gofast34 Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Hello Everyone I just booked my first cruise for my fiancé and I on the harmony of the seas in may 2017 for our honeymoon. We are booked in a junior suite with balcony and As a first time cruiser I'm looking for any and all suggestions on what to bring, secrets of the ship, drink packages, places to eat, excursions, and fun things we have to do on the boat. I don't mind splurging a little since its our honeymoon but are there some discounts or upgrades we can try to get? And how to get every bang for our buck so to speak. Any help or tips or what to expect would be greatly appreciated and since this is our first time just want to have as much information and research i can before we go Thank you MylesDots, Xobertlab and Wliampl 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Welcome! That's a wide open question with a ton info that could be shared. I'd say start off by reading about Harmony and the First Time Cruiser articles (links below). Also, reply here and let us know what you enjoy doing, some more about you and your fiance, etc so we can make better recommendations. Lastly, let us know whether you're sailing the Eastern or Western Caribbean so we can help with information about your ports. http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/category/category/first-time-cruisers http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/category/category/harmony-of-the-seas DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighlandBoy Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Hello and welcome, I've not yet been on Harmony but I'm sure that somebody will be along soon to say what there is to do on her. Being in a JS you will have access to Coastal Kitchen for dinner which we found very good on Anthem. Chops grill was also very good, I wanted to try Wonderland but my wife didn't like the look of the menu. We had the ultimate drinks package and it suited us well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatMe Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Welcome! Although I have never been on on Harmony, we just got off of Allure a couple of weeks ago and we love cruising so much that my wife and I got married at sea last year. the one piece of advice I have for your first cruise is to NOT over research and to NOT over plan everything. I would suggest traditional MDR dining and only eating in one specialty restaurant during the week. It is a little harder not to plan on harmony since you should book your entertainment in advance, but the magic of our first cruise was the wonderment of the unknown. We still enjoy eating dinner at a large table of strangers that, in most cases, are fast friends by the end of the cruise. For our first cruise, the only thing we had researched was which excursions we would be doing while in ports. Having no expectations going in, we had an absolutely magical experience. Our first cruise was in 2009 and looking back, as I often do, I wouldn't change a thing. donolog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Thank you everyone for your comments already. So first we are doing a western caribbean cruise with the stops being labadee haiti, falmouth jamaica, and cozumel mexico. My fiancé and i are the adventurous and action type from our backgrounds in race cars and racing. We don't mind relaxing either but really both of us would be bored after an hour on the beach. We both drink so i was looking into drink packages and think from what i have read on these blogs that that is the way to go. I tried to look into booking entertainment on the boat or reservations for dining but I'm not allowed to tie closer to the cruise. We are arriving down there the night before the cruise sails and plan on being there as early as possible so we can board the boat as soon as we can. I have been doing a lot of research since this will be my first time but that makes sense to not try to cram as much as we can into every day and just enjoy ourselves and the boat. Hopefully this helps with more tips and advice to everyone and thanks for your input again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Welcome to cruising! Be ready to be addicted. It is good that you are arriving early. When you get to the port (10am-11am) there will be a suite guest line for check in. Even though you are at the bottom of the suite guess class you can use this line as it is much faster. Have all your sea pass paperwork, IDs, and a credit card ready when you step up to the counter. The ID thingie can be tricky. Your IDs must match whats on the manifest (the names you give the cruise line) If you dont have passports your birth certificates must have an official stamp. If the new wife (congratulations) will be changing her name it would be smart to bring the official marriage certificate to show the name change. Not wanting to sound like a broken record but it is important at the cruise stops to not be late getting back on the ship. This is especially important in Cozumel because this is where the tequila bars are. After numerous tequila shots at Carlos n Charlies or Senor Frogs you will lose track of time (and everything else) The ship will not wait for you if you're late! Relax and enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Hello and welcome, I've not yet been on Harmony but I'm sure that somebody will be along soon to say what there is to do on her. Being in a JS you will have access to Coastal Kitchen for dinner which we found very good on Anthem. Chops grill was also very good, I wanted to try Wonderland but my wife didn't like the look of the menu. We had the ultimate drinks package and it suited us well. I hope I'm wrong but I believe the Coastal Kitchen is for Grand Suite and above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Junior Suites have access to the CK for dinner only. