World Cruise Questions

[Sunshine3601]

I'm jealous of your children.  Would you like to adopt me?  I'm potty trained🤣

 

This will be an amazing trip for your family.  We learned with covid is to be flexible and enjoy life.

With most children able to do schooling online much easier these days and a lot of parents able to work online  I suspect you will see various age groups onboard.

I wonder how much the unlimited speciality dining would cost for 270 days.

[knope2022]

7 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I'm jealous of your children.  Would you like to adopt me?  I'm potty trained🤣

 

This will be an amazing trip for your family.  We learned with covid is to be flexible and enjoy life.

With most children able to do schooling online much easier these days and a lot of parents able to work online  I suspect you will see various age groups onboard.

I wonder how much the unlimited speciality dining would cost for 270 days.

I'm jealous of my children too. 😂 My husband and I grew up with very very very different experiences than these kids.

 

I'm immunocompromised so we kept them concurrently learning from March 2020 - this fall until we were immunized. They were amazing at both adapting to computer learning and fit back into their schools seamlessly even surprising the teachers. It's probably because of this that we're cautiously optimistic of them adapting to such an out of the box experience. 🤞🏻 Working from home is the biggest blessing.

 

 

 

I listen to a podcast that recently said by the time your kids go to college you've exhausted 93% of the face time you'll have with them in their lifetimes. I think we're trying to make the most of that and this seemed like the right time before they got too old and school got too serious.

 

Oh and they told me on the phone this morning that they'd recently updated it to include unlimited specialty dining, so if that's true (I don't see it reflected on the site for the cruise yet), that would be pretty cool.

[delmom18]

I'm a retired certified elementary teacher.  I'd be happy to go with you and even child-sit in the evenings if you cover all expenses.  😄

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, knope2022 said:

I'm jealous of my children too. 😂 My husband and I grew up with very very very different experiences than these kids.

 

I'm immunocompromised so we kept them concurrently learning from March 2020 - this fall until we were immunized. They were amazing at both adapting to computer learning and fit back into their schools seamlessly even surprising the teachers. It's probably because of this that we're cautiously optimistic of them adapting to such an out of the box experience. 🤞🏻 Working from home is the biggest blessing.

 

 

 

I listen to a podcast that recently said by the time your kids go to college you've exhausted 93% of the face time you'll have with them in their lifetimes. I think we're trying to make the most of that and this seemed like the right time before they got too old and school got too serious.

 

Oh and they told me on the phone this morning that they'd recently updated it to include unlimited specialty dining, so if that's true (I don't see it reflected on the site for the cruise yet), that would be pretty cool.

I’m booked on this, is it unlimited specialty dining for all passengers?  They did not even mention that to me.

[knope2022]

1 minute ago, delmom18 said:

I'm a retired certified elementary teacher.  I'd be happy to go with you and even child-sit in the evenings if you cover all expenses.  😄

That sounds like a dream to you and to me. ❤️  

[knope2022]

2 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

I’m booked on this, is it unlimited specialty dining for all passengers?  They did not even mention that to me.

Yeah, I was told this morning it was a new update to the offering that just happened. I told him it wasn't online showing it and he said it was a recent addition based on customer feedback they'd received. He said they were having a meeting this week re: kids on the ship/school concerns.

 

I asked him three times to confirm it and even asked if there were any limitations like maybe 1x a week or something. He said no limitations at all.

 

I'm reserving 100% believing him until it reflects on the site, but he was with the world cruise team I've been communicating with this week.

[Tee & Chilli]

Will Serenade add more specialty restaurants?

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, knope2022 said:

Yeah, I was told this morning it was a new update to the offering that just happened. I told him it wasn't online showing it and he said it was a recent addition based on customer feedback they'd received. He said they were having a meeting this week re: kids on the ship/school concerns.

 

I asked him three times to confirm it and even asked if there were any limitations like maybe 1x a week or something. He said no limitations at all.

 

I'm reserving 100% believing him until it reflects on the site, but he was with the world cruise team I've been communicating with this week.

The ship holds over 2,400 passengers, if it ends up to be a sell out, there is no way they can feed them all in specialty restaurants everyday.

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Will Serenade add more specialty restaurants?

