8 Things Royal Caribbean Pros Do, and You Should Too!
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise? We've got 8 must-know tips and tricks that the cruise pros do -- and you should, too!
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the fact I'm going on my first ever cruise to the bahamas is insane I have never been to a 2nd country yet other than the US! My parents made the reservations years ago for my 21st birthday and now it is a week away I'm turning 21 on a cruise ship and the bahamas!!!
Allure of the Seas gave us the best cruise experience we have ever had!
If it is not cancelled, I am booked on the Allure of the Seas in September. I'm looking forward to it.
Good to know! We’re going on it for Thanksgiving! Any tips?
I’ve been on 8 cruises, but we book quite late. In fact, our most recent cruise was booked less than a month before, and we still got a great price! ($450 for 7 night)
Jebediah Kerman yes but the worst price is 6 months in advance, one month you can get a good deal.
@@Evan. not if the ship is close to being to sold out
Getting to the cruise port early is a great idea, but keep in mind that just because they let you on board at 10:30 or 11:00 am doesn't mean your cabin will be ready. In my experiences the cabins are not ready until 1 or 2 PM. So if you do arrive early, head up to the Lido deck find a bar or lounge chair and have a drink.
One of the best cruises I've had was on Royal's Sun Viking. (their first ship) 14 great days and only 500 passengers aboard. I do like the smaller boats. I usually see better service and food.
And I like to add the 9th must-know tip. When leaving ports, go upstairs to a nice lounge with a great view and enjoy the port you were just at.
Great tip!
Haha I was on the sun viking in the 90s
Agree, those bigger ships are just to crowded.
Group cruises are also pretty smart to book. You don't have to meet up with anyone and you can usually get a few more amenities. You just book through a travel agent.
I’m on the harmony of the seas right now
Killing it as usual with the RUclips videos. It’s like taking the blog posts and bringing them to life. Great job. Love it.
Thank you, sir!
Totally agree! We actually prefer the smaller ships over the larger ones!
Why? Normally prefer large ships. But I'm biased and I'm going on my first small ship cruise. What's the difference?
Shydia Brown I went one a small ship and there’s nothing to do compared to the bigger ships
@@shydiabrown1748 pros and cons. there's more amenities on bigger ships (like Central Park or flow riders or bumper cars are not going to be on empress of the seas). However for someone that mostly just wants to lounge on the sun deck and visit cool ports it might be a perfect ship. More affordable, smaller lines for embarking disembarking and getting on and off at ports of calls. some people like the more intimate setting with smaller groups at the dining room (less noise), to see the same crew over and over again etc. There are huge pros of the big ships with all the bells and whistles but it depends what you are looking for! Of course some people go for a happy medium.
@@elladash0love i have been looking at smaller ships and wondering , because I love the big ship so much, am I missing out on all those amazing ports the big ships don’t go to! . Why can’t u have my cake and eat it too ! Lol
Several of the RC ships were built in my country ;) so I am now thinking of taking a Mediterranan cruise on one of them...
I’m going to the Bahamas on a royal Caribbean in a week!!!!
How was it
Commando good!
Tips?
we booked our cruise for June of next year already! :)
My first cruise Allure of the Seas, I am so hooked. The cruise was great. While on the cruise, we book a cruise on Symphony of the Seas in 2 years. I can't wait to go!!!!
Awesome!
Dang for 2yrs out? WOW
Also ship mate app is wonderful
We are embarking Explorer of The Seas ex Sydney late November 2018 and, this information is invaluable. Love your work!! THANKYOU.
Thanks for the kind words, Frank. Have a great cruise!
Royal Caribbean Blog Thanks. We certainly WILL. Retired recently after 50yr working (46yrs driving trains) life, we intend to lap it up!!
I’m going on the same cruise Frank! :)
Terry Kere Oh really ..... might run into you Terry.
We are sailing on Explorer of The Seas from England May 2019 as well. Hope you enjoy your cruise next month.
3 weeks can’t wait!
We always check the old cruise compasses!! Thanks for collecting those! 😍
Past Cruise Compasses are so helpful in planning!
