DawnC28

Royal calls that Dynamic Math.;)

Alternative facts!

Just a few quick caveats;

I've been on several cruises where the ship missed a port due to weather, mechanical issues, etc., so if you are planning a wedding at a cruise stop, my recommendation would be to make it a destination wedding instead, that way you are already there and no worries about whether the ship can make it on the day/time you have set. Otherwise, money lost and tears...

If you want to get married at sea, make sure you know the rules. We are Canadian, and we are attending a gay wedding on a cruise in February. The couple is having the wedding & reception on the cruise, but will already have had the "legal" ceremony performed in Canada before starting the cruise. (Legal in Canada, easier, etc.).

Just my 2 cents.

Hi All;

We are booked with a large family/friehds group for a wedding during the cruise. The Travel agent has us all booked with early seating, and has assured us that we will all be seated in the same area during dinner, so that we can switch up seats, etc. during the cruise. I don't see our reservation online linked with anyone else's, so I am not sure how this is being done.

However, I usually book my time dining, and now that the early seating has changed to 5:30, I am even less thrilled about this.

If I find that our group is not seated together, can I switch to MTD once I am on board?

Thanks so much!

Has anyone been on this trip recently? I'm curious how many people are on board and if it is relaxing, or if it is crowned and rowdy, like a booze cruise? Any info and pictures would be greatly appreciated!

Did complain to pursers desk, very dis interested and suggested talking directly to the steward, didn't even see him/her didn't even introduce themselves on embarkation day. The 6 cabins the 15 members of the family had were in various location throughout the ship. Pubic hair in the bathroom is not a welcoming sight, long black hairs on the window ledge.

Okay, I gotta ask...how do you know it was pubic hair?! :eek:

Seriously though, if this was at the beginning of your cruise, a call to housekeeping would likely have gotten better results... the staff aren't perfect and they are rushed on turn around day... but I'm sure they would have made it better had they known. A note left, when we don't see our steward, always worked for us...

As long as the cruise is booked in CDN$.

 

You can purchase the OBC directly from Royal, you don't need to use the TA for this.

I thought so, but I just wanted to be sure before letting everyone know - one of the travellers called the TA about this and was told they couldn't do it - and I told her to bypass the TA and deal directly with Royal.

I will be making sure the TA is aware of this, as there are upwards of 40 Canadians cruising for a wedding in 2017, and I don't see the bank exchange rate getting much better anytime soon!

This is on any booking regardless of the date booked.

Can you do this with bookings made through a TA?

Thanks!

Most of the hotels in San Juan charge for parking, and it may be an "in and out" charge. Verify with your hotel & make sure you factor that in to the cost of renting a van.

Look at it this way. If you buy something at the store on Saturday and it goes on sale Sunday can you go back to the store and get the credit?:rolleyes:

Except for groceries, here in Ontario, Canada, you can! Most stores will honour it within a few days, but Sears gives you I think, two weeks!

What I don't like about the discounts is the fact that they jacl the rates so you don't end up saving at all. Airline pricing design has come to cruise lines!

I remember the good old days...when the price was the price until a few weeks before sailing, and any remaining cabins were discounted so the ship would be full...

Hi!

We've just booked our 1st ever balcony cabin!

6630 Superior D3- does anyone know what type of balcony furniture we'll have?

Thanks!

I think the first stop was Labadee, really don't think it would have been very convenient to get a flight to Cap Hatien. The next port of call was Bonaire well into the cruise.

Ah, thanks for the clarification! I guess I am used to port intensive cruises...

I don't understand why you missed your cruise? Could you not get on ANY other flight, or meet the ship the next day?

The shp reprovisiions out of St. Thomas so they spend the 1st day there and load all day. (On the itinerary mentioned above)

We were on Adventure over Xmas (look up my prior posts), but all in all, it was a great cruise. The food in Windjammer was not up to my standards, but we did not go hungry.

A cruise is what you make it. We enjoyed the staff, especially Phillip in the Champagne Bar, Bryan, our cabin steward, and our My Time dining staff, Albert and Charlie. Guest services was great too...

We enjoyed the Xmas vibe with lots of local Puerto Rican families aboard, although lots of others thought they were over the top...

Loved the ports as well...and with all the Xmas decorations, we did not notice any worn areas.

Enjoy, and post a review once you've been!

When are you sailing? I think Jewel & AOS are switching itineraries at some point, so it would start leaving on a Saturday instead of Sunday, so that may be why you are losing a day?