Where would they add them to on Serenade? I think this sounds doubtful on this ship.

[Trixie21]

I wonder if they are going to give the ship some sort of refit or upgrades before the cruise? Not sure when she was last in dry dock.

We would love to do a segment but alas work will not allow at the moment , and I strongly suspect there will be meagre pickings left i  terms of cabins by the time segment go on sale.

If this is successful hopefully they will repeat this world cruise at least every couple of years.

[Tee & Chilli]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

Where would they add them to on Serenade? I think this sounds doubtful on this ship.

I totally agree. Someone mentioned specialty restaurants may be included. I only recall Chops. Great ship due to the glass viewing . By the way…there is a great indoor/outdoor sitting area outside the Windjammer that could be converted. I love that area and many people might be disappointed.

[Sunshine3601]

11 hours ago, knope2022 said:

I'm jealous of my children too. 😂 My husband and I grew up with very very very different experiences than these kids.

 

I'm immunocompromised so we kept them concurrently learning from March 2020 - this fall until we were immunized. They were amazing at both adapting to computer learning and fit back into their schools seamlessly even surprising the teachers. It's probably because of this that we're cautiously optimistic of them adapting to such an out of the box experience. 🤞🏻 Working from home is the biggest blessing.

 

 

 

I listen to a podcast that recently said by the time your kids go to college you've exhausted 93% of the face time you'll have with them in their lifetimes. I think we're trying to make the most of that and this seemed like the right time before they got too old and school got too serious.

 

Oh and they told me on the phone this morning that they'd recently updated it to include unlimited specialty dining, so if that's true (I don't see it reflected on the site for the cruise yet), that would be pretty cool.

I am sure you will have an absolutely amazing cruise and it is so wonderful that you are able to offer this experience to your children.     They will learn so much more with this life experience and I am sure they will adapt just fine. 

Serenade has been our favorite ship for many years now.     I love the views available from many different locations on the ship that just aren't available with the larger ships such as the Oasis class.        

That is great news that unlimited dining will be included.     Our favorite waitress, Grace and her husband, has been working on Serenade on a couple years.   Last I saw her was Feb 2020 in Giovanni's.   We were Serenade for almost a month and love it.    I hope she will be onboard the world cruise as she provides service above and beyond and is truly a wonderful person. 

My only concern with having the children do online schooling or you and your husband doing work online would be the internet.   I suspect there will be some areas of travel where the wifi may not be the best but in my opinion, everyone will adapt as needed.

Both my husband and I have the capability of working online and have worked on many of our cruises without an issue. 

I am waiting to see how many the different segments will cost as there are 2 that I would love to do.    

Edited October 24, 2021 by Sunshine3601

[CaroleC]

I’m finding this thread so interesting. I haven’t got a hope of doing a world cruise (unless I win the lottery), however, I’ll be travelling along vicariously with those of you who do.

[spintowin]

Spoke with two different people with Royal World cruise today and both said specialty dining is not included

[Hogbay]

14 hours ago, knope2022 said:

Yeah, I was told this morning it was a new update to the offering that just happened. I told him it wasn't online showing it and he said it was a recent addition based on customer feedback they'd received. He said they were having a meeting this week re: kids on the ship/school concerns.

 

I asked him three times to confirm it and even asked if there were any limitations like maybe 1x a week or something. He said no limitations at all.

 

I'm reserving 100% believing him until it reflects on the site, but he was with the world cruise team I've been communicating with this week.

Sounds to good to be true to me because there is not enough capacity in the specialty restaurants to cater for all the pac's. 🤷‍♂️

[knope2022]

24 minutes ago, spintowin said:

Spoke with two different people with Royal World cruise today and both said specialty dining is not included

Aha. Well there you go. I was refreshing the world cruise page hoping to see it added but he must've been misinformed. It was so odd because he was so adamant it had just been added. Even when I referenced how there's no documentation of it anywhere he said spoke as though he had personal knowledge of it's addition... and he is the one who brought it up, I hadn't even asked about it.

 

Thanks for this info!

