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First time cruisers very overwhelmed (help)


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Hi all, apologies in advance for the incoming wall of text :)

Myself and my wife really want to try out our first cruise, We keep chopping and changing between what RCL ships and also places to visit and also other named cruise liners and were really close to calling it a day lol!

Ideally we would like to travel on the allure or oasis and would like to go to Bahamas but the issue i see here is that the stop times at nassau is only 7am -2.30pm? can anyone advise if this is firstly long enough and also is it true you need to embark back on the ship 2 hours prior so that would make it 12.30pm??So because of the shorter port time in bahamas we then contemplate changing CL but then always come back to RCL as the ships look like they cater for what we want,i know there are other liners in RCL that go to bahamas but we are torn as we both really like the look of central park and the water show etc which isnt offered to my knowledge on the anthem which is one of the ships that does have a longer port time where we want to go.

I really dont know what it is about the anthem but something steers me away from it and really cant grasp what it is, what do you guys think?

So do you friendly bunch that have started cruising choose your ship as priority or place? Is the oasis class better then the Anthem? 

Also the gratuity thing has me all confused also! is this paid at the end of your stay??

 I dont drink alcohol but i drink a lot of water and occasional soft drink and was thinking about getting the refreshment package. would you say its worth it if for instance i was drinking a couple of litres of bottled water a day and a few cans of soda and some coffee??

dining packages, we would like to maybe eat in a special restaurant maybe twice or more on our possible 7-9 night stay, would you recommend getting the dining package or is it better just to pay on board at selected extra restaurants?

Is it also easy to determine on board whats free and included and whats not? i just fear being first timers were be using a mchne or something for drinks ad not actually being allowed to if that  makes sense, also how do you what restaurants are included in the standard package.

 

lastly to my knowledge is a balcony room worth the upgrade as thats what were currently looking at, I also use a vaping device as i quit smoking 2 years ago, are these allowed to be used on the balcony and arround the ship?

 

thank you ever so much for your time and sorry its a very mixed bag of questions, 

 

Dan

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Welcome!

We are on that itinerary for Harmony of the Seas, leaving July 1st.  7:30 -2 at Nassau is a very weird time.  It's half a day, but most things in Nassau do not open until around 9, so you lose a good two hours.  We haven't settled on anything to do yet.  It seems like any resort day pass ideas are a waste because of the times you are in port.

In short, you cannot go wrong with Anthem or Oasis.  Ships such as Allure of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas pack a lot of entertainment, dining and tech onboard that offer the kind of "WOW moment" experiences many new to cruise guests have heard about.

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I agree with your choice of ship. You can't go wrong with the Oasis or Allure, and I'm a big fan of Central Park having had a Central Park view cabin in January. Whether a balcony is worth it or not is a personal decision. When my son was younger and we cruised less, we would get a balcony as it proved to be a nice retreat especially when he napped. Now that he's older and we're out and about more, we opt for an inside unless there's a deal on balconies (e.g., within $100 pp or so) as we opt to save money to cruise more often. We've also been taking longer cruises in Europe where the price difference between balcony and non balcony cabins can be thousands of dollars. 

You need to be back on board a half hour before sailing, but many of us recommend earlier for safety sakes since the ship won't wait for you. What do you want to do in the Bahamas?  That will determine if you have enough time or not. For me, is my least favorite port. If you want to do something like Atlantis water park, then it's probably not enough time. If you want to snorkel, sight see, or go to a beach, you'll be fine.  

I'm a big fan of the three night dinner package for the savings and 150 Central Park is my favorite restaurant on a Royal ship that I've tried this far. What is included and not is pretty clearly identified. I don't think many people realize that Johnny Rockets is complimentary for breakfast though. 

Based on what you've said, the beverage package would be worth it and that's the one I get. 

 

 

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10 minutes ago, DocLC said:

I agree with your choice of ship. You can't go wrong with the Oasis or Allure, and I'm a big fan of Central Park having had a Central Park view cabin in January. Whether a balcony is worth it or not is a personal decision. When my son was younger and we cruised less, we would get a balcony as it proved to be a nice retreat especially when he napped. Now that he's older and we're out and about more, we opt for an inside unless there's a deal on balconies (e.g., within $100 pp or so) as we opt to save money to cruise more often. We've also been taking longer cruises in Europe where the price difference between balcony and non balcony cabins can be thousands of dollars. 

