moesyk4

Two unrelated questions...does anyone have a picture of the kids menu at Giovannis? Also, last cruise we had the drink package and my son and I enjoyed a Shirley Temple nightcap every night. Without the drink package and with two more kids now...I know we can bring the soda, but is it allowable to bring grenadine onboard?

We had a rental to get from FLL to MIA and we changed our flights to several hours later. Renting a car now is quite a bit pricier. Am I able to change my rental time without altering the price? We did it through a big box store.

Is there a way to print our activities booked? I have the app, I am just old school and like a hard copy too.

We did the Carnival Breeze with my oldest and didn't care for it...the TV was on a lot and we would send him for specific activities...like he wanted to go to a Pirate Party and they were supposed to face paint, treasure hunt, make a craft, etc. He said all they did was hand out premade crafts. I wouldn't base the whole program on that though...for us it just felt like babysitting, not enhancing his experience.

We did NCL and he loved it and asked to go back. We will try RCCL for the first time next month!

We stayed there in 2016...very nice! Clean rooms, manager's reception was dinner for us with good food, great breakfast buffet, couple of blocks to the free People mover which got us to Bayside Marketplace. I think we paid 20 for an UberXL to port...regular Uber would've been less.

We stayed next to a crew member closet once, never again! So much banging in very early hours...not their fault, but blech. That looks too big to be a closet though.

56 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

why? If your kid has too many unexcused absences, wouldn't one be glad that someone cares enough to ask why? It could be something a lot worse than taking them on vacations....

Of course ask the questions...but never should a school punish a parent for choosing to spend time together in a positive and quality way. Surely they can have enough discretion to figure that out.

On 2/7/2019 at 2:45 PM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

oh, you'd be surprised. After 10 absences you get a social worker visit... And then you can go to jail.

My kid goes to a public school, and our school district is very strict. My friend kept pulling her elementary school aged kids out for a cruise, and she got a very stern warning after her 3rd time. She doesn't do it anymore.

I can't believe that schools have this much say over how people raise their kids...that is crazy!

We have 3 kids ranging from 4 to 9. We homeschool and like to incorporate more things with local flair than just touristy stops or the beach. Any ideas for St. Maarten? We would love to do snorkeling or any boat excursion, but can't swing 500 plus for one excursion.

We are in a regular balcony room that sleeps 5 on the Allure of the Seas. You have to call to book and even then, you often have I'll informed CSRs who will say you have to book a pricier room. I just looked at the deck plans and write down a list of ones that slept 5 and would ask about those specific rooms.

We booked during their kids sail free promo and got an unbelievable deal. The extra space of 2 rooms would be nice but we have slept cozy before and survived just fine, I think to save 2,000 we can do it again!

First of all, I love your writing style!

Secondly, I am so sorry about your mom...we prioritize travel over a lot of other things and stories like this keep me desiring that. Family is just so important! I am so glad you were able to take the grief of her loss and channel into something I know she would be happy about!

Finally, I am so with you about all inclusives...we took one for our honeymoon and while it was gorgeous and we had fun, we said we wouldn't do it again! We love doing things and exploring and sitting on the beach for 7 days straight drinking endless drinks just isn't our thing.

Looking forward to the rest!

To further add to the confusion, I got the following in an email the other day (regarding an Allure sailing in May 2019). First I'd heard of $8, I've always heard $10.

That is crazy!

If you decide to keep the kids at the table we've had a lot of success with a coloring book or "activity" book and a few crayons. Nice and quiet, and you can interact with the kids at the same time if need be. We are not "hand them an electronic gadget" people.

We are not either, and this totslky entertains my oldest, but my middle son literally cannot sit still and hates crafty things. We almost always eat out at a place that has chips and salsa or bread and try to get out in under an hour lol

We signed up for My Family Time Dining for our upcoming cruise (on Liberty of the Seas). It sounds perfect as my grandson can eat in the main dining room with us then they pick him up at the table and take him to Aquanauts! (My Family Time Dining is offered for the first seating time in our main dining room, for children ages three to 11. Kids enjoy their meal within 40 minutes of seating, before heading to the evening's

Adventure Ocean

activities. The program starts the second evening you're onboard.)

I had not heard of that, what a great idea!

My kids love the MDR. They love the bread, the fun little foods the waiters bring, and we tend to eat pretty quickly so we’ve never been in there for 90 minutes.

 

Have you considered doing the specialties for lunch instead? It’s not the full menu but it’s cheaper and you would still get dinner in the MDR. I also find my kids are more interested in going to the kids club during the day than the evening.

My husband had suggested we bring them each night and ask them to bring their meal with our appetizers and then take them to the kid's club after. I haven't told him yet ;), but it is probably a great solution!

The pricing of the kids at dinner confused me too...if I buy a dining package - what do I do about my 8 year old?

 

When they say ‘half price’ - what is that half price of? The dining package for 3 nights is $76...the rate at CHops is $49..so - what is half price? Would it cost as much for her to eat there as I am paying on the plan? If that’s the case - what menu does she eat off of?

 

The wording is confusing as there is still reference of the $10 for her age...

 

 

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I know...the new T&C mention both the 10 dollars and the half price in different spots with no clarification as to it referring to certain ships.

It did add a part that said essentially the discount doesn't apply to kids when purchasing the dining package. My impression of their wording was it would be half of the full price and if you got them the dining package, it would be the same price as the adults. For the BOGO we were originally considering, we would've just purchased one for our oldest as it would come out cheaper I think.

