JLMoran

This is really funny, as I'm taking my first cruise next year and will be 48 at that point, also with teenagers. And I booked when 46 (less than a month before my birthday). ?

Just read the live blog from @Scatmanjack about his family's cruise on Independence, and was intrigued by his coverage of the game room and how his family brought along some board games for family time. Made me wonder, as we're doing the cruise nerd signs / "it's been too long" signs thing. I mean, there are rainy days from time to time that keep everyone indoors. So... What board games would you bring / have you brought on a cruise? If nothing else, it'll give everyone a little more insight into the folks on these boards. ? So I'll start off, with the games I think I'd bring for our upcoming family cruise on Freedom: Carcassonne Settlers of Catan Apples to Apples (maybe, looks like this might be a standard on the ships) Cards Against Humanity (more my older daughter on this one, in case she meets any like-minded teens on board) Apart from that, if Freedom has Cribbage in their game room I'd be happy to play some other passengers. ?

I got this message the other day when I was trying to purchase our Dragon's Breath zip line tickets. The credit card wasn't going through, kept getting "Calendar Error" even though I was entering the right expiration date. I had to call RCI directly to buy the tickets, and while the person on the phone was making that purchase for me, I had that message appear. Soon as she finished the purchase, I was able to see my reservation details again (with the newly purchased tickets in place). Definitely NOT related to my mid-completion online purchase, since that was still in my cart after the service rep finished up and I actually had to manually delete it since was "no longer available".

Great review, and very useful feedback about the rooms and dining! I'm confused about one thing. Maybe this just unique to Oasis class, but I thought the Solarium section on all ships included a complimentary dining area, not a specialty dining venue? Would swear I remember reading that somewhere here on the site, and it was mentioned frequently as a good alternative to the Windjammer when it got crowded, and that it offered a selection of "healthier" choices like salads and sandwiches.

Apple-only guy here, in the past been able to access their site on my iPhone with no problems (iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 10.3.2). Just tried now with Safari and it was fine, got through selecting a cabin type and up to entering traveler info. Didn't go any further to see if I could select specific cabin, but I'd assume that part would work as well. Are you using any kind of content blocker on your iPhone, like 1Blocker? That might have an effect, although it didn't seem to for my own browsing just now (I've had 1Blocker installed and enabled since the day it came out).

Matt, back pain is mainly arthritis in my lower back, gets better with walking around, which I'm sure I'll be doing plenty of on this trip! Bigger concern is my neck, which I badly sprained and slightly damaged one of the discs after getting thrown in a martial arts class without using proper break fall technique to roll out of it. Took years to get (mostly) better, and it still clicks and pops several times a day. So I just watch out for anything that could give me whiplash, which the zip line definitely seems to qualify for. And now that I know to go on the coaster earlier / at lunch when it's less crowded, I can enjoy that without worrying about someone coming behind me at 45+ mph and ramming me because I want to enjoy the view and maybe take some video on my phone.

OK, so that video and the way you got yanked at the end lines up with what I've seen on other videos. Was that a GoPro you were using there that got knocked loose, or handheld? It does seem from the sound that you do slow down at least a bit before you hit the end, but still kind of fast if not the peak 50 mph. As far as the coaster goes, that's less of a concern for me. I've ridden enough coasters in recent years to know I can handle the curves and bumps. I'll just ride the brake a bit to keep from going super-fast through the turns (and so I can appreciate the view!), and try to time my rides for when it's less crowded so I don't have to worry as much about someone slamming into me from behind. I'm assuming earlier in the day or when everyone else is eating lunch should be ideal.

Thanks for the heads-up, @DocLC! Unfortunately, I got nothing when I logged in. Based on a comment from the blog post that linked to an RCI doc listing all the eligible sailings, mine is still too far out. The list document went to the end of 2017 for each ship, so hopefully there will be another such offer in 3 months that will include my sailing that leaves at the end of March.

