ....
 
Who has repeated a cruise, same itinerary, ship, etc. just because the first time was just that much fun, and why? -- And --- who have met folks on a cruise, only to keep in touch with them well after the cruise ended, and possibly cruise together again?
Also, who has traditions that they must adhere to as they board the ship or when they get on the ship?  For example, I will always wear my sovereign of the Seas T-Shirt as I board......
 
Mark

G'day, I am thinking of taking Liberty out of Galveston and am just wondering, do most of you stay in Galveston or Houston or Austin, I am from Australia and don't know much about the states, Would love to fly to LA then make our way to Vegas and the Grand canyon then down to Galveston, is there an easy way to travel around the states other than flying.
Does the Liberty have Water slides?
Peter

prior to cruising my wife and I were debating the drinks packages, were they worth it?
I do not drink a lot at home but can tend to drink a few with company, my wife drinks more than I do but even she is not the heaviest drinker, so we decided to get the premium package rather than have to worry about hefty cruise card bills.
We both drank enough to justify the package, so we go our money's worth.
we both agree now, however that if we didn't have a package we would not have drank anywhere near as much.
We have agreed that on our next cruise we will just buy the soft drink package if any and buy a couple of beers or whatever with meals
Peter

Love to hear that! Knowledge is power and makes convincing spouses to book a cruise so much easier!

Hi,
 
I'm new to the Forum - Sorry if this has been asked already but, how is the best way to get from MCO to Port Canaveral?
 
My family and I will be cruising on the Freedom of the Seas in April for a 7 night Western Caribbean Cruise. My wife and I cruised twice before on RCCL (Navigator - 5/05 and 4/06 - yes, it's been a while!) but this will be the first cruise for my 6yr old son and 8yr old girl.
 
This will be our first cruise out of Port Canaveral (cruised previously out of Miami), and have plans to fly in the night before to MCO, and will stay overnight at the Country Inn & Suites at Cape Canaveral. The hotel has a shuttle to the Port, but am debating on whether to hire a private limo (VIP Limo?), rent a car one-way (Hertz is right next door to our hotel), or rent a car for the week and leave it at the hotel. For the return leg, we fly out of MCO same day we get back into Port, but is an early afternoon flight (2:45p).
 
Thoughts? Thanks for all the help in advance!

We have booked our second ever cruise on the Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston in early 2017.  (Our first cruise was on the Oasis).  
I am looking for all kinds of hints, tips, and tidbits about the ship, shows, and sailing out of Galveston you may have.  I read a LOT about the other ship before sailing but don't seem to find as much information about this one.  Of course everyone's opinion is their own and I am certainly not looking for a debate, I would just like to know what you liked best or least.  Where are hidden gems or nuggets on board.  If it wasn't for the boards I would have never known about the late night shows like the Love and Marriage etc.  We booked traditional dining this time.....good move? What time is best?  Best dishes to get.  Which dining location is recommended? 
 
Thanks in advance...looking forward to reading responses.