Kostiz

Yep, next thing is to get the motion sickness stuff for the kids, I will probably take some too, but curious the effect it will have if consuming alcohol

I was thinking of asking about a refund of the $142 gratuities paid by each of my 3, 5, 8 & 10 each, seriously this is a joke...but how does one tip at the end, surely I'm not going to pay $142 dollars per kids because they RCCL team done what they do for every other child / person onboard?

Oh well, got to stop over thinking this!!

Not long to go

@CruiseyTash

Thanks for the post, indeed we are excited, but not thrilled at RCCL behaviour to increase the drink package to find even with this increase the package doesn't cover for some drinks that we first thought, we could end up paying $1 or $2 more plus there BS 18% surcharge, how disappointing

Corporate greed!

Well if you feel the package is a good deal, what until you have to pay a few extra $$ because RCCL felt it was a good idea to jack up prices and your "premium package" doesn't cover it

screw u RCCL and your BS price hike :mad:I hope everyone takes on rumrunners now:eek:

Kosti

 

We did our first cruise last year and are doing another one at christmas. With two slightly older kids, i can give you the following information:

 

Seasickness - my eldest suffers from really bad air sickness. For what ever reason, he was fine from day one. Our last cruise was from Sydney to New Zealand and I would say the seas were fairly calm. We did take tablets and the travel bands but didnt need them at all. My mother in law, who takes cruises all the time, did book our cabin in the middle of the ship which apparently does not bounce around so much.

 

Activities - my two boys absolutely loved the cruise (10 & 12) and spent most of their time playing soccer on the basketball court, skating, ping pong, swimming and using the flowrider. With the flowrider, you simply need to line up. I think the longest wait was about 20 minutes. Your kids are also the perfect age for the kids club - unfortunately, my youngest was at the top of the age group, so did not really enjoy playing with the younger kids.

 

Drinks Packages - funnily enough my husband and I were just having this conversation - which was why I was lurking around cruisecritic. If you google Royal Carribbean drinks packages there is a really good article on whether you should/should not buy the drinks package on a website called RoyalCarribeanblog.com. As a result of reading this, we have now decided to simply pay as we go - the amount you would have to drink on a daily basis, for the entire cruise, was alot more that we could or would. With the kids, we decided against the soft drink package simply because we dont want our kids to be drinking soft drinks all day everyday. As someone mentioned - there is a softserve ice-cream machine on the pool deck.

 

I am sure you will have an amazing time.

Thanks for this, apology for the delay, everything got hectic around XMAS and NY, but now paid in full and completed the online checkin, so woot we are only about 30+ odd days away and can't wait

I've pumped up the kids about the kids clubs and all the fun stuff they are going to do..The wife is just jumping out of her skin thinking dresses and bikini's to wear :D

As for the drinking package, what sucks even more now is the AUD dollar being so poor against the USD..hate it hate it right now, missed out on a special they had for drinks and internet package bit now at $70 a day, RCCL can shove their so called "deluxe package" :eek:

Just on the insurance part I ended up calling one of the insurance company which is included free travel insurance as part of my CC and was told since it covers my entire family:D

The only additional charge is because I am going on a cruise there is an option to select for cruise ships, which incurs a cost which is minimal, I will ask and confirm medivac from ship

PEACE

Kosti

For me the deluxe package is a rip off, sadly we Aussies like to drink but not pay the tips (flame suit on) so when I try and calculate the cost of drinking to the point I break even, it turns me into an alcoholic for 8 days:cool:

For some people this would be a great deal like one of my friend who drinks and is an alcoholic but refuses to admit it :eek: so its a bargain for him..but for me its a joke to pay so much and I've even factored in the coffee and bottled water and juice etc, but damn, how and why do these cruise lines think this is a good deal for the average joe? :confused:

On the plus side, it makes total sense that you can try the any cocktail of the day, have a few drinks take a few bottles of sparkling water and enjoy a nice coffee and not worry of what the invoice will look like when wrapping up the cruise and I have read you can order a package until the last 3 days of the cruise if you feel your braking the bank on drinks

If someone does find a discount on the RCCL Explorer OS please PM me, as I an trying not to pay 8X$62 per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package :eek::eek:

PEACE

Kosti

I am as well bring my home theater pack with me, LOL but if I find a cheap universal remote I will throw that in

Hey Nutto

Thanks that makes it a little clearer and glad I could just buy a 4 day drink pass :p

This gratitude tipping is a rip off, so I am paying this as part of my tickets and even my 3 yr old paid it in full then if I get drinks this carries a further 18% which is included int he price...:eek::eek::eek:

I maybe over thinking this but for people who want to have a social drink here and there is just insane.

I may just buy a 4 day and be happy :D

Thanks you all for the comments about insurance, it so happened I was talking about it today with a work colleague and just like Rusty1963 mentioned my CC also offers free travel insurance as part of my platinum packed with CBA, so that covers that off!! Awesome !!! I will contact them possibly tomorrow and confirm we are all covered and whether i need to spend anything on the card but looking on my app it just states activate prior to travelling

As for power requirements, I purchased off ebay a few 4 port USB power plugs and will mod a board just incase, but if they have the AUS plug socket then all is good

I found out about the 2 wine bottles but that's not enough and we only have 1 room with all 6 :p:eek:

PEACE

Kosti

What about travel insurance, what is recommended and what is the type of cover we would need as I am not concern too much about theft since we do not plan on taking any jewellery or 4 ipads?

