Softball20

If we do walk-off on Celebrity at 7:00 a.m., is a 10:40 flight out of BCN doable?  It looks like the airport is fairly close - less than 30 minutes.  (we flew in there once, but it was years ago and I just don't recall the distance between the port and airport.)  I'm thinking that it's cutting it too close - just evaluating options.

On 1/16/2024 at 6:24 PM, taglovestocruise said:

Almost always the answer would be no. What you choose is what you get. You can consider Windjammer, we always skip a night or so in the MDR and do WJ instead.  WJ has a pretty good dinner selection.

We just got off the ship yesterday.  We were able to resolve our dining issue by seeing the Maitre 'D the first day.  The 5:15 - albeit early - worked fine for the first and fourth nights.  We did a specialty restaurant on the third. It was the second night that was the issue.  Mamma Mia was at 3:30 p.m., and there was no way to make a 5:15 table.  We don't like doing a buffet for dinner, so we were able to do the MTD for that night after the show, per my conversation with the Maitre' D, so everything worked out.  Luckily they put us in for  a reservation for that night as the line for "no reservations" was pretty long.  

I read that we can get swim vests for our little ones on board at the H2O zone and that they cannot be taken off the ship. Are they also available at Coco Cay?  

There's really no need for an excursion.  Take a taxi to a local beach.  We went to Radio Beach and had a fabulous day.  We got a taxi outside the port and the driver gave us a bit of a tour as we drove to the beach.  

I know we can walk off first thing, but what I'd love to know if we can just walk off later than that w/o having to turn in the luggage the night before?  Even 8:00 - 8:30 would be better with the little ones.  

New to Royal - do they do the self disembarkation by groups?  We usually walk right off on Celebrity at 7:00.  For this one, with a four & five year old, I don't necessarily want to have to get the up and out so quickly.  Any tips?

Thanks.  We'll see what they want. Hopefully they will be able to order off the regular menu, as well.  Happy to pay the kids' price for it, too.  

We will be taking the grands, 4 & 5, to Giovanni's for dinner one night. At their age, they are free, but I read that they must order from a kids' menu.  I have searched and can't seem to find a sample menu.  Would it also be possible for us to pay the kids' price ($12.99 for kids 6-12) so they can order off the regular menu?

Thanks!

That definitely sounds like the best plan.  If something doesn't work out with that, I'll change our specialty night to that one, instead of what would have been our day three.  I'm not sure why I'm so hung up on having the kids in the MDR for "formal night."  We clearly won't be doing the tux/gown thing, and I'm sure, especially on a four night sailing, not many others, if any, will.  I just wanted the kids to have a more special night and a chance to "dress up"  (more so than we would do on other nights).  We will make it all work.  

22 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That may be in but in reality, I don't recall anyone ever reporting being seated ahead of someone else due to their C&A level (except maybe at P level)

Got ya. 

26 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

No, because wherever you saw that, it is incorrect.

It’s on the C&A perks chart for the various levels on the RCCL website. 

Just noticed that Diamond level gets some sort of priority waitlist seating request for the MDR. Might this help us accomplish our dinner goal on that one night?

Thanks. That sounds like a good plan. We are also rethinking shows - except Mamma Mia.  While 5:15 seems ridiculously early to eat - even for our little ones - I'm just not sure how to make it all work, LOL.  Just too much to do in a short amount of time.  Our June cruise can't come soon enough after this one.  

Of course - we already have one specialty restaurant, and it's only a four night cruise.  The kids are 4 & 5. I really want them to have the experience of the formal night in the MDR, which is the only day they are doing an early production of Mamma Mia (which they both love).  I may see if I can switch back to the MTD and just figure out how to make it work with the 7:00 p.m. skating show (on another night) - the 9:15 will be too late for them.  It just seems odd that one can't get into the My Time dining room until 6:45 p.m., which it the earliest time it let me book on the app.  

Thanks.  I'd hate to have to cancel Mamma Mia just so we can make dinner. We originally had MTD, but that didn't start until 6:45, which interfered with the 7:00 p.m. shows on other days - Blades and the Aqua thing.  There didn't seem to be any way to make those work with the show times, either.  Doesn't the MTD work so you don't have to go at a specific time?  Pretty new to Royal 🙂

We have early dining on our upcoming Allure cruise. On day two, however, we have Mamma Mia at 3:30pm - which isn't over until around 6:00.  I'm assuming that we will be able to roll into a "my time dining room" at that point since we clearly won't be able to make it to 5:15.  We don't like doing the buffet for dinner, especially since that's a "formal night," and it will be our grand kids' first cruise.  Should I address this with the maitre'D once on board? 

Another vote for Rome Cabs. We have used them many, many times for airport/port transfers as well as a couple tours.  They are prompt and professional.  I already booked them months ago for our June trip. They are definitely our "go-to" company.  

Thanks for the info. It's a short cruise, but I'll definitely be bringing my own stuff!

We are sailing in a few weeks and I'm wondering what type of bath products - shampoo/conditioner - we will find on a regular balcony cabin on the Allure?  I thought I saw somewhere that's it's a combo product.  Is that accurate?  

Thanks!

We will also be skipping Naples in June and I am looking forward to Procida for something different.  It looks like it would be a nice way to spend a day, just kind of wandering around and exploring. From what I read on this thread, it sounds like the ferry might be a better option than the hydro foil but per their website, it appears that it departs from a location other than Molo Beverello.  Is it far from the port?

On 12/4/2023 at 5:13 PM, hallasm said:

Thank you for the inputs. I have now booked Hotel Porto di Roma for my pre-cruise stay in Civitavecchia.

I've booked that one, too, for our June sailing.  I did a lot of research and ultimately decided upon it based upon the reviews/price/location.  I can update after our trip. 

Sailing on the Allure next month with our grands, ages 4&5. We had MTD, which would have been fine but for trying to figure out how to make a 7:00pm show and the dining room not opening until 6:45. Luckily today I found out that we were able to get early dining, which will be great for that night with the show. We have one specialty dining night booked, too. My question, though, is for the other two nights can we show up for the MTD?  Even at the kids’ ages, 5:15 is a bit early for all of us!  

That's perfect and pretty much what we concluded, too. Thanks! They are going to have a blast!  We are doing our family Christmas gathering this weekend, and I can't wait to let them know about the trip!

We are doing our first Royal Cruise in many years in February with our four and five year old grands.  The five year old loves Mamma Mia (as do I!).  How early does booking typically open for the shows and is it necessary to do it in advance on the app or can we do it on board?  

We are going to go to Lucca on our second day in LaSpezia. It’s a little over an hour by train. It’s a beautiful little town, and it will be a new place for us.