PopeyeDaSailor

1 hour ago, Getting out there said:

Did the kids pirate ship have padding or is it concrete?

It was mostly concrete with some padding.  You will have to watch your little ones if they are running around.

48 minutes ago, itsanita said:

 

Thanks, that helps.  Any other suggestions to get the best use of our time there.  I will not get the cabana, as you made a valid point...we will just dump our towels etc on some chairs.   Are there lockers inside the water park for our cruise cards?  We will leave all other valuables on board.  

The lockers are right inside the waterpark and cost nothing.  They are basically like a room safe, you pick a 4 digit code and set them.  They will hold about a 15 inch size backpack.  We stored extra suntan lotion and our phones in one then just threw our towels/sandals on a chair somewhere in the middle of the park. 

There was a kids play area with slides right outside the waterpark.  Our five year old rode one of them and like it but she still wears swim arms and isn't confident yet in swimming.  I paid for her to be in the park but outside of the wave pool she didn't ride any slide.  I think the minimum is 42 inches and she barely cleared it but still didn't want to ride.  I did see a couple of daredevil little ones go down some big slides but that always scares me when someone is at the bare minimum of requirements because these slides are designed for weight and height.

Okay after reading this whole thread I never once had a problem getting a place to sit during happy hour in the CK.  We ate there every night but two (hot dogs and pizza night for the kids), ate all our breakfasts and lunches there as well. I didn't notice any "clusters" Pinnacle or other special people taking up all the space.  The only issue I had all week was up on the Suite pool deck.  We sat down in a chair (one of the big bed loungers) and a guy came up and just got in our face saying we moved his towel (all his bags and stuff were in the bed next to us).  I was lying down with my wife and son and he was really rude.  My wife who has a temper got right back in his face, and when I stood up to calm them down (I'm 6'3, 210 lbs), he suddenly backed off.  A pool attendant was walking by and saw it all happened.  He informed the gentlemen that saving loungers on ANY deck wasn't allowed and after 30 minutes his stuff could be moved.  When the attendant asked him if he wanted security called he quickly walked away.

As far as cost we spent $6,200 for four of us under a KIDS SAIL FREE deal in a Grand Suite.  As I said above deck #10 (10254) was in the perfect spot for me because it made getting everywhere really easy.  I priced a regular balcony on a Disney cruise for almost the same stops and it would have cost us over $7,700 with no suite benefits!  A week at Disneyworld in a high end resort would cost more as well. 

On 5/20/2019 at 4:24 PM, Snowbird_in_training said:

We were in 10254

LOL this is the same exact suite we where in on Symphony.  We loved it's location because it was close to the elevators to go up to the CK and in the middle of the ship so going down to the 5th deck was easy as well.  It was quiet and away from all the noise as well.

On 5/20/2019 at 3:34 PM, Snowbird_in_training said:

We had our first Suite life cruise last week.  Just some  thoughts.  

 

We are hooked.  

 

Concierges Elaine and Cheker were exceptionally friendly, accommodating and just plain nice to be around.   

 

Coastal Kitchen is wonderful.   

 

From check in to debarkation, it’s a great experience.  

 

What we liked the most-extra space in the stateroom.   We had a GS.  No reservations needed for shows, concierge will make the reservation for the adult comedy show.  That’s the only show needing a reservation.   The suite sun deck was super comfortable, overlooking a pool area with nice padded loungers.  Towels were available on the suite deck also.   

 

I would also like to address something that has been debated previously.  Pinnacles gathering in groups, monopolizing the Suite Lounge during happy hour.  This is not to criticize those of you who have earned that status, but a mere observation.  We went to the SL just a couple of times during happy hour.  The seats were usually filled with pins who usually just talked to each other.   It’s understandable since many have cruised together probably dozens of times.  A few would actually say hello, but for the most part, those wearing pins stuck together.  Since so many pins travel together, it might be wonderful to welcome Sky and Star class into the SL and CK.   Maybe even ask them to pull up a chair and join the conversation.  Those we met in Sky/Star loved the Suite experience as well.  

 

Our next Royal cruise will be in Sky (unless we go for Star).   We are just debating itineraries st this point. 

Same here!  We just got off Symphony and I will NEVER (unless i have to) not sail Suite.  Jackie and Jennie were incredible and the love they showed my two kids was priceless.  We talked to another family up in the coastal kitchen and they said their main goal every cruise is to avoid crowds.  Now you think that would be impossible on an Oasis class ship but not when you sail a Suite. 

I just posted a review in the other Perfect Day thread.  Lots of fun but if you are sailing on an Oasis size ship expect to wait in LONG lines.  We booked a half day but since they were just opening no one bothered to kick us out.  We spend the whole day there but lines for about three of the slides approached 2 hour waits.  On a 1/2 day pass that means you may get 2 rides or 3 if you're lucky.  I will say this be ready to be first off the ship and RUN for the big red slide (Daredevil's Peak).  If you delay that line grows to huge waits quickly. 