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatMe Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Thank you everyone for your comments already. So first we are doing a western caribbean cruise with the stops being labadee haiti, falmouth jamaica, and cozumel mexico. My fiancé and i are the adventurous and action type from our backgrounds in race cars and racing. We don't mind relaxing either but really both of us would be bored after an hour on the beach. My wife and I did the 4x4 monster jeep & Virgin beach excursion in Cozumel and it was fantastic. Rarely does a description live up to its billing. You drive your own jeep, and it was legitimate off road experience. The trailing guide vehicle actually got stuck and our jeep had to pull them out. At the half way point you see a small mayan ruin then off to the "Virgin" beach. Again, color me surprised! There was a small branch and thatch lean to on a beach with no one else in sight where we ate lunch and swam for about an hour. Probably the best ship excursion we have done in a long time. Here are a few photos https://goo.gl/photos/hSFMPcFACtYu3o7a9 Browneyedangel, Ched03 and donolog 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 MikeK thanks for the heads up, we were both planning on having our passports and she was planning on not changing her name till we got back. Our friends went on a cruise and she changed her name and they said it was a logistical nightmare so we figured not deal with the hassle and she will keep her own name for another week even though we will be married. Now if we have a passport there will be no need for a birth certificate right? I will also have my state I.D. and a credit card the normal stuff i keep in my wallet. Thanks also for the heads up on what line to get in thats why we want to get there so early so just incase we have any screw ups we will still be ok on time and try to avoid the big rush. I plan on being there before the terminal even opens and just wait so as soon as they start boarding we can go start our honeymoon. I think we were also planning on just drinking on the boat since we were leaning towards the drink package so we hopefully won't go too overboard (no pun intended) when we are in port FloatMe that is perfect looks like you had a blast and that would be right up our ally. We love adventurous stuff like that. Thanks for a great recommendation and from your pictures it looks like it was a blast i will be showing the other half your pictures she will be very excited to do that! Now one of her things she definitely wants to do is go snorkeling in one of these ports, any recommendations on which is the best place to do this with the best scenery under the water. Since she has never been to the caribbean this is one of her bucket list things so to speak. Thank you everyone again this is such a big help to a first time cruiser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 MikeK thanks for the heads up, we were both planning on having our passports and she was planning on not changing her name till we got back. Our friends went on a cruise and she changed her name and they said it was a logistical nightmare so we figured not deal with the hassle and she will keep her own name for another week even though we will be married. Now if we have a passport there will be no need for a birth certificate right? I will also have my state I.D. and a credit card the normal stuff i keep in my wallet. Thanks also for the heads up on what line to get in thats why we want to get there so early so just incase we have any screw ups we will still be ok on time and try to avoid the big rush. I plan on being there before the terminal even opens and just wait so as soon as they start boarding we can go start our honeymoon. I think we were also planning on just drinking on the boat since we were leaning towards the drink package so we hopefully won't go too overboard (no pun intended) when we are in port FloatMe that is perfect looks like you had a blast and that would be right up our ally. We love adventurous stuff like that. Thanks for a great recommendation and from your pictures it looks like it was a blast i will be showing the other half your pictures she will be very excited to do that! Now one of her things she definitely wants to do is go snorkeling in one of these ports, any recommendations on which is the best place to do this with the best scenery under the water. Since she has never been to the caribbean this is one of her bucket list things so to speak. Thank you everyone again this is such a big help to a first time cruiser Your passports will be enough ID but make sure the names on the passport match the names you gave RC that are on the manifest. Make sure you do the online check in and bring the set sail documents with you at pier check in, it will make things a lot smoother.When you get on board and looking for a place to eat lunch try the solarium bistro on deck 14 at very front of the ship. It has a nice view and less crowded than the windjammer, also the park cafe in central park is nice. Something else you might do before exploring the ship is find the area that is setting reservations for shows and entertainment. It has been awhile but I believe it was in the conference