We just got off Adventure on an Xmaas cruise.

I, Too, am a foodie.

Windjammer had very bland food and line ups every day for the one omelet station they had open whenever we were there. Can't say I enjoyed any of the beffet offerings.

MDR had eggs benny every day but de-barkation day.

Upcharge in the MDR for filet mignon and lobster, but they did serve a tail and shrimp one night - very small.

Food in MDR got better as the week went on - Rack of Lamb on the last night was the best.

I started cruising because they had better food than most AI's I had been to, but I see the switch happening again, better options included in AI's, and cruises becoming more mass market, bland and boring.

Looking to do something different in the future - upscale cruise or 5 star AI - maybe a Karisma resort.

For you passengers who have been on the Adventure the past month, what are the toiletries (if any) in the rooms? I read nothing, you have to ask for it? is this correct? Thanks.

Hand soaps and some kind of gel attached in the shower. I didn't think to ask our steward for anything, but others have said they asked and received.

I was surprised, even in the cheapest motel you get lotion and shampoo/conditioner.

Must be a cost cutting move for sure, but it would have been nice to at least have a sign saying available if needed.

Just off the Xmas cruise. It's been a few years since I sailed Royal. Adventure was a great ship. You won't starve, we weren't impressed at all with Windjammer, but MDR was great after a bit of a rocky start. All of the staff were very friendly. Being Xmas, there were lots of families aboard, so the Bars were not as busy, we hardly ever had a wait. Only lines were in Windjammer & for the soft serve ice cream on the pool deck.

Missed having a bbq grill spot and outdoor dining on the aft deck that we've had on previous cruises, but all in all it was a great cruise.

Do the Behind the Scenes tour, it was great!

Love sailing out of San Juan, although hearing all the announcements twice (English & Spanish) was a bit of a pain. Used to it though, I live in Canada where everything is bilingual.

We didn't do many of the activities although there were lots to chose from.

Loved the Xmas decorations all around the ship. We had a Promenade cabin which was nice, except for a few late night events that were moved from on deck due to high winds.

No pool side BBQ day either for the same reason.

Johnny Rockets was worth a visit just to have a fresher hamburg, fries & onion rings.

Enjoy yourself!

Just off Adventure yesterday. They now charge for lobster, filet or surf & turf in the MDR - available any night. You could use up that credit in less than three orders if you choose that option.

The only lobster available was a tail and 3 shrimp one night during dinner. Did not try to get more, so I don't know if you could.

Steaks from the "included" menu were very disappointing.

Giovanni's had a special Brazilian lunch menu during our cruise - b/c there were many aboard, so keep your eyes open for menu changes during the cruise there.

Overall the food in Windjammer was dismal, and disappointing the first 3 nights in the MDR, better afterwards, but no comparison to Celebrity last March.

Thanks Bob!

It does say Docked on the itinerary, but I wasn't sure if that actually meant docked, or that it was in port (if you know what I mean!).

Yay, no tendering!

Hi

How do you know (or do you?) ahead of time if you will be docked at or tendered into port?

We are the only ship or one of two ships at most ports except for St. Thomas where we are one of 5! (ulp!), and just wondered if it was first come, or if RCI has specific contract for dock-age vs. tendering (i.e., I know in the BVI, certain cruise ships have dibs on dock-age on their days in port due to the contracts they signed...).

Thanks for the info!

Dawn

On Celebrity, I stopped nearly every afternoon for a small plate of fries after getting back on the ship...didn't want anything big, and wanted something salty - don't think I want to pay $4.95 for just fries, so I guess I'll try the fries at the buffet and see how they are...

I think I am also going to miss the aft outdoor bar too, just off the buffet on Celebrity - sounds like AOS doesn't have one of those either...

Hopefully other things will make up for that!

Do they have popcorn on the ship?!

In our opinion burgers and fries in the Windjammer on any RCCL ship (at least the ones we've been on)can't even come close to Celebritys Pool side burgers, hot dogs and fries. RCCLs windjammer burgers and fries will do in a pinch.

I was afraid of that. Thanks!

Sorry, misread what was posted. So nothing freshly made other than Johnny Rockets? (are they even fresh made to order?!)

Great thanks - are the poolside burgers & fries just sitting out from the Windjammer? Or are they cooked fresh at that location? (i.e. do they have deep fryers there etc.?