jammin

On 3/6/2024 at 3:37 PM, SilkySal said:

I can't believe some of you didn't mention one of the most important things! Breakfast is included in your cruise fare everyday at Johnny Rockets!! Even their delicious milkshakes! And their OJ is far better than the WJ and tastes really close to fresh squeezed! We always eat breakfast at JR on Oasis class ships! That's probably why I'm a fluffy gal!! LOL! Enjoy! Cheers!

Great tip!  Didn't know this

I appreciate all the replies...as SSBrickNJ stated, I too find this information and your experiences extremely helpful!

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

As the date draws nearer, you'll be able to see information on shows /entertainment on the app.

This is the only thing that makes me miss cruising WAY back....Was just showing up and grabbing a seat.  The last cruise we were on we needed to pre-reserve tickets to shows.......Once I get on the cruise I like to fly by the seat of our pants and do what we want on a whim....but I realize you cant do that with 6,000 other pax.

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

A couple things that've popped up in the last 8 years: 

 

- You should download the RC app on your phone now.  

- Using the app, you can go ahead and schedule your dinner reservations. 

- As the date draws nearer, you'll be able to see information on shows /entertainment on the app. 

- The Muster Drill is now on the app -- you'll just need to do a drop-in as soon as you board. 

- You'll need to schedule a boarding time -- is it 45 days out?  

Assuming the App works without buying a data package.  I was planning to unplug the family this week.

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

The Muster Drill is now on the app -- you'll just need to do a drop-in as soon as you board. 

That cool!  Much better than being stacked up on the promenade deck in life jackets!

3 hours ago, LittleMissMagic said:

Woohoo, welcome back to cruising! A lot has changed, but it's still fun!

 

I haven't sailed on Symphony, but I've sailed her "sister," Harmony of the Seas, and she's one of my favorite ships! Here are my recommendations:

 

• With Oasis-class ships, I'd highly recommend specialty dining. I used to be in the camp of why pay extra for food when the main dining room is just fine? Well, I think the increase in specialty dining options has actually led to the decrease in quality in the main dining room. I'm not sure if this is by intention to encourage people to do specialty dining, or a result of staffing the more experienced kitchen teams in the specialty restaurants, leaving less experienced teams in the main dining room. If you can snag a deal on unlimited specialty dining, grab it - they do run out! Keep an eye on the prices, too - if you book it and they offer it at a lower price later, you can cancel and rebook at the lower price with no fees.
• Others are raising a red flag on the GTY bookings. If it is critical that your staterooms are adjoining/adjacent, you probably want to change your booking to select your staterooms. That being said, I've always had good luck with separate GTY staterooms being close to one another. They're usually side-by-side. It's just not guaranteed that the rooms will be close, and with a giant ship like Symphony, it would be super inconvenient to have rooms on opposite sides of the ship.
• Other thing to know about your balcony GTY.... you are guaranteed a balcony, but not an ocean view balcony. You could have a balcony overlooking the Boardwalk or Central Park. If an ocean view is important to you, you'll want to select your stateroom.
• Royal Up! I haven't seen anyone mention this yet. A few months, or closer to your cruise, RCCL starts emailing Royal Up offers. Basically, you can place a bid on a higher category stateroom. On some of the minimal upgrades, like an upgrade to an "extra large balcony," I've bid the minimum and won the upgrade. For bigger upgrades to suites, the minimum bid won't win the upgrade, especially on a Christmas sailing.
• Check-in is pretty much all online now. You'll need a scan/high quality photo (no glare) of your passport and a headshot of each person you're checking in (if taken on your phone, make sure it's JPEG and not HEIC). They really encourage you to check in on the app, but you can still check in on the computer. Whether checking in on the app or on a computer, I recommend having a folder with everyone's documents so it's everything is right there and ready.

 

It's been five years, but I sailed on Harmony of the Seas over Christmas in 2019 and wrote a detailed photo review if you're looking for inspiration - https://www.victoriaonvacation.com/2020/01/day-1-harmony-of-seas-embarkation.html

Thanks for all your feedback and the link to a great review!

3 hours ago, LittleMissMagic said:

Other thing to know about your balcony GTY.... you are guaranteed a balcony, but not an ocean view balcony. You could have a balcony overlooking the Boardwalk or Central Park. If an ocean view is important to you, you'll want to select your stateroom.

Thanks....Hoping for an ocean view, Boardwalk and then central park balcony in that order but will be happy with what we get...after all, we will be in the caribbean!

6 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

My only concern is that you booked two GTY cabins. There is no guarantee that the cabins will be near each other (same deck, same side, etc.) You could end up on deck 10 port aft and deck 14 starboard front (deck numbers made up for example only). If having cabins near each other is important, you should book specific cabins.

Thanks....I'm sure they will be at different ends and decks of the ship.  Not a deal breaker for us.  It saved over $3000 to book two GTY vs. 2 balconies.  My oldest is 19.

