GalwayGirl03

ok so I am booked on 7 day Eastern/Perfect Day on Independence so I could switch to Symphony..if so I will get a steal!

Can you lift and shift from a Kids Sail Free sailing this fall to one that isn't KSF yet but would be under normal KSF promo (the 2021 sailing isn't usually a blackout date).

I am in the same boat! We have a 8 day Southeast Coast in  VO scheduled on Grandeur in November.  We will most likely keep it b/c it is still 6 months away but given what is going on I wanted to look at our options for Lift & Shift...well we are out of luck b/c Grandeur is being sold and Enchantment is taking her place so EOS is the only ship doing SouthEast Coast in 2021. Well we are in a VO on Grandeur and there is no VO on Enchantment (same class ship but EOS doesn't have a VO but all other's do!).  It is annoying but oh well...they are really strict with Lift & Shift!

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The VO category does not exist on Enchantment.  Officially you will not be able to Lift and Shift as it has to be the same stateroom category unless they are willing to make an exception.  You will need to call, even then I don't think they will be able to give you the suite perks on a non suite room.

Thanks that is just frustrating b/c it is the exact same room and for some reason they didn't give that room the VO distinction on Enchantment but did on every other ship in the same class!!

I have looked through his post and I haven't seen this issue come up...we are sailing on grandeur in the VO this year and we are thinking about possibly lifting and shifting but the only ship that has the same itinerary is Enchantment in 2021.  I would be ok on that ship no issue but the problem being is the VO on Grandeur is considered a full suite and for some reason on Enchantment it is not  (on Radiance it is).  I am paying a pretty steep price for it b/c we have it over Thanksgiving this year and I don't want to loose the suite benefits..before I bother my TA I wanted to see if any of you know or had the same issue!

Thanks

My inlaws are in Ireland ( imported my husband to the states) and they once visited us in Philly in August and they will never ever come during the summer again!!!  They have cruised with us too and December is beautiful down in the Caribbean for them but I couldn't imagine them being able to handle the heat during the summer.  I think Harmony will be your best bet in the Med.  Good luck!!!!

We are loyal to royal and have traveled in JS, VPs, VOs and Ultra Spacious OV with our family of 5 (2 adults and three kids (they are currently 10,8,4).  The Ultra Spacious OV will be your cheapest bet and they are great! They have a bunk area with two bids, some even have their own little bedroom, usually a pull out sofa that can fit another 2 and then the Royal King.  We also have a ultra spacious OV booked for Brilliance next year.

I hope they open other ports...we are scheduled on Grandeur in November so here is hoping!

We stayed in one of the UltraSpacious rooms on Deck 11 on Oasis no issues with noise!

2 minutes ago, soremekun said:

Oasis cruise is only 4 days.

Freedom cruise is only 1 port.

Allure is still winning.  The kids will love Perfect Day!

Yes, we are doing Perfect Day in 11/2020 too!!! Can't wait for it:)

Thanks everyone! We are so torn.  We have only done Oasis and to be honest we didn't really love the Mega ships.  We love the Freedom Class ships and (Adventure/Navigator Size).  I am leaning towards Allure b/c I love that it goes to both Labadee and Perfect Day.  We also have thrown in Oasis which is a 4 day going to Cozumel that week...have them all on hold with our TA for the next few days while we think it through.  The pluses for Freedom is we love her (one of our fave ships) and Cape Liberty is a 90 minute drive home so with three kids that is a bonus but an over night in Bermuda seems pretty lame with the kids.  

For may 2021...allure 6 day going to labadee, Falmouth, and perfect day.

Freedom repositioning..from San Jaun to New York with a night stay over in Bermuda.

both ships will be amplified. Both are within 50 dollars of each other...

flights both way for allure only one way for freedom.

The sailing is for me my hubby and 3 kids...11, 9, and 5 at time of sailing!

thanks:)

Yes on Grandeur..Baltimore is only 1.5 hours for us...no plane tickets for us either and we booked way back in august for this so our price is AMAZING....its over 1500 more now...so book ASAP!!