I am cruising to Norway from the UK in August and have booked in on line, but you can no longer book shows in advance. I only realised this when on their website and it had no information available. I called them only to be told that they are done on board on a first come, first serve basis.
Lee Englandland Check like a week or so before you cruise, that might work, it happened to us but it was there later on
Going on CARNIVAL Horizon in April, my 2nd cruise, hope I enjoy myself with all this Corona virus breakouts going on 🤔
I'm going next month too. I'm pass the point of a refund. I hope everything is ok.
We're waiting because all I'm seeing is tons of restrictions.
cabins are not cleared till at least 1 pm. Sometimes later.
Matt, my experience with cruising on other lines is the exact opposite on embarkation day; the lines are longest in the morning and almost non-existent if you show up to the terminal after 1pm.
I am taking my grandson in Aug for his graduation I love royal but also like Norwegian but I am excited on doing the symphony of the seas
was on Freedom of the seas last year and loved it, next year we have booked Harmony of the seas, looking forward to it alot :)
I would like to try out all the different cruise companies out there. We love our first cruise and are looking for ways to get in more.
Just went on quantum of the seas new cruise from Singapore
Why don't cruise lines offer special fares to first-time cruisers to encourage them to try the experience? My parents cruise about once a year and get big discounts, and these discounts make it possible for them to cruise once a year. The cost for non-discount travellers is too high.
Winter out of NYC is cheaper also because of storm’s
I went on a royal Caribbean cruise this august
They really need to introduce more Quantum Class ships with Slides, dont yall think?
IM GOING TMR
There's no reason to spend $$$ on specialty dining when you have luxury dining on deck 3 for free and an all you can eat buffet on deck 16 for free. Johnny Rockets is a hamburger joint on the back end of the ship, ~$12 a head for food but all you can eat. Shakes are $6 but really good. With all of this said, our cruise with RC was the last week of June 2019 on Harmony of the Seas and it was incredible. We are planning another cruise to the Mediterranean in 2021.
@Michael McMillan Started and finished at Port Canaveral, Florida. It ended up costing about ~$2000 + a head for the 7 day cruise. We reserved everything about 9 months in advance and had all paid off by the time the trip started. I would suggest you take some spending cash but find a way to hide it in plain sight so nobody knows you're carrying it. Rates for these cruises vary as much as air fares do so do your homework and prepay for everything. Costs skyrocket once on the ship.
@Michael McMillan You should be able to go relatively cheap except if you drink alcohol and then you will pay $$$$. $15 for a long island tea is about double what it should cost.
@Michael McMillan Oh, book your cruise toward the end of June when hurricane season is about to start. We had fabulous weather. Hope you have safe travels and a lot of fun.
I actually like the specialty dining. The restaurants are a lot smaller and the service is more personal. Our servers gave us more food than we could eat. Not to mention its a very small fee. Usually $25-35 dollars. If I were to go out to steak house at home(we live in Vegas) that same meal would be $150-$250 dollars. Its worth it in my opinion.
My first cruise I went on I started planning for it the month before it happened.
Got B2B with NCL (no masks) n a RC holiday cruise over New Years can’t wait !!
Liberty of the seas
On the radiance of the seas next year
Voyager of the Sea on Sept 17th !
I went on the anthem of the seas
I've never used a travel agent for this reason. The cruise agencies booking service is the same price there may be 100 dollar difference but nothing enticing to make me book with a travel agent.
Also a sense of security booking with the cruise agency is why I never use a travel agent. I don't want to wait for a price I want to go ahead and book and the cruise agency allows me to do that. I waited for 4 hours in line for arriving at opening embarkation. I don't think it matters honestly everyone has the same mentality on embarkation and disembarkation they want to get on and off as fast as they can.
The68VeeDub I received $600 OBC with mine. I usually book on my own but decided to try a TA for my cruise next year.
Thanks.
Thank you, Matt!!! These are wonderful tips.
in the new app it tells me all activities on my ship
Can you do some tips to make new friends on cruises
Anne if youre under 18, go to the teens/kids club on the first night
I’m going on a cruise in March, just to get out of the snow here in Maine! It’s a nice break!
who wants to be more intimate with other guests?
Bring two way radios and a whiteboard for your stateroom door..
