New to Royal always cruised Disney. Booked CL suite on symphony. LOTS of questions!

[notafanofthecold]

Hi all and thanks in advance for any help you can provide. We have never cruised any other line than Disney and so this process is a little different for us.

 

1. Is the MDR food not good? It seems so many people do specialty. Do we need the dining plan?

 

2. Is Costal Kitchen better than MDR? Can you eat all your meals there? Is it hard to get reservations there?

 

3. If you get the meal plan do you just go to any of the specialty spots and eat or are there upcharges and things not included?? Can concierge make our reservations prior to us getting on the ship or do we have to wait in a line to book?

 

4. Being a suite guest I've read that the lounge is open from 11-11 for beer and wine and water. Is this true?? DO I need a water package?

 

5. Do we need beverage packages? If so are there certain drinks that are not included?

 

6. Do our children need beverage packages or can they get juice and soft drinks from the lounge? If you don't have a drink package and you go to dinner you can't have a drink without paying for it? So sorry soft drinks are all free on disney so this is confusing for me.

 

7. Do we need to book reservations for shows or is there preferred seating?

 

8. Are there reserved loungers by the pools? Or is it all first come first serve?

 

9. Do we have to book reservations to do the onboard activities like surf simulator? Abyss? mini golf? Is there a charge for these activities?

 

10. Kids club- do we need to book times or can they go whenever they'd like?

 

11. Best time to board? Are the rooms ready right away?

 

I'm sorry I know this is a lot!! I am just totally out of my element with this. It seems so different from disney where we have done our only 6 cruises. The concierge would email us and we'd say what we'd like and then that was that. It seems like the concierge is hit or miss with pre cruise emails and that there are lots of things you have to wait to do until you're onboard.

 

Thanks so much in advance for all of your help it seems like there is a wealth of very informed people on this board!!:)

[Clarea]

I can help with some questions.

 

I would make reservations for the comedy show. The other venue you can walk in without reservations because you have a suite.

 

No reserved loungers right by the pool There is a suite lounger area, but it is two decks above the pool.

 

Boarding starts around 11am. Staterooms ready (including your suite) around 1pm.

[notafanofthecold]

Thank you Bob! How hard is it to find a spot by the pool on a ship like the harmony of the seas?

I can help with some questions.

 

I would make reservations for the comedy show. The other venue you can walk in without reservations because you have a suite.

 

No reserved loungers right by the pool There is a suite lounger area, but it is two decks above the pool.

 

Boarding starts around 11am. Staterooms ready (including your suite) around 1pm.

[Clarea]

Thank you Bob! How hard is it to find a spot by the pool on a ship like the harmony of the seas?

Easier if you get out there by 7am.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

My experience has only been with Oasis and Allure.

 

MDR is fine for some items, but you don't know until you order it.

 

CK is better and you can eat all your meals there. We never had an issue getting a table. But we usually eat later than most people. We would hit the SL for a cocktail around 7:30 PM and then just ask for the next open table. It's was usually 2-4 of us and most times the table was ready then or within 10-15 minutes.

 

We split about 50/50 between CK and a specialty.

 

Drink package has always been worth it. Yes, you can get drinks all day in SL. Beer and wine most all day and then cocktails in the PM. However, the SL is a long walk from any pool area and the Suite only sun deck. We spent most of our days at the suite only sun deck. Much more quite and less crowded. Drink package you can grab a couple of water bottles at any bar. I would usually grab several during the day and take them back to the cabin. I would do the same with beers to have later in the PM while hanging out on the balcony.

 

Not sure about specific alcoholic drinks not being included on the drink package, other than wine. There's a $ max on a glass of wine and if you order something over you pay the difference. Usually only amounts to a few $. The wine selection under the max has seemed to have shrunk in the last few years.

 

CLS might be ready when you get on board. There's no way to know for sure. I know when we went a few years ago, my brother had a CLS and we had an OS. His CLS was open at 11:30 AM and ours wasn't open until 1:00 PM.

 

Seating for shows has suite only areas but get there at least 15 minutes early as they will open them up to all guest around that time. That excludes the comedy show which you need to make reservations for.

