xxHadleyxx

I see you are in Finland.   Are you looking at just a flight within the Schengen zone and no need to test before at the airport before checking in?  

If so, and this is not the TA (which could possibly have more immigration issues, maybe?) I think you will be FINE.  With interporting and the ship staying in Schengen the entire time it tends to clear very quickly.  Add in that taxis are ready and waiting and generally have you at the airport in just about half an hour, you would be ok if you couldn't get off the ship until 8:00 or even 8:30.  (and you can almost certianly be off by 7:00...probably 6:00-6:30 really).  We sailed Harmony this past October and our friend from the USA had an 11:00 flight from BCN and was sitting at his gate by 9:00 and bored.  

18 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

 I find it hard to believe that they would lose a bunch of cruisers over $70 per week. 

It wouldn't cause us to cancel...but I was on a cruise with a different line quite a while back (15ish years I would guess) when fuel surcharges were added...it was a tiny percentage of the cruise cost, but somehting like 20% of people cancelled after that was announced and they ended up fire selling cabins last minute and once we were onboard there were a lot of people vocally not spending as much as normal becuase they felt "abused" by the fee.  We thought it was rather ridiculous, but it DID appear to negatively affect both bookings and on board spending.  Obvious that is purely anectodotal and based off of only one experience, but I figure if the lines are not jumping at the excuse to add that surcharge, they must be looking at their data on past additions and deciding it is not worth it right now.

4 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

With the massive debt they have incurred, they would be idiots not to impose it now. It would help get them out of debt and return to profitability sooner. A bunch of other industries are raising prices, why not the cruise lines?.

I think they'd be idiots to add it right now if they got contracts that protect their fuel costs; too many people would cancel...which they can easily do under cruise with confidence, they're better to leave people's already bought sailings alone and not alienate the customers they're just getting back.   

2 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

On those vouchers:  Do they just apply them to the first four drinks you order...or do you TELL them you are using a voucher?   I'd hate to order four refills of Diet Coke at lunch, then pay full price for four alcoholic drinks at night...Or, say my wife orders 2 bottles of water then only two drinks at night...and I have six drinks...Could we ask them to charge us for the water and apply two of my wife's vouchers to my two extra drinks?

They'll generally apply them, if available, unless told otherwise.  But if you tell them you want to pay for your sodas and save the vouchers for later, they're happy to do that for you.  I usually have a Coke at lunch and always asked for that without issue.

6 minutes ago, LoveFamliyVacations said:

Looking for clarification on drink vouchers. I understand they are a « gift » and can be given/shared with others. My question is how do I give them to my adult children to use later in the evening after we’re in for the night?

I do not think that is possible.  You can openly order drinks using the vouchers for friends (including using all 4 vouchers at the same time as a round for a gorup) but I do not think you can give the actual vouchers from your car to someone else's...you have to be there to order so far as I could tell based on our sailings since this went into effect.  

5 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

Our August 5 Vision cruise will be our first on Royal Caribbean since 2017...and I know a lot of things have changed in recent years.

First big question is arrival time appointments.  I understand RC is now slotting passengers into arrival time windows (as are other cruise lines).  How (and when) does one get an arrival slot scheduled?  Important to us as we need to check out of our Barcelona hotel by 11:00 am and would hope to go directly to the pier and board ASAP.

Next, I see they've gone to "drink vouchers" (We are Diamond C&A).  Do they still have the Diamond Lounge?  If so, do drinks served there during what used to be "event" hours count against the 4 vouchers?

Is there no longer a C&A Diamond internet benefit?

Formal nights:  I still see stuff on the website about "formal". So, unlike Celebrity, RC still has formal nights?  How seriously do people take that?  I'm actually going on two cruises--8 nights on Vision followed by 12 nights on Celebrity Summit.  Celebrity has "Evening Chic" nights--for which I bring black pants, a black sports coat and b/w dress shirts--no tie...Can I get away with the same on RCCL?  I'm travelling for 31 days and don't want to have to pack more than I need in my limited luggage space.

What other worthwhile benefits, if any are left, are there to being Diamond?

Anything else that might surprise someone who hasn't been on a Royal Caribbean cruise in five years?

Thanks.

