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RCB Group Cruise 2020 Questions?


12thman

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26 minutes ago, 12thman said:

So I'm thinking about trying the group cruise next year. Does the group get any extra discounts for excursions, drink packages etc? Also can someone give me examples of what the group does activities wise?

 

Thanks!

I'm booked on the October 2020 GC - since this will be my first, I can only share what I know from learning from others.  There are no discounts on things you can purchase in the Cruise Planner (drink packages, "Eatin' Packages" - Mr SpeedNoodles' term!). I think they usually plan at least one excursion that's complimentary for those who book with the GC through MEI.  I know the price that I paid through MEI was lower than the listed price at the time that I booked.  I've heard of various activities, but I'm sure those who have already done one (or two, or three) will have more details.

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4 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

I'm booked on the October 2020 GC - since this will be my first, I can only share what I know from learning from others.  There are no discounts on things you can purchase in the Cruise Planner (drink packages, "Eatin' Packages" - Mr SpeedNoodles' term!). I think they usually plan at least one excursion that's complimentary for those who book with the GC through MEI.  I know the price that I paid through MEI was lower than the listed price at the time that I booked.  I've heard of various activities, but I'm sure those who have already done one (or two, or three) will have more details.

Yep.  This is exactly right.  No package discounts but a couple of fun group activities and at least 1 group excursion.

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RCBlog group cruises are fun.  There are a lot of adult activities, we sometimes have cake, we definitely have booze, we also play Jenga and do shots, and try to get the pub singer to hate us.  And as an added bonus you get to hang with the Cookingyo family.  Well worth the price of admission to a group cruise. ???

 

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5 hours ago, cookingyo said:

RCBlog group cruises are fun.  There are a lot of adult activities, we sometimes have cake, we definitely have booze, we also play Jenga and do shots, and try to get the pub singer to hate us.  And as an added bonus you get to hang with the Cookingyo family.  Well worth the price of admission to a group cruise. ???

 

Plus you learn things like... It's a real website.  

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6 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

You know there’s no CK on Brilliance right? ??

kidding...went with the group on Anthem and we had a blast. I would have gone on Brilliance too but the timing doesn’t work out.

Wait, there's no CK? We didn't eat anywhere else besides CK, Izumi, and Chops. What are we going to do!?  Haha! If we're able to go it's so I can meet some of the people that have been so helpful. Especially @Matt but he kind of ignored my other questions about the group cruise when he was live on Thursday.  Maybe I should get a refund for my super chat? Just kidding! 

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1 minute ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Warning...Group Cruises have a domino effect.  Booking one will lead to wanting to book others. 

Come on @Matt waiting for the 2021 announcement.  Fingers crossed I can make that one!

How about a group cruise in Europe or Asia!?

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On 10/25/2019 at 11:35 AM, 12thman said:

So I'm thinking about trying the group cruise next year. Does the group get any extra discounts for excursions, drink packages etc? Also can someone give me examples of what the group does activities wise?

Group Cruises are great because you can enjoy your own cruise experience within your family and decide to participate or not with the schedule group activities.  Typically they will have a meet up the night before the cruise in the debarkation city..and often locals will show up and hang out even if they aren't cruising.  Sometimes are able to organize a group hotel available which makes it convenient and then there's a possibility of an organized shuttle to the port.

Part of the perks of being with the group is that they will schedule things such as cocktail parties where we get to be "those people" and go past the sign that says RESERVED FOR PRIVATE EVENT.  Usually there's a group excursion opportunity as well.  On the Thanksgiving Symphony cruise last year we got to participate in the podcast recording down in the conference center.  Roller skating sessions, ice skating sessions, bumper cars are all things I've seen.   @Matt also tries to organize something exclusive for the Insiders (https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/support) to participate in.

But I think the impromptu events tend to be just as much part of the fun.  They set up a chat group so folks can connect with each other during the cruise.  There was a fun bar crawl and a cabin crawl that was organized on the Symphony, impromptu laser tag session on Mariner. And I always knew I could turn up to the pub at night and run into someone from the group.  

I've found the group rates ended up being better since they got locked in so early and it's refundable til the 90-days out mark.  

Plus you get to meet @AnnetteJackson from MEI travel and she is a blast to hang out with!