7 hours ago, barbeyg said:

I think most of this was around back then too, but if not, some “do ahead” planning:

 

1. Book any specialty dining ahead of time, and/or dining packages, if you want those,

2. Book the shows that need to be booked ahead, usually released the beginning of the month before your cruise,

3. If going to CocoCay, it has been amped up since you last cruised. If you want to get into the Beach Club, water park, or other additional pay area, watch the prices and book when on sale.  You don’t have to pay to enjoy CocoCay, so I suggest watching videos to see if you are interested in any pay areas,

4. if Diamond or above, a # of drinks are available free each day.  Lost of threads about those.  Also, look at the drink packages and see if those would be of interest to you.

 

Have fun on your cruise. We are sailing Symphony for the first time ourselves next Feb. 🙂

CocoCay amped up is an understatement!!!!!  I am overwhelmed looking at the options on that day.

We are not diamond members yet 😞  We have a few more cruises to take to get there.

Thanks for your thoughts.

8 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Actually IMO things have come pretty much full circle.  Having cruised often pre and post pandemic, the industry went through significant changes recovering from the pandemic with the restart with numerous caveats and regulations.  But in the three years since, things have returned pretty much to the way they were the last time you cruised, albeit at higher market driven fares. (I realize the ships went through a lot of changes to become a safer health environment, etc., but the cruising atmosphere is IMO back to where it was with none of the restart restrictions).

 

I think one planning comment I would make would be with regards to your GTY booking in that the issued staterooms may not be near each other.  However, once issued you can move one or both to any available location within the same assigned category and subcategory to try to alleviate that.  Just contact RCCL if you booked directly or your travel agent if you used one to facilitate this.

 

The RCCL app also will allow you more flexibility in filling out the preboarding information, loading boarding passes on your phone, and checking in.  This process is simplified as a result.  You also will need to select check in times at the pier via the app, which will be available in 30 minute windows typically commencing at 11:00 up to 90 minutes before scheduled departure.  This IMO organizes the boarding process in a smoother flow.   

 

You can schedule certain shows (Broadway shows, Aqua Theater, Ice show, Comedy club) through the cruise planner and the app.  Specialty restaurant dining, and other packages (wifi) and activities can be scheduled and prepaid through the planner as well.

 

Other than that, I would suggest to just look forward to renewing your cruising and plan to enjoy yourself on your cruise.

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for your thoughts!  We knew when we booked the GTY balcony cabins one could be a the stern and the other all the way at the bow; it would be great to be close to each other but it is not the end of the world if they aren't.  Our girls are 19 and 15 so it's not a huge deal.  I did talk to RC and they said they would make a note on our reservations to attempt to book them close...

We haven't cruised in 8 years.  We booked a 2024 Christmas cruise on Symphony of the Seas and are trying to navigate what to do next.  We booked two balcony guarantee rooms for our family of 4 and selected late dining.  We are planning to fly to Miami two days before departure to enjoy the (hopefully) sunny Florida weather.  I just booked a two-night hotel room at the Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel and will be booking airfare later this month when Southwest opens their December flight bookings. 

Looking to hear from experienced cruisers what I should be planning for before departure.

Thanks in advance!

We are a family of 4 and just booked 2 balcony guarantee cabins for Christmas 2024. Our kids are 19 and 14. When I made the reservation I discovered that Royal will not let my 19 and 14 year old kids to be booked in the cabin alone since neither are 21 yet so I booked one room with me and my youngest and my wife and older daughter in the other. My plan is to switch when we arrive. 
 

How have people done multiple cabins for families before?

we booked guaranteed balcony’s to save money; it is a couple grand saving. I realize the rooms could (and likely will be) on different ends of the ship and different decks. 

Thanks for sharing your vacation with us!  Your review was awesome to read.

how was your room setup with your kids?  I recall you mentioning you had a balcony and an inside across the hall.  Did you and your wife have to register as the adult in each room?  Did the kids sleep in the inside and you in the balcony?

we just booked 2 balcony cabins for our family of four for next Christmas. My kids are 19 and 14 but Royal required an adult over 21 to be registered in each room. We plan to just move a kid into one room and she and I will take the other. 

We haven't cruised in almost 7 years.  Our last cruise was on Freedom of the Seas.  We are planning a Christmas cruise with our children (19 and 14) on Symphony of the Seas.   We are booking 2 guarantee balcony cabins as we can get 2 cabins for nearly the same price as a balcony with trundle and I just can't fathom paying a ton of money and having my kids sleep on the floor and on the sofa. 

Some initial questions:

I am currently researching whether we should get insurance through Royal Carribean vs. a 3rd party. Any advise?

Dining options?  Traditional late or My Time Dining?

What has changed in the last 7 years?

Appreciate any insights