We have a KSF sailing over Thanksgiving next year b/c it is an 8 day cruise that leaves the day before the thanksgiving black out sale...we are in a full suite for an amazing deal...so yes KSF is the real deal...but there are blackout dates!

Yes, we were on Adventure on the 12/1 sailing and we left and returned to 29..allure also set sail the same day as we did but came back a day later b/c our sailing was a 6 day. HTH 

We were on this cruise too and it was excellent..so bummed i missed the martini class I forgot all about wanting to do it once i was on board!  We saw the Switch Band on the formal night and Friday night. I guess we were lucky and got a seat on their second set!!! They were amazing..Hypnotist  was hilarious..we were at the 9pm show...Our junior suite on deck 11 was AMAZING...can't beat the location of being 10 steps to the solarium! 

We find the best time to book with KSF is with the WOW sale...with TA OBC and the WOW OBC we usually get around 500 OBC and a 7 day cruise for 5 is about 2200-2500.

I am on the 12/1 sailing so I can post stuff when I return!  10 days and counting!!

19 minutes ago, ladybug.2009 said:

 

Here's the TRUTH (having just come off a RCL cruise with a 2 year old, and 2 older kids)

 

If you book the baby as a 5th guest (in a crib, in a 4 person room) it will be cheapest.

 

If you also book on the kids sail free promo, then 3rd and 4th (assuming they're kids) will pay just taxes/port fees.  Port fees and taxes CAN vary depending on baby's age and where you are going.

 

When booking, we were told the baby would be free other than the slightly lower tax/port fees, and were shocked when they tried to grab automatic gratuities once aboard!

Pretty outrageous cash grab, charging tips on a 2 year old!!! 

But then, automatic tips are for suckers anyway, so we removed it for everyone and just handed out cash.

 

FYI: they told us not to bring a crib (pack and play) because they'd provide one, and it turned out to be in poor shape, with a broken bottom.  They also said they'd provide the linens, and that was a lie.

So I recommend you bring your own, and for sure your own fitted crib sheets.

 

 Yes, I am right there with you adding the 3rd kid if under 4 in a room that usually sleeps 4....We got an unbelievable fare on the last navigator sailing in April to ABC...we added our 2 almost three year old to our quad room and he just slept in bed for with us...yes it was a tight squeeze for 5 of us in an interior..but hey a day on a cruise is better than any day at home!!

We have use the pack and play before on other sailings and they do provide linen per se but it is honestly just a regular flat sheet folded..so yes we brought our own pack and play sheets.  The Family Ocean Views are great for larger families...and we always save a bundle with KSF.

Wait until there is a kids sail free...it is honestly the only true sale that Royal gives...we get great prices by booking a year out in advance with kids sail free!

We were on navigator in April and they measured my 7 year old like everytime he went..after a couple days the crew recognized him and stopped measuring him. He was 48.5 inches....I am worried for my 3 year old b/c he is 41 inches and the small slide in the splash away bay on Adventure has a 42 inch rule but I am hoping they are a little more lax b/c it is a tiny slide in the middle of the deck, but who knows!!

We always cruise first week in December.  Price is great and it is my daughter's bday.  We did Freedom Southern last year and i it was great.  We are doing Adventure Western this year....can't beat the price and the weather the first week of December!

The only sales I think that honestly save your money is if you have kids and can take advantage of the Kids Sails Free.  We also like the Wow Sale which gives you 300 OBC if you book a suite.  We usually always book during this sale b.c it usually happens with a KSF.

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

OS? or the Seaview or the Royal Suite?

We are in the VO...we stayed in this room on enchantment and had no issue but that was a warm water cruise.

Thanks Tee Rick...we may stay down the thursday night bc some hotels offer free parking with your stay but I am glad to hear we could do it same day without issue.

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

As others have said, the weather can go either way, but I would strongly warn against taking a guarantee these days.

 

I once had 4514. The waves weren't even "that" high.  It was a very unhappy experience.  I cruise often, am a very good sailor, and never suffer from mal de mer.  But that cabin was NOT good.  And there are quite a few cabins FARTHER forward.

 

You could indeed get a cabin very far forward, so be warned.

 

 

We are totally forward on deck 8..so this scares me!!!!