If you plan on hitting the waterpark don't bother with a cabana unless you want to pay a lot of money for a place to keep you shoes/towel all day! 🙂 

RCL provides free lockers at the entrance.  We put all our stuff in there and carried nothing but our Go-Pro around all day!

I was there last Friday on Symphony.  We booked a 1/2 day at the waterpark but because of a glitch in their systems everyone got a full day or no one bothered to kick us out.

I will say this, the waterpark is lots and lots of fun but the lines when on such a big ship are ridiculous.  We basically spent the whole day in the park but we waited over an hour for the large slide.  There is no way they should sell 1/2 day passes when an Oasis class ship docks.  At most you may get to go down about 3-8 slides total with the lines (depending on what slides you pick).  Then they close the park and start shoving you back on the ship at 4pm.  My suggestion would be to have the park open as soon as possible (7am) and close as late as possible (6pm) since the sail back to Miami is tiny.  I got to see the rest of the park from the top of a lot of slide lines and it looks impressive.  If you plan on hitting the waterpark don't bother renting a cabana it will just cost you a lot of $$$ to have a place to put a towel.

My observations ...

1. The large "red" slide (Daredevil's Peak) at the top has only ONE slide coming off the platform.  There is easily enough space up there to put two more slides and they should have.  It would have moved the line along at 3 times the speed.  This was the first slide I hit with my son when the park opened but it still took us an hour.  I later heard the wait was over 2 hours.  I only rode this slide once because of this.

2. The workers seemed overwhelmed or just didn't have the procedures down yet.  I noticed RED/GREEN lights at the top of the slides but that system didn't seemed to be running because the workers were relying on visual and walkie-talkie's to send the next sliders.  Perhaps they'll work out these bugs but there were times where one worker was sending people down two or three slides and left larger gaps where slides were open and people waiting.  I'm not blaming the workers they did the best they could be again the procedure was not well planned out.

3. The park hours were way too short.  9am to 4pm.  Our ship was docked at 6am why did it take until almost 9am to open?  Plus we were on our last day and headed back to Miami there was no need to close the park at 4pm it easily could have stayed open past 6pm. 

4. Food was okay we had hotdogs, lemonade and mozzarella sticks but didn't spend much time eating since we were trying to make every water-slide.

5.  Wave pool was fun as well, my 5 year old loved it.

From what I could tell from above almost none of the back of the island is done and just looked like a beach with people wading on sandbars.  They did run parasailing and jet-skis from back there..  Chill beach looked okay but never got over there to verify anything.  At least the dock was 100% done. 

Just got off Symphony and as others have said it was both the "sea nights" but again only as a suggestion.  I'd say about 1/2 the crowd (maybe less) gets formerly dressed.  We only dressed the second night, the first one was tan shorts and polo shirt for me.

I just got off Symphony and will be writing a full ship review soon (my wife kept a journal of our entire trip).  We sailed in a Grand Suite so we never once ate in a specialty restaurant or the Main Dining room.  We ate in the Coastal Kitchen every night but two (one night we grabbed hot dogs at the boardwalk then hit the windjammer for desserts, and the other night we ate pizza at Sorrento's with desserts/coffee at Cafe Promenade.  We also had breakfast at the CK every morning as well and a few lunches (we're not big lunch eaters).  

At the start of the cruise we did have reservations at Park 150 and Jamie's but after eating at the Coastal Kitchen the first night with the service, views from deck #17 and food (outstanding) we cancelled both reservations and made them for the Coastal Kitchen.  If you're paying for a suite there is no need unless you really crave specialty food to pay for these on board restaurants IMHO.  What we liked about the CK is that my two kids could order an appetizer and be full then pick from the dessert menu.  On the last day of the cruise we did go into the main dining room before it opened to see where we would have sat all week.  It was a small table in the middle of what I'm sure would have been a noisy room.  We knew we made the right choice after seeing it.

Quick question concerning the Kids club. 

I was reading through a CC article on "when not to tip" (please this is not a tipping thread) and they suggested not tipping the counselors in the kids club. 

Has anyone tipped them at the end of the week?  I'm just trying to plan on my cash to bring since I already pre-paid the automatic tips.

6 hours ago, Cruisin Around said:

Have a wonderful trip!  I'll be interested in your review as we are doing this same itinerary of Symphony in October.  I'd never been to Ithaca until my sister got married to a Syracuse boy and now every year for about the last for our five years, we accompany my sister's family for a Labor Day weekend of fun and we attend a picnic at Harry Treman State Park (which is gorgeous and we love to do the hike!) and then stop for ice cream at Purity on the way home!  Bon Voyage!

I'm from South Jersey (near Philly) and have lived up here the last 15 years.  I never want to go back. 🙂 

10 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Popeye,

 

seems like a lot of legs but $$$ savings could be worth it.  Good price on the 1 way rental.  But if your hotel is in downtown Miami, there's a Miami agency on 2nd SE 2nd Street.  Less of fighting Miami traffic back to airport.  And the good news is from FLL to Miami down I-95, you'll be able to use the HOV lane.  Keeps you out of the traffic in the main lanes from which you'll go bananas and need an alcohol infusion once at your hotel just to return to semi-normalcy.  But you'll simply adore Ithaca traffic once you return home, even when Cornell is in session.

