Royal Caribbean

Welcome to r/RoyalCaribbean! This is the second version of the FAQ with recent updates and changes applied. It is up to date as of January 2024 and will be edited continuously.

Looking for the old FAQ? It is archived here

This FAQ page was created based on feedback from the community with hopes to reduce commonly-asked questions in the subreddit as well as provide a helpful and ever-expanding resource for all things Royal Caribbean.

Kindly check this page before asking your question to see if it has already been answered and/or write your question in the comments on this thread (a moderator or community member will hopefully be able to answer it for you).

Don't see your question listed? Ask it in the comments and it may be added to the post to help others! Caught a mistake/error below? Put it in the comments so I can make the correction!

Last updated: January 25, 2024

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Odyssey of the Seas, view of North Star and the Lime & Coconut Bar at sunrise

- How do I book? A. You can book on Royal Caribbean's website or through a travel agent/3rd party travel service. You can also call Royal Caribbean directly to book (US number: 866-562-7625).

- How do I get to my cruise? A. Most people do not live within driving distance of their cruise, meaning a flight is sometimes required. General advice is to fly into your cruise port at least one full day before your sailing to account for flight delays. The ship will not wait for you if you are late. You alternatively can book your flights through Royal Caribbean through the Air2Sea program, though it is still advised to fly in a day early.

- What if the price of my cruise changes? A. Before final payment date (generally 75-90 days before sailing) you can re-price your cruise as many times as you would like to the current rate if you booked in the US. The difference will be refunded to your credit card or taken off your remaining balance owed. After final payment, you typically can't reprice your sailing and if anything may be offered on board credit to account for a fare drop.

- How do I check in? A. Through the Royal Caribbean app (log in, add your sailing with your booking number, swipe to the left and look for a blue "check in" button) or on the website (sign in, find your cruise or add it at the bottom of the page if you do not see it listed, then click "check in").

- When can I check in? A. 45 days before your cruise you will see the option in the app. To find your exact check in day, open the app and swipe to the left and then scroll down to the 'check in' area.

- Do I need a passport? A. US citizens can cruise with a US passport book that MUST be valid for at least 6 months from the last day of your cruise. Alternatively you can use an original birth certificate (with a raised seal) and government-issued photo ID on closed-loop sailings (that start and end from the same US port).

- Do I need to be vaccinated against COVID-19? Do I need to test? A. COVID vaccinations or testing is no longer required unless specifically noted for your booking (very rare).

- Food: Your cruise ticket includes all food needed for the duration of your cruise. You do not need to spend any extra money on food if you do not wish to do so. Food is complimentary in the main dining room (breakfast (B), lunch (L) on sea days, dinner (D)), the Windjammer marketplace buffet (B/L/D), Johnny Rockets only for breakfast and only on Oasis class ships, Promenade Cafe, Park Cafe, Cafe 270, Sorrentos pizza, and Solarium Bistro (B/L/D on select ships). Coastal Kitchen is the complementary suites-only restaurant available on select ships, open B/L/D for grand suites and above, D only for junior suites. Room service is free for continental breakfast, incurs a $7.95 fee plus gratuity for full B/L/D however all food is included after that fee is paid.

- I've heard about the main dining room (MDR)! Do I need reservations? A. The main dining room is the main complementary dining venue on board where you can expect multi-course, full service meals with varying nightly menus. At the time of booking you will have two options: My Time dining or traditional dining. My Time dining is a reservation system that lets you select the time you'd like to eat each evening, usually from 6:45-8:30 PM. Times vary by ship. You can also just show up to the stand by line during My Time dining hours and wait for the next available table. This option is great if you want to change your dining time each night to better fit the activities you want to do. Traditional dining will be a set dining time each night (5:30 PM for early seating, 8 PM for late seating). You will have the same table and wait staff each evening. If you do traditional dining, no reservations are required, you just show up at your selected time and your table number/deck number for dinner will be printed on your SeaPass card.

- Is there a dress code? A. There will typically be two formal nights on a 7 night sailing (fewer on shorter sailings). You are free to dress your best! Formal night only applies in the MDR so if you go to a different venue, you follow their typical dress code (though people typically still dress up for other specialty restaurants that night). Otherwise minimum acceptable dress for dinner is typically long pants/jeans for men. Women definitely have more flexibility. On a non-formal-night, dress up as much as you'd like. Most people will dress as if they are going out to a regular dinner.