You need to be back on board a half hour before sailing, but many of us recommend earlier for safety sakes since the ship won't wait for you. What do you want to do in the Bahamas?  That will determine if you have enough time or not. For me, is my least favorite port. If you want to do something like Atlantis water park, then it's probably not enough time. If you want to snorkel, sight see, or go to a beach, you'll be fine.  

I'm a big fan of the three night dinner package for the savings and 150 Central Park is my favorite restaurant on a Royal ship that I've tried this far. What is included and not is pretty clearly identified. I don't think many people realize that Johnny Rockets is complimentary for breakfast though. 

Based on what you've said, the beverage package would be worth it and that's the one I get. 

 

Thank you for both your help,I know my essay wasnt the easiest read! Some good points that you covered of mine and i appreciate that help.Im not sure what it is with the bahamas that excites me, Im from the uk so the Caribbean isnt a short trip unfortuntley but i have been to barbados and dominican on land holidays and i just imagine bahamas to be like barbados which i really liked, def snorkling and beach but would also like to see atlantis. I dont have much interest in haiti so thats why im kind of steering away from the other ares they go although cozamel would be nice to see. You say bahamas is your least fav port can you elaborate on why and what you fav ports are please? :)

10 minutes ago, DocLC said:

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Christie said:

If you didn't prepay gratuity, it is added to your seapass account (basically your onboard billing account) every night.  At the end of the cruise they will use the credit card on file to charge your entire bill.

Ah i see ok, does the dining package have gratuity included or is that also extra?  

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Sorry to chop this up into multiple replies.

I've been on Oasis and Anthem.  I would definitely choose Oasis over Anthem.  Don't get me wrong- Anthem is amazing in its own ways, but NOTHING beats an Oasis class ship especially for Caribbean itineraries.  If you were looking to go north to Canada, then I think Anthem would be perfect.  Anthem is more of a cold weather ship with lots of indoor spaces.  Oasis is made for the Caribbean.  I agree with the love of the Aquatheater and Central Park- they are such unique experiences for a ship. 

Also agree with 150 Central Park.  Best food I've had on sea.  

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Welcome to the blog !  Glad to have new friends.

Most new cruisers cruise for the destinations - they decide where they want to go and then find a ship that will take them there.  As you cruise more, I find that most people cruise for the ship that they like with a few exceptions of special itineraries that pop up from time-to-time.  That is not a general rule...just an observation that may or may not be true, in your case.

As Doc says, you really cannot go wrong with the Oasis class ships unless you just prefer a smaller ship (some do).  I personally, LOVE the big ships - so much to do and so much happening all the time.

Unless there is some personal reason why you want to spend more time in the Bahamas, I think you will find that some of the other islands have just as much, and perhaps more, to offer.  I really don't know why they cut the stop in Nassau so short.  Probably has to do with sailing time from port-to-port.

I have never been on the Anthem so I cannot compare the 2.  Many people love the Anthem.

Room choice is another very personal thing.  I love a balcony room.  I love sleeping with the sliding glass door open at night (don't tell.  You're not supposed to do that !).  We "started" with Boardwalk balcony rooms on the O class ships and found them to be a nice compromise between desire for a balcony and cost.  If you choose a Boardwalk balcony on the O or A, go as far aft as you can and you will get a better view of the Aqua Theater and the ocean.  Of course, you may find it noisier the further back you go, too, but we never did find it too noisy.  We loved the Boardwalk balconies.

Gratuities are not too confusing, really.  You can either pay them before you go or at the end of your cruise.  Your choice.  I always prepay mine so I don't have to pay for them at the end.  If you purchase any kind of beverage package, your gratuities for your drinks will already be included.  You will not have to pay again.  If you pay "by the drink" you will have to pay a gratuity every time you order a drink.  There are no automatic gratuities for specialty restaurants so whether you purchase a dining package or pay "by the meal" you will have to decide whether a gratuity is warranted.  It certainly is not mandatory.  I look for this to change some day, BTW.  I imagine a compulsory gratuity for the specialty restaurants is just a matter of time....

Whether or not to eat in a specialty restaurant is entirely up to you.  I will say, just my opinion, the complimentary food is very good.  There is really no reason to pay additional money for food on board unless you just want to.  Trust me, between the main dining room, the Windjammer and the other complimentary restaurants on board, you will NOT go hungry.

