Cruising KPs

I just got a flight change on my post-cruise flight from Seattle, and don’t know if I should schedule a different flight. My flight was originally scheduled for 1:40pm and was moved to 11:40am.  My ship is the Holland America Eurodam (which I believe will be in Pier 91) and we arrive back in Seattle on Saturday, 6/15 at 7:00 am.  Can we make the 11:40 flight, or should we look for something else?  The alternatives would be a 1:40 flight on a different airline (not a big deal to use a different airline), take a red-eye Saturday night, or spend Saturday night in Seattle and take a morning flight on Sunday (we're flying back to the east coast).  Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

DW and I are sailing out of Cape Liberty in September for 9 nights.  We live in CT and it's about a 2.5 hour drive to port.  After reading various recent reports of parking issues,  traffic getting into the port, and with the way Connecticut traffic has often been the last couple of years,  we're considering driving down the day before.  Any suggestions on park-and-cruise packages are nearby hotels?  How does one book such a package?  I've checked various hotel sites and can't find where to book the package.  Also, I'm assuming we'd have to take a Uber/Lyft from the hotel to the port - do taxis and ride shares get to drive directly into the port even if there is a big backup of people who are parking on site, or do they have to wait in the traffic with everyone else?

Thank you in advance for any responses.

Hi Jessica - thank you so much for sharing your trip - it was great to follow along.  DW and I are sailing out of Cape Liberty in September on Adventure for the N.E./Canada itinerary - we'll be sure to wave hello when we dock in Halifax!

A question about the Hampton Inn - how did you book it?  Did you call the hotel directly?  I can't find anything online for a park-and-cruise package at that particular hotel, but it sounds like a great idea.  We're coming from Connecticut and between the varying reports of parking concerns, traffic getting into the port, and the way Connecticut traffic has gotten to be, we're seriously considering driving down the day before and doing what you guys did.  Any feedback on that?

 Did you happen to catch a baseball spring training game before your cruise?  After all, it is the only time of year to see major league baseball in Miami.  And I hear they’re experimenting with a new rule called the designated driver or something like that.  Or is the designated driver what you use to hit the golf balls off the back of the ship?  The new rule must be experimental - only half the teams get to use it.

Speaking of ships and baseball, did you hear some shipbuilder from Cleveland is buying the Yankees?  I think his name is Steinway or something like that.  If he’s in Cleveland, sounds like he’ll be a hands-off type of owner.

Coco Loco

We are doing a re-positioning cruise next October from Boston to Tampa and will be driving to Boston.  Thus we'll need a flight from Tampa back to Boston.  Considering that the ship is scheduled to arrive in Tampa at 7:00 a.m. on a Thursday, what's the earliest flight that can be reasonable taken?  Is 11:50 a.m. too early?

The top level of the parking garage is also open air.

It's probably too late for me to be asking this, but maybe it will help someone else.  We're sailing on Anthem in 2 days (5 nights to Bermuda), and DW's birthday is the day after we get back.  I was thinking of getting the Happy Birthday decoration package for our cabin as a little surprise, but it's not available online.  However, the Happy Anniversary package is available.  Does anyone know if the birthday package is available only up to a certain number of days before the cruise?  Is there another way to get the birthday package?  As always, thanks in advance for any responses.

DW and I did the independent excursion last year and had a great time.  It was nice being able to spend as much (or as little) time as we wanted at the various things to see.  I don’t know why it’s labeled moderate when you’re free to rest whenever you need to.  I highly recommend the independent excursion, especially if you have certain things you want to spend time on.

We've eaten at both Chops and Jamie's and enjoyed both very much.  If steaks are preferred, definitely Chops - as stated above, go with the filets.  If pasta is preferred, Jamie's is great - highly recommend the Truffle Tagliatelle.  We're planning to eat at both on our upcoming Bermuda cruise in a couple weeks.