[Grandma Dazzles]

My kids/family cruise Disney and RC so I can answer some of your questions. However, they don’t book suites so your access to the concierge lounge will enter into this.

 

One of the biggest differences is that you pay for soda on RC. It is not included. Your basic drinks included with your fare are: tap water (not bottled), coffee (not specialty), hot tea. Iced tea, hot chocolate, white and chocolate milk, lemonade/punch/flavored water, juice at breakfast (not fresh squeezed), usually orange apple, tomato, cranberry in MDR. buffet may just have orange.

 

Whether you purchase a beverage package depends on how much you plan to drink. There are three basic packages; one includes everything, beer, wine, alcohol, soda, bottled water, fresh squeezed juice, etc. There is a nonalcoholic package and a soda only package. If you decide to purchase the main package you will both have to purchase a package of some kind. There is no sharing of a package. You can get some free drinks in CL. However, it’s a big ship - you will not want to go there all the time for a drink. The free drinks mentioned are available at food locations. Iced water at any food location of bar.

 

Hope that makes sense!

[Cel_cruise]

Assuming your kids are over the age of 3, there are no ‘bookable’ times in the kids club.

 

Even on spring break cruises we have not had issues with too many kids there to be turned away but they say it’s possible.

 

The kids club is different than Disney in that the kids are broken up into different age groups/rooms. Sometimes the groups combine but not always.

 

There will be kids compasses daily that go thru the planned activities for each session. I have never sailed Disney (we do the parks twice a year so cruise just Royal) but it’s my understanding that The hours are different between the two lines. On Royal on Sea Days the kids club closes for lunch time. The kids can do dinner with he kids club a few nights a week but that DOES require signing up ahead of time (anytime earlier in the day).

 

I wanted to add one more thing from our experience - my DH and I both had drink packages, our children did not. We offered to purchase them soda in the MDR nightly but the waiter would never let us do that and just added it to our drink package tab. YMMV and it’s good to be prepared to pay for it but you might not need to! My kids drank the free beverages otherwise - they were more than happy to drink a lot of water (they surely shared some of our bottled water from the package but also the lemon water in the promenade) and the watered down juice and lemonade in the windjammer so they could have their sugar in the form of ice cream and cookies and desserts! You can order fresh squeezed juice when you get there on your package - you will see it easily.

 

My kids really enjoyed everything about Royal - they have only been on Navigator and Liberty so far but I’m taking the 8 year old on Symphony in the spring!! Have a great time!

 

One more thing - We are not in a suite so don’t have access to CK but we will be trying the Solarium Bistro sometimes on symphony! And while our family has always been able to eat in the MDR, we do find the specialty restaurant food a higher quality. We review the menus (available online) and pick the nights we would least like the WJ and hit specialty 1-2 nights each cruise.

 

 

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[Cel_cruise]

Forgot about your question regarding flowrider, mini golf, abyss, water slides,rock wall etc.

 

You do not need reservations for these activities. The hours they are open will be in the daily compass and it’s first come first serve. The flowrider lines do build so get there early :). But nothing else has a notable wait time.

 

You will need a reservation for the escape room in Harmony. I would book that ahead of the cruise if you can Vs counting on concierge but that’s just me.

 

 

 

 

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[Tapi]

Is the MDR food not good? It seems so many people do specialty. Do we need the dining plan?

 

 

Personally, I’ve found the food at the MDR on Royal to be of similar caliber to Disney’s. Some dishes are memorable while others are completely mediocre and forgettable. The main difference is the rotating concept found on Disney, which is clever and breaks the monotony of eating at the same dining room every night, but which also limits your ability to eat whenever you want every night. I appreciate the flexibility found on Royal.

 

Can concierge make our reservations prior to us getting on the ship or do we have to wait in a line to book

 

We enjoy specialty dining. While the quality is indeed higher, we do so more because of the usually more relaxed ambiance. In any case, you can pre-reserve your times online before your cruise (highly recommended), or you can do so right from your TV in your stateroom once onboard, unless you’d rather use the assistance of your concierge which can be helpful if your preferred times are no longer available. On our last cruise aboard Royal, we were able to secure dinner at Chop’s Grille for our group of 14 on the last evening by bypassing the electronic reservation system and contacting them directly.

