surrocruiser

Hello all, we just booked our very first cruise on Royal Caribbean. We have done Disney, NCL, Princess and Carnival. this will be our 13th cruise. Carnival has been our last 3 bc of traveling with extended family and preferring the 8 day itineraries.

I have established an handful of things I do every cruise but I am wondering what  should we know plan or do differently on Royal Caribbean? We usually bring a fan for cabins bc they are always hot, 12 pack of soda per person for in the cabin along with some sort of cooler since mini fridges arent the best, and order a 12 pack of waters (really cheap) on Carnival, bring a larger reusable tumbler for iced tea and water throughout the day.

We will be sailing on the Harmony of the Seas doing Eastern Caribbean. Probably not getting off in any ports aside from Cococay bc we have done them and really want to be able to check things out onboard. 

Anything else you can suggest would be GREATLY appreciated. 😍

Well thanks everyone for all the tips. Everything is so very helpful. I am going to post over on Royal Caribbean message board. ( I wanted to start here, trying to avoid the excessively angry responses that happen so often)

On 6/29/2019 at 12:39 PM, brillohead said:

Water is NOT cheap to order on Royal.  Just a heads-up on that.

Otherwise, I think you'll find that Royal does things pretty much the same way as all the mainstream lines do.  

You didn't mention which ship you're going on.  That can make a difference as to what is recommended, as the BIG girls require reservations for many shows, but the other ships don't.  If on Oasis class, make sure you check out the ice skating show and the aquatheater show (suggest to get reservations as early in the week as possible for the aquatheater show, as it can get rescheduled for weather/wind, and if you plan on seeing it later in the week you might miss your chance).

If you're on a ship with a Park Cafe, check out the breakfast and lunch offerings.  They also have some grab-and-go packaged items (sandwiches, salads, fruit cups) that you can take back to eat on your balcony or stash in the cooler/fridge in your room (don't take that food off the ship in port, though). 

On sea days, they serve lunch in the Main Dining Room as well as the buffet, Sorrento's, Cafe Promenade, Park Cafe, etc.  This MDR lunch will include table service with items ordered from a menu, and there will also be a smaller-than-the-Windjammer but still very adequate buffet, plus the ever-popular Tutti Salad Bar.  You don't go to your assigned dinner table for lunch -- they will seat you at a table, often with others sharing a larger table (unless you arrive in a large party together, in which case you'll probably just be seated at a table just for your group).  

The Tutti Salad Bar is a large offering of greens, veggies, and proteins, and you tell the attendant behind the table which items you want and they add it all to a big metal mixing bowl.  Finally you choose your dressing, and they chop and toss your salad all together, finishing by pouring it into a salad bowl and handing it to you to enjoy.  When eating lunch in the MDR, you can have any combination of menu, buffet, and Tutti Salad bar items.  They'll also have a selection of desserts out in the buffet area, plus other dessert items on the menu itself.   

Pool towels get "checked out" at the towel desk on the pool deck -- your card gets scanned for towels checked out and checked in.  Any towels not checked back in by the last night will incur a $25 charge, so check your balance on the last day to make sure all are accounted for.  You don't have to check towels in and out every day, though -- you can exchange wet towels for dry towels without scanning (and then you already have your towel for the next morning, or to take on an excursion in port).  If you'll have kids with you, make sure they know to turn in or exchange all towels, and not just leave them lying around or put them in the hamper on deck without getting scanned credit.

What other types of info are you looking for?  Hope this is helpful....
 

This is EXACTLY the type of info I was looking for!!! Thank you so much for all the info. 

We are sailing on the Harmony of the Seas. 

The tips about the MDR on sea days is amazing and helpful. I can only do buffet for so many days... haha

I wish I could actually ask specific questions but I’m not even sure what I need to ask lol. I know when I went on my first carnival cruise, I wish I knew about the app having the “chat” feature. I didn’t know that they allowed cans of soda only (we showed up with 6 pack of plastic bottles....”. There were less outlets on carnival than I ever remembered on my previous cruises. The mini fridge barely works as a cooler. That type of stuff that I only picked up on after a couple cruises.

Thanks so much! I have been reading everything I can find on the Royal boards as well. I was just hoping for a few distinct differences. Thought maybe the new cruiser board would be a good spot to ask.