Thanks for the suggestions!
no one else wants to hear your discussions on a two way radio. its a ship, hard to lose someone.
Or, just opt for the wifi package
Courtney Pelzel I saw one where someone drew a penis lol
we showed up 2 hours early just to have everyone held for 4 hours while they did an inspection. everyone stampeded the food. couldnt even get a seat on the same deck as the buffet. not a good start.
don't buy art on a ship! google will horrify and educate you!
The specialty dining is the only reason I go on cruises.
Purchase of the WOW wrist band for 4.99 is awesome. The wrist band looks like a wrist watch with the RFID in it which allows you to pay for drinks or if you have the drink package you just swipe your had and away you go. Also allows you into your room. That way you don't have to carry your sea pass card with you. I
wiznnhimer Is It water proof?
Rochelle Deehl yes it is. It is basically just a soft rubber watch band.
wiznnhimer how do you get it?
Nick H it is only on Harmony, Symphony, and quantum class ships. You get them on the ship either at customer service or we got ours in boleros bar in the Royal promenade on Symphony.
Does Allure have the wrist bands? Going Nov 3, 2019.
One thing I learned the hard way is that you don’t earn double points on a Jr Suite unless you pay full price for it. If you get the option to upgrade at a discounted rate, you don’t get the double points which is one of the few perks of the Jr Suite.
Can’t wait for our family cruise May 2019 on the new symphony of the sea.
Were to going on the Symphony but in Sept 2019. Our first time on a cruise.
CO 4x4 you will love this one because I search this ship and cruise out for two years top to bottom on every thing I’m ready stay in touch will keep you informed the good and the bad.
@@stanleyharewood639 yeah please get back to me with some tips and tricks and general feedback advise! Thanx!
You will love the Symphony of the Sea a beautiful ship
How was it overall?
I'm going on harmony of the seas this Sunday!
Have a great time!
Hi Dani i have been on Indy 8 times you will love the ship great make over back on her 20th octerbet have great hoilday
Have you tried to find a travel agent in Europe! They died many years ago.
Photo for thing I SEEN THAT BEFORE
your travel agent should be comping you! Use Costco and get a Cash card after your cruise. My last 9 day out of FFL they gave me $250.00.
Costco has a travel agency? I have a Sam's account so I wonder do they do the same thing as Costco
Just booked our 1st family cruise via Costco. With the included Costco card, saved $500 more than booking thru a travel agent friend. Plus, got $50 onboard credit. Since Costco has their own travel agents, when you notice a deal on RC website or Costco runs a deal for your booked trip, call Costco travel agent and they will match that deal! Just have to get deals before final deposit is due. With the current deal we got, we decided to switch from an inside cabin to a cabin with a window.
im going on symphony of the seas next week august 10 :p
Sofia Rodriguez same!
Ellie Louise omg hahah i’ll probably see u😂
Sofia Rodriguez probably 😂
Ellie Louise oh if you see people wearing a shirt that says rodriguez family cruise 2019 on the first day thats me and my family💀
_well it’s august 10th, enjoy_ !
Don’t mind me just leaving a comment for myself later. 3:57
most guests arrive in morning, not in afternoon. Use the time alloted to you by cruise line. My last cruise we boarded at 1.30pm and had no lines at all.
I disagree. It seems peak boarding time is between noon-2pm. Boarding at 1:30 means you miss out on a solid 2-3 hours of time onboard. If you live near the port, that's fine but no sense in waiting at a hotel or elsewhere when you could be onboard and having fun, right?
couldn't agree more. We arrived in Miami the day before our cruise and got a hotel for the night. The next day we went to the port early about 10 am. Royal gave us a time of 1:30 for boarding by the way. We were checked in and onboard enjoying the ship in under 20 mins. That's a full 3 hours before we were told to check in. this is one of the best times to explore the ship as its not very crowded. We were also able to eat lunch in the windjammer before it got filled up which happens rather quickly on embarkation day.
Like for anthem of the seas
Awesome videos and blogs!! Are you a travel agent as well? We're about to jump ship from our Disney cruises:)
No, not a travel agent. As a former DCL'er myself, I'd say making the jump to Royal Caribbean is a great idea!
