Reassurance that I made a good choice please

[slhb]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to cruise critic and to cruising in general. I am pretty active on trip advisor and appreciate the knowledge of other travelers. My husband and I are seasoned travelers and enjoy going out of the US about twice per year. His dream is to retire on a boat and sail the world like many of you out there. The big hitch in that dream is me. I have bppv (benign positional vertigo) that causes severe disruption in my balance at times. I have not had a serious occurrence in the last 3 years so I decided to surprise him for Christmas with the Holiday Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas leaving FLL on Dec 30-4. I'm hoping this is a baby step for my vestibular system in order to work up to smaller ships.

 

That's the background and here are my questions:

 

1) I booked 6th deck room 6638 balcony deluxe E2 as it appears to have a larger balcony view and is midship. I do see the Champagne bar is underneath this room. Will sound be an issue? Should I move up to 7? Again, really concerned about motion of the boat foremost.

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great.

 

3) At the ports, do you need to book excursions or are you allowed to relax on the beach and shop on your own?

 

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm?

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

[Langley Cruisers]

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm?

 

Your pre-paid gratuities include four staff: cabin attendant, waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter. Everyone whom you need to tip will be provided for. There is an additional 15% automatic gratuity added to beverages you pay for (alcohol, soda, etc.), and salon and spa services. You may tip Room Service deliveries at your discretion, in cash.

 

The staff who help you in the Windjammer buffet, for instance, service the dining room at other times of the day. You may leave them something on the table, but that's up to you. I think you'll read some people here do and most probably do not.

 

Enjoy your cruise - your tips are already taken care of. :)

[DonnaK]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to cruise critic and to cruising in general. I am pretty active on trip advisor and appreciate the knowledge of other travelers. My husband and I are seasoned travelers and enjoy going out of the US about twice per year. His dream is to retire on a boat and sail the world like many of you out there. The big hitch in that dream is me. I have bppv (benign positional vertigo) that causes severe disruption in my balance at times. I have not had a serious occurrence in the last 3 years so I decided to surprise him for Christmas with the Holiday Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas leaving FLL on Dec 30-4. I'm hoping this is a baby step for my vestibular system in order to work up to smaller ships.

 

That's the background and here are my questions:

 

1) I booked 6th deck room 6638 balcony deluxe E2 as it appears to have a larger balcony view and is midship. I do see the Champagne bar is underneath this room. Will sound be an issue? Should I move up to 7? Again, really concerned about motion of the boat foremost.

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great.

 

3) At the ports, do you need to book excursions or are you allowed to relax on the beach and shop on your own?

 

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm?

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

 

Great ship, no concerns with that cabin

 

Prepaid gratuities include the cabin service and the waiters at the table. There is no need to tip additionally. If you use room service, you should tip the delivery person a few dollars. Gratuities will automatically be added to your bar service bill, so no need to tip additionally there either.

 

In the Caribbean, we usually go with private tours that come highly recommended on the individual ports of call boards here on Cruise Critic, and on Trip Advisor. It's a better value for the money, and the reputable guides will take good care of you and will get you back to the ship with plenty of time to spare.

[slhb]

I pre-purchashed the $55/day all inclusive liquor package. Do we still have the 15% gratuity on top of each drink?

[micmacmissy]

Looks like you made a great choice! Hope you both have a wonderful trip. We use sea bands, and even on a cruise where the seas were 17 feet, never had to take meds, although I always pack them, just in case. It's amazing how well these ships are stabilized.

 

Do some research on the 'ports of call' parts of Cruise Critic or on trip advisor to determine what to do in each port. You are free to book through the ship or explore on your own. Also look up your sail date in the meet and mingle section, that way you can find out what other folks on board are doing for the excursions, and maybe even join them if you choose.

 

Looks like your ship stops in Belize and Cozumel. I can't speak for Belize but there are tons of great beaches and shopping areas in Cozumel.

 

Have a great time!

[travellovers2]

My husband has motion sickness. He takes Bonine. You can find it in any Walgreens, CVS or any pharmacy. They are all meclyzine. Whichever you take, start taking it the day before you get on the ship and every day thereafter. My husband always takes it first thing in the morning.

 

IF we really like the waiter, we tip him/her $20 per week, at the end of the cruise, that is in addition to the regular gratuities that are already charged to us. Same for the room attendant.

 

You don't have to take shore excursions, you can wander around on your own.

 

Which ports are you visiting?

[royalcruz]

I have problems with seasickness and I like the cabin that you have selected a lot. The Champagne bar is not noisy. I take a meclazine every night including the night before the cruise. That way it helps me sleep and I sleep off any side effects. Sometimes the day back to Fort Lauderdale can be a little rough, so you might want to start that day with a meclazine. Sometimes on that last day I have to spend the day in bed or at least on the lower decks because of dizziness, but with meclazine in my system I don't actually get sick. Sea Bands don't help me at all; maybe I just can't find the right position for them. We only tip extra if we ask for something special. We like Paradise Beach in Cozumel. You pay about $15 each way for the cab, $2 per beach chair, and $10 pp food/beverage minimum is required. There is a pool there too.

