Pipo

Here are some documents I retrieved during my recent cruise on Freedom (7-night San Juan, Curacao, Aruba, Basseterre, St. Thomas itinerary). My apologies for the missing 'day 6 Compass', but hope they can still be of your interest and useful for your cruise planning.

FOS_CAS_Promos.pdf

FOS_Compass_Day_1.pdf

FOS_Compass_Day_2.pdf

FOS_Compass_Day_3.pdf

FOS_Compass_Day_4.pdf

FOS_Compass_Day_5.pdf

FOS_Security_info.pdf

You can stay on the ship until 10:30-11:00 am, but the cabin attendant's supervisor will knock the door of your cabin around 9:30 to "check the mini-bar", and he will kindly ask you to leave ASAP.

RB sugar-free addict here, and yes, they have it on almost every bar on board.

Even with discount, those packages still expensive.🙄

Definetly you'll see older people on off-season sailings, the same for the itinerary... Caribbean cruises are the choice of young people, while Baltic/Norwegian fjords are packed with white hairs.... 

Freedom for the kids.

Reading the cruise documents for my upcoming sealing on Freedom, it says there is a RCI 'Meet and Greet' office at San Juan's Airport. What it really is for, and when is it open?

7 minutes ago, cruisinrealtor said:

Does anyone know when lobster night is?  Can you get it in coastal kitchen or only in MDR?

Night 6.

Specialty restaurants are not "that" popular yet, but definitely it is becoming more common every day.

I never seen a specialty restaurant at capacity, only Johnny Rockets at breakfast on the Allure

So, if I bring a bottle of wine to the MDR, and glasses from any bar,  I won't be charged?

Definitely it's overpriced. Edge IS NOT a good looking ship, no cruise ship has overtaken the beauty of Solstice Class. For the me the ship aesthetics play a HUGE roll for selecting a cruise.

Thank you all for the suggestion. I called C&A last Friday and they sent the documents to my email.

11 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Did you book your airfare with RC through their Air2Sea program?

No.

I'm sailing on Freedom in three weeks, I already checked-in (with assigned cabin), and have my SetSail Pass, but can't retrieve my cruise documents from the RCI website. In the roll call other passengers got them weeks ago... Is this normal?

9 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Not surprising as the profit is much higher on the larger ships.

True. Oasis class is a money making machine.

22 hours ago, Blauelini said:

70 dollars a day for the top end price? Fool to pay that. On a typical 7 night EC cruise with 3 port calls in which you'll likely be off ship most of the day and not getting anywhere near that 70 dollar break even point, they are making easy money off you. Done with the beverage package. 

Agree. I've never paid for an alcoholic package, I stick to the soda package.

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Do you really believe that Royal would lower the base cruise fare because of an increase in the drink package?  Base fares will also rise just like everything else.

Well, I see that cruise fares are frozen, a 7-night eastern Caribbean on Harmony has a similar or lower fare as it was on Allure 5 years ago, but if we adjust to inflation, it turns to be cheaper.

I've always seen the beverage package expensive, but within reach. But that $7 PER DAY increase will make it "cost prohibitive". I think RCI is switching hard from a room-based sales model, to an "options and extras" business, just like airlines and their baggage fees.
But I think this will be good news to non-alcohol drinkers, since that increase could mean a decrease on the base cruise fares.
 

I've only sailed RCI, but the main reason of choosing Royal over any other cruise line for my first cruise, was the entertainment: ice skating rink, the Flowrider, mini-golf, shows, sports area, arcade, pools, etc, All that stuff in a ship made it very attractive for me.

I thought it was going to be my first, and only cruise ever, but look, I'm about to sail on my fifth one.

Looking forward for that documentation as well.

Heading to San Juan as well, I booked a cheap one, but has good ratings on TripAdvisor and Expedia: El Canario by the Lagoon Hotel. Is in the heart of Condado Area, near La Concha Resort.

Nope, the OP is correct European feel and not something I will do again even with some of the great pricing.

What is "European feel"? Topless women on the sun deck?

This motivates me for my upcoming cruise, I've noticed that Freedom is among the most beloved ships on the fleet.

Never been on MSC, but I have heard it's what RCI used to be like 10 years ago.

The sand in PR beaches are not as white as other islands in the Caribbean but they ear still great. Isla Verde Beach in Carolina is just about 15-20 minutes from Old San Juan and it's a great stretch of beach. If you go into the Balneario de Carolina part (grounds are run and kept by the municipal government) there are some facilities but no food vendors. Although Piñones is but a few minutes away and there are tons of restaurants with local food. There are chair and umbrella vendors at the end of Tartak St. on the opposite side of the beach.

Thanks for the suggestions.