MoverOfMutts

Hoping to put a "she said yes" sign on mine

 

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And ItsAllAboutTheSass......when will we know???

We are taking a "bucket list" and putting it up, along with a magnetic pencil holder of pens. A column for name, hometown, been there/done that, some day/some way. Hoping with our great cabin location (midship, right around from the elevators) that we will get lots of contributors. Also have pics of us from previous cruises to put up.

Lastly, post-it notes to leave messages or hellos or "anyone up for some Scrabble or Karaoke?"

Fun times ahead!!!

Thanks for the link..Just curious..is there a form they give you for this service when leaving info about debark in your cabin?

Yes. They leave a notice about the program, early in the cruise, along with a form to complete and turn in by a deadline. Then they deliver an envelope the night before return, with everything you need, and what to do with it. The $20 is charged right to your OB account.

PS...this is only available if you are flying certain carriers at certain departure times (they list the carriers and the timing deadlines on the letter).

Thank you! That was very helpful. Does it get you off the ship any quicker or just save time at the airport?

I do the self debark, so I can only speak to that. It didn't seem to lengthen or shorten anything, and I forgot to fill out my customs card (I'm an idiot), so I had to step aside anyway! :rolleyes:

Hi MoM :)

 

As you know, we were on the same cruise, but I guess we were very lucky compared to you. I'll try to get my review done soon!

Yes, and it was wonderful meeting you at the raffle/meet & greet! I hope you guys enjoyed yourselves as much as I did!

We are going at the end of April. Would you please explain the $20 fee paid to expedite getting off the ship. I'm not familiar with that. Thanks.

You pay $20, they get your the luggage tag from the airline, as well as your boarding pass, and you put your suitcase outside the door the night before docking. Then you never see it again, until you land at your destination. No wheeling through the ship, no wheeling through the airport, no getting your boarding pass at the counter or kiosk. You exit the ship (either in your group or self debark), go through customs, straight to airport, right to TSA line and through to your gate.

Virtually all drinks and most wines-by-the-glass are under $10. Also, just a note to clarify what you said: with the AIBP, if you order a drink over $10, you do not only pay the difference; you pay the entire price of the drink. However, as I said, nearly everything is under $10.

 

If you try a google search (I find that works better than doing a search here on CC), you should be able to locate copies of the various bar menus.

Thank you! Yes, I'm a huge fan of google, but you have to know what to look for, and I never would have thought to google a menu! ;) I did google and find their schedule is called the Patter, so found those. Thanks for the heads up!

PS...this is only my third cruise (the upcoming one on Princess), so I haven't learned all the ins and outs yet.

The drink package (all inclusive) says:

**Take advantage of our All-Inclusive Beverage Package which includes any individual beverage item, such as soda, water, cocktails, spirits, wines, beers, coffee and tea, up to $10 (retail value).**

So how many drinks on the ship actually cost "$10 or less"? I assume the beers are $10 or less, but what about mixed drinks? I am not thrilled about paying $57/day for a package that is still going to cost me a buck or two for every drink I get.

PS...thanks about the Crab Shack and coffee questions, my buddy and I are seafood freaks, and he's a coffee drinker!

thanks so much martha!!!! It looks like you had a blast and you set my mind at ease. I think i'll go for it!

have a wonderful time!

How much climbing and walking is involved? Were you at all concerned with the safety of jumping? Were you confident the water was deep enough? I'm a worry wort but also very tempted. I will have an 11 and 15 year old with me.

I completely understand your worries! I am a large lady (fluffy is what they call it in Jamaica, which I love, as fat gets old and insulting fast). I was concerned about climbing, jumping, help, etc. I've attached a pic, I had a blast! I'm the big one he's helping in the pic. Daniel was our BH guide and he was fabulous. I experienced everything that he felt I safely could (I didn't go under the falls at the bottom, tight space, small hole--small for me, and I couldn't do the rope because I can't hold my weight safely). I jumped from the highest spot at the top of the tour, and I was the only one in our party to do it! Do what you feel comfortable doing, and enjoy it! No one cares, no one stares, the guide will keep you safe.

The kids will LOVE you if you take them here and will probably say this was the best part of the trip! Our guide told us about the depth and history on the way there, we had no worries about depth as they have yet to find the bottom.

ONE NOTE: Wear water shoes! They are a must for gripping and feeling secure on the walking.