We're sailing on Anthem in a couple of weeks and have the deluxe beverage package.  From what I've read, this package includes fresh-squeezed orange juice.  Where/how do I get fresh-squeezed OJ at the Windjammer for breakfast.  I assume in the MDR the waiter will bring it to you upon request.  I've sailed on Anthem a couple of times and don't recall seeing anyplace in Windjammer to get the fresh-squeezed juice - just that juice-ade stuff.  Thank you in advance for any replies.

Was on Indy last week for the first time and had a similar cabin - 622 on deck 9 which is also aft/port.  View was excellent - straight down to the water.  From the balcony you could sometimes hear the bands playing at the pool, otherwise noise was never an issue.  Took a quick walk around the spa and gym area and seem to recall seeing a sauna.

Was on Indy last week for the first time.  Had a balcony cabin on deck 9 aft/port.  There were not any USB ports - just 2 power outlets next to each other at the vanity/desk.

Got off of Independence of the Seas yesterday – 5 nights western Caribbean (Cozumel & Costa Maya) Feb. 4 – Feb. 9, 2019.    Please feel free to ask any questions.

Background:

Just 2 of us – my DW and myself, mid-50s from Connecticut.  This was our third cruise, all on RCI.  Our first 2 cruises were both on Anthem of the Seas (5 nights to Bermuda in Sept. 2017 and 7 nights to Port Canaveral / Nassau in Oct./Nov. 2018). We chose this cruise as a relatively quick escape in warmer climates and on a different ship.  We flew to Fort Lauderdale the day before and stayed at the Courtyard Marriott.  We took an Uber from the airport to the hotel (I didn’t feel like waiting for the hotel’s shuttle), and took the free hotel shuttle to the port the morning of the cruise.

Embarkation:

We arrived at the port around 11:30 and were quickly checked in (it helps to be a gold member).  Boarding started at noon and we boarded at 12:30 (again, it helps to have gold status) and it was right up to one of the pool-side bars. Cabins were ready at 1:30.  The previous cruise was the annual 70000 Tons of Metal cruise, so it took the crew a little longer to get everything ready (and I think they were a little worn out, but they still did a great job all cruise).

Cabin:

Balcony cabin on deck 9 aft/port.  Cabin was fine – in fact it seemed slightly larger than what we’ve had on Anthem (both the cabin and balcony).  Only 2 power outlets to charge things which we made do with, but Anthem is much better with additional outlets plus USB ports.  Our steward Lennox was terrific and made the best towel animal we’ve seen – DW called it Oscar the orangutan – he was hanging from a hanger with was hanging on the half curtain in front of the bed.

Dining & Bars:

We had breakfast every day in the Windjammer which was fine – the usual for RCI. Consistency seemed to be a problem.  First morning I got an eggs florentine which was ice cold.  The remaining mornings I made my own version of eggs benedict by grabbing a toasted muffin or bagel and putting my own fried eggs on – all of which was hot and delicious.  The scrambled eggs were delicious as well.  One morning my orange juice (they pour it for you, unlike Anthem which was self-serve) was hot – I think they poured it into a glass that had just come out of the dishwasher.  From then on it was ice-water every morning.

We didn’t typically have lunch, but did have a few mid-day snacks of pizza at Sorrento’s.  The pizza was decent – better than on Anthem (full disclaimer – I grew up eating Sally’s & Pepe’s in New Haven, so my standards for pizza are pretty high).

We had dinner 4 of the 5 nights in the main dining room using My Time dining (7:30 each night). Because we booked these nights/times in advance, we had the same table and wait staff, and they were terrific (waiter Ionut and assistant waiter Yehven).  Ionut would take the time each night to engage in some small conversation and made us feel very welcome, and both remembered our names after the first night.  Overall the food was quite good and got better each night.  All of the appetizers and desserts were excellent and the entrees were pretty decent except the first night when my prime rib was rubbery and drowned in a thick, brown gravy and DW’s strip steak was overcooked and seasoned very poorly (one end was extremely salty and the other end had no salt).  We both had the spaghetti bolognese (on different nights) and it was excellent.

