Mitzyscorner

This is exactly what I need it for...texting my mom & receiving messages from her to check on our senior/geriatric medical dogs. I'm nervous enough leaving them so I need to be in contact with her. If it's good enough to get through text messages & phone calls then I'm good...yea or nay?

I completely understand your concerns. TBH, because my father is elderly, I really can't enjoy myself when I'm unreachable.

Keep in mind that "texting" via a cell phone network while at sea can be extremely expensive. So, if you don't have a special plan, I recommend doing as I did and turning your phone to "airplane mode" and then switching on the wifi -- in that order. (FYI -- if you have wifi on and then turn airplane mode on, it will kick you off wifi -- just log in to wifi again to remedy this).

I used iMessage and not text via TMobile for this reason. I turned off the cellular data by going into airplane mode -- and then logged into wifi, so my messages were sent via wifi (thus they were not text messages which are sent via 4g or 3g or a cellular network).

If you don't have iMessage (for instance, your phone is android) then there are plenty of instant messaging applications out there. Just be sure that both you and your mom install and set up the same application prior to leaving on your trip. I think Yahoo Instant Messaging is a great option and works well on PC, Mac, Android based phone, as well as Iphones.

Also -- I highly recommend buying the wifi package online via the RCI website before embarkation. When you arrive in your cabin, you will find an envelope with your password. This will spare you waiting in line at Guest Affairs to get it set up onboard. :)

The internet speed is sufficient for email, looking up something on the web -- basic things.

I switched my phone to airplane mode, enabled wifi and used iMessage to communicate with my 91 year old father at home. And it was great. He got a "play by play" and I was able to make sure he was ok. I also used the Glympse app to "text" him our location as we sailed. (It is not really texting with iMessage, thus, the quotes).

Emailing photos or large files was sllllooooooowwww. (I had to draft a document and email it for work and it literally took 20 minutes to send one Word letter via gmail). I wasn't able to successfully download or stream my audiobooks on Audible (download them when you still have cell coverage). And I couldn't stream any videos. Netflix doesn't have offline viewing -- so that was a bust.

But overall, for me, it was worth every penny. Not the fastest, but sufficient to keep me in touch with my elderly father.

First of all, I love having comedians on cruises. Our favorite kind of late night entertainment.

 

We were recently on the August 9th sailing of the NOS and the comedian on Saturday night was Jessica Kirson. Ewww! She was horrible❗️❗️I realize entertainment is subjective, but no one around us was laughing or responding to her.

 

It went in my survey to RC. I just hope they don't have her back.

Anyone else feel the same way about her?

I'm glad we missed her.

We saw a male comedian -- his name escapes me -- and he was AWFUL. I mean -- I cringed the entire time b/c it was that bad.

Who is hiring these people

Regarding the delay waiting for your tender group to be called...

It helps to get up early and get a tender ticket before the mob. Only one person in your party needs to get the tickets.

I got group 9 -- and we were the second group off after Groups 1-8 and the RCI excursion crowd. We were on the bus to the Westin within 30 minutes or so.

Has anyone heard Phil Anderson who plays the piano on the Royal ships? Trying to find out if he plays elevator piano music or sing alongs in the Schooner Bar?

 

Thanks

He was on Navigator of the Seas 8/9/15.

He does not play elevator music. More like easy listening 70's stuff. Not my preference, personally -- but he seemed to always have a decent audience that appeared happy to be there. ;) Nobody was singing along with him though. I am not a night owl or a drinker so maybe that happens after midnight and too many cocktails.

While I don't care if people want to buy the package or not, there is another concern as to how much people drink. Such as the time I was waiting in the FC lounge on Voyager, when two women both proceeded to throw up over the sofa and carpets, for an extended period.

 

The whole area reeked after that effort, and I sympathised with the stuff who had to to do the clean-up work, as well as the impact on where they did it.

Agree.

I walked into a shower in the spa to find the floor covered in chunky vomit, reeking of God knows what kind of booze. They had to shut down the entire locker room, the sauna, steam room, and the hot tub. So much for a relaxing evening after the spa. Geez.

I don't think that's fact, though. I'm not saying you didn't pay that much, but I think you may have seriously been overcharged. Unless it's just that much more expensive on certain ships. What I've seen personally, and seen reported by others, is that their specialty cocktails tend to be $12 each, which comes to a little over $14 after gratuity. That's still fairly pricey, but not quite as far out of line.

Ok.

All I know is what my receipt says and what the statement says. If I was charged an unauthorized price -- it really doesn't matter to me. I paid what I was charged -- and if they charge it -- then that's the price. Legally and logically. If they saw me as a mark and overcharged me -- I hardly think I am the only one this happens to. And the fact that the charge was entered twice, and two additional $14 charges on top of it appeared inexplicably -- I really doubt the "entered the wrong price" theory. But who knows.

