Couple of Questions

[cheermomof2girls]

Thanks in advance for your help!  🙂 I have only cruised RC once, and it was on one of the small ships so not much applied, usually we cruise Carnival and while they have a lot of similarities, cruise planner is totally different for me. 

 

Background- we are cruising on the Independence of the Seas with two families, 4 adults, and 4 kids (13, 12, 10 and 😎 in three rooms.  We had to book with two kids and an adult each in two rooms and two adults in one.  When we get on board, can we swap it around to have three kids in one room?  Will they give the parents access to unlock that door?  (they are next door to our room but not connecting).  

 

We purchased the Key for all of us, does it include internet for 8 devices or only one per room?  Not a big deal either way, but the kids would probably like to unwind with you tube or something at night if possible.  But we do cruise to unwind, however, my 13 year old will be happy she can keep her snapchat streaks. lol

 

Photo Package- if we buy it for the kid's room, does it only work if they are in the pictures, or would it be for any of us?

 

We are looking into the unlimited specialty dining, looks like hibachi is a 10 dollar up charge.  My youngest isn't crazy about hibachi but loves sushi, is it possible for her to sit with us, but order from sushi menu instead?

 

We are doing CoCoCay and I know the older two kids would love the thrill waterpark, but due to the price (currently 114 a ticket), I'm unsure how much use the younger two kids would get from it.  If we do half and half, do you think it would still make for an enjoyable day?  Can we still meet up for lunch, etc?

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, cheermomof2girls said:

When we get on board, can we swap it around to have three kids in one room? 

Will they give the parents access to unlock that door?  (they are next door to our room but not connecting).  

We purchased the Key for all of us, does it include internet for 8 devices or only one per room?

Anyone can sleep anywhere.

Yes.

You'll get 8 separate VOOM logins and each login can be shared among any number of devices.

 

Biker, who would forgo some of the planner purchases and get a 4th cabin.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Biker19

[cheermomof2girls]

Thanks Biker!  We dont need a fourth cabin, the 3 girls are excited to share a cabin, and the boy will sleep with his parents.  But, you are right, some of the planner purchases are definitely adding up to the price of cabins!!

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, cheermomof2girls said:

But, you are right, some of the planner purchases are definitely adding up to the price of cabins!!

You can get rid of the Key (very little value for most) and buy a 3 device VOOM package which everyone can share, you know, like the cabin. You can also skip the UDP and maybe just visit one of the specialty venues one night if offered a big enough discount on board.

 

BTW, you'll get all pics when anyone in the cabin which you bought it for is in one of the pics.

[taglovestocruise]

$200.00 + per night for the key, as a Royal stock holder I will say thank you.. 

[LeeW]

Lots cheaper to buy two 4-device internet packages than the Key.  Each person must be told they have to log off if they want to use a second device - only 4 at a time allowed.  Give kids one package and adults the other so if one kid hogs two logins they can fight it out.

 

Of course you don't get one Chops arrival lunch and departure breakfast and can't sit in a reserved section for shows if you don't have the Key.  Are you really going to use special reserved time on the rock wall or flowrider?  Do you really need to get on the ship 15 minutes before everyone else?  Check what you actually will use with the Key before you buy it (and read the long Key thread on this board).

 

In theory if you buy a photo package for adult room minor kids in another cabin are included.  Doubt if you buy for the kids' cabin that they will let all pictures from both adults cabin be included.  You might get away with one parent cabin linked (onboard) but probably not both.  All pictures with any person in the purchased cabin shouldn't be a problem.  Photo package is pretty expensive, so unless you really want a lot of pictures it isn't worth it.

[waterbug123]

On 1/28/2020 at 10:58 AM, cheermomof2girls said:

 

Photo Package- if we buy it for the kid's room, does it only work if they are in the pictures, or would it be for any of us?

 

We are looking into the unlimited specialty dining, looks like hibachi is a 10 dollar up charge.  My youngest isn't crazy about hibachi but loves sushi, is it possible for her to sit with us, but order from sushi menu instead?

 

We are doing CoCoCay and I know the older two kids would love the thrill waterpark, but due to the price (currently 114 a ticket), I'm unsure how much use the younger two kids would get from it.  If we do half and half, do you think it would still make for an enjoyable day?  Can we still meet up for lunch, etc?