OK, so I already know that the Dragon's Breath zip line excursion has a big standard disclaimer on it that people with back or neck problems shouldn't do it. But I also know it's a CYA disclaimer to cover that 1-in-500 or lower chance someone gets hurt doing it. I've been on plenty of rides with these disclaimers, and in spite of having really badly hurt my neck years ago, I've never had a problem with any of them. Mainly low- to mid-line roller coasters (space mountain / runaway train / thunder mountain type, no loops or linear acceleration launchers), but also other amusement park rides. This excursion has me feeling a little differently. I'm hitting 50 mph by the time the line levels out. There are no restraints to keep my body from jerking around at the end when I stop, certainly nothing to protect my neck (which I will admit is still somewhat weak even now and which cracks / pops several times a day). I'd like to do it, but not if there's a non-minimal risk of spraining / straining it again. Labadee is the last port on our trip, but I still have a sea day after that and then the flight home. Can anyone who's done this excursion clue me in on how hard the jolt is when you stop at the end? I've seen the videos showing the full experience, and it certainly looks like I could really feel it. The rest of my family will be doing this and I have no problem taking several slow runs down the alpine coaster while they're at it, or just lazing in the cabana and getting our money's worth from that, or taking a slow walk along the paths. Thanks, all!

Not from what I'm seeing in the sample floor plan and photos from Cruise Deck Plans (scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the "Click for Interior Cabin Walk thru" link for photos). Interior rooms have a love seat (only seats 2) rather than a couch (which seats 3). If a love seat's enough for your needs, though, you should be good. There's also a desk with a chair.

You've only been a member of this site for 5 months, you've never actually gone on a cruise, yet you still manage to rack up 338 posts.

Nice! I read that Nebraska should actually be the best state to view the eclipse. If it wasn't such a long drive from NJ, I would have considered it!

Figured I'd post this here as it's a non-cruising question. I'll be in Columbia, South Carolina with my family for the solar eclipse from Aug 20 to 22. The state museum there has a special ticket passage for the eclipse day that I've bought, which includes the required safety glasses for proper viewing, reserved access to museum grounds for viewing the eclipse (from what I see, they have a nice bit of open space around the museum, no tall buildings or other obstructions), available parking, and admission to the museum and planetarium on eclipse day. Anyone else planning to go there? Possible meet-up on the museum grounds for a group observation get-together?

Was CK better on Oasis because you didn't have the 2-year old at the time? Or because the service was less slow / stuffy? Or another reason? Just want to try and gauge what expectations I should have traveling as just a married couple without any children in tow. I don't mind slower, more attentive service (as long as it doesn't interfere with a show reservation or the like).

That's what I've been doing, buying one thing each month on top of my monthly payment for the cruise fares. Definitely helps with managing the final cost! Normally, I'd do this, but... And that's the same price I'm seeing, which is the regular price for buying onboard. I'll acknowledge there's some risk the price might go up by the time of my cruise, but I'm willing to gamble it won't go up before Fourth of July week, when I'm guessing there will be another big promo. If nothing shows at that point, I'll buy our drink packages after my next billing cycle starts and lock in the price until a promo does come along. In the meantime, for the current billing cycle, I'm booking my wife and kids' slots on the Dragon's Breath zip line in Labadee. Already got the cabana and coaster tickets there (for a crazy discount!), but getting the zip line tickets at the same time would have put too much on my card in one month. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for this, but I'll have to see how it compares with the regular VOOM pricing at the time and whatever discounts I might have already found for the deluxe and refreshment packages. I need to get VOOM for four devices so we can all stay in touch as we wander around the ship as well as be able to keep in touch with folks on the mainland; so the sip+stream package, plus 3 regularly priced devices, plus 3 refreshment packages at the current price would need to at least break even with whatever price I've paid at that point for everything separately.

That's certainly a nice bonus. +10 C&A points instead of +5 means my wife and I would only need 12 more points to hit Platinum. I'm already considering the 12-night "Southern Caribbean" on Anthem for January, 2020, so I could be Platinum in just one more cruise, even if I take a regular balcony!

