New to RCCL - some questions

[GatorMomInNC]

Well, not exactly new, I cruised RCCL with my husband on our honeymoon, but that was 16 years ago and we stayed in the cabin most of the time.  This time I am traveling with just my 12 year old son on the Oasis in December.  I've booked RCCL before and backed out because I was overwhelmed with all the additional pricing and pre-booking, and concerned about being on such a big ship.  But my son really loves the look of the ship so I want to give it a try.  I am excited about all the fun things to do on the ship and spending a fun cruise with my son!!1  We have cruised quite a bit on several cruise lines, but primarily on DCL, so some things are quite different and I was hoping for a little advice from more experienced cruisers. 

 

On DCL you can download the app and text anyone else on the ship who has the app for free.  I love it because we can text each other what we are doing and meet up with just a few minutes notice.  I don't see that RCCL has anything similar?  I don't normally buy the internet because I like to disconnect,  but the Oasis is such a huge ship, and I don't know how I am going to connect with my son if I can't text him, so I purchased the Key, for now (it was only $10 a day more over the internet and I like getting good seats for the show).  But is there any cheaper way to communicate with others in your stateroom? I mean we could use sticky notes in the room but that really doesn't work - by the time you leave a note and head to where you are going and they see the note, your off somewhere else. 

I know most people wouldn't do this on a cruise, but we also like to hang out in the room, order room service, and watch movies.  I know we will have to pay for room service (I'm not gonna lie, I find that really annoying) but are there plenty of movie to watch on TV?

 

When can you book shows- as soon as you paid up, or 90 days out from the cruise?  I'm nervous that we won't be able to see the shows on the ship and I love going to the shows normally, so I want to make sure we aren't shut out of reservations. 

 

On DCL they tend to seat you with families with kids the same age - it is pretty amazing, they are like matchmakers.  But not sure if Oasis does that.  They asked me if I wanted a table to ourselves and I said no, but then I started to worry if they would seat me at a table with all adults..that would be no fun for my son.

 

Are the kids ages 12-17 all at the "Teen Disco" club?  There website is really lacking in specifics about how the kids clubs work, but that is what appears to be the case.  I don't think my son will feel comfortable hanging out with teenagers - he mainly likes to play video games in the kids club - I'm assuming they have that?

 

Sorry with all the "on DCL" - I'm looking forward to a new experience with RCCL, but you get used to doing things one way and I feel a little like a fish out of water trying to figure out how this is going to work.   I know we will have a great time, but I want to maximize my experience...

 

[Clarea]

Royal has a free app that can be used on Oasis, but the texting function has not yet been reported as functional for Oasis.

 

Show (and other) reservations become available at seemingly randome times, all you can do is keep checking your Cruise Planner.

[suesnake2002]

If you have internet for the ship. Make sure you both have facebook messenger. That is a way of "texting" thru the internet package. 

[bobmacliberty]

iMessage and WhatsApp will also work for texting if you both have the Internet package.  It's been a few years since my kids have been teenagers but Royal does a good job with that age group.  Be sure that your son goes to the first night event.  They do things to get the kids to know each other and they often form groups that hang out together the entire week.

 

We love Oasis class.  Although very large, they are very well laid out and won't seem daunting once onboard.  I can't answer about how they choose dining mates, but if you're cruising when school is out, there will be a lot of other families onboard.

Edited May 31, 2019 by bobmacliberty

[cb at sea]

They do tend to seat folks with others like them...families with families, couples with couples, etc....it's not 100%, but it seems to work.  You will find on such a large ship with so many eating options, that your tablemates may be 'hit or miss" on some evenings...just so many venues to try!  No worries, tho...it will be fine!

 

It's always a good idea to tell everyone in your party about your plans for the day...that way, they will know where to look for you!

[alfaeric]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

Royal has a free app that can be used on Oasis, but the texting function has not yet been reported as functional for Oasis.

 

Show (and other) reservations become available at seemingly randome times, all you can do is keep checking your Cruise Planner.

The other idea is to join the roll call- people are pretty consistent when it comes to posting when reservations open up.

 

But don't be too alarmed, OP, about the reservation system- you can show up to the show and get in without one, too- they open the even up 15 min before the show.  The only show you really must have reservations is the comedy show- that one is tough to get into standby.

