Hotel CA

Just a reminder, only the four sample drinks are included, you need cash (no credit cards) for any extra food or drink.

How much cash do people bring generally per person?

We are flying American. How does that program work? I like the idea of it a lot!

Would love to see the Keys - ever since I started watching Bloodline!

I believe American is part of the Luggage Valet program-- you get the form on board and fill it out and for 25 $ a bag they take direct to the plane and you pick up your luggage at bag claim when you arrive

Key west is about an hour and 1/2 drive from Miami I believe but there are great places to swim and snorkel well before key west. Day passes are OK at hotels but they can easily cost upwards of 75-95 pp and for 6 seems rather steep.

We have a late afternoon return when we cruise in November and will be spending the day at FT lauderdales beach area of which there are several listed on the FLL Beach website (and may places to eat as well) and best of all the beach is free!!

Also if you are flying an airline that participate in royals luggage valet program you will not have to deal with your luggage all day and can rent a car and/or Uber it to various beaches/locals to enjoy lovely south florida (renting a car you can drive to the keys)

Recommend Nachi Cocom in Cozumel-- great relaxing all-inclusive beach day but you must pre book a reservation online .

We often push the envelope of sanity when booking flights home (by that I mean booking very early flights) and Port to FLL some of the quickest trips that there is at any port.

Having said that, 8 am is really pushing it as everything has to go just right. You never know upon return if there might be a hiccup with customs or with clearing the ship etc.

we have made 10 am flights many times out of FLL but any earlier than that is very risky. Consider the alternative if you did miss the 8 am flight before you lock-and-load the tickets

I just had an idea. All loungers could be equipped with digital timers on the top. While someone is sitting in the lounger, the timer stays at zero, sensing the body weight. As soon as they get up, it starts counting up, showing how long the chair has been unoccupied. Problem solved!!! :D

Better yet, rig each chair with high voltage electricity and if it detects no weight or movement in an hours time, send a high charge throughout the chair and just vaporize whatever they had holding the chair:)

There is some first hand experience in this thread (see in particular the 6th post - a bit old, but it might give you some tips you hadn't considered).

 

All the best to you for a great trip.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2079984&highlight=autism+muster

Wow-- outstanding info--Thanks to Colleen for that great, informative post and

thank you for pointing it out.

Take the Independence and book a hotel the day before and the day after and you have your 5 day cruise become a 7 day vacation in the warm sun

During our last 3 cruises with Royal DW and I both had the Ultimate drink package and never paid anything extra for any martini (nor any other drink except bottles of wine of course) on any of the cruises. I drink mostly Grey Goose or Belvedere martini's (slightly dirty) and she likes Titos or Ciroc (the only Gluten free vodkas!) cosmos.

We even had mudslides and special aged bourbon drinks at no extra cost.

I am not saying it doesn't happen (extra charge) just that we have never experienced it

always pick your quarterback from the quarterback factory...............

 

The cleveland browns.

 

You can buy me a drink later.:)

like!!!

RCL seems to have replaced "Dynamic Dining" with the new and Improved 'Dynamic Pricing' option--actually its not really an option but rather a Designed in Feature!!!!

Actually, he has many long-time fans....and I am one. I'm sure he knew all the answers to the muse before anyone replied:D. Right?

And I am another! His posts are generally interesting and thought provoking and more often than not just wry enough to be lovable:).

Most likely the deep tissue will be best, however it will not likely be anything like the same type on land as they try and play to a lower common denominator at sea and therefor you get lighter touch --even for deep tissue

This child did not survive. The family donated his organs. Many will live because one died and because of this family's strength. Yes it is all true. God bless them all

God bless the family for donating any organs at all. I myself had a bilateral Lung transplant (both lungs) in 2009 and am a happy, healthy and contributing member of society today because of some loving family's willingness to donate their loved ones organs.

Organ donation takes courage and is the most loving act a family can do. Many lives can be made possible by the death of someone's loved one but it takes incredible courage to agree to donate the organs and it is asked at the worst possible moment.

