A million allure/oasis questions

[kilili]

Hi all,

 

I have been reading these boards for about a year now. Our family had our heart set on a DCL cruise for 2013. We got a quote last year with the 2012 prices, but had other plans for 2012. We decided to save to reserve close to opening day on DCL to get a decent price for May2013. We were expecting a price difference between 2012 and 2013, but not a 1500.00 price increase for our family of 4 for the same week, ship and category. The plan was to go to Disney for a few days, then on the Disney Fantasy. The huge price increase has made us reconsider, and since there are limited caribbean sailings during the summer, we are exploring RCCL Allure or Oasis. To make a fair comparison, I have been researching the extra costs on the RCCL ships, and have come up with a few questions:

 

Can you bring anything on board (water, packaged snacks, I know alcohol is not allowed)?

What is included in the soda package (i.e. are mocktails included, juices, etc.)

What drinks are included in the price of the cruise. Is milk, or chocolate milk, "free"?

Do booking agencies offer any kind of shipboard credit? With DCL we can get ~300.00.

What else is extra cost (besides pictures, bingo, drinks) in terms of activities?

 

This is also on a different note, but families with children, how do you handle excursions that are 5-6 hours and do not really include lunch, when you are traveling with kids? Ours would be 8 and almost 11 at the time of travel.

 

Thanks so much in advance.

[hazeleyez3]

Hi all,

 

I have been reading these boards for about a year now. Our family had our heart set on a DCL cruise for 2013. We got a quote last year with the 2012 prices, but had other plans for 2012. We decided to save to reserve close to opening day on DCL to get a decent price for May2013. We were expecting a price difference between 2012 and 2013, but not a 1500.00 price increase for our family of 4 for the same week, ship and category. The plan was to go to Disney for a few days, then on the Disney Fantasy. The huge price increase has made us reconsider, and since there are limited caribbean sailings during the summer, we are exploring RCCL Allure or Oasis. To make a fair comparison, I have been researching the extra costs on the RCCL ships, and have come up with a few questions:

 

Can you bring anything on board (water, packaged snacks, I know alcohol is not allowed)? My husband has brought water on the ship. I think soda is allowed but I'm not positive.

 

What is included in the soda package (i.e. are mocktails included, juices, etc.)

 

What drinks are included in the price of the cruise. Is milk, or chocolate milk, "free"? Milk, chocolate milk, standard coffee and tea, iced tea, lemonade, you sometimes see hot chocolate packets in the promenade cafe

 

Do booking agencies offer any kind of shipboard credit? With DCL we can get ~300.00. Yes. We have used a TA for the last few cruises and have received obc and/or other perks.

 

What else is extra cost (besides pictures, bingo, drinks) in terms of activities? Things that come to mind: Specialty restaurants, specialty coffees, Ben and Jerry ice cream (there is also "free" ice cream on the ship), cupcakes in the cupcake cupboard. There might be a fee with Adventure Ocean but I'm not sure. Spa treatments, and some workout classes.

 

This is also on a different note, but families with children, how do you handle excursions that are 5-6 hours and do not really include lunch, when you are traveling with kids? Ours would be 8 and almost 11 at the time of travel.

 

Thanks so much in advance.

 

See my answers above.

[Sequim88]

Can you bring anything on board (water, packaged snacks, I know alcohol is not allowed)?

Yes water (usually) but ship water is as good as bottled water so reillable containers are more practical. Why bring snacks? Something is almost always available or get room service (free except 12am-5am service charge).

 

What is included in the soda package (i.e. are mocktails included, juices, etc.)

Soda. Period.

 

What drinks are included in the price of the cruise. Is milk, or chocolate milk, "free"?

Yes, Milk, Chocolate milk, tea, coffee, iced tea, lemonade, juice at breakfast, flavored waters

 

Do booking agencies offer any kind of shipboard credit? With DCL we can get ~300.00.

Depends on the agency. Many do. Shop around.

 

What else is extra cost (besides pictures, bingo, drinks) in terms of activities?

All entertainment is free. Activities are free - except perhaps golf simulator. Spa treatments are extra. Arcade costs. Specialty restaurants are extra. Aside form soda costing extrfa milkshakes are also extra at Johnny Rockets. Main Dining Room food items are included but an upgraded steak is offered for a charge.