[SRF]

2 hours ago, suesnake2002 said:

If you have internet for the ship. Make sure you both have facebook messenger. That is a way of "texting" thru the internet package. 

 

For most phones and carriers, you do not need ANY app.  Just set up wifi calling before leaving home.  Then call or text onboard just like on land.

[papaflamingo]

One comment about keeping in touch.  If you both have the Internet package, then before you leave for the cruise, activate "WiFi Calling" on your cell phones.  This is a free service offered by most, if not all, cell carriers in the U.S.  Anyway, when you activate this service, your phone will decide whether the cell signal or the wifi (when you are logged on) is stronger, and will bias your phone into WiFi Calling.  We use it all the time since we have a weak signal in our house, so we are always in "WiFi Calling" at home.  Anyway, when you are on the ship, and you are hooked up to the WiFi, put your phones in "Airplane" mode and make sure WiFi is turned on.  Once the phone is hooked up to the internet, it will automatically go into "WiFi calling" and you will have full functions of your cell phone for FREE.  You can phone, text, etc. just like at home. Oh yeah, you can also phone, text, etc. to anyone in the U.S. with NO CHARGE.   

I have an Iphone.  To check to make sure it's in "WiFi calling," I simply check the upper left corner where it shows what carrier it is on.  We have Verizon, so when I look, it says "VZW Wi-Fi"   This shows that the phone is in WiFi calling.  If it shows anything else, it's not.  Again, you can do this in port at any internet cafe, etc.  Also since the Ship and ports all offer strong cell coverage, you need to go to Airplane Mode to bias it.  At your house, the phone will automatically decide based on signal strength.

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, papaflamingo said:

Also since the Ship and ports all offer strong cell coverage, you need to go to Airplane Mode to bias it

This was a hard lesson I just learned on our last. cruise. I hooked up to the wifi as soon as we got on board but I forgot to put two phones and two iPads into airplane mode.  Sometime late into the evening of the first day I got a courtesy notification on one of the devices that I had reached $100 in roaming charges 🤑.  Of course I quickly realized my error and corrected it on all 4 devices but the mistake cost me a total of $180.

[custompcsys]

6 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

One comment about keeping in touch.  If you both have the Internet package, then before you leave for the cruise, activate "WiFi Calling" on your cell phones.  This is a free service offered by most, if not all, cell carriers in the U.S.  Anyway, when you activate this service, your phone will decide whether the cell signal or the wifi (when you are logged on) is stronger, and will bias your phone into WiFi Calling.  We use it all the time since we have a weak signal in our house, so we are always in "WiFi Calling" at home.  Anyway, when you are on the ship, and you are hooked up to the WiFi, put your phones in "Airplane" mode and make sure WiFi is turned on.  Once the phone is hooked up to the internet, it will automatically go into "WiFi calling" and you will have full functions of your cell phone for FREE.  You can phone, text, etc. just like at home. Oh yeah, you can also phone, text, etc. to anyone in the U.S. with NO CHARGE.   

I have an Iphone.  To check to make sure it's in "WiFi calling," I simply check the upper left corner where it shows what carrier it is on.  We have Verizon, so when I look, it says "VZW Wi-Fi"   This shows that the phone is in WiFi calling.  If it shows anything else, it's not.  Again, you can do this in port at any internet cafe, etc.  Also since the Ship and ports all offer strong cell coverage, you need to go to Airplane Mode to bias it.  At your house, the phone will automatically decide based on signal strength.

Good suggestion about the wifi calling.  I knew about going into airplane mode and still being able to use iMessage but I forgot about this.  Does anyone know if wifi calling with the phone in airplane mode will work for incoming calls or is it just for outbound calling?

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, custompcsys said:

Good suggestion about the wifi calling.  I knew about going into airplane mode and still being able to use iMessage but I forgot about this.  Does anyone know if wifi calling with the phone in airplane mode will work for incoming calls or is it just for outbound calling?

 

The phone should be totally functional connected to WiFi calling, except most will not act as a WiFi hotspot without a cellular connection.

[GatorMomInNC]

Thanks for all the tips.  Not quite sure I understand all the stuff about using the phone to message in wi-fi, but my 12 year old can explain it to me 😁  It is kind of a bummer to have to pay so much money to text, when I am used to doing it free on DCL...