room on deck 3 better yet ask one of the RC hosts when you board. You will need reservations for the Comedy show (must see if they still have it) and aquatheatre show. While in Cozumel at least stop by Carlos n Charlies or Senor Frogs, depends on the crowd but it can be an adventure in it self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 Thanks Mike, i did double check with out travel agent to make sure that our names we gave her were the ones on our passports. One quick question, can i do some of these reservations in my cruise planner online before we get to the ship? Was also thinking that that first night on the ship maybe try to book one of the nicer restaurants because i have heard they might be less crowded or easier to book a reservation due to everyone wanting to explore the ship and the first night stuff. Is this true? and would it mess up anything on the my time seating? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted November 25, 2016 Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 It has been several years since I was on an Oasis class ship but you should be able to do some of the reservations in your cruise planner. After you get on board you also can do reservations on your screen in your room. If I remember correctly I dont think they let me do the comedy club reservations before the cruise The aqua theater and main theater have sections reserved for suite guest (grand suite and above) that open about 15min before show time to us peons so if you dont get reservations you can always try to squeeze into one of those spots and the comedy club also usually has a line waiting for people who dont show up for their reservations. When you get a reservation for one of the shows remember it is not a seat reservation so get there early for a good seat. We have been to several of the pay restaurants and enjoyed them but we only went because of our travel agent got them for us. We prefer the main dining room, it has great food and atmosphere. Since this is your first cruise I would try one and compare. Usually the first night and port days are the easiest to get reservations at those restaurants. Also formal night towards the end of the cruise is usually lobster night. It wont be Maine lobster like you are probably used to but it is still good. In the main dining room you are not restricted to one appetizer, one dessert etc. You can order more than one. There are many things we have all learned through years of cruising so I could ramble on forever which I tend to do. Have a good time and remember you can never have too much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2016 haha nothing is like Maine lobster ill tell you that! but thanks for the info, I had a discussion with the fiance earlier and i think we have made the plan we are going to try to book a restaurant the first night just to celebrate being on out honeymoon then do the regular dining room and atmosphere and eat there and meet all the other great people on the ship. As Foatme said i don't mind having the adventure of the unknown and see what we can plan each day or not plan and just wing it and see where the day takes us but i will keep looking at shows and reservations and see what we can get. We are too early out to book anything besides excursions so i will have to wait a little while but would love to see the shows and what ever else we can get into and enjoy the experience and all the ship has to offer and just keep looking at my planner online to see what we can get into. Thanks for the info on showing up early, knowing me and my first experience i just would have got there and they already would have given my seats away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2016 does anyone also know what the deal might be with the casino ? We are both gamblers and if we can get a rewards card or something to that extent what is the process for getting one? Im not a crown and anchor member though so do we still get anything? And also there is some wristband i have read about, would this be anything i should be looking into as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatMe Posted November 26, 2016 Report Share Posted November 26, 2016 does anyone also know what the deal might be with the casino ? We are both gamblers and if we can get a rewards card or something to that extent what is the process for getting one? Im not a crown and anchor member though so do we still get anything? And also there is some wristband i have read about, would this be anything i should be looking into as well? No rewards card for the casino, but they will ask for your sea pass at each table you play. If you play A LOT the casino host may reach out to you with invitation to their royal casino program. (I have no idea how much you have to spend and you may need to play A LOT on more than one cruise.) I actually did receive $100 cruise certificate from the host at the end of our last cruise. It was useless to me becausee of the specific conditions, but it was a nice gesture. I always play craps, put $400 in play on 10 seperate occasions, and was close to even at the end of the cruise. I would love to know how much you have to play (and on how many cruises) to get in their invitation only program? I believe there is a thread here with some additional info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 i read on another thread about the royal casino program and seems like you will have to spend quite a bit then what ever amount they give you seems like wouldn't do me much good anyway since we haven't