First big question is arrival time appointments.  I understand RC is now slotting passengers into arrival time windows (as are other cruise lines).  How (and when) does one get an arrival slot scheduled?  Important to us as we need to check out of our Barcelona hotel by 11:00 am and would hope to go directly to the pier and board ASAP.

You will get options to choose from when you do online check in (which tends to open a couple of months before sailing, but it varies a bit).  The earlier time slots tend to go first so if you want 11:00 I suggest checking in ASAP.  Otherwise, Barcelona is the primary port we sail from, leaving the luggage with the reception and sitting in a cafe while you wait is not a bad option 🙂

Next, I see they've gone to "drink vouchers" (We are Diamond C&A).  Do they still have the Diamond Lounge?  If so, do drinks served there during what used to be "event" hours count against the 4 vouchers?  Most (all?) ships still have a Diamond Lounge and still have evening cocktail hours with snakcs provided...but other than getting coffee from the machine in the lounge, all drinks you order that would normally carry a cahrge onboard are at that cost (you can use your voucher or pay).  ie, there is no longer free flowing no charge alcohol in the lounge.  The vouchers are really a nice upgrade though....they can be used anyhwere on the ship and all day long for any drink up to $13.

Is there no longer a C&A Diamond internet benefit?  There is.  It is one 24 hour period (or a discount towards a package purchased on board)

Formal nights:  I still see stuff on the website about "formal". So, unlike Celebrity, RC still has formal nights?  How seriously do people take that? 

On our last 6 crusies (some pre covid, some post) formal night has been replaced with "Dress to impress" and the outift you describe will be just fine.  

What other worthwhile benefits, if any are left, are there to being Diamond?  Hard to say what you consider worthwhile.  We like the balcony discount and the free photo. And I do like my couple sodas and waters left in the room at boarding.  Others like the casino play something (I never go in the casion so can't even recall what it is).  

Home tests are generally the same tests as the ones done at pharamcies and clinics (assuming you are talking antigen tests; PCR tests are a whole different ball game) and are a good way to add an extra level of information and safety before visiting elderly relatives (or the new baby in the family, etc), etc.  

I think they are a valuable part of living with Covid.

I recall a Canadian cruiser posting on here a couple months ago, having used home tests in their cabin on the last day of the cruise so that if it were postiive they could then go to the ship doctor to be tested and therefore become diagnosed onboard and have RCI cover quaratine costs, rather than testing only at the airport before flying home on disembarkation day.  Those home test did catch the positive, and she was able to then get diagnosed onboard and RCI covered hotels, etc.  Smart woman.

They're not allowed for cruise ship boarding, flying to the USA from other nations, etc because there is no way to verify if the person themself really took the test and if so when (nor can you verify that they took a good swap instead of just touching the very outside edge of a nostril, etc)

15 minutes ago, momneedsvacation said:

How did they make this?  I had 2 bartenders on Symphony last week said they couldn't make it since it would only be milk

They use an ice cream mix (and add chocolate sauce).  There tend to be only a couple of bars per ship that have it...often by the pool (as mentioned above).  I like to get one for dessert after lunch at Windjammer...just walk out of the buffe and stop at the pool bar.  Better than any of the buffet desserts, IMO

2 minutes ago, OSUZorba said:

I've never seen them ID for the quest or adult comedy. Just some of the late night dancing.

They've definitely ID'd the Comedy Club on Oasis and Harmony...drove my youngest crazy before he turned 18.  

I've not seen them ID st the Quest....but I've been told they sometimes do on US based sailings 🤷‍♀️

9 hours ago, shofer said:

This happened to us on a Princess Cruise.  DH and my cousin's husband were waiting "saving" seats for us as we stopped in the bathroom prior to the show.  A man with his wife wanted those 2 seats.  Never mind that we were right behind him and the next row was completely empty!   He became very confrontational with DH who was reasonably pointing out that we were right there and pointed out all the empty seats available.  This guy would not quit demanding those seats.  Finally, DH put on his "cop" face and told him he'd better move on or else.   A few days later, we saw them again as we entered the theater and I heard him say to his wife, "we'd better stay away from that guy."  I hate to say that we had a good laugh over it, but we did.

There's a world of difference between one or two people saving a whole row of seats (we've seen that often...and often the seats end up empty during the show, or the group arrives twenty minutes in and disrupts everyone as they take their seats....we've become those people who ignore the lone person with a couple jackets staking out the whole row and just sit there anyway if we want to 🤨) and a partner saving a seat for their companion who has gone to the restroom.   It's not even remotely the same thing.