God bless that family for having the love and courage to make that most difficult of decisions.

I like the idea that you to do the deed onboard the ship-- this will tie the experience to Royal and every time you cruise again in the future you will have a chance to relive the experience.

In addition you have access to the photos and could make an arrangement that you actually do the proposal during a Photography session on a formal night (or whatever night you like) so you get a permanent record of the event and a picture as it happened--just go visit the department secretly and make an arrangement

Does Southwest Air service MSP? We got a better fares back in 2014 and I checked today, but its too early for me to book for my next cruise. I saw $240 each Rt from Columbus.

Yes Southwest does service MSP and should have fares in the $400 rt range once the flights open up--if you are fast and keep looking you can find 250-300 rt on SWA from MSP to SJU

One of the values (if you can call t that) of having decent TV channels is following news, sports and weather while cruising. Princess gives you a local channel and a decent news channel at least--Royal gives neither.

It is funny that the very same people who seem to be deeply interested in internet speeds and service will say they don't need nor watch TV on a cruise. Electronic entertainment takes many forms and one is not 'better' than any other unless that is what YOU like it seems. Well I do agree with that--the best is whatever I prefer<sheepish grin>

Seems unlikely to me that the President would plan to be stuck on a cruise with a bunch of disgruntled C&A members.

Agree with Bob-- the President's cruise might be the least likely cruise on which they would announce any changes that could be perceived as cheapening the upper tier loyal customer experience.

It would make for a Funny and really interesting cruise though (at least for everyone but the President)

I'd go with Adventure because we enjoy the Southern Caribbean more than Eastern, Barbados especially.

What Bob said= Agree

Help!!! I didn't book any package?! I just booked the 4 restaurants and paid for them!

Its ok-- take a breath-- we will help your sort this out. First of all, you can cancel them at anytime and all you will lose (potentially) is the reservation times. You can always cancel the first night reservation and re book it onboard for the reduced amount.

Now in order to really help we need to know how long your cruise is. If you have a 7 day cruise or more, they probably have a discounted package for 4 nights--look on your reservation under dining options/reservations and see if they have a package and what it costs.

No matter what you can still cancel any or all of your existing reservations and they will credit back to the cc you used. If you wait until you are onboard--you will only get OBC (not a credit back to your CC)--others will weigh in on this in a little while

Thanks, what happens if 1 device is logged on and you try to log on with a different device? I guess it warns you?

You will not be able to log the second device in is all--

Plus the narrow roads with high walls in some places give very little margin for error.

And the many Roundabouts that when combined with driving on an unfamiliar side of the road= real trouble. 20 years ago my wife and I thought it would be a fun idea to rent scooters there. Going out at 8 am was nice (No traffic) albeit a little tricky -- coming back at 2 was insane and a HUGE mistake (realized too late)-- we made it back safely--just barely-- and learned a valuable lesson--namely God invented Buses and Taxi's for a good reason!!!

People have preferences. Whether it be sports, teams, social activities or cruising. When they observe unwarranted attacks or criticism of one of their favorites they are inclined to defend that interest. So, it is generally just fine to be critical of or question something Royal does. Truthful and objective posts are seldom greeted with attacks by Royal fans.

 

It seems to be a common thread in some of the infrequent cruisers posts that they are critical of Royal and get apoplectic when they view a Pinnacle pin. Whether they have another cruise line as their favorite or just envy accomplishments of any kind - who knows, who cares.

What? "...when they view a pinnacle pin." Really? Strange comment-- who even notices those little things?

I can't do anything in my cruise planner - maybe because I haven't made final payment???

Try using a different Browser to access your cruise planner--if you use IE try Chrome--that will often make the difference

Have no opinion about excursions (ship or private) but can tell you that the fishing off Cozumel can be world class depending on time of year.

Second best big game fishing we have ever done was off Cozumel-- best ever was from Puerto Vallarta where we caught (and released alive) 4 beautiful and large sailfish--Now those were a battle with tail walking and deep diving. There were 2 of us (2 hookups landed each) and by the time we finished our second we were done done done