Hello all, we just booked our very first cruise on Royal Caribbean. We have done Disney, NCL, Princess and Carnival. this will be our 13th cruise. Carnival has been our last 3 bc of traveling with extended family and preferring the 8 day itineraries.

I have established an handful of things I do every cruise but I am wondering what  should we know plan or do differently on Royal Caribbean? We usually bring a fan for cabins that are always hot, 12 pack of soda per person for in the cabin, and order a 12 pack of waters (really cheap) on Carnival, bring a larger reusable tumbler for iced tea and water throughout the day. Anything else you can suggest would be GREATLY appreciated. 😍

I would have to ask since I was not the one who actually did it. But they definitely were hooked up and playing.

We used an HDMI chord on the sunshine in 2017 and we’re able to play Nintendo switch. Maybe it was just a fluke but it definitely happened.

just kind of disappointing to to have next to no in cabin options.

We just returned from our annual Thanksgiving cruise on the Dream with extended family. We have booked our 2019 on the Magic. On the Dream, we had very few channels in cabin. There were none of the local channels (ABC, CBS, or NBC).We did have CNN in 3 different variations and languages and TNT in spanish and TBS in spanish and the Free movie channel. In the past, my2 year old  niece has used a firestick to watch her shows in the morning and afternoons but we could not get the input to change on the TV. Has anyone else experienced this? Is that thenew norm?

I am sailing Saturday on splendor from Miami and am watching for updates. When we sailed princess, they really failed at updating us. As the TA on the booking for our group, I found out from someone else in our group that had received an email. I NEVER heard a word from them. Now I'm a little nervous, not about any actual changes but being the last in our group to know about it.

A TA is very helpful and definitely worth it for the additional knowledge. Just make sure to find out if there is a fee to make changes to a booking. If so, they should disclose that to you in the very beginning.

Some will charge for their services but not all. The commission earned for cruises is fairly small. Just make sure you find out in advance. Best of luck!

We are going to St Kitts on our cruise next month and are trying to find things to do that are a short walking distance to the pier. We will have 2 children (6 & 9) along with 2 young adults/teens and 6 adults.

We planned this trip to celebrate me being cancer free. Unfortunately I just received news that it has spread (not sure where yet) and I will be returning the week after the trip to begin the next round of treatments. I have a handful of other health issues including breathing difficulties so I really don't want to go far but would like to see at least a little of the area since it is my first time to St Kitts.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. :)

Love the info!

Am I understanding correctly, the packages do not have a time limit but only limit the number of devices? We will need to remain connected on a very heavy rotation of emails for work with both my husband and myself. Has anyone used the Value and the Premium? Id the speed really that much better? Is it necessary?

The Disney dining package includes cape may as a sit down dining option. I'm not sure about vouchers, if they are the same thing or not to be honest.

There is a dinner at Grand Floridian Resort with Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Most character dining that are not inside of a park are going to be Mickey and gang (none will include all characters). For Character dining in the parks, you must have park admission for the day.

Chef Mickey at the Contemporary Resort is a great one for a first timer. Breakfast, brunch or dinner. Mickey Donald Goofy Pluto, no Minnie.

Cape May at Caribbean Beach is breakfast only and is Donald Minnie Goofy and maybe Pluto (can't remember 100%) no Mickey.

It is possible to make reservations at any time due to there being cancellations, BUT more options for times the earlier you reserve.

Any other questions, just ask!

Friends of ours are going on a Royal Caribbean through dialysis at sea. I'm not sure how many cruise lines they work with but sounds like there is no reason you should have to stop cruising. :-)

Hello all,

I am looking for a little feedback from those of you that have been cruising with any type of disability and what your experiences are with the different cruise lines or even specific ships.

I have seen some reviews that say Disney is the best, and then I read where someone had a very difficult time navigating the exact same ship.

As someone who is just beginning to require an accessible cabin, this is extremely important when it comes to researching for our next trip.

Disclaimer - I am a passenger on the delayed cruise and the agent who booked myself and the rest of my group on this particular cruise.

I have a feeling my opinion is in the minority but I feel the compensation is fair. Yes, it is an inconvenience but the per diem refund is for the loss of the day. If you have 2 people in a cabin, the assumption is you would also book a hotel together.There are plenty of hotels at LAX for around $125 per night. It is not at all where I would choose to stay BUT if you are concerned with the cost, why stay somewhere more expensive?