Yes, they are worth it IF:

1. You DO NOT have cabana #1, and

2. You stay all day, mostly in the cabana, enjoying the water and floaties

If you have other excursions planned, I wouldn't even bother with the OTW cabana, you won't be there enough to enjoy it. I would suggest you go to the excursions desk first thing and ask what your cabana number is. They assign them in advance, so don't let them tell you otherwise. If you have #1, cancel! The only difference between sitting on the beach and having cabana #1 is you are in a wooden shack and have a server, otherwise, it's right on the beach, even the entry to the water is into only about 18 inches of water. You have to swim out around the other cabanas to get to the deeper water. Completely a waste of money.

Don't get me wrong, it was perfect for me, as I am not a sightseer, and I love just lounging. But the other two 'strikes' made the price one of the things that rubbed me wrong.

Just back from 5 nights on Indy. Ports: Falmouth, Jamaica & Labadee, Haiti

General info

This was the 2nd Annual Martha's Mutt Mover's raffle/fundraiser cruise. The first was also on RCCL, on Enchantment. I never cruised before doing these for my non-profit. There were a few in our group of 13 that were new to cruising, but the rest had cruised multiple times, several went on the 1st Annual cruise last year. We did the early dinner seating (6 pm) in the MDR. Last year we did MTD. I purchased the Select drink pkg, a couple friends had Royal Refreshment, at least one had the Ultimate. All had balcony cabins on the port side, deck 6.

Pier/Embark:

Arrived about 10:15 am, right through check in, and on the ship within about 30 minutes.

Cabin attendant:

RUDE! Chastised me when I asked her to put the beds together, and make up the couch (leaving it open for the duration). Must have repeated 3 times I was doubling her work and that I should have requested it beforehand. Even kept showing me her clipboard to prove it was doable, because I told her I tried to do it, through RCCL and my travel agent, but neither could. A trip to guest services resulted in configuration being done, apologies being made, and a comp'd dinner at Giovanni's being had. But is was truly a crappy way to start the cruise.

MDR:

Gorgeous, delicious food, great wait staff - Christina/Tohal/David/Ben. Never had a single issue with drink orders or waiting or food quality. Really enjoyed the scheduled seating and knowing we were dealing with the same folks night after night. Have to share - one night, I ordered everything on the menu that had "shrimp" in the name. :p We were in MacBeth for dinner, but for lunch one day, we went to Romeo & Juliet. The salads are made for you, in a buffet style, you pick what you want, how many scoops of each item, and then he mixes it with your dressing and puts it into a bowl. FRESH is an understatement. I would go there every day for lunch from now on! Went there for breakfast one day and ICK, wouldn't bother ever again. The toast came after I was done eating my main meal. Ridiculous, considering they weren't even crowded.

Giovanni's

We were tired from Haiti, but the food was great. Steak was done perfectly (I like it practically moo'ing, and you could faintly hear it, I swear!).

Windjammer

Typical buffet, but I love buffet dining, so I was happy. I really felt the crowds here, though, and I get really frustrated/freaked out when that happens - too much pushing, rudeness, bumping, inconsiderate. I just can't take that.

Falmouth, Jamaica

I booked a private tour with Patrice Bailey. Blue Hole, Scotchies, shopping, and checking out the sites on the way back to port. This was by far the best day of the cruise. The guide (Kay) was funny, informative, and totally laid back. The driver (Trevor) was hysterical, singing and playing local tunes on the radio. Hey, how couldn't it be laid back and fun, it's Jamaica mon, everyting is curry! Kay even handled the ladies hawking their wares, we didn't have to deal with them at all, she did. We got exactly what we wanted, for half the price. **RE: others in our group. One couple was given the wrong time for their excursion, an hour later than it actually left. So they hurried to combine them with the Allure tour. It was stressful for them and our TA is checking on a partial credit. Another gal was stuck on a weird snorkel tour that left her stranded in the middle of nowhere for almost 3.5 hours. I talked to the excursions desk and she received a refund - and they noted this tour had major complaints that day. Both of these were RCCL excursions.

Blue Hole

Guide here was Daniel and he took great care of us. As a larger lady (fluffy, as they call it in Jamaica!), he made sure I got to do most everything available, and do it safely. I had a blast! We were a group of 9, with 7 of us getting in the game at some point or another. The high jumping into the deep pools was awesome! I cannot imagine going to Dunns River Falls after experiencing this place.

