luckyprincess

Your bf doesn't know what he is missing. Definitely go the the schooner bar if curtis is there. He is amazing. Beautiful avatar.

I will definitely check him out! and thank you!! :D

Or, you could just factor in the cost of gratuities when planning your cruise.

This! I never understand this argument, whether it has to do with cruises or restaurants! People say 'well they should just raise the price!' and act upset but it's the same flipping thing! Whether you get charged $20 extra in your cruise or you have the option of giving $20 extra to the person working for you (and yes, tipped employees are split as being employees of the company AND you as you are both expected by society and the good ol IRS to pay a portion of their pay based on performance) you are paying $20 more. Why the huge semantics over whether you get to determine the pay based on performance or whether the company charges you extra to pay your share? I don't understand it. And before anyone says 'they should get a decent wage!' I would NEVER have worked anywhere that paid flat instead of getting tips. I'm a very hard worker and great at what I do which means I usually exceeded 20% in tips. If I worked for a flat rate I'd make less.... I liked being given the option of making more money based on how hard I worked.

In Ocho Rios, we did the tubing, White water safari, nice n easy,

Just hop in the tube and the guides set you off, singing along the way

You end up at an outlet onto the beach where we spent the rest of the day.

We did through RC

Happy Days.

That sounds pretty good! I can't swim - did they give you a vest?

You can bring in 2 bottles of wine or champagne per cabin.

 

We stopped at Total Wine in Ft. Lauderdale the night before we sailed and we were good for the trip. Put both in our carry-on bag and got through security question-free.

That's great news for me!! Considering I'm on a steady diet of full strength Dramamine when I cruise I can't drink too too much anyway :D

All of those options are just fine! Especially with airline checked baggage $$ being what it is, formal nights are understandably less dressy. I'd say if you could pack a nice light sports coat that would be your most all-encompassing best bet. Then a couple of shirts and a couple of ties should get you through any dining situation. Have fun!!!

You can bring wine on now?? Really? Is it per cabin or per person? I want to pre-order some wines and some champagne for the stateroom (I always do champagne and strawberries on the balcony for sailaway!) but when I did it on Freedom it was an epic failure on their part! Feel free to access my Freedom review to hear how badly they screwed it up! I really, really don't want that to happen again! Anyone know if the wine service that is pre-ordered is good on Liberty?

Awesome tips, thank you!! And I love hearing how many people loved her!

Everybody lend an ear...I have a little secret.........

This might of happened to us on our stop at Labadee last October because we were lucky or because all were not booked that day but I had booked a hillside cabana on Nellies Beach and the wife and I were one of the first people there to check in that day. When we checked in we were given a Barefoot Beach hillside cabana instead of Nellies with full Barefoot Beach privilages including the Barefoot Beach wristband for the access. As I said we don't know the reason why this happened and we didn't ask! There were some suite guest that was in our Roll Call that had a cabana on Barefoot and they were shocked to see us there because they knew we were not in a suite! :cool:

Lol that's awesome! You must be Irish! :D

I did a cash account last time. Essentially, you're paying for everything with cash when you do that so yes, is the answer. You give them the amount of cash you want your line of credit to be and they debit your sea pass as you make purchases. However, be careful! I was very surprised to learn that they will let you go over the amount of cash you have given them! And yes, the onus is on me really, to manage my account but often I'm not in the room or something didn't show up right away. I really think (especially with kids or young adults) they should decline any purchase that goes over your cash account like banks do. That way if you only had a certain amount and no other funds you can't get yourself into trouble. Mine was over by .35 (or some change) and they wouldn't let me leave the ship lol. I had to go stand on an incredible line and pay it. I wanted to just leave a dollar in the room and call it even! :p

We did the Mystic Mountain (where the bobsleds are) and Dunn's River a few years ago. The excursion was offered through RC. This was one of the best excursions we ever did! The views at Mystic Mountain (and bobsleds and awesome jerk chicken:) and then climbing the falls remains a favorite memory for our family! I would highly recommend an excursion that combines both....enjoy:)

Thanks Tweety! I'm terrified of heights but I really want to do it! I'm trying to find out all the info because it sounds like a blast! I did the zipline at Labadee and got through my fear so I'm hoping I can do the same here... I'm going to check Youtube for videos now because someone said the chair lift up is really long and high :eek:

Is the price of the cabana by person or just a flat fee for both people. I looked on my planner and it said $250 for an adult. Is it $500 for both of us to use it?

