New to RCI-Head spinning

[tbo]

Hubby and I have sailed with Carnival and NCL previously. Today I booked us on Symphony of the Seas and at first I was really excited about the deal we got and our room, now I'm having second thoughts.

 

We are 57 days out and already dining packages are sold out. We enjoy specialty dining on NCL and would like to try it on RCI, but it seems like the packages would have saved us a fair amount. Will dining packages be sold on board or is that it and we are out of luck?

 

Is there enough room at shows and when can/should I book those?

 

I'm wondering if this monster of a ship is going to be too much for us.  Any advice appreciated, thank you in advance.

[smplybcause]

They currently are only allowing you to book entertainment once you're on board through the app. Usually on the large ships you can do it ahead of time, but not since the restart. 

 

They may have some dining deals going on on board, but the UDP will not be one of them. You can still check the cruise planner - if someone cancels it will pop back up. 

Edited December 4, 2021 by smplybcause

[barb in ga]

Symphony is an awesome ship that won't disappoint. Sometimes there are a limited number of dining packages sold in advance, then they become available on ship or closer to sailing in the cruise planner. Don't give up, just try again.

Barb

[firefly333]

If you like shows, rcl is heads above anything I've seen on carnival in years. Ncl I dont remember but dont think I was overly impressed. The ice show is worth seeing. Seems like most ships have rock walls to climb, more pools than carnival, the adults area pool is better. 

 

I got off carnival a few weeks ago and the blaring music at the main pool was just too much so I sat in the aft at that pool. Never found a wine I liked, but prices on carnival were better just not what I wanted. Park cafe is a favorite with me. Every ship has pros and cons. Go and enjoy. 

[BennyBrun]

RC’s show is amazing compared to NCL.  I have sailed both I like them both but RC is a step above.  As soon as you board start making reservations.  Check the cruise planner often.  I found that planner to be buggy and might open up.  Are you talking about the Ultimate dinning Pakcage?

[Ozark_Kid]

1 hour ago, tbo said:

We are 57 days out and already dining packages are sold out. We enjoy specialty dining on NCL and would like to try it on RCI,

We cruised Symphony in October.  They stopped selling dining plans at least a month before sailing.  I have read Symphony has done this at least a few times since our cruise.  Symphony has been offering plans after you board.  I will post a pic showing the plans that were offered to us.  They add an 18% gratuity.

 

[denamo]

2 hours ago, tbo said:

Hubby and I have sailed with Carnival and NCL previously. Today I booked us on Symphony of the Seas and at first I was really excited about the deal we got and our room, now I'm having second thoughts.

 

We are 57 days out and already dining packages are sold out. We enjoy specialty dining on NCL and would like to try it on RCI, but it seems like the packages would have saved us a fair amount. Will dining packages be sold on board or is that it and we are out of luck?

 

Is there enough room at shows and when can/should I book those?

 

I'm wondering if this monster of a ship is going to be too much for us.  Any advice appreciated, thank you in advance.

.

We were just on the Symphony (Nov.13 embarkation)

 

Almost the minute you get on, book shows through the app.  This way you can get what you want.  We booked the Aqua Theater show the first night.  It was late, but the next day was a sea day, so that was fine. It's best to do this show early in the week.  It was cancelled two times during our cruse due to rough seas.  Doesn't really have to be that rough to cancel.  Hiro is the name of the show.  It's quite unique.

 

Also, do not miss Flight!  Quite impressive.  Musical on board is Hairspray.  We saw it when it was on another Royal ship more than once, so didn't go, but heard it was a great performance. 

 

We enjoyed the ice show.  They also do another ice show call iSkate2.0.  This is one the performers put on themselves and do things they don't do in the regular ice show.  We also enjoyed Jazz on 4 tremendously.  The jazz group there for the week never disappointed!

 

There will be dining packages to book on board.  Pretty sure you can book as you purchase.  There will usually be specialty dining staff in the Promenade upon arriving on board you can purchase and book.

 

The app worked great for us during the week.  You can download now and become familiar with it before boarding.  I liked being familiar prior to boarding. 

