However, once you finally arrive at the port and board the ship, all your worries are washed away. For lunch and dinner, you can find a rotating set of options that include pasta, stir-fry, crepes and more. For assistance in navigating Online Check-in or questions on how to fill out the information - contact your travel agent or if booked directly, contact our Service Specialists at 800 327-5782, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-10:00pm ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm . As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! I've been seeing some comments about show reservations being sold out by the time people boarded, that is the main reason why I was wondering if Royal Caribbean is really that strict or if it's likely they might let us on earlier. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. (He was right!) This was a really fast process that took less than five minutes. Entertainment is typically included in your cruise fare but on the largest ships, you are required to make reservations. If not, just leave blank, How being early is the secret to the best Royal Caribbean cruise, from start to finish, purchase the drink package of your choice online, 5 Royal Caribbean things you had no idea existed. I'm not sure RCL has started that. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. In addition to the non-alcoholic beverages, you can also bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom. Our hotel (Intercontinental Miami) was a short 15-minute drive to the Port of Miami. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. Photo Credit: NAN728 / Shutterstock. Weird. The same is true for beer . When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. This was a huge relief from the typical check-in desk with long check-in lines we have experienced in the past. This way youre paying about half the price of a week-long cruise and you can test the waters. Heres what The Key is (and why some cruisers like it), Royal Caribbean testing expedited boarding, Video: Mistakes to avoid on the first day of your cruise, What to expect on embarkation day on a Royal Caribbean cruise, The best spot for sailaway on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship. Johnny Rockets tends to be not very crowded for breakfast, because many guests are unaware of this option, and it also has a large seating capacity (indoor and outdoor seating options). So the earlier you book your cruise, the more stateroom inventory you will have and if freshman year high school economics taught me anything, it is that supply and demand plays a big part in pricing. The exact benefits you get depend on which tier of Crown and Anchor Society you belong to. By having them get the non-alcoholic drink package, you will save a lot of money compared to buying them the Deluxe Beverage package that costs much more. Today, we, While I absolutely love cruising and traveling, we all know that sometimes things dont go exactly as we planned., We all make mistakes, including when on a cruise ship. . The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. However, I highly recommend traveling with a passport. You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board the ship. The cruise line can have an impact as some lines have different embarkation . Nor do they publish their entertainment schedules prior to a cruise. Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. You can change in a public restroom, and towels are available at the pool area to use. Aurea is the most expensive options and could cost anywhere from $150 to $600 more than the lowest cost experience. It is the fourth-largest cruise line in the world by passengers, controlling about 8.6% of the total worldwide share of the cruise market by passengers as of 2021. Some days it's sunny, some days it's stormy, some days it's just . There is a lot that goes into a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, from your cruise fare (and the slew of discounts available), to dining, shore excursions, air travel and more. Every cruise line has its own procedure for when they open up the check-in process. Peak dinner time is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm, so if you plan to dine during these times, reservations are so important. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. It is wholly owned by parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Lunch and drink package 3. Then, the dads in our group took the kids to the pool so that they could swim in virtually empty swimming areas. Your loyalty status doesnt reset at the end of the year. The "3-1-1" rule is ubiquitous in airports. Things like medications, documents, passports, and even a bathing suit and some sunscreen can be kept in this bag. Booking a suite has more advantages than you may think. Follow along on this incredible voyage! Depending on the arrival time you chose during online check-in, you can show up at the cruise terminal as early as 10:00 am for your cruise vacation. Each cruiser scanned his/her SetSail Pass (from the Royal Caribbean app) and was permitted to board the ship. People often wonder what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, and the key is cruise when others cannot. Royal Caribbean's app is a must-have for your cruise, so make sure to download it before your cruise. Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Priority access off the ship to the shore in port. Since the online check-in time usually opens up at midnight (EST) 45 days before your cruise, youll want to login at this time. The simplest and easiest way to get on the ship faster is taking care of the check-in process early. Most cruise terminals enforce the boarding times, but occasionally you find situations where a particular pier agent doesn't pay attention to the check-in time or say anything about it. And the price you paid for the cruise is the same whether you get onboard at 11am or 2pm, so may as well get the most time possible. For some folks, that may sound like lunacy to plan a vacation up to two years in advance, but the fact of the matter is employing this strategy is the key to getting a really great price. Guests who were sailing in Star Class and had access to a Royal Genie were permitted to move to the front of the line in order to receive the priority boarding that was included in their suite perks. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Most guests pack their bathing suits in the checked luggage, which means they will not have access to it until later that day. Royal Caribbean asks its guests to arrive within their check-in window to avoid crowding in the terminal. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as . I didnt even have a chance to sit down in the Port Everglades terminal before I was welcomed onto the ship. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. The porter told us our luggage should be in our cabin fairly early since we were some of the first to arrive at the ship. So many aspects of the cruise experience, from saving money to saving time, can be greatly improved if you embrace the idea of doing it all early. For groups traveling with more than two people per room, however, a new policy could allow groups to bring . We have an entire forum dedicated to Royal Caribbean roll calls on our message boards that is totally free to use! There are a few tricks to scoring early arrival times if you are eager to be one of the first passengers on the ship. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! Royal Caribbean offers a lot of shore excursions in every port and on top of that, you can also consider shore excursions through third party groups to further expand your options. Read a past Cruise Compass! This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. And from there the perks just kept coming. Oasis Class ships offer outside dining is also available onCentral Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods. . The FCC . The reason is Royal Caribbean cruise fares are very erratic, and can change at a moment's notice. DON'T MISS: One Key Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package Tip Cruisers Need to know Royal Caribbean does not allow passengers to bring hard liquor on board its ships. Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues. When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. All sent to your inbox. The benefits wont always be the same, and you have to fill out a form and wait for approval. Hi there! Embark's office is located in an industrial chic building in Boston's Seaport District. Depending on when you go to select a time, there will be variety of 30 minute windows for you to choose from. Here are my tips for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner. View All Cruises Depending on when you go to select a time, there will be variety of 30 minute windows . The price of the September 13, 2024 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas ranges from $690 for an inside cabin to $1,963 for a suite. Then, we walked right into the suite waiting area. Complimentary Canaps (a French hors doeuvre) on second day. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. For obvious reasons the early times are taken first. The Windjammer is the go-to spot for most when they get onboard their Royal Caribbean ship for lunch, but there are good alternatives that are less crowded. A Royal Caribbean employee came over to our large group and checked in each party using her tablet. We have spent years sharing tips, secrets and strategies on this blog about taking a better and more fun Royal Caribbean cruise, and we discovered there is one common thread among so many of our best tips: being early. Remember, if your suitcase will not fit through the x-rays at the security check-point you will have to employ the services of the porter anyway. It's important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. For a full list of items that my family and I pack on a cruise vacation, you can check out my Cruise Packing List article. The Online Check-in Process is a 4 step process and Royal Caribbean will walk you through it step by step. Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? While showing up early can be a problem, coming in later is not as much of a concern. So, make sure you keep everything within reach and enjoy a smooth boarding process. Whether the first day or the last day of your cruise, be sure to grab a porter to make things easier on yourself. Ships embarking on cruises from Amsterdam are docked in one of two places: Felison Terminal, where smaller ships dock, or the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam , where a 10-minute walk will take you to a popular station. While Royal Caribbean maintains a core experience across all ships, each vessel has its own list of amenities and activities, and even ships within the same Royal Caribbean ship class can vary. MSC Cruises has three experiences to choose from: Bella, Fantastica, and Aurea. If you dont have extra room in the budget, the first point in this article will help the most. Club Orange by Holland America Line offers passengers priority access to exclusive perks and amenities, including priority check-in, stateroom upgrades, and an intimate dining venue on select ships. How early can I board my Royal Caribbean cruise? If your stateroom shower is occupied by a family member, you could go to the gym and shower there instead. Read more: 10 biggest tipping mistakes cruisers make. In our experience, most guests see the times for an activity and begin arrivingafterthe scheduled start time. If getting onto your cruise ship as early as possible is important to you these tips above should help. Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be found when booked many months in advance. (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). While this isnt necessarily the time in which you will board the ship, it is a good indicator of when you will be allowed to embark. They offer guests the option to drink as much as they want on their cruise for a fixed price. This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. 2. The first time I booked a suite was on Celebrity Silhouette. Keep in mind the differences between Royal Caribbean's shore excursions and third party shore excursions. Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? Using a travel agent simplifies this entire process. This didnt take long at all, and our whole group was onboard the ship shortly after 11:00. Unvaccinated travellers age 5 and At 10:00, the doors to the terminal opened, and the suite guests were escorted to an elevator that took us to a separate security line. Its also important to note that theres no best time to board the Royal Caribbean ship. Additionally, a cruise vacation, like any other type of travel, poses a risk for trip interruption, delays, and other unexpected issues. The price you pay for the cruise is the same whether you board at noon or 2pm, so you may as well get the extra two hours of fun! Here is a list of a few prohibited things Royal Caribbean has on their website: If you try to bring any of these things onto your cruise ship you will not only get the items confiscated, you could also be in some trouble with the law. Exclusive a la carte breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on . Guests can use onboard credit towards purchasing Royal Caribbean'sshore excursions if they book onboard. Firearms and ammunition, including plastic replicas and toys, Sharp objects like knives and scissors(scissors with a blade length of less than 4 inches are allowed), Coffee makers, clothes irons, travel steamers and hot plates, Alcoholic beverages like beer, selter, or hard liquor. If you can check in using the cruise lines app or website the very first day you have a better chance of having an early boarding time. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. You can bring soda, water, energy drinks and any other non-alcoholic beverages. However, the cruise terminal in Miami did not open its doors until 10:00 am. Our family chose to eat lunch at Windjammer Marketplace after boarding. Look up your specific cruise line to see exactly how early you can check in and then set an alarm or reminder on your phone for that date. An unusual exit wound as a result of a shotgun suicide to the head. The right slugs can turn a 12 gauge shotgun into a. If that statement does not make a whole lot of sense yet, check out the five steps we outlined in this post to demonstrate why being early will help you have a great cruise. When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have a choice of places to eat throughout the day. It can feel like torture if you have to wait a long time to board your ship. Employees come over to make you show that you are in a suite. By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. Just one of the perks of being a suite guest on a cruise ship is having priority access. I booked my Symphony of the Seas cruise five months in advance of my February sail date. Cruise lines want you to be loyal to them, so ranking up your loyalty tier is a great way to get faster boarding times in addition to a ton of other perks. Tasks such as repricing, making special requests, dealing with weather events and more are why I use a travel agent every single I book a cruise. One of the best ways to stay informed with what's happening on your sailing is to join a roll call for your sailing. Plus, the Royal Caribbean app will have all of the activities for the day listed so that you can easily reference it during your sailing. That's my quick take on the new boarding process for Adventure of the Seas -- the first Royal Caribbean ship to restart operations in North America.. From the moment I began the process on Saturday in Nassau, Bahamas, in advance of the vessel's first sailing in 15 months to the time I stepped into my cabin, almost exactly one . I'm Shari. Ideally, you'll book a cruise at NextCruise while on a sailing when struck with the inspiration to book another cruise. And again, this just slows down that quick embarkation process. Another tip for securing an early arrival time is to book a suite. Cayman Islands: Who's Who & Business Guide. One of the best parts? I pack my kids undergarments for them to put on after they swim. But did you know if you wait to book your drink package onboard the ship you will be overpaying for it? Third party shore excursions can offer more personalized tours at a lower price. There are also two different times to consider: what time can you board your ship and what time can you arrive at the port to check-in. The menu can vary from lunch to dinner, but the experience is still the same. One of the best mantras for cruise planning is book as early as you can in order to get the lowest price. