EmersonNZ Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 Well we were going to book our first Royal Caribbean cruise but after reading your latest blog and listening a few podcast episodes on my runs lately.... I just booked 2 cruises!!! First Cruise is a 12 night 'South Pacific & New Zealand' on the Ovation from 28th Jan 17 departing Sydney and including stops at Noumea (New Caledonia), Mystery Island (Vanuatu), Bay of Islands (NZ) Tauranga (NZ) and Auckland (NZ) before heading back over the ditch to Sydney). For this trip we have a Superior Ocean View Balcony room and it'll be just Keryn and I. The second cruise is a 14 night South Pacific & Fiji New Years eve cruise at the end of 2017 on Voyager. This time we have stops in Mystery Island (It really is a mystery as I know the area and never heard of it until I saw it on RC), Vila (Vanuatu), Suva (Fiji) Lautoka (Fiji), Normea (New Caledonia). This time we are going with a Grand Suite to try something a bit different. This trip we are including a friend (Andrea) with us. So.... now what! (apart from checking into a treatment program) Any specialty restaurants that are must dos? Chops looks like a must do for me (Give me MEAT!) but on Ovation especially it really looks like there are so many options. Since we 'saved' nearly $6k NZ (about $4.5k US) on not doing a suite on Ovation my feeling is some of that can go to enjoying as many of the restaurants as we like etc. I think we'll pass on the drink packages (Though I may get the non alcohol one). Internet looks 'reasonable' compared to what i am used to on Disney. Any hints for RC first timers are really welcome.... what have we done! Matt and CruisingKat(Kathy) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 EmersonNZ, you are worse than most ! You already seem addicted and haven't even set foot on the ship yet ! LOL Welcome to the asylum. First of all, let me say that I am very envious of your incredible itineraries. They sound so exotic to us, North Americans. ...one day....(sigh) Secondly, let me first suggest that before you spend a lot of money on upsell restaurants, you give the old [free] dining room a chance. Luckily, you have plenty of nights from which to choose so if you feel the need to pay additional money, you have time to do that. I know this is just my opinion....but I have to say that, in general, the "complimentary" food on Royal is very good. Sure...there are some menus that are less palatable than others but these are always a matter of personal preference. Maybe it's just me, but I do not see the need to spend EVEN MORE money on restaurants when, for the most part, the complimentary food and service are far above average. If you are a steak snob (said with love) then certainly you are going to want to try Chops. The MDR steak is only adequate...not nearly excellent. So that is one distinction I will make. Let me also admit that I have never been on a Quantum class ship, so the restaurants that are specific to that class are unfamiliar to me. I've heard they are all very good. My point is....don't forsake the MDR menus before they are given a fair chance ! Best of luck and enjoy those wonderful itineraries. EmersonNZ and MikeK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I agree with Waaaytooo about the food on Royal. Never had a problem finding something I liked in the main dinning room. Yes Chops is a little more upscale than the MDR and you do get a better steak. It is worth a try but I'm sure you will find more than enough food to be very happy. I would recommend that you look at the drink packages, (non alcohol) because even if you just have a couple sodas (Coke, etc) a day it will pay for itself. I'm sure you will have two great trips. EmersonNZ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmersonNZ Posted May 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I would recommend that you look at the drink packages, (non alcohol) because even if you just have a couple sodas (Coke, etc) a day it will pay for itself. I'm sure you will have two great trips. Sounds like good advice. We certainly like a Coke Zero now and again and I love a good coffee. I don't think either of us drinks enough alcohol to warrant the alcohol packages (I imagine 2 to 3 a day for my wife and 1 or 2 for me is a limit. I'd happily sit on non alcoholic cocktails all day and a coke etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I agree too. On my last cruise in October I did dine at Chops, it was good, but not the best steak, by far, that I have had. I would try the MDR and if you find you don't like the food you can try the specialty dining. Don't forget there is free pizza somewhere on the ship and it is great, usually a free hamburger place too, that is good. I, too, am envious of your itineraries. I have wanted to take a transatlantic or Norway cruise but they are out of my price range. I would buy the soda package, it comes with unlimited soda, juice, water, I am not sure if it has coffee, since I don't drink it. Candie EmersonNZ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmersonNZ Posted May 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 Secondly, let me first suggest that before you spend a lot of money on upsell restaurants, you give the old [free] dining room a chance. Luckily, you have plenty of nights from which to choose so if you feel the need to pay additional money, you have time to do that. Good advice. We will certainly do that. I think the idea for Ovation will eb to try the complimentary choices and say a couple of signature (maybe different ones than on Navigator... and Chops, did I mention I like steak?). If we were to say book a couple of signatures towards the later half of the trip can we cancel them once on board if we find we really want to head back to a complimentary restaurant