DukeASUGirl

Thank you, that's good to know! I assumed the daily price would be higher than prebooking a full package, but didn't realize that it would likely end up costing the same (and just get less days of access) if I booked daily passes for a few days than if I'd just prebooked the entire week. Heading off to book now.

Since your flight is so late, I'd cancel the shuttle and instead rent a car. There is a car rental near the port, and you could do a one-way rental and drop it off at MCO. Then you'd have all day to explore on your own. Go to Kennedy Space Center! It's open 9-5, so would be a great way to kill the entire day. Then you'd still have plenty of time to drive to MCO, as well as get dinner before your flight.

Is it possible to buy single days of internet access while on board, or does it have to be done for the entire duration? Right now, with the Labor Day sale, I'm finding $16.99/day for VOOM Surf, or $20.99/day for Surf + Stream. I really have no need of internet access for 7 days. I know it's more expensive on-board, but if I waited until on-board, could I just buy it for the days I needed it? Like Day 3 and Day 5, for example? And don't have it on the other days?

We said in 66 days from now, so I'm hoping they'll drop it before then!

I'm probably just super light-sensitive, because even just "first light" in Arizona wakes me. Forget about waiting until sunrise - I'm wide awake by then. So I love the inside cabins! Absolutely no light at all!

I see you also live in Arizona. I need blackout curtains in my room in order to sleep - otherwise it's just too much ambient natural light. That's why I love inside cabins on a cruise ship. When I'm trying to sleep, I don't WANT to see any light. None. I want it pitch black. Even the slightest amount of light will wake me and I hate that. Coming from AZ, I just sort of assume it'll be light outside if it's after 5 am, period. And I have no desire to wake up that early on vacation - I end up having to do that at home!

UPDATE: The three of them are all positive, and I'm negative. I assume I just tested too soon, so will be going back tomorrow to redo it. Son is still asymptomatic. Husband and daughter are still sleeping all day and are sick.

Reading through this because we are 81 days from boarding and everyone in the house currently has COVID. (DH and 12-yr-old daughter have fever, bad cough, and are sleeping all day, but me and 10-yr-old son are completely asymptomatic.) We're all vaxxed and boosted, and went for confirmation PCR tests (after the home tests turned positive) just so we could go the COR route if we wanted to.

We will probably just do regular free loungers instead of a bed or a cabana, but where would you recommend trying for us? It will be me (45), DH (50), our two kids (10 and 12), and my parents (78 and 79). My mom walks with a cane, and is renting a scooter. We have no interest in the waterpark because we have plenty of those at home. The younger ones of us don't really need pool access, because we have one in the backyard, but my parents don't have a pool at their house so they might want it. It's the beach we're interested in. DH, I, and the kids might snorkel, but my parents will probably just lounge around and maybe walk down to the ocean. Normally I'd say we would just wander around and find the spot that works best for us, but with my mom's mobility issues, we'll probably need to just pick a spot and stick with it.

Thank you!

Sounds like they aren't interested in any of the itineraries or find the COVID restrictions to onerous to make cruising interesting to them.

How is the water temp in early October for swimming at CocoCay? Keep in mind that my kids are wimps because we live in Arizona. Kids generally won't even get in the pool unless it's at least 95 degrees outside. LOL (Our high today is expected to be 115.)

They only take your luggage if you want them to carry it off for you. If you're perfectly capable to walk your own luggage off the ship, then great! Don't put it out, and then do the self-disembark. It can save a lot of time.

Not a hard choice. $25 OBC for sure.

My husband and I both work, and we have kids, so more cruises isn't an option for us. But I must say how much I really like interiors. And yes, we do have the money for balconies. I personally don't really care about the cabin. It really is just a place to sleep for me. I'm out and about doing things otherwise. And I'm extremely light sensitive. I actually sleep phenomenally on cruises in interior cabins. Best sleep of my life - way better than at home. I LOVE how dark it gets! My parents are the opposite. They won't cruise if they can't have a balcony.

A better gift would be a Royal pool longer...

Our kids' Fall Break is always the first week of October, and we haven't had any issues, nor have friends of ours who have cruised during those same weeks (both Atlantic and Pacific). We did have to reroute (swapped the order of sea day and port day) once in Western Caribbean in August, but it was fine. The ships will reroute if need be.

They just add it to your onboard account, so it will be charged to your credit card on that last night, or you use OBC to cover it. Easy-peasy, and is a reason why I never prepay the tips - if I can use OBC, I want to!

Definitely 2 umbrella strollers rather than a double stroller. In my opinion, a double stroller isn't even an option for this type of travel.

My friend did it in a tent while camping. Her kids were asleep in the tent, and her husband was at home, so nobody helped her. She just propped her phone and used a camping lantern so there would be enough light for the proctor to monitor.

Depending on when in October, there could be some (Fall Break), but even if there are "more" kids that week than usual in fall, it definitely won't be anywhere near as many as in the summer. We'll be on Harmony Oct 2-9 because that's when my kids and I have Fall Break, but I know that Fall Break isn't a thing everywhere, so I expect that kid numbers will be comparatively lower, although obviously not nonexistent. But summer is obviously packed with kids.

Exactly! Between my daughter and I, we have multiple food allergies, but I'd never expect the waiter to remember it off the top of his or her head. It's in the electronic files for your room number, and we ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell them at every meal as well.

I hope you feel better soon!

I'd always thought it meant that you must arrive at Early Seating at 5:30, but does this mean you have a range to arrive for that seating?

Yes! I understand it all has to do with staff shortages, but it would be great if they'd use one floor of the MDR for MTD throughout the full hours of like 5 to 9 pm. Waiting until 6:30 or 6:45 (depending on the ship) will always result in a backlog of folks wanting to eat at 6:30. 5 is often too early for many, but there is an hour and a half or hour 45 minutes between when Early Seating and MTD opens, so you have 90 minutes worth of diners trying to get in