Several questions form an RCL newbie!

[CherylCT]

I apologize if these questions have been asked, but I'm finding it difficult to navigate for answers.  Please bear with me.  And thank you in advance to those that choose to answer and help me!  I appreciate any tips and answers you can provide!

 

• I received a notice of specials (excursions, dining, etc) for our July cruise.  I may be interested in several but was wondering if they pop up from time to time or do I need to jump on them?
• Can you bring on two bottles of wine per person or per cabin?  Only upon embarkation?
• Can you bring water and/or soft drinks, too?  if so, how does that work.
• We are going to Bermuda.  Is there transportation right off the ship if we want to just go to a nice beach for the day?  Do we need to book in advance?
• We are doing My Time dining but not quite sure how that works.  I thought a read a thread that you can still make a reservation? Or that you should choose early or late and then change?  Confused.  If anyone can shed some light on this, it would be most appreciated!
• Are there any other discussion boards for info or to find out about independent excursions?
• Is The Key worth purchasing for a 5-day?
•  

I am grateful for any and all responses~

Edited February 1, 2022 by CherylCT
added question

[davekathy]

8 minutes ago, CherylCT said:

I apologize if these questions have been asked, but I'm finding it difficult to navigate for answers.  Please bear with me.  And thank you in advance to those that choose to answer and help me!  I appreciate any tips and answers you can provide!

 

• I received a notice of specials (excursions, dining, etc) for our July cruise.  I may be interested in several but was wondering if they pop up from time to time or do I need to jump on them?
• Can you bring on two bottles of wine per person or per cabin?  Only upon embarkation?
• Can you bring water and/or soft drinks, too?  if so, how does that work.
• We are going to Bermuda.  Is there transportation right off the ship if we want to just go to a nice beach for the day?  Do we need to book in advance?
• We are doing My Time dining but not quite sure how that works.  I thought a read a thread that you can still make a reservation? Or that you should choose early or late and then change?  Confused.  If anyone can shed some light on this, it would be most appreciated!
• Are there any other discussion boards for info or to find out about independent excursions?

I am grateful for any and all responses~

Two 750 ml bottles of wine per cabin. Embarkation. 

You can bring water and soda onboard. You have to carry it onboard.  16 oz. 12 cans/bottles. Embarkation.

You can make MTD reservations in your cruise planner when that option opens up for your cruise. Reservations are not required. There will be two lines to the MDR for MTD. One for reservations and one for no reservations. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by davekathy

[taglovestocruise]

Key is overpriced waste of money unless you are going to get internet. Book the dining plan you want, it is getting difficult to switch to MTD after you board. I f you make a purchase in the cruise planner and then later find it on sale you just cancel and repurchase.  Go to the roll call for your cruise date, lots of good talk. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by taglovestocruise

[karena1]

1 hour ago, CherylCT said:

I apologize if these questions have been asked, but I'm finding it difficult to navigate for answers.  Please bear with me.  And thank you in advance to those that choose to answer and help me!  I appreciate any tips and answers you can provide!

 

• I received a notice of specials (excursions, dining, etc) for our July cruise.  I may be interested in several but was wondering if they pop up from time to time or do I need to jump on them?  They are there all the time.  If you book now and the price goes down you can cancel and rebook.
• Can you bring on two bottles of wine per person or per cabin?  Only upon embarkation? Yes 2 bottles of wine or champagne.
• Can you bring water and/or soft drinks, too?  if so, how does that work. no more than 12 16.9 oz bottles of water/soda.  
• We are going to Bermuda.  Is there transportation right off the ship if we want to just go to a nice beach for the day?  Do we need to book in advance?
• We are doing My Time dining but not quite sure how that works.  I thought a read a thread that you can still make a reservation? Or that you should choose early or late and then change?  Confused.  If anyone can shed some light on this, it would be most appreciated!  we always do MTD and rarely make reservations.  We love the flexibility to go eat when we want.  Only time we make reservations is if we have to make a show at a certain time.  rarely do we wait more than 5 minutes for a table.
• Are there any other discussion boards for info or to find out about independent excursions? There is a port guide in the forum that you can check out.
• Is The Key worth purchasing for a 5-day? To use no, but that is more of a personal choice.
•  

I am grateful for any and all responses~

see above

[Rogueperson]

1 minute ago, taglovestocruise said:

Key is overpriced waste of money unless you are going to get internet. 