 

In my experience, once you go to actually select and pay for pictures, they don't really look at who's in them. That said, that's for purchasing pix a la carte.  I'm not sure what the "package" deal is for photos.  If it's a set number, then probably they don't care who's in them.  If it's some kind of "unlimited" thing that includes all of "your" pictures (i.e. the person who bought the package), then that person probably has to be in them. 

 

You can sit together and order from whatever is available in that venue, be it hibachi dishes or sushi.

 

Keep in mind that the height limit is strictly enforced, so depending on the height of the younger kids, they might be disappointed if they go but can't do some of the slides.

 

On 1/28/2020 at 11:01 AM, Biker19 said:

Anyone can sleep anywhere.

Yes.

You'll get 8 separate VOOM logins and each login can be shared among any number of devices.

 

 

Just make sure that whatever cabin has 3 people sleeping in in, was originally booked as a 3 person cabin.  Not all cabins have pullman beds or sleeper sofas to accommodate a 3rd person.   You can always get extra keys to get access to any cabin in your group.

As for "any number of devices" this is true, but you will have to log out of a device in order to use that particular login on another device.

 

On 1/28/2020 at 11:30 AM, Biker19 said:

You can get rid of the Key (very little value for most) and buy a 3 device VOOM package which everyone can share, you know, like the cabin.

 

Again, with a 3 device package, only 3 devices can be logged in at a time.  If a 4th person wants to get online, and 3 people already are, someone has to log off first.

Edited January 30, 2020 by waterbug123

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, waterbug123 said:

As for "any number of devices" this is true, but you will have to log out of a device in order to use that particular login on another device.

 If a 4th person wants to get online, and 3 people already are, someone has to log off first.

Most ships are switching to a bump system, where the system prompts you to bump another device off (no need to log off) when the package device limit is reached. You can still log off if you want to make a device login available to others.

[waterbug123]

Just now, Biker19 said:

Most ships are switching to a bump system, where the system prompts you to bump another device off (no need to log off) when the package device limit is reached. You can still log off if you want to make a device login available to others.

 

Ok, but either way it means "extra" people cannot be on at the same time.  This could be an issue with 8 people trying to share a 3 device package, especially if at least 3 are kids who want to be on a lot.

[Biker19]

Just now, waterbug123 said:

Ok, but either way it means "extra" people cannot be on at the same time. 

That has always been the case when sharing a VOOM package, it's just that there's an "easier" option now.

[waterbug123]

37 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That has always been the case when sharing a VOOM package, it's just that there's an "easier" option now.

 

Yes, but for someone relatively unfamiliar with Royal (such as the OP, who has only been on Royal once,) they may not realize that sharing doesn't mean sharing simultaneously.  I was simply clarifying so they would not misunderstand your "everyone can share" statement.  🙂

[cheermomof2girls]

We already bought the Key so I think we are going to be fine with devices, we decided to keep it so everyone can have access to wifi text to keep everyone informed of where we are when we separate.  

 

We are keeping the same number in each room, just want to swap the actual bodies around but thanks for that reminder.  I have ran into that on carnival before- kids wanting to stay in grandparents room, but having to squeeze in.  Was easier when they were smaller! :)

 

Appreciate all of the answers and opinions! :)  thanks again!

[sun_lovin!1]

Photo package is always worth it for me.  Our family takes tons of pictures!  Someone that is listed in the cabin that you purchase the package with must be in the picture and you will get that picture.  I always buy the package!

[Wordell1]

5 minutes ago, sun_lovin!1 said:

Photo package is always worth it for me.  Our family takes tons of pictures!  Someone that is listed in the cabin that you purchase the package with must be in the picture and you will get that picture.  I always buy the package!

 

I prepurchased the Digital package precruise for my recent cruise on LOS - it was half the price they were charging onboard. I paid $149.

 

One thing that I did not know was that you can have any of the photos printed onboard for only $5 extra.  We made it a point to stop at all the photo locations and ended up with 98 pictures to download after the trip.  We printed 3 8x10s onboard for on $15 extra.

 

With the precruise discount it was roughly comparable to what you would pay for professional portrait photos and we have more variety since we were wearing different outfits and some are formal and some more random.