Also, I'm not sure why the customer service rep at Princess said no change, I had a personal email along with the agent email time stamped 5:50PM EST. I called Princess at 7:20PM and spoke with 2 different agents who were very helpful and knew everything about the delay etc. I actually even called back and requested to know if this was some sort of communicable disease since we are traveling with infants and children. I am a bit perplexed by how that would even be possible.

The whole thing is presenting an inconvenience to my trip and to my vacation but I would gladly take on the minor hassle (even if I now have to fed myself a meal or juggle my plans) if that could help someone else in their moment of need.

We are leaving for our cruise in under 2 weeks and have decided for 2 of our ports, all we want to do is get off the ship and wander around at a few gift shops and have lunch in port.

We are looking for something fun/ local cuisine/ family friendly. We arent opposed to parties and drinking around the kiddos in smaller doses but prefer to steer clear of wet tshirt contests and sloppy drunks. :)

We will be in Cabo and Mazatlan with our 4 year old. If there is a view involved, or specific entertainment for kids, that is a huge bonus but not necessary.

Any suggestions?

Sorry to disappear, I have been so busy I haven't been able to come back and check responses. I am beyond overwhelmed with appreciation at all the responses and information. I will be calling the number tomorrow and asking if they would like the letter from my doctor (I already have it, she sent it with me when I saw her before my Disney cruise when she first recommended the accessible cabin would help with some issues)

We are looking into using Priceline for something in the LA area. We are doing one day post-cruise and trying to find something with some entertainment nearby (beach area to walk on, playground, great scenery, etc) for my husband myself and our four-year-old son. I'm very concerned with ending up in not the best area safety wise, any suggestions on areas and prices that may be accepted?

It is so amazing to read a thread with others having been diagnosed with the same things as me! SO nice to not feel alone.

Do any of you have issues with balance? I fall in the shower (along with other places) at least 2-3 times a week. We have installed grip bars in our showers at home and booked accessible for the same reasons.

I have been so overwhelmed with the supportiveness of those on these boards, I am back with a concern.

I am booked on the Crown Princess for November. I booked an accessible cabin mostly for the bathroom/shower handles as on land I have been having many issues with balance and falling in the shower. I have Lupus and fibromyalgia so fatigue and joint pain is usually quite extensive. I had booked thinking if walking was really bad in the week or two leading up to the trip, I would book a scooter for the trip. When speaking with the Princess rep, I was told if I didn't have the scooter with me at the time of boarding I could be denied boarding. I was informed that they do not offer accessibility unless it is someone with a wheelchair or scooter (no cane/crutches etc). I am not very comfortable using one and would really rather just allow plenty of extra time so I can walk slowly.

At this point, I am not sure what to do. I am by no means booking this bc it's a whim or I want more cabin space. My last cruise, I fell twice in the shower. The shower is the main reason I need the cabin but I am having a panic attack that they will not allow me to board. Any advice?

As for Cabo... benjytour@hotmail.com does and incredible tour we found him 3 years ago and have been recommending him ever since! You can't go wrong! Tell him Cathy & Frank sent you!

I am very intrigued so I am going to jump in here.

What type of tours are offered? How did you find them? Any and all info is appreciated.

Hello everyone,

I apologize in advance if this has been discussed but my search provided only 2 discussions from 2005 and 2008.

What is provided in the cabins now? When we went on Princess quite a few years back, they provided shampoo conditioner lotion and I believe mouthwash along with a hair dryer. Are these still provided in the cabins? If so, does anyone know what type? Is it still from the Lotus Spa products?

Thanks in advance!

We have cruised twice out of Bayonne.

 

We were first time cruisers, and did it this way:

 

used trinityreservations.com

stayed at the Ramada Plaza, (right beside the prison-seriously a non issue)

used "independent driver" (call them and book a ride to and from, we paid 12 per person per way)

 

now, I have read that trinity now has all inclusives...

 

I also saw a sign in our lobby of a shuttle into NYC for sightseeing.

 

When we went, we took the train in... we found it very easy.

 

We drove from Ontario Canada, about 8 hours..

 

Enjoy your cruise :D

This is perfect! Did you feel comfortable leaving your car parked there?