- Do you have any pro tips for the MDR? A. Absolutely! A vegan menu is always available and sometimes I select those options just to try something new. On the app, scroll to the bottom of a given night's menu to see the vegan options.

- Beverages: Tap water, iced tea, lemonade, hot coffee, hot tea, non-fresh squeezed juices at breakfast, and milk are included in your cruise fare. Alcohol is not included.

- Entertainment: Shows, including broadway shows on select ships, comedy, live music, and most activities are included in your cruise fare. See your cruise compass for exact offerings. Events that cost extra are marked with a "$" symbol. Shows can be reserved in advance on select sailings. Check the cruise planner website and app prior to your cruise to see if this is an option and reserve your shows as early as possible. On some sailings, advanced reservations may only be made once on board and connected to the ship's WiFi. On many smaller ships, reservations are not required.

- Accommodations: Your stateroom selected during your booking serves as your accomodations for the sailing. You will have a once daily cleaning service for your room, including restocking towels and having your bed made/turned down. Rooms include a TV, private bathroom, and a bed that can be separated into twin beds. Some rooms accommodate extra guests with pullman beds/pullout sofa beds. This will be designated on the deck plan for your stateroom at the time of booking. Please note that some higher-level suites will include things such as WiFi, unlimited specialty dining, a deluxe drink package and more. Check here to see what the suite you are looking at includes.

- Tips: Gratuities are not included in your cruise fare, but are essentially required. These tips can be paid before your sailing or will be automatically added to your SeaPass on-board account once on board. Current gratuity rates are $18/day for non-suites and $20.50/day for suites, per person. Gratuities are critical for supporting crew members who make your vacation special and should not be removed for any reason. Some sailings include tips in their fare, such as those booked in Australia.

- WiFi: WiFi of any kind is not included in your fare. You can purchase a "Voom" internet package on the cruise planner in advance of your cruise or once on board. Both full sailing passes and 24 hour passes are offered on board. The 24 hour passes can't be paused, it runs continuously until it expires. It is generally a better deal to purchase these packages in advance. You can use the ship WiFi for free to use the Royal app.

- Gym: The fitness center is included in your cruise fare and is unfortunately not open 24 hours on all ships. Some ships have hours such as 5 AM - 9 PM, so that the gym can be deep cleaned overnight. Amenities vary by ship, but expect everything you'd typically find in a land-based gym. Fitness classes cost extra with the exception of the morning stretch classes.

- How do I pay for things on board? A. Your SeaPass card functions as your room key and payment method on the ship. I'd advise linking it to a credit or debit card to skip lines at the end of the sailing for those settling their statements in cash. It is preferred to link a credit card over a debit card as it is common for holds to be placed during your sailing, which may hold up your funds if using debit.

- Alcohol: Alcoholic drinks are not included in your fare. Prices vary, but typically expect to spend $7-9/beer, $8-15/glass of wine, $9-12/shot, $14-15/cocktail plus 18% automatic gratuity. Drinks can be purchased a la carte with your SeaPass card or with a package, see below. See Topic 8 below for an important exception to this: Diamond/Diamond Plus/Pinnacle drink vouchers.

- Drink packages: Multiple types of packages are offered, with pricing changing dynamically before your cruise. The deluxe beverage package (DBP) offers the classic "unlimited" experience, covering pretty much any drink including alcohol up to $14/drink. Many people ask for the "breakeven" point to determine if it is worth getting a DBP. The best way to figure this out for yourself is to look at the current rate of the DBP on your cruise planner and see if you feel you can drink enough drinks per day to exceed that cost if you were to pay a la carte. Don't forget non-alcoholic premium drinks are included (espresso-based coffee drinks, bottled still/sparkling water, Powerades, soda, milkshakes) - so factor this in your equation. The DBP pricing is dynamic, but expect $65-$105 per person, per day. This package requires everyone older than the legal drinking age of that sailing that are sharing a cabin to purchase a package. If you have an exception, for example your partner is pregnant or doesn't drink alcohol, you can call in and request that the requirement be waived. They will be required to purchase a non-alcoholic refreshment package instead.

***Can I share a drink package? A. NO. Drink packages (with the exception of the Cafe Select Card mentioned below) can't be shared. You risk being charged for a full additional package if you are caught or even being disembarked. If you ask about sharing drinks/cheating the drink package in this sub, you will immediately be banned from making new posts no questions asked.**\*

Another option is the refreshment package. This package is considerably cheaper than the DBP, however does not include alcohol. Think of this as the "soda plus premium non-alcoholic drinks package", like espresso-based coffees, mocktails, etc. It typically is approx $25-33/day per person.