 

Our favorite place to go eat upon boarding is always Park Cafe. They have their famous roast beef sandwich called a Kummelweck. Also some others to choose from.  Also soups and salads available.  We got our food and then I made all of our show reservations as we sat there. 

 

You won't probably be able to do everything on the Symphony in one week.  Enjoy what you do!  Ask if you have any other questions

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, tbo said:

Hubby and I have sailed with Carnival and NCL previously. Today I booked us on Symphony of the Seas and at first I was really excited about the deal we got and our room, now I'm having second thoughts.

 

We are 57 days out and already dining packages are sold out. We enjoy specialty dining on NCL and would like to try it on RCI, but it seems like the packages would have saved us a fair amount. Will dining packages be sold on board or is that it and we are out of luck?

 

Is there enough room at shows and when can/should I book those?

 

I'm wondering if this monster of a ship is going to be too much for us.  Any advice appreciated, thank you in advance.

5,500 passengers, I could not do it.  Perhaps peruse some other ships/lines to see if there is something that may be similar to itinerary and whatever else is important to you and your family.  I’d be stressed even before I got on board if I was not to at least have some confirmed things that are important to me.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

[tbo]

19 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

5,500 passengers, I could not do it.  Perhaps peruse some other ships/lines to see if there is something that may be similar to itinerary and whatever else is important to you and your family.  I’d be stressed even before I got on board if I was not to at least have some confirmed things that are important to me.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

It does seem like it's going to be quite crowded, several excursions already look sold out. While I'm no rookie to the intense planning-looking at you Disney World-this just suddenly seemed like I was biting off more than I could chew! It's just learning some newer ropes I guess.

[tbo]

2 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

RC’s show is amazing compared to NCL.  I have sailed both I like them both but RC is a step above.  As soon as you board start making reservations.  Check the cruise planner often.  I found that planner to be buggy and might open up.  Are you talking about the Ultimate dinning Pakcage?

I was just looking for any dining package that might save us some money, it was surprising to see them already sold out.

[tbo]

Many thanks for the answers and words of encouragement.

 

Trying to think of this in a positive way-it's new and we are sure ready to get back on the ocean!

 

 

[KimA75]

Try calling to see if they can get you the dining package.  Sometimes calling works to book an excursion when it shows sold out online.

[ksp819]

5 hours ago, tbo said:

Many thanks for the answers and words of encouragement.

 

Trying to think of this in a positive way-it's new and we are sure ready to get back on the ocean!

 

 

You will have a phenomenal week!  I used to say I could never go on a ship that big but after my first time I was hooked.  We’ve been on that class at least 6 times and have never experienced crowding except at the muster drill which is done differently now.  The best thing is you will be sailing with a lower capacity so it should be an awesome experience.  Symphony has so many places to go and to eat that it really keeps people spread out a bit.  Enjoy!  I’m jealous, I have to wait until the end of May to go on Symphony. 🙂

[cynt]

7 hours ago, tbo said:

It does seem like it's going to be quite crowded, several excursions already look sold out. While I'm no rookie to the intense planning-looking at you Disney World-this just suddenly seemed like I was biting off more than I could chew! It's just learning some newer ropes I guess.

If you can handle Disney the Symphony will be a breeze. I'm a Disney nut 🤪 and I'm canceling our Disney trip this summer and going on the Oasis. We love the Oasis class of ship.

 

Symphony has neighborhoods which spread out the crowds. Similar concept to the Disney parks Fantasyland, Tomorrowland,  etc.

 

Just like reserving rides via Genie, you will reserve shows on the App once on board the ship. The good thing is you can reserve all the shows at one time for each day of the cruise. So do your research and know which shows you want to enjoy. Most headline shows will have an early and late time. This might sound complicated but if you're a Dis'er this will be a breeze for you.😉 Don't freak out it's easy to change your schedule later if you need to switch days and times. 

 

Happy cruising and welcome to Royals Oasis class of ships. You're going to love the Symphony. I board her in October. 

[loman]

9 hours ago, tbo said:

Many thanks for the answers and words of encouragement.

 

Trying to think of this in a positive way-it's new and we are sure ready to get back on the ocean!

 

 

We have decided that Oasis class ships are perfect for us and we only book that class now . If you want to get your steps in , this is it . 

