trevordentist

8 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

You will have a table for 4 and the kids will be charged based on what they eat. Expect to pay at least $10/kid for taking up a seat and be pleasantly surprised if they take discretion not to charge. 

I'm not trying to pull one over on RC, and frankly, $28 a day for this seems like a fantastic price.  It seems pretty clear if we bring out kids to Chops or Wonderland we'll pay $10 for each of them.  But what is less clear, is if we bring our kids to playmakers or Izumi, and we just order less than $40 of food at playmakers ($20 per person per adult) or less than $70 at Izumi ($35 per adult), will we be charged the $10 for the each of the kids or not.  I mean, if I didn't have the dining plan, and we went to playmakers, and my family ordered one order of chicken wings and shared it, we'd just pay for the chicken wings, not a $10 cover charge.  Right?

I'm going to partially answer my own question by reading the fine print.  In my cruise planner it only lists an adult price.  When I tried to book it for my kid, it tried to charge the adult price.

Here's what the fine print says about kids:[For Cover Charge Products], Children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary and ages 6-12 are $10 per child; children must order from the kids menu.  Please reserve product for all guests who wish to dine. Adult price will be applied for all guests regardless of age; the difference between the adult price and child price will be refunded in the form of a refundable onboard credit (unless booked with non-refundable credit, in which case OBC will be non-refundable). For Dining Packages, children ages 12 and under are excluded from offer. 

For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $35 food credit, with the exception of Port Side BBQ and Playmakers which will be $20. Teppanyaki/Izumi Hibachi is included, with a $10 surcharge, which will be charged onboard.

For Dining Packages, it is not required that children 12 and under purchase this product. Children ages 0-5 dine for free and children ages 6-12 will be charged a $10 cover at the restaurant. 

I'm not a lawyer, and frankly, language like this is super hard for me to understand, so if anyone has any experience with this, I'm all ears.  It seems to me, that for the flat fee cover charge restaurants, it is $10 per kid, and they can order off a kids menu.  But it is nebulous on if kids need to pay anything to just sit with us and eat from our plates at the a la carte restaurants.  It also seems to imply that we need to book it for our kids and then we'll be refunded with OBC... which is... odd.  I wonder what will happen if I just book it for my wife and I, and then when we get to the ship make a bunch of reservations for 4.

My wife, my 9 year old and 6 years sons and I are booked on Symphony of the Seas from 12/23/21-12/31/21.  The ultimate dining package says it is "$224 per adult," which comes out to $28 per day, which seems to me like a really great price.

But, how does it work with the kids?  If we bring the kids with us to a specialty restaurant like Chops or Wonderland with a flat fee, what do we pay for the kids?  If we go to a restaurant with a-la-cart pricing like Playmakers, where they give you $20 per person with the ultimate dining package, can we just use the $40 we'd get for my wife and I and share the food with the kids, or do we have to pay additional?

And, as you can go to multiple restaurants in one night... would it be possible to go to an a al cart restaurant like playmakers or Izumi or Johny rockets... use our entire allowance and feed our kids, and then drop them off at Adventure Ocean and go to another restaurant with just us for a romantic night out?

Is there any details I'm forgetting or overlooking here?

Although I'm sure your cruise wasn't perfect, I'm thinking this was probably the "worst cruise ever."

We are going on the December 23rd cruise that has the same itinerary as the OP. We are traveling with kids, so I'd appreciate any cruise compasses and any adventure ocean compasses from that 8 day itinerary. If it exists. Which is may not, because I'm not sure there are going to be any cruises with that exact itinerary prior to the December 23rd cruise.

How was the water quality at Holland House? I'm going to be in St. Marteen on Tuesday with a 3.5 year old and a 9 month old. I've heard that sometimes they release sewage into the bay there, and it's not safe to swim. I was planning on renting a car and driving to Le Galion beach, but if the water is fine at Holland House, it'd be so much easier to take a water taxi there.

I'm reading Dead Wake by Erik Larson. It's not fiction. It's the story of the Cunard Line ship, The Lusitania. It's written in a narrative form. I won't spoil it, but anyone that knows a bit about history can guess what happens. Maybe not the best thing to read on a cruise ship... but interesting to see what a cruise 100 years ago was like.

We are sailing on the Oasis in a Grand Suite from Port Canaveral in Jan-Feb 2017. I had a few questions I'd appreciate some help with.

1. Is Luggage Valet for disembarkation included in a Grand Suite?

2. For the Suites, can you disembark any time you want?

3. I am traveling with my wife and two young kids. Do you think if we did the luggage valet, and didn't check any other bags, and took a shuttle from Port Canaveral to MCO, we'd be fine making a Southwest flight at MCO at 12:05pm?

Thank you!

We are going to be in St. Martin on the RCCL Oasis of the Seas on Tuesday, September 6th. The ship is docked from 8am - 5pm.