Finally is the soda package. This option is typically around $10-15/day per person and grants package holders unlimited fountain and canned sodas, including from the Coke Freestyle machines.

*All drink packages listed above include a souvenir Coca Cola refillable cup.

**Gratuities are paid at time of purchasing the package, so no additional tipping is required, however if a bartender is providing excellent service, adding an additional dollar or two makes their day!

One last thing to note: you can buy a Cafe Select card, usually $30-38. This card entitles you to 15 small-size espresso-based drinks and is the only type of package that can be used across multiple sailings. You are given a small paper card that has the numbers 1-15 for the barista to cross off when you redeem a drink. This is a great option for those with Diamond/Pinnacle drink vouchers who want to reduce the price of espresso drinks without using a voucher towards it! This package is shareable and does NOT require everyone in the cabin to buy it.

- Is a drink package worth it? A. The best way to figure this out for yourself is to look at the current rate of the package you want on your cruise planner and see if you feel you can drink enough drinks per day to exceed that cost if you were to pay a la carte. Don't forget non-alcoholic premium drinks are included in the DBP (espresso-based coffee drinks, bottled still/sparkling water, Powerades, soda, milkshakes) - so factor this in your equation. The DBP pricing is dynamic, but expect $65-$105 per person, per day.

- Dining packages/specialty dining: Specialty dining varies by ship, but includes options like Chops Grille (steakhouse), Jamie's Italian/Giovannis Italian, Izumi (sushi/teppanyaki), Wonderland, Playmakers sports bar, etc. Pricing is typically a set cover per restaurant, check your cruise planner for exact pricing. You can also consider a dining package. There are three main varieties: Chops + 1 (includes dining at Chops Grille and one other restaurant of your choice), 3 Night Package (includes 3 specialty dining restaurants of your choice), and the unlimited dining package (includes any and all restaurants, including a set amount at restaurants that are a la carte, like Playmakers). Gratuities are included automatically for any specialty dining reservations or packages at 18%, however adding a few extra dollars is appreciated for excellent service. These restaurants are optional, and as mentioned in the earlier section, there are plenty of great complimentary options to dine at. Think of specialty dining as a premium experience.

- A dining package sounds great! What's the catch? A. Unlike booking a single restaurant in advance and paying the full cover charge, a dining package restricts your ability to make reservations until you are on the ship. Your preferred dining time may sell out. Go to any restaurant or a "dining reservation" stand in the promenade on boarding day to make all of your dining reservations if you got a dining package. NOTE: As of early 2024, some ships are experimenting with allowing those who purchased a dining package to make reservations in advance. This is still in the process of being rolled out.

- WiFi: WiFi of any kind is not included in your fare. You can purchase a "Voom" internet package on the cruise planner in advance of your cruise or once on board. Both full sailing passes and 24 hour passes are offered on board. The 24 hour passes can't be paused, it runs continuously until it expires. It is generally a better deal to purchase these packages in advance. You can use the ship WiFi for free to use the Royal app. Since 2023, the fleet is using Starlink as their internet service provider which has resulted in considerably faster speeds.

- The Key: This program includes some additional benefits to add to your cruise vacation. Perks are changing, so check this link for included benefits at this time: The Key program benefits. The Key must be booked for everyone in a given stateroom and includes Voom Surf and Stream WiFi for each person.

- The Spa: Spa services are not included in your cruise fare. Check the cruise planner website for current pricing. 18% gratuity is automatically added. Note that once on board, there will occasionally be spa specials, for example on port days/slower days. Sea days are the most popular times for spa services and rarely see discounts.

- Fitness classes: Aside from morning stretch classes, fitness classes vary by ship and cost extra. Check the app to book fitness classes as they do occasionally fill up.

- Bingo/gambling: Bingo/casino gambling is, of course, not included in your cruise fare. If you plan to gamble in the casino, you must be 18 years of age or older. The casino operates in USD. Plan on bringing cash, otherwise ATMs are available for a $6.95 surcharge. Additionally, if you don't have casino status, you can charge your room for a surcharge for table games. You can charge your room for slot machines at no additional charge. Ask the casino host for instructions. Bingo can be purchased with your SeaPass card and charged to your on board account, cash is not accepted. Scratch off cards are available from the Cashier's Desk in the casino and must be purchased with cash. NOTE: If you have certain tiers of casino status, the table game surcharge for charging your room will be waived.