 

If getting to the shows early will guarantee you a good seat, I may switch from the Key to just the internet for both of us.  The rest of the perks don't really mean much to me.  If the wave rider is open on port days we can use it then as we don't normally get off the ship.   I have heard so many good things about the Aqua shows and ice shows-- that is what I really want to see.

 

Another concern I have is that I read reviews from posters who were on higher decks and couldn't get any internet.  We are on Deck 14....hope  we don't spend all that money only to not be able to use it in our room.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

16 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

iMessage and WhatsApp will also work for texting if you both have the Internet package.  It's been a few years since my kids have been teenagers but Royal does a good job with that age group.  Be sure that your son goes to the first night event.  They do things to get the kids to know each other and they often form groups that hang out together the entire week.

 

We love Oasis class.  Although very large, they are very well laid out and won't seem daunting once onboard.  I can't answer about how they choose dining mates, but if you're cruising when school is out, there will be a lot of other families onboard.

So do you know if the 12-17 year olds are all together, or is there some separation!

[papaflamingo]

15 hours ago, custompcsys said:

Good suggestion about the wifi calling.  I knew about going into airplane mode and still being able to use iMessage but I forgot about this.  Does anyone know if wifi calling with the phone in airplane mode will work for incoming calls or is it just for outbound calling?

Yes.  Once your phone is connected to the wifi and goes into wifi calling it works normally.  You can call, receive calls, text, and use the internet just like if you're sitting in your own home.  We did a cruise from Honolulu to Sydney last year. My phone functioned completely normally with Airplane Mode on and in Wifi calling.  Even in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! 

[papaflamingo]

8 hours ago, GatorMomInNC said:

Thanks for all the tips.  Not quite sure I understand all the stuff about using the phone to message in wi-fi, but my 12 year old can explain it to me 😁  It is kind of a bummer to have to pay so much money to text, when I am used to doing it free on DCL...

 

If getting to the shows early will guarantee you a good seat, I may switch from the Key to just the internet for both of us.  The rest of the perks don't really mean much to me.  If the wave rider is open on port days we can use it then as we don't normally get off the ship.   I have heard so many good things about the Aqua shows and ice shows-- that is what I really want to see.

 

Another concern I have is that I read reviews from posters who were on higher decks and couldn't get any internet.  We are on Deck 14....hope  we don't spend all that money only to not be able to use it in our room.

 

In my opinion the Key is not worth the money. Boarding is very quick so priority boarding isn't much of an issue.  In fact we get priority boarding for being Diamond Plus, and often the regular boarding line is SHORTER!   As for dropping your carryon luggage, only you can decide if it's worth it or not.  As for the shows, I highly recommend making reservations.  Keep in mind that the reservations are free and if you choose not to show up, no problem at all.  And you can always simply standby for a show.  But if you have a reservation you get in 30 minutes prior and can get a good seat.  If it's worth $10 per day for the key items, then by all means the priority show seating is a nice plus.   But for me, I wouldn't do it.  I guess you need to put a value on each perk and decide if it's worth the daily charge.

As for Internet on high decks....We've stayed on 17 in Crown Lofts with no problem with Internet. I've also used the internet at the flow riders on the stern on deck 14 with no problems that I recall.  

 Not sure what cabin you're in, but deck 14 is right below the pool and sports deck.  If possible, you might want to move down one deck so you have less of a chance of hearing any noise from above.  If you can't, likely no issue, but I always try to have at least one passenger deck above and below me to insulate any noises from public spaces.  

[Mr. Candyman]

8 hours ago, GatorMomInNC said:

So do you know if the 12-17 year olds are all together, or is there some separation!

To my understanding, that age is all grouped together

[custompcsys]

Thanks to those who responded to my question about how wifi calling works.  Not that I plan on making or receiving a ton of calls but it's good to know that someone can just dial my cell number as usual in case of something urgent.