booked a second cruise or don't know when our next time cruising again will be. But regardless thanks for the info. Any word on that wristband program and what that entails or we will just need our sea pass for everything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donolog Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 While I can't speak to Casino Royale Club or other casino specific loyalty programs, there are a few general points about the casino that may (or may not) be helpful. Every night of your cruise, the cabin attendant will leave in your state room the "Cruise Compass", which is a sheet of paper listing highlights and a schedule of what's happening on board the next day. Take a few minutes to look through the list of things going on to find out what interests you (having a highlighter pen is helpful for this). I can think of four casino-related things to keep an eye out for on this: the hours the casino will be open free learn-to-play events (probably less useful to experienced casino-goers) casino tournaments (e.g. blackjack, hold 'em, slots, etc.) drink promotions (e.g. $1 mimosas between 11:00-noon) Apart from slots and table games, the casino also holds a daily (sometimes twice-daily) lottery. You buy a ticket at the casino window during the day and they draw a winner later that night (mrs donolog won $100 on our last cruise!). The other major gambling-related activity onboard is bingo -- there will be several sessions over the cruise, but they are usually held in a lounge and not the casino (check the Cruise Compass for time and location). This last point will only be useful if and when you do a second cruise, where you will also get a few gambling perks in your Crown & Anchor Gold Level on-board offers such as: 20% off a casino tournament (but it will likely exclude hold 'em tourneys) one free spin to win one free jackpot card when you purchase a bingo package None of these are earth-shattering but as they say "it beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick". coneyraven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 Thats great info thank you so much, since this is my first time the little items like this that can make planning easier and a lot more fun are great. Can you use on board credits in the casino does anyone know? Since we don't know when our second cruise will be or when i plan on trying to take advantage as much as i can of everything to do on the ship while still trying to enjoy all the other amenities the ship has to offer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donolog Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 Can you use on board credits in the casino does anyone know? Based on prior comments from WAAAYTOOO I believe the answer is yes. The only catch is when you get cash in the casino from your on-board account, I believe they have a service charge of something like 2%-3%. So you would get $100 cash in the casino, but $103 would be charged to your on-board account. This provides a loophole that effectively allows you to cash out your on-board credit, and for this reason some cruise lines don't allow casino charges to apply against on-board credits, but I'm pretty sure that in a previous post, WAAAYTOOO said she has done this ... but with the caveat the cruise line could always change their policy on this (or enforce it if there is already one in place). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 You have it right, donolog. Only thing is....the fee is 5%....yikes. So if you ask for $100 in chips at a blackjack table (just an example), they will give you a chit to sign for $105...and $105 will be charged against your seapass account. You will receive $100 in chips. The 5% "convenience fee" is waived for members of Club Royale, which is their player's club....but quite honestly, the rules have been in such a flux the past year or so I really do not know what the rules are for joining/being invited/qualifying for CR anymore. It used to be relatively hard to get in but I don't think that's the case anymore. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to who actually becomes a member anymore and frankly, the CR program has always been very BAD at self-promotion so they don't even tell you if you're a member or not ! It's all kinda secretive for some reason. Bottom line...if you think that you will be cruising again with RCI and you want to be able to take advantage of casino rate discounts and have the 5% convenience fee waived, I would recommend that you speak with the Casino Host when you first get onboard and ask him/her what you need to do to get rated and be eligible for the benefits of being a Club Royale member. That's the only way I know of to be proactive about becoming a member. If they know that you are interested in being a VIP member, they will let you know what you need to do. Kamorkasor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatMe Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 Thats great info thank you so much, since this is my first time the little items like this that can make planning easier and a lot more fun are great. Can you use on board credits in the casino does anyone know? Since we don't know when our second cruise will be or when i plan on trying to take advantage as much as i can of everything to do on the ship while still trying to enjoy all the other amenities the ship has to offer I don't know how much OBC you have but keep in mind that gratuities will be $189 which usually eats up a large portion of most people's