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Turn off cellular. Here's AT&T's instructions in case you haven't found them yet. https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1063258 (intro) https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1359697/ (setup) Try it from home before the cruise to make sure it works.

i agree that @Ashlandis a very reliable source on this board and that websites can be unreliable but if you are concerned it is best to double check because policies can change without any notice.

No but I always call a hotel (any hotel) about things that aren't clear on their websites like shuttles, early check-in, late check-out, etc.

Calling the hotel directly and confirming is always a good idea. They will also be able to provide you with the current pricing and scheduling.

This time last year we were on the Coral Princess for 28 days and their steak was very good and often avialable in the MDR and excellent (the best we've ever had on Princess and rivaled expensive US steakhouses) in the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse. Maybe because the meat is from Australia (just a guess)?

In addition to the visitlauderdale.com website mentioned above, the Port Everglades Cruise Guide (https://www.calameo.com/read/004673538e0c61586eefa) found on the Port Everglades website (www.porteverglades.net with lots of port specific info) has advertisements (mostly at the end of the guide) for hotels that have sleep and park packages:

I have another Signature Restaurant question. Are all suite passengers still entitled to a specialty restaurant dinner on embarkation night as on other ships in the fleet? If so do you have any idea of how empty the Signature Restaurant is that evening? I presume it is still open. did you experience or hear fellow passengers complain about difficulties getting a reservation in one of the specialty restaurants? Thanks!

Last year we used WiFi calling on board to text with 4 different couples with various providers without any issues. When off the ship we’d go somewhere with WiFi and send them a text.

And that practice is not limited to cruise lines. Hotels do the same thing.

But the OP already has an AT&T account so will not incur any additional costs using WiFi calling and won’t be limited to specific days and times while in port.

AT&T is our carrier. Just make sure you are on WiFi calling (not cellular or cellular roaming). We were on a 28 day cruise around Australia a year ago and it worked great for texting and face timing. Our daughter had to have emergency surgery while we were half a world - and 12 time zones - away and it was very reassuring to be able to talk to her while she was in the hospital for a few days.

In 2019 we were on the transfer via Windsor Castle with my brother and sister-in-law. I forget the timing but I remember that their return flight was scheduled about 10 minutes before the Princess cut-off when they first tried to reserve the transfer. Luckily the airline changed the departure time to 10 minutes after the cut-off and they were able to book the transfer. BTW it was a great way to spend a good portion of the day. We all enjoyed it.

@Bridget2 - I too have never heard of Princess accessing your checking account. Did you receive a final version of your folio via email? It is usually sent anywhere from disembarkation day to 3 or 4 days later. In one case a year ago, when I hadn't received it within a week I sent an email to customerrelations@princesscruises.com noting my folio number, ship and cruise dates. They responded within a week.

If you do find one that offers a shuttle (most seem to only offer shutlles from/to the airport) it will most likely require a per person payment. With 8 people make sure you do the the math comparing that price to 2 Uber XLs (at least that is what we needed for 8 in Fort Lauderdale last summer) before deciding your best option.

I'm not @lx200gps but I can answer that question. Princess no longer assigns check in times and the entire process, once they open the doors (usually by 11 am) and you get through the initial security, is very quick. Try to fill out your information on the Medallion app before arriving at the port (if you run into issues, don't panic since staff can help you at check in). It is even a few minutes quicker if you have had the Medallion delivered to your home. In July we (a group of 8 including 2 kids) arrived at the terminal around 11 am and waited maybe 10 minutes to get through security. After security those with the medallion go through the green line and those who need to pick up the medallion or have other issues go through the blue line. DH and I were in the green line and hardly slowed down. Our kids and grandkids were in the blue line and met up with us within 10 minutes and we all boarded the ship together. Enjoy your cruise!

A wise decision. Best wishes to you and your family and I hope you all have a wonderful cruise!

In the 15 years we've sailed out of Port Everglades (most recently in July 2023) T4 is the first stop because the road from Eisenhower Blvd. is one way entering the terminal area. It passes the garage,turns right for the drop off for T4 and then curves around to left for T2 and back out to Eisenhower Blvd. Now in many of those years T4 was only used very sporadically (we embarked Princess ships once and disembarked on another Princess ship once and I'd occasionally see a Celebrity ship docked there) but now T4 had a major makeover is and is dedicated to Disney that home ports one of their ships in Port Everglades.

We seldom take Princess excursions so I find the rolls calls extremely useful for joining and/or organizing private tours with like minded passengers. We've had some great successes both joining and organizing them.

If the shuttle makes multiple stops, the Disney terminal (#4) is closest to the Renaissance. It and terminal 2 (Princess) share a driveway from Eisenhower Blvd. It is also before the security check point so I am 99% sure you would be the first stop.

We have little knowledge of how Facebook works because we've never joined for a number of reasons. This discussion just added another reason to the list. Thank you.

Now that there is a dedicated Signature restaurant, I presume the suite breakfast no longer takes place in one of the specialty restaurants. Is that correct? If so, how does the experience compare (food, service, menu flexibility) with the specialty restaurant suite breakfasts? Thanks.

Wasn't that comment about closed loop cruise requirements? The OP is on a Fort Lauderdale to San Juan cruise. In that case a valid passport is required but the question is the length of validity and is 6 months a requirement of RCI or a recommendation?

So true but as someone who lives just up the beach from Fort Lauderdale, here in south Florida spring break season is the entire month of March with the highest number in the middle of the month. We will not drive anywhere near the beach in March. We learned that during our first year here when it took forever to get down A1A (the beach road that separates the beach from the hotels and restaurants) because of jaywalking beach goers. Once they got to the beach, in some areas it was standing room only!

I noticed you are new to Cruise Critic (welcome!) so you might not be aware of all the different forums. There is a forum specifically for each cruise line where questions and comments by that lines past, present, and future cruisers are posted and answered. The RCI forum is https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/51-royal-caribbean-international/ Post your concerns there and ask if anyone has been on your specific itinerary with a US passport with less than 6 month's validity. This type of question comes up with some regularity (last month it was an itinerary on a different cruise line that included stops in Panama and Honduras if I remember correctly) and posters who had just completed that itinerary were able to give a knowledgeable response.

That State Department website identifies if the country is part of the WHTI and the accepted alternative (to a passport) documents in the Entry and Exit requirements section. They also include a warning that a passport is required if having to fly back to the US in an emergency. For example in the case of Barbados: Those traveling to Barbados on a cruise may use another Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document. However, we strongly recommend visitors obtain a passport before travel in case of an unforeseen emergency that requires a cruise passenger to disembark and return by air.