Feeling Overwhelmed

[jorjen9]

First time on Royal next May on Harmony and I am

already feeling overwhelmed. Do I have to plan every single activity in advance? Is there no room at all for spontaneity? How can I see all the choices for shows etc., to know what my options even are? Do I have to also reserve a time with My Time Dining?

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

[awestover89]

Shows will open up for reservations closer to sailing. How much you reserve is entirely up to you, there's room to be spontaneous, and in fact some activities can't be pre reserved.

 

Shows there are always extra seats available, but it's first come first serve, so reservations can be good to ensure you get to see a show at a specific time.

 

My time dining is the same way. You can reserve times or just show up, but if you just show up there might be a wait for a table and if you don't want to or can't wait you may have to go elsewhere, like the buffet.

 

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[Monkey30]

I never book anything. If I feel like going to a show, I go into the "standby" line... have never NOT gotten into a show. I show up for My Time Dining whenever I feel like eating. Have never waited more than half a hour. Don't stress out... just do whatever you want, when you want. Just be prepared to wait a little bit and just go with the flow.

[Obilix]

You get a list of daily activities each day, by newsletter and or on the television.. There is always a wide variety, and it is seldom that nothing takes your interest, in which unlikely event you can have a lie down in your cabin, go to the pool, go to the bar, read, go shopping, or just vege out. You are on holiday!!

 

Only a few activities require pre booking. It is your choice to do everything, anything or nothing.

 

Yes, you chose the time slot you want to dine, and you attend at that time. If you don't chose, turn up and you will be fed during dining room sittings as soon as a table is available. Or you can eat anywhere else they provide food on the ship. In speciality restaurants, you usually pay something extra.

 

Go with the flow. Any pre conceptions and concerns you have will be blown away, and any "problems" easily resolved one way or the other, as long as you are reasonable in your expectations.

 

I have cruised on a few different lines, though not yours, and nothing much changes.

 

Enjoy!

[Etta1213]

In 10 cruises, husb and I never planned anything ahead of boarding. As for excursions, maybe waiting till on ship, possibility of some filling up, but even that not typical from what I've experienced. JUST LET YOURSELF RELAX AND ENJOY☺

[Merion_Mom]

In 10 cruises, husb and I never planned anything ahead of boarding. As for excursions, maybe waiting till on ship, possibility of some filling up, but even that not typical from what I've experienced. JUST LET YOURSELF RELAX AND ENJOY☺

I'm curious. Have you cruised on an Oasis or a Quantum class ship?

[jorjen9]

I'm curious. Have you cruised on an Oasis or a Quantum class ship?

 

I have not. I have sailed other lines but this will be my first on RCCL.

[Merion_Mom]

I have not. I have sailed other lines but this will be my first on RCCL.

I understand that you have not. I was responding to Etta, who was blithely telling you that she never makes reservations. :)

 

Try to relax. Making reservations actually makes your cruising experience better. Sure, you can go standby, but it's nice to know "On Monday, we are seeing Show X at 7:30."

 

Harmony is a fabulous ship. I am certain that you will have an amazing week.

[BekkaW]

Try to relax. Making reservations actually makes your cruising experience better. Sure, you can go standby, but it's nice to know "On Monday, we are seeing Show X at 7:30."

 

Harmony is a fabulous ship. I am certain that you will have an amazing week.

 

I agree 100% with Carol. Based on my experience on on Oasis and Ovation, reserving just a few key things really helps. I would make a reservation for the broadway show, aqua show and comedy show.

[little britain]

Lol I must be the extreme... I go with a spreadsheet, so I know what restaurants and shows I have booked.

I then try and fill in the other venues so we try not to miss anything... Solarium for breakfast..... zip line in morning...el loco fresh for lunch ... etc

Yes it is a little tongue in cheek...but it is a large ship with a lotta bars and restaurants and activities to try..!

 

 

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[Tin can]

Lol I must be the extreme... I go with a spreadsheet, so I know what restaurants and shows I have booked.