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8 hours ago, 12thman said:

@AshleyDillo thanks for all the insight! Hopefully we can make it. I'm planning our Alaska cruise for next year. Group activities sounds fun!! Does anyone know how booking excursions, meals etc. Gets coordinated with group activities? 

You just schedule and plan your meals and excursions as you want.  If you decide you want to participate in what the group is doing then you can cancel something you already scheduled.  Unless I really want to do something, I just wait until I see what the group excursions are going to be before I plan anything.  I haven't actually participated in an official group excursion yet with a group cruise as both of the ones available were at ports where I had other things I really wanted to do.  They did rent three beach bungalows at CocoCay for the first leg of the Mariner group cruise and it was fun to chill out there as people came and went.

For onboard activities, they have to work with Royal to set up things on the ship, so they can't release all of the activities until everything is firmed up.   

If you don't pick MTD when you book then they tend to group all of the group cruisers together for dining in the MDR also..so you could end up sitting near and sharing tables with the group cruisers for dinners.

Alaska is an AMAZING time..I'm actually going back June 5, 2020 out of Seattle on Ovation.

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18 hours ago, 12thman said:

@AshleyDillo thanks for all the insight! Hopefully we can make it. I'm planning our Alaska cruise for next year. Group activities sounds fun!! Does anyone know how booking excursions, meals etc. Gets coordinated with group activities? 

Hey - as I sit at SeaTac right now!

Group cruises - I wish we could post all the group events when we start out the gate, but because the numbers in the group change, we cannot lock in some of our items with the ship until after final payment.  Matt did give a link to group events as an example, but we try to have a meet up each day.  We never want to force anyone to eat dinner at a certain time so we try to avoid meal times.  We use an app for those that are on wifi so that we can give you changes and reminders about group events, but for those that are not on wifi, I will make sure you have a printed schedule as well as notecards along the cruise  so you have reminders of items and locations.

Groups - the people are the best!

Excursions - I always say book what you want to do just in case.  Make sure you can cancel if you decided to do a group excursion with us - but always your choice.  For an example, we have not announced the Group Shore Excursion for NYE on Freedom yet.  It can take several weeks after everyone makes final to lock some of the events in place.... but trust me... we try to make it fun for everyone!

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2 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I find a lot of group rates (RC blog related or not) tend to be inside/ocean view/balcony. 

For the Brilliance GC, MEI did have a refundable GS that royal did not offer. 

Thank you for the information! Waiting for my TA to get me pricing hopefully it'll have that GS maybe a OS.

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18 minutes ago, 12thman said:

Thank you for the information! Waiting for my TA to get me pricing hopefully it'll have that GS maybe a OS.

Feel free to email me and I can let you know exactly what we have left.

we do hold certain cabins so it could depend on what is booked right now as to what we have at group rate.  Happy to help and work with your MEI Agent.

[email protected]

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9 minutes ago, AnnetteJackson said:

Feel free to email me and I can let you know exactly what we have left.

we do hold certain cabins so it could depend on what is booked right now as to what we have at group rate.  Happy to help and work with your MEI Agent.

[email protected]

Thanks email sent.

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10 minutes ago, 12thman said:

When I look at what's on the Brilliance it says there's a suite lounge but when I look at the deck plans I don't see it. Where's the suite lounge located? I know Junior suite don't get access.

Suite Lounge on Brilliance is across from the Diamond Lounge on Deck 13. It's called the Concierge Lounge.

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  • 1 month later...

When do you start hearing about activities on the group cruises?  I know they're SOOOO far away, but my wife and I are booked on the ones in October 2020 (hopefully can still go) and July 2021 (definitely going) and hearing about all the activities they have lined up for the one that is currently going on I was just wondering when we might start hearing about that stuff.

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1 hour ago, Drewww said:

When do you start hearing about activities on the group cruises?  I know they're SOOOO far away, but my wife and I are booked on the ones in October 2020 (hopefully can still go) and July 2021 (definitely going) and hearing about all the activities they have lined up for the one that is currently going on I was just wondering when we might start hearing about that stuff.

Usually @Matt and @AnnetteJackson don't announce group activities until after final payment.  That way they know their exact numbers.

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