again? I am thinking maybe looking one or 2 with the idea being you know you can cancel if you wanted gives the best of both worlds... or.... are there so many spaces available that we'll have little issue getting a seat if we wanted to a signiture restaurant on board? This all really is new to me so sorry about the questions :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmersonNZ Posted May 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I, too, am envious of your itineraries. I have wanted to take a transatlantic or Norway cruise but they are out of my price range. Being from a small island nation in the middle of the pacific I think it is in our DNA to travel. I must admit it did feel strange booking a cruise that included New Zealand destinations. One itinerary we looked at for the Ovation is stopping in Dunedin (NZ) which we where we live. I guess it'd be a good opportunity to pick up anything you'd forgotten to pack :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 It depends on what time you dine. I had no problem booking on the ship the first day but after that my time and several others were gone and the time left was 8:30 p.m. Sorry I can't eat a steak that late at night. You will receive emails attached to your reservation, when you go to RCCL.com and look under Online Check-In. They will have an invitation for the wifi, Voom, and for beverage packages and specialty dining. The least you can buy in dining is 3 nights. The beverage packages don't save you hardly any money, but you get free minutes with the Voom package. So look at your booking at least once or twice a week. Candie EmersonNZ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmersonNZ Posted May 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 So look at your booking at least once or twice a week. Only once or twice a week? I've been so excited I've looked atit at least once or twice an hour since I booked (It really hasn't changed in that time :-) WAAAYTOOO and Floski 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 Another suggestion that some people won't agree with, don't pay off your cruise completely. Always leave a small balance, like $100 owing, until the final payment date and pay the balance about two days before final payment. The reason for this is if there is a price drop before final payment, if you have paid in full, you won't get any money back, usually the cruise line offers you OBC or beverage package, something but no money. Some people have gotten money refunded but on the two cruises that I paid in full and then the price dropped they refused to give me a refund for the difference. One was only about $50 and I was given OBC but the other was around $100 and again was offered $50 OBC. Go ahead and check every hour, no nothing will change in an hour but you don't know. One of my Royal cruises dropped $50 so I called and got the $50 taken off my balance. Did you book these cruises yourself or use a travel agent? Just asking because when you hear of a price drop you just notify your TA and they call and do all of the work. Candie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I know that refund and price adjustment rules are different in different parts of the world so just b/c we (in NA) can call and take advantage of a price drop anytime before final payment does not always mean that others (in other parts of the world) can do the same. I do agree with Candie though, about not paying off the full price of the cruise until immediately before final payment is due. Once the balance is paid in full the complication factor for making changes is significantly increased - at least, for NA departures. I have a friend who went with us on the last group cruise who paid his entire balance when he booked. Down the road (but before final payment would have been due) he decided he wanted to move the booking to our TA...but was unable to do that b/c the cruise balance was -0-. No need to needlessly limit your options. EmersonNZ I think it is such a hoot that you are going to your home town/port as one of your ports of call ! Too bad you couldn't embark and disembark there ! ...so much easier....not to mention, cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 Regular coffee and tea is free on the ships in the dinning rooms and in self service areas. Inside your cabin will be a coffee machine, package coffee, tea, sugar, cream are all available at no costs from the self service areas or the cabin attendants. The coffee that are not free are the upgrade specialty coffees, or branded coffee stands like Starbucks. I also understand about booking a cruse back to your home port. Last Summer we did a 10 day Hong Kong to Singapore Cruise and it had three stops in the Philippines. The Manila stop really was of no interest to us, but it turned out to be a good stop, almost everyone got off the ships and we had the whole ship for what seemed to ourselves. The hotel director told me 85% plus of the passengers were off the ships. I just stepped off to take a couple of pictures of the ship with Manila in the background and then back on. Ports seem to become less important the more you cruise. Most of the time port stops are far two short to really explore and get a good look at the ports. But Royal has been doing more overnight port stops in Asia which helps to give more time to get to know the ports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 EmersonNZ, If you do cruise to your home port, remember to run home and do laundry, that way you don't have to carry so many suitcases. Floski 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 13, 2016 Report Share Posted May 13, 2016 You're welcome!Glad to hear you are joining the fun here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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