Edited October 24, 2021 by knope2022

[spintowin]

I felt a bit of buyers pressure speaking with the second phone attendant. He wanted to know why I didn't want to put a deposit down today and will be calling me back tomorrow.  He also said if we want to opt out of 7 wonders excursions, they will return 5k dollars to us but not until we are on ship. I didn't ask anything about excursions.

[spintowin]

I was also told by first attendant that because I live in Florida, I wouldn't need the airfare.  I told her I would need the airfare at which she replied, "you can try to get it". 

[Jasukkie]

I think this is a wonderful thing to do with kids. With digital nomads and online learning I think you will find more young people than expected. Good luck!

[WindinmySails]

16 hours ago, delmom18 said:

I'm a retired certified elementary teacher.  I'd be happy to go with you and even child-sit in the evenings if you cover all expenses.  😄

I am too!  I was thinking the same thing!  I'd go if my husband's and my expenses were paid...no salary, just pay our expenses!  What an experience it would be!  OH, the field trips!!

[ace2542]

On 10/23/2021 at 6:45 PM, knope2022 said:

The kids want to get souvenirs while in Osaka at Nintendo Land and in Tokyo from the Nintendo store and I'm not thrilled at the idea of looking at Mario and Bowser for 270 days

I suspect you will be looking at the real Super Mario for 270 days. He will jump on this I imagine

On 10/23/2021 at 6:45 PM, knope2022 said:

How do you think they'll handle kid schooling? We have 3 who will be in Elementary school at the time. Our state allows for online school and their current school will advise throughout the time we are gone on any additional things the kids should be learning. Wondering if there will be a "School Room" maybe for kids to bring laptops to and learn around each other?

Couldn't you homeschool the kids for this year and ergo be covered under the so called home schooling? Isn't that a big thing in America?. 

 

You do make a good point though about kids on cruise ship in general in term time. In UK there is one agency that has tv promotions and they where trying to get people to put their kids on 35 night 3 ship trip and get the parents fined for doing it and even get the kids taken into care.

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

I suspect you will be looking at the real Super Mario for 270 days. He will jump on this I imagine

Couldn't you homeschool the kids for this year and ergo be covered under the so called home schooling? Isn't that a big thing in America?. 

 

You do make a good point though about kids on cruise ship in general in term time. In UK there is one agency that has tv promotions and they where trying to get people to put their kids on 35 night 3 ship trip and get the parents fined for doing it and even get the kids taken into care.

Or because of the length of time for this cruise AND the financial obligation that RCL passengers are making to do this, perhaps they could hire a few teachers, elementary, middle and high school levels.  I mean this sincerely, they could definitely do it and I think it would work.

[Merion_Mom]

12 hours ago, Trixie21 said:

I wonder if they are going to give the ship some sort of refit or upgrades before the cruise? Not sure when she was last in dry dock.

We would love to do a segment but alas work will not allow at the moment , and I strongly suspect there will be meagre pickings left i  terms of cabins by the time segment go on sale.

If this is successful hopefully they will repeat this world cruise at least every couple of years.

 

Yes, Serenade will be undergoing renovations pre-world cruise.

 

10 hours ago, Tee & Chilli said:

I totally agree. Someone mentioned specialty restaurants may be included. I only recall Chops. Great ship due to the glass viewing . By the way…there is a great indoor/outdoor sitting area outside the Windjammer that could be converted. I love that area and many people might be disappointed.

 

Giovanni's Table, Chops (next to Schooner Bar) & Izumi (on Deck 12 where Seaview Cafe once was) are on the Serenade.  (and Chef's Table, one of the best locations - behind the Safari Club)

 

There is a space in the Windjammer that used to be Rita's Cantina which could be used for another restaurant.

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, spintowin said:

I was also told by first attendant that because I live in Florida, I wouldn't need the airfare.  I told her I would need the airfare at which she replied, "you can try to get it". 

 

I read somewhere that if you decline the airfare package, you get a credit.  I don't recall the amount, but it wasn't small.

[Merion_Mom]

21 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Or because of the length of time for this cruise AND the financial obligation that RCL passengers are making to do this, perhaps they could hire a few teachers, elementary, middle and high school levels.  I mean this sincerely, they could definitely do it and I think it would work.

 

I don't think that they are trying to encourage families with children to book.