...and finally....beverage packages.  If you drink a lot of water the occasional soft drink you will, most likely, save money with the beverage package.  Of course, you can always bring your own water and soft drinks on (while this is technically not permitted, Royal does not confiscate bottles of water or soda that are still factory sealed) but that is waaay more effort than it is worth, for me, so I don't do it....but you could.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do !!  ...and stay in touch !  

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6 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Welcome to the blog !  Glad to have new friends.

Most new cruisers cruise for the destinations - they decide where they want to go and then find a ship that will take them there.  As you cruise more, I find that most people cruise for the ship that they like with a few exceptions of special itineraries that pop up from time-to-time.  That is not a general rule...just an observation that may or may not be true, in your case.

As Doc says, you really cannot go wrong with the Oasis class ships unless you just prefer a smaller ship (some do).  I personally, LOVE the big ships - so much to do and so much happening all the time.

Unless there is some personal reason why you want to spend more time in the Bahamas, I think you will find that some of the other islands have just as much, and perhaps more, to offer.  I really don't know why they cut the stop in Nassau so short.  Probably has to do with sailing time from port-to-port.

I have never been on the Anthem so I cannot compare the 2.  Many people love the Anthem.

Room choice is another very personal thing.  I love a balcony room.  I love sleeping with the sliding glass door open at night (don't tell.  You're not supposed to do that !).  We "started" with Boardwalk balcony rooms on the O class ships and found them to be a nice compromise between desire for a balcony and cost.  If you choose a Boardwalk balcony on the O or A, go as far aft as you can and you will get a better view of the Aqua Theater and the ocean.  Of course, you may find it noisier the further back you go, too, but we never did find it too noisy.  We loved the Boardwalk balconies.

Gratuities are not too confusing, really.  You can either pay them before you go or at the end of your cruise.  Your choice.  I always prepay mine so I don't have to pay for them at the end.  If you purchase any kind of beverage package, your gratuities for your drinks will already be included.  You will not have to pay again.  If you pay "by the drink" you will have to pay a gratuity every time you order a drink.  There are no automatic gratuities for specialty restaurants so whether you purchase a dining package or pay "by the meal" you will have to decide whether a gratuity is warranted.  It certainly is not mandatory.  I look for this to change some day, BTW.  I imagine a compulsory gratuity for the specialty restaurants is just a matter of time....

Whether or not to eat in a specialty restaurant is entirely up to you.  I will say, just my opinion, the complimentary food is very good.  There is really no reason to pay additional money for food on board unless you just want to.  Trust me, between the main dining room, the Windjammer and the other complimentary restaurants on board, you will NOT go hungry.

...and finally....beverage packages.  If you drink a lot of water the occasional soft drink you will, most likely, save money with the beverage package.  Of course, you can always bring your own water and soft drinks on (while this is technically not permitted, Royal does not confiscate bottles of water or soda that are still factory sealed) but that is waaay more effort than it is worth, for me, so I don't do it....but you could.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do !!  ...and stay in touch !  

Thank you ever so much, your reply was very helpful and a good read, im the same as you in a sense although i havent actually cruised on a RCL before i want the big ship with plenty going on. I almost want to be wowed when i walk through the ship :) In your experience which is your fav itinerary and why? I plan on doing some excursions but mainly myself and my wife love to just soak up the views and landscapes around us and enjoy the beach and seas also.

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Definitely be sure to look at shore excursions since they'll be organized around the times the ship will be in port. My friend and I went to Nassau on Majesty back in February and did the Rainbow Reef Snorkel, which was incredible. Highly highly highly recommend. Nassau is an interesting city, worth looking around a bit, but staying on the ship is always a good option too since there's always going to be things to do. 

I'm going on Anthem for the first time in a few weeks, so I can report back, but I'll be live blogging that experience here and on my website if that would be of help. Also I'd recommend downloading the Periscope app and following TheRCLBlog, since @Matt does regular Periscope broadcasts and its a fun way to learn about Royal Caribbean and get some great questions answered. 

Also check out The Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast Episode #200  since there are some great first time cruiser tips in there. 

