Try RCCL again? Not sure... confusing to book

[the_dylaness]

Hello,

We are relatively experienced cruisers who have gone with and without our kids.  With them we have sailed on Disney, NCL Haven, NCL non-Haven, and Celebrity.  We are considering a total change of pace to Allure of the Seas for an offer "too good to refuse".  Without our kids we have sailed many lines but gravitate towards Celebrity, Crystal, Silversea, Viking... I understand this is a very different experience and am ok with that, but am really feeling overwhelmed.

 

The booking process has been confusing.  My regular TA is back tomorrow but won't have much chance to chat with her because I'll be at work.  I talked to RCCL and a couple TAs today. Prices all over the place. Refundable, non refundable, combinable with AmEx Plat, non combinable, rooms available through one not available through another... It's honestly perhaps the most confusing cruise booking experience I have ever had.  Plus there is confusion about reciprocity with Celebrity (currently we are Select but will be Elite by time of sailing... do we get a discount, do we not...)  Why are connecting balconies SO MUCH MORE!?

 

It's confusing to know what's included.  At least on X there is Luminae for suites, Blu for Aqua Class, MDR for "Everyone Else" and specialty dining if you are so inclined. That's it.  The sheer volume of dining options, times, prices, etc. on Allure is overwhelming even though I have read the reviews, info, etc.

 

Has anyone else come from similar lines/experiences and had a good time on RCCL? Booking tips to help navigate the confusion? What is up with reciprocity status?

 

Thanks for any advice... at time of sailing kids will be turning 6 on the sailing and 9 years old.

 

[Biker19]

48 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

Booking tips to help navigate the confusion?  What is up with reciprocity status?

Don't let the options on Allure confuse you. Decide on a cabin/budget and book it. With Elite on X you'll be Diamond on RCI. Read a bunch of Allure or Oasis call reviews, then if you have specific questions, come back here and ask.

[the_dylaness]

Budgeting seems a little more difficult here... on X we know if we are in AQ and have a beverage package, we can pretty well guess what our bill at the end will be (gratuities and maybe one or two extra things... but not much.) If we are in a suite and have all perks, we can in theory leave the ship with no additional bill (which is pretty great!) But here, to budget for dining, for this, for that... I feel bamboozled!  

[njkruzer]

X has specialty dining that has a charge, but you don't have to dine there.  You don't have to eat at restaurant on Royal that charges. Eat in the MDR or one of the other free restaurants,  there are plenty. I agree with another poster, pick your cabin and enjoy.  With Diamond status you should get a balcony discount.

[Sandy1975]

I agree! I am coming from cruising exclusively celebrity for about 5 years and used to an all inclusive experience. Now celebrity prices are getting out of control but I started comparing with Royal and it is difficult to do a side by side comparison. So far it looks like even at the inflated X prices, what you get it is still pretty good value. I was thinking that maybe I am not looking in the right places for Royal. I just turned elite with X, which means Diamond here and trying to understand how / when balcony discount applies. And I am starting to think that I will miss having an included bev package! 

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, the_dylaness said:

 Why are connecting balconies SO MUCH MORE!?

Connecting balcony rooms are no more then the same category of non connecting rooms.  If you are elite on x then you are

Diamond on Royal, Royal has much better perks status wise. The booking process for x is not much different.  They also have reciprocity going from Royal to X.  You can get a dining package and drink package the same as on X.  Coastal Kitchen for suites, MDR for everyone else.  Specialty if you want. They are much more alike then different.   No other ship or cruise line has anything as over the top as a Oasis class.  Book your suite, pre pay your grats, pre pay your dining and beverage package and you are done, nothing else to budget for.  happy cruising.

 

 

 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

Curiously juxtaposed; DW and I (30 plus cruises mostly RCCL) were interested in trying Celebrity. Became so frustrated with the Celebrity website and lack of details on all the “packages” that we gave up. One thing is for certain however, everything we looked at appeared to be considerably more expensive than our typical Oasis class booking. 

[Big_G]

1 hour ago, the_dylaness said:

Thanks for any advice... at time of sailing kids will be turning 6 on the sailing and 9 years old.

 

 

Wait to talk to your TA.

[lazydayz]

If you book a Star class suite, nearly everything is included: tips, drink package, WiFi, specialty dining and Coastal Kitchen. You also have a Genie to make reservations and ensure you have a great time. Probably in the same price range as the luxury cruise lines you mentioned, especially with the Kids Sail Free promo. 

 

Otherwise, it can be confusing. Have your TA price out the various options, starting with a balcony, then adding the drink packages, specialty dining and WiFi if needed. Compare that to a Junior Suite, then a Grand Suite. Junior Suites have dinner access only to Coastal Kitchen, white Grand Suites and have full access to CK, a private suite level restaurant and bar, with free bottled water, soda, beer and wine available 12 hours per day. 

 

My favorite combo to date was a Crown Loft Suite with a three night specialty dining package. Loved Coastal Kitchen but enjoyed trying the specialty dining. We didn’t need a drink package because of the Suite happy hours. These ships are massive and I bet your kids will love it.  We also had assistance with booking shows and specialty dining from the Suite Concierge. 

 

Good luck. 

[brillohead]

I for one am glad to not have the all-inclusive drinks/dining packages lumped in with my cruise fare, because I don't use those benefits, so I don't want to pay for them.  

I would break it down into what you do or don't want.  

Do you want a multi-room suite with all kinds of perks?  Or do you want two side-by-side rooms with a connecting door?  Or, do you want two side-by-side rooms without the connecting door, and just use the balconies with the divider opened to access the other room... or, just get spare keys from Guest Services to get into the other room?

Do you want to eat in fancy extra-cost restaurants every night (pay for the Unlimited Dining Package for each person... or "free" in the most expensive suites), do you want to eat in a "only for suite guests" dining room (Coastal Kitchen), or do you want to eat in the Main Dining Room (included in base fare)?

Do you want to drink 5+ alcoholic beverages every day (included in the most expensive suites, or pay for the drink package)?  Or will you drink fewer than five boozy drinks (35/week/adult)... just pay by the drink, or you can get a coffee/mocktail package or a soda package.  

You can create exactly the kind of cruise you want, and only pay for the parts you want.  I personally am completely happy in a cheap inside room with only the soda/pop package -- other people would rather not cruise at all if they couldn't have a balcony or a suite.  

 

If not having a bill at the end of the week is important to you, you can buy a drink and/or dining package in advance and prepay your gratuities. 

 

I always have a little bit of OBC, so I use that towards my gratuities and then just pay the balance with a credit card.  It's EXTREMELY rare for me to buy anything additional on board -- I eat in the MDR and drink pop.  

 

Figure out what's important to you, and go from there.