- Laundry: With the exception of those with high enough Crown and Anchor status, laundry is not included. You can pay per item or ask your stateroom attendant for a "wash and fold" bag. You can fill the bag with as many clothing items as you can (it holds a lot) for a set price, usually $34.99. If you have your bag picked up for your morning room cleaning, it is usually returned by the evening of the following day unless you pay for the express option. Note that clothes are all washed together in hot water and dried on high heat. Do not use this service for sensitive items.

- How do I book excursions? A. Excursions are a great way to explore new destinations. You can book excursions through Royal Caribbean on the cruise planner or app. Excursions can sell out, so book as early as possible. If you book through Royal Caribbean, the ship will wait for you in the event of delays. You can additionally go off on your own in ports of call, including booking 3rd party excursions. Keep in mind the ship will NOT wait for you if you go this route so keep an eye on the "all aboard" time and plan on being back early to account for possible delays.

- The list is extensive! Check here for the current list of prohibited items. Highlights include firearms, marijuana/THC/CBD products of ANY form, clothing irons, any other illegal drugs or weapons, and extension cords. Check the link above for the full list.

*Drones can be brought on board but are not permitted to be used on Royal Caribbean ships or at any Royal Caribbean private destination (Coco Cay, Labadee).

*Please do not ask how to sneak marijuana on board on the subreddit, you will immediately be banned from making new posts as this has been covered extensively.

- One 750 mL bottle of wine is permitted PER PERSON. Keep these bottles in your carry on luggage, do NOT give luggage containing wine to the porters when you arrive at the port, you must hand carry wine on board. You may be charged a corkage fee if drinking your wine in a restaurant on board, though in practice, this is rarely assessed. You can ask for wine glasses at any bar. Wine can be consumed anywhere on the ship if you put it in a glass first, but may only be provided to those over 21 years of age on North American sailings.

- I'll list some items from my personal cruise packing list here: passport, COVID vaccine card (or picture of it), ear plugs, toothbrush/toothpaste, shampoo (though a 2-in-1 shampoo/body wash is provided in your cabin), sunscreen, sun hat, reusable water bottle, flip flops, long pants/clothing for formal nights, pen, gum, books, beach bag, sunglasses, masks if you choose, rechargeable battery packs.

*You do NOT need to bring towels. Towels can be checked out for free with your SeaPass card. Be sure to return them by the end of the cruise, otherwise it is $25/towel.

**This list will be expanded over time. Add suggestions to the comments below!

- Ships are non-smoking with the exception of designated smoking areas (typically in the casino and on one side of the top deck, usually port side. Some larger ships have additional smoking areas on lower outdoor decks, such as deck 5 starboard side on Quantum class ships). Look for signage indicating designated smoking areas.

- No, you can't smoke on your balcony. It is a major fire hazard. Don't do it. If caught, it is a $250 USD fine and you risk getting kicked off the ship.

- You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase, possess, or use tobacco on sailings beginning in U.S. ports. For sailings beginning in all other ports, the minimum age is 18 years old.

- What is the Crown and Anchor (CA) society? A. This is Royal's loyalty program. It operates on a point system, where every night you spend on board a ship counts as one point. If you sail in a double occupancy room solo or in a suite, you get two points per night. If you sail solo AND in a suite, you get three points per night.

- Points never expire and accrue over your lifetime. Additionally, you can "status match" your spouse and dependent children under 18. At the time your children turn 18, their status falls back to the true number of points they have earned at that time. To status match family, call the C&A Society at (800) 526-9723 to make the request. For example, I am Diamond Plus and could status match my spouse after their first cruise to automatically be Diamond Plus, as well.

- Benefits improve as you move up through the various tiers of the program. Tiers start with Gold status at 3 points, Platinum at 30 points, Emerald at 55 points, Diamond at 80 points, Diamond Plus at 175 points and Pinnacle Club at 700 points.

- A notable benefit includes 4, 5, and 6 free drinks per day, per person for those that are Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle, respectively. A full list of benefits can be found on this website. Pinnacle Club members also receive a free cruise for reaching Pinnacle, plus additional free cruises at pre-determined point levels thereafter! These drinks also work at Royal Caribbean's private destinations (Coco Cay/Labadee)!

- I'm missing points! A. No worries - give them a call at (800) 526-9723 and they can look up your cruise and give you credit. Points may take 10 business days to post after coming off a sailing so make sure to allow a few weeks first if it was a recent cruise.

