Royal Caribbean, first time cruise, how to select a room

Hi,

My husband, 16 year old (at time of cruise) son and 14 year old daughter and I are planning on taking our first cruise in July. We're planning on going out of Port Canaveral and go to the Caribbean on Freedom of the Seas/Royal Caribbean.

What's better, the Eastern or Western Caribbean? There are 2 Western Caribbean cruises one leaves Port canaveral, day 2 is cruising, day 3 is Labadee, Haiti, Day 4 is Falmouth, Jamaica, 5th is George Town, Grand Cayman and Day 6 is Cozumel, Mexico then back to Canaveral. The other Western Caribbean is day 1 port Canaveral, 2 cruising, 3 George Town Grand Cayman (for 7 1/2 hours), 4 Roatan Honduras (for 5 1/2 hours), 5 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, 6 Cozumel, Mexico, 7 cruising and 8 back in Port Canaveral. The Eastern Cruise leaves Port Canaveral, day 2 Coco Cay, Bahamas, 3 cruising, 4 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, 5 Philipsburg, St Maarten, day 6 and 7 cruising and arrive back at Canaveral day 8.

I've no idea how to judge. It seems that 2 straight days of cruising wouldn't be the best.

How do you pick a room? I think I'm pretty set on having a balcony. I think we'd be much more comfortable with 2 rooms, but not sure. Is it better to be on a higher deck? Toward the front, middle or back of the ship?

We are going through a travel agent my husband had been referred to, but I don't know what to say I want.

What do I need to make sure I do?

Do they have French Vanilla Coffee creamer?

How much is a soda?

How much is wi-fi? We've got Verizon phones, it may be nice to have one phone accessible to family somehow, either through text or email in case something happens, death or major family illness (or if something happens, can they contact Royal Caribbean who would then contact us).

What's the best way of keeping track of or in touch with teenagers if we're doing separate things on the ship?

Do you book the excursions through Royal Caribbean or outside places?

Oh, and what's the deal with tipping?

Thanks for the help. I'm clueless.

Janelle:confused::confused:

Hi,

 

My husband, 16 year old (at time of cruise) son and 14 year old daughter and I are planning on taking our first cruise in July. We're planning on going out of Port Canaveral and go to the Caribbean on Freedom of the Seas/Royal Caribbean.

 

What's better, the Eastern or Western Caribbean? There are 2 Western Caribbean cruises one leaves Port canaveral, day 2 is cruising, day 3 is Labadee, Haiti, Day 4 is Falmouth, Jamaica, 5th is George Town, Grand Cayman and Day 6 is Cozumel, Mexico then back to Canaveral. The other Western Caribbean is day 1 port Canaveral, 2 cruising, 3 George Town Grand Cayman (for 7 1/2 hours), 4 Roatan Honduras (for 5 1/2 hours), 5 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, 6 Cozumel, Mexico, 7 cruising and 8 back in Port Canaveral. The Eastern Cruise leaves Port Canaveral, day 2 Coco Cay, Bahamas, 3 cruising, 4 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, 5 Philipsburg, St Maarten, day 6 and 7 cruising and arrive back at Canaveral day 8. The last one would be my choice. Check out the ports on-line and Google Earth. Also see what types of excursions the cruise line offers to see what's available.

 

I've no idea how to judge. It seems that 2 straight days of cruising wouldn't be the best. We love sea days. Relaxing and usually lots of activities planned on board.

 

How do you pick a room? I think I'm pretty set on having a balcony. I think we'd be much more comfortable with 2 rooms, but not sure. Is it better to be on a higher deck? Toward the front, middle or back of the ship? 2 cabins would be better, I think. Most cruise lines will let you book a cabin for the kids as long as it's next to or across the hall from the adults. Check the RCL website for their rules.

 

We are going through a travel agent my husband had been referred to, but I don't know what to say I want.

 

What do I need to make sure I do? Make sure they know something about cruising. If they try to steer you towards a particular cruise line I would choose someone else. It's your cruise.

 

Do they have French Vanilla Coffee creamer? Probably not. :( I take a small jar and put some in little Ziploc bags (available in the pharmacy section for pills) to carry with me.

