Questions from a first timer

[wolfies]

These are some random questions, otherwise I'd make a more relevant title for this post haha. Anyone who is bored want to help me out with a some questions that I haven't found the answer to? And please don't come at me if these are dumb! Family of 4, going on Anthem for a 7-night cruise next week.

 

1- Do people bring insulated bottles from home for water, and if so where do you get water from, are there fountains? We drink a lot of water but I hate the thought of bringing/buying a case of water. (My husband and I also have the deluxe drink package but I will still want water for us and for the kids.)

 

2- If we choose to self-disembark, can we eat breakfast and get off later than those getting help with their bags? Do people who get assistance with their luggage not get breakfast?

 

3- My 11 year old has a T-Mobile Sync Up Kids Watch- should he not bring it? I don't know if there's an airplane mode setting for that. And I'm not even sure if it will work if our phones are in airplane mode and we try to send him a text.

 

4- We have 2 connecting staterooms, our plan is to put the kids in 1, and my husband and I in the other. However when we booked, I had to put my name on 1 stateroom, and my husband's name on the other stateroom. Due to the kids being minors, the website wouldn't let us book it the way we will be sleeping. But I heard on the live Q&A the other day that booking spouses separately is a hack for getting away with only 1 deluxe package thing, and I was like wait I could have reserved my husband and I together?? I swear the website didn't let me. Did other people have to do this? Because I realized the other day now are our seapass cards going to only unlock the room that we were booked under? Do I need to get this fixed? I assume we can use the original door and simply walk through the connecting door, just curious if that's what people do.

 

5- I know tips are a hot topic...we prepaid for tips but I still want to bring cash to tip our attendant or any servers/bartenders that go above and beyond, plus our cabana attendant on Coco Cay. But I can't even decide what is a good amount?? Would someone be willing to throw a dollar amount out there? $100? $500? Honestly no idea what is a good amount.

[AandD]

1 hour ago, wolfies said:

These are some random questions, otherwise I'd make a more relevant title for this post haha. Anyone who is bored want to help me out with a some questions that I haven't found the answer to? And please don't come at me if these are dumb! Family of 4, going on Anthem for a 7-night cruise next week.

 

1- Do people bring insulated bottles from home for water, and if so where do you get water from, are there fountains? We drink a lot of water but I hate the thought of bringing/buying a case of water. (My husband and I also have the deluxe drink package but I will still want water for us and for the kids.)

 

2- If we choose to self-disembark, can we eat breakfast and get off later than those getting help with their bags? Do people who get assistance with their luggage not get breakfast?

 

3- My 11 year old has a T-Mobile Sync Up Kids Watch- should he not bring it? I don't know if there's an airplane mode setting for that. And I'm not even sure if it will work if our phones are in airplane mode and we try to send him a text.

 

4- We have 2 connecting staterooms, our plan is to put the kids in 1, and my husband and I in the other. However when we booked, I had to put my name on 1 stateroom, and my husband's name on the other stateroom. Due to the kids being minors, the website wouldn't let us book it the way we will be sleeping. But I heard on the live Q&A the other day that booking spouses separately is a hack for getting away with only 1 deluxe package thing, and I was like wait I could have reserved my husband and I together?? I swear the website didn't let me. Did other people have to do this? Because I realized the other day now are our seapass cards going to only unlock the room that we were booked under? Do I need to get this fixed? I assume we can use the original door and simply walk through the connecting door, just curious if that's what people do.

 

5- I know tips are a hot topic...we prepaid for tips but I still want to bring cash to tip our attendant or any servers/bartenders that go above and beyond, plus our cabana attendant on Coco Cay. But I can't even decide what is a good amount?? Would someone be willing to throw a dollar amount out there? $100? $500? Honestly no idea what is a good amount.

5- We tip the bartenders $1 for a drink. Also, we have been giving the room attendant $5 or $10 a day depending on the type of room. we are not high maintenance or demanding but I usually give the attendant a $ 20 when I first meet them and then add more later in the week if their service is good. We usually give our MDR waiter some money. 

[Fastfaller]

Yes ppl bring insulated bottles. You can fill in the windjammer. That being said, if you have the beverage package, just get a bottle of water whenever you get a drink. Stock up on them and then bring them for you family on port days. I know you aren't supposed to share, but it's water, I say share away.

 

As far as room keys. If the 2 rooms are linked I believe you can get your cards programmed to open both doors. I maybe wrong but I am pretty sure you can get wow bands to do that. 