17 minutes ago, topnole said:

Yes.  Night club spaces like the dungeon or blaze (or wherever else on other ships) was security at the door(s) every night as I recall.  That usually started 10 pm or later.  Seen it for the white party in the solarium on Oasis (those seemed so cool and unique when Oasis/Allure were new-ish).  Don’t recall other scenarios, but probably adult comedy venues.   

I think you got everything else except the casino.   And maybe the Quest on some ships

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

That text has been there for years. It's definitely not a new addition.

I was just pointing out which part I thought the OP was referring to 😊

2 minutes ago, topnole said:

Yep.  Basically an entire cruise ship is one big bar/lounge.  Many times the pool area is worse for so called “adult” behavior than any lounge.  I guess kids should be banned from the pool deck too.  😂😂😂

I know,  right?  🤣

3 hours ago, Computer Nerd said:

The point is that a taboo isn't legally enforceable. A law is.

No, the point is that the taboo is the only thing which carries over onto the cruise ship and causes some people to clutch their pearls and gasp when childern are seen in the suite lounge (which isn't even really a bar IMO).  Nothing at all illegal about taking kids into a lounge or bar on a cruise ship.

1 hour ago, Computer Nerd said:

It's not a taboo in the States, it's a law. A bar can lose it's liquor licenses if a minor is caught in there during operating hours. Not right, not wrong, it just is what it is.

But it's a law (in some states) based on attitudes about it bring taboo to take kids to drinking establishments.

2 hours ago, Tin can said:

 

I do take our son to bars and have taken our son to the old DL happy hour many a time if the letter in the cabin say it is ok when he is accompanied. He is happy to chat with us for an hour before dinner.

 

There isn't really the big taboo with this in the UK that there appears to be in the States, our drinking age is 18 and I'm pretty sure its lower in Europe. Some bars are welcoming and encourage families with children by providing play areas and the like.

 

I can't actually see anything on the link though that states the change but if that's the rule then fair enough.

 

 

Yeah, my kids gree up in Germany, where they could legally buy their own beer, wine and cider at 16 and hard alcohol at 18.

They both drink far less than their same aged cousins who grew up in the states though 🤣 and my oldest was positively shocked as a college freshman in Colorado by the dangerous drinking culture so prevalent in that age group in the states.

2 hours ago, cruisegus said:

take your kids to a bar often?

 

its a couple of hours, only place it really has any effect is on Oasis class ship when the CK and suite lounge are combined.

 

There they allow kids.

 

Really did you take your kids to the Diamond lounge during the old HH

My kids are both well into their 20s now.  But, yes, my son and his older sibling started regularly attending pub quiz at a local Irish pub when they were 14 and 16.  When the oldest moved away for uni I started going with my son right up until they closed during Covid (reopening next week, we're very excited).  

Not to mention all the time spent in bars on ships, playing trivia, game shows, karaoke, just socializing, etc.  Or going to bars in the US (when legal, the US can be weird about these things) to see their uncle's band perform....

And also yes, the "kids" were in the lounge often as teens (we didn't start sailing RCI until the youngest was 12, otherwise it would've happened sooner).  We usually took cards and played euchre and enjoyed snacks and drinks (sodas for the kids, and most of the time for me) before dinner.  Sometimes we just chatted and socialized with each other and other guests.   

Personally, I never understood the thought process that taking a kid where people are drinking is in and if itself a problem.  And I am happy with any person behaving politely sitting in the lounges.  Kids being loud or running around?  Sure kick them out.  Also kick out the adult loudly talking on his phone, watching videos at volume in the lounge, drunkenly yelling at staff, etc.

3 hours ago, lovelife said:

I don't see anything in the linked info about children. I'm on board this week and the concierge letter says guests 20 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during cocktail hours in the suite lounge.

I think OP is referring to this section, near the bottom:

"PRO TIP

Kids are welcome at the Suite Lounge during breakfast hours. In the evenings, the space is open to guests of legal drinking age.".

3 minutes ago, Agathabumble said:

The vaccine doesn’t stop you getting covid or passing it on. It reduces the risk of severe illness and death  So I think it is more important to keep the testing and get rid of the vaccine requirement. After all the boosters are only supposed to give further protection for approx 12 weeks so is everyone going to get vaccinated that often. I think testing is much more reliable way of keeping covid off cruise ships. 

