Kissmya63

I have not gotten an email and I have a cruise booked far enough out that will see the increased gratuity. I have not gotten an email from RCCL announcing this new policy. The only way I found out about it is that I am active on Cruise Critic right now.

 

So, while it is posted it is not very well publicized. A courtesy email to RCCL Crown and Anchor Members and/or those who have a cruise reserved prior to announcing the new policy is appropriate. I don't have an issue paying gratuity or what I signed up for, but, I don't like things changing after the fact.

I am cruising on May 28th and I received an email today at around 4:30pm local time.

I chose to pre-pay my gratuities when I booked the cruise so I should be good, right?

This sounds like a terrific trip. Did you book the entire trip through Princess?

We used a TA but yes, all of it was through Princess. They do a wonderful job in Alaska! If you have any questions just let me know! I'd be happy to help if I can!

We will be there in June and chose VIP Tours. According to Trip Advisor and posts I've seen here on CC it sounds like we can't go wrong. Here is where Edo from VIP Tours will be taking us:

- 9 am pickup from the harbor

- Drive to the west of the island and visit the Christoffel Park

- Visit Shete Boka where you can see the rough north coast of the island (here you can also try some of the local dishes if you like)

- Visit several stunning beaches for a photo stop

- Visit the Salt Lakes of Jan Kok and try to spot some Flamingos

- During this tour there will be several photo stops at nice viewpoints on the way.

The tour goes from 9am to 5pm. I can't wait!

Yes that is correct. Always verify with your carrier and tell them the specifics like the cruise line AND which ship you will be on. Also be sure to verify what the charge is for data!

 

The ship's wifi, like any other public wifi, is fine as long as you encrypt your traffic through a VPN. It can be your employer's (if allowed) or you can purchase a logon. You can get a month of service for far cheaper than what a (data) roaming plan will cost.

 

Here's a link with some more information:

 

https://www.bestvpn.com/blog/4789/best-vpn-for-wifi-hotspots/

 

Even if you're not tech savy, they are easy to set up and support of the top rated providers is good.

 

A few dollars goes a long way to ensure no one is sniffing your packets. ;)

Wow! This is crazy! My main reason for wanting internet is for Facebook and private email. I don't use VPN at work because I don't have a laptop from work.

All I want is to stay connected for the week I'm gone. Sounds like more work and money than I really want to spend.

Can I purchase a VPN for only a week?

Am I really at risk just getting on Facebook and email once or twice a day? I think I know the answer, but geez :D

So if I decide to get an international calling plan with Verizon, then I am in essence doing what I'm doing now. I text, call, get on Facebook, check my personal emails, etc. However, when I get on the ship and we're out at sea I won't have any cell signal so I won't be able to do anything out at sea? Then I would need to purchase the ships wifi.

I see myself using internet on my phone more on the ship than at port. However, I don't want to risk getting hacked.

Do I have this right?

Thanks for everyone's help :)

If your phone is set up to send plain text passwords, for example, to a POP mail account.

The wifi that you pay for on ship is secure, correct?

We've only been on 2 cruises in 23 years and our 3rd one coming up. First cruise was our honeymoon with very limited funds. We did inside cabin. Our TA said we would never be in there anyway except to sleep. She was right, but I don't think I would do that again. I would want at least a window so I can see outside.

2nd cruise was Alaska and I was told that if we could do it, get a balcony. We did, I loved it and I don't think I would go without one again. Our next cruise is at the end of May and we got a JS. So we shall see. I've already been looking at a 4th with a GS, but I don't know if I want to spend that kind of money. We shall see ;)

We celebrated our 20th anniversary in Alaska and we chose Princess. We liked the "off the beaten path" choices they had. We flew into Anchorage a day early and explored on our own and then we went to Denali, Mt. McKinley and Copper River. Then we cruised.

Now, remember I can only speak for the experience we had on Princess. I do recommend doing land first because you're always on the move from hotel to hotel. On the days you're traveling to another destination you need to have your luggage out and ready to go very early and you're on your way early.

A week later we were boarding the ship and had 2 days at sea (glacier viewing mostly) and we were able to relax a bit before doing the ports of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.