It's a flat rate so when you choose it only choose 1 guest :)

Thanks Clarea, you are like my personal travel advisor today!! I appreciate the input! :D

So, to keep myself from talking cruise non-stop with my friend I'm checking out shore excursions. We like active stuff (I can't swim though but I do snorkeling, parasailing, tubing) and they have a few to choose from. I'm wondering if anyone has done the Jamaican Bobsled excursion? I'm also considering the river tubing and Dunn's Falls tour. Is climbing the falls difficult? Thanks!

If you're a non suite guest, and you book a cabana, do you get the different buffet area as well, or is that only for suite guests?

I'm a non-suite guest and it says this (I'm unsure if these are regular or upgraded buffets but the upgraded one I had last time wasn't really worth anything imo price wise - not a make or break): Rental includes 2 floating beach mats, lunch buffet at Columbus Cove Café, Dragon's Cafe or Café Labadee, water cooler with 6 bottles of water, the use of beach towels and the service of a cabana attendant.

Thanks everyone! I just looked and they do have the OTW available for mine but I think I'll get it tomorrow just to be on the safe side and make sure I get one :D

Hi! So I went to Labadee for the first time on my last cruise and we got an OTW cabana and it was magical! We got water in the cooler, our own attendant, pool floats, upgraded buffet and towels. Someone mentioned that the buffet is no longer included (totally fine if so) but are the cabanas still available online to non-suite guests that want to pay for it? Also does anyone know how early you can book one if so? Thank you!

I have cruised both ships. Liberty was in February 2011 out of Miami, for 8 days Eastern Caribbean. We had a blast and the ship was big and beautiful. We then cruised Explorer in February 2013 out of NJ. 9 Nights Eastern Caribbean. The Explorer was a beautiful ship but not as many dining options and the promenade is not as large. We still had a great time. I would sail Liberty again if they offered longer cruises...most of Liberty cruises are 4 and 5 day. I definitely enjoyed the size of Liberty better than Explorer.

I did the same itinerary in February 2013! :p Maybe we were on together!! I liked the size but I agree, I was surprised by the small amount of dining options.

Please read the above post where the menu is shown. ;) Lobster on the menu. Just because it's not on the night that you expected, it was still served during the week.

 

I can understand your frustration with the room situation but I don't think that you gave CS time to look into to it. The other comments are all subjective which I don't agree with but that's okay. I just don't like to see misinformation posted and the upcharge items being the only steak or lobster available is not correct.

On all my recent RCI cruises, the Fisherman's Platter has been served on the second formal night.

 

OP, your insistence that steak and lobster are ONLY available with an upcharge makes your entire post suspicious because it's simply not true. You can clearly see the always available steak under Classics whereas the upcharge items are listed under Premium Selections. The included lobster is listed under Main Courses.

 

Perhaps if you modified your list of complaints to RCI to exclude matters of personal taste or things that are false, you might get a prompt response. I have always had the experience of Royal Caribbean responding to me in a timely manner, whether my correspondence was to praise or to point out a weakness on a recent cruise.

Perhaps OP could read the menu better if there were no spaces, breaks, categories or paragraphs? Lol jk! I couldn't resist!

I would be pissed about the CHAIR bed as well, seeing as how the catalog, website, phone operators AND travel agent all said SOFA bed to the many inquiries OP made about the configuration. I've slept on both and am only 5' tall and they are not the same at all. If they are going to advertise it as one thing than it should be that thing. That's just ethical. Believing anything else is just fan BS. Unless the cabin plans clearly state that a diamond = CHAIR bed and triangle = SOFA bed there is really no excuse for this. I mean, should I make sure my cabin has actual walls because it isn't listed in the name of good research? If I see that my room has a full size coffee pot specified should I think to ask the forum if it is actually full sized or 4 cup? Why on earth would you ask a question that has been answered and is not suspect.

Now I will say I am a research-a-holic so I would have seen it because I look up pictures of my cabin before I go. So I would have then posted questions about that. However, remember, not everyone is as batty as me.

And to OP, if your own mother thought she should go there because you (to her) were probably rude and angry to the customer service people that speaks volumes about the amount of class you approached them with. I've worked in member services and if you act like a classless loudmouth with a problem you'll likely still leave with that problem or at least take some extra time to get it fixed ;) More bees with honey...

I can't wait to see her do the Flowrider! I can't swim so I'm a spectator :P And I have heard good things about the Saturday Night Fever show, I'm excited it will be on this ship. My bf who I normally cruise with doesn't dance at all and doesn't like piano bars but I love them! I can't wait to actually see parts of a cruise that I've missed. I hadn't thought about that until you good folks mentioned it! I think I'm as excited as she is lol.