Excursions that long will usualy show "free time" for finding food or stop at a food venue. Although some ports prohibit taking food off the ship we have packed sandwiches in small cooler that fits in our backpacks.

[floatel_lvr]

Hi all,

 

I have been reading these boards for about a year now. Our family had our heart set on a DCL cruise for 2013. We got a quote last year with the 2012 prices, but had other plans for 2012. We decided to save to reserve close to opening day on DCL to get a decent price for May2013. We were expecting a price difference between 2012 and 2013, but not a 1500.00 price increase for our family of 4 for the same week, ship and category. The plan was to go to Disney for a few days, then on the Disney Fantasy. The huge price increase has made us reconsider, and since there are limited caribbean sailings during the summer, we are exploring RCCL Allure or Oasis. To make a fair comparison, I have been researching the extra costs on the RCCL ships, and have come up with a few questions:

 

Can you bring anything on board (water, packaged snacks, I know alcohol is not allowed)?

What is included in the soda package (i.e. are mocktails included, juices, etc.)

What drinks are included in the price of the cruise. Is milk, or chocolate milk, "free"?

Do booking agencies offer any kind of shipboard credit? With DCL we can get ~300.00.

What else is extra cost (besides pictures, bingo, drinks) in terms of activities?

 

This is also on a different note, but families with children, how do you handle excursions that are 5-6 hours and do not really include lunch, when you are traveling with kids? Ours would be 8 and almost 11 at the time of travel.

 

Thanks so much in advance.

 

I cannot answer all of your questions but saw that you had no answers and I thought I could help.

1. I believe you can bring water aboard and packaged snacks should not be an issue either.

2. My understanding is that the "soda package" just includes fountain soda not cans bottles or mocktails. Having never had it I am going from my recollection of what I have read.

3. Most food venues have ice water, flavored waters sometimes iced tea available as included beverages. I have not seen milk/chocolate milk but someone else may help with that.

4. Some booking agencies do offer ship board credit, this will vary by agency and cruise cost. Check with your travel agent.

5. Allure / Oasis offer many activities at no cost. In fact, I just got off of the Allure and did not pay for any activity or show other than specialty dining.

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

[firefly333]

Excursions that long will usualy show "free time" for finding food or stop at a food venue. Although some ports prohibit taking food off the ship we have packed sandwiches in small cooler that fits in our backpacks.

 

Its against the law to take unsealed food off the ship into almost any port I have been in. Its illegal, not just a little something.

 

You can take boxes of cereal from the breakfast buffet for instance if you think they want to snack. I have yet to take a excursion where there was not lots of opportunity to buy something local.

 

I did dunns river falls and green grotto caves thru RCL and no snacks mentioned but they gave us punch or rum punch, and offered to run across the street for jerked chicken or pork and solid food and there was a snack bar we were at.

 

They want you to stop and eat, and always Iv seen some chance to spend money on food rather than doing something against the law in the country you are visiting.

[Sequim88]

If there was a sign or some notice not to take food with us then we would not. If there was no sign or annoucement prohibiting it we did. Never saw any signs though. Most of the time it was easier to return to the ship for lunch then go out again later. All our regular excursions had food options along the way.

[Familygoboston]

I think most of you ??s have been answered, but as for the long excursions/lunch issue...we pack boxes of high energy single serve snacks (peanut M and Ms and bags of nuts, packs of PB crackers, granola bars all come 8-10 packs per box). We start the day with a big breakfast then take these single serving sealed snacks and water with us. Then we will get a snack once back on board in the late afternoon, then we can make it to our late dinner (you probably have early dinner!). The single servings work well because each kid can carry their own and you never have to worry about waste if you are not allowed to carry an open package either on or off the ship. I wouldn't count on purchasing snacks at your excursion stops, we've found them over priced, especially when trying to feed a family.

Enjoy your cruise! You're just swapping out Disney for Dreamworks!;)

[hazeleyez3]

I want to re-iterate what FireFly said, while people do take food off the ship, it is against the law to "bring fruits, vegetables, meat, cut flowers, or soil on or off the ship. Any vioulation of this can result in a fine."

 

There is a "notices" section on the Compass where you can find the info.