milklady

Beverages included in the basic cruise fare: tap water, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, milk, juices at breakfast.

Thanks!

We are going on our first RC cruise as well and was wondering about the drinks. We don't drink (alcohol) much at all and nothing else special.. so was wondering if they had the typical tea, lemonade etc fountains like Carnival and NCL? You help yourself and no charge.

We communicate with the immediate family left behind using FaceTime audio when on the ship usually at prearranged times so I know they are in wifi at home and will get the call

 

I only use my wifi only iPad mini anyway on the ship so I just take the wifi as the free perk or buy a package if need be

 

I only use my iPhone for camera purposes or in wifi only mode for free wifi in the ports

 

 

If I have an emergency phone call to make from the ship I guess I'd just make it

 

I usually wait for San Juan or st Thomas to make a call for the most part

 

Or just set up the $40 100/100/100 plan via Verizon if I want actual phone call ability on land

 

So on the ship....wifi FaceTime audio ...using my iPad...or pay as you go emergency call at $1.79 per minute .50 per text ....using my iPhone

 

 

On land...$40 plan 100/100/100 from Verizon for calls from islands

 

San Juan and st Thomas...domestic plan

 

 

Unfortunately steely in 2017 it is still difficult to communicate while on the ship and costly on land unless you have wifi

 

 

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Thank you so much, and also to Sandyh85, I do have an iPad mini, maybe I will bring it... I have a droid, Galaxy...most of my family members do, I will be going to the Bahamas btw.

If you and the person you wish to message both have WhatsApp, then yes, you can message them using the ships wifi.

 

Personally, I inform the one or two people I intend to keep in contact with that I will be using Facebook messenger only.

 

On case of an emergency, those who need it know my ships name and how to contact through that.

 

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OK, so apparently I can use the fb messenger thru wifi, but I would only have wifi on, data off,and airplane mode?? (I have Verizon) I would only buy the smallest wifi plan, I am not really going to do much internet, I don't think,yet.....:p Thank you for the response!

No. Text is typically unavailable and if your carrier does have signal, it will be outrageously expensive.

 

If you would like to message between 3 devices onboard, it will cost ~$9 per device for the week for iConcierge. Ensure you keep the app running in the background to make sure messages come in.

 

I would look at Internet packages, as others have suggested. Apps like WhatsApp or Skype (voice only) can be used to "telephone" others with the app like a phone call. Unless you prearranged with AT&T for foreign country rates, I highly suggest leaving the phone in airplane mode with only the wifi turned on.

 

This comes from a Canadian who until recently didn't have a good USA plan/rate.

 

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So if I want to keep in touch at home via text I can use an app like WhatsApp through wifi ? Just as confused =/

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If you are happy with your balcony cabin go for the ph-you won't be disappointed:D

Well, we have our fingers crossed for that Penthouse then ! :hearteyes:

Don't bother with the mini-unless you just want the nicer bathroom. Its just a tiny bit larger than balcony cabin and Im not sure if its larger than family balcony! Go for the penthouse.

Hmm, maybe just the bid minimum for the mini, since we got the balcony for a pretty fair price, and also go for the penthouse and see where it goes :confused: just thinking.......

Same perks except no access to the actual Haven area. Butler, Concierge, breakfast and lunch in specialty restaurant, vip embarkation and disembarkation, free in room movies, free room service...I probably missed a few. I personally don't think access to Haven is worth all that much more. The one time we had a Haven suite we used the haven once!:eek:

Oh, so in my case it wouldn't be worth bidding on a mini-suite just go right to bid on a penthouse suite from the family balcony what do you think?

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Ahhh, so I don't get any perks because I didn't book with any. So is penthouse on the Gem considered Haven? Just says penthouse with large balcony SE and SF categories. I don't really think it is...

 

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Sorry, not sure how to post with this thing lol

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Ahhh, so I don't get any perks because I didn't book with any. So is penthouse on the Gem considered Haven? Just says penthouse with large balcony SE and SF categories. I don't really think it is...

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So I have a question, we had a guarantee balcony and they assigned us a family balcony after we booked, so I was wondering since I've never been on an NCL cruise should I be bidding for a mini suite or is it worth it? We are just two people, and if it's a little bit bigger we wouldn't mind and I understand the bathroom may be a little larger. Also putting in a bid for the penthouse which I would love if we get the parks.

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Hi, I am a first timer and got a bid offer a week or so after I booked. Booked beginning of March.

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Thanks to all for the input.:rolleyes:

My son actually has a photo id that he has to wear for school, that was made by the school, but I didn't have it with me. It isn't issued by the state or anything, but probably would have sufficed.

 

Really, I think I just ended up with the agent who got out of bed on the wrong side that morning.

OK, lets hope that's the case, as the younger kids 4 - 15 with us wouldn't have photo ID's, but HS has school ID, but then the 16 and up need PP anyway... so we'll just bring family photos, lol.

Just got off Carnival Freedom this morning, (ports of Jamaica and Grand Cayman) with BC/DL for me and BC for my 12 year old. (Yes, I know, passports are best, and they are on the agenda for next year.) Anyway, I had no problems until returning to Port Everglades and going through customs. The agent gave me a lecture on not having a passport (which I expected so that was fine.) What I didn't expect was for him to ask for photo id for my 12 year old. He became quite irate - looked very closely at my birth certificate and driver's license (names match, never married, and it's obviously my picture.) Then looked at my son's birth certificate (which only has my name on it as parent.) He said something to the effect of "see, I can't even verify it's him without photo id" and pretty much threw the papers back at me and said we could go, at which point we hightailed it out of there before he could change his mind. :confused: Never had a problem like that before. According to the gov websites, kids under 16 don't require photo id with their birth certificate in this circumstance.

So, having children accompanying us in our group, 10 at ages 15 down to 4, which the little ones especially, would have BC but would not have photo ID's??? What would we do? Where do you get something like that?