Newbie Questions - Harmony of the Seas

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

Hi all, we just recently booked the 8/4 cruise on the Harmony after doing tons of research on Carnival, then having the cruise we wanted all booked up.  So, although I'm digging through threads and reading as much as I can, I still have lots of questions that I'm hoping you guys could answer!  (For background info, it'll be me and hubby, both mid-forties, and our two boys, 13 and 16.  Both athletic but a bit shy and awkward).

 

1.  Zoom surf and stream - should we get that for all of us?  Hubs and I will prob wants at least some access to email and social media.  Can the kids stream netflix at night on this?  We have unlimited data on our phones, but i'm assuming being in the middle of the ocean is different??

 

2.  Drink package - is there a limit to how many drinks you can have (including bottles of water)?  I thought on Carnival there was a limit, but not seeing one on RC.  If we get the deluxe for hubby and I, do we have to get the soda package for the kids?

 

3.  My Time Dining - when i went to sign up, all that was available was 830.  I thought I'd read somewhere that you have to go somehwere else to check in for different times??

 

4.  Are the pools and slides open in ports?  Again, I thought I saw that they were, but then always thought those things were shut down when in port.

 

5.  COFFEE - we booked a balcony room.  Where can i get coffee early in the morning to enjoy on the balcony when everyone else is still sleeping?

 

thank you all for any info.  I'm sure to most of you, this is easy stuff, but as the usual ULTIMATE planner, i'm freaking out here with this last minute trip!!!!

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, Momto2PrncChrmgs said:

1.  Zoom surf and stream - should we get that for all of us?  Hubs and I will prob wants at least some access to email and social media.  Can the kids stream netflix at night on this?  We have unlimited data on our phones, but i'm assuming being in the middle of the ocean is different??

 

2.  Drink package - is there a limit to how many drinks you can have (including bottles of water)? 

 

3.  My Time Dining - when i went to sign up, all that was available was 830.  I thought I'd read somewhere that you have to go somewhere else to check in for different times??

1. If you can make everyone share, you can get a one device package - if you want to watch Netflix, get the Stream tier. Some cell data plans do work on the ship, but are very slow and have HUGE extra costs - put all phones into plane mode.

2. No limit.

3. You can check with the MDR host (or the RCI app) to change dining times.

Edited July 16, 2019 by Biker19

[Tree_skier]

8 minutes ago, Momto2PrncChrmgs said:

Hi all, we just recently booked the 8/4 cruise on the Harmony after doing tons of research on Carnival, then having the cruise we wanted all booked up.  So, although I'm digging through threads and reading as much as I can, I still have lots of questions that I'm hoping you guys could answer!  (For background info, it'll be me and hubby, both mid-forties, and our two boys, 13 and 16.  Both athletic but a bit shy and awkward).

 

1.  Zoom surf and stream - should we get that for all of us?  Hubs and I will prob wants at least some access to email and social media.  Can the kids stream netflix at night on this?  We have unlimited data on our phones, but i'm assuming being in the middle of the ocean is different??

 

2.  Drink package - is there a limit to how many drinks you can have (including bottles of water)?  I thought on Carnival there was a limit, but not seeing one on RC.  If we get the deluxe for hubby and I, do we have to get the soda package for the kids?

 

3.  My Time Dining - when i went to sign up, all that was available was 830.  I thought I'd read somewhere that you have to go somehwere else to check in for different times??

 

4.  Are the pools and slides open in ports?  Again, I thought I saw that they were, but then always thought those things were shut down when in port.

 

5.  COFFEE - we booked a balcony room.  Where can i get coffee early in the morning to enjoy on the balcony when everyone else is still sleeping?

 

thank you all for any info.  I'm sure to most of you, this is easy stuff, but as the usual ULTIMATE planner, i'm freaking out here with this last minute trip!!!!

1. Depending on how many of you will want to be online at the same time you could get away with a two or three device package.  Surf and stream will allow you to stream Netflix but you might find it buffering during peak times.  I know I did. Your Netflix app has a setting for lowering the bandwidth requirement with a corresponding decline in image quality but I found that if you are just watching on an iPad it almost unnoticeable. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on your phone data for service once you are on the ship. Turn your phone/ipad onto airplane mode and turn on Wifi calling if your phone supports it and connect to Voom asap. This is a mistake I made and learned the hard way.  We caught the error late into the evening of the first day and we had already wracked up a bill of $180 between two phones and two iPads.  If you have iPhones iMessage will work just like normal. If you have android phones there are apps out there that you can get that will allow you to text.