I researched for over a year before making my choice and it was the vacation of a lifetime for us!!! I don't know if anything will ever compare!

Enjoy planning and enjoy the trip - its nothing like we had ever seen before!!!

When we went on our first cruise we stayed with excursions that the ship had. We didn't go on private tours. This was back in '92 and neither of us have ever been out of the country or on a ship. We were pretty scared, but also so excited. I think I'm glad there wasn't the internet back then, LOL!

You are going to have the time of your life! Be smart and don't go off the beaten path where you find yourself alone where there are no tourists. One of our stops on our first cruise was Martinique and we were warned to make sure to stay around people; not to go off alone. We chose an excursion on a bus where we were with a lot of other people and toured the island. It was beautiful. Just don't put yourself in danger and you are going to be more than fine!!

We are going on our 3rd cruise in a couple of months and I'm worried about the depression when we get back - I may have to book another cruise while we're aboard ship, LOL!! The ship we're on in May is going into dry dock in the Fall and I read a ton of negative reviews and I thought about changing itineraries and ships. But I also found positive reviews and I'm just not going to worry about it. It's vacation and its going to be fun!!!

Have fun planning - it's is half the fun!!! :p

We are coming in a day early to San Juan (our cruise starts I SJ) and we have a general idea of what we're doing thanks to my brother-in-law, who was there in 2014 and his wife has been there at least a couple times. He sent me this - a walking tour he did is OSJ:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/La+Cueva+Del+Mar/Plaza+de+Armas/Rosa+de+Triana/Caf%C3%A9+del+Totem/Plaza+del+Quinto+Centenario/Castillo+San+Felipe+del+Morro/Cuartel+de+Ballaja/Airenumo,+102+Calle+Tanca,+San+Juan,+00901,+Puerto+Rico/@18.4651513,-66.1247603,1851m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m50!4m49!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xa8a079145a46f9a2!2m2!1d-66.113704!2d18.4645806!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x49cb2b7b75cf120d!2m2!1d-66.1167203!2d18.4652873!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x622599eff4a059b7!2m2!1d-66.1181949!2d18.4654956!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x71b5f50364389290!2m2!1d-66.1185653!2d18.4672001!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x61dc610df29f6ca8!2m2!1d-66.1189976!2d18.4677948!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x6a00424a75265f23!2m2!1d-66.1235063!2d18.4709349!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x3ec3cf849d613a8d!2m2!1d-66.1198127!2d18.4677837!1m5!1m1!1s0x8c036ec7515e7293:0xc9d3d7123db14ef9!2m2!1d-66.1144506!2d18.4667259!3e2

It looks like it has some interesting areas. He stayed at a hotel there and gave me this info:

leave hotel

· head to Plaza de Armas

· Lunch @ Rosa de Triana - excellent food and sangria - sit in the courtyard

· Leave room for another cocktail @ Café del Totem

· Head to the fort – El Morro Fort

· Stop off and see the massive courtyard @ Quartel de Ballaja

· Head for cocktail and/or more food at Restaurant Airenumo – along the way walk alone the city wall and see the cemetery down below

This is all in Old San Juan.

I hope this helps!!

So I was just looking at the reward options. Am I reading it right - no upgrades at all to any suite of any kind? If you have enough points for a free or discounted cruise - no suites allowed?

Points expire 5 years after they are earned.

See! I knew it would be quicker on here! Thanks :)

We've only been on two cruises. Our honeymoon in 1992 and Alaska in 2012 for our 20th anniversary. We are going on our 3rd at the end of May. I tried to get friends to go with but no one wanted to go. A couple of them wouldn't be caught dead on a ship because for some reason they're terrified. Some just can't afford it (most of our friends have kids that are still in the house - our kids are grown and out of the house).

I love when its just the two of us, but back in 2009 my bro-in-law had a destination wedding in Vero Beach FL. There were friends and family invited and I thought it was going to be a disaster, but we all had so much fun. Most of us came in days early and when we saw each other great, but we could be by ourselves too. We found our "spot" by the pool and you just knew that if you wanted to find some fun - just go to the spot.

My DH doesn't know it yet, but we will be cruising more frequently ;) So hopefully next time we can try and plan something with friends and see what happens.