 

How much is a soda? Usually around $2.25 / $2.50 with the tip (which is automatically added to all drinks)

 

How much is wi-fi? We've got Verizon phones, it may be nice to have one phone accessible to family somehow, either through text or email in case something happens, death or major family illness (or if something happens, can they contact Royal Caribbean who would then contact us). Wi-Fi is expensive and sloooooow. Texting is cheaper - make sure you have your phone set up for use outside the U.S. And turn off data roaming or you may get back to a huge bill. We turn our phone off and leave it in the safe. In case of an emergency someone can contact the ship - RCL can give you the phone number.

 

What's the best way of keeping track of or in touch with teenagers if we're doing separate things on the ship? Sticky notes on the cabin door or just make plans to meet up in a public space at certain times. Be sure to set rules for the kids - just common sense stuff like not going to other peoples cabins, etc. You know your kids and how responsible they are.

 

Do you book the excursions through Royal Caribbean or outside places? As a newbie I would go through RCL. One thing I do is check out the port on Google Earth to see where the ship might dock and if I even need an excursion.

 

Oh, and what's the deal with tipping? Each passenger is charged around $12 / $13 a day for tips - usually added to your account each day. Cash isn't necessary unless you decide to tip someone extra. This is for your cabin steward, wait staff (both in the main dining room and buffet, etc.) and other folks behind the scenes that you might never see. Drinks you have to pay for (sodas, specialty coffees, anything alcoholic) will usually have an 18% or so tip added to the price)

 

Thanks for the help. I'm clueless.

 

Janelle:confused::confused:

Welcome to the great world of cruising. You might want to do some reading on the Royal Caribbean website - there's probably a frequently asked questions area. And the RCL area here is great for specific questions.

Look at the deck plans... (2 cabins would be more comfortable...the kids could be across the hall, to save money...they don't need a balcony!) Midship and mid deck give you the best "ride".....being near stair/elevator foyers is a GOOD thing!

Make sure you have your ID's straight...the 14 year old only needs her BC...the 16 year old and you will need photo ID and BC, if you don't have passports.

A can of soda is about $2.80...RCI offers a soda package, but you have to drink a lot to make it pay. Each package is for 1 person.

There is an emergency number in case family MUST contact you...can't help with wifi...we don't use our phones on the ship.

The best way to keep track of the kids is to make plans, and have meet up times....the public areas of the ship are small..you'll locate them!

Tips are added daily to your account. The only folks not included in those tips are room service delivery...$1-5 per order (depending on what you order) is ample.

Get a guidebook on your ports. Many things don't need excursions at all!

Hi,

 

My husband, 16 year old (at time of cruise) son and 14 year old daughter and I are planning on taking our first cruise in July. We're planning on going out of Port Canaveral and go to the Caribbean on Freedom of the Seas/Royal Caribbean.

 

What's better, the Eastern or Western Caribbean? There are 2 Western Caribbean cruises one leaves Port canaveral, day 2 is cruising, day 3 is Labadee, Haiti, Day 4 is Falmouth, Jamaica, 5th is George Town, Grand Cayman and Day 6 is Cozumel, Mexico then back to Canaveral. The other Western Caribbean is day 1 port Canaveral, 2 cruising, 3 George Town Grand Cayman (for 7 1/2 hours), 4 Roatan Honduras (for 5 1/2 hours), 5 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, 6 Cozumel, Mexico, 7 cruising and 8 back in Port Canaveral. The Eastern Cruise leaves Port Canaveral, day 2 Coco Cay, Bahamas, 3 cruising, 4 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, 5 Philipsburg, St Maarten, day 6 and 7 cruising and arrive back at Canaveral day 8.

 

I've no idea how to judge. It seems that 2 straight days of cruising wouldn't be the best. Days at sea are amazing, make your own schedule, watch amazing shows, take a nap whenever you please, etc. There is so much to do on the ship you'll wish you had a bit more time.

 

How do you pick a room? I think I'm pretty set on having a balcony. I think we'd be much more comfortable with 2 rooms, but not sure. Is it better to be on a higher deck? Toward the front, middle or back of the ship? All preference. Going to have a walk a ton anyways. If you plan on doing a certain activity more, get a cabin on that side of the activity. Walking a lot will help with the calorie burning though :D

 

We are going through a travel agent my husband had been referred to, but I don't know what to say I want.