[bobmacliberty]

1 hour ago, Mr. Candyman said:

To my understanding, that age is all grouped together

I don't recall if the teens were separated into multiple groups.  I want to say that they were, because a 12 year old is VERY different from a 17 YO, but Mr. Candyman may be right.  In any case, a lot of what happens with the teens, especially the older teens, is informally organized.  The younger teens will naturally group themselves separately from the older teens (neither particularly wants to be with the other).  That's why I suggest having your son go on the first night...so that he can become part of the younger "pack".

 

As for the cost of the internet package, I look at it as part of the cost of my total vacation rather than a separate add-on cost.  Although you can text for free on DCL, you can probably combine the cost of the Royal cruise, internet, drink package, and maybe even specialty dining and still be cheaper than the DCL cruise rate.  I know...not an apples to apples comparison.

 

Quick primer on your cell phone...think of your phone as having 2 different radios/ways to communicate (I'm ignoring NFC, Bluetooth, etc. for simplicity for this who want to jump in and correct me).  One radio talks to the cellular phone network.  This is the "path" that you usually use for a phone call.  The other radio talks to a WiFi network.  This is the path that you will often use for connecting to the internet if you're in your house or somewhere with a WiFi hot spot.  If there is no WiFi connection available, you can also connect to the internet using the cellular network path.  This is the "data" part of your cellular plan.  The built in messaging apps on most phones, like iMessage in iPhones and Android Messages on Android phones, can do basic messaging using the cellular network connection.  Many text messaging apps (including built in iMessage and Android Messages, plus WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc.) work using the WiFi connection.  The WiFi calling option mentioned above even allows you to make phone calls via the WiFi network rather than the cellular network.  

 

In short, most cell phone functionality will work by connecting either to the cellular network OR to a WiFi network.  By putting your phone in Airplane mode, you turn off all radios in your phone.  With airplane mode enabled, you can then individually turn WiFi back on.  This means that WiFi will be the ONLY way that your phone can communicate.  The cellular network connection remains off, avoiding expensive roaming charges by accidentally connecting to cellular networks in other countries.  

 

 

 

 

[gerif]

As far as dining, as suggested, aside from getting a heads up when show reservations open, you might also meet families in your roll call with children near your son’s age that you could arrange to have dinner with. 

Edited June 1, 2019 by gerif
Forgot to add on your roll call

[brillohead]

One more suggestion -- anytime you restart your phone (and everyone else in your group), make sure you go back to the settings and turn on Airplane Mode and turn on WiFi again.  

Some phones will save the previous settings automatically, but some will default to the "normal" settings of having cell phone and mobile data access turned on.  This could result in expensive roaming and data charges if you don't notice it.

[Tee & Chilli]

Looking at the prices for DCL, it appears the Wifi isn't "free".

[norway olin]

12 hours ago, GatorMomInNC said:

So do you know if the 12-17 year olds are all together, or is there some separation!

12 to 14 is one group and 15 to 17 is another

[SRF]

On 5/31/2019 at 4:23 PM, custompcsys said:

Good suggestion about the wifi calling.  I knew about going into airplane mode and still being able to use iMessage but I forgot about this.  Does anyone know if wifi calling with the phone in airplane mode will work for incoming calls or is it just for outbound calling?

 

In and outbound.

 

I actually use WiFi calling at my house.  I am in the country the cell signal is weaker.  Not unusable, but WiFi calling is better.

[blackshirt]

Just one note about WiFi calling, even if the phone shows WiFi calling is active, we have found it might not always work, especially with text messages. That may be due to the phone, the carrier or the quality of the internet connection but not all texts get through. We just came off two cruises, a transatlantic followed by a Med cruise and relied on WiFi calling to keep in touch with family. Both of us failed to receive texts on WiFi calling that did come through when we connected to cellular. There were other cases where sent texts failed or the phone would prompt you to turn airplane mode off even though the phone did actively show a WiFi calling carrier connection.

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

Just one note about WiFi calling, even if the phone shows WiFi calling is active, we have found it might not always work, especially with text messages. That may be due to the phone, the carrier or the quality of the internet connection but not all texts get through. We just came off two cruises, a transatlantic followed by a Med cruise and relied on WiFi calling to keep in touch with family. Both of us failed to receive texts on WiFi calling that did come through when we connected to cellular. There were other cases where sent texts failed or the phone would prompt you to turn airplane mode off even though the phone did actively show a WiFi calling carrier connection.

 

Do you have AT&T?