Hi! I would love to be a part of your blog, but the system of sending verification emails apparently doesn’t work for everyone (namely me!). I tried twice, no email (I receive lots of other emails, too many in fact, and it’s not in the junk box). My patient hours and home life means there is only so much time I have to put into these things and my frustration ran its course :-( I did send you an email about it much earlier today.
You should be approved now.
First world problems.
I am going to be going to go there for spring break.i can not wait to go .i may get sea sick 🤢🤢🤢,but I am happy 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Ashly Noel as long as you’re not on one of the smaller ships, sea sickness isn’t too big of a thing to worry about! I get super motion sick too, but the bigger the ship, the less it affects me
I'd recommend packing swimmer in your carry on (or wearing them when you get on). I have sailed twice with R.C. with my partner - they got their bag within 20mins of being on board - and mine took hours. So when you get on board - and just want to swim - but you have no swimmers - its not fun.
As well as your medication or anything that you will need right away
in oct I booked for the next yr from the ship and asked for a accessible state room .He didn't take any notice of what id asked..I was in a wheelchair and it obvious that it would have been my best option.. He went ahead and booked it without being a accessible on. Now my agent is scrambling to find me one.. It was a yr in advance so surely they would have had one avail.. Not a great way to impress me..I wont be booking from the ship again.
Tomorrow is my cruise on ovation of the seas
Great Content!
Hi
I have not had much luck finding a good travel agent. The ones I have tried through the RC website recommendation have been useless and add more frustration because of them not being up to date on what RC has available.
Also It is so annoying to have to go through the travel agent to change things on the Royal Caribbean website. I don’t get it. Why do I have to argue and beg for someone else to do something I could easily be doing myself if I went directly though the website!
A good video on how to find a good, experienced, trustworthy travel agent would be great. Obviously we can’t rely on Royal Caribbean website recommendations.
I recommend (and personally use) MEI Travel. You can get a hold of them at www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/mei
Try Costco travel
Try Cruises Only thru Hilton Honors. Great customer service 😉
Just call royal themselves booked mine right thru them
I’m booked on a 2020 cruise so the vid was helpful it’s our first ever cruise so daunting a bit.. the drinks package is the challenge what to get or not??🤔🤔🤔 Thankyou for your help😊
Drinks package is a pretty easy decision based on the number of drinks you will be having per day. We just finished our 1st cruise on Symphony and we did the ultimate drinks package. It covers up to 13 dollar drinks. That includes top shelf alcohol. We only found that wine by the glass is the only thing we would have payed extra for if it was more than 13 dollars. It is unlimited bottled water which is really nice for port days. We would get 2 bottles a person and not have to pay for expensive bottles at port. Also purchase the WOW wrist band for 4.99 and you don't have to carry your sea pass card around when on the ship, it also gets you into your room and purchase.
wiznnhimer Thankyou for taking the time appreciate the advise cheers 🍻 😊👍
We always splurge and purchase the drink package. It includes sodas also. The package comes in handy when you want to experiment with new cocktails, for example. My niece went to the nightclub with us one evening and ended up spending over $130 in tequila shots and cocktails that night just dancing the night away because she didn’t buy the drink package and depending on the drink averages $13 each; can’t remember the price of the tequila shots. All subsequent cruises our family just buys the drink package. I found out it also covers the freshly-squeezed orange juice available during breakfast, too. Also, buying the drink package (I suggest closer to the sailing for the best price) you pay for all gratuities at once of 18%. A drink at $13 then add 18% gratuity with each purchase sure adds up quickly. If you can swing the drink package, in my opinion, it’s worth it especially while on vacation.
Just an FYI, you are automatically signed up for the Crown and Anchor Club the first time you cruise with RC. In addition, do not show up to the port any earlier than the time on your set sail pass. You might have more of a wait if you do. We just got back from a cruise and the lines moved quickly.
I disagree about showing up early to the port. I regularly arrive to the port around 10am, regardless of what the check in time says. The bottom line is the earlier you check-in, the earlier you board.
