booked--Liberty of the Seas (some questions)

[JLN321]

This will be my 4th cruise with Royal Caribbean. I've been on the smaller ships so I'm excited for a slightly larger ship with the Liberty of the Seas (I know it's not the biggest). Here are a few questions.

 

1. I would like to take advantage of the workout groups on ship. I'm interested in the full body conditioning and the body sculpt boot camp. Anyone know what these classes are like and how much are they?

 

2. Sadly, I've just ate at the windjammer because we could never figure out when we go to the dining hall (we would go during our assigned times on our card and they said that it wasn't our time or we would try to call to reserve seating and there would be no answer). I see there's more then one free dining hall on ship (correct me if I'm wrong). a-How do you book a time? We are usually out on excursions during the time you need to call and reserve. do you just show up? b-what are the dining halls like?

 

3. One place we are going is Roatan Hondurus. What are good excursions? I might have to go alone on this one.

 

4. Lastly, the cupcake shop. Are classes for adults? I don't see anything on our cruise planner with reserving classes? How do you do so? How much money?

 

Thanks!! =):):)

[Desert Cruizers]

If you have a copy of your booking Reservation it should say on that when your dining. I also would Call RCCL give them your Reservation # and names and verify with them before you go on your cruise, as to your dining. If you selected MTD, then you can either make a reservation under your Cruise Planner prior to your cruise, or upon boarding go to the dining room and set up a dining time. Check your daily Compass after you board, which is dropped off in your rooms each night and look over the daily schedules for the classes for the cup cake.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Desert Cruizers

[Paul65]

I can help some with your questions. Don't know much about number 1, but:

 

2. There are three option for the main dining room, a 5:30 seating, an 8:00 seating, and MTD (my time dining). With the first two, you should have an assigned table, and you show up at your assigned time. I'm not sure why you had a problem with this in the past, but it should work fine. With MTD, you can either make a reservation or just show up. If you show up without a reservation, there may be a wait to get a table, but it shouldn't be too long.

 

3. I've only been to Roatan once, but they have some good snorkeling there, so that is a popular option (either the ship's excursion or one of several independent tour operators). There are also some nice beaches for just a beach day.

 

4. You should be able to book cupcake class through you cruise planner. You didn't say when you'd be sailing, so it's possible it just hasn't opened for booking yet. I'm sailing Liberty in a week, so I'll look at my cruise planner and come back to give you the price.

[Paul65]

The cupcake class is $22 for an adult or $15 for a child. :)

[lattelady]

3. We've gone snorkeling there as well as hung out on the beach. I can't remember the name of the area we went to now. TripAdvisor has a lot of good info. Love Roatan.

 

4. I saw adults doing a cupcake class. I think you may just have to wait until it's listed in the Compass. Also you could stop in at the cupcake place on Day 1 and ask.

[LeeW]

Addressing item 2: RCI has two types of dining, fixed or My Time. Your cruise card will show which, plus you should have signed up for one when you booked. This will also show up when you log in to your account on the web site.

 

If you have fixed seating dining it will be either early at around 6:30 or late at around 8:30. You will be assigned a specific table and specific floor of the dining room (check when you board and if you don't like the table they may be able to change it). You will eat with the same people at the same time and have the same waiters for the whole cruise. If you are not going to be there one night please let your table mates and waiters know the night before so they don't wait for you.

 

My Time Dining allows you to just show up at a certain dining room anytime between about 5:30 and 9:00. Typically this is one floor of the main dining room. You can go at different times each night, sit with different people or by yourself, your choice. Or you can book reservations on the web site if you know your plans in advance. No big deal to change your plans - just talk to the hostess at the door (we are hungry early so book opening time each night and sit with the same waiters, but that is just us). If you do make reservations and are not going to make it that night then you should again let the hostess know. Happens all the time.

 

Easiest way to make reservations is on the web site in the Cruise Planner before the cruise, but you can also call when you board (which may or may not work) or talk to the hostess at the entrance to the My Time area of the dining room. They tend to be out there a half hour or so before lunch and dinner times.

 

If you choose not to make reservations for My Time you potentially can have a wait when you show up, and this differs from cruise to cruise. If the dining room opens at 5:30 and fills up by 6:00 there may not be any tables available until 7:00 or so - same as a restaurant on shore. If so they will give you a beeper. But if you ate at 5:30 and were hungry again at 8:30 there is nothing that would prevent you from going back later. Can't do that with fixed seating.

 

 

This just covers the three floor main dining room on Liberty (and all other RCI ships). There are a ton of other places to eat, many at no additional charge. Check the web site for dining options. Lots of folks like the extra charge restaurants and never go to either the main dining rooms or buffet. Try a few! This link has all the dining options available:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/statichtmlpage.do?pagename=brochure_dining_guide_options

[JLN321]

Thanks Paul! Have fun on your cruise!

[George C]

We are also booked on Liberty next month, my favorite Caribbean shore excursion is Roatan Dolphin encounter at Anthony Key have done it 3 times over the years and will book it again, you do not have to swim you will be in waist deep water with plenty of time with Dolphins, this is a RCCL excursion

[DM_KidAtHeart]

The cupcake class will be under activities in the cruise planner. It's the tab to the right of center when in the planner. I don't think it's in an intuitive place, so it's easy to miss.

