la_croisiere_s'amuse

This question comes up every week or so, and the answer is always the same: it depends. On LOTS of things, apparently. Just as one example: the last poster mentioned going to FLL and MIA "all the time and they never check." On the other hand, my last two FLL cruises both checked. Why the difference? Who knows. So my best advice is this: try it if you want, but only if you're prepared for the possibility of waiting around until your assigned check-in time. You might get lucky, or you might not.

Unfortunately, I haven't really paid attention ... if I were to guess, I would say between five and ten minutes, with Chill Island being slightly closer to the water park entrance. At any rate, I absolutely agree--you will have fun either way! 😊

As I read it, this question is in reference to seeing the ocean, not the water park. If that's the case, then unfortunately not. Granted, I haven't seen every single cabana in the water park, so it's possible that one of them has a sliver of a view from just the right angle--but as I recall, they face inwards rather than outwards (ocean facing). I wouldn't plan on an ocean view to speak of.

Another vote for the Odyssey, and we absolutely LOVE the Solarium!

No free slides, unfortunately. Lots of free options for other stuff--chairs/umbrellas, pool, beaches, food, hammocks, volleyball--but not slides.

Unfortunately no, there's no Vitality Cafe on the Odyssey. They are only on the Oasis-class ships.

To be fair, I think the "How can I not help?" GIF was in reference to the post that vjmatty quoted ... I took it as a reflection on how "helpful" (or not) those comments were. 😉

If BirdTravels has statistical analysis to support this assertion, I will gladly retract my own. 😉 But I definitely do not believe that "the vast majority" spend "very very very little time" on their balconies. Some people, certainly. Others spend a moderate amount, and quite a few people spend hours & hours on it. Granted, I fall into the latter category so that may skew my perception somewhat. But I have made dozens if not hundreds of cruising friends over the years, and I can't think of a single one off-hand who would fall into the first category. For the OP, until you have experienced it yourself, it's hard to know how much use you will get out of it. But at least you will know if it's worth the investment going forward, or if you'd be just as happy sticking to insides. 🙂

You're probably looking at the Unlimited Dining Package, and yes, that is for the entire cruise. You can't get a pro-rated version for just the days you want. There are two other dining packages, however: one is the Chops +1, and the other is the 3 Night Dining Package. With the latter, you can choose any three, whereas Chops +1, obviously, has to include Chops. 😉 If those options aren't showing up for your cruise, they might be sold out since they only offer a limited number. But if you're interested in getting one of them, I would keep checking back. People cancel all the time and sometimes they show up later.

To be more precise ... Deluxe Beverage (alcohol included) Package: All adults in the cabin must purchase if done online. If you call in to purchase, other people in the cabin can get a Refreshment Package instead. This includes soda, juice etc. but not alcohol. Some people (not all) have reported that they are asked to provide a reason, but it doesn't have to be anything elaborate. "My wife doesn't drink alcohol" would do the trick. Bear in mind that it must be the Refreshment Package; the Classic Soda Package will not qualify. Refreshment Package and Classic Soda Package: No restrictions, regardless of how purchased.

I've actually been doing that (current sailing) for the past few weeks, switching to the new one every turnaround day. That's what made me worry that it might truly be out of service. 😕 I'm hoping it's just a question of not being on the ship's wi-fi, as you said.

Oops, my bad. Correct as usual, King Friday. 😁

Here's a shocker, Royal's website and app are giving me conflicting information. 😉 For the past several weeks, the app hasn't listed the Solarium Bistro in the dining section (I checked all three--"Hungry Now," "Restaurants," and "Coffee & Snacks." Even "Bars & Lounges" for good measure 😄). However, I can still make dinner reservations from the website. I know Solarium Bistros are sometimes taken out of service, so it could be that, or it could be just an IT glitch. Similar issue with Fish & Chips: the website and the app show two completely different menus. On the app, some items have an upcharge and some do not, but on the website, everything does. Ideally, we'd like to know before we arrive what our dining options actually look like. Can anyone share your experience?

Hi all, I've seen conflicting information on this, so I'm hoping some of you can share what you've actually experienced. Since they switched to the new menus, does the Windjammer serve most/some of the same dishes during dinner service as the MDR? Asian dishes on Asian night, etc.? Bonus points if you can report on the Ovation, Oasis or Freedom. 😉 Thanks in advance!

Do bear in mind that the overhead cover isn't quite as solid as it looks: they're slats that are positioned quite close together, but I've caught a raindrop or two when it's raining. That being said, I assume you'll be wearing sunscreen since you're concerned about exposure. You should be fine. 🙂

Me neither, and I agree, most welcome indeed! 🙂 Just put in our bids. FWIW to the OP, we are at 60-something days out.

The OP was asking about Royal's Luggage Valet program (which is not specific to Seattle), rather than Seattle's Port Valet program (which is not specific to Royal). It's confusing when they overlap, I know. 🙂

I'm assuming you're referring to your own local public schools? That's definitely not the case throughout the country. To the OP: if kids are a dealbreaker for you, with home schooling and private schools both on the rise, public school schedules aren't the predictor they used to be. Your best bet is probably a longer itinerary on a less family-oriented cruise line. Or, if you just want to lessen your chances of hordes of kids ... anything other than the winter holidays, spring break and summer break.

Agreed! I also prefer Chill Island, but they all have their pros and cons, and I definitely wouldn't choose to spend an extra $100. Breezy Bay would suit me just fine. 🙂

It seems unlikely that they wouldn't have them, since I don't remember the last time I sailed on a ship that didn't. People who are accustomed to the newer, bigger Royal ships would likely be quite disappointed not to have them. That being said, until the Icon actually starts sailing or Royal makes an announcement, we can't be completely sure.

As mentioned earlier, milkshakes are hit and miss but if you're on a ship with a Vitality Cafe, the smoothies there are included.

Sometimes travel agents will also arrange to have something sent to your cabin, too. That may have been what he/she was referring to.

However, do keep in mind that room service isn't free, if the point is to avoid paying extra. Delivery charge plus automatic gratuity comes to $9 and change.

Even this is inconsistent, though. One of our recent Port Everglades (FLL) cruises was like what you described; on the other, they were actively holding back people who were outside of their check-in window.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even one cancelation towards the top of the food chain can cause a domino effect for Royal Up bids. Say a Royal Loft Suite becomes available, and it goes to someone who originally booked an Aqua Theater Suite that is now available for someone coming from a Grand Suite, which is now available for someone in a Junior Suite, etc. Naturally, they want to be prepared for any possible contingencies and keep every pricier cabin (and especially every suite) booked. So it's a solid business strategy to have backups in place just in case. But no, it doesn't happen often and seems to be happening less and less with current fill rates.