 

What do I need to make sure I do? Do you live near Port Canaveral? If not I'd suggest booking a hotel a night before the hotel if you're flying in.

 

Do they have French Vanilla Coffee creamer? Can't help you here, I don't think they do

 

How much is a soda? Over $2 per drink from what I remember. A soda/drink package is usually worth it.

 

How much is wi-fi? We've got Verizon phones, it may be nice to have one phone accessible to family somehow, either through text or email in case something happens, death or major family illness (or if something happens, can they contact Royal Caribbean who would then contact us).Wi-fi is pricey, when you're on land you can get to a McDonalds and get free wi-fi. Like sparky said, if theirs an absolute emergency have your family contact the ship and they'll get ahold of you

 

What's the best way of keeping track of or in touch with teenagers if we're doing separate things on the ship?Set schedule, know where they will be for the most part. For example: "We'll be at the pool for now, if not then we will either be getting pizza or playing ping pong. Meet you back at the room at 4."

 

Do you book the excursions through Royal Caribbean or outside places? I suggest doing it with RCL since it's your first cruise. If you want to just go to the beach or something like Atlantis, I think outside places would be okay.

 

Oh, and what's the deal with tipping?Gratuities are about 10-12 a day, that goes to your cabin stewards and wait staff. Beverages already have tip included, so adding more is your choice.

 

Thanks for the help. I'm clueless.

 

Janelle:confused::confused:

Make sure all the travel docs are up to date and packed, bring things like ponchos, jackets, and A waterproof card carrier thingy like this, just in case, you never know how the weather will be!

You're going to have an amazing time with your family, happy cruising!

If you can afford two rooms, then do so, but it is a lot more expensive just to have a place to sleep. I would just do all 4 of you together and put the extra money towards drink packages, excursions, and maybe some specially dining. Western or Eastern doesn't really matter, they're both great. Western tends to be more historical(with the Mayan ruins) where eastern has prettier views/hiking/beaches etc.

2 sea days are fine, they really let you just relax and enjoy the ship.

Deck placement... if you have a easily car-sick/seasick person, go middle and low. If no one struggles with that, then go up and have fun! :)

For the first cruise, book through the boat for excursions. Then when you feel more comfortable, then branch out. You'll know you'll never miss the boat, if you book through RC.

Automatic tipping is the easiest, then you don't have to worry about doing more(or carrying bills)

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Go with 2 cabins. Having 2 bathrooms is better especially when you have 2 teenagers.

One room can be a balcony and the other one can be an inside cabin across the hall.

I always suggest that first time cruisers use the ship's excursions. They will make certain that if anything goes wrong with the tour, the ship will wait for you. Independents who go out on their -- ship will not wait for you.

Hi,

 

My husband, 16 year old (at time of cruise) son and 14 year old daughter and I are planning on taking our first cruise in July. We're planning on going out of Port Canaveral and go to the Caribbean on Freedom of the Seas/Royal Caribbean.

 

What's better, the Eastern or Western Caribbean? There are 2 Western Caribbean cruises one leaves Port canaveral, day 2 is cruising, day 3 is Labadee, Haiti, Day 4 is Falmouth, Jamaica, 5th is George Town, Grand Cayman and Day 6 is Cozumel, Mexico then back to Canaveral. The other Western Caribbean is day 1 port Canaveral, 2 cruising, 3 George Town Grand Cayman (for 7 1/2 hours), 4 Roatan Honduras (for 5 1/2 hours), 5 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, 6 Cozumel, Mexico, 7 cruising and 8 back in Port Canaveral. The Eastern Cruise leaves Port Canaveral, day 2 Coco Cay, Bahamas, 3 cruising, 4 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, 5 Philipsburg, St Maarten, day 6 and 7 cruising and arrive back at Canaveral day 8.

 

I've no idea how to judge. It seems that 2 straight days of cruising wouldn't be the best.

 

How do you pick a room? I think I'm pretty set on having a balcony. I think we'd be much more comfortable with 2 rooms, but not sure. Is it better to be on a higher deck? Toward the front, middle or back of the ship?

