Newbie Help

[Lisa in Sweden]

I’ve booked my first cruise in October next year and feel like I don’t have any real information on what’s included.  All I see is ‘buy this extra, buy that extra’.  Do I have to buy meal packages and drink packages?  I mean, I want to eat and drink (coffee, water, soda) but I’m feeling a little over whelmed.  Can someone point me to where I might be able to get just some general information?  TIA

[Ryan79]

In the website, it will spell out what is included and what isn’t. Meals in the Main Dining Room (MDR), buffet and quicker Grab & Go type places are included. Speciality restaurants like Chops, Izumi, Jamie’s are extra. As far a as drinks go, water, tea, regular coffee, iced teas, non fresh squeezed OJ, concentrate juices are included. Speciality coffee (Starbucks), sodas, mocktails, energy drinks and any alcoholic beverage is not included. You can either pay as you go with any of those or buy a package.

[smokeybandit]

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/cruise-vacation-price

[CrimsonCruiser]

Hi Lisa! congrats on booking your first cruise!

To make it simple - no you do not HAVE to purchase anything extra. It is entirely possible to pay nothing additional when on a cruise and have a fantastic time.

Free (aka included food) is available in:

• the Main Dining Room
• Buffet
• Cafe Promenade (a cafe with small bites)
• the Pizza place(Sorrentos)
• and other ship-specific places like el loco fresh, mini bites, boardwalk dogs

Free beverages are going to be at these places as well and generally include:

• water
• lemonade
• hot tea
• iced tea
• various from-concentrate juices
• basic coffee

 

There are additional For Charge restaurants and attendance at these are completely optional. These tend to include the steak house, mexican, sushi, Italian places onboard. If you are interested in trying but want to save money, all of them offer lunch menus that are significantly cheaper than the dinners.

Beverages that will cost you extra are, obviously, any alcohol or mocktails, and any starbucks or specialty coffee (lattes, mochas, etc), and the Soda. Yes, the soda requires at bare minimum the Classic Soda Package (between $8-10/day online and $15/day onboard) because the soda machine requires a chip in the bottom of the package cup to work. No package - no cup - no soda. BUT you CAN bring on your OWN soda! "12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom."

You can also bring on your own wine or champagne - 1 bottle per adult per room.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Although I don’t drink milk, I believe that “regular” milk is also complimentary.

[JFCruise]

10 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Although I don’t drink milk, I believe that “regular” milk is also complimentary.

IIRC, they have those individual cartons, regular and chocolate.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

@Lisa in Sweden if you are booked on an Oasis class ship also available as complimentary eats is Park Cafe in Central Park.  Very good breakfast and lunch selections (their salad choices are really great).  Also the Solarium Bistro has breakfast and lunch as well as a dinner option which you can make reservations for.  Both places have all the complimentary drinks as well.

[steverk]

Also, don't make the mistake of believing that you must purchase an excursion to leave the ship during a port of call.  You can book through an independent operator or just explore on you own.  Research the ports to see what is nearby and how safe each one appears.  Some, like Skagway Alaska, are very easy to explore on your own.  Others, like Belize City, can be a long way to the interesting sites and don't offer inviting areas to explore on your own.

[Ryan79]

54 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Although I don’t drink milk, I believe that “regular” milk is also complimentary.

I knew I was going to forget something basic like that!!!!

[Plasticbrain]

@Lisa in Sweden this community is great right! Hope you enjoy your first cruise (doing my first 2 next year as well, my second will be in October 12-19th on explorer, jeg er Norsk forresten, hei Sverige!) 

For my 2 cruises I have chosen to get the refreshment package, but I am sure I could do without it. I have not chosen to buy any speciality dining. Oasis which I am on in june has so many options, Explorer only has main dining, buffet and the cafe, but I am not that big of an eater, and considering breakfast and dinner is included, and I will mostly be on shore for the lunches I decided against it. But I think it is great to have options. Anyways hope you really enjoy your cruise! 

-Chris-

[Matt]