skatie

Thanks Bob - you always answer questions so promptly and knowledgeably! Can I assume that my Canadian TD Debit card will work or does it have to be a US card?

We are sailing the Independence and will be brining cash for the private tours and tips, but trying to limit the amount we have to carry around (have credit card for on board account). Are there any banking machines (ABMs) on ship if we need to take out any extra cash? Thanks

We haven't cruised in a while and I recall the last time we did, there were envelopes that we handed out to the wait staff and stateroom attendant. Even if we had prepaid or put the tips on credit card we could at least hand something to them to confirm to them we had tipped. Does this still happen? If we have pre-paid will they know that somehow?

I found this one from November 2015. http://issuu.com/hochmania/docs/cruise_compass_-_independence_5_nig?e=2025714/31685394

Can anyone verify if this drink price list is accurate for 2016. http://www.cruisemapper.com/wiki/708-royal-caribbean-alcohol-policy-drink-prices

Can someone describe the different ambiance of the bars? We are two women in our fifties travelling with our 20 year old daughters and would love to have a few drinks and dance to music of 70s 80s and 90s. Do any of the Indy bars fit the bill?

You can pick them up for your entire party. Not everyone needs to be there.

We are travelling with friends in a different cabin. Can one of us pick up the four tickets for the two cabins? Thx

If you are asking about Indy, there are two US outlets and one Euro outlet near the desk/vanity. No alarm clocks. No builtin USB.

Thanks Bob, yes it's Indy, so sounds like nothing beside the beds?

We are in a deluxe balcony room and I wonder if anyone can tell me how many electrical outlets there are and where they may be? Between iPhones, iPads blow dryer, hair straightener... Just wondering if I should bring a multi plug extension cord to make life easier?? Also are there alarm clocks in the room with the Chargers built in? Thanks

Does the Indy have free motion/sea sickness pills? On a past cruise over five years ago, I recall a dispenser of pills (gravel?) outside medical office that anyone could grab if necessary.

I'm just trying to prepare myself for upcoming cruise...so if I don't want to do self debarkation...

-Do I put my luggage out in hall the night before so I'm only carrying my carry ones?

- If I want to be off the ship and catching a taxi by 9:30, do I try to get a departure tag for 8:30? Is that enough time?

- When it's my time to leave ship do I proceed to deck 1 by the stairs from deck 3 (have heard elevators will only take you down to deck three that morning.).

This all sounds confusing and doesn't leave a good lasting impression! Thanks

Onboard when one buys the internet package into the cruise you only pay for the days remaining but it must be for all remaining days.

To get full value from two or more D or D+ discounts it better to use some credits for single device 24 hours consecutive periods early in the cruise and one credit to help cover the cost of a package to provide internet for the balance of the cruise. Also since the 24 hours period really span two days one could skip a day or so between internet periods or the start of a package for the balance of the cruise and still have internet access everyday.

On our recent 12 night Anthem cruise another couple (close friends of ours) and we, D and I, shared our internet to have this at no cost for all days onboard except the first. We used four of our credits for 24 hours consecutive periods to have internet everyday except embarkation day of the first eight days onboard. The first we started mid-day on day 2 since we had free Wi-Fi at our pre-cruise hotel the morning of day 1. That first 24 period took us to mid-day on day 3. We then waited around 24 hours and used DW's second D+ credit to start a second 24 hours period on day 4 which provided internet to day 5. On day 6 we started to use our friends two D credits for 24 hours periods waiting 12 hours or so in between packages since only 24 hours without service was needed for this time frame. At the end I used my D+ credits to get a single device package at no cost for the 4 remaining days. Doing this gave us no cost internet for most of the time we were onboard. One can adjust their internet schedule to take into account port time when you will be off the ship.

We were only checking emails most times but the wives did face time family with their iPad to show off the ship. We made sure to log off after our session so the internet was available to another's device.

Also if sharing make use of the free sites, without needed to log on, if you are accessing any.

Thank you for the info. My daughter and I will share the one device plan on the Indy next month (we are only Gold members tho so I think a small discount is what we'd get). If we are in different parts of the ship is there a way to know if one of us is using the device or will I know if I try to sign in and get an error message? Also what do you mean by "make use of the free sites"? Thanks

I've read that when we get on and off ship in ports we need to take sea pass and photo ID. Do we need to take passports off ship with us when taking excursions? I really didn't want to take them off the ship. What other types of photo ID have people used? Thx

I asked my travel agent to inquire with RCI about prepaying our tips in Canadian and they told her that it would be $79.50 per Person for our five day trip but I have to pay immediately when I make that decision. If I wait until on board it is $12.95 USD per person which works out to $92 Canadian with a $1.43 exchange rate. I'm going to pay in Canadian before leaving!

With a 12pm departing flight, what would be the latest time I should depart the ship? If we don't do self-disembarking, can we arrange to get a specific departure time? Thanks

I believe its a new Pier (#25?) and from all the reports I've been reading so far there appears to be any issues with embarkation and disembarkation. I'd love to hear from people on best times to arrive to board and time to leave the ship (I have a 12:00 flight home). Is there a huge advantage to doing the self carrying of luggage off ship at 6:30am? Thanks

The price is for the group. 1-4 is 17.00 for the group one way.

Do the cabs try to group you together or should I just ask amongst the line if there are two people who want to join us in the cab to split costs??

The only other time I was on a cruise with a tender port we missed it due to rough seas. I'm wondering how often a ship cannot get into the Belize port due to the sea conditions? What time of year is typically rougher? We are sailing mid Feb. Thanks

I know tipping is a personal thing, but since I've never been to an AI (going to Mr Sanchos AI side with 19 year old daughter), I'm wondering if we tip after every delivery of drink or food or if we tip at end of day (should I assume we have same server all day??). Also if people don't mind sharing, how much money should I bring for the tip for the two of us? Thanks

I was reading an Indy trip report and saw a photo that someone posted that had a wifi sign in a post inside the ship somewhere. Would this indicate that maybe the signal was strong in that location or is the wifi the same "slowness" at all places in the ship? I was going to get the one device plan for my 19 year old and myself, but wonder if it will be more frustrating?! Will we be able to post photos to Facebook or Instagram? Is it faster at night or early morning? Thx

Does anyone know if the Uber app that I've installed will work in the U.S.? I've heard that taking an Uber from hotel to port would be cheaper than shuttle or a cab? I don't have a U.S. Data plan, but if I'm in wifi in hotel I could use app to hail the car and then I assume they'd just charge my account which is attached to my Canadian Visa???? Thx

I have signed up for my account to be cash, but if I have any leftover OBC, I was going to give them my US TD Visa and ask that they refund anything back to this US VISA card. Is this ok and will they just refund the U.S. OBC back to the Visa in USD - no exchanges?? Thx

What is considered a premium tea?! Is there a menu that shows these teas and their prices if bought separately? Thx

What is the "right" way to tip at an all inclusive. Do you have a waiter assigned to you and tip at the end of day or do you tip with each drink or when food deliverd to you? what are appropriate amounts?? Thanks

If you are on a five day cruise do the menus go in the order that are printed on the link and they just drop the last two? Thanks