So I'm 290 days out from my Eastern Caribbean cruise on Freedom of the Seas, and I see that the beverage packages are now available for me to buy on the Cruise Planner. Since I just missed the last Sip and Stream offering, and I've got so much time before embarkation day, I'm gong to bide my time and keep an eye out for either a 20-30% off sale or another Sip and Stream offer. Maybe around 4th of July week? This is kind of nuts, I'm still a little over 9 months away from my trip! At the rate things are coming up on the Cruise Planner, I'll have all of our excursions, drink packages, and internet booked and paid off at least six months ahead of time. At that point I'll just be making the monthly cruise fare payments until final payment in December.

Big minus sign in a circle for me, for all images.

This is normal, by the way. My own reservation for two connecting rooms was also different reservation numbers even though booked at the same time / same card. The reservations should all be linked together, however, so that you all will be seated together for dining and for easier booking of shore excursions / show reservations / etc.

I laughed out loud when I read this, as @Wilson (Texas) and I (New Jersey) are on Anthem for the same Bermuda trip next year. Was wondering if chance might find us seated at the same table in the MDR, but maybe not!

OK. This is more or less what I was expecting. Had hoped Royal might have some kind of option for people who'd booked a disembarkation day excursion with them, but I'll just go with Plan B and book on my own for mid- or late-afternoon, and then get a rental car or just a Lyft to go to whatever hotel we are staying at, drop off the luggage, and then head to the excursion site. Gotta go with the flow!

For our cruise on Freedom next March, we're not only planning to fly down two days ahead to check out the area before the cruise; we're also planning to fly back on Monday, rather than the Sunday the cruise gets back. I was considering taking one of the excursions offered on disembarkation day (the airboat ride / tour), but I'm wondering what happens to our luggage in that case. I tried doing a search on the site because I'd swear I saw an article here some time back talking about doing disembarkation day excursions, but I'm coming up empty. I seem to recall that for people flying out later the same day, you can do the excursion and Royal will send your luggage ahead of you to the airport in the meantime. But what if you're not flying out? Can we leave our luggage at the port while we're on the excursion, where Royal (or maybe the port staff) keep it in a safe location, and then come back to port when the excursion's over to pick up our bags and get a Lyft to the hotel we'll be at? Or are we required to take our luggage with us as soon as we're off the ship? I really hope it's not the latter, but if it is I'll skip booking the excursion through Royal and just make a stand-alone booking for the afternoon or something. And I'll make sure it's late enough in the day that we'll have enough time to disembark without rushing, along with waiting for a Lyft, getting to the hotel to drop off our bags, and then going to the outing.

Hmm. I checked the sample menu links, and at least for the example red wine offerings, as well as this menu from Vintages posted by Eat, Sleep, Cruise. I'm seeing a bottle price basically 3.5 to 4 times the glass price, not seeing anything where I'd have a real justification to buy a bottle over just getting glasses a la carte. Were there specific wines you were getting that were being promoted by the ship those nights for a special price, or some other discount (maybe for being a certain C&A level)? Also, just curious if when you last took the tally you included any specialty coffees, fresh squeezed juices, or other non-soda / non-alcohol beverages that are covered by the packages? I've been pretty sure I'd be getting the alcohol package, since I typically drink at least 2 coffees a day (and sorry, but Seattle's Best isn't a favorite of mine), two glasses of wine or two beers with dinner, and figure that I'll be having at least one more coffee and a couple of additional beers or cocktails in the pubs at night and during the day on sea days. That should be just right for breaking even with the package, but I always like seeing other people's breakdowns and comparing to my own typical vacation habits to see if I'm gauging it right.

@chrisd596, one other thing with tips: If you want to spread out the costs of your cruise a bit, and not have that charge on your credit card disembarkation day with whatever else you've racked up on your Sea Pass card, you have the option to pre-pay your tips. You can do that via the cruise planner, or your TA if you booked with one. Dunno if this is something DCL also offers, but figured I'd mention it. Note that if you choose to do My Time Dining, your gratuities are automatically pre-paid as part of your cruise fare. I'm assuming they do that since the wait staff typically differs every night, and this allows RC to distribute the tips accordingly.

Hah! And speaking of things to do on board, look what @Matt just posted! First Time Cruiser's Guide to Royal Caribbean's Onboard Activities