OBC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillHoo Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 New to cruising here also. Doing Anthem in June. I was looking at the dining options. Am I reading it wrong? Or the only complimentary options on Anthem of the Seas can be summed up as pizza, hotdogs, or buffet? If don't want to stand in line and get served at a counter, I would have to reserve a specialty restaurant to sit down and look at a menu? the casino sounds interesting. Is it play for cash or prizes? Taxes on winnings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clmsnskr Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Based on prior comments from WAAAYTOOO I believe the answer is yes. The only catch is when you get cash in the casino from your on-board account, I believe they have a service charge of something like 2%-3%. So you would get $100 cash in the casino, but $103 would be charged to your on-board account. This provides a loophole that effectively allows you to cash out your on-board credit, and for this reason some cruise lines don't allow casino charges to apply against on-board credits, but I'm pretty sure that in a previous post, WAAAYTOOO said she has done this ... but with the caveat the cruise line could always change their policy on this (or enforce it if there is already one in place). I seem to remember that if I charged by "Casino buy-in" to my on board folio (regardless of whether I had OBC or not), then I was still charged the 2%-3% (or whatever it is). I don't think the casino (or any other "spend money here" venue onboard even knows that you have OBC). Everything is just charged positive or negative to your folio and the net is billed to your credit card at the end of the cruise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted November 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 ok great thank you great info. Thanks for the comments and thank you everyone for your advice it is really helpful being a rookie to crusing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Answer for BillHoo: The main dining rooms on Anthem are Chic & Grande - traditional first and second seating and American Icon & Silk as My Time Dining Hope that helps Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 ok great thank you great info. Thanks for the comments and thank you everyone for your advice it is really helpful being a rookie to crusing When you get back let us know all about your cruise experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 You have it right, donolog. Only thing is....the fee is 5%....yikes. So if you ask for $100 in chips at a blackjack table (just an example), they will give you a chit to sign for $105...and $105 will be charged against your seapass account. You will receive $100 in chips. The 5% "convenience fee" is waived for members of Club Royale, which is their player's club....but quite honestly, the rules have been in such a flux the past year or so I really do not know what the rules are for joining/being invited/qualifying for CR anymore. It used to be relatively hard to get in but I don't think that's the case anymore. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to who actually becomes a member anymore and frankly, the CR program has always been very BAD at self-promotion so they don't even tell you if you're a member or not ! It's all kinda secretive for some reason. Bottom line...if you think that you will be cruising again with RCI and you want to be able to take advantage of casino rate discounts and have the 5% convenience fee waived, I would recommend that you speak with the Casino Host when you first get onboard and ask him/her what you need to do to get rated and be eligible for the benefits of being a Club Royale member. That's the only way I know of to be proactive about becoming a member. If they know that you are interested in being a VIP member, they will let you know what you need to do. WAAAYTOOO, I just booked 2 RCI cruises with CR within the last 4 days and somehow I have become a member of CR and saved a considerable amount of money on both. I didn't ask to join and the last time on an RCI ship I asked a casino host to rate my play so I could become a member, maybe that is when it occurred. I didn't know that they waive the $5 fee for getting cash. I am writing that down so I can use that when I go on my February and May cruises. I agree that everything is secret/hush hush with CR. Even when I called and asked questions some weren't answered. I wanted to know if play is rated by how much you play in the slot or how long you play and never got an answer to that one. I know in Vegas it depends on the casino, some rate by amount of time played and some max bet in a machine for a certain length of time. Thanks for the new information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 Candie, that's great news ! I am so glad that you are able to qualify for the casino rate now. That's such a huge bonus. Frankly, it's what keeps me cruising with RCI. As you know, the program has changed a lot over the past year or so. I don't think Club Royale is a "by invitation only" club any longer. I have heard lots of people say that they have gotten future cruise credits, offers of discounted cruises, etc. when they didn't "formally" join CR. I really think all you have to do is play with some regularity and you are "in" these days ! Much better than it used to be as far as getting into the program. I am also very confused about what "perks" are applicable to everyone and if there are any which are bestowed based on