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

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Also, not to further complicate things, but don't write off the smaller ships.  Yes, the Oasis and Quantum class ships (Anthem/Harmony/Oasis/Allure/etc) are big but for a first cruise a smaller ship can be a more memorable experience since it lets you get into the spirit of cruising without being overwhelmed by the sheer size and variety of everything on the bigger ones. I'm a big fan of ships like Majesty, because it's the epitome of "less is more" - there's less to do on the ship but it allows you to detach and just relax. 

You can't go wrong with any Royal Caribbean ship, though! :) 

 

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I absolutely loved Dominica. Nassau is no where as lush or scenic. Haiti is really like a private beach resort, so I wouldn't sell it short as this is a great beach day and your drink package will work there. 

Atlantis is awesome; I've been there in a land vacation twice. However, I wouldn't do more than tour it, which is worth doing for the sea life alone. However, you won't have enough time to truly enjoy the water park. 

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30 minutes ago, Danielmills13 said:

Thank you all so much for all the advice it's greatly apriciated. I've just looked at the price for November for the oasis going to Haiti Falmouth and cozamel so options are open to use. I actually like the allure itinerary in nov going to st Kitts etc. So many choices lol just can't decide. 

You cannot go wrong with either. Flip a coin, book one, and then book the other itinerary when you get onboard!

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Nassau:  I agree with several others with Nassau not being a great port.  While I've heard that Atlantis can be a lot of fun, for the cost and short duration you're in port it's not worth it.  A snorkeling excursion would be good.  We did a self-guided walking tour the last time we were there.

Balcony:  for me, it's totally worth the upgrade.  My relaxation is watching the water go by so I enjoy a balcony.  You mentioned vaping?  Smoking is not allowed in the cabins or the balconies and is only allowed in designated areas and vaping/e-cigarettes are considered the same.  From the RCI site:  Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are only permitted within the designated smoking areas. 

Drink package:  If you're drinking lots of bottled water a day and a few sodas, it's worth the drink package.   We pre-paid the drink package for my wife and I on our last cruise and while we probably would have saved some money had we done a la carte for my wife's drinks, in the end the savings wouldn't have been that great.  I just thought of it as a convenience factor not to have to worry about another bill at the end of the trip.  

Specialty Dining: Haven't not been on an Oasis class ship (yet), so I can't comment on how easy it is to get dining reservations once on-board.  All I can tell you is that when we go on the Allure, we'll do two specialty restaurants and I'll pre-book at least one.  We have a AAA package that includes one specialty dining but that has to be reserved on the ship.  I know there's a lot of good specialty dining but we still like the Main Dining room experience where the waiters get to know you.

 

 

 

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I agree with Doc, if you pre-book your dinning, you have no issues, if you go to a specialty on embarkation day, it was also easy and available. But after the ship sails and everyone has made their reservations, that's a problem, I had a reservation but decided I wanted to eat at a different time and nothing was available and that was going through the Diamond concierge.

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10 minutes ago, Danielmills13 said:

Thank you all so much for your help. We have whistled it down to oasis or the allure in November we're just contemplating the itenery now!! So hard to pick. 

 

It's either Jamaica,haiti and cozemul or Bahamas st Thomas and st kits.

 

Thanks again

Having been on both itineraries, I highly recommend the Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, St. Thomas & St. Kitts). The port in Jamaica is Falmouth. Great shopping, Margaritaville, couple of nice places for food & drink. But, this is all within the fenced shopping area. Going outside of the fence is risky. The port in Haiti is Labadee, which is owned by Royal Caribbean. Nice beaches, the food and drink actually comes off of the cruise ship and is prepared in a huge barbecue area. Cozumel is great for shopping and Mexican food. We really enjoy the Eastern Caribbean. Cleaner islands & better beaches.

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4 minutes ago, rjac said:
4 minutes ago, rjac said:

Having been on both itineraries, I highly recommend the Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, St. Thomas & St. Kitts). The port in Jamaica is Falmouth. Great shopping, Margaritaville, couple of nice places for food & drink. But, this is all within the fenced shopping area. Going outside of the fence is risky. The port in Haiti is Labadee, which is owned by Royal Caribbean. Nice beaches, the food and drink actually comes off of the cruise ship and is prepared in a huge barbecue area. Cozumel is great for shopping and Mexican food. We really enjoy the Eastern Caribbean. Cleaner islands & better beaches.

I agree, we like the Eastern swing better, for the reasons rjac stated, the islands and beaches seemed cleaner to us. 

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