nbp

Just got off Symphony on Saturday and absolutely Loved the Key! This was our menu for Chops when we boarded! Delicious! What a way to start the cruise!!

Loving your review!! We will be in Symphony on the 13th with the Key!! Can't wait!! 

We did the same thing and are now booked at Marriott Biscayne Bay for the same night.  

I see the breakfast is good but has anyone eaten at the restaurant at night?  

Would you eat dinner there are take an uber somewhere else?  If so what restaurant would anyone recommend that is not too far away?

I did call the Hampton Inn Miami Brickell and spoke to a really nice lady.  She made a note on our reservation that we will be arriving early but cannot guarantee that the room will be ready as check in is not until 3:00pm.  She did say they would store our luggage and we were able to use all the facilities, pool, etc. and they would call us when it is ready.

15 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

Not OP but we didn't have any problem with ours in scanned bags and they were terrific to hang up extra clothes when we all got stuck in the rain in Costa Maya and had more than just wet bathing suits!

Thank you!  Glad we ordered them!  I will definitely put them in Check In Luggage!

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 12:30 AM, Grenouille21 said:

Towel clips

Reading material

Snorkel mask

Sunscreen (high spf)

Laundry soap

Magnetic hooks

I know you packed light but you feel you would bring the magnetic hooks next time?  Is it for bathing suits to dry?

I wonder why you had trouble at check in with them? 

Seems to be the thing you need when you read theses boards so a lot of people must bring them. 

We ordered some and just came in yesterday (gong to leave them in its original package) with a collapsible shoe rack.  3 of us in cabin and want to make sure we have enough space for things. 

Following!! 

Thank you so much for your review!

Purchased The Key and will be on Symphony in a few weeks!!

4 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Both hotels are mentioned favorably here very frequently. A search would confirm that.

 

Have not heard of any hotel that won't hold bags for an incoming, or checking out customer. Have done it many times at many hotels, although not the Hampton you mention- won't be there until this July. You could always call and confirm. 

Thank you! I think I will conform itbwith them!

We booked Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay for the night before the cruise and Hampton Inn Brickell for the night after the cruise for our April cruise.

Never slept in Miami before.  Do you think these are good choices?

After we get off the ship would Hampton be able to store luggage until room is ready so we can either sit by the pool or go explore?

Thanks

We purchased The Key for our April cruise on Symphony.  

My DD has MS and will have a wheelchair we rented waiting in the cabin for her use.

Question:  

-On departure, will they have wheelchair assistance from the dining room after breakfast?  We are in no hurry to get off ship as we are heading to hotel.

-For the shows, are there handicap seating near The Key seats?

Thanks

I really cannot thank you all enough!  

We are so looking forward to this cruise!

With my DD and her difficulties with her MS.  

My DS and I being diagnosed with the same Cancer a year apart.  Our only travel lately has been to and from our doctors from Louisiana to Atlanta and Houston.   

It is so nice to have something awesome to look forward too!

I am a planner and like to have all my ducks in a row!

Thank you all again 

1 hour ago, gerif said:

Someone can get the wheelchair from the cabin once it opens and bring it to her. 

Thank you! That is a great idea!! 

2 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

Once you get dropped off by the terminal, the distance to the escalator is not that long.  The D+ check-in was not that far from the escalator and the wheel chairs.

Thank you!  Y’all are the best!

5 minutes ago, gerif said:

They can’t leave the chair as they only have so many and need to return to the terminal with it to help the next person. If you arrive before cabins are ready, they will leave you usually somewhere you can have lunch. If you arrive after cabins open, they will take you to your cabin. When DH is in need of a chair, we arrive after cabins are open. 

 Thank you so much!  I can definitely understand that! 

There will be many of us on the ship as we are attending a conference called MS Focus Cruise.

Some of them bring their own scooter and wheelchairs and some don't need any.  Everyone is different.

28 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

We had wheelchair assistance getting on and off Mariner from Terminal A.  The passenger can walk with a cane  but  we knew the  embarkation would be a long walk.   Once we got on  the ship, the passenger was asked to vacate the wheel chair, and she  used  her cane to  walk to a chair in the promenade.   You may want to re-check to make sure you don't have to give up the wheel chair before you can get the chair from the cabin.  Cabins were not ready  until  1 or 1:30.

 

good luck

M

Thank you!

We did purchase The Key so we will arrive early, around 10 or so, and drop off our bags and head to eat leisure lunch at Chops. then head to cabin for 1.

With her MS she cannot walk long periods of time, her legs will give out. So with our help and resting every once in a while, I think we will be okay until she gets her wheelchair in the cabin. 