 

Symphony will have a myriad of options, but be warned that not all specialty experiences are created equal. With so many options, these specialty restaurants will vary from truly exclusive and memorable, to barely worth the upcharge.

 

Are there reserved loungers by the pools? Or is it all first come first serve?

 

The chair hogging issues that you may have encountered on Disney aren’t exclusive to them. It’s an industry wide problem. Just like on Disney, you will see people early in the morning blocking entire rows of loungers with towels and other personal items. Best thing to do is to try to avoid the pool during prime hours. We’ve found (on Disney as well as on all cruise line that we’ve sailed on) that it’s best to go early in the morning right after breakfast, or during the hours in the late afternoon right before dinner. With that said, I’ve found the chair hog issues on Royal’s Oasis ships to be less pronounced, most likely because of the way that the decks are designed (which are expansive and very spacious) and because you have multiple pools on various areas which decentralize things.

 

Kids club- do we need to book times or can they go whenever they'd like?

 

 

No reservations unless your children will be in the Royal Babies and Tots program. The kids facilities are, in my humble opinion, better on Royal’s Oasis class ships than on Disney. Yes, Disney has amazing theming and use of technology, but my kids found the facilities on Disney to be rather claustrophobic as they lack as many windows or natural light, and the activities are not as structured. They also found that the meals served at the kids club on Disney were rather repetitive and limited.

 

The main thing to keep in mind is that the hours on Royal can be more limiting. The kids club is not open continuously as they take breaks between sessions. So you may need to pick your children up at inopportune times.

 

I am just totally out of my element with this. It seems so different from disney where we have done our only 6 cruises!!

 

I don’t know if you’ve been sailing on Disney exclusively because you’re a big Disney fan or because of the perceived notion that they are better than any other mainstream cruise line. But whatever the reason may be, I encourage you to approach this new experience with an open mind. In my humble opinion there are things that Disney does amazingly well (customer service and stage entertainment come to mind), but there are also many other things that Royal does considerably better.

 

We have friends who are die-hard Disney fans and they sail exclusively on Disney and refuse to take a vacation anywhere in the world unless it’s by Disney. It’s been frustrating and impossible to get them to branch out to other cruise lines because they are cripplingly afraid to try anything besides Disney, fearing that it will be a major let down. Kudos to you and your family for giving Royal a try! I hope you have an absolutely fantastic cruise!

 

 

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[spookwife]

Hi all and thanks in advance for any help you can provide. We have never cruised any other line than Disney and so this process is a little different for us.

 

1. Is the MDR food not good? It seems so many people do specialty. Do we need the dining plan? strictly personal tastes. there's always something on each day's menu I like

 

2. Is Costal Kitchen better than MDR? Can you eat all your meals there? Is it hard to get reservations there? no experience with CK yet( I assume you are in a suite)

 

3. If you get the meal plan do you just go to any of the specialty spots and eat or are there upcharges and things not included?? Can concierge make our reservations prior to us getting on the ship or do we have to wait in a line to book? there are always items in the specialty dining venues that incur an uncharge over and above the fee. furthermore a second entree will insure a surcharge( but you can have as many appetizers, salads and desserts as you want) while the concierge can, its just as simple to do it yourself., any specialty venue can book ALL the specialty restaurants for you at once.

 

4. Being a suite guest I've read that the lounge is open from 11-11 for beer and wine and water. Is this true?? DO I need a water package? the tap water on board is perfectly fine to drink( hell it tastes better than what comes out of my tap at home before I filter it) just bring a few water bottles to fill before getting off in port.

 

5. Do we need beverage packages? If so are there certain drinks that are not included? no one NEEDS a beverage package. between the offerings in the Lounge/Coastal kitchen and the included drinks.. there is plenty to choose from. as a general rule between 5-7 drinks per day will make you break even. it also depends on which beverage package you are looking at

 

6. Do our children need beverage packages or can they get juice and soft drinks from the lounge? If you don't have a drink package and you go to dinner you can't have a drink without paying for it? So sorry soft drinks are all free on disney so this is confusing for me. induced drinks are : juice from concentrate at breakfast only. during the day its a flavored water, lemonade and iced tea. soft drinks(soda) costs extra outside of the lounge. white and chocolate milk are also available although you may have to ask for the cartons in the Windjammer

 

7. Do we need to book reservations for shows or is there preferred seating? the comedy show yes. very small venue. everything else you would get priority /special seating but be advised they are not necessarily in a good spot

 

8. Are there reserved loungers by the pools? Or is it all first come first serve? not immediately by the pool. the suite seating is usually up a deck or half deck and under full sun( no shade) there is no special seating in the Solarium

 

9. Do we have to book reservations to do the onboard activities like surf simulator? Abyss? mini golf? Is there a charge for these activities? most activities are included. the Flow Rider will have posted hours when it is open.