S CH get there early, they will get you on, even if you have to wait a few minutes. They won't get you on until the others are off , but early is better!
they give a boarding time to keep the crowd as thin as possible. Follow it.
Steven Eidmann Depends on your CA status. Diamond Plus and Pinnacle get priority. Follow it!!
S CH i
Travel agents became obsolete 20 years ago
LOL
Really??? Where do get on board credit then? If you book with a popular TA, you’re getting OBC for no additional cost. And my TA always sends us a welcome aboard bottle of wine. But I guess some people hate that. 🙄🙄🙄
I’m going on my second RC cruise in January 2019 and I’m so ready for it. Anybody been on the Independence?
Have a great time!
yes you will find it well worth your cash
We r going on independence in January 19. You going out from Ft. Lauderdale? Jan 7th?
Bearded Servant: Hiker, DIY’r, Volunteer yes we’re going out of Ft. Lauderdale but we don’t go until the 12th
Dani Petrilli you’ll be getting on the day we are getting off. Cool enjoy!
Do you have to pay more to uses the skate rings
Anyone with suggestions for Grandeur of the Seas?
early morning is crowded with 1st timers. afternoon is slower time to get on board, and the morning still has guests from the ending cruise.
Can you pay extra to not have to wait in lines to get on & off the ship?? Leaving on RC in October!!2nd time for us!!!
Depending on what class of RC ship you are traveling on, you may be able to purchase The Key. It’s a relatively new program with perks, including early embarkation/debarkation on port days. I am not sure, but I believe they control the number of passes so inquire ASAP for your sailing.
www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/12/04/review-royal-caribbeans-the-key-vip-guest-experience
Great tips! Just checking what you think - if you are given a boarding time of 2pm for a specific deck, is it still worth getting there early? I’m worried we will have to wait from 11-2pm before getting on..
Yes, the boarding times are suggestions, not a requirement. You can arrive to check in anytime you want, and I definitely encourage you to get there before noon.
Waiting in those lines is awful so I highly recommend this! Like as early as you can. Plus the windjammer will have some food out so once you get on you can head right up to the deck and find yourself a beautiful spot and people watch with some snacks.
I'd not rely on this as a rule of thumb. Some of the mega ships will not allow you on early, particularly in Asia. I'd go online to cruise critic and see if your particular port and ship will allow you to check in before your appointment time.
No you won't have to wait. You'll be able to board and start enjoying the ship. Have lunch, go to the pool, explore, become familiar with what's on which deck. Go and find out the location of your cabin so when the cabins are released to the passengers you can go right to it without delay.
How do we find what nights are formal nights? My last RC Cruise had multiple and we were not prepared
Every night, you should get a sheet of paper under your door, and it tells you everything that's going on for the next day.
Aymee Travieso sea days are formal most the time
do you recommend a particular Travel Agent that has the qualities you spoke of?
Yes, I recommend, and personally use, MEI Travel.
I could never plan time off work more than 3 months in advance and that means getting a cabin that I like is not possible - which means that I either borrow a large sail boat or (more usually) go for land-based vacation like a month in Thailand and Australia.
Hi there....I need help deciding on if I should purchase a deluxe beverage package or just purchase on the ship. I'm new to cruising with Royal Caribbean and I'm not sure how it works with purchasing food and/or beverages ahead of time or not. Please help.....😬
Definitely buy it before the cruise. There is almost always a pre-cruise discount whereas it will cost more onboard.
Thank you so much
Hi, Shandia! I hope you have registered your email with RC already. They will send you discounts on the drink and dinner packages as they become available. We are sailing in April 2019 and love the specials we have been receiving. I hope you will fall in love with RC like our family has!
We were charged a $100 fee by our travel agent for using them to book. We'd used them before, and I don't recall that fee. I didn't notice it until later, so I haven't disputed it, but I'm mad at myself for assuming the service was without charge. They were even listed on RC's site of "RC cruise experts". Unfortunately I didn't see this video first!
they should be comping You! Costco will give you a Cash card after your cruise. My last 9 day out of FLL was a balcony room, and we got a $250 cash card. Costo is a travel agency.
Planning on booking now for our first cruise!!💃 2020.
Where do I contact the travel agent?...on the Royal Caribbean website when I book?