Vaccines don't fully prevent becoming infected, but vaccinated people are still less likely to become infected and remain contagious for a shorter period of time (how much less varies from variant to variant)  Do, a fully vaccinated group is overall kk ess likely to have an outbreak.

If they stop requiring vaccination anytime soon, we'll be cancelling all of our sailings.

Just now, colsky said:

If RCL let us extend the FCC deadline so that we don't lose them, then I agree with you. If they don't let us, and we lose approx £2000, then I don't agree with you!

 

Either way, I don't know why a negative pre departure test isn't sufficient anyway, but I appreciate that's a wider debate!

Oh I defintely think they should let you extend your FCC under the circumstances!  I hve friends in the UK and i know it has been sooooo frustrating for you all with kids and this ultra slow roll out.  Ugh.  

In my experience you can never fully count on any specific item being stocked onboard.....things are oftne out of stock, etc (and that might get worse with current supply chain issues).

The post above suggesting to buy at the airport when you land is probably your best bet if flying in same day.  If you are flying  day early, check to see if a CVS, Wlagreens, etc is within walking distance of your hotel (it seems like in Florida that is nearly always teh case!).  Even with a checked bag I usully don't check saline or conditioner and just buy some at whatever drugstore is near my hotel before boarding.  

Honestly, I hope they keep the testing through this season.  

It's not that hard to do, and it seems every sailing it at least catches some cases and keeps those off the ships and from spreading further.  

And I really hope they do not relax the vaccination rules for kids (or anyone else).  I know that stinks for folks from the UK, but gosh just about everywhere else is vaccinating 5 and up and has been for months and really the Brits with kids just turning 12 is a tiny percentage of cruisers overall....better to work with those few families to reschedule at later dates than to have some big outbreak onboard, or an unvaccinated tween getting really sick from a case caught on board.

10 hours ago, lepidoptera said:

I booked air2sea for the first time and was able to book flying in 2 days early to Barcelona without calling. I had to use the tab for people that had a reservation and then when I filled in the info, it automatically chose arriving morning of the cruise. But at the top of webpage on the right hand you could choose another day. Also it was very strange, it filtered flights by the day it arrives. So if the flight leaves on Saturday but arrives on Sunday, it would show up when you filter for flights on Sunday but not on Saturday. 

Did the same, fully online, for air2sea for our upcomming Transatlantic on the Wonder.  I always fly in a day early.

I have only ever had to call when we want to fly into a location not at the cruise port (for example, my in laws are sailing out of Amsterdamn tis summer but flying into Germany a week before the cruise to visit us, then we all drive to teh port, cruise and they fly home from Amsterdam.  We had to call to arrange the arriving in Frankfurt portion....but could easily change arrival dates online as you describe, and as we did for my cruise in April).

The technical answer is that it is not allowed...only spouses/partners share status.

The reality is that it varies by ship/concierge/sailing.  Pre covid, when drinks were still included in the lounge we sailed with a friend......3 Diamonds and him on his first cruise.  The concierge told us to bring him in with us as he was sharing a cabin with our son and clearly part of our immediate small group.  This was a European sailing in shoulder season.

Likewise, Thanksgiving week 2019 my oldest and their finance and finace's  parents sailed together.  Oldest is Diamond others had no status (fiance had to have one criuse before being allowed to share status...a big reason they took that cruise was so the fiance would be able to share satus on the honeymoon).  

My oldest popped into the lounge on Day 3 to check a menu and the conceirge asked why he wasn't seeing them in the evenings.  Oldest explained they were travelling with three people who have no status and he told them to bring the whole group in!  

On other sailings we have seen them checking all cards and being very clear that only the status holders can be in the lounge.  I think a lot comes down to how crowded it is on any given sailing, probably somewhat down to management too.  We always go in assuming that only the status holders can use the lounge, but if we are offered otherwise we are happy, tip well and do not complain.

4 hours ago, PIR8LUVR said:

I was on Harmony last week. Someone vandalized our luggage before we got to our room. We were told that individual was disembarked in St. Maarten.

Oh that's terrible.  I'm sorry.

I hope that individual also was made to cover the cost of repairing or replacing your luggage.  I'm glad they were caught.