program "level". I don't think there's anyone in the program that knows the answer to those questions yet. No 2 people seem to have the same information or get the same answers when questions are asked. Maybe they will square the program away at some point and have some consistency, but as we all know, inconsistency is RCI's strongest trait so I'm sure it will be a mystery for some time - maybe forever ! I have been told (but never know if I'm getting accurate information or not !) that both time and $ are used to determine your player level. I have also heard (but don't know if I believe or not) that the amount you are "reimbursed" through future cruise certificates is based on how much you LOSE as opposed to how much you wager. Most casinos don't care whether you win or lose...they know that eventually you WILL lose and so, the more you wager, the happier they are. It's not normally the situation for them to base player levels on how much you lose. Otherwise, the winners would never attain high status...and that makes no sense. The good news is....you are able to get the discount. That's GREAT news. I will be interested to find out, when you return from your next RCI cruise, whether you get free drinks in the casino (I know you don't drink alcohol so it may not be so easy to determine !) and if they waive the 5% convenience fee. I'm glad you thought to ask. It took me a LONG time to realize that I could get a casino rate. If I hadn't finally just called them I probably wouldn't know today ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donolog Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 WAAAYTOOO do you know if your CR perks port over to Celebrity and Azamara like C&A perks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofast34 Posted December 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2016 Even though I'm still a bit away from cruising in may of 2017 ill let everyone know my experiences since everyone has been great with all their help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted December 2, 2016 Report Share Posted December 2, 2016 Donolog, I know for sure that the casino affiliation does NOT transfer over to X or AZ as C&A membership does. X has their own casino player's club (Blue Chip) and they rate their own players and do not recognize CR VIP players. I have my first X cruise booked for Feb. 2018 so hopefully I will be able to attain some kind of status with them at that time. Don't know about AZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janza Posted January 6, 2017 Report Share Posted January 6, 2017 Candie, that's great news ! I am so glad that you are able to qualify for the casino rate now. That's such a huge bonus. Frankly, it's what keeps me cruising with RCI. As you know, the program has changed a lot over the past year or so. I don't think Club Royale is a "by invitation only" club any longer. I have heard lots of people say that they have gotten future cruise credits, offers of discounted cruises, etc. when they didn't "formally" join CR. I really think all you have to do is play with some regularity and you are "in" these days ! Much better than it used to be as far as getting into the program. I am also very confused about what "perks" are applicable to everyone and if there are any which are bestowed based on program "level". I don't think there's anyone in the program that knows the answer to those questions yet. No 2 people seem to have the same information or get the same answers when questions are asked. Maybe they will square the program away at some point and have some consistency, but as we all know, inconsistency is RCI's strongest trait so I'm sure it will be a mystery for some time - maybe forever ! I have been told (but never know if I'm getting accurate information or not !) that both time and $ are used to determine your player level. I have also heard (but don't know if I believe or not) that the amount you are "reimbursed" through future cruise certificates is based on how much you LOSE as opposed to how much you wager. Most casinos don't care whether you win or lose...they know that eventually you WILL lose and so, the more you wager, the happier they are. It's not normally the situation for them to base player levels on how much you lose. Otherwise, the winners would never attain high status...and that makes no sense. The good news is....you are able to get the discount. That's GREAT news. I will be interested to find out, when you return from your next RCI cruise, whether you get free drinks in the casino (I know you don't drink alcohol so it may not be so easy to determine !) and if they waive the 5% convenience fee. I'm glad you thought to ask. It took me a LONG time to realize that I could get a casino rate. If I hadn't finally just called them I probably wouldn't know today ! So we have 2 cruises booked and last sailed in Feb '16. Just got an invite to MLife of which we've done nothing with MGM but I know it's hooked up with CR. Wondering if my hubby got in to CR and we aren't aware. Who would I contact for CR info? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted January 6, 2017 Report Share Posted January 6, 2017 For Club Royale information, call 888-526-9723 For MLife, call 866-761-7111 janza 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janza Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Thanks WAAAYTOOO. I'll look into it. Enjoy your next cruise. We leave the day after you. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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