- What is Coco Cay and Labadee? A. These are two fantastic private destinations offered by Royal Caribbean on many Caribbean sailings. Coco Cay is a private island that is part of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. It was just fully renovated in 2019 (now called "Perfect Day at Coco Cay") with new attractions such as the elevated Coco Beach Club and Thrill Waterpark (both at an extra cost) along with many new free dining options. Labadee is on a peninsula in northern Haiti and is a private destination for Royal Caribbean, as well. Both locations are free to explore, with many complimentary beaches including chairs and umbrellas as well as ample complimentary dining options and activities. I would absolutely recommend both locations and would also suggest checking out some of the video tours on YouTube to get a sense of both places.

- 2023 Update: Announced in June 2023, Royal's sister brand Celebrity will begin calling on Perfect Day at Coco Cay in mid-2024! These bookings are live on the Celebrity site now. (I'm booked on Celebrity Beyond in June, 2024 with a stop at Coco Cay!)

- I purchased a beverage/WiFi package. Can I use them at the private destinations? A. Yes! Both packages seamlessly transition to Coco Cay and Labadee. Additionally, the Bahamas typically charges an additional tax on purchases including drinks. So for example your $14 cocktail would be more like $14 plus 15% Bahamas sales tax plus 18% automatic gratuity. That can add up quickly. If you have a DBP or use Diamond/D+/Pinnacle drink vouchers, you do not need to pay any additional tax and your drinks are fully included.

- What costs extra? A. While you can have a fantastic complimentary day at both destinations, there are some extra purchases you can make. You will see excursions like snorkeling on offer on the cruise planner. Additionally both locations offer various types of cabanas for rent for the day. Coco Cay offers the Coco Beach Club, an exclusive beach area with a (fantastic) restaurant for lunch. You do have to pay extra to access this area, though lunch is included in the cost (I recommend the fried lobster sandwich with a *side* of filet and a Coco Cuvee for a beverage, thank me later). One thing to note: drinks are not included with admission to Coco Beach Club - you can pay a la carte or with a beverage package/voucher. You can also choose to spend a half or full day at Thrill Waterpark, which also costs extra. There is also a dining location called Captain Jack's right at the entrance to the island that is a la carte pricing.

NEW FOR 2024! Hideaway Beach is a new adults-only beach area including a heated pool and ample beach seating along with new dining venues, including a sports bar and the first pizza option at Coco Cay. This area is now open and typically costs $35-65 per guest, must be 18 years or older.

- How do I pay for things at these destinations? A. Coco Cay and Labadee accept SeaPass card for all transactions with the exception of the straw markets which now take both SeaPass or USD. I recommend bringing some extra cash with you in case you wish to tip bartenders or servers, especially those that are running drinks to your beach chair.

Pro tip: Some itineraries (like my December 2022 Odyssey of the Seas sailing) hit both of these destinations in the same sailing! This provides great value as your drink package will work all day and most food is free.

- What is the Royal Up program? A. The Royal Up program is offered by Royal Caribbean and presents the opportunity to participate in a blind bidding process for a room upgrade. You can find out if your booking is eligible by following this link (note: you may not see your booking as eligible until <30-60 days prior to your sail date and bookings made through Costco Travel are typically not eligible at all). Once on the site, you'll be presented with prices on various room upgrades. These prices are at double occupancy meaning the real rate you'll pay is 2x the listed price. This includes those traveling solo.

- Example: You booked an interior room. On logging into the Royal Up site, you see the minimum bid for an ocean view balcony is listed at "$200". Regardless if there are one or two people in the room, if you win the bid you will be charged $400 for the upgrade.

- How do I know if I won? A. You will typically be notified via email. It can happen any time up until you are already on the ship, but typically you will get a denial email prior to sailing if your bid did not qualify. If you win, you will automatically be assigned a cabin in the category that you won (NOTE: YOU DO NOT GET TO PICK YOUR STATEROOM. You run the risk of being assigned an upgraded room in a worse location.)

- Is there a cost to the program? A. No. The only money you pay is the upgrade price you bid should your reservation bid win. If you do not get an upgrade, you will not be charged.

- What is Club Royale? A. Club Royale is the casino loyalty program for Royal Caribbean.

- Are drinks free at the casino? A. No - only for those who reach prime level or higher (see below).

- How do I earn points? A. Points are earned by inserting your SeaPass card into a slot machine prior to play or placing it on the table games to be scanned. Earning rates vary, typically slots earn the fastest with 1 point per $5 coin-in. Tables are based on theoretical loss compared to your time played.

