Suggestions for a Sold-Out Cruise?

[orville99]

On ‎6‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 9:27 AM, Somesail_wecruise said:

 

Yes!  Thank you!  This is the type of advise I was looking for!  Any advice or info about room service times (like maybe a bit longer than normal)?  (My mother loves to get the morning room service.)

If you hang the breakfast order form outside your door when you retire for the evening, your order will usually be delivered within 5-10 minutes (either way) from the time you requested. Room Service only seems to back up a bit when you order lunch or dinner delivery.

[spookwife]

We’re 0 for 3.  Always in mid September 

 

St  John we grabbed a taxi and went to the Zoo.  He also offered to take us on a driving tour, but we had other plans.

[Snit13]

2 hours ago, orville99 said:

If you hang the breakfast order form outside your door when you retire for the evening, your order will usually be delivered within 5-10 minutes (either way) from the time you requested. Room Service only seems to back up a bit when you order lunch or dinner delivery.

35 cruises and probably have hung the breakfast form on door on 30 of the cruises.  Normally breakfast arrives 15 minutes early or 15 minutes late  on Royal but mostly on time requested on Celebrity.  Hope you have a balcony as it is great enjoying breakfast on balcony on port days.  Sometimes to windy on sea days to eat on balcony.

[vacationlover_mn]

One thing we always do is if there is an excursion we want to do, we book ASAP... I love that nowadays you can book in advance online.  I remember the olden days, on our first cruise in ‘98 on carnival, when you had to book onboard for everything.  We didn’t book what we wanted to do immediately, and ended up with our 2nd choices in most ports 😞. It was still super fun, but there are things I’m sad that we missed...

Edited June 13, 2019 by vacationlover_mn

[SRF]

Grandeur almost always is sold out and at capacity.

 

Yes, there can be many higher level cruisers.  Our April cruise had 34 Pinnacles, out of about 2300 pax.  

 

There will be less kids due to October (school) and cooler cruise (north), so no pool time.

 

Relax, enjoy your cruise.

 

Even full, there will be seats available for every show.  And you do not need to pre-book specialty restaurants or MTD.

[legaljen1969]

On ‎6‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 9:32 AM, Somesail_wecruise said:

And I didn't mean to imply that veteran cruisers are rule-breakers.  I meant it more along the lines of "veteran cruisers will know (or have a better idea) about which statements/answers from cruise staff are set in stone and which can be malleable if you ask the right person"  AND "veteran cruisers will/might know which games/activities/on-board events give the best entertainment/prizes/enjoyment and that I might need to prepare the family that those are not to be missed and book/schedule early".  

I knew what you meant.  For example, a new cruiser might not know that when they get the email with the arrival time- that is a suggested time. They might think they have to arrive at exactly that time- maybe not before or after.  
I would also wonder about this sort of thing since the demographic might be older/more experienced cruisers who know their way around the climate of the ship. 
And yes, without breaking "rules" there are definitely things you can get a different answer for depending on who you ask.   You can call twice to get information on a deposit or some other aspect of your cruise and get wildly different answers. Both people are probably technically correct, and it may be just how the person knows to input the information to get the outcome they desire.

[Somesail_wecruise]

18 hours ago, legaljen1969 said:

I knew what you meant.  For example, a new cruiser might not know that when they get the email with the arrival time- that is a suggested time. They might think they have to arrive at exactly that time- maybe not before or after.  
I would also wonder about this sort of thing since the demographic might be older/more experienced cruisers who know their way around the climate of the ship. 
And yes, without breaking "rules" there are definitely things you can get a different answer for depending on who you ask.   You can call twice to get information on a deposit or some other aspect of your cruise and get wildly different answers. Both people are probably technically correct, and it may be just how the person knows to input the information to get the outcome they desire.

Exactly!  Thank you.

[kochleffel]

22 hours ago, legaljen1969 said:

For example, a new cruiser might not know that when they get the email with the arrival time- that is a suggested time. They might think they have to arrive at exactly that time- maybe not before or after.  

 

If it weren't for reading posts here, I would have thought that. For a cruise in two weeks, my assigned arrival time is 3:30 p.m. Since RCI doesn't open a main dining room for lunch on embarkation day, I may choose to stay in the city for sightseeing and lunch. Or I may not. While the likelihood is that I'll arrive earlier than assigned, someone assigned an early time might think that they had to forego half a day's sightseeing.

[BND]

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

 

If it weren't for reading posts here, I would have thought that. For a cruise in two weeks, my assigned arrival time is 3:30 p.m. Since RCI doesn't open a main dining room for lunch on embarkation day, I may choose to stay in the city for sightseeing and lunch. Or I may not. While the likelihood is that I'll arrive earlier than assigned, someone assigned an early time might think that they had to forego half a day's sightseeing.

3:30?  That's really late.  What time does the ship sail?  We go around 10 regardless.  Our last cruise in April we were told there was a Coast Guard inspection and not to arrive until 1230.  LOL.  We were there by 1030 and onboard before 11.  We also now get lunch in a specialty restaurant, especially since we do late dining so it's nice to have a good, filling lunch to hold us all afternoon/early evening.

 

[kochleffel]

2 hours ago, BND said:

3:30?  That's really late.  What time does the ship sail?

 

Recommended check-in times start from the top down  (deck 10) at 11:30 a.m. My cabin is on deck 3; deck 2 is assigned 4:00. That would be cutting it close, as the e-docs say that anyone arriving after 4:30 will be denied boarding. Departure time is 6:00 p.m. And it claims that anyone arriving early will be told to come back later:

 

Dear Serenade of the Seas Guest,

To assist with your check-in and boarding experience at Freeport Cruise Terminal, Stockholm for your Serenade of the Seas Cruise on 30 JUN 2019, please note the following recommendations: In order to enhance the check-in and boarding experience and to limit queues and waiting times, we have scheduled the below check-in appointments for our guests. Guests arriving before this time will be asked to return at their assigned check-in time.

 

 

[BND]

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

 

Recommended check-in times start from the top down  (deck 10) at 11:30 a.m. My cabin is on deck 3; deck 2 is assigned 4:00. That would be cutting it close, as the e-docs say that anyone arriving after 4:30 will be denied boarding. Departure time is 6:00 p.m. And it claims that anyone arriving early will be told to come back later:

 

Dear Serenade of the Seas Guest,

To assist with your check-in and boarding experience at Freeport Cruise Terminal, Stockholm for your Serenade of the Seas Cruise on 30 JUN 2019, please note the following recommendations: In order to enhance the check-in and boarding experience and to limit queues and waiting times, we have scheduled the below check-in appointments for our guests. Guests arriving before this time will be asked to return at their assigned check-in time.

 

 

Ah, European cruise.  That's a different situation.  US departure ports don't do that.