BillRR

Definitely says gratuity included, both online and in receipt given when I bought Five Night Dining Package this week (for $115 total) for Symphony Jan 12, 2019. I will be cruising with the receipt in my pocket.

Definitely says gratuity included online and in receipt given when I bought Five Night Dining Package today for Symphony Jan 12, 2019.

Just as Ravensbad reported, there was no added charge for gratuities nor anything else when I bought the Five Night Dining Package for $23.00 per night($115 total) today.

Good points, but sea-day lunches (just three on my cruise) do not mean much to me. The 40% you get on wine under $100/bottle in the Ultimate Package may be a bigger benefit.

It seems one never knows with Royal's Web site. I guess all you can do is try again and/or call them. Good luck.

For my upcoming seven-night Symphony Jan 12, 2019 cruise, I tried to book theUltimate Dining Package online via Royal’s Cruise Planner formy reservation. This yielded Royal’s Web page that showed the price as $24a night (should total $168 for this seven-night cruise) and also as $203 total.I called Royal and asked how to buy Ultimate Dining Package at the advertised$24 a night price, as I did not want to pay $203.

After half an hour of hemming and hawing I was told that this was becausegratuities were added. I told Royal that I wanted to buy the Package thatincluded gratuities, as described on their Web site for the advertised price of$24 a night. I was told that Royal would not let me buy the Ultimate DiningPackage for $24 a night.

I then asked how much the gratuities amounted to and was told 18%. I pointedout that the discrepancy between $24 a night and $203 total was over 26%, not “just”18%.

I was then told that this was because taxes and fees would also be added. Iasked for the amount of taxes and fees that were being added and was told thatI would not be told that. To verify, I asked if it were true that taxes andfees were being added to the advertised $24 a night price and that Royal wouldnot disclose what they were. I was told that was correct.

Result: I know that Royal has priced this at $24 for myspecific sailing and that they will not let me buy this for less than$203, or $29 a night - but I don’t know why. Are we sure that the Captain ofthe Concordia is in jail and not running online pricing or call centersat Royal?

Solution: I was then able to book a Five Night Dining Package for $115 ($23a night) without any unexplainable surprise markup. The terms and conditions asto what is included are exactly the same for both the Five-Night Dining Packageand the Ultimate Dining Package (except for the night-count, of course). Also, don’t forget to book Solarium, if applicable to your cruise, as it was free forme and did not have any half-hidden surprise markup.

I have booked two GS's in the last 15 months. For the first, I did not ask for uggage tags and none were sent. FRor thee second, sailing in two days, I asked for tags but none have been sent.

Help. We just received notice from Royal that check-in for Adventure OTS Jan. 9 will be delayed until 2:00 PM due to sanitizing on the ship and in the terminal for gastrointestinal illness experienced on the current cruise. They asked that we not arrive at the terminal until 2:00PM. Jet Blue rescheduled our flight so that it arrives San Juan at 9:26 AM. I wonder if there is any way to tell if Pan American Pier terminal will open at the usual 11:00 AM time for bag-check and pre-boarding waiting. Second, if bags cannot be checked until 2:00 PM does anyone have an idea as to where we and our bags can wait between 9:30 AM and 2:00 PM in San Juan. We are booked in a GS, but who knows if that will really matter. Any suggestions or like experience would be appreciated. I love it when a plan comes together - here's hoping it happens to us.

Thanks,

Bill R

I have always purchased Travel Insured. They offer a small discount over the "street" price when you are a USAA member. I have not made any claims. You can compare travel insurance policies using the insuremytrip Website. They have very useful comparison charting tools for a comprehensive list of policies from many insurers. When you see policies that you would consider, you can click "View Certificate" to read actual policy documents for complete features, coverage's, exclusions, conditions and limits for every policy.

Some features I would not do without are: (1) emergency medical care and evacuation (2) exemption for pre-existing conditions for emergency medical evacuation, because this may be a catastrophic expense (3) advance payment will be made to a hospital, if needed to secure your admission to a hospital (4) no condition that only emergency evacuation that is arranged by insurance agent will be covered, because a true emergency may not allow time for this (5) liberal and flexible coverages, such as offered by Travel Insured WW Trip Protector, or a policy that equals or beats it.

As for saving money, look for discounts such as USAA offers for Travel Insured and buy before a birthday, rather than after, as price varies by age on date of purchase. If you are seniors, each birthday for each person insured can cost you $30.00 or more.

You can buy this Travel Insured insurance when you book your cruise at USAA or afterwards. It can be purchase for cruises bought from other than USAA travel agents. If you buy more than 21 days following your first deposit, 60-days-worth of existing conditions apply for all except emergency evac & remains return.

--See you on Adventure of the Seas Jan. 9, 2016

Personally, I would not cruise internationally without insurance, because some medical expanses could be irrevocably life-altering for you and those who depend on you. Determine what your existing insurance(s) will cover, if you are cruising internationally and look for additional coverage accordingly.

Do compare travel insurance policies using the insuremytrip Website. They have very useful comparison charting tools for a comprehensive list of policies from many insurers. When you see policies that you would consider, you can click "View Certificate" to read actual policy documents for complete features, coverage's, exclusions, conditions and limits for every policy.

Some features I would not do without are: (1) emergency medical care and evacuation (2) exemption for pre-existing conditions for emergency medical evacuation, because this may be a catastrophic expense (3) advance payment will be made to a hospital, if needed to secure your admission to a hospital (4) no condition that only emergency evacuation that is arranged by insurance agent will be covered, because a true emergency may not allow time for this (5) liberal and flexible coverages, such as offered by Travel Insured WW Trip Protector, or a policy that equals or beats it.

As for saving money, look for discounts such as USAA offers for Travel Insured and buy before a birthday, rather than after, as price varies by age on date of purchase. If you are seniors, each birthday for each person insured can cost you $30.00 or more.

--See you on Adventure of the Seas Jan. 9, 2016

Takes less time to email your brokerage statement to RCL Shareholder Benefits than it does to read these boards and figure out what RCL calls "combinable" - and it is the only way you will ever know for sure - nobody on these boards can give you the OBC or deny it either.

You can try height of hurricane season. We booked a Grand Suite on Allure for week of 8/24/14-8/31/14 for $3712, total for two, including gratuities, through a good T/A. This came with $150 OBC and $100 Shareholder OBC for a net of $3462. We Expect to have another $150 OBC from Specialty Restaurant bookings.

Say what you may, in one minute today the rise in RCL more than paid for my GS on Allure. Waiting for dividend next.

Seems the facts are that dinzitari called to book a cabin for three and was given the only cabin for three available. dinzitari is not handicapped and does not have a handicap accessible cabin. dinzitari has stopped payment on the cabin and cruise that she had committed to paying. Therefore, IMO, dinzitari's actions do not appear appropriate nor conscientious. Also it does appear that RCCL should make its marketing literature regarding nurseries and nursery programs more precise. Since other have wished well, I will wish NCL and dinzitari's soon to be shipmates good luck.