We recommend using MEI Travel www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/mei
Is the Voyager the best Royal Caribbean ship?
Thalia Rose I like the Oasis Class. They are the best! Harmony, Oasis and Symphony! I think Allure is O.C. but I haven’t been on it.
Isutdw Thank you so much!
Have you ever been on Optix the night club for teens on Royal Caribbean?
Cruise newbie here...So, I'm taking my wife to NE & Canada in August for our 25th on Gradeur of the Seas. I booked the cruise through Royal's site. Can I still book excursions, and such through a separate travel agent, example AAA here in the States, or do I have to book those through the site as well now? Any suggestions for good excursions? Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hello Jeff. I don’t know if you found the answers you were looking for yet, so I’ll jump in. If you transfer your booking, you can ask your travel agent to book your excursions, if not, you can book your excursions through the RC website. As far as which excursions to choose, I would check youtube reviews of ones that look interesting as well as read the reviews on trip advisor . com Enjoy your cruise and Happy 25th!
Thanks for the video.
Can you recommend a travel agent please. !!!!
He said MEI Travel
i agree with all your points, we booked a year and a half in advance, we always get to the port around 10:00am, etc, however I have one problem with this list. We are booked on a 9 night cruise of the Mediterranean and have booked one of the dining packages. Everything I am reading is telling me we can't book our dining reservations till be board the ship, Jewel of the Seas our of Rome. We have booked all of our excursions, my water bottle delivery, my husbands specialty coffee package, and our wine tasting package, but we can't book our speciality restaurants. If you have a secret place where we can do this I'd love to know how to get to it, because I sure don't want Royal to book our first dinner in Giovannis after spending 2 weeks in Italy before our cruise. Also, I love your site. This will be my 7th cruise with Royal and you're still teaching me new things. One question: do you know if there is a Seaview Cafe on the Jewell? I've heard it's a secret and not listed as one of the restaurants but have heard of people happening upon it on one of the upper decks at the aft of the ship.
You are correct about the dining packages. The "trade off" of getting the dining package discount is you must wait to make reservations onboard, but don't worry too much about getting reservations. I've found there is often a lot of availability. The key is to go make all the reservations on the first day of your cruise.
They removed the Seaview Cafe in the most recent refurbishment.
February is cheaper...
Arriving early also means u can spend more on food and alcohol, this is the aim of RC to get u to spend on the ship rather than on shore.
Why saying Royal Caribbean so fast, it took me awhile to figure what you was saying.
your vids are epic and helpful can we get him 100k subs before 2019
Thanks so much!
I AM A PRO
My only thing about rc is you pay for to many things on there I mean you spend a lot just to go and most things cost money
YEARS IN ADVANCE ?? you cannot !! schedules are 1 year in advance, you cannot see cruises in 2021 duhh
I just booked a cruise for may of 2021 last month. You absolutely can book years out.
Alexis Baumann I booked my September 2020 cruise in January 2019. That’s well over a year. Duhh
specially dining ........WHAT A RIP OFF ..
Don’t book Caribbean cruises in September!!
That’s the peak of the hurricane season and that’s why it’s soo cheap.
Jacquelyn Deport All of our cruises except one in January were ALL in hurricane season! The ships just sail out of the way. Only once did we have to go to another port. We enjoy the cheaper rate and less children on board. Go ahead try it!
Why don't you slow down yourself dude....you speak very fast
I'm still vacillating between Princess and RC for a New England/Canada cruise in Oct. 2019. I wish you'd consider having a cruise specifically to some New England ports. It's just a suggestion. I'm not that interested in Canada. I'd really be going primarily for the New England ports.
Cruise ships leaving from a US port all must visit a foreign port or pay heavy fines.
Pamela, You do know Matt isn''t a Royal Caribbean employee, right? He's just a very avid fan of Royal.
I did the NE/Canada cruise on RCL Anthem in 2016. It was amazing and beautiful. My husband and I took my 73 yr old Mother and 93 yr old Grandmother. We enjoyed every port/excursion. I highly recommend it.
Slow down...you talk way, way too fast!!!...geez....take a chill pill...
You chill....his enthusiasm is contagious