Does anyone know off-hand when/if points expire with RC BOA card? I can look it up but thought I would get a quicker reply here ;)

JS guests do not get access to the Concierge lounge, correct?

Yes, you can normally make MTD reservations pre-cruise. Those reservations open at different times than specailty restaurants and excursions. Keep checking the website.

Thank you Bob for your quick response!

We have MTD right now (waitlisted for late traditional). Can I make reservations online before we cruise? Right now I can only book Giovanni's and Chef's Table. I'm wondering if it's just too early? We're on Adventure, sailing out of SJ on May 28th. I don't even know if I should be concerned. We don't care if we dine with others; in fact that's why we tried for traditional, because we prefer it.

Thanks in advance!!

So excited for our cruise! May 28th can't come soon enough!

Oh, me too! I spent the better part of yesterday on here looking up everything Adventure of the Seas :o

73 days until we leave!!!

Yes...but I personally would avoid the fee. What works for me is bringing enough cash and as a backup I bring Cashier's Checks (yes you can still get them and there's no fee to cash them) to cash onboard if it would ever become necessary..and how I prefer to handle my traveling financials...taking cash advances on my credit card isn't something I would or have ever needed to do regardless of where I am....JMHO.

Can you cash in Traveler's Checks onboard for cash? I'm assuming yes, but want to make sure. I don't feel comfortable carrying a ton of cash around and all excursions we are booked on prefer cash or don't take cc's at all.

Thanks! :)

We board on May 28th, but not the same route. We're leaving out of San Juan but we go to St. Martin, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire.

Looking forward to reading the rest of your review!!!

I can't decide if I want to get internet or not. All I would need it for would be to check my email every once in a while and posting pictures on Facebook :)

Our very first cruise was on Monarch of the Seas in September 1992. It was for our honeymoon and we pinched pennies in order to be able to do this cruise! We went to a TA and told them what we wanted and she suggested Royal and said it was the best out there.

To save money we stayed in an inside cabin. TA said we'd never be in the room and she was right! We did a 7-day cruise and visited 5 islands - Martinique, Antigua, St. Thomas, St. Marten, and Barbados. The only time it didn't rain was when we got on the ship in San Juan that Sunday until the next afternoon. Back then I never heard of anything called Hurricane Season, LOL!!

I remember somewhere on the ship was a wall map and little pegs lit up as you went throughout the route. We had to veer from that route a bit because of bad weather, and it showed on this map where we were at all times! It was the coolest thing.

Service was outstanding, food was outstanding. The entire week was like a fantasy. Neither of us have never been that spoiled. We felt like royalty!

Midnight buffet on the last night was awesome! They let you walk through first and take pictures of it. I got pictures with the chefs too. The ice sculpture were amazing!

In 2012 we went with Princess on a cruisetour of Alaska for our 20th Anniversary. While it was the vacation of a lifetime (excellent weather the entire time. Saw breaching Orcas. Eagles. Bear with 3 cubs. Etc. etc), it still wasn't the service and quality of food we remembered from 1992.

In a couple of months we will be taking our 3rd cruise. We will be back with RCCI. I don't expect the quality of service or food as we had in 1992, but that's okay! I still can't wait.

I know this got long - I got carried away for a moment back to our honeymoon ;)

How is Adventure's internet service? Is it worth the $20/day for one device? I don't want to pay and then have all sorts of issues connecting. I am a Facebook-aholic :D and I'm hoping to be able to be on there while on the ship.

How will you know when the Welcome Back reception is? I'm assuming on your cruise compass?

We would like to go to Shete Boka the morning that we arrive and were thinking about a taxi. Do you negotiate a rate before you go, or is there a set rate? How much on average to get to Shete Boka and maybe a couple other interesting places? I saw VIP Tours but that's $225 for 2 people which seems high to me.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

We will be on Adventure at the end of May. Is the wifi while at sea reliable?

I am not cell phone/device savy at all, but I know I want to have access to the internet while on the ship. If I purchase an internet package on the ship and only use the ships wifi, then my cell phone company won't charge me for using my phone, right? If that is the case I don't see any reason to purchase an international plan with Verizon (my carrier).