Brand New to RCL - So much to learn!!!

[lesters]

Good morning!

 

We booked our first RCL cruise on the weekend - a Greek Isles for May 2025.  

 

I just logged into our reservation account and noticed that there is a Christmas in July sale on the Drink Package and dining.... is this something that happens often or should I be taking a good look at this today to book?

 

For reference we are typically Carnival cruisers (don't judge LOL ) but our last one was on Virgin - so we are spreading our cruising wings.  We always get the Carnival drink package but we also have free drinks in the casino - and we do again on this cruise as we are on a casino rate.   So running some numbers, looking at the itinerary which is port heavy - one sea day (maybe two need to double check) so trying to understand how it works on RCL compared to our other sailings.

 

What are the first things I should be doing??

 

 

[Biker19]

40 minutes ago, lesters said:

is this something that happens often or should I be taking a good look at this today to book?

RCI has had “sales” for the past 10 years which are anything but. Ignore the marketing and buy when you see value- you can cancel and rebuy if it goes lower. 
 

Read some ship specific threads. 

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, lesters said:

Good morning!

 

We booked our first RCL cruise on the weekend - a Greek Isles for May 2025.  

 

I just logged into our reservation account and noticed that there is a Christmas in July sale on the Drink Package and dining.... is this something that happens often or should I be taking a good look at this today to book?

 

For reference we are typically Carnival cruisers (don't judge LOL ) but our last one was on Virgin - so we are spreading our cruising wings.  We always get the Carnival drink package but we also have free drinks in the casino - and we do again on this cruise as we are on a casino rate.   So running some numbers, looking at the itinerary which is port heavy - one sea day (maybe two need to double check) so trying to understand how it works on RCL compared to our other sailings.

 

What are the first things I should be doing??

 

 

Voyager? I'm on the 10 day that goes to greece twice, but the 7 day after mine is called Greek cruise and ends in athens. Port heavy. If you hit 80 pts diamond you get 4 free drinks a day, easy to hit. For me plenty. .. though I'm pushing for pinnacle for free wifi the whole cruise. 

 

Perks on royal loyalty are much better than carnival. Also excursions get discounted as much as 30%, carnival pretty much never. Look for a TA with group rates to save. 

 

It's probably a smaller ship or voyager I'd guess. I'll be getting off when you get on perhaps. Check in 45 days ahead to grab a check in time, at midnight ships time. Yes ships time. You have to figure out what time midnight is where the ship leaves from. Each adult can carry on a bottle of wine to tide you over.

[lesters]

@firefly333 thanks for the info.

 

We are on a 7 day out of Ravenna on Explorer of the Seas - it is pretty port heavy as well.

 

We were able to book with a casino offer so a great deal.   Considering we would be playing no matter what. 

 

Now to learn how things work - what restaurants are included, which aren't, what I want to book and how LOL I love planning so this is great!

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, lesters said:

@firefly333 thanks for the info.

 

We are on a 7 day out of Ravenna on Explorer of the Seas - it is pretty port heavy as well.

 

We were able to book with a casino offer so a great deal.   Considering we would be playing no matter what. 

 

Now to learn how things work - what restaurants are included, which aren't, what I want to book and how LOL I love planning so this is great!

Unfortunately there are few pay restaurants on ships that old. Good and bad. Explorer is even older than voyager. Dont judge all rcl ships by explorer, but tbh I too am booked also on explorer for price reasons. Right now I just want to cruise. Everyone says dont push pts, and now especially when prices are high but about when I have explorer booked I should hit pinnacle. Wifi feels like such a waste to pay extra for though I've done it. I hate to br cut off the way others want to drink. We all have our important perks. I admit I booked explorer to push pts. I know what I'm getting into. I'm happy reading a book and watching the wake and eating. A few new ports but getting fewer. 

[Another_Critic]

36 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Explorer is even older than voyager. 

Voyager - launched 1999

Explorer - launched 2000

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Voyager - launched 1999

Explorer - launched 2000

Ok both about equally old. I'm doing the TA to europe on voyager and some b2b2b2b on explorer to push to pinnacle. Doing pts as cheaply as possible the bottom line remains the same. 

 

Well the TA started out as a inexpensive cruise, then I added a more expensive 10 days because it went to greece. Then I added 4 days in rome. And the flight home air2sea was crazy high and flying into miami after .. it just keeps expanding itself. 

Edited July 16 by firefly333

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, lesters said:

Good morning!

 

We booked our first RCL cruise on the weekend - a Greek Isles for May 2025.  

 

I just logged into our reservation account and noticed that there is a Christmas in July sale on the Drink Package and dining.... is this something that happens often or should I be taking a good look at this today to book?