 

Adding, this is our itinerary next Feb. so really interested in your experiences as well as the ship itself.

That's what I did for the way back.  I will grab a cab from the ship and pick up our return car (same price one way) at 2nd and SE, then shoot back to the port, pick up the family and luggage then drive back to FLL airport.  Our return flight isn't until 2:45pm so we'll have plenty of time.

I'm starting my pregame Symphony 5/11 to 5/18 review.  Is anyone on this sailing, if so here's a shout out to join this review!  The cruisers are myself, wife, son and daughter.  I do have VOOM for the week as part of staying in a Grand Suite so I'll try to update this review as it's happening but it's going to be a busy week.  Sunday is mother's day, Tuesday is my son's 12th birthday, and Wednesday is our 20th wedding anniversary! 

So I'm coming from Ithaca, NY which if you know the area there is NO easy way to get to anything.  So here's our crazy schedule and plans to get to the port!  We leave our home Friday morning at Zero Dark 5am (ouch) and drive to Trenton, NJ airport (yeah I didn't know they had one either until 3 months ago 🙂 ).  We board a flight which takes us to Fort Lauderdale, FL arriving around 2:45pm.  I know what you're thinking, doesn't Symphony sail out of Miami?  Yes it does, but the flight from Trenton for the four of us was ridiculously cheap (around $600 if we all agree to pedal) and only went to Ft. Lauderdale.

So here's where the craziness kicks in... I first looked into Uber/Lyft/Taxi option to a hotel near the port but they were all crazy expensive.  So using my Avis preferred status I rented a car at the Ft. Lauderdale airport ($35 one way) and will drop the family off at a hotel in Miami (that offers free shuttle to the port) and then will return the car to the Miami airport and take free shuttle to the hotel.  So it will be a crazy day of traveling but who cares we're going on a CRUISE!

Let's get this party started!!!!

This topic stinks!

The first step is to determine the level of sailing you want (cabin type, interior, balcony, junior suite (not really a suite), or Grand Suite (or higher) and how much you are willing to pay.  Once you have determined that as others have said you just have to keep coming back and plugging in numbers until you get what you think you can pay.

For me I kept looking until I found a sailing with KSF (kids sail free) and it brought down the cost of a Grand Suite to a suitable number for me.

So if my setsail pass is on my phone (which they all are) then I don't need to print a copy, correct they can scan my app.

I'm receiving a "CHECK in NOW" email a week in advance.  Is there any benefit to check in early?  I already have the APP on my phone. 

What other things should I bring besides passports?  Should I print out PDF documents they sent back in March?

12 hours ago, Cel_cruise said:

 

When we booked our cruise it was the full day but my understanding from the letter we got about the change it’s that Symphony has to be back to Miami earlier due to a new process of getting the ships all turned around at the port or something like that? I think it stinks! I mean - if they have to leave at 3:30, fine - but at least get there by 9 am then!

What also blew my mind was the sheer amount of guests who got off the ship! It was like a ghost town!


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My boss just got back from STAYING at the Atlantis last week and he said it was incredibly crowded with long lines at every slide almost all day.  Imagine dropping $10K to stay there and having 2,000 people show up from a cruise ship?  LOL.

When I told him about this post he laughed at the amount of time and said they probably got on two slides at most.

12 hours ago, sailor05 said:

I've always taken a suit, but I've got so many formal pics from over the years that I no longer want anymore. I am looking forward to not having all the extra weight in my luggage, with the accessories and shoes which add a ton of weight. Like others have said, you will not stick out no matter what you choose!

Same here.  I'm a guy, I'd rather bring a pair of specialty hiking shoes (that probably cost more than my dress shoes) over dress shoes.  The last cruise I was on in 2003 (Celebrity) they had extra jackets you could "borrow".  Yew, no thanks.

My wife and I will be celebrating our 20th during our cruise on May 15th.  Any specialty restaurants people recommend?  She likes Italian.

This is good to know.  My son has khakis, dress shirt, vest, tie and black sneakers and I don't feel like buying him a pair of dress shoes he will wear maybe twice before he outgrows. 

Now that I know I don't need a coat, I'll just bring shirts and ties for the formal nights. 

12 hours ago, LBumb said:

Nice review and pictures

Yes thanks, you're daughter looks like a MINI-YOU.

10 hours ago, Cel_cruise said:

It’s time for ...

 

 

It’s pretty empty here...2 sections not used...

 

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Did you bring your daughter?  My kids want to do this. 

I love them at Disney.  The way Disney designed them you never have to take them off and you can even buy "bling" for them.

It's good to know they are reusable as well.  My parents live near Disney so we usually go once or twice a year and it's nice to go onto their website and just reactivate the one you are wearing for your visit.  Plus at Disney I can control who has "purchase power" on their band.  I never carry cash or my credit card while I'm at Disney and if you lose the wristband no one can use it because all purchases at Disney require a PIN (like Target's credit card).