T-Mobile watch... IDK how they work. I would be hesitant to find out the hard way. Maybe leave it home.

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, wolfies said:

1- Do people bring insulated bottles from home for water, and if so where do you get water from, are there fountains?

Yes, my wife does (although she fills her with the free flavored water onboard). To be sanitary, you take cups of water from whatever venue (buffet, cafe, etc.) and pour them into your bottle... or you can get bottled water since you have the DBP and use that.

1 hour ago, wolfies said:

2- If we choose to self-disembark, can we eat breakfast and get off later than those getting help with their bags? Do people who get assistance with their luggage not get breakfast?

You can leave later on and everyone gets breakfast (which starts extremely early on disembarkation day).

1 hour ago, wolfies said:

3- My 11 year old has a T-Mobile Sync Up Kids Watch- should he not bring it? I don't know if there's an airplane mode setting for that. And I'm not even sure if it will work if our phones are in airplane mode and we try to send him a text.

I know nothing about that product and you're probably right... but you can test it at home by putting your phone into airplane mode and seeing how the kids watch works.

1 hour ago, wolfies said:

4- We have 2 connecting staterooms

You can get extra key cards from guest services (and obviously no one checks or cares who sleeps in what cabin).

 

[Ampurp85]

1. I bring a reusable water bottle on every cruise. You will be able to get water in the Windjammer buffet (WJ), 270cafe, and any bar. Since you have the deluxe package, you can get 2 bottles of water each time you are out and stock your room. 

2. Everyone can eat breakfast, but the WJ closes at 8/8:30am and the dining room is about the same. 

3. If the watch is on a data plan, I would advise not to bring it. Cellular at sea is expensive as H#$! The only way any sort of free Wi-Fi is used is through the app on devices in airplane mode.

4. The website is pretty straight forward in that minors cannot be booked alone. If you spoke with a rep or had a TA they would have booked you in any manner. But you are correct that the rooms will only be unlocked by the person on the room's card. On embarkation day you can have guest services remedy this but swapping out the names. Your TA or a CSR cannot do this because at least one original person must stay on the reservation.

5. I think tipping is and should be personal but if you would like some anecdotal advice to help with planning. On the smaller scale I would plan to bring $20/day pp for tipping. Which would be about $560 in your case. That should cover anything you would like to give extra. 

[ChessE4]

I wouldn't overdo the tipping, but we give extra to stateroom attendant and MDR staff, as we always dine there. You have prepaid gratuities, but excellent service is worth something extra. Other threads discuss tipping in detail. Where you cruise is a factor.

[I_Love_RCI]

19 hours ago, wolfies said:

1- Do people bring insulated bottles from home for water, and if so where do you get water from, are there fountains? We drink a lot of water but I hate the thought of bringing/buying a case of water. (My husband and I also have the deluxe drink package but I will still want water for us and for the kids.)

 

5- I know tips are a hot topic...we prepaid for tips but I still want to bring cash to tip our attendant or any servers/bartenders that go above and beyond, plus our cabana attendant on Coco Cay. But I can't even decide what is a good amount?? Would someone be willing to throw a dollar amount out there? $100? $500? Honestly no idea what is a good amount.

As others have answered your original questions thoroughly, I will add on #1 that you can drink the water out of the tap in your room as well. It is perfectly fine (and likely even exceeds tap water in some local jurisdictions). On #5, there are numerous threads on this topic - the short summary is that if you have already done the auto-gratuities, then anything extra is totally up to your own judgement call. Do it or don't do it. 

[Peachjan]

On 4/8/2024 at 2:45 PM, AandD said:

5- We tip the bartenders $1 for a drink. Also, we have been giving the room attendant $5 or $10 a day depending on the type of room. we are not high maintenance or demanding but I usually give the attendant a $ 20 when I first meet them and then add more later in the week if their service is good. We usually give our MDR waiter some money. 

In previous cruises, we have tipped independently. Do you tip in addition to the amount charged daily? We are also low maintenance and non drinkers. 

[smokeybandit]

Based on the user manual there's an airplane mode

 

https://fccid.io/2ASXC-TMO-SKW-01/User-Manual/User-Manual-5285763.pdf

[AandD]

21 minutes ago, Peachjan said:

In previous cruises, we have tipped independently. Do you tip in addition to the amount charged daily? We are also low maintenance and non drinkers. 

Yes. I have no idea what the room attendants make but they work hard and take care of us. Same with the waiters. We get some free drinks so $1 for the bar tender.