 

10. Kids club- do we need to book times or can they go whenever they'd like? its an open session ( closed for meals) only the nursery must be booked. you should go the first night no matter what as that is when the kids make their connections for the week. also if there are teens, that is when the counselors get their feedback on what activities they would like to have.

 

11. Best time to board? Are the rooms ready right away? unless you have a Star class with Genie your cabin is not ready until 1 pm when the entire ship is ready. boarding typically begins between 11-noon. we like to take a walk around and get our bearings before heading somewhere for lunch( anywhere but the windjammer)

 

I'm sorry I know this is a lot!! I am just totally out of my element with this. It seems so different from disney where we have done our only 6 cruises. The concierge would email us and we'd say what we'd like and then that was that. It seems like the concierge is hit or miss with pre cruise emails and that there are lots of things you have to wait to do until you're onboard.

 

Thanks so much in advance for all of your help it seems like there is a wealth of very informed people on this board!!:)

 

IMNSHO the food on Royal is HUGELY better than Disney( Remy's excluded) I also do NOT like that whole move to a different restaurant each night concept as it invariably ended up me NOT being in the mood for the theme of said restaurant. the other main difference is the space dedicated to kids clubs on Disney is a casino on Royal. complete with heavy toxic smoke fog.

[irishgal432]

Hi all and thanks in advance for any help you can provide. We have never cruised any other line than Disney and so this process is a little different for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Is Costal Kitchen better than MDR? Can you eat all your meals there? Is it hard to get reservations there?

 

CK is a little better than the MDR. You can eat all your meals there, however there are only 2 menus for lunch that rotate. On Seas days the MDR is open or you can do a speciality resturant for lunch.

 

 

3. If you get the meal plan do you just go to any of the specialty spots and eat or are there upcharges and things not included?? Can concierge make our reservations prior to us getting on the ship or do we have to wait in a line to book?

 

You can make reservations online for any of the resturants, the concierge will contact you a week before and you can ask him to make reservations for CK for dinner as well as any specility resturants.

 

4. Being a suite guest I've read that the lounge is open from 11-11 for beer and wine and water. Is this true?? DO I need a water package? No you do not need a water package.

 

5. Do we need beverage packages? If so are there certain drinks that are not included?

Depending on what you like to drink. The Suite lounge is open from 11-11 serving (Miller lite, heiniekn, budweiser) beer (crappy)wine and soda for the kids. during cocktail hour they serve a few hard liquors, bacardi, Jack Daniels, Baileys, Off brand Vodka and off brand Gin. If you prefer other drinks you can always purchase them from the bar. Keep in mind these are only available in the lounge not ship wide, so if you are spending time all over the ship and want to drink a lot or use the Coke freestyle cups you may want a refreshment ot drink package.

 

6. Do our children need beverage packages or can they get juice and soft drinks from the lounge? If you don't have a drink package and you go to dinner you can't have a drink without paying for it? So sorry soft drinks are all free on disney so this is confusing for me.

 

You can get free drinks (juice, soft drinks)only in CK during dinner. this includes the wine and liquor.

 

 

 

8. Are there reserved loungers by the pools? Or is it all first come first serve? the suite sundeck has shade as well as a bar and private restroom. They also have cabanas at the back and a open shower.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much in advance for all of your help it seems like there is a wealth of very informed people on this board!!:)

[Tapi]

IMNSHO the food on Royal is HUGELY better than Disney( Remy's excluded)

 

 

We should’ve given Remy a try. We made reservations for both Palo and Remy when we sailed on the Disney Fantasy last November, but after our experience at Palo, we chose to cancel Remy. The execution and presentation were superb, and the ambiance was on point. But we found the quality and taste of our main entrees to be below expectations and rather underwhelming. Our waiter, while very professional in his endeavors, chose to make disparaging comments about other cruise lines, I believe in an effort to highlight how Disney offers a better product.This, in my opinion, was in poor taste.