[Paul65]

Thanks Paul! Have fun on your cruise!

 

Thanks, you too. I see you had some other questions about dining that weren't quite fully addressed. The MDR or main dining room will be a three-story dining room, and each floor may have a different name, but they're all part of the MDR. You'll see some people complain about the experience in the MDR, but I've always found it rather elegant, and the food, in my opinion, ranges from pretty good to excellent. And if you don't like what you ordered, they will be more than happy to bring you something else.

 

Other "free" dining (apart from the buffet that you mentioned) will be Cafe Promenade that will have snacks and sandwiches or Sorrento's pizza. You might hear Jade Sushi mentioned, as well. This is a part of the Windjammer buffet area that will have sushi and asian dishes.

 

The specialty dining will include Sabor Mexican cuisine, which I'm looking forward to trying for the first time, Chops Grille steak house style restaurant, Giovanni's Table Italian restaurant, and Johnny Rockets burger joint. They each have a cover charge (I think, respectively, they are $25, $35, $30, and Johnny Rockets is something like $5.95). The first three are ones that you'll want to make a reservation for, if you want to try them. JR's you can just show up, but at peak times there could be a wait.

 

Finally, there is also the option of room service.

 

So, while I find the Windjammer to be pretty good most of the time, hopefully you'll get to branch out and try some different dining choices this time.

 

On the website, I noticed that they included "R-Bar" under their list of new specialty restaurants. I'm not sure if that's just a mistake, or if the R-Bar on Liberty is going to be serving food, in addition to being a bar. I was on Serenade last year, and they had an R-Bar, which was the big, main bar in the Centrum. It was not a restaurant, though.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Paul65

[SamFritz]

We had a terrible experience with Dining on Liberty last month. DW was assigned to a different table than our three year old and me. When they tried to fix it they lost our reservation and then were unable to assign us to anything in early dining and told us we would have to do my time dining for the rest of the cruise. They then directed us to a line that extended all the way back to the ice rink and said we'd have to wait on that line to get a my time seat since we didn't have reservations. I told them that was unacceptable and that I would not move until I was being led to a table where my wife and I and our three year old could eat together. After about a twenty minute wait they finally got us to a table and told us to see them tomorrow. We missed the evening show. The next day I wasted another hour before they finally squeezed the three of us at a table for two. It was the most unsatisfactory and frustrating start to a cruise I've ever had.

 

 

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Edited March 19, 2016 by SamFritz

[Goodtime Cruizin]

The responses to your Dining questions are pretty spot on.

 

Regarding a Roatan excursion, we enjoyed the Lil French Key. It's a private resort that offered great beaches, water sports, a wildlife sanctuary, and some great snorkeling. They offer various packages to your liking. We did the Full Island Package Plus and had a great time. There's literally something for everyone. It wasn't too crowded and it's a beautiful setting. We will do the Lil French Key when our travels take us back to Roatan.

 

http://www.littlefrenchkey.com

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Paul65]

We had a terrible experience with Dining on Liberty last month. DW was assigned to a different table than our three year old and me. When they tried to fix it they lost our reservation and then were unable to assign us to anything in early dining and told us we would have to do my time dining for the rest of the cruise. They then directed us to a line that extended all the way back to the ice rink and said we'd have to wait on that line to get a my time seat since we didn't have reservations. I told them that was unacceptable and that I would not move until I was being led to a table where my wife and I and our three year old could eat together. After about a twenty minute wait they finally got us to a table and told us to see them tomorrow. We missed the evening show. The next day I wasted another hour before they finally squeezed the three of us at a table for two. It was the most unsatisfactory and frustrating start to a cruise I've ever had.

 

 

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Ugh! That sounds pretty aggravating. I wonder how they ended up splitting you guys up onto different tables. I've never heard of that happening. Maybe for a large group traveling together, but not a family of three!

[39august]

Early dining on Liberty is at 5:30 PM and late is at 8:00 PM. You need be there within a few minutes of that designated time. As for boot camp, it is a 30 or so minute workout directed by one of the gym personnel. It is usually offered as a 4 time class for around $170 if I remember correctly. Way overpriced in my opinion. I make up my own boot camp.

[SamFritz]

Ugh! That sounds pretty aggravating. I wonder how they ended up splitting you guys up onto different tables. I've never heard of that happening. Maybe for a large group traveling together, but not a family of three!

 

 

Yeah, we didn't cross check our dining table locations. When I went to sit at one table, Diana asked me why I was sitting there. That's when we looked at our cards and realized the screw up. Next time we'll make sure when we check in.

 

 

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[chukli]

what is your sailing date?

I have booked a private tour with Victor Bodden of touring Roatan and beach time. Was looking for people for a 4 person private tour! i am sailing April 24/16.

[JLN321]

I'm not going until July. Thanks though!

[Lerin]

The cupcake class is $22 for an adult or $15 for a child. :)

What exactly does this cover? $22 to make 1 cupcake? :confused:

[Kathie13]

What exactly does this cover? $22 to make 1 cupcake? :confused:

 

 

I did the cupcake class on Allure. Same price. We made 1 cheeseburger cupcake. It was fun. Only took about 15 min. Cute, but would not do it again. DS loved the cupcake.