Royally Ready to cruise

Thanks for all the great info in this thread. Planning family cruise next June 2025 on the POA.  We have a large group and I’m sure each family will go their own way at each port. Any suggestions for excursions not through NCL that anyone would recommend?  I think the excursions through NCL are going to be out of most of our families budgets.  Walking tours, botanical gardens, hiking? Luaus?  thanks in advance. Appreciate it!!

interested in where you stayed pre cruise. So happy you had a great time😊

I changed to 28th Avenue. So much easier with a large group. Ty everyone!

and called Seattle express

700 Fifth Street North Seattle 

  Hampton does not offer airport pickups. Anyone stay here and what advice you can give? We have large family , 11 staterooms and 28 people.  Thanks so much for the help

thank you every one. The kids are 3 and use regular car seats and do have their own seats on the plane.  I’m not sure of their weight.  I’ll do some more research on that.  We plan to use the bus transfers the morning we get off the boat to the airport and hotel shuttle from airport to hotel.  The bumble bum sounds interesting but I don’t think the girls are tall enough.  And agreed accidents can and do happen everywhere. 

Ty and I didn’t know how to drag it on board ship or most airport shuttles don’t have seat belts and yada yada 

Hi fellow experienced cruisers who travel with Toddlers!  Flying in to Seattle for Alaska cruise this summer with our large family.  Take a car seat? 
we plan to use hotel shuttle service to hotel and to port next morning.  thank you for the help!

we have cruisers under age 5, do they have to purchase soda package, they won’t be drinking soda?   

Thank you LeeW!  did they give plenty of time at Mendenhall to hike to the waterfall?

The hike to the waterfall is my absolute favorite!  I’m really excited for the grandkids to do this and see the amazing Mendenhall Glacier.  The last time we took the paved path but I believe there is another trail farther up the hill. I’m wondering how strenuous it is ?

Trip advisor rates Alaska tour companies Juneau whale watch 5/5.  Thoughts anyone?

Hi Bird! we were traveling with you on the NCL Great come back cruise! Loved Alaska so much we are trying it again with lots of kids this time.  Trying RCCL this time to save money on our group of 23.  We know it will be different on RCCL, but the ship activities for kids is what made the decision.  So from your response, I’m thinking all 3 is going to be a but much for kids age 3 to 15. 

yes thank you for the reply!

Hi gang.  Excited to book excursions for our family cruise this summer. Juneau Port arrival time is 1 pm and departs 9 pm.  There is an excursion that does the 3, whale watching,, Mendenhall and salmon bake.  The first booking time is 1:30 pm.  Does anyone have advice as to A can we make that time . and is it possible to do all 3 and have an enjoyable time?   Ty!!!! 

Yes they show as linked to me when I log in.  Well after 4 different departments and 4 calls later, I have my answer. They have to book the excursions for me as the first 5 cabins have a group ID and the last 3 we added don’t, RCCL will have to book anything for us.  I don’t mind this, just would have caused less hassle if the group dept and reservations and web site assistance could have told me this 3 calls ago. Thanks everyone for letting me vent. Lol. happy sailing 

We have a wonderful family cruise booked to Alaska this summer. I have my nieces all linked to me so that I may treat them to excursions etc. every time I try to reserve something, I get the error different booking currency or group I’d.   I have only called 3 times to get this resolved and on hold now trying the fourth time!  why is this so hard!  Never again RCCL. 

I see by our ship schedule we don’t dock til 1 pm in Juneau.  😗

Does anyone know what dock Royal uses in Juneau?

Thank you that was really much needed advice!  There are 26 of us and I’m sure we won’t be attached together all the time, but I just loved Mendenhall, and want to share it with my family.  You are right when you say a tour limits your time.  Our first  trip to Alaska we only had time to do nugget falls then on to salmon bake. What are some of the other trails like at Mendenhall?

Thank you!  My brother and I are treating our kids, gr kids, nieces nephews etc, so we definitely need to save money where we can,  I’m open to any suggestions especially with the age difference we have in kids.  I think a hike to Mendenhall, White Pass railroad and lumberjack show are good group activities. 

Any thoughts of about using local tour companies versus booking through Royal?  I’m talking easy light tours, Mendenhall  glacier, lumberjack show, Skagway Train. .It seems I can save money going with local transportation versus a RCCL tour.   And with our large group I need to save where I can. Ty

On 11/2/2022 at 12:23 PM, ldubs said:

10 hours ago, njkruzer said:

They said traveling with kids, so cocktails, etc probably won't work nor would waiting on lines.

Right ages 2 to 14.  We like dining together and seeing the variety that everyone orders.  I think traditional dining for us is the way to go.  Thanks everyone!

On 11/2/2022 at 12:23 PM, ldubs said:

 

We have done exactly that!  Kids liked it better I think.    

 

To your original question, I agree with the previous comments that you won't get a single table of 20.  We do a lot of large group cruises.  Always two or more tables in proximity to each other.  

May I ask do you use my time dining for a large group?  I thought first seating would be good as we have a lot of young kiddos going but when I was recently on the phone w RCCL requesting first seating, the agent talked me out of it, said much easier to make a reservation each day on the app.  My one and only experience with RCCL  we  saw a long line of guests waiting to get in dining room whenever we came out of the MDR. Ty for the help 

Sorry to hijack your thread but is soda package for 7.99 as good as it gets?