[slhb]

Thanks you all for you replies.

 

Our ports are 30th FLL, 31st New Years Eve at sea 1st at Labadee, Haiti, 2nd at Falmouth Jamica and 3rd-4th at sea/FLL.

 

We've been to Key West and Cozumel numerous times so we didn't select those ports.

[LarryL]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to cruise critic and to cruising in general. I am pretty active on trip advisor and appreciate the knowledge of other travelers. My husband and I are seasoned travelers and enjoy going out of the US about twice per year. His dream is to retire on a boat and sail the world like many of you out there. The big hitch in that dream is me. I have bppv (benign positional vertigo) that causes severe disruption in my balance at times. I have not had a serious occurrence in the last 3 years so I decided to surprise him for Christmas with the Holiday Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas leaving FLL on Dec 30-4. I'm hoping this is a baby step for my vestibular system in order to work up to smaller ships.

 

That's the background and here are my questions:

 

1) I booked 6th deck room 6638 balcony deluxe E2 as it appears to have a larger balcony view and is midship. I do see the Champagne bar is underneath this room. Will sound be an issue? Should I move up to 7? Again, really concerned about motion of the boat foremost. We frequently spent our time at the Champaigne Bar and found it is a very quite bar area. Mostly people meet there for pre-dinner or event drinks. As for motion, we sailed a transatlantic on the LOS and were just forward of your position but on deck 8. There were abslolutley no issues with excess movement. Midships is the balance point for a ship's forward movement so little action there.

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great. I'm sorry, I can't be of much help in this area.

 

3) At the ports, do you need to book excursions or are you allowed to relax on the beach and shop on your own? We usually do a mixture of private and ship excursions depending on the time in port. We have also taken a taxi, shuttle, or ferry to a beach destination. You just need to be aware of your travel times and plan for contingencies.

 

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm? Your prepaid gratuities cover your cabin attendant and dining room staff. Of course, you may also add to the prepaid amount if your service is above your expectations (it frequently is :)). Also, the bar staff is tipped per drink as you enjoy them with your decision to add later. We tipped our Champaign Bar server extra at the end of our cruise as she was exceptional. Also, room service is not part of the prepaid gratuity. We always give them a couple bucks and up depending on the order.

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

 

 

I hope your cruise is memorable and fun.:p The Liberty OTS is one of our all time favorite ships.

[DonnaK]

Thanks you all for you replies.

 

Our ports are 30th FLL, 31st New Years Eve at sea 1st at Labadee, Haiti, 2nd at Falmouth Jamica and 3rd-4th at sea/FLL.

 

We've been to Key West and Cozumel numerous times so we didn't select those ports.

 

 

Labadee is Royal Caribbean's private beach. There is no need to take an excursion there (unless you really want to). It is basically a great day to enjoy the beach. Lounge chairs in the sun or shade are provided (you might want to have a few dollars handy to tip the men who set up your chairs). The ship provides a free buffet barbecue lunch ashore. There is a Haitian Flea Market where you'll have to pay cash if you wish to buy anything. It is a very high pressure environment and aggressive bargaining is expected. There is also a fixed-price Artisan's Market in the building behind the flea market, which has a lot of the same merchandise in a more relaxed environment. Labadee is really beautiful, and one of our favorite ports in the Caribbean. We seek out cruises with itineraries that visit Labadee.

 

In Falmouth, you'll want to take an organized excursion rather than wander outside the gated port area on your own. There are wonderful private guides, and this is one of the few Caribbean ports where I would consider a ship's excursion. Check out the ports of call board to get ideas of what you want to do there, and then decide whether this is best done via the ship or via private guide.

[DonnaK]

I pre-purchashed the $55/day all inclusive liquor package. Do we still have the 15% gratuity on top of each drink?

 

I believe that the beverage package includes the gratuity (someone please jump in and correct me if I am wrong)

[G85 SS]

That's the background and here are my questions:

 

1) I booked 6th deck room 6638 balcony deluxe E2 as it appears to have a larger balcony view and is midship. I do see the Champagne bar is underneath this room. Will sound be an issue? Should I move up to 7? Again, really concerned about motion of the boat foremost.

 

When I went on Freedom I was on Deck 6 in a balcony stateroom close to mid ship. I found the stateroom location to be extremely convenient (for me due to where I tend to spend most of my time). I didn't see anybody else point this out and please don't take it as me telling you you have made a bad decision because you really have not with the ship pick. But, the Freedom Class Ships do tend to have a little more motion than some of the other ships. I noticed it while sitting in the dining room eating or just walking around the Promenade. It wasn't horrible but enough to be noticeable. Again though, don't let that scare you, you made a great choice with that ship.

