CruisinQueen2013

You can't pre-purchase a photo package for any dates past the first week of Sept on any RCI ship - been that way for months, no idea why. We sail the end of September so I've checked repeatedly and no luck. Depending on the ship, there are 1-3 more dates available but nothing past the first week of September, not sure what RCI/mycruisephotos.com is doing...

Any thoughts on the reno - did the ship seem in good shape? We've been on her twice but it's been a few years and we're going again in 7 weeks. Also, any pictures would be great!

I've read through the 3-4 recent threads on cabanas and haven't seen an answer on this one. When booking our excursions a month or so back, I thought I saw the cabanas available online but now I'm only seeing the covered chairs (cabinettes I think others call them). I know that they could all be taken as we are 53 days out but also read others saying that you reserve them onboard.

 

We are in a GS on Majesty - anyone know if we can book onboard or if we are out of luck since they are no longer showing up online?

 

Thanks!

In either of these areas, are you close to a water area for "swimming" - interpret that as shallow water that I can go out into to cool down - not actual "swimming". :D

 

I just ask because we've never gotten a cabana as I was told years ago that they were in a rocky area where you couldn't really swim.

 

Also, we're on Majesty next month in a GS, do we have to contact someone if we want a cabana or do we get an email or something?

Has anyone used them (Sunrise Florida Transportation) before? I did a search and the results were positive but a few years old. They seem to have the best rates.

 

Please no comments about using Executive VIP Limo - for lots of reasons, I don't want to use them.

 

Thanks!

We have a Sept cruise on Majesty and have a dining time of 5:30pm. I thought it was strange too as that is not the time we have had in the past. It's not an issue for us but it does seem odd that the dining times are so random.

On our last cruise out of Galveston (last year), we were Platinum and they had the lines condensed, so Gold and Platinum were together and then I think it was Emerald & Diamond and so on (I didn't pay much attention to the levels I don't have :) ). The lines were really short but then again, we arrived early. I think the time you arrive makes more of a difference than what C&A status you have (at least for the lower ones).

I'm planning to keep checking but it struck me as odd since I've been looking since March/April and even back then, there were cruises listed out through Sept 2, which would have been 5-6 months ahead of time. For those traveling the first week of Sept, we are getting quite close to 30 days and still nothing across any ship.

We have a cruise coming up the end of September and sometimes we buy the photo package ahead of time - depending on the price, etc. So, I've been lurking on the mycruisephotos.com site for months, waiting for our cruise to appear. Since we are now about 60 days or so out, I thought it strange it's not showing, so I checked out the other ships and it looks like you can't see photo packages for any RCI ship after the first week of September. Anyone have any insight? Are they changing companies? Stopping pre-purchasing of packages? Any thoughts?

OBC for the specific cruise is much higher, see Ken's post (#2) above.

 

Got it, sorry, I saw the 2014 date and thought that was outdated with the 2015 info above it, my bad.

Lots of toys.

 

We pack 1 or 2 carry-on size bags full of small books and small toys -- mainly for dinners where their attention span can be put to the test. We bring several small favorite toys plus a few new ones from the dollar store that are easily donated later.

 

We bring the bag with us and just keep bringing new ones out as they get bored with others.

 

We also put the "No videos/TV at dinner" rule on vacation as well and if it keeps them happy, videos are okay with us.

 

We usually just bring a few new toys they haven't seen and then one or two old faves. The ship has a toy rental (for free) where you pick a set of toys and then can swap out as often as you want. This worked great for us as every other day there were new toys to play with and we didn't have to pack nearly as much.

Is there any benefit to doing the specific cruise vs. an open booking? We did a specific cruise a few years back even though we knew we couldn't go because the benefits were better (as the Loyalty person explained it anyway) and then we just moved the cruise out to another date once further out cruises were open and we kept our perks. I know it's changed though so I'm not sure which way to go.

We are on her in September so thanks for this thread and those that have responded so far. Would love to hear others or see some pictures. Thanks everyone!

Got it, thanks!

what is the banned website? I've been on here a couple of years but I guess I don't know all the rules.