 

We are going through a travel agent my husband had been referred to, but I don't know what to say I want.

 

What do I need to make sure I do?

 

Do they have French Vanilla Coffee creamer?

 

How much is a soda?

 

How much is wi-fi? We've got Verizon phones, it may be nice to have one phone accessible to family somehow, either through text or email in case something happens, death or major family illness (or if something happens, can they contact Royal Caribbean who would then contact us).

 

What's the best way of keeping track of or in touch with teenagers if we're doing separate things on the ship?

 

Do you book the excursions through Royal Caribbean or outside places?

 

Oh, and what's the deal with tipping?

 

Thanks for the help. I'm clueless.

 

Janelle:confused::confused:

Asking what is better is impossible to answer because it depends on what you are looking for.

Cocoa Cay and Labadee are Royal Caribbean's private islands (actually Labadee is a private beach - Cocoa Cay is a private island). I've been to both (on the Freedom of the Seas) and I would take Cocoa Cay hands down. However, Cocoa Cay is a tender port which means if it is windy, you will skip the port. Labadee had a dock and it has more toys (zip line, rollercoaster). However, Cocoa Cay has more room and better beaches (in my opinion).

Tendering means you'll get on one of the lifeboats to go from ship to shore and back to the ship.

If you like snorkeling then the George Town Grand Cayman,Roatan Honduras,Puerto Costa Maya,Cozumel, Mexico offers the best snorkeling.

If you like beaches, the eastern route to St. Thomas and St. Maarten would be my recommendation (both islands have great beaches).

If you want to do a little of everything, then Labadee, Falmouth, Grand Cayman & Cozumel is a good choice (Grand Cayman is also a tender port).

The best cabins have cabins above and below. Midship is better than the ends of the ship. However, these are general advice. I've been on several Royal Caribbean cruises, including the Freedom of the Sea twice (on two of the three routes you've listed) and one time I was in a rear facing suite (with a balcony) and the other time I was in the most forward balcony cabin there is. However I have a lot of experience on cruise ships and knew what I was doing when I did it.

For first timers you cannot go wrong with a mid ship balcony cabin that has cabins above and below you. To save a little money, you can get a balcony cabin with an inside across the hall for the kids.

I love sea days. It is a great time to just relax. The kids can hangout with other teanagers in the tean area and you can do whatever you want. The Freedom of the Seas is a big ship with plenty to do. You might find you enjoy the extra day of rest.

My last cruise on the Freedom of the Seas was April 2015. You can read my review (if you want) by clicking on the link below. It includes a lot of pictures ...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2203566

Regarding your travel agent. Ask lots of question. Find out how experienced your travel agent is with cruising (some have never set foot on a ship and don't have any more of clue than you do). Is this travel agent looking to take care of you or just to take your money, collect a commission and move on to the next person? What professional organizations does your travel agent belong to? What is your travel agent's cancellation policy? Will your travel agent look for price drops or will you have to do it. If there is a price drop, will your travel agent re-book you at the new lower rate for free, or is there a service charge? Ask about any other charges your travel agent may throw at you. What if there is a problem, does the travel agent have a 24 hour number? Does the travel agent offer any special perks (this should not be a deal breaker, but it is worth asking about)? Is the travel agent familiar with the ship?

For a first timer I recommend booking excursions through the ship. You are dealing with enough issues as a first time cruiser, don't add shore excursion research issues to the list. You will not know which questions to ask. For example, will the island time be the same as the ship time? This is a very important issue. You don't have to worry about it if you book the shore excursion through the ship.

As to tipping, I bill the standard tips to my onboard account. This covers the wait staff and the room steward or stewardess. Drinks you have to pay for (soft drinks and alcoholic drinks) will have a 15% gratuity added to the bill. You can tip over the recommended amounts if you wish.

If you want to keep track of you children, I would suggest buying a set of walkie talkies. they're relatively inexpensive and most have a range of a mile or more

You got a lot of great advice and one piece of horrible advice. DO NOT bother with walkie talkies. The structure of most ships would interefere with reception and you will tick off many other passengers if you have to yell into your device to be heard. We used the notes on the door (and on the cabin desk) method on our last cruise -- our daughter was 15 on that one, and the three of us were doing different things on sea days (and we had ten sea days! We love sea days).