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great.

 

Another little trick for you is if you start to feel like you might be getting somewhat dizzy and it is an option for you, hop in one of the hot tubs. For some weird reason physics can only describe, being in a body of water almost takes away the motion of the ship entirely. So that can be something else for you to think about doing. Again, if hot tubs are an option for you. That doesn't just apply in your case but to anybody who feels they may be getting a little sea sick or dizzy.

 

3) At the ports, do you need to book excursions or are you allowed to relax on the beach and shop on your own?

 

Any port you go to you are not required to book excursions and you can do whatever you want whenever you want wherever you want. Excursions are there to enhance your experience if you so choose.

 

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm?

 

If you pre-paid your gratuities you do not need to pay the stateroom attendant or your dining room staff. That is what the gratuities cover. However, if you go to a specialty restaurant, you will need to give them a tip as the prepaid does not cover those individuals. Same applies for bar service (though a tip is added into the charge). What I do could be right wrong or indifferent:

If I feel the dining room staff did an exceptional job as well as my stateroom attendant, I will give them an envelope on the final night of the cruise with some extra money in it as a token of my appreciation on top of the prepaid gratuities. I feel that small gesture goes the extra mile with the staff when they are rewarded after a cruise by someone telling them they did an outstanding job and passed them an envelope with a cash gratuity in it.

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

 

 

Again, you did not make a horrible choice at all with this ship. I just want to be honest with you so you don't get on the ship and have any surprises when you feel the rocking of the ship. It is a beautiful class of ship with a ton of different options for entertainment throughout the day for you. Relax and enjoy the cruise! :D

[LMaxwell]

Just a correction; the upcharge you-pay dining venues include the gratuity in the cover charge. Again, add more if, and only if, you wish to. It will not be required or expected.

 

With-prepaid gratuities you are not required or obligated to exchange any additional cash tips or sign for any additional tips to any staff member, but you may do so at your discretion.

 

With a pre-paid beverage package the gratuity is built in to the $55 price. You will not be charged additional gratuity on top of that or per drink.

 

These are the facts of the matter. Objective, hard facts.

 

Now, as far as subjective opinion goes, "Norms" for additional cash tips are generally accepted as being for room service, but again, not required. In my opinion a waiter or room steward can earn additional tips for doing something outstanding in some manner, but for providing a good/efficient level of service the pre-paid gratuities have it covered.

 

Another accepted "norm" by many is to tip out Adventure Ocean staff if you have kids that utilize those services as that staff is not otherwise part of a tip pool. There is no guideline or suggested amount, or requirement even; just an area to consider.

 

 

Short version; if you pre-paid gratuities you really don't need to give it another thought but for room service

[Paige6187]

I pre-purchashed the $55/day all inclusive liquor package. Do we still have the 15% gratuity on top of each drink?

 

No. All inclusive package includes your gratuity. As with everything else, there is the option to tip additionally. DBF and I did this package a couple weeks ago and then only person we tipped additional was our MDR bartender, because we thought shew as fantastic.

 

I also wanted to add that if you need seasickness medicine, you can get it onboard at the medic's office. They will have a large container filled with it for free. I experienced some seasickness on Explorer of the Seas on the way to Bermuda, and it was a lifesaver!

 

Hope you have a GREAT time on your trip!

[Folk Singer]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to cruise critic and to cruising in general. I am pretty active on trip advisor and appreciate the knowledge of other travelers. My husband and I are seasoned travelers and enjoy going out of the US about twice per year. His dream is to retire on a boat and sail the world like many of you out there. The big hitch in that dream is me. I have bppv (benign positional vertigo) that causes severe disruption in my balance at times. I have not had a serious occurrence in the last 3 years so I decided to surprise him for Christmas with the Holiday Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas leaving FLL on Dec 30-4. I'm hoping this is a baby step for my vestibular system in order to work up to smaller ships.

 

That's the background and here are my questions:

 

1) I booked 6th deck room 6638 balcony deluxe E2 as it appears to have a larger balcony view and is midship. I do see the Champagne bar is underneath this room. Will sound be an issue? Should I move up to 7? Again, really concerned about motion of the boat foremost.

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great.

 

3) At the ports, do you need to book excursions or are you allowed to relax on the beach and shop on your own?

 

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm?

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

 

 

Champagne Bar should not be an issue. There will be several parades on the promenade deck with music but over by 11. Nice thing is as you have a balcony you will not hear much to disturb you.

 

you can just relax on the beaches and shop to your hearts content, Should you wish. and tipping extra is up to you and should you find really good service then reward.