 

For reference we are typically Carnival cruisers (don't judge LOL ) but our last one was on Virgin - so we are spreading our cruising wings.  We always get the Carnival drink package but we also have free drinks in the casino - and we do again on this cruise as we are on a casino rate.   So running some numbers, looking at the itinerary which is port heavy - one sea day (maybe two need to double check) so trying to understand how it works on RCL compared to our other sailings.

 

What are the first things I should be doing??

 

 

 

Royal will send you as SALE SALE SALE email about every other day (sometimes every day, sometimes more than once a day) from the moment you book to the minute you leave the terminal. Some sales are better than others. If you book a package and see a lower offer, just cancel online and rebook a package/shore ex. 

[PhillyFan33579]

8 hours ago, lesters said:

Good morning!

 

We booked our first RCL cruise on the weekend - a Greek Isles for May 2025.  

 

I just logged into our reservation account and noticed that there is a Christmas in July sale on the Drink Package and dining.... is this something that happens often or should I be taking a good look at this today to book?

 

For reference we are typically Carnival cruisers (don't judge LOL ) but our last one was on Virgin - so we are spreading our cruising wings.  We always get the Carnival drink package but we also have free drinks in the casino - and we do again on this cruise as we are on a casino rate.   So running some numbers, looking at the itinerary which is port heavy - one sea day (maybe two need to double check) so trying to understand how it works on RCL compared to our other sailings.

 

What are the first things I should be doing??

 

 

There is a lot of good information in previous posts. RCI always has a sale going on, so it often pays to frequently check their website. Their best sales usually occur around Thanksgiving. Just an FYI, the name of the cruise line is Royal Caribbean International (RCI). 

[firefly333]

28 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

There is a lot of good information in previous posts. RCI always has a sale going on, so it often pays to frequently check their website. Their best sales usually occur around Thanksgiving. Just an FYI, the name of the cruise line is Royal Caribbean International (RCI). 

I've called it rcl forever. Let's not nit pick. I use the stock symbol which includes both celebrity and royal. As a stock person it will always be rcl to me. 

[PhillyFan33579]

5 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I've called it rcl forever. Let's not nit pick. I use the stock symbol which includes both celebrity and royal. As a stock person it will always be rcl to me. 

 

I don’t consider it nitpicking pointing out the correct name of the cruise line, which is Royal Caribbean International. But I have always been an attention to details person. It makes a huge difference in the financial world. I am positive I would not have been able to retire at 57 if I didn’t pay attention to details when it came to work and investments. 
 

If you invest in the stock market, you would know the stock symbol for Royal Caribbean Group is RCL. Royal Carribean International is just one of three cruise lines under the parent company, Royal Caribbean Group. So if you buy stock in RCL (i.e. Royal Caribbean Group) you are investing/concerned with the performance of three companies (RCI, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea). 
 

On a message board it might not be a big deal, but in the financial world it is critical to know and understand the difference between RCI and RCL, because they are not the same thing. 

[taglovestocruise]

42 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I've called it rcl forever. Let's not nit pick. I use the stock symbol which includes both celebrity and royal. As a stock person it will always be rcl to me. 

+1

[Another_Critic]

45 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

If you invest in the stock market, you would know the stock symbol for Royal Caribbean Group is RCL. Royal Carribean International is just one of three cruise lines under the parent company, Royal Caribbean Group. So if you buy stock in RCL (i.e. Royal Caribbean Group) you are investing/concerned with the performance of three companies (RCI, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea).  

If you want to nitpick ...

 

You are also investing in TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises since Royal Caribbean Group holds a 50% stake in those companies as well as stakes in other companies.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

I don’t consider it nitpicking pointing out the correct name of the cruise line, which is Royal Caribbean International. But I have always been an attention to details person. It makes a huge difference in the financial world. I am positive I would not have been able to retire at 57 if I didn’t pay attention to details when it came to work and investments. 
 

If you invest in the stock market, you would know the stock symbol for Royal Caribbean Group is RCL. Royal Carribean International is just one of three cruise lines under the parent company, Royal Caribbean Group. So if you buy stock in RCL (i.e. Royal Caribbean Group) you are investing/concerned with the performance of three companies (RCI, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea). 
 

On a message board it might not be a big deal, but in the financial world it is critical to know and understand the difference between RCI and RCL, because they are not the same thing. 

So you worked much longer than me. I retired many many years younger off and on. Though in a way numbers and stocks are a job as I live off my portfolio. Being a working person for so many years maybe is something you are proud of? Great. Congrats. So to you working in a office so many years you think nit picking others on a message board is important. 

 

 

You knew what the OP meant. 

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

If you want to nitpick ...

 

You are also investing in TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises since Royal Caribbean Group holds a 50% stake in those companies as well as stakes in other companies.

I have never purchased/owned stock for TUI Cruises or Hapag-Lloyd Cruises so the success, or lack of success, of these companies has no impact on me financially.  The only stock I currently care about cruise line related is RCL.