DancerMama25

As always, fantastic information and fabulous pictures.   I’ve said it before, you have an amazing eye.  Thank you for sharing!!

Here it is!   5 night from Ft. Lauderdale  on Independence.   

(If it’s a no-no to post this, let me know and I’ll remove it.)

Yes!   Let me find it!

29 minutes ago, Swank Pad G said:

I don't know enough about sharks but how do you tell if a shark is friendly or not? If I  saw one I'd probably freak out.

Lemon sharks are an example of docile sharks that are not human-aggressive.   For the most part they are passive and couldn’t care less about you.   No need to fear them.  🦈 

17 minutes ago, Dat Cruisin Couple said:

 

YMMV, but cabanas are assigned based on when you book them especially when there is more than one ship docked for the day. 

 

We were expecting to pick ours like you ask, but guest services told us the cabanas would be assigned. We got a plip of paper in our cabin the night before we arrived that had the assignment and check-in process listed.

This was our experience as well.  We had an Oasis Lagoon Cabana, #23.   This is the view from our cabana toward the pool... (well, the lounge chairs face the pool, I guess this photo captures the ships as well. 😜)

I’m loving this!!  Thank you for taking the time.  I love the St. Kitts shirts and my curiosity is now piqued!    Three days so far, three shirts.  What color will tomorrow’s St. Kitts shirt be?  

Following along...

Following!!  Can’t wait to see more pics!  

21 minutes ago, jetta8300 said:

 

I don't think it's about someone getting too drunk, but I believe the rule is in place because you cannot see broken glass in a pool, so you're not allowed to usually have wine glasses or anything of the sort near the water.  My suspicion is that the rule was misinterpreted by the video poster, and someone was turned down ordering a drink that came in a GLASS cup.  I could be wrong, but I would bet this is the case.  No drinks at all by the pool is ridiculous.

I’m thinking this is the case as well.  I haven’t been on Symphony, but those pics from the Navigator from a couple of weeks ago included some frozen yumminess from the Lime & Coconut that looked like glass, but their stemware is plastic.   I may or may not have personal evidence of this. 😉

No.   It is in the Thrill Waterpark.

13 minutes ago, Grandma Dazzles said:

I seem to remember on the Navigator earlier this year that the lifeguards asked people to remove their drinks from the pool - even though in plastic.  They just asked that you sat on the side of the pool or poolside chairs; just not physically in the pool with a drink. 

I mean, there’s nothing to say your experience was different, but this was Navigator a couple of weeks ago.

7 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Again, you can't go by what one person says in one video on one sailing - very likely you'll be able to enjoy those drinks just as you have in the past. The bigger problem may be finding someone to bring it you.

Yep. I’m trying to do a little more digging to see if it’s true.  I suspect it isn’t.  I’ve been on a cruise since the date of this one and enjoyed plenty of drinks in the pool.  Although it was a different ship, I’d say the practice is encouraged.  😉

2 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

That bottle is aluminum. 

Yes.  This video states you cannot have any drinks in the pool.  It doesn’t talk about glass or containers, but that you cannot have any drinks at all in the pool.

Thanks for your review; I’m anxious to keep reading.

quick question...  another poster posted a video review of a recent sail on Symphony where they claim you can no longer have drinks in the pool or on the edge.  Did you happen to notice one way or the other?  Please tell me it’s possible to have a Miami Vice with my feet in the pool!  🤞🏼

1 hour ago, HotRod3 said:

I know that most of my Drink Package purchases are made right from in the pool on my previous 19 cruises.  I have had the waitstaff take my seapass or wow band from me right in the pool and then hand me the beer in the pool.  This is one of my favorite ways to spend my time on a cruise.  It is too bad that a few people that have possibly  drank irresponsibly in the pools and  ruined this for us the responsible cruisers.

What was the date of this video? They say “a couple of weeks ago,” but I didn’t see a date or hear one mentioned.

Ummm...the guest behind him with the Bud Light seems to contradict his claim????