Tell your kids what times you'll want to hear from them or where you want them to meet up with you. My daughter would know when we're going to dinner as we had traditional dining. Every night your cabin steward will leave the next day's newsletter for you. You can let each other know what you might do or what shows you'll interested in.

Some ships also have courtesy phones all around the ship. You should be able to leave a voice mail on your cabin phone (generally you can only retrieve messages when you're in your cabin).

I turn off my phone until we reach a port. Each ship has an emergency phone number that you can give your family members. I always put together an itinerary with a day by day listing of ports or sea days, with our cabin number and the contact emergency phone number (warn your family members, neighbors, or whomever else you give this to that usually it's an expensive call from shore to ship). On our last cruise, we did buy an Internet package (I called Princess ahead of our cruise so check for your line if considering this) and would check my email. But Internet can be spotty (we were in the middle of the Pacific).

If booking two cabins, make doubly sure that your booking is marked "no upgrade." Let your TA know to make sure you want to be across from your kids. You would think this is a no-brainer but...

Keep the tips on your account It's easiest to do this. This doesn't coverage beverage service or room service. If a crew member does an incredible job and you want to reward more than the tips, you can give that additional in tips. Some cruise lines also have a special card that you can fill out with the crew member's name (sometimes you just need the first name), work station, country. These cards are like a "made a difference" ones and will go in the crew member's personnel file.

As for ports, you can easily research each one. There's guide books and tourism web sites for just about any place a ship sails to. That may also help you decide between Eastern and Western Caribbean. Get your teens to help with the research

But here's something to know about when it comes to the Caribbean in the summer. That's hurricane season. So if it looks like a hurricane will pop up for your itinerary, the captain will change the ports. So no worries, but if you're dead set on a specific port, just remember there's no guarantee on a cruise.

You might find that a lot of cabins are booked and the cabin selection is not very good now, but it won't hurt to check. You'll need to have your children in a cabin adjacent or directly across the hall from yours. Some cabins connect -- They have an inside door so you can go from one cabin to another without going into the hall -- and some families prefer these since it makes both bathrooms available to both cabins.

Four (4) in a cabin is very crowded, especially when the children are teens. You'd need a cabin with 2 pulldown uppers. I think the freedom does have a few "family" cabins with 4 beds all on the floor, not pulldown uppers, but I'm not sure, and I don't think any of these are balconies. A lot of families book the balcony for the adults and put the kids directly across the hall in an inside or promenade view cabin. Are the teens OK staying in the same cabin with only one bathroom and shower? There is not much room in the bathroom to dress, so there might not be that much privacy. Some families put mom and daughter in one cabin and dad and son in the other. Then you'd probably want to have both cabins be a balcony. I don't know about the Freedom of the Seas, but on some ships the balcony dividers can be opened or removed to make one larger balcony if the balconies connect.

For USA bookings, you can cancel an RCI cruise 75 days before sailing with full deposit refund and no penalty. So, you might want to book something now. You can always change or cancel later when you have more time to decide for sure (if the cabins you want to change to are available). Oh, and often cabins do free up at the 75-day-before-sailing date, when reservations are cancelled -- so check then to see if any better cabins are available.

Thank you for your responses.

Any idea how much a beer is on Freedom of the Seas?

Now the cruise says it docks back at Orlando at 6am. What time does one need to be off the ship? Do you get breakfast? Does the drink plan -per day plan count this as a day and charge the $8?

What's the smoking policy on ships? Am I going to be having to hold my breath when walking around?

Janelle

Thank you for your responses.

 

Any idea how much a beer is on Freedom of the Seas?

 

Now the cruise says it docks back at Orlando at 6am. What time does one need to be off the ship? Do you get breakfast? Does the drink plan -per day plan count this as a day and charge the $8?

 

 

What's the smoking policy on ships? Am I going to be having to hold my breath when walking around?