Just basic cover for health or injuries or if we need to visit the onboard medical facilities

Ideally I would like an answer from local Aussies who use and take travel insurance

PEACE

Kosti

So on another note, how to we Aussies charge up our camera's as I assume the ship uses US standard plugs and power source of 110volts? :eek::eek:

I am going to take on a power board and replug the connector to US and since most chargers should work from 120v-240v I assume the charge cycle will just take longer, can I take on this power board?

 

PEACE

Kosti

Well I just read you are not allowed to bring power boards which is a real shame since there is a number of items I would need to charge up with 6 people in a cabin since there are only possibly two outlets in the room for powering items

Snap! :mad:

Hey There

This is good info as I plan on bringing a SD card with movies on there for the kids

Does any one know if the TV's support memory cards, especially on Explorer of the Seas CL?

Failing that if I bring a HDMI cable and android device would I still need a universal remote to select the AV input?

PEACE

Kosti

Hey BekkaW

Thanks for the feedback and updated info, very useful. As for the canned drinks I called up and they advised I was allowed 6 canned of drinks hence I made that statement, so not sure, but maybe a few cans of gingerale :p

The drink package still annoys me, i roughly calculate i would drink $40 on any given night, however paying an additional 18% tip on that makes it frustrating so for me personally not worth it at all

I wish they offered a better family package for drinks although I love my coffee but the above $40 is including a couple of beers + a few coffee's a day arrrgghhhh....

I have a few more months to decide :p

So on another note, how to we Aussies charge up our camera's as I assume the ship uses US standard plugs and power source of 110volts? :eek::eek:

I am going to take on a power board and replug the connector to US and since most chargers should work from 120v-240v I assume the charge cycle will just take longer, can I take on this power board?

PEACE

Kosti

Thanks again everyone very helpful :)

As for lemonade, usually this is sprite/7up as mentioned but fizzy(carbonated), not flavoured water.

Although none of my children need to drink it at home however when we do order take out like pizza we usually grab a pepsi max which the kids love :D

As for seas sickness. none of my kids have gotten car sick or motion sicken yet even on cruising on our own 5.3mtr boat however there is no swell like what one would encounter on the open seas, so I have no idea but may just drug them up to have a pleasant trip.

This drink packaged is still doing my head in as now I've read people trying to sneak in rumrunners onboard are not getting detected so not going to risk it and may just buy the damn beverage package just for myself:mad:

PEACE

Kosti

Thanks everyone, really some great advise and help tips, so thanks!

I am also wondering about motion sickness, since none of us have been on a huge ship and we are right up at the starboard of the ship, so not sure how the kids will handle it

What is recommended for children and adults for motion sickness or should we just go without it?

Thanks for info

As for the soda pack I was referring to the kids beverages, so again the price per kid is nuts, I am thinking of taking a few satchels of flavoured drinks and adding it to there water if it comes to that

The only useful thing I've been able to find out is we are allowed 2 bottles of wine/champagne and a 6 pack of can drinks per room, so we will do this for now

The only let done is I like my premium coffee maybe I should take my nespresso machine too :D:p

Ahoy Cruisers

We are almost set to finalise our last payment for a fantastic adventure in 2017. The wife & kids have no idea I've booked and it will be a XMAS surprise gift for the family. As we have 4 kids, 10,8,5 & 3 I want to be as prepared and aware of the ins and outs of cruising and what to expect and what to avoid

We have booked for MTD and already experienced issues but hopefully this will be resolved as we were on a waiting list, then it dropped off and I called up and they seems to have sorted this out, fingers crossed they move us to MFTD :eek:

Tips and gratuities - we have paid for this on our invoice already so I understand this is part of the norm for most however we've never experienced such "expectation" that we need to pay these tips, even my 3yr old paid the full amount, so my query is, do I need to keep giving money every day? I'm not ungrateful as happy to pay additional $$ when someone goes about and beyond, just want to understand how one works this out so to not offend or upset the staff

People say carry $1 USD and $5 and $10s so was thinking just have $50 in change and let the kids tip

Drink packages - OK I will probably get flamed for this but I am not sure how this is seen as a good deal?? Refreshment package for my kids would cost me a bomb at the price per day of $39.04/day and wait water is $62 for evian ***???:mad::mad:

I don't drink much but do like the odd beer or wine with my meal and I enjoy a good coffee seriously no wonder people try rumrunners:eek::eek:

I know this must sound like a /rant (yes it is) but seriously how do the RCCL think this is a great deal for large families and why can't I share a soda's deal with the kids, hell even my 3 year would only drinks milk which I may add is only available for free during breakfast...

Now that I finished my rant

What should I be pre-booking so the kids get the best time of there trip, I can't seem to book anything right now via the webportal like the flowrider...So I am looking for advise on what to go and see with the kids and ideally without additional costs

Also what about deck chairs, seems people get up early and reserve them, by putting their towels, so can I do that for 6 deck chairs or will people frown at me for doing this as?

I've also noticed some special deals are being offered and seems cheaper than what I have paid so far, can i push them to give me a better deal or threaten to cancel it?

Flame suit on :D

PEACE

Kosti

Hey All

We are new to the RCCL and will be jumping onboard the EOSeas in 2017

Initially our MTD had waiting list, then it fell off from our invoicing altogether until I called up and inquired what the issue was

Since we are a large family I don't want problems hence I try and plan ahead and with only 1 payment left I don't want hassles

After the phone call to RCCL the person on the phone first said no there is no MTD booked, but after I told them to look at my original invoice said doubled back and said oh yes we are booked

TBH I do not feel confident at all and as we have no experience of knowledge of the process this thread has not given my any more confidence :confused:

I will call them once I've made that final payment and confirm what the hell is going on:eek:

PEACE

Kosti