 

About the rotating dining room concept with a set time on Disney: I agree, and this is a reason that makes me have second thoughts about sailing on Disney again. After getting used to the flexible dining concept on other cruise lines, being forced to eat at the same time and at a specific dining room not of our choosing every night didn’t bode well with us.

 

To make things harder, we had second seating. Even though we’d booked over a year in advance, we were never able to switch to first seating, even after placing our names on a wait list once onboard. For our children who eat dinner early at home, the late dinner time on this cruise meant that, most nights, our dinner ended with one or both kids asleep with their faces on the table, or on the brink of a tantrum out of exhaustion after a long day of activities. Several times we left the dining room before desert because of that.

 

This is one thing that I consider Royal, as well as other cruise lines that have similar flexible concepts, does better. I truly appreciate being able to decide when I go to eat. And with so many dining options besides the MDR and the buffet for dinner on Oasis class ships, many that are included in the cruise fare, it was nice to have that added flexibility, specially when traveling with small children.

 

 

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[spookwife]

we adored our Palo Brunch and would have loved to have eaten in either of them for dinner more than once( we were not permitted to make additional reservations). on Royal, you can eat in a specialty every night if you want, even the same one. I would compare Palo to Chops I think as far as quality . if you get the right entree, its sublime. ( or just make a meal out of the pork belly appetizer. its that good)

 

I will be honest: more than once dinner was the hot appetizers in the Lounge during cocktail hour.

 

another option is doing My Family Time dining( early seating only) they speed up the kids' meals and then at a set time you bring them to the DR entrance where they are gathered up by the Kids Club staff to go off and have fun while the 'rents enjoy dessert and coffee alone.

[ma23peas]

We have only sailed Disney many times, the reasons: no casino and less emphasis on drinking/smoking. On all of our Disney cruises (Mediterranean/Pacific/Atlantic) we have only seen 2-3 people smoking in the designated area and only once did we have a neighbor on a balcony smoking (European cruise). We can't stand the smell and two of our kids will have their lungs shut down if they are around simply their clothing. Our kids are older and haven't had a breathing ER attack in the past 3 years, moved to TX near a different port where Disney's ships just don't sail out on times we need...so we're trying RCI

I am going into it with an open mind, we'll be there December. But, I have to say, based on just reading through forums, it seems a greater number of people drink or drink more excessively on these ships than on Disney...could be because there are less families and more singles/couples...or just that it's Texas...we've seen a huge shift in social drinking here that is 10x what it was where we came from...(basing this on having been servers in restaurants and our kids working here locally during summers, majority of tables have alcohol at 11am at major chains....that's unheard of where we came from)...I'm not die hard Disney, and we want new ports...so we'll see how RCI stacks up in a few months!

Have a great sailing!

[Tapi]

We have only sailed Disney many times, the reasons: no casino and less emphasis on drinking/smoking...

 

But, I have to say, based on just reading through forums, it seems a greater number of people drink or drink more excessively on these ships than on Disney...

 

 

Based on what I’ve experienced, there’s definitely more drinking on Royal than on Disney, and that’s by design. A big part of Royal’s revenue is based on onboard spending, and alcohol sales is one of their top revenue producers.

 

With that said, Royal manages to offer a product that is very attractive to families, specially those looking for a cruise line that offers a better balance between adult and children entertainment, and not one that leans heavily in one direction or the other.

 

But that shouldn’t automatically translate into a drunken frat party at sea. You may see some of that type of behavior on short and inexpensive weekend getaways during certain times of the year, but not on longer itineraries where the atmosphere is more subdued and family friendly. In my humble opinion, and after 30+ cruises across several cruise lines, I consider that Royal offers one of the most balanced experiences at sea for families.