And it wasn't just a $37 mojito and appletini that was expensive relative to prices charged on land at even high end bars and clubs. $11 for a glass of red wine. $22 for two specialty pina coladas. $3 or more for bottled water? How much for a red bull?

My point was that given the prices -- including "accidental" or some would say intentional-profit-seeking-strategic double-charges and overcharges -- whatever the intent or reason -- it is not logical or fair to label someone a "lush" a.k.a. a substance abuser due to an $800 bar tab on an RCI vessel given the relatively inflated and unreasonable prices they charge for cocktails and other beverages.

That Schooner Bar total does sound insane. That would equate to $16 per drink plus the 18%. My only explanation there is that you were overcharged. The drinks are high, but not that high.

I wouldn't believe it unless I had been staring at the actual receipts and my invoice for days due to the double-billing issue. I wasn't "overcharged" to the extent that that is the price for those two cocktails.

$37.76 for a mojito and an appletini. That includes the gratuity that they add in automatically. And I think they have a drink menu that correlates with those prices. (As said -- I couldn't read it due to the dimly lit bar and my vision. ;))

I imagine that if I had ordered a simple vodka tonic, the price would not have been that high. Please know, I'm not blaming RCI or claiming an overcharge (other than the errors )-- I should have been informed, they do have a menu, and I could have asked.

But the fact is that their cocktails -- particularly the specialty ones - are crazy expensive.

Not at all, and I've not called anyone names, although I can think of a few for you. Being unwilling to pay 12 dollars for a dollar drink doesn't mean I'm cheap, it means I'm not stupid.

Dude. I'm not stupid.

I just don't make it a habit to ask "how much is a Mojito" at a crowded bar. And it is hard to take the drinks, study the bill, and then say "oh, here, take these back, they are crazy overpriced." Particularly hard after you already took a sip b/c you were dying standing there 10 minutes waiting for said beverage.

And yes, Schooner Bar had menus -- but I'll be honest -- I'm 45, and it was dimly lit in there. I couldn't find my reading glasses. And in all honestly, the granny with-her-reading-glasses-on-her-nose-look at the bar clashed with my overall attempt for the classy sophisticate look. Besides, nobody likes the cheap buzz kill that groans over every dime. (Guilty BTW. I'm trying to control my inner cheapskate)

So, I may be nearly blind, but not even close to stupid.

Right? And they said they were weak drinks at that. Put that on the brochure and see if it sells.

The kicker? When I studied the final statement I noted that they charged us $37.76 twice, and then another $14.16 twice. I am assuming that each cocktail was $14.16?

In any case, including the obvious errors, that was $103.84 for two weakly poured, well drinks.

Yikes!

(FTR - Customer service corrected the duplicative charges. I had to call though. And the rep kind of implied that this happens all the time. So study those statements! I found double charges from the spa too and another bar).

Sparkling water is around $4. Well -- it is not exactly sparkling water -- more like carbonated water. Keep in mind that it is by far easier (at least on NOS) to just get carbonated water in a glass at a bar than to find someone with a bottle of Pellegrino. (I am huge sparkling water drinker BTW). And they are not allowed to give you a can of club soda. They have to pour it in a glass.

I don't think I'd get a drink package for sparkling water alone -- Unless you plan on being really demanding, and waiting in line a lot. TBH, getting sparkling water was a chore. And I left the ship a little dehydrated. I really didn't like waiting in a bar line behind the mojito seekers for a simple club soda. But that's just me. :)

Generic bottled water is $4 or so. If you grab one from the mini-bar in your cabin -- which is Evian -- it is $3. Pellegrino from room service was $5.02. (It was a small bottle).

My daughter stated that the tap water tasted salty. She's a water snob though. But if you are accustomed to drinking bottled water , the tap water may be hard to swallow (figuratively and literally.)

I'd probably just drink iced tea (deviate from my norm). It's free, readily available at Windjammer, and Cafe Promenade. Or you can buy one of those water bottles that filters the water (We got one at American Apparel) Also, if you go on an excusion that offers free bottles of water -- you might just stuff a few extras in your bag.

I think a bar tab in excess of 800 dollars for my wife and I for a week would make me throw up. If that seems like a normal amount to spend for drinks in a week regardless of location, then I think you place a very high priority on drinking.

Honestly, I agree about the insane cost. $800 on booze alone in my own house, or in my hometown at some bar -- as someone that normally doesn't really enjoy alcohol -- well, I'd be upset. Actually, I think I'd have a mini-stroke. I don't like to spend money on alcohol -- b/c it isn't something I normally enjoy.

But on vacation -- I do like to try some of those amazing looking frozen cocktails, or toast to a great vacay. I don't go crazy, and haven't been drunk in over a decade -- but sometimes it just too hard not to have a pina colada served in a fancy coconut shell. lol

I think what you are overlooking is that a bar tab on a cruise doesn't reflect the "real world" cost for the consumption of the same amount of alcohol. $800 in my local bar would buy me, and several of my closest friends, a blackout, and a week long hangover -- but on a cruise? RCI's prices are so high -- one can be a moderate or occasional drinker and end up spending $800 or close to it.