Lol!!  One of my favorite things about cruising on Royal are the waiters walking around the pool serving me delicious frozen tropical concoctions while I lounge in the water.  I can’t be the only one!🍹😋 

9 minutes ago, pezgirlroy said:

I am assuming this was two night ago as they have now removed the umbrellas. I cannot seem to find what the status was last night with the protests. 

Not sure where your info about the umbrellas down is coming from; I can’t find that anywhere.

Well, since this is the scene on Fortaleza St in Old San Juan, a very popular tourist site, it isn’t surprising to me at all that Royal decided skipping the Port was a good idea.

In addition to Captain Jill’s Galleon that someone mentioned above, there is Splashaway Bay, which is a larger splash pad with two dousing buckets, several spray features, and three smaller slides.  It is fresh, cool water, too.  (Not all of these pics are mine, but it will show you what’s available).

I’m so sorry for the loss of your fur baby.   🌈

As someone that needed two pints of blood a while back to save my life, I want to say a special thank you for your willingness to donate. I didn’t realize until then how very, very important donating blood truly is.  I now know that it is because of the kindness of strangers that I am still here and able to enjoy cruises and read review like yours.   Again, thank you.

I hope the bus tour was great and relaxing!   Were they able to accommodate your mobility issues?   Was there air conditioning?

48 minutes ago, M&Msmom said:

Thank you so much for the cabana pics and all the info for those of us who are mobility challenged. It will come in very handy as I try to figure out the best way to get to my cabana. 

 

 

I just want to clarify something I mentioned earlier, too.   When I said “Stone” paths, I meant cobble-stone/brick/paver-like, not loose stones.  I don’t want to leave the impression it’s gravel-like.   (I actually suspect it’s stamped concrete rather than brick pavers)

1 hour ago, cruisemeister8 said:

Thank you @DancerMama25 and @Dat Cruisin Couple for the most helpful replies.  This information will ease our planning for our day at Coco Cay!  

Have a great cruise and enjoy your day on the island!   It’s a beautiful place!

Not the greatest so it might not be helpful, but here it is anyway.  You can kind of see it is about a standard step up or so to get inside.   These are actually the Oasis Lagoon cabanas, and they are set back in the sand behind a couple of rows of chairs, side tables and umbrellas.   I hope this helps you.

4 hours ago, cruisemeister8 said:

 

Thank you for all the helpful information about the cabanas for those with mobility issues.

 

I've had questions about the island as a whole for the mobility challenged.  I understand that there are beach wheelchairs.  My question is what does one do with their own wheelchair when they transfer to the beach w-chair?  Meaning, one has to use their own w-chair coming off the ship, down the dock, and across the island to the designated beach w-chair pick up area.  Ok. So now you put your chair, where?   

 

And what about the ground on the island?  Are there paved pathways to walk with a regular wheelchair for someone who just wants to sightsee and walk the island without ever going onto the sand?  At least hard-packed sand walkways?  

 

And the tram?  I read that it's accessible.  Does that mean that you can roll a w-chair right up on to it?  Or is it accessible like a "kneeling bus" that just provides lower access to the steps?   And does this tram really come down the dock to pick people up at the ship?  Or do you still have to walk the dock to meet the tram at the loading zone?

 

Thanks for all the help.  Coco Cay is certainly different from the last time we were there.  Our previous experience with the beach w-chairs no longer applies.

There are cement/stone paths to everywhere.  In fact, it would be possible to take a paved path all the way to the Oasis Lagoon pool deck and transfer to a lounge chair with umbrella without ever leaving cement.  (The weird thing tome though, is all of the outdoor showers/foot showers that I saw on the island are a couple of steps off the path through sand, with the exception-I think- being the one across from the *free* splash pad.). I can’t speak to Thrill Waterpark specifically because we didn’t go there, but I *think* there are no steps up into those cabanas.   We did not take the tram, but I do believe it picked up at the end of the pier near the ship.  The tram is just fancy, extended golf carts, so I’m not sure about their accessibility.   They may have specific cart that are accessible and I wouldn’t know.   Obviously, any area that is a beach will have a point at which the cement path will end and the sand will start.   Let me see if I can find a front-facing photo of a cabana to show you.