 

And even if you do get the internet, the difference may not be worth it.  Bermuda is not a tendered port.  The main thing is you get a chops lunch in the MDR on embarkation day and that MIGHT be worth it depending on the difference in price.

If in July, they are still capped on occupancy, you'll have very little lines which makes the benefits of the Key mostly moot.

In Bermuda, prior to covid, there was always a line of cabs waiting to take you wherever you wanted to go.  Horseshoe Beach is the iconic beach in Bermuda.

For Independent excursions, I like using Tripadvisor.  They direct you the companies website where you can book their excursion if you want to.  I tend to stay away from 3rd party booking sites when i can.

[RobInMN]

9 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Key is overpriced waste of money unless you are going to get internet.

 

1 minute ago, Rogueperson said:

 

And even if you do get the internet, the difference may not be worth it.  

 

For instance, Odyssey later this month, current Cruise Planner "sale" has The Key @ $24.99 / pp / per day.

Internet is $13.99/pp/pd (Surf) and $16.99 /pp/pd (Surf + Stream)

We have 3 people.

However, it's a better deal to get 1 @ 3 device plan rather than 3 @ 1 device plan (currently ~21%). So that would be $9.66 and $13.33 pppd if divided out.

 

Using my prices as an example and your 5 day cruise, even if you did do 3 @ 1 device plans, you are still looking at an additional $40 or $55 pp for everything else.

 

2 hours ago, CherylCT said:

• I received a notice of specials (excursions, dining, etc) for our July cruise.  I may be interested in several but was wondering if they pop up from time to time or do I need to jump on them?

If it's something you want, just buy it. If the price goes down, cancel it and re-buy it. There are constant "sales". But also note that you have to actually look and price them, don't just go off the sale "%" as the MSRP also fluctuates. This means that the final price of a 20% off sale can be lower than a 25% off sale. RCL math.

However, also note if the item is still available or sold out. If it's sold out and you cancel, you run the risk of someone buying it out from under you. Even if you do this through a CS rep. 

 

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

You've received good answers.  One additional item from me on the wine per stateroom limit.  If the two occupants each use a separate security line, you can manage easily to bring 2 bottles per person. 😉 

 

Happy sailing.

[topnole]

8 minutes ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

You've received good answers.  One additional item from me on the wine per stateroom limit.  If the two occupants each use a separate security line, you can manage easily to bring 2 bottles per person. 😉 

 

Happy sailing.

You can try a lot of things to cheat the system that will be more valuable than two extra bottles of wine one.  But the policy is two per cabin.  
 

Are the days of sticking a luggage tag on a case of water and checking it with your luggage gone?  Haven’t tried to bring on water in years and I sure wouldn’t want to carry a case on physically.  

[taglovestocruise]

36 minutes ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

You've received good answers.  One additional item from me on the wine per stateroom limit.  If the two occupants each use a separate security line, you can manage easily to bring 2 bottles per person. 😉 

 

Happy sailing.

You have been sending some great pics of Mariner. It is still one of our favorite ships, first cruise on Mariner was the 12 night Chile to California back in 2009. 

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

You have been sending some great pics of Mariner. It is still one of our favorite ships, first cruise on Mariner was the 12 night Chile to California back in 2009. 

 

I wish!  Never been on Mariner and currently, I'm visiting parents in sunny Phoenix, escaping cold Pittsburgh. There must be another Steelers fan out there posting live?

[taglovestocruise]

20 minutes ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

I wish!  Never been on Mariner and currently, I'm visiting parents in sunny Phoenix, escaping cold Pittsburgh. There must be another Steelers fan out there posting live?

There is, he is steeler city 10, and he is posting live every day from Mariner. Maybe this was a omen, you better book something..  