 

When I’ve sailed on Royal, it feels like parents and children are heaving an equally fun time. On Disney, it feels more like children are having a fun time and parents are along for the ride. Yes, there are plenty of adults who absolutely love Disney and enjoy the experience just as much if not more than the kids, but I also know that there are many adults who would’ve never set foot on a Disney ship if it hadn’t been because they have kids.

 

About the smoking: It seems like every time I cruise I notice less and less smoking, no matter what cruise line we are on. This may be partly because of ever changing societal behaviors, and because of more stringent cruise line policies that move smokers farther away from enclosed spaces and the general public. but Royal isn’t quite as stringent as Disney is, at least not yet. On our last Royal cruise, we could still smell some cigarette smoke lingering on a covered section of the pool deck as we walked by, but the inside of the ship was smoke free. Thankfully things aren’t like they used to be in years past when you couldn’t escape the cigarette smell anywhere (cruise lines like Carnival even allowed people to smoke in all cabins, even inside ones not too long ago!).

 

 

 

 

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Edited August 23, 2018 by Tapi

[tinkertwo]

After doing a dozen Disney sailings we decided to try the Oasis. We went in with all kinds of things running around our heads, scaring us. When I first walked on to the Oasis my first thought was 'what have we got ourselves into?'. From the very beginning it is completely different, no one to announce us, no bright atrium, seriously different. Two hours later and I thought 'why didn't we do this sooner?'. After the initial shock we were in love. Just keep in mind, it is a different experience. Not better, not worse, just different.

We enjoy the food in the MDR. I like that there are things you can order from the menu that show up every night while they also add new items every night. With DCL you had a completely different menu every night, nothing stayed the same. We didn't mind paying for a drink package because, well, we saved thousands over the cost of DCL, THOUSANDS! The shows were every bit as good, they weren't Disney but they were Broadway quality. Love the adult only area, the Solarium, this blows DCL out of the water (no pun intended). Central Park at night, WOW!

After sailing three times on the Oasis, we are going on a B2B on the Symphony in November. I'm sure it will be every bit as good. We will go back to DCL once our grandson turns 5, and we can afford to do DCL with no problems however, for now, we will stick with Royal and enjoy everything they have to offer...…...and save THOUSANDS.

 

ETA--As to the drinking, we are two adults who more often than not sail alone with no children. That means we spend lots of time in the adult only areas and I can tell you that there has never been a sailing on DCL where we haven't seen some serious drinkers partying. We don't mind this, my point is that heavy drinking happens on all ships, DCL included.

[notafanofthecold]

Wow! Amazing. Thank you all for all of this amazing information. I really appreciate all of your insight.

We are not huge Disney fans. Our kids are now 6 and 8 and so they care much less about the Disney characters and to be honest they’ve done all of the cruises Disney offers except the Mediterranean and I feel like they are ready for something new.

The concierge level on Disney is exceptional. They knew us by name and went so far above and beyond so it will be big shoes to fill.

We do like to have some drinks so will likely do a drink package.

I’m still confused about the dining. Do we tip separately our servers in ck?

Do people have opinions on the restaurant where they make the food in front of you? We’d like to try that.

Is it worth getting off the ship at their island in Haiti? Castaway was so amazing, do I expect similar?

Cel_cruise your upside down lab is adorable!

 

Thank you all so much for your help!

[ma23peas]

Based on what I’ve experienced, there’s definitely more drinking on Royal than on Disney, and that’s by design. A big part of Royal’s revenue is based on onboard spending, and alcohol sales is one of their top revenue producers.

 

With that said, Royal manages to offer a product that is very attractive to families, specially those looking for a cruise line that offers a better balance between adult and children entertainment, and not one that leans heavily in one direction or the other.

 

But that shouldn’t automatically translate into a drunken frat party at sea. You may see some of that type of behavior on short and inexpensive weekend getaways during certain times of the year, but not on longer itineraries where the atmosphere is more subdued and family friendly. In my humble opinion, and after 30+ cruises across several cruise lines, I consider that Royal offers one of the most balanced experiences at sea for families.

 

When I’ve sailed on Royal, it feels like parents and children are heaving an equally fun time. On Disney, it feels more like children are having a fun time and parents are along for the ride. Yes, there are plenty of adults who absolutely love Disney and enjoy the experience just as much if not more than the kids..