 

2.The drink package is truly unlimited but there is a dollar amount limit on individual drinks.  That being said, unless you are order off the top shelf you won't run into that.  Even if you are ordering off the top shelf they only charge the difference,  at most they charge $1 or $2 +grat.  

 

3. Once you get on the ship just go to the main dining room and you can book all your dining times without any real problem.  That has been our experience anyways.

 

4. Part of the time, times seemed slightly reduced but I know I used slides while others were in port. 

 

 

[Tree_skier]

5. Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours, Windjammer opens early, I just can't remember exactly how early and Starbucks (for an added fee) opens at 630.

[AshleyDillo]

54 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Drink package - is there a limit to how many drinks you can have (including bottles of water)?  I thought on Carnival there was a limit, but not seeing one on RC.  If we get the deluxe for hubby and I, do we have to get the soda package for the kids?

 

No limit on drinks with the package.  You can also grab a bottle of water when you order an alcoholic drink every time and stockpile them in your room.  You will NOT be required to get the soda or refreshment package for the kids, but Royal does not allow sharing of packages so any drinks the kids would want you would need to purchase a la carte.

[gatour]

In regards to the voom package, figure out how many devices you want to be connected concurrently.

 

If you want three devices connected concurrently, then buy a three device package for one passenger in your reservation.  Then all passengers can share the connections (even people not on your reservations, provided you  supply them pass code).

 

No need to buy a one device package for passenger X, a one device package for passenger Y, and another one device package for passenger.

 

Just buy a three device package for passenger X,  it is cheaper.

 

For me and my wife, I buy a two device package, even though we switch between devices (smart phones, tablet, e-readers, etc) we just make sure that each of us have only one of our personal devices connected at any one time.  I.E. if I am currently connected using my smart phone, but want to use the tablet.  I disconnect my smart phone from the wifi and connect by tablet.  My wife does the same.

 

In regards to the beverage package.  It is truly unlimited.  I.E. you can have as many drinks as you want with the provisio that they can cut you off if you are falling down drunk.  From my understanding Carnival has 16 drink limit, alcohol or not, so if you grab a few bottles of water that counts against your limit.  Royal Caribbean doesn't have this.

 

As some mentioned above depending the class of ship, there is a per drink price limit where you have to the difference.

 

For non-Oasis class ships, the price limit is $13 and for Oasis it is $15.  If you choose a drink that cost more than that, you pay for the difference plus the gratuity on the difference.  So for a non-oasis class ship if you choose a drink that cost $15, you pay $2 plus 18% of $2.  similiar with the Oasis class ships.

 

Most drinks you would order under the plan, would be under the additional charge limit.

 

The reason why there is a difference between Non-Oasis class ships and Oasis class ships, is that Oasis class ships charge more for the same drinks as opposed Non-Oasis.

[SuiteLady]

I got my specialty coffees every morning at the Spa café....it was steps away from my room and super convenient!!

[HBE4]

2 hours ago, Momto2PrncChrmgs said:

5.  COFFEE - we booked a balcony room.  Where can i get coffee early in the morning to enjoy on the balcony when everyone else is still sleeping?

 

Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours and located in the Royal Promenade, deck 5 towards the rear elevators/stairwell.

 

You can also request room service although delivery times sometimes vary.....45 minutes early or late depending on how busy they are. But they usually call first.

[HBE4]

37 minutes ago, SuiteLady said:

I got my specialty coffees every morning at the Spa café....it was steps away from my room and super convenient!!

 

Never thought of that.

 

And last cruise, it was so close to my room too!!

[Grandma Dazzles]

Would suggest getting the refreshment package for the kids - includes soda, bottled water, fresh squeezed juice, virgin cocktails, specialty coffee, and more. Soda package is just soda. 

 

You are not required to get one but a can of soda is around $4 - package usually will pay for itself. 

Edited July 16, 2019 by Grandma Dazzles

[FPP777]

Just because you mention teens,,,,, the past two summers we took cruises, one Carib and one Alaska. On the first night of the Carib cruise, we "forced" our two teens to go to the teen meet and mingle the first night. It was the best thing that could have happened to them. They met plenty of kids their age and ended up spending all their non-family time with them. The next year in Alaska we didn't even have to suggest it..

[GTO-Girl]

4 hours ago, Momto2PrncChrmgs said:

Hi all, we just recently booked the 8/4 cruise on the Harmony after doing tons of research on Carnival, then having the cruise we wanted all booked up.  So, although I'm digging through threads and reading as much as I can, I still have lots of questions that I'm hoping you guys could answer!  (For background info, it'll be me and hubby, both mid-forties, and our two boys, 13 and 16.  Both athletic but a bit shy and awkward).

