rstout

Am I correct in assuming that this would not be appropriate for kids? Mine would be 12 and 13 and are huge fans of the show, but it seems like the comedians they had last year are definitely not kid-friendly, and it seemed like all adults from the pictures. Plus, I know they say their regular on-the-road shows are for adults (although I went when they came to NC and didn't think it was that bad...nothing worse than anything else kids hear in schools these days.)

I had a problem on a RCCL cruise and when I got home sent an email to them requesting a partial refund of my cruise fare. They refused. We were offered a credit. I pushed back but got nowhere. They did extend the use date a bit beyond the usual one year for us when the credit was issued, but would not give us the additional time I asked for. They are pretty strict about the usage dates. We had to sail within the timeframe established on the credit, and don't grant extensions if you happen to have another vacation booked. Once the credit is issued, that's pretty much it. At least, that has been my understanding.

On the Liberty, our windows were so dirty in 6307 that it was difficult to see much of anything with clarity. You certainly wouldn't want to watch a parade from there. But the view would have been fine. Our kids had no problem with noise in 6305. We didn't bother going in the CL - our kids only cared about the ice cream, and we don't drink.

I tried to get a cabana at Labadee ahead of time by emailing the concierge, but he told me that the suite guests get priority, and I could get in touch with him once on board. I didn't want to risk not getting a cabana, so I went to the excursions desk when I got on board and booked that way. He did call me later once we were on the ship to see if I was still interested in a cabana, but I told him we were all set. Our letter was bare bones - it indicated we had access to the ice cream and CL for the guests in that room.

I wouldn't hesitate to book those rooms again, especially with kids. They had fun with the cow theme.

I have found that the cruise lines are very restrictive when it comes to excursions for kids, so we tend to find private excursions or do something on our own. Maybe you didn't have this option if your itinerary changed, but I would look into that for future cruises. The ports of call board is very helpful.

I will add on to this a little, if you don't mind. I think the food depends on where you stay. We had the luxury of cruising on the Liberty of the Seas in April and going to an all inclusive in Mexico in July this year, and I think the food was about even. Cruise food has gone down in quality over the years. Our resort had entertainment, but I agree cruises are better.

I agree on the room and pool assessment.

Cruises win as far as being able to visit a variety of places, but the benefit of being in one place is that you are not constrained by time when taking excursions. We've been to Mexico multiple times, and this time we decided to research outside tour companies, rather than go with the resort tours. This was a much better option. We did tours that we could never have done on a cruise ship.

We love both types of vacations - it's great to have options!

Comfort Suites does the check in/check out for cruise passengers all the time. You can get there first thing in the morning - not at the usual 3 PM checkin time. I don't think the slide area at Atlantis opens until 10 AM, but it takes awhile to check in, and you can walk around the resort. It is totally worth the cost savings.

Interesting how different ships handle it. On the Liberty, we were in the B&J Sweet and I emailed the concierge ahead of time and was told that early booking was only for suite guests. He contacted me once onboard and asked if I still wanted a cabana, but I had already booked through the excursions desk when we got onboard.

Personally, I would choose the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas out of Ft. Lauderdale. The Dream is nice, though, and the price will probably be better with Carnival.

Check the Ports of Call Board. I booked independently to Mystic Mountain followed by Blue Hole when on the Liberty of the Seas this year. It was awesome.

The door is flat against the wall when it's open - it's not in the way at all. If you're looking at promenade rooms and you have four people, I highly recommend getting two. They are not large. Also look into connecting cabins 6305 and 6307 - 6305 is the Ben and Jerry's Sweet. The cabin has a limited view of the promenade due to its location over Ben and Jerry's, but you get free ice cream for the week, as well as access to the Concierge Lounge, for the same price as a regular promenade room. It's also decorated in a cow theme. If you search for information about it on the Boards, you'll find a lot. The cabin does get booked in advance, though.

I know you didn't ask about the slide (which is separate from the waterpark), but I will add that my kids (DS10 and DS11) said it was NOT worth the cost. They thought it was very slow. I think how fast you go depends on what you are wearing, but they tried with and without swim shirts, and still didn't want to go back down once they did it about four times.

We have done waterparks similar to Labadee with our kids over the past couple of years, and we needed to be in the water with them to help climb on and off certain attractions. And I agree - very tiring.