Labadee, Haiti

I splurged on a Nellie's beach over the water cabana ($495) with our own cabana boy. Well, the price wasn't the only robbery that occurred. First, we got there and someone else was in our cabana (#4-by far the best one IMO). They didn't look at their ticket, just believed them when they said "we're in 4". I knew what cabana we had, having asked the night before at the excursions desk. They tried to put us in #1 (the worst IMO), saying "easier for you" (remember, I'm fluffy), "closer to beach", blah blah blah. I insisted on what we were assigned. They weren't happy, but the boss handled it. Then, while at the upgraded buffet on Barefoot Beach (which was delicious), someone went up to our cabana and took our cash. Yes, we shouldn't have left it, HOWEVER, we asked our cabana guy what to do, he said leave everything. He said we were his only cabana and no one comes up. Cabana 4 is at the top of the dead end rock steps, no one needs to be on them unless they are going to the cabana, and the attendants sit right at the bottom of the steps. He was there, because the cabana was straightened up and a towel animal was there. Most upsetting was the fact the RCCL island security boss searched all of us, our things, right there, as if we would pay $495 for a cabana, then hide/try to get away with a $70 ruse! Pissed us off and we ended up just going back to the ship.

Casino

Had a blast! Saved most of our gambling for Friday, and it paid off (well, I paid them back, but winning was fun!). 30-1 trips twice in a row, 40-1 straight flush a few hands later. Fun times!

Promenade

We tried Ben & Jerry's (love the Phish Food) and Sorrento's Pizza (not impressed, tasted like frozen pizza). A couple in our group did the cupcake decorating and loved it. The ones they made were burgers and fries, and they were adorable!! LOL We peeked into the Dog & Badger, but didn't order anything.

The Shows

I am not a show person, so only did the first show, with a great comedian, and the Motown show. I wanted to do Quest and heard it was hysterical, but it was the night of Haiti, and we were bummed and burned and pooped out. I will do Quest one of these times! If it kills me! I took stuff to dress up for the disco night, again, same night as Quest and Haiti, so missed this one, too! LOL

Drink packages

NOT WORTH IT. They don't have any soda machines, so having a special cup does nothing for avoiding lines. You have to fill the cup at the bars or restaurants. And if you are already in line there, just grab a freebie tea or water! Just as easy and free. I did get my monies worth in virgin frozen drinks, as well as Coronas, but I wouldn't get anything more than the Select pkg, if I was thinking of drinking, and if not, I wouldn't even get a drink package. The gal that had the Ultimate pkg felt cheated as she just liked a few glasses of wine with dinner, and they gave her the up-sale. :mad: This was her first cruise, so lesson learned.

Debark

The $20 for getting your bag sent early, and your boarding pass to you, was the best deal of the entire trip. I didn't have any checked bags, but my friend that traveled with me did, and our stuff was packed together. Bag left the night before, and we didn't see it again until we arrived in Cleveland the next day. It was great! We did self debark. I left the cabin at 7:40 am and I was at the airport by 9:30 am - with about 30 minutes of waiting being for others ni my group, not related to crowds or anything.

That's about it. Any questions, I'll try to answer them. I had a great time, in spite of the problems. But, next years cruise is on Princess, so we'll see.

You will know ahead of time, just use the link posted above. That will give you about 5 days advance notice.

So, if I'm reading it correctly, the IOS is leaving from 25 on Monday?

Now I am worried about this new mosquito virus being that Blue Hole is up in the mountain area with a lot of trees/vegetation. Is anyone else worried??

Nope. Haven't been pregnant for 32 years, I bought bug spray, and this isn't really anything more than the flu with a fancy name. It's the "shock" story of the hour, that's all.

Who is most susceptible?

While the Zika infection is not particularly serious for most people, the virus is a high risk for pregnant women, who have seen it linked to congenital birth defects like microcephaly (fetal brain damage). The CDC currently recommends that any pregnant women, regardless of trimester, postpone travel to any region that could be affected by Zika. In addition, women who are trying to become pregnant are also at risk.

How does it spread?

Zika is most commonly transmitted through a mosquito bite; Aedes mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters, which is unfortunate for cruise ship passengers who tour ports during the day. Rarely, the virus can be passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy or even during birth. There is a report of the virus being spread through blood transfusion and one stating it was transmitted through sexual contact.

What are cruise lines doing about it?

Carnival Corp., which comprises cruise lines including Princess, Carnival, Holland America, Costa and Cunard, is sending information about Zika virus to passengers booked on cruises to affected areas. Pregnant women who need to cancel their cruises will be provided future cruise credits for them and their traveling companions to rebook at a later time. Norwegian Cruise Line is allowing passengers who are before final payment to select a different itinerary that does not visit the affected area without penalty; passengers who have made final payment may choose a future cruise credit. Royal Caribbean is handling passenger concerns on a case-by-case basis

What are the symptoms?