 

1.  Zoom surf and stream - should we get that for all of us?  Hubs and I will prob wants at least some access to email and social media.  Can the kids stream netflix at night on this?  We have unlimited data on our phones, but i'm assuming being in the middle of the ocean is different??

 

2.  Drink package - is there a limit to how many drinks you can have (including bottles of water)?  I thought on Carnival there was a limit, but not seeing one on RC.  If we get the deluxe for hubby and I, do we have to get the soda package for the kids?

 

3.  My Time Dining - when i went to sign up, all that was available was 830.  I thought I'd read somewhere that you have to go somehwere else to check in for different times??

 

4.  Are the pools and slides open in ports?  Again, I thought I saw that they were, but then always thought those things were shut down when in port.

 

5.  COFFEE - we booked a balcony room.  Where can i get coffee early in the morning to enjoy on the balcony when everyone else is still sleeping?

 

thank you all for any info.  I'm sure to most of you, this is easy stuff, but as the usual ULTIMATE planner, i'm freaking out here with this last minute trip!!!!

 

What type of room did you book?  If by chance you booked a Boardwalk balcony the first two people in the room will get a Coke package.  Also you get a meal for up to four at Johnny Rockets and a free rock climbing wall lesson...

[taglovestocruise]

4 hours ago, Momto2PrncChrmgs said:

3.  My Time Dining - when i went to sign up, all that was available was 830.  I thought I'd read somewhere that you have to go somehwere else to check in for different times??

 

You may want to check with your TA. If you have been given a time of 8:30 you might have late traditional.  If that is the case you can  have your TA waitlist you for MTD.

[RedIguana]

MTD, I believe they still give you a time just to fill in a blank in their spreadsheet,  but you can ignore it and go when you want. Park cafe on deck 8 was my early morning coffee spot (well 7 am coffee anyway). Pools and waterslides are usually open on port days, flowrider and dry slide may have limited times. I was able to play World Of Warcraft with the stream package, was seeing 250ms latencies. Bandwidth was plenty for netflix. This was March 29th 9 day sailing.

[Merion_Mom]

Just a quick note about Cafe Promenade:  It's not *quite* open 24 hours a day.  It closes for about an hour in the pre-dawn hours for cleaning.

 

🙂

 

 

[Snit13]

On 7/16/2019 at 3:09 PM, AshleyDillo said:

 

No limit on drinks with the package.  You can also grab a bottle of water when you order an alcoholic drink every time and stockpile them in your room.  You will NOT be required to get the soda or refreshment package for the kids, but Royal does not allow sharing of packages so any drinks the kids would want you would need to purchase a la carte.

Soda packages were on sale the other day for $8.99 pp/pd.

[Snit13]

On 7/16/2019 at 4:00 PM, HBE4 said:

 

Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours and located in the Royal Promenade, deck 5 towards the rear elevators/stairwell.

 

You can also request room service although delivery times sometimes vary.....45 minutes early or late depending on how busy they are. But they usually call first.

Fill out the card and hang it on your door before you go to bed.  They will deliver your coffee to your cabin about time you select.

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

Thank you all for the info!  I can't believe we leave in just over 2 weeks and I've barely planned.  On a typical vacation, by this time, I've generally shopped, started packing, and have color-coded itineraries made! 

[vidsmart]

Happy cruising! Didn't come to answer your questions as others have done that. Just wanted to say we are on the same cruise with you!

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, vidsmart said:

Happy cruising! Didn't come to answer your questions as others have done that. Just wanted to say we are on the same cruise with you!

 

Us as well

 

Slide hours from last year

 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

On 7/16/2019 at 7:49 PM, Momto2PrncChrmgs said:

slides open in ports?

Very very limite service for activities during port times....🙄😱

[No Bananas]

It was suggested here to pack large thermos cups for morning coffee with lids.Some of the best advice, as I would be at Cafe Promenade early get the coffee and creamers and relax. Some cookies place in Baggie  from windjammer the day before added to my clothes being tight after the cruise. Have a great cruise

[vidsmart]

8 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Us as well

Good to hear. Maybe I'll run into you among the over 6000 cruisers! With 34000 posts and the interesting cruise listing in your sig, would be nice to chat. (Recently interviewed passionate cruisers for a project)

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Very very limite service for activities during port times....🙄😱

 

Seems pretty decent for the slides.  5 hours. Only cuts out the morning times.

Activity staff events are definitely less 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

4 hours ago, No Bananas said:

It was suggested here to pack large thermos cups for morning coffee with lids.Some of the best advice, as I would be at Cafe Promenade early get the coffee and creamers and relax. Some cookies place in Baggie  from windjammer the day before added to my clothes being tight after the cruise. Have a great cruise

That's a fantastic idea!!