Got the same email for my BOA card this weekend. It happens quite frequently on my BOA card - very frustrating. It's to the point that I don't have any automatic payments tied to it anymore, because I was sick of changing the card #.

Bermuda is amazing. Liberty does a longer Caribbean cruise that includes a one day stop there. I would choose the Freedom or Oasis class. You've been on larger ships before and not been scared off by the size, so I wouldn't let that deter you. There is a ton to do on the Oasis class and the pool deck is huge.

Yes, Johnny Rockets is only lunch and dinner. We went when they opened on the last sea day (I think 11:30 AM), and it was a mess. It was packed, service was slow, and they got our order wrong. I still love the food though. I would go earlier in the cruise, when things are likely calmer.

We had drink packages for our kids and, when they wanted to go to the arcade (I think they went three times), we put $20 onto their cards at the arcade and told them that was all they had and that they were not to put more money onto their cards. After the first $20 (which we paid for), they were spending their own money they had saved up, so there were no overspending issues.

The best time, IMO, to do any of the activities that you really want to do is when they open on the day you board. My kids were the only two kids on the flow rider on Liberty for awhile a few weeks ago on boarding day because I knew to get their waivers done right away. Everyone else sat on the benches waiting until it opened, when they made the announcement no one could ride without a waiver...while they all stood in line, my kids rode over and over. The line that day was still better than any other day. It was always swamped after that.

On the Allure, I got on the zip line when it opened and no one else was there. As a pp said, that line goes faster. You just need to be prepared with proper footware.

I didn’t know that!

So you can let’s say on Allure you can walk to Johnny rockets and order a milkshake for free?

You have to pay the fee for a milkshake when you walk in and order. Even if you pay the cover charge to sit and eat, there is an extra fee for milkshakes.

It was included in the Replenish package earlier this month.

We were on the Liberty this month. I don't remember what exactly what was on the Allure two years ago when we went (and weren't doing CrossFit then). But on the Liberty, no to the box and I don't remember medicine balls, and definitely no rings. The barbell did not detach. I didn't like it and wound up making do with Dumbbells. Pull-up bar only on some of the weightlifting equipment and it moved a lot. They did have a rower. My husband brought his own jump rope and did some of the WODS with double unders, rowing, sit-ups, etc. (e.g. Jackie and Annie).

We went to one of the movies on the Liberty in the Main theater (Home). No popcorn or candy sold. Everyone was bringing in food from other eating venues.

We just did both! I had to book a private tour with Courtney Taylor. We paid entrance fees at both locations and just transportation to Courtney. It was pricy to do everything (because of Mystic Mountain), but we had an awesome time.

While riding the zip line, you put your hands on bars (no gloves needed). It is much better than having gloved hands on the line.

We were at Mystic Mountain earlier this month. It was a lot of fun! The zip line guides were great. There were five lines, a vertical drop and a suspension bridge. The bobsled was really fun, and you take a long sky ride up and down the mountain.

I would check the Ports of Call Boards, too, for advice on excursions.

I'm not sure how long you will be in Nassau. If you want to see Atlantis, you can take a taxi and walk around and go to the public beach next door (you cannot go to the pools without purchasing a pass). If you want to do the slides and pool, I recommend checking into the Comfort Inn option - you get a room at the Comfort Inn across the street and check in and out at the same time. This gives you access to the Atlantis pools and slides and is usually cheaper than the day passes sold at Atlantis. You an only get into the waterpark starting at 10, though , so it's not cost effective If you have an early port time. Taxis are always available to get back to the ship. Otherwise, check into Blue Lagoon - it's a nice beach day and they have plenty of beach toys for rental, dolphin swim, and other things to do.

For Key West, trolley tours are great for first time visitors. There are a few different companies that offer them. You can purchase your own tickets online - it's an easy walk usually from the dock to the stand. You hop on and off at your leisure all day and can see some of the highlights of the city (pic at southernmost point, shopping on Duval Street, etc.). We've been to the aquarium (small, but the kids liked it) and the butterfly exhibit (pricy, but really nice). Many people also like to rent electric cars and drive around. Personally, I like the trolley option for first visits, especially with kids.

A Nellie's Beach cabana was $255 earlier this month.