- What can I earn? A. Perks can be lucrative including free drinks while in the casino and free cruises! Check out the earning tiers here. Reaching "Prime" status is typically the first step towards rewards as it comes with free casino drinks and a free cruise. This typically involves earning 2,500 points, or approx $12,500 coin-in on the slot machine.

*Obligatory please gamble responsibly! The perks may be good, but the casino is better. I promise. You will likely not come out ahead, but if you are able to have fun and earn some points, enjoy! If you have a gambling problem or wish to self-exclude, please talk to guest services at the beginning of your cruise.

Have a pro tip? These pointers are awesome and come from comments from the previous FAQ! Have a pro tip you want included? Write it in the comments with "Pro Tip" at the beginning of the post so I don't miss it!

1. Each stateroom has a small safe
2. If you want to play bingo, bring your own dauber or pen to mark cards to avoid having to buy a dauber
3. Bring a multiple-USB charger/battery pack!
4. Consider bringing a lanyard for your SeaPass card
5. You can order extra portions of food in the MDR
6. Put your phone on airplane mode - WiFi only!
7. Check in early to get a favorable arrival time!
8. You can use your phone off WiFi in Coco Cay/Labadee if your phone plan provides service in the Bahamas or Haiti, respectively (thanks, u/blitzreigbop)

Post your pro tips below to be added to the list! Any new tips (starting with #8) will include credit to you :)

Exterior shot of Wonder of the Seas, taken from Odyssey of the Seas

Please write suggestions for new topics/additions in the comments below! I truly hope this FAQ was helpful.

-MedicalButterscotch

Hello- please post any and all Haiti related questions or posts here. All other new posts will be removed effective March 14.

Please flag any posts for mod review if you see them.

Thanks!

Headed to Alaska in a month - Sitka, Skagway, Juneau- Don’t have any excursions booked:
Anything free or cheap you did at these stops that you would recommend - Also, what’s the weather like : Edited : took out info about travel party and asked about weather

Mariner of the Seas out of Galveston. First family vacation ever with the whole crew. Honestly 9/10 and can’t wait to go on another one.

The ONLY “complaint”, which is more of a first world problem, is the identical times where adventure ocean opens (used all 3 rooms for the 3 kids) and the theater shows begin at the exact same time.

For us, we had to split up. Wife goes and saves seats. I hang back and check in little, middle, and big kids one after another. Then I’m sprinting to the theater and do the “excuse me, sorry, excuse me, sorry” dance all the way to the seat. The quickest I was able to get from deck 12 to deck 4 was 17 minutes. Usually I got there 25+ minutes late because parents in front hadn’t registered their kids on day one.

Anyway, like I said, 9/10 cruise and will definitely do it again. If AO opened at 6:45, that would be perfect!

Been on other cruises first time on the royal sailing Harmony, seen a lot of YouTube videos. Just wanna say I’m pumped I got 14 days till sail away! If you can suggest something that’s cool, I’m just happy lol

We're about to book our first cruise, for the week of Thanksgiving.

Our kids are all young adults. None of has any interest in gambling.

The travel agent gave us quote for Oasis, Symphony, and Utopia of the Seas.

What are the main differences between these ships that we should know before making a decision?

Also, some of the cruises are for 4 nights and some of for 6 nights. Are there any reasons why I would NOT want to book the longer cruise?

Thanks!

We’re sailing out of Port Canaveral on Allure of the Seas next week on June 10. We’ve never been on Royal Caribbean and feel a little overwhelmed with the logistics.

Do we just drive to Terminal #1 and follow signs to RC’s parking?

Any concerns about reservations or not being able to find parking?

This is my first rcl cruise and i was looking at a the times for mdr on a current sailing and i noticed its only one brunch day and the rest are breakfast is that normal?

We are going on the Navigator of the Seas tomorrow with teenagers that play varsity basketball and are interested in playing every day on board. Should they bring basketball shoes and/or a basketball? They are wondering what the court surface is like. Thanks!

We are a family of 4 (with adult children) travelling in May of 2025 in 2 rooms on Navigator of the seas. I am looking at purchasing Voom passes and see I can purchase for 1 device per guest….. or for less $$ I can purchase for myself with 4 devices which will cover each of our mobile phones. Is there any reason that won’t work if I have it setup under my name alone? Has anyone done this and had it work?