The one night we didn’t eat in the MDR we ate at Chops.  We had eaten at Chops on Anthem and had a terrific meal, so we thought we’d try it on Indy.  It was just as good if not better.  The waitress was great (I can’t remember her name, just that she’s Russian).  And all of the food was excellent, including the steaks (we both had filets) being prepared perfectly.  Clearly RCI knows what they’re doing with their steakhouse.

We had the deluxe drink package and probably broke even.  All of the bars were terrific and we never had to wait for service.  The Olive Twist on deck 14 is a hidden gem.  We had pre-dinner drinks there almost every night and there were only a few people there. It’s got a great view.  Sadly the bartender there didn’t know how to mix drinks – I had the worst whiskey sour and worst gin & tonic I’ve ever had at this bar.  All other bars and drinks were good, including the drinks of the day.

Activities & Shows:

We didn’t do too many of the activities.  We would have done the escape room, but not for $20 per person (on Anthem there was no charge for the escape room – I didn’t understand why there was a charge on Indy). We did play 9 holes of mini-golf which was fun (my guess is the mini-golf course was installed during last year’s rehab as it was in excellent shape and seemed new).  The water slides looked like great fun – always a small line but it never seemed like a long wait and everyone came out with a big smile on their face.

We saw Grease and it was excellent (almost as good as We Will Rock You on Anthem).  We also saw the ice-skating show which was amazing – Olympic and national champions from around the world doing amazing things on a very small rink (about a quarter the size of a hockey rink).

Cruise director Daniel and the activities director (I can’t remember her name either, just that she’s from Scotland) were great.  We saw them at the Love & Marriage show, belly-flop competition, lip-sync competition, and Quest game show and all were a lot of fun, thanks in large part to them.

Ports:

This was our first time in Mexico.  We didn’t do any excursions.  For both ports, we just walked around.

In Cozumel we walked the immediate area off the ship, and then headed down to Sting Ray beach.  I’d read other reviews that said to watch out for all of the shop keepers who get right in your face to sell you something and those reviews were dead on.

In Costa Maya we just walked around the immediate port area with all of the shops and stuff.  We did see the swim-with-dolphins attraction which was great – everyone looked to be having an amazing time.  We also went into the aviary which was great fun.  They give you a little plastic cup with bird seed and sunflower seeds to feed the birds, and the birds are not shy about landing on you and eating.  It was very neat.  And when in Mexico… we had a Mexican beer at the Mexican cantina just to say we did it.

Disembarkation:

As usual with RCI, this was easy.  We stayed in our cabin on the balcony until we had to vacate at 8:30.  We were scheduled to disembark at 9:45, but walked off at 9:15.  Luggage was waiting for us, and clearing customs took only a couple of minutes – we were in a taxi heading to the airport by 9:30.

Thank you Bob.  One other question.  On Anthem we used the wrist bands in place of the SeaPass cards.  Are those available on Indy?

DW and I have cruised twice, both times on Anthem in the past 18 months.  We're sailing on Independence of the Seas in February 2019 and I have a few questions:

• Our set-sail time on both of the Anthem cruises was 3:00 pm, and the cabins were ready by 1:00.  Our cruise on Independence has a set-sail time of 4:30 pm.  Does this mean the cabins won't be ready until 2:30, or will they be ready earlier?
• Will the Royal IQ app work on Independence?
• Is there a charge for the Escape room?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can provide any answers.

Later this year (late October) DW and I will be on a cruise that stops in Port Canaveral for a day. We are very interested in the RCI excursion for the space center tour. But I've read on here that on days of launches, it can be a zoo and that you're better off staying on the ship and watching the launch from there. At this time it's too early to know if there is a launch scheduled on the day we'll be there (at least there isn't anything on the launch web site). If I book the excursion now and find out later that there is a launch scheduled, can I cancel the excursion and get a refund?