Bowman26

Thanks for the nifty updated sheet, just in time for my cruise in 2 weeks on the Magic for 7 days to Coz, Belize and Roatan. First time to the second two and first time on the Magic. Changed plans from Mardi Gras cruise on this ship to wait for the updates :) I always seem to get on ships a week or two BEFORE the refurb is due and this time it would have happened again. Love the Alchemy Bar and Guys that I had on the Triumph last November.

I was thinking about adding a spreadsheet tab for drinking too Jac-3 :cool: But I already have Carnival and RCL's complete drink list saved on my phone for easy access. Get the full drink menus before you go and live it up try some new things, throw the bartenders for a loop.

Bo

oops

I am looking at LFK for a cruise the week after Easter on the Magic.

From my research on a lot of these excursions, especially ones not booked with the cruise ship is that you should probably go small and play it by ear.

I have read several comments about bad time management and other issues that eat up your short shore day. This being the case if you pay for say the full horse back swim and lunch and snorkel and kayak and paddle boards odds are you will never get around to all of them and there is the chance some might not even be possible due to weather.

Me and my lady are going to get the lunch package and call it a day. Seems like a nice place just be careful you don't layout money for nothing and have to hassle with trying to get it back if you even can.

The ultimate reason I am going here is to avoid the beach peddlers. There is something to be said about a few hours not being pestered to death while on vacation trying to relax. I can overlook a few kids running around etc but the constant requests to buy something are a real buzz kill. Someone needs to teach these port peddlers and others that they could sell a lot more items if they didn't hassle people as they do.

Multiple Serenade sailings have been priced that way over the last few weeks. Expensive airport to fly into for those on the coasts (that I've seen), somewhat costly cab ride to the port, plus the area in general has been through a lot over the years. I sailed Navigator out of Orleans and had a good time, but would much rather go out of FL.

 

As someone else said, you can kind of see why Royal is pulling out.

All true. BUT, when you live near by and can get someone to drop you off and pick you up things look even better on the wallet ;) That is the beauty of being near a port city. But time is the enemy, not enough to take advantage of it this time around.

Bo

That is incredible! And frustrating because I am taking the same exact cruise over Christmas for way more than that. But the memories are all that matter after all. :P

Don't worry we are gonna live it up over the Christmas cruise! At least I know I am. Went on Explorer out of Galveston last year same route over Christmas and had a blast. This deal is just so sweet such a shame I hadn't planned anything and still had the time. I'd be packing!

Bo

That is tempting even though I am already set for the same cruise 2 weeks later! LOL I am free too and that is over my B-Day. But alas that would be too much drinking in one month :rolleyes:

Bo

The 15% gratuity is added on at check out. $49.00 + 15% = $56.35 per day for the premium package. There are no further gratuities added on per drink.

There is no limit on the amount of drinks per day.

Thank you very much for the details! So it is just a little more than last year I guess, no big deal. Glad to know the gratuities are added upfront. Now I will need another stack of singles to tip though but that is okay, gets the bartenders and waitresses etc on speed dial when they see you :D

And no drink limit is great. I know lots of people think Ohhh how will I ever drink that much etc but it isn't hard to reach the $55 everyday. Plus you don't have to get alcohol in your fruity drinks if you just want the flavor without the buzz, those cost a pretty penny as well if you get it without a package.

They must have just restructured the way they bill for it from last year, to confuse us of course lol.

Bo

I was just checking out the latest RCCL drink package listing. The first thing I noticed was that the daily charge for the Ultimate Package which was $55 a day last year when I cruised is now $49 a day. BUT, if you read the fine print under the rates you will see it says

"* Prices shown for Caribbean, Alaska, and North America itineraries; gratuities are additional. * Prices shown for Caribbean, Alaska, and North America itineraries; gratuities are additional. Prices for Europe,

* Prices shown for Caribbean, Alaska, and North America itineraries; gratuities are additional. Prices for Europe,

Australia/New Zealand, Dubai and South America itineraries vary and are inclusive of gratuities."

So I take it the policy has changed in the past year. You save a few dollars but end up paying the 15% gratuity per drink anyway. I wonder if you have to sign a ticket each time you get a drink as well? I know I loved NOT having to do that last year. I also tipped good bartenders and servers extra cash.