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. You will not have to start over! If you wait weeks or months to book a cruise onboard, the price of the cruise may increase and negate any savings you'd receive from the extra onboard credit. If you want to find the best prices for the spa on your cruise, consider booking things on port days, or early in the morning or late at night for the best prices. There's no way to know that's happened without checking manually. About a week before the cruise, the Suite Concierge will email suite guests with an introduction and outline basic suite policies, including a flexible arrival policy, where suite guests can arrive one hour before or after their check-in time. But I have a helpful suggestion. Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure . And in that case theres nothing you can do but sit back and make the best of it. All rights reserved. Commonly it is expected to tip somewhere around $1-$2 per bag. Royal Caribbean warns there could be a delay in beginning the check-in procedure if you're late, but you will still be able to get to the cruise. Usually, guests who book The Key are allowed to check-in with the first group (an exact time will be emailed later). It May be Time for Some Royal Caribbean Elites to Reconsider Paying for Drink Packages frequentfloaters.com - Marshall Jackson Cruise line drink packages and whether or not you should buy one are a subject of sometimes intense debate among frequent floaters. But it wasn't a nightmare either. Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options. Cruise lines offer several boarding times and can only allow for so many in each slot. Plus, the agents at the port wont have to take the extra time to verify your birth certificate. 2023 Mom's Plan-it Vacation Blog - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior Suites, Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips), Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023), Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check In. That means if a couple buys The Key for a 7 day cruise it will cost at least $350. (Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean) You are staying in a suite. To be honest, your embarkation day usually starts . When I tried on my Android / Pixel 6 Pro, I had to hit the button a bunch of times to take a picture . We found our SeaPass cards in the room, which are used during the cruise as your room key, identification, credit card, etc. If you're reading this at home, you're still better off booking a cruise now, rather than waiting to book onboard your ship. Be among the first to check in and it will feel like youre getting priority access at the terminal. There, crewmembers will typically check you in via . Inside a tree trunk, a forest nymph spends its day. There is no way to know in absolute terms what your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise will or will not offer, but Royal Caribbean insiders will consult past Cruise Compass' to see what was available on those similar sailings to get an idea of what to expect. If a ship sails a journey to a "nearby" foreign port, a passenger still can't leave the ship permanently at a different U.S. port than the embarkation point (nearby foreign . Holland American Line: Mariner Society . Believe me, searching for documents in your luggage is not only time-consuming but also frustrating. If not, just leave blank. Powered by Cruiseline.com. As time progress, more and more staterooms are reserved and stateroom inventory drops, so the price increases conversely. Since your luggage isnt guaranteed to arrive in your room before dinner, youll want to make sure you have everything you need ahead of time. Click on the person icon, and it should fire up the camera again. Most people go on vacation based around their school or work schedules. The price for The Key varies by sailing, but prices start at $25 per guest for each day of the cruise. Royal Caribbean does not charge for its shows, nor does it charge for advanced reservations. Getting an early arrival slot means that you can board the ship earlier than . $250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 14 or more nights, $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 to 13 nights, $50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 5 nights or less. Posted January 23, 2012. Royal Caribbean International has notified guests booked aboard several Allure of the Seas cruises to adjust their boarding times . The concept is simple: pay a few bucks and skip the lines. Easier said than done, but you probably won't need all the clothes, shoes, and outfits you think you might need on a Royal Caribbean cruise. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! . While you can book shore excursions onboard your ship, the lines at the shore excursion desk can often be quite long and doing your research from home gives you plenty of time to compare different options and learn what each port offers. The NextCruise office offers incentives to book another cruise while you're still onboard. Since these are Royal Caribbean cruise tips that apply primarily to just this cruise line, it's meant to provide advice that almost anyone sailing with Royal Caribbean can use right away.
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