We have sailed on most of the RC class of ship and found this class meets all of our expectations .

[cindyscruise]

You will have a great time.  Relax and enjoy.  As for that number of people, I have never felt crowded on this class.  It does get crowded after a show lets out and the wait for the elevators is long.  We usually just stay in the venue till the crowds disburse. Not sure how many will be on your cruise since I don't think they will be up to full capacity yet.   I would definitely call to see if you can book the dining package.  I have always seen it offered once on the ship.  Things are somewhat different they they were post COVID.  I hope they will eventually get back to letting you book shows etc. online.  Don't miss the Kummelweck (Roast Beef)  from Park Cafe.  

[not-enough-cruising]

10 hours ago, LGW59 said:

5,500 passengers, I could not do it.  Perhaps peruse some other ships/lines to see if there is something that may be similar to itinerary and whatever else is important to you and your family.  I’d be stressed even before I got on board if I was not to at least have some confirmed things that are important to me.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

5500 passengers on this class of ships is nothing; the design and the “neighborhood”

concept ensure even distribution of the crowds, and it very rarely feels crowded at all. 

[1025cruise]

Why not try the MDR? The only specialty restaurant I've ever been tempted to book was the steakhouse, for an occasion. Otherwise I fully enjoy eating in the MDR. While I've only done one NCL cruise, where I had the dining package as a perk, it is my understanding that the dinner in the MDR isn't as up to par as the specialty restaurants.

[bobmacliberty]

I'll repeat what others have said.  Don't get stressed...the Oasis Class ships are unbelievable and do a fantastic job of spreading out any crowds.  You will probably get to the end of the cruise and say that you didn't have enough time to do everything that you wanted to do.

 

For dining packages, you will almost certainly be able to buy them once you get onboard.  They usually have little kiosks set up in various places trying to sell them to you.  You can also go to any specialty restaurant once you board and buy a package there.  The restaurant that you do this in can make reservations for you for all restaurants during the week (i.e., you don't need to go to each restaurant separately to make reservations).  I would do this as soon as you board to ensure that you can get dining times that you want.  I think you can do this on the app (after you board) if you would prefer, but some people would rather talk to a person to ensure that they get it right.

 

Definitely book entertainment on the app as soon as you board as well.  I completely agree with the previous advice to book the Aquatheater show (Hiro) early in the week in case it gets canceled due to wind/weather.  Royal's main theater shows are great, but I think their Aquatheater shows are what makes Oasis Class truly special.  The other show that I'd book more quickly is the comedy show since it's in a smaller venue and therefore has more limited number of total people that can see it.  For any show, there's usually a standby line for people who don't have reservations.  Many people make reservations and then don't show up for one reason or another, so you would likely be able to see the show using a standby line.  That's not guaranteed though, and your choice of seats could be less desirable, so we always make reservations and get to the venue early for good seats.  There are always waiters to serve you drinks while you wait.

 

Although you can't (currently) book shows ahead of time on the app, you should be able to see what is being performed when before your cruise leaves.  I usually create a table listing our desired showtimes and dining times to ensure that we're not scrambling to eat quickly so that we can get to a show.  

[grandgeezer]

We had the same reservations as you, we wondered about the number of passengers and also the number of kids. It’s not that we don’t like kids, we live in a retirement community and we are not used to being around them. We were intrigued by the whole idea so we booked the Oasis of the Seas, and if we don’t like it, we just won’t do it again. Fast forward until now, seven more cruises on mega ships, all on the Allure of the Seas, all pre pandemic. The only thing, about crowding that I would add the Windjammer, on sea days. If you go for lunch there might be times when you can’t find a table. We had times when you waited in line and they sat you as tables opened up. We had this happen on the first couple of cruises after the first one. Slow learners. There are other venues that serve lunch, and the Windjammer seems to open up later on.

 

[Starry Eyes]

We love Oasis class.  Our first time (way before the pandemic, I wondered if it would seem crowded, but we had a great time.  It is a long walk from one end of the ship to the other; we are happy to walk though it can be hard for some people.