This is my first cruise, and I'm trying to plan what I need to do. I have been told that check in opens at midnight in the departure port time. So if I'm leaving from Seattle, I'm going to wake up at 3-4am in my time to match Seattle. Is check in like for airlines where you just hop on for a boarding time, or am I creating a profile with my traveling documents? If I need them I'll have my birth certificate and stuff sitting together, ready to go. Is the app really buggy since people will be trying to access it at once? Is it better to use the website or the app in your experience?

I am cruising on Wonder in 3 weeks and just checked the app and saw that the Royal Society of Puzzles (escape room I assume) just popped up but are all sold out. Is this just a glitch or reality?

If it is sold out my plan is to post a chat once on the ship to tag along with a group. Is this reasonable approach?

EDIT: Spelling and grammar

Was comped a Sky Junior Suite from the casino but I would not pay 15k for a week on this. I won about 5k over the course of 7 days and that covered the excursions. Also earned about 250k miles.

A player I was playing with in the Casino exited the ship early on Day 2, a sea day, after charging 15k to their room on the first night.

At that price you can go over to Celebrity and go to SA and Antarctica for 2 weeks with better service, food and adult activities.

Icon does hits different, but then again 7k passengers at around 3k average per person including children, it’s bringing in around 21 million per week. Or 3 million per day.

That said icon isn’t for me, had better time on oasis class ships. Way too many kids and all the adult areas got turned to family areas.

For example, no library/card-room and solarium is gone. No indoor pool and all outdoor pool and hot tubs have no shade for Caribbean sun except for the Grove Suite area. MSC/NCLs suite experience is much nicer.

Staff overworked and about 1:4 crew to passengers. Oasis class is about 6k pax/2k crew

Cool experience, but I’d stay with wonder/oasis class ships.

Some layouts are weird and felt like a safety hazard. Playmakers is in the family neighborhood so it is overran by kids who are lined up to play pools and other games in the pub, while grown men are trying to get a drink or watch games.

To enter the ice show/events, people would have to walk through here in almost a single file line due to kids/people in playmakers.

Water slides were cool but for kids.

Food is really mediocre, including suite dining. The Supper Club has no interest, once on board people are desperately trying to sell it for 50% off. That said, buffet was a lot better, they served Caviar, Lobster and Stone Crabs at the buffet 3 out of 7 days. The Soft Serve was also a lot better, tasted better than McDonald’s

Aquadome was pretty bad though, imagine getting Chinese takeout worse than Panda Express

Izumi is about the same.

Still had a great time since it was first time on Western Caribbean cruise

Went diving in Roatan/Costa Maya, and Cave exploration in Playa Del Carmen area.

Hey yall - I’m on the Icon right now and cannot figure out how to get my Fire stick to work with the TV. My travel router is fine. And I’ve plugged in the fire stick. But nothings happening. Help?

My boyfriend and I got the 3-night dining package for our Symphony cruise. Can we use them for restaurants at any time of day, or are they only for dinner? Can we choose to pay a la carte for certain meals or will each restaurant we visit automatically charge us from one of the three meal sets from the dining package?

We plan on doing a mix of Windjammer/MDR/restaurants.

I’ve read the FAQ and know they sell it and it’s better to purchase it in advance. The FAQ section needs to have a bit more detail.

If I have a phone, tablet, and computer. How many devices does the package allow you to add? Is there throttling during peak times? What is the typical speed for Navigator of the Seas? How does it all work?

Navigator of the Seas July 8-12

Beautiful ship, most everything was working not/broken, though we had to call maintenance to fix an outlet. Clean rooms, nice size actually usable shower with awesome water pressure. Clean linens and towels. Very nice room attendants.

We didn't have any food add-ons so only ate at included places. Windjammer was great some days and everything seemed overcooked on other days. May be different chefs? Main dining room food quality was mainly good, but also not always consistent. I didn't apriciate very limited menue choices at MDR. Also they were inforcing 1 lobster tail per person rule, which was expected or our waiter would give us extra lobster as a favor and later that day we come to find out they are serving lobster tails in Windjammer, of course unlimited. Actually had 2 last dinners at Windjammer and there were lobster tails for both nights. Other food options were mediocre. Just your grab and go stuff. New aquadome marketplace has mediterranean, asian, mac and cheese, sandwiches and crepes. I must say all but crepes terrible quality. Worse than frozen dinner, just terrible! Tried to eat there twice and it was just not eatable. Sandwiches were like anything you can grab at any other free eateries onboard and were ok. Crepes were good, but they only served sweet not savory and it didn't open till 10:30 am so we could never have them for breakfast. El Loco Fresh was good, just as on any other ships.