Think about this: Two cocktails at Schooner Bar cost us $37.76. If we ordered one more round - which is reasonable since nobody is driving and the drinks are weak, and mojitos are so refreshing -- so that's another $37.76.

Add a couple of diet cokes, some sparkling water, and then two red bulls to the bar tab, a late night latte and it could all add up to $100 or more a day. Do it every day -- and by the end of the week, we'd be looking at around $800.

I realize it will be impossible to know (outside of a RCI data center), but I'm curious if frequent cruisers on recent cruises have a sense of what % of people have drink packages? Especially the premium or ultimate?

 

Is it fairly rare? Or is it a significant percentage?

 

Take a WAG if you have experiences.

 

It may also be self-biased, I suspect people who enjoy more of the drink packages naturally see others who have the same and vice versa, so it might be interesting to know where you lie on the spectrum, too.

The majority of people I saw seemed to NOT have beverage packages. Frankly, IMO, RCI doesn't do a good job of telling people about them, where to sign up, etc.

Yes, it is pretty obvious to those of us that research and are "in the know" -- but I can see where someone like my husband -- too busy to go online and research, too overwhelmed on embarkation day to process the purpose of the tables set up for it, just relies on a TA or a wife (*ahem*) to worry about this stuff, etc.

IMO, common sense seems to say that this lack of communication may be intentional, when you consider the high price of drinks. Clearly, alcohol is a huge profit booster. And without the drink package -- 2 or three weak drinks a day can add up to more than the package if you add to it, sodas, a latte, etc.

That being said: We had the Royal Refreshment package -- which for us was worth it. We drink Red Bull and love Starbucks and sparkling water. So, if you tally a few sparkling waters, a couple of lattes, and a red bull -- it is a good value.

We are not regular alcohol drinkers -- so we didn't see the need to buy a package for cocktails. I just thought we'd pay a la carte if we felt like having a cocktail.

In retrospect -- I think this was a mistake. Like others have said, the cost of cocktails is ridiculously high. Honestly, I saw quite a few people clutching their statements on disembarkation day, grumbling about this.

Yes, you sign the receipt, you should know better. But we are talking about alcohol, and when you are having fun, and kind of tipsy, it's easy to not inspect the bill -- particularly when there's an open tab.

Case in point: At the Schooner Bar, I ordered one Mojito and one Appletini. The bill? $37.76. That's insane right? Keep in mind -- I didn't ask for special, high end liquor either -- in other words, I didn't ask for a call cocktail, just well. Nearly $40, and I didn't add a special tip either. (BTW -- the Appletini was awful. I honestly don't understand why everyone says that they are so amazing. Green tree sap! lol)

One Pina Colada is $8.26 at the Solarium bar -- and it was barely alcoholic. One glass of wine was $11.80.

And we could NOT resist the special pina coladas served in fresh coconuts that they serve by the pool. For two it was $22.42. (Again -- barely alcoholic as well).

So, let's assume I wanted to relax and actually feel like I had a drink -- I'd have to have at least 2 or 3. If you figure in my latte for breakfast, the two red bulls, 3 sparkling waters -- well, the a la carte cost would exceed the cost of the beverage package.

So, given these prices -- I could easily rack up $800 in beverages -- EASY having 2-4 cocktails a day (which again -- are poured so weak you have to have multiple to feel anything) I am no lush. Heck, before this cruise, I hadn't consumed alcohol in years.

So next time -- I may get the beverage package that includes alcohol, and just be realistic knowing that there's nothing quite like the taste of Myer's Rum and pineapple after spending the day on a gorgeous beach. It is hard to resist!

Or I'll smuggle a bottle of rum on board, (do I have to smuggle? hmmm) get the Royal Refreshment package that includes virgin cocktails, and add my own booze. (That seems a bit, I don't know, like what I did in high school at football games and dances!.)

If more than two people will be in the cabin -- the extra $350 or so is a good value for sanity reasons alone. Even if you plan to be active and not spend much time in the cabin, having the extra sitting area for well -- sitting, grooming, stashing belongings, shoes, etc -- IMO is worth it.

The closet was great as well -- we used every inch of it. And I don't know what we'd have done without it. I didn't take a bath -- but the extra space having a bathtub/shower combo afforded was nice.

But the primary benefit for us was the priority boarding. We were not able to arrive early. And by the time we got to the port, the regular line was long -- at least 1000 people or more, wrapping around and around in this big warehouse like port that was barely air conditioned. It moved slowly. That is NOT how I want to start a vacation. We breezed through security and the check in and were on board within 15 minutes from arrival.