 

Is the amount of money you’d save on a dining package really worth upsetting yourself?  The main dining room menus are all new to you, so perhaps look forward to trying those.  Also look at Solarium Bistro for dinner a night (or two) if you want a change from the MDR;  we enjoy the food and setting… and it is free.  
 

Some people may cancel, so watch for sold out items to potentially open up; it might happen.  And you’ll be checking the website anyway, I presume, watching for price drops (if you catch a good price drop, you’ll likely feel better about missing the dining packages); in ordinary times you would not be able to take advantage of price drops so close to sailing, so enjoy it while it lasts.

[tbo]

So in researching I was able to find a site with recent Daily Compasses for the Western that we are going on-very helpful in seeing show times.

 

Also have looked at the app and saw the menus for the MDR, it looks very good. Looks like he can get lobster one night and rack of lamb another, so that definitely works.  Not even going to worry with specialty dining until we get there, and maybe not then.

 

I'm really looking forward to the Solarium, it looks really nice.

 

1 hour ago, Starry Eyes said:

We love Oasis class.  Our first time (way before the pandemic, I wondered if it would seem crowded, but we had a great time.  It is a long walk from one end of the ship to the other; we are happy to walk though it can be hard for some people.

 

Is the amount of money you’d save on a dining package really worth upsetting yourself?  The main dining room menus are all new to you, so perhaps look forward to trying those.  Also look at Solarium Bistro for dinner a night (or two) if you want a change from the MDR;  we enjoy the food and setting… and it is free.  
 

Some people may cancel, so watch for sold out items to potentially open up; it might happen.  And you’ll be checking the website anyway, I presume, watching for price drops (if you catch a good price drop, you’ll likely feel better about missing the dining packages); in ordinary times you would not be able to take advantage of price drops so close to sailing, so enjoy it while it lasts.

 

Price drops? We are booked in a large balcony ocean view (sorry if I'm not saying that right), and they only had 3 when I booked, would there be a price drop? Our options were on deck 8, 10 or 14 and I chose 10198, 14 looked like it was angled so that seemed like we would be losing space.

 

Thanks again-you guys really have helped me so much-and thank you for being so kind 🙂

 

 

 

 

[RedIguana]

55 minutes ago, tbo said:

So in researching I was able to find a site with recent Daily Compasses for the Western that we are going on-very helpful in seeing show times.

 

Also have looked at the app and saw the menus for the MDR, it looks very good. Looks like he can get lobster one night and rack of lamb another, so that definitely works.  Not even going to worry with specialty dining until we get there, and maybe not then.

You might want to consider a 3-night dining package, and use them on nights when the MDR has just its basic menu. Wonderland is a must if you have never tried it, just for the experience. You will most likely find the MDR food on Royal a step up from Carnival. The food on Carnival is what makes me pretty much ignore that line.

[BirdTravels]

17 hours ago, tbo said:

Hubby and I have sailed with Carnival and NCL previously. Today I booked us on Symphony of the Seas and at first I was really excited about the deal we got and our room, now I'm having second thoughts.

 

We are 57 days out and already dining packages are sold out. We enjoy specialty dining on NCL and would like to try it on RCI, but it seems like the packages would have saved us a fair amount. Will dining packages be sold on board or is that it and we are out of luck?

 

Is there enough room at shows and when can/should I book those?

 

I'm wondering if this monster of a ship is going to be too much for us.  Any advice appreciated, thank you in advance.

You will have a wonderful time!!!  
 

The Bird has sailed on all of NCL big ships multiple times. The Symphony will blow you away. We sailed on the Symphony’s inaugural cruise from Miami. Totally awesome!  
 

On embarkation day, there will be an entertainment flyer in your room. Use your Royal App to book all of your shows. 
 

Closest to freestyle dining is MyTime dining. Eat when it it’s your schedule. Specialty dining is like old NCL with a cover charge vs a la carte. Book upon embarkation (after you book your shows). 
 

The Bird’s live post from the Symphony in 2018 is linked below to see a little of the ship. Have a wonderful cruise!

 

[Mapleleafforever]

Once you go big it's difficult to go back to smaller. 

 

We had the same concern before our first Oasis class cruise but we've never felt crowded on one......with the exception of some busy feeding times in the WJ......which we've learned how to avoid.