It is my wife and I, and our 3.5 year old and 8 month old sons.

Let me know what you think of my plans.

We would leave the ship as soon as we can (8:30ish). I was going to rent a car from Hertz at the port. Without any discounts the car rental is $66 all-in, but I bet I can get it cheaper if I find a code. We will have our kids' car seats, which I'll install in the car.

We would drive to the Butterfly Farm and get there at like 9 or 9:30ish. We'd probably spend about an hour there.

Then, we'd drive around the corner to Le Galion beach. I hear it's super kid friendly. We'd spend a few hours at the beach. Depending on the kids moods and naps, we'll either come back at 1ish, or if they can nap at the beach, at 3:30ish.

The other options I've thought about are just taking the water taxi over to Phillipsburg and going to the beach there, but I've heard the water is really dirty and not safe for swimming. Or we could just get taxis to and from Le Galion beach, which would be alot less expensive and alot easier than renting, but I'm concerned about taking my little kids in a taxi in a foreign country with no car seats.

Thoughts, suggestions?

Photos are working fine on my iPhone. I'm really enjoying this review, as we are goin on the same itinerary with my 3.5 year old and 10 month old in September. I'd appreciate any tips for the oasis with kids that age.

Another option to consider is pricing out two connecting inside rooms. We also have a family of 4. I don't remember what sale was going on, but it ended up being significantly cheaper to get two connecting oceanview (non-balcony staterooms) rather than one balcony stateroom, and we got a ton of OBC.

Thanks sooo much for your advice. We are flying out of BWI on July 16th to Fort Lauderdale to cruise the Allure of the Seas. It'll be my 3rd time on the Allure, but first with my toddler, so I'm sure it will be a difference experience.

Cool. We are going on Oasis in September on our first cruise with kids. You'll have to come on here and post a trip report with tips on cruising on the Oasis class with the little ones.

Flying with toddlers on Southwest is my area of expertise. My three year old has been on probably 20 flights total, and at least 10 on Southwest. My 6 month old has already been on two Southwest flights. You've already gotten some great advice. I'll add a few things.

1. Can I check her umbrella stroller at the gate? How does this work? Super-Duper easy. Just make sure you tell one of the Southwest agents at a counter before boarding starts that you are going to gate check the stroller and they'll give you a special luggage tag for the stroller. When you board the plane, leave the stroller right by the door right before you get on the plane. Just ask the flight attendant where to leave the stroller before you get on and he/she will tell you where to leave it. When you get off the plane, usually the stroller will be waiting for you right when you get off the plane.

2. We are taking her car seat for taxi rides and such; should we actually use it on the airplane or check it before we board? We've flown with both the CARES harness and the car seat. There are advantages to both, but now we prefer a carseat on the flight. The CARES harness is so much easier and lighter, but our son is way more comfortable in his carseat (he's used to it), and I don't need to worry that the baggage handlers are abusing the carseat. It is a pain to carry it down the aisle of the plane and install it, but whatever... first world problem. I have a folding cart I bought on Amazon for the carseat that makes it easier to roll through the airport rather than carrying.

3. Can I take snacks through security for her to eat on the plane? (I don't mind buying unopened snacks if need be, but want to know if I can just put her favorites in a ziploc baggie in the carry-on bag). Yep. You can bring snacks. Just no liquids.

4. Can we board first (priority boarding)? My parents are coming along too. Can they also board with us since we are all traveling together? You can board between the A and B groups. Two adults can board with each kid. In other words, you and your spouse can board with the kid, but your parents cannot. They are usually pretty strict about this. I've never had trouble boarding between the A and B groups and getting 3 seats together. My advice, just go way to the back of the plane, and your parents shouldn't have trouble getting seats by you. Also, you'll be by the bathroom. Also, alot of parents with kids seem to congregate near the back of the plane, so you can bond with other parents.

5. Any recommendations or tricks for popping her ears during the flight? Bring the applesauce pouches and let your kid go to town on them during takeoff and landing. Ear popping is usually worse at landing. But it never seemed to be an issue with our kids.

Flying with kids is stressful, but you'll be surprised that it's really nothing to worry about. Especially if you plan a little bit, which is seems like you are doing. Your kid is the age where he/she can understand what is going on. Maybe read some books about flying in airplanes, and talk about what is going to happen during the flight, and hype it up. "WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOOOOO MUUUUCHH FUN IN THE AIRPLANE!!!!! Aren't you excited? I'm excited!"

Also, bring loads of entertainment. We are very strict about screen time with our kids. But, during flights we bust out the iPad and let the little one watch some disney movies. My 3 year old understands that if he doesn't behave perfectly at the airport and on the flight he won't get to watch Cars, so you better believe he is good.