Only one in five of those infected with Zika will actually experience symptoms. These include mild fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), diarrhea, headache or muscle pain. The illness typically goes away in a week and rarely requires hospitalization.

Anybody have any questions about NYE cruises on Freedom/Voyager Class? Just got back. We did the 5 night on IOS out of Ft Lauderdale.

 

Ports were Labadee & Falmouth, Jamaica.

 

Pre cruise stayed at Hyatt Pier 66 & after stayed at Marriott Harbor Beach.

 

Video of NYE Vacation here:

Does IOS have the Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine yet?

That policy has changed; one person can order a package without impacting a cabin mate.

REALLY???? That is the best news I have read all day! Thanks so much!

This is what is says in the description on the website: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experiencetypes/category.do?pagename=onboard_cat_dining_options

 

"Royal Replenish Pay one set price and enjoy our entire selection of premium coffee, premium tea, bottled water: sparkling or still, fresh squeezed orange juice, non-alcoholic cocktails, plus fountain soda with Coca Cola® souvenir cup."

 

However, when you click the link that says Learn More and it takes you to the brochure, it does not mention non-alcoholic cocktails. Confusing! http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/beverage_packages.pdf

When I have found this problem with items for my current cruise (leaving in 19 days), I print off a copy of exactly what I BOOKED from. They can argue not to honor it, but I will argue just hard to make them.:mad:

Can you direct me to that text on their website? All I can find is the updated brochure-and it does not mention n/a frozen beverages. There is another thread that makes me think that they discontinued these as being a part of this package. I want to print it so I can call and confirm for my cruise on 2/19.

I already purchsed the RR, so I went into "MYCRUISES", pulled up my trip and my excursions, and clicked on the description for the RR package I have. Here's a screenshot. Sorry, I couldn't get the sucker any larger (technically challenged). But the blurb at the bottom, that is hard to read in the jpeg, is what I copy/pasted in the post before.

Booked with Patrice Bailey - party of 8 from Flamouth to Blue Hole, in a 10-15 passenger van, driver for the day, is $480. Stopping for sights and food on the trip back to port after jumping/diving/swinging.

Hoping "no bathrooms" means there is someplace close to get to once you leave. Or are leg crossing exercises something I should start practicing now?

We are booked (8 of us) with Patrice Bailey (IOS 2/22/16 sailing). She has been great to deal with via email. And she said the first stop is Blue Hole, then as you work your way back to the ship, you stop and see the sights, shop, and eat. She has our day planned, including her final sentence "the important thing is to return you to ship in good enough time". ;) I am looking fwd to meeting her as the feedback I read prior to booking was all very positive!

Nothing "preventing" you from cheating (stealing) if that's what you really want to do.

I'm curious about "trading" drinks. Not stealing---more a work around. My sister (non drinker) and I are cabin mates. A friend of ours (non drinker) is traveling solo in a cabin. I don't want to get a drink (w/alcohol) pkg for me because that would mean sis has to have the same. I can't drink enough to justify TWO packages, as much as I would be willing to try:D. But if friend and I are hanging together, I get what he wants, he gets what I want and we switch. Same is going to RC, just not allowing them to screw me. Suggestions? At this point I'm just going with RR and buying one drink at a time :(

16oz aluminium bottes Bud/Miller/Coors/Michelob are $6. Import bottles are between $5.5 - 7 depending.

Corona available??

Basic cocktails $8 to $10. Fancy cocktails $12 to $14.

So, do you think they have hairy navels? and if so, would it be a basic or fancy? :p

Does anyone know the current price for the non-alcohol drinks if you do not purchase the replenish package? I have purchased it the last two cruises but I am debating because the next cruise is very port intensive.

Thanks

I got the RR as well, because, yes, frozen n/a drinks included (I'm addicted to n/a pina coladas):

PER RC:

Save on our entire stock of non-alcoholic beverages. The Royal Replenish Package lets you pay one set price* to enjoy a wide variety of beverages.

This all-inclusive package includes our full selection of premium coffee, premium tea, and bottled water, including sparkling and still.

But that's not all. You can also choose fresh squeezed orange juice, non-alcoholic cocktails, and any fountain soda, which includes a Coca Cola® souvenir cup. Bottoms up!

19 days!!! I can't wait!