The 3 night package on our cruise just dropped to 72 a person and I snatched it. We are planning on doing Giovannis, Chops, and 150 West on the Allure. I think the kids will join us for Giovannis as we will plan to do that on the mandatory 1st 2 nights, but will do the other two as date nights.

I am correct in assuming that our younger two who will be 5 and under will be free, but they have to order from the standard MDR menu correct? And then my 9 year old can eat from a special kids menu for what appears to be half price (the t&c mentions both 10 bucks and half price, but the consensus here seems to be half price for Allure).

Where my confusion lies is booking with them. The T&C seem to imply I am supposed to buy packages for all 3 and will get reimbursed when we dine in the form of OBC. This seems so silly as that would mean tying up 250 bucks for the next 7 months for OBC we probably won't use as we are very frugal cruisers.

I seem to remember reading on here that once on board when I check our reservations, which I will anyway to get what we want, I just switch that 1 reservation to 5 people? Anyone have experience with that? Would I then just be charged the half price charge for my oldest at the meal itself?

Finally, anyone have advice on sit down dinners with kids on board in general? My husband and I have opposite views on this..I think the kids would enjoy the buffet better and we will be together all day, this would be our one chance every day for adult talk and relaxing. My husband thinks the ambiance of the dining room is a big part of cruising...our oldest has cruised twice and is super easy going, but he even struggled with 90 minute dinners even when we brought toys and coloring. Our 5 year old is non stop moving and to me, that just sounds like torture trying to keep him distracted that long.

We had an issue with a cruise booked years ago where we lost our KSF rate and our 100 OBC somewhere in the transfer to a TA. It took almost 3 hours on the phone woth our TA to get thefare reinstated, but RCCL just would not budge on the OBC.

I had all of our original paperwork showing it and a lovely CC member found the flyer that I emailed off as well. It took a week and several phone calls before they finally gave it to us, but it was embarrassing the amount of effort they went through to claim I was wrong and they were right. We ended up cancelling in the end and took our money to NCL where we had an amazing trip!

Their website and customer service reps suck when it comes to accuracy...I must've made 8 phone calls pricing out 5 in a room and was only quoted really pricey options or were told they were sold out.

What I ended up doing was picking out 3 or 4 actual room options I wanted and asked them to specifically check that room. They would say in the same phone call there was no availability and then Voila! When given a room number it would be available every single time.

It may take a bit, but I guarantee they can't all be booked.

We are booked on the Allure of the Seas...we are staying in an oceanview balcony for 2,200 for all of us. When you have more than 4, it takes some creativity. Ironically, newer ships are often a better option...older ships weren't designed for more than 4 people but they have now figured out every family isn't that size. Lots of creative options in all price ranges on newer ships.

Royal Caribbean has the best kids sail free IMO as they don't seem to inflate prices and all kids sail free when booked as a 3rd or higher guest, not just the first 2. They have rooms that sleep up to 6.

I know some people would never, ever stay 5 in a regular room, but it isn't an issue for us...we camp all the time and stay in one room for our annual extended family vacation. Our kids are young enough they don't need privacy in the bathroom and we have the balcony after they sleep.

Yes, we are on the Allure and it says kids are half price...I am just not sure what they are half price of!

First of all, is any of the dining reservable ahead of time or is it all at boarding?

Secondly, the fine print says kids are half price. Are they half of the restaurant's cover charge or half of the package amount? So for instance, if we got the BOGO and went to Chops, would we have to pay half of the 45 cover charge? Or another amount?

Also, we have our heart set on doing Chops...how hard is it to get with any of the packages when you have tondo it on board? We loved it 10 years ago, bit don't know if the quality is the same.

Finally, for any of the packages, we have two that will be free...do we seriously need to buy 5 packages and get 2 1/2 refunded?

Any other advice on restaurants or selections would be helpful!

It may be a similar price, but I bet it is a lot less time there. When we went, the cruise ship group spent a solid 2 hours less there than us and we could've stayed even longer if we wanted.

In 2007, my DH and I drove from Indiana to Florida for his 1st cruise, my 2nd. We were driving in the day before and staying a night in Daytona.

Somewhere in the north end of Georgia about 10 hours in, it hits me we forgot our birth certificates. We debated tirning around, but would've had to drive through the night to make the cruise. It was a Sunday so no one day mail.

My MIL and Dh's best friend broke in our 2nd story apartment through the window and faxed copies of them to our bed and breakfast. We got to the port as early as we could the next morning prepared for a big let down.

The agent was super sweet and just called her manager over, who begrudgingly alet us on the ship with just the fax, I was astonished.

We got quite the tongue lashing from customs coming back through, but he did let us back in. Trust me, we know how lucky we were and my older self would've turned the car around!

May is low season. Fewer ships and fewer vacationers equals less folks on the island and therefore fewer cars and less traffic. My suggestion for you would be to do some research on beaches and activities that you would be interested in and rent a car from the port. It gives maximum flexibility for a low cost. You can drive to some beaches and go snorkeling or paddle boarding etc, grab lunch at a local place for far less than the cost of the boat trip.

 

 

There is also a couple of ziplining places if that is more up your ally. Not sure how young your children are but it may be an option.

Thanks, I didn't think mlm of that! The kids will be 9, 5, and 4.