From what I understand after talking to some bartenders last year is that the employees weren't happy with how the Drink Package included tips were totaled and split among all the bartenders and wait staff so they did not get it directly using the package and it probably cut into their pay. Which I can understand and sympathize with. But if I have to pay 15% now I won't be tipping cash like I was except to the most deserving workers that make the best drinks and give the best service to insure I get the good service I want.

Has anyone gotten the drink pack in the past few months that can verify that tips are indeed added to your on ship card for each purchase and you pay for them at the end? And do you now have to sign a ticket for every drink again? Oh and can you use your cabin OBC to go towards the Package price? I didn't have one to use last year.

I also had a friend just get off a Carnival Cruise where he said they limited the "Unlimited Drink Package" to 15 drinks a day. Has RCCL done anything like this as well? I can't find anything saying they limit the # per day allowed.

Seems Cell Phone companies and now Cruise lines need to look up the definition of UNLIMITED!

Thanks for the replies. I'm cruising over Christmas again this year!

Bo

A friend of mine just came back from a cruise with her baby and had a blast. The good news is, its each person's personal decision and your opinions and thoughts really don't matter... especially since the OP didn't ask about a baby.

This is a forum. Do you know what forums contain lots of????? Huh do you??? Opinions and thoughts come to mind. I am so happy for your friend and her baby I can't wait to read the babies trip report! I just added the baby part as once again part of my, Personal Opinion, I didn't charge extra for that thought. I do notice YOUR post mentions a baby in the first sentence but then a sentence later you acknowledge that the OP didn't ask about a baby. So might I ask why you are even posting? YOU didn't even go on the trip! Again I will have to wait for the babies version of events first hand.

No problem disagreeing LOL Can you please elaborate of now bring a baby or really young child makes sense to you? I would be interested to know how they add to the experience.

Thanks for the replies. I don't think customs will be an issue as I have brought a lot of tackle on a fishing trip to Walker's Cay in the Bahamas. While there I learned that a few silver and gold spoons worked best overall. So I just plan to bring a handful of spoons and some hooks and weights to use bait if I can source any.

I've read of people fishing there but just can't get details about where they were or if there are any rules/regs etc.

Bo

"What should i look for as a single mom w 2 kids on a boat?"

A husband :D lol just kidding with ya, but hey ya never know!

Honestly your kids age is right on the cusp of what I personally (this is only My Opinion) would consider old enough to want to take on a cruise. You already sound like you will be nervous when they are out of your sight. Why not stick with more traditional family vacations for a few more years and go on a cruise now with friends and leave the kids at home ;)

When you go look around at the people with the really young kids and babies. Then look at the people that left the kids at home and see which one you think is having a better time. I'm sorry but no matter what anyone says there is no reason to bring a baby on a cruise.

You said it all when you said you know your kids best. If they are mature and responsible then you will be fine leaving them where ever and go have some fun. Meet that husband!

Bo

I was thinking about trying to hit the surf and do some fishing during the day while in Grand Cayman. I'm thinking just one or two rods and a small amount of tackle nothing major.

Has anyone seen people doing this before? Have you? Not looking to go on a guided trip just want to wade fish and enjoy the beach and water. I'm having trouble finding if you need a permit to fish there as all I plan is catch and release being on a cruise.

Any info appreciated.

Bo

I got the Premium drink package and it easily paid for itself. With the package the 15% gratuity is included with every drink and you don't have to sign the ticket. I loved not having to sign tickets and getting anything I wanted. I brought a stack of $1's with me and tipped them cash when I got good service. After the first two days I figured out where to go for the best made drinks and service and stuck with those continuing to tip every other drink or so a extra buck. Lets just say I had several on speed dial by the end of the week ;) No I never got drunk but I had a great time!

If you are one to enjoy a variety of drinks and plan on drinking most of the day and night (like I did :rolleyes:) it isn't a bad deal IMO. Figure a bottle of water is $5 plus tip. I'll drink 4-5 of these a day easily. A half dozen or so fruity drinks during the day at around $8 plus tip. Beer or Martinis in the evening. Some Specialty Martinis are over $12 with the tip.

So 25 a day for water +48 a day for fruity drinks +60-75 for Evening and Late night drinks = roughly $150 a day PLUS 15% so $177 a day. Oh and I didn't even include the soft drinks I had here and there in this calculation.

As mentioned above I never got drunk. You are on a boat to relax and have a good time all day and all night. You can drink a LOT more then you realize when you have nothing else to do in a party atmosphere for a week lol.