 

 

 

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Excellent points! I found myself on the last Disney Cruise thinking, “What else is there to do?” Once you’ve sailed all four ships a couple of times, it just loses the charm. We’ll definitely be back when their next ones come out, but hoping we can like RCI!! Sounds like it won’t be a problem!

[Tapi]

Is it worth getting off the ship at their island in Haiti? Castaway was so amazing, do I expect similar?

 

It’s been about 7 years since the last time I visited Labadee but I truly enjoyed it. It’s definitely a different setting. While Castaway Cay is a flat island, Labadee is a mountainous peninsula which makes for beautiful scenery. The infrastructure will pale in comparison to Castaway Cay though. You just can’t beat Disney’s vision and imagineering that extends into the facilities ashore in Castaway Cay. But with all of that said, we still loved Labadee. There’s also a beach that’s reserved for suite passengers which you should be able to enjoy since you’ve booked a CL suite. One thing that I’ve told myself that I will book next time I visit Labadee is one of their overwater cabanas. They looked idyllic.

 

I’m still confused about the dining. Do we tip separately our servers in ck?

 

You don’t need to tip separately, but needless to say you’re free to tip extra if you consider that the service merits it.

 

The concierge level on Disney is exceptional. They knew us by name and went so far above and beyond so it will be big shoes to fill!

If there’s one department where I think Disney truly shines is in the customer service department. That’s one thing about sailing on Disney that truly makes that experience special. No matter what crazy request we had, they always found a way to deliver, many times beyond the call of duty. The word “no” doesn’t seem to be in their vocabulary. Other cruise lines like Royal offer good customer service, but it’s not nearly as polished consistent, or as attentive. It seems like they are more worked and sometimes exhausted. This will probably be one thing where you’ll notice a significant difference between Royal and Disney. I can’t comment on the service provided to the suites (the highest category we’ve ever booked on Royal is a JS suite which doesn’t enjoy concierge perks) but I hope that you’ll enjoy a better experience than what the general population gets, and something closer to what you’ve experienced at that level on Disney.

 

your upside down lab is adorable!

Thank you! She was our first baby before our real children were born. Unfortunately, she passed away last year, but we have since adopted two labs who keep us very busy!

 

Our kids are now 6 and 8 and so they care much less about the Disney characters and to be honest they’ve done all of the cruises Disney offers except the Mediterranean and I feel like they are ready for something new!

My children are also 6 and 8, and we are taking them on a Mediterranean cruise in 3 months in part because we also feel that we are all ready for a new destination and experience. They have already sailed 9 times on 5 different cruise lines, but we’ve mostly sailed in the Caribbean and Alaska. Their last cruise was to Cuba. We have booked an Aurea Duplex Suite (equivalent to the Crown Loft Suite) on the brand new MSC Meraviglia. We are truly looking forward to a new destination, new ship, and overall new experience! Kids seem more excited than the adults!

 

 

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[ATSEAMYLIFE]

We have booked an Aurea Duplex Suite (equivalent to the Crown Loft Suite) on the brand new MSC Meraviglia. s

 

Make sure to let us know how you like MSC. I have been looking at them for a while now for the Med or Dalmatian coast.

[Tapi]

Make sure to let us know how you like MSC. I have been looking at them for a while now for the Med or Dalmatian coast.

 

 

We had a chance to sail on MSC in the Caribbean aboard the MSC Divina. When we learned that they’d match our loyalty status on other cruise lines to theirs, and that our children would sail for free, we couldn’t pass it up.

 

Long story short, we liked them enough to book our upcoming cruise on them. In a nutshell, the ship was absolutely beautiful, the entertainment was wonderful, and it was a welcome change to see how a European cruise line does things, but I will admit that the whole experience felt a bit on the budget side. But for the price we paid, we didn’t have much reason to complain. We booked the Fantástica experience for that cruise (think of premium economy) but for our next we have booked the Áurea experience (think of business class).

 

It’s my understanding that the overall MSC experience will be different in Europe than in North America. Although we noticed definite European touches that differentiated it from US based cruise lines, MSC has tailored their product out of US ports to appeal to American cruisers. So I’m truly looking forward to seeing what the full MSC experience is like, and not just a watered down, Americanized version.

 

 

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