Could you spell it out? We are in a GS coming up on Majesty and would love to see pics!

Just an FYI. Some states are definitely different on the way they issue IDs. I'm from Ohio where they issue driver licenses and state IDs immediately so I never worried much before traveling and only got a passport once I had an international trip planned. However, I moved to Missouri a couple of years ago and was shocked to find out they only issue temporary paper licenses and your plastic one gets mailed out like 10 days or so later. Who does that, right?! Fortunately, my passport is still valid for a few more years but I would never consider not having one now. Living in a state that does paper, it sure feels like a gamble to me to not have some other form of photo ID when you have a trip planned. I could see authorities from another state or RCI or customs giving someone a big hard time if trying to use that piece of paper. Just another reason to have a passport I guess.

We stayed in the very far forward room on Liberty (as in looking out over the bow) and I can say we had *lots* of movement. It was the one and only time in six cruises that I've gotten seasick. We didn't have any noise issues but I would never go that far forward again. That said, I wouldn't be opposed to somewhere between the middle and the very front so I guess it would depend on how far forward the particular room you are looking at is.

 

Just as an FYI, we've taken our daughter on 2 cruises, one at 14 months and one at 2.5 years and did a balcony both times. It was great - gave us a place to hang out while she was napping and after she went to sleep. She also loved playing out there. The rails are quite high - well above her head - and there was no way she could go between the rails as at least in the rooms we had there was plexiglass there. We also never let her out there when we weren't with her. As others have said there is a lock on the door and the doors are not the easiest to open - I sometimes have trouble! :D I would encourage you to check out the family cruisers board and get others opinions as well but we wouldn't cruise without a balcony now!

We cruised out of Galveston the first week of March and the day we left it was cool, super foggy and windy. I'm not even sure how the captain could see anything because standing on deck, you couldn't see anything around you - it was a crazy experience. He did a great job though and we left on time. The next day was much better but still not pool weather, once we got to the morning of day 3, it was the usual caribbean weather. Coming home, the last day was cool but otherwise, it was nice. I would pack for two cooler days and bring a light jacket.

[quote name='LuCruise']Thank you. I think the same as you in terms of busy life with work and stuff, and our time together in "real life" is minimal. But certainly understand those that do go and love it too.

We are back from our cruise and our kids did not use the club at all. We did mention it in case they wanted to try it. My older one was neutral and my younger one said she didn't want to go (they wouldn't have even been together). We had an awesome cruise spending quality time together. My DS even said he didn't know if he liked our cruise or Disney World better. Now that says a lot.[/QUOTE]

Glad to hear you guys had such a great time!

All of the cruises I've been on have had music playing - in my experience, the atmosphere is often dictated by the weather. We had a cloudy, foggy and windy sailaway once out of Galveston and it was a very subdued "party". It was not fun to be out on the deck. On the flipside, the sailaways that have been on picture-perfect warm, sunny days were much more lively and entertaining.

Yes, your stateroom attendant changes the menus in your suite daily.

 

Perfect, thanks!

The "better" menu is the MDR menu. You get to order from the breakfast, lunch (when open), and dinner MDR menu.

 

Thanks Bob! Do they give you copy of the menu so you know what's available?

We're sailing in our first Grand Suite (moved up from our usual JS) and while I always have heard that the menu is "better" - can anyone give details? Or a copy of a recent one? We typically order juice, a few pastries and fruit for breakfast and was curious what we can expect this time.

 

Thanks!

We have cruised with our daughter twice previously and we did the kids club only one time (for dinner one night). We thought it would be a relaxing, adults night and while we did enjoy it, we often found ourselves saying "She'd love this" or "Do you think she'd try that?". I guess I'm the same as you, between work and other obligations, I feel like I don't spend enough quality time with my kids (we have two now) so I look forward to vacations as our time together. I definitely don't blame those who send their kids there as I'm sure they have fun and different families have different needs, but we don't have plans to send our kids on our upcoming cruise.

 

Do what feels right for your family. Your kids aren't going to "miss out" if they spend the week with your family and don't go to the club. This is definitely a "to each his own" - don't let anyone make you feel guilty either way.