 

Janelle

Usually you can eat breakfast on the last day of a cruise. When the docking time is listed, that's just the expected time the ship is expected back. But that's not nearly the time that any passengers will be allowed off. Customs and immigration take over and determine when passengers could start disembarking. There will be a time you're expected out of your cabin. You'll have to ask on the RC board here about how that line handles the last day as well as your other questions.

Any idea how much a beer is on Freedom of the Seas?

 

Now the cruise says it docks back at Orlando at 6am. What time does one need to be off the ship? Do you get breakfast? Does the drink plan -per day plan count this as a day and charge the $8?

 

What's the smoking policy on ships? Am I going to be having to hold my breath when walking around?

Beer is about the same price as land based restaurants. Any drinks that you pay for have an automatic tip added -- 18% I think. You don't pay with cash -- you use your ship card, which is also your room key. The day you disembark is not counted. The main dining room (MDR) and buffet (deck 11) and Cafe Promenade (deck 5) will all be open for breakfast the last day. By the way, lunch is included the day you board (the buffet and Cafe Promenade -- not sure about Sorrentos since I've not sailed a freedom class ship yet).

Even though the ship docks at 6am, people won't start leaving until 7am or later. It takes a while for USA customs to clear the ship -- I'm not sure what they do, but it always takes an hour or more. The last passenger usually leaves by 10am. Then the ship quickly cleans the public areas, and the new passengers start boarding around 11am or so. No rest for the crew on a ship.

A couple of years ago RCI tightened their smoking policy. No more smoking on balconies. One side of the pool will be smoking -- it seems to vary but usually on RCI is is the port (left) side. The casino will be smoking. Other areas are usually non-smoking including bars and restaurants. Oh, one side outside on deck 4 is smoking -- again I think think this is the port side. And there is a cigar bar near the deck 5 forward lounge that of course is smoking -- the Connoisseur Club. So, no, you won't have to hold your breath walking around.

Thanks.

Other than spa treatments and drinks, what would we use onboard spending credits for?

Is there an average amount spent?

We just returned from our first cruise with two 16's. They had their own cabin next door and I would not have done it any other way.

We caught up every day at some point, normally prearranged! Mini-golf tournament at 3pm - be there! They did not often eat with us but they were close enough we knew they were safe.

Set some obvious rules about not going to other cabins or having people in their cabin, then whatever else you are comfortable with.

We found set times to catch up worked best. They were able to do their own thing and have a trip they enjoyed, so were happy to indulge us with a catch up when we organised it!

They came ashore on tours with us, were not allowed ashore alone and generally had the trip of their lives.

Have a spare key issued for their cabin door and leave them sticky note messages. They will love the freedom and you will be able to indulge yourselves knowing they are having a fabulous time and are safe.

Thanks.

 

Other than spa treatments and drinks, what would we use onboard spending credits for?

 

Is there an average amount spent?

You can use the credits for almost anything - drinks, drink packages, spa, shore excursions, on board shopping, specialty restaurants, tips, etc. It's up to you.

I'm sure there is no one average amount that works for everyone. It depends on how much you wish to spend.

If you want to keep track of you children, I would suggest buying a set of walkie talkies. they're relatively inexpensive and most have a range of a mile or more

Forget it.

Teenagers are not going to be carrying walkie talkies, and they hardly ever work. Total waste.

Asking questions on here is the best thing and the worst thing you can do! I mean that in jest, because it's easy to have analysis paralysis. Sounds to me like you might want to contact a local travel agent. You would not be obligated to book a cruise, but they will (should) be more than happy to answer your questions. Most of us, including me, think we know best how to guide you. Travel Agents are trained on how best to handle that.

As for me personally - I'm partial to the western caribbean. Why? There's no objective way to answer that. I also don't think you'll have a problem with 2 sea days. You and the kids will be so busy taking everything in. If you let your kids roam free responsibly, as my mom did on my first cruise 20 years ago, you'll find that they'll be having a ball and most likely won't ever be in the stateroom except to change clothes and sleep - because of that, don't get a 2nd room. You'll save a lot of money with the 3rd and 4th passengers discount.

Enjoy the process! Start with the beginner's guide to cruising section of this site, royal caribbean, and a nice little book called "The Cruise Addict's Wife."

An Owner's Suite is an option. You get a lot of upgrades and the cabin is very spacious.