I then try and fill in the other venues so we try not to miss anything... Solarium for breakfast..... zip line in morning...el loco fresh for lunch ... etc

Yes it is a little tongue in cheek...but it is a large ship with a lotta bars and restaurants and activities to try..!

 

 

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Lol you are not the extreme, I also go with a spreadsheet :D

 

Planning is half the fun for us.

[JBSteelerfan]

I would definitely recommend booking Grease and maybe another show or 2 ahead of time, but then just go with the flow. As for dining, again, unless you know a specific time for a certain day, just go eat when you want to. If the dining room wait is too long, just head up to the windjammer. Dinners in there can be quite nice too.

[nelblu]

First time on Royal next May on Harmony and I am

already feeling overwhelmed. Do I have to plan every single activity in advance? Is there no room at all for spontaneity? How can I see all the choices for shows etc., to know what my options even are? Do I have to also reserve a time with My Time Dining?

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

 

Reserving for entertainment or dining is not a big thing. Just because you reserve and something spontaneaous comes up, just go with what you want at that point.

[bobmacliberty]

I agree 100% with Carol. Based on my experience on on Oasis and Ovation, reserving just a few key things really helps. I would make a reservation for the broadway show, aqua show and comedy show.

I would take Carol's and BekkaW's advice a step further and book a time for My Time Dining each night. You can always go with the flow and eat at a different time (at the risk of waiting longer for a table), but you'll at least have a time reserved. Make up your mind that day. Oasis class ships, including Harmony, work for those who want to plan every detail and for those who want to plan nothing, but as BekkaW notes, there are a few things where reservations help.

[Clarea]

First time on Royal next May on Harmony and I am

already feeling overwhelmed. Do I have to plan every single activity in advance? Is there no room at all for spontaneity? How can I see all the choices for shows etc., to know what my options even are? Do I have to also reserve a time with My Time Dining?

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

You can always switch to a Freedom class ship and then not have to reserve shows.

[olizzyo]

Don't feel overwhelmed! Remember everyone is different - some people love preplanning every detail and some people don't! Some people go with big groups and if they want to do things together, reservations would be the best way to do that.

 

Plan as much or as little as you like. We went with a group of 8 on Oasis in 2012 and we planned out some of our shows and dining before hand but decided on excursions and the rest of the shows once we were on board. If you're going with 4 or less people, I would bet you could book nothing and still have a great time. We are going on Harmony in 7/2019 and will have a group of 12 including 4 children so we would like to minimize any waiting for things so I'm going to preplan as much as possible.

[KmomChicago]

You've got lots of time and if you take it in little chunks you might find the planning is part of the fun.

 

I recommend booking the Aqua Show as your top priority the first night - rough seas and high winds can cause it to be cancelled, but the first night near shore is often fairly calm.

 

The comedy venue is really tiny so pre-booking is a must if you want to see it. As for dining, I would book a time just as a placeholder but you can change it later or cancel and go to the buffet which a lot of people choose to do instead. Totally up to you. I enjoy both, the sort of semi fine dining experience of lingering with uniformed waiters as each course arrives in the dining room, and also the gobble and run convenience and assortment of options in the Windjammer. I just do whatever my husband and daughter want to do.

 

The ice show theatre is a little bigger and the Broadway show is much larger, so you have a better chance of walking up if you choose to do so.

 

I do not recommend changing ships. I have taken cruises on cheapo lines and up to the level of Disney, new ships, old ships, large ships, smaller ships. Oasis was without question the best ship. Not even close. They were all wonderful vacations and we like all the cruise lines we have experienced.

 

But those Oasis class ships are absolutely revolutionary game changers, stunningly beautiful, overflowing with options and amenities. We loved it.

[holden0301]

For MTD, we book it at the same time each night. If we don't feel like going then or we want to eat elsewhere, we cancel.

[gatour]

Here is a link that towards the end has the daily activity sheets from our cruise in May. I scanned mine end and was emailing them to various requestors. However a fellow CC member volunteered to convert them so he could post them. Which he did and I thanked him.

 

You might have a different intinery but should give you an idea of what goes on.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2646856