Edit: I see you are from my neck of the woods. When are you flying?

Maybe this is a silly question, but here goes:

I see the luggage valet costs $20 per person. We are flying Southwest. We get two free bags on Southwest. I am cruising with my family of 4 (2 of us in each of 2 connecting rooms). Assume I have two bags I want to check with luggage valet. Do I need to put down one name, and pay $20, 2 names (both people in one room) and pay $40, or all 4 of us and pay $80?

Thanks!

That is great news! Had you gotten email when the charge originally was processed saying that you had redeemed the offer? What merchant name did the charge show up under?

No email. I just checked my wife's account online and saw the charge posted and the $75 rebate. The merchant name was something like "ROYAL CARIBBEAN WEBSITE" or something like that.

My wife has an Amex Blue card and had the offer. I have an Amex Gold card and did not have the offer.

 

I just used my wife's card to book myself a premium beverage package for $363. I'll let you know if we get the $75 back.

Update: The $75 credit posted today.

Let me repeat: I received the $75 credit for paying for a premium beverage package on the website that cost $363.

My wife has an Amex Blue card and had the offer. I have an Amex Gold card and did not have the offer.

I just used my wife's card to book myself a premium beverage package for $363. I'll let you know if we get the $75 back.

Think this'll work for a drink package? Might be good that I have the premium 20% off deal at the wrong price of $363 instead of the correct $322.

Any chance you got a photo of an ocean view cabin on deck 3 during your cabin crawl? Thank you!

Just a data point. I am sailing on Oasis on September 3, 2016. I looked earlier today, and the price for the premium package was $49 per day and there was no sale.

I just looked again, and there is now the "20% off sale" posted. The price for the premium package now is $44 per day. I'm no mathematician, but that most definitely is not 20% off. Rather it is about 10% off.

When you add the premium package to your cart the total price comes to $363.44, which is $308 ($44 per day x 7 days) + 18% gratuity.

If it was really 20% off it'd be 49 x .8 x 7 x 1.18 = 323.79

Very dishonest and misleading of RCCL to advertise 20% off when it is really about 10% off. Is it worth calling to try and get the price down to $323.79? Has anyone had luck doing that?

We've been traveling with our first son since he was about 3 months old. He is 3.5 now, and he's been to Mexico, Jamaica (twice), Germany and Israel, as well as tons of places in the USA.

We are going on the Oasis in September with our first son, and also our second son (who will be 10 months old). We brought both kids to Disney World when our second son was 4 months old.

I LOVE traveling with the kids. Both my wife and I work really hard and the only time we can really enjoy being a family is when we are on vacation. My wife is very type A, and the only time she relaxes is when we are on vacation. Sure, traveling with kids is tough, but it is so much more enjoyable than NOT traveling.

Just plan ahead and you'll be fine. Like everyone said, bring lots of diapers, toys, clothes, etc. Your kid will probably be eating babyfood by then. I'm not sure if they can puree things for you on the ship. It might be a good idea to bring a ton of the food pouches.

Also, be prepared to have lots of down time for naps. Things will be so much smoother and easier for you if you follow your schedule that you have at home. Keep the same nap times. Don't push it. No one has fun when your baby is screaming his/her head off because you tried to keep him/her up an extra hour to see a show or something.

My wife and I discovered how much fun it is to catch up on movies and shows and books on my iPad while the kids are napping. Sure, we'll miss the shows, and trivia, and things like that. But there is plenty of good stuff to watch on Netflix.

FYI, what I'm planning on doing for our cruise on Oasis is flying in to Ft. Lauderdale the day before and staying at the Embassy Suites. There is a supermarket right next to the Embassy Suites. Rather than bringing everything with us on the flight, we'll go to the supermarket, buy a box of diapers, and baby-food, and table covers, and wipes, etc... and just slap a luggage tag on it all and bring it on the ship.

I was about to ask the same question. I thought Oasis was upgraded with Voom and had one option at $15 a day. The list of different options at different pricing is the first time I'm hearing of it.

 

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This is also the first I'm hearing of multiple options of internet speed. When I booked my upcoming cruise I received "one VOOM internet package" as a perk. Knowing RCCL they'll probably give me the slow one, and make me pay for the upgrade to the good stuff. Sigh.

BTW, great trip report. I'm loving it. Looking forward to more posts.

But they wanted $200 to carry out an examination. So denying the charged examination got them kicked off? Doesn't seem fair to me.

 

 

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You'd think someone with a history of epilepsy would get travel insurance with a rider to cover a medical exam. If they did, it would have been as simple as getting a receipt and submitting it to the insurance company when they got home.

We are cruising with our 3 year old. No way would he be able to sit through the whole show. I was thinking of bringing him to the second half of the matinee. Any idea if we could just show up after the intermission and find an empty seat or two near an aisle in the back and watch the second half?