I think there is a big difference between wearing different types of clothing and wearing clothing at all in the MDR, come on. Lol, seriously? Why not just piss on your table? There is no rule against it, so it must be exactly the same as wearing shorts, right? We are the US (mostly). We are very puritanical and don't suffer nudity well. Do you realize how many fainting couches would be needed? Listen, if you look good, please by all means go sans clothing to dinner so I have dinner and a show! But for the most part, CLOTHING is expected. You would be daft or trolling to think otherwise. I mean, if you know you need to book a specialty cruise to go without clothing onboard then you know that it's not accepted in society. All clothing is - although I'd say the older set would want things to be very formal all the time. Dressing for dinner used to be a big deal. Now most people I know and myself go out to eat a few times a week. There is a plethora of restaurants to visit in my area and even the very finest (Michelin starred, if you will) are great with designer jeans, a fancy top and heels. Sorry, it's the way of the world. And dressy shorts like the ones I posted? Very current and acceptable ANYWHERE in NYC that isn't a tourist trap I think.... and I know it's snobby but if it isn't NY times or Michelin rated I don't think it's some swanky, amazing place..

So, my new good friend has NEVER cruised! She is Puerto Rican, so she has been there and here in NJ and W Virginia but that's it. I'm taking her on her first cruise ever out of Ft Lauderdale (I used to live in Miami Beach so we'll be touring South Beach for two days first :P ) and going on Liberty for 5 nights, stopping in Ochos Rios (never been but have been to Montego Bay - similar?) and Labadee (My FAVORITE!! Got a cabana and did the zipline - magical day!) and back to Florida. We have a center hump cabin, 7638, when she said 'inside is fine' so I'm hoping she is wowed by this vacay!! Can anyone tell me anything about Liberty that I shouldn't miss??

in my opinion too. I haven't been on the Liberty yet (I do have her booked in Mar 2015, same itinerary) but I have been on the Freedom and the Independence. I've also done Explorer as recent as Jan 2014 and have her booked again on Oct 18.

 

Both are great ships, but the Liberty is newer and the Explorer has seen little to no updating yet. Don't get me wrong though, Explorer is still beautiful and has a GREAT crew. Both ships have similar features but as I've heard others say 'think of the Liberty as the Explorer on steroids'. I think that's right; Liberty is a bigger better Explorer.

 

I recently discovered sailing out of Bayonne (we're from MA - GO SOX!) and love it, so I expect I'll be seeing more of Lady Liberty when she ports here between the Quantum and the Anthem. I will miss the Explorer too though....

 

For me, after doing Labadee a couple times, I was all done with it and considered a Labadee day to be a ship-day. But I was there again this past January and loved it. They have done so much there in the past few years. I can't wait to go back! Have fun!

I've done Radiance, Freedom and Explorer and for my ex bf and I Freedom was a bit too big and less service oriented than Radiance. Then I did Explorer with no bf and my whole family and really liked the ship but missed a few amenities on Freedom lol! I still find Radiance to be the most beautiful and romantic though, due mostly to the glass everywhere I think and smaller size. However, this time we are going to dance all night, have drinks with cute umbrellas and fruit by the pool and have girls night every night, so I think bigger and better will be perfect! I truly think my 'favorite' ship depends on what kind of cruise it is, if that makes sense!

Also I'm a crazy planner person (and my friend isn't!! :eek: ) so having a new ship to check reviews for, look for pics and study floorplans is realllly exciting!! I'm so glad so many people answered me so quickly here! I'm thrilled to get a fantastic hump balcony (the only way I want to ever cruise anymore) to introduce her to cruising! She'll be spoiled! Lol

No question, Liberty ! Why would you want to be stuck on a ship full of NY'ers ? Hard to beat Florida !

If you booked direct with Royal, then I'd call Crown & Anchor at 800-526-9723.

LOL RCI Cruisers 004 I'm one of those NY cruisers wooooooooooooooot!!! Lol :p

Clarea thank you so so much!! Just called and got a fabulous person that switched us to the room we wanted on Libety! I cannot say how excited I am!! Thank you to everyone that told me Liberty!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry for the cluelessness but do I call RCCL?? I don't know what to say!

OMG!! That is so awesome!! Congrats! Remember when you said you would take me on your next cruise if you won a free one? :D