Service was OK, not great everywhere just like on other ships. MDR people tried the most. Windjammer managers were trying hard, with employees there some very friendly and some not so much. Washy washy guys are always super nice! Also Windjammer wait stuff seem to be so focused on cleaning the tables that they take your plates from right under you. Twice we lost our food from the table just because we went to get drinks. Imagine coming back to your table with your jackets and stuff there, so clearly people haven't left and finding out all your food is gone, not fun 😆

Bartenders were good, but again not all of them, so also hit and miss.

Customer service desk is my biggest disappointment as they seem to only solve issues related to them, if it's maintenance issue or water slides or theater they just send you away to go deal with those departments as " they have no control over" those issues. Seems really strange, treating it like different departments are not part of one big ship, but rather having us chase after individual department managers.

Water slides were fun if they were open and you could get on. Half of the time we tried to go there first thing in the morning or on port days half of the slides would always be closed for maintenance with noone responsible or having much idea when they will open. So if you wanted to really get on the slides either have to get up early in the morning on seadays or be there late at night before they closed. The whole water slide thing was a huge disappointment.

Pools were too shallow and crowded, we only went on port day as of course on seaways everyone was there.

Shows were fenominal. Pretty much all of them! My actually least favorite was Wizard of Oz, it was just too long and got sort of boring. Adult comedy shows were very much fun!

Room setup was good and comfortable. After watching room reviews we were surprised to find barely any outlets still. One regular electric circut by the bed, not even one for each night stand. With kids and their electronics and all phones to charge we had hard time and were constantly switching between charges/devices.

Noise insulation is non existant!! Much worse than other royal caribbean ships. Every time your neighbors closed their door entire cabin shook. It always felt that someone was running/jumping right above your head. One night around 11:30 called customer service to ask them to check since it seems like someone was jumping non stop and that kept happening every night till after midnight and they said in order to know where the noise is coming from we need to come and stay in your room for a while. What?? LOL I called you att 11:30 pm because someone is keeping us from sleeping and your solution is come and stay with us now?? 😆 🤣

Overall great expirience! Definitely wouldn't overpay for this ship in comparison to any other at least oasis class ships. We paid under 5K per week for family of 4 in Ocean view balcony and infinite ocean view balcony rooms. Definitely wouldn't pay more to sail Icon.

Smells like a sewer, hallways flooding, pictures below

Okay. I'm on the vision. Me and fiance cruise a lot. This one we are with my parents via a casino comp. So my parents tell me they are complaining about the room. It's noisy. I figure they are overreacting. I go to the room. It's like a freight train. It's not normal. I've stayed on the same floor on this same ship before. Whatever, they get a different spot to sleep. Then some other people's room started flooding, then the hallways down there flooded. Deck 5 smells like a sewer.

The dining room is a shit show. My meal would have arrived before my drink or bread.

So talking to some employees. I'm realizing everyone is on their first contract with the boat.

Now, me and the fiance. Having a great time, top floor, no issues, great steward. We went to art action, and she won some tanzanite earrings that match her ring. Then we won tickets for cococays water park. And the trips been paid for months ago so we are going to have a great time at our destinations.

I felt bad because when I saw the videos from the people who were screaming at guest services, I found out this is their first cruise. I've met like 9 people whose rooms were flooded with sewage water. I guess the water went out for us, too, but it came right back.

What would you want for compensation if you were in their shoes?

I figure they need to get ahold of the hotel director or cruise director ?

I just saw a video on YouTube where someone showed themselves going down to line up for tender tickets early and then just leaving their shoes in a long line of shoes whilst they went off to get a coffee and do what they wanted before returning to where their shoes were minding their spot for them.

https://youtu.be/IBl1N9W2vzA?si=CwiyZfBCzz9g5eAP

what do you think about this? Is it ok by you? Or would you push the shoes to the side? And would you do it?

We are currently on the Voyager of the Seas in Croatia and will be heading to the western Mediterranean next week. We have excursions in every port, but we are enjoying smaller style excursions. Anyone know if it’s easy to get to Florence from pisa with a taxi? Also, how easy is it to see “everything” in Rome without an excursion?

We are going on a family cruise later this month, and my wife and are considering booking a couples cruise for next Spring while we are on board. Are the prices significantly better? Or is it really just about getting more OBC? Some of the cruises we are looking at are a little more than we are hoping to spend but at the same time, if there is some savings that could be attained booking this way, it could help.