 

you will hardly feel any motion as the ship is quite big. Just relax and enjoy you will be hooked on cruising after your first trip. we were.:):)

[EllieD]

I have had inner ear balance problems since I was a child. I am VERY sensitive to motion. If I am not mindful I can get dizzy just turning my head to back out of my drive way. :(

 

My first cruise on Carnival Conquest (a good size ship) I was in a room dead center of the ship armed with Bonine and sea bands. They did nothing for me. My head was a spinning mess. I absolutely loved the cruise though so I went on two more cruises (Mariner of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas) just dealing with the dizziness (always mid-ship). Despite ship stabilizers on these big ships I still felt the motion mainly in the dining room and the theatre was the worst. My mom always felt so bad for me.

 

But prior to cruise #4 someone on Cruise Critic said to try ginger capsules. I leave on cruise #12 in 8 days and haven't had ONE day of motion sickness since cruise #3!! I take a Bonine pill upon waking and then one ginger capsule with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ginger has been an absolute God-send for me. Wouldn't hurt to throw some capsules in your bag -- just in case you find that nothing else is working! Best wishes to you! Cruising is AWESOME -- heading spinning is not! :D

[phoenix1181]

I have vertigo & was about to stop cruising when I decided to try the ReliefBand. I have used it successfully for several years & highly recommend it.

 

http://www.aeromedix.com/aeromedix_articles/reliefband/

 

Many people will tell you about the great stabilizers & how rare it is that you'll feel motion but they don't really understand the problem. I also frequently use it when we go to the movies. With it, I don't have to cover my eyes when there's a lot of light action or aerial shots.

[slhb]

Thanks for your input. I also use ginger and own the bands and am well versed in the Eppley Maneuver. I'm glad you gave your input as this is really weighing on me in regards to making me nervous and I am not a nervous person. (I'm an adrenaline junky so I don't usually think long enough to get nervous lol) I have the same issues with turning my head rapidly and 3D movies are completely out. I love hearing the personal experience. Vertigo is not a friend.

[housusan]

I also have BPV and have been on several Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises. I always bring antivert ( which makes me sleepy) and bonine. I have tried the wrist bands but they didn't really work for me. I have also used ginger and sometimes just drinking ginger ale makes me feel better. We always get a cabin midship. I have only had issues once when we cruised to Alaska. The Pacific was VERY rough and lots of folks were sick. Just relax and enjoy the cruise!

[cruizefam]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to cruise critic and to cruising in general. I am pretty active on trip advisor and appreciate the knowledge of other travelers. My husband and I are seasoned travelers and enjoy going out of the US about twice per year. His dream is to retire on a boat and sail the world like many of you out there. The big hitch in that dream is me. I have bppv (benign positional vertigo) that causes severe disruption in my balance at times. I have not had a serious occurrence in the last 3 years so I decided to surprise him for Christmas with the Holiday Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas leaving FLL on Dec 30-4. I'm hoping this is a baby step for my vestibular system in order to work up to smaller ship

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great.

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

 

I had vertigo extremely bad awhile back.... Completely gone when I found out I had to go - gluten free! It might be a condition of celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

 

Enjoy your trip & check into eating gluten free!

[GRANNYOFSIX]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to cruise critic and to cruising in general. I am pretty active on trip advisor and appreciate the knowledge of other travelers. My husband and I are seasoned travelers and enjoy going out of the US about twice per year. His dream is to retire on a boat and sail the world like many of you out there. The big hitch in that dream is me. I have bppv (benign positional vertigo) that causes severe disruption in my balance at times. I have not had a serious occurrence in the last 3 years so I decided to surprise him for Christmas with the Holiday Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas leaving FLL on Dec 30-4. I'm hoping this is a baby step for my vestibular system in order to work up to smaller ships.

 

That's the background and here are my questions:

 

1) I booked 6th deck room 6638 balcony deluxe E2 as it appears to have a larger balcony view and is midship. I do see the Champagne bar is underneath this room. Will sound be an issue? Should I move up to 7? Again, really concerned about motion of the boat foremost.

 

2) Does anyone else have vestibular issues and if so how did you fare? I have a stock of antivert/meclizine and sea bands. Any hints on this would be great.

 

3) At the ports, do you need to book excursions or are you allowed to relax on the beach and shop on your own?

 

4) I prepaid gratuities but I assume I still tip the maid service $5/day and the waiters at the table. Is that the norm?

 

Your time is appreciated. Thanks for responding. :)

 

 

We cruised with our friends recently. She has been diagnosed with benign positional vertigo also. She took meclizine before, during and after the cruise and did "therapy" that the docs told her to do. She didn't have one single bout of dizziness on the ship or when she got off!!!! I wish the same for you!!! Have a great cruise:)