3 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

I can't comment on Miami but we just cruised from Fort Lauderdale last week. Just inside the terminal is a place to get wheelchair assistance. Some one took my wifes name, first come first served. When a wheel chair and a helper were available our group was then taken through security and to where you swipe  in. From there another person gets you onto the ship. I assume the process in Miami is similar.

We also had assistance getting off the ship. In our case we went to the On Air bar where wheel chair assistance is provided. Some one will move you through the different steps, including getting your luggage and a porter if necessary, through the quickest line to get you through customs then outside. They certainly made things easier for us.

Thank you so much! 

We Love FLL airport with the Oasis with my DD and it worked out perfectly!

I have done Miami before with my sister who also had MS. 

We also ordered wheelchair assistance for her, but I cannot remember what airline.  It was great in arriving in Miami, they were waiting for her as we departed the plane.  It was another story when we tried to get her a wheelchair departing from Miami. 

As we departed the ship and went straight to the airport, we had to go to a waiting area for her to receive assistance with a wheelchair.  We waited a long time and did not see any wheelchairs coming or going. We started to worry and she said, I can do this, she was determined and I helped her walk through security.  I remember, there were no chairs for her to sit on to rest or put her shoes on.  She sat on the floor and put on her tennis shoes.  Then a wonderful man driving a cart came up and asked if we needed help and put her and I in the cart and drove us to our terminal.  He was our angel!!

She is no longer with us but we sure made some wonderful memories on the Freedom of the Seas on our first MS Cruise!

5 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

We contacted RCL's "Special Needs Dept."  (866) 592-7225 or "special_needs@rccl.com for your needs.  We contacted RCL and made plans for a wheel chair to be available for my wife.  When we checked-in there was some confusion, however, there were plenty of wheel chairs available.  A Port  staff member wheeled my wife to Security.  After clearing Security, an RCL staff member wheeled her up the ramps and instructed him to take us to Central Park Café so that we could have lunch.   

I did contact TA and she sent me another copy of my booking confirmation that shows, special assistance needed on it already.  So there will be someone waiting with a wheelchair for her

30 minutes ago, nelblu said:

 

We contacted RCL's "Special Needs Dept."  (866) 592-7225 or "special_needs@rccl.com for your needs.  We contacted RCL and made plans for a wheel chair to be available for my wife.  When we checked-in there was some confusion, however, there were plenty of wheel chairs available.  A Port  staff member wheeled my wife to Security.  After clearing Security, an RCL staff member wheeled her up the ramps and instructed him to take us to Central Park Café so that we could have lunch.   

Thank you so much!! I think I will call the TA and tell them we need wheelchair assistance when we arrive by Uber or taxi from our hotel.  I have it all set up at airport but just started thinking about boarding since the chair will be in the cabin.

Rented Wheelchair for DD with MS from Special Needs at Sea it will be waiting in cabin when we arrive. 

 Will they have temporary wheelchairs we can use to get her on the Symphony of the Seas? 

Last cruise we rented from them and you picked up the wheelchair in the drop off area outside on the curb at the port.  

Thank you

23 on Symphony and can't wait!!

We did it on the Oasis years ago and so looking forward to trying it out on the Symphony in April!

1 hour ago, Inaffit319 said:

Congratulations!!!  We are on that same sailing and received our upgrade email today - March 19th - which happens to be my birthday - yay me!!!  Anyway, we were originally booked in a balcony.  It's our honeymoon cruise so we put in the highest bid on the Grand Suite and got it.  I'm curious if we possibly moved into YOUR room once you upgraded!

Congratulations!  How awesome!! You will Love the Grand Suite!! Happy Honeymoon!!! 

22 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Not a subjective question at all.

 

Giovanni's.

Hi there! We absolutely Love Giovanni’s but on Symphony it is Jamie’s Italian, is it just as good?? 

7 minutes ago, Tiggerontheseas said:

No, as has been mentioned, the Dine, Drink and Discover Promotion is the FREE perk that you automatically get when booking a Central Park or Boardwalk Balcony cabin.  Chops is apparently not included in this perk but that has no bearing on any of the dining packages that you pay for. 

 

 

We are actually in an Accessible Central Park Balcony and it states, lunch at Jamie’s or Johnny Rockets. We will probably do Jamie’s.  We did not book it as of yet, so we will have to do it when we get on ship also! 

We also have The Key so we will have lunch 1st day at Chops! Maybe I could just make sure of all my reservations at that time.

There are 3 of us, DD (with MS), DH and myself.  We are in Accessible CP Balcony, which is the same size as Junior Suite. 

We received a Royal Up offer:

Junior Suite-$400pp

Ultra Spacious Ocean View w/Balcony- $250pp

Spacious Ocean View w/Balcony - $200pp

Ocean View Balcony - $100pp

The more we think about it, I think we are staying where we are.  (never tried CP Balcony before)

Now if they offered a GS, OS or CLS, that is a different story.