[LB_NJ]

4 hours ago, CherylCT said:

I apologize if these questions have been asked, but I'm finding it difficult to navigate for answers.  Please bear with me.  And thank you in advance to those that choose to answer and help me!  I appreciate any tips and answers you can provide!

 

• I received a notice of specials (excursions, dining, etc) for our July cruise.  I may be interested in several but was wondering if they pop up from time to time or do I need to jump on them?
• ...
• Can you bring water and/or soft drinks, too?  if so, how does that work.
• We are going to Bermuda.  Is there transportation right off the ship if we want to just go to a nice beach for the day?  Do we need to book in advance?
• We are doing My Time dining but not quite sure how that works.  I thought a read a thread that you can still make a reservation? Or that you should choose early or late and then change?  Confused.  If anyone can shed some light on this, it would be most appreciated!
•  
•  

I am grateful for any and all responses~

 

FYI, July can be HOT in Bermuda. This year we have a cruise booked for early June on Celebrity.

 

As previously stated, in cruise planner buy now, cancel and rebook if price goes down.  For future reference, usually best time to book is around black Friday.

 

We went to Bermuda once before (precovid), took the local bus, much cheaper than taxi and very easy to navigate.  The beautiful pink sand beaches (it really is pink) on the south shore are easy to get to. NOTE: if you do the bus, it is a LONG walk from the top of the hill down to the beach.

Unfortunately, the Swizzle Inn South Shore closed, the other one is harder to get to.  HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD TRY A REAL RUM SWIZZLE.

 

I like the gotobermuda website.

 

We prefer to make MTD reservations in advance and change as necessary once on the ship.  For us it works out that way.

 

[lakelorain]

There is a lot to do in Bermuda right at the port.  There's a fort, museum, beach, swimming with dolphins, shopping, mini golf etc.  Also there is a ferry in addition to a public bus that takes you to Hamilton and St. George.  No need for any excursions.  Check out a Bermuda tourism site to narrow down what you want to do so you can plan.  If you want to do an excursion, the tour of Bermuda that RC offers gives you a good overview of the entire island.

[cindyscruise]

And remember if you bring water and soft drinks you have to lug them around until the cabins open at around 2PM.  Unless it is a soft drink that the ship does not have, check out the price of the soda package or refreshment package.  If you get the deluxe beverage package that includes water and soda but may not be worth it depending on how much you drink alcohol.  

[LB_NJ]

3 minutes ago, cindyscruise said:

And remember if you bring water and soft drinks you have to lug them around until the cabins open at around 2PM.  Unless it is a soft drink that the ship does not have, check out the price of the soda package or refreshment package.  If you get the deluxe beverage package that includes water and soda but may not be worth it depending on how much you drink alcohol.  

I think it is generally Coke products.  My wife opted for the refreshment package.

 

I'm going to lug on 12-16.9 ounce bottles of 7-Up plus two 750ml bottles of wine and bought one coffee card for me.  They sold my beloved Empress where I would have purchased the refreshment package.

[livingonthebeach]

3 hours ago, topnole said:

Are the days of sticking a luggage tag on a case of water and checking it with your luggage gone?  Haven’t tried to bring on water in years and I sure wouldn’t want to carry a case on physically.  

 

I've never brought water onboard but was told by some that they put the luggage tag on the case of water give it to the luggage porters at the pier and the water is delivered directly to the stateroom with the luggage. (This was pre-pandemic). 

[SRF]

14 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

I've never brought water onboard but was told by some that they put the luggage tag on the case of water give it to the luggage porters at the pier and the water is delivered directly to the stateroom with the luggage. (This was pre-pandemic). 

 

That was several years pre-pandemic.  RCI changed in about 2018 or 2019, and it has to be carried on board.

[livingonthebeach]

18 minutes ago, SRF said:

That was several years pre-pandemic.  RCI changed in about 2018 or 2019, and it has to be carried on board.

Oh well - was good while it lasted.  Glad I purchased water on sale through the cruise planner for my cruise later this month.

[CherylCT]

So much good information given here.  Thank you all so much!