I've seen the sticker shock some people who don't drink much normally have at the end of the cruise :eek:

Do the math and be realistic with yourself when deciding is all I can say. And if you get it download the drink list to your phone and get creative! Try things you never would risk spending $12 on just to try. Live it up but don't get hammered and pace yourself with lots of water all day and night. If you get stupid drunk on day one or two you might not feel like drinking more the rest of the trip and that would be a waste then. I'm 6'4" and 225 lbs so I can drink 1-2 drinks a hour and never get more than a nice buzz. Plus those drinks just taste so good!

I'm guessing the OP has never been to Jamaica :eek: talk about being harassed. That said I am going back with another suitcase full of NO in December lol!

This whole rating system as described is screwed up if you get no credit for less then a 10. I wonder how many 10's the crew would give to Management and if Management would be willing to tie their jobs and pay, bonuses etc to only getting 10's from the crew? :D Somehow I doubt it. If a 0-9 = 0 why even have 1-9 when in fact it is either all 10 or 0?

If I get good service I will leave a good mark. Some crew are just not that good at their job and others are better. I'll tip the better ones cash as I find them early in the week and the service magically gets even better for the rest of my trip.

What I hate is having to tip BEFORE I get the service. But I would agree that any practice that forces these people to feel the need to beg about their rating so hard needs to be addressed. I expect to be hassled by Jamaicans on the island but when I get back to the ship I expect to be left alone.

Does anyone know the current ala-carte drink prices onboard?

http://www.shipcruise.org/royal-caribbean-alcohol-policy-drink-prices/

This is the entire list of their drinks and prices as far as I could find before going on my Cruise last year. I saved it to my phone so I could scroll around looking for something new to try when I walked up to the bar. I even had a few selections the bartenders weren't familiar with :D

I was at the pool bar one afternoon and the lady next to me was saying she thought she had tried all of the drinks so far on the cruise. She was looking at the little bar list they have on the bar tops with the most popular frozen drinks like Pina Coladas etc. I told her she wasn't even close to trying them all and whipped out my phone list to show her. I think it would take several 7 day cruises to get through the entire list. ;)

I had the Premium Drink package and it was well worth it to me. They have some really good Martinis as well. Those will run you over $12 each with the tip. Never having to sign a ticket was great as well.

Have a good time.

Bo

Very little is not covered with the exception of high end wine. I think it is a limit of $12 on drinks and $10 on wine.

I downloaded the entire drink list to my phone before I left so I could reference it and that was fun. Walk up pull out the menu and get something you never would have thought of before.

It is a long list and would take several cruises of heavy drinking to get through :D

They have the little mat menu lists on the bars and one woman by the pool bar said I think I have tried them all now. I told her she wasn't even close and the list. She ordered something else new!

Great martini's too!

I just went to the rc site and was going to order my wife a drink package and the fine print still says anyone over 21 in the same room must have a drink package. I keep reading that is is not so. Has anyone in the last few days actually found out without a shadow of a doubt? I tried calling RC but they are closed today.

I just got off the NOS Christmas Cruise and I had the package while my other cabin dweller did not. So yes the new rules as of this past November are in place and you can be the only one in a cabin to get it. It was a bit confusing to me as well when I bought the package online as it allowed me to buy it while still telling me the old rules regarding everyone being required to have it.

Bo

It might make some money for them in another port but I don't see it making much off Texans :rolleyes: I wouldn't pay that much for Mexican unless it was jumbo shrimp and goat dishes or something really exotic.

Just seems like a bit much for a Mexican place but then I never considered Mexican to be fine dining. Great food at a good price is more like it. Good food doesn't have to cost a lot.

This past week on the NOS 6 out of the 7 nights I went to the MDR the food was pretty good to me.

Bo

Just got back from my 1st RCL cruise. I got the Premium drink package and it easily paid for itself. As others mentioned 15% is included with every drink and you have to sign the ticket. I loved not having to sign tickets and getting anything I wanted. I brought a stack of $1's with me and tipped them cash when I got good service. After the first two days I figured out where to go for the best made drinks and service and stuck with those continuing to tip every other drink or so a extra buck. Lets just say I had several on speed dial by the end of the week ;) No I never got drunk but I had a great time!

Sure tips were already included with the package but it was Christmas and I got GREAT service all week. Also learned a lot about the goings on in the ship I never heard before from some of them I talked to.

Have fun...

Bo