Don't book a cabin one deck above or below a public space, such as a pool, dining room, or bar. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. It'll guide you to aim and take the picture. This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. Downloading the app before you get on your ship means you'll be able to easily and quickly download it and set it up before you step aboard. I didnt even have a chance to sit down in the Port Everglades terminal before I was welcomed onto the ship. If you're on the fence about buying a Royal Caribbean drink package, keep in mind you can use them at Royal Caribbean's private islands. 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. If you buy heavy duty magnets with hooks, you can use these magnets to store certain items. Modified Date: Jan 6, 2023. Peak dinner time is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm, so if you plan to dine during these times, reservations are so important. Porters are available to assist with your luggage. But it wasn't a nightmare either. While you may want to save the added expense,regular medical insurance will not usually cover medical services onboard or in port. 1. 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. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Once you are ready to begin, completing the Royal Caribbean online check in takes very little time. Like what you see? Just like dining, you can reserve shows in advance by going to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site. You'll want to do this as early as you can in order to get an early check-in time and avoid wasting time in the cruise terminal. On a cruise, your vacation starts as soon as you set foot on your cruise ship. A Royal Caribbean cruise is hands down my favorite type of vacation, and with so many years of going cruising, I have come across a lot of tricks and tips that really enhance my cruise. But I have a helpful suggestion. . Read More Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior SuitesContinue, Read More Honest Review of Perfect Day at CocoCayContinue, Read More Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips)Continue, Read More Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023)Continue, Read More Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check InContinue, Read More Honest Review of Oasis of the SeasContinue, Your email address will not be published. Cruise ships will usually begin boarding approximately four hours before the scheduled departure time, typically around 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. The online check-in process is super simple and consists of filling out personal information among other tasks. This is the perfect time to make dining changes/requests, book activities and specialty restaurants, secure shore excursions, etc. Search Multiple Sites at Once 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. An unusual exit wound as a result of a shotgun suicide to the head. There, crewmembers will typically check you in via . If not, just leave blank. The menu can vary from lunch to dinner, but the experience is still the same. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. Holland American Line: Mariner Society . You really do not want to bethat personin the airport losing their mind because the latest delay means the entire vacation is in jeopardy. While making a mistake is bound to happen, we can learn from, The proverb, "experience is the best teacher" is a famous proverb ofJulius Caesar, and it applies to so many aspects, While I can't come up with a formula for the perfect cruise for every single person, I can suggest some easy ways to. For your return home, you have the ability to select the flight that best suits your schedule. Video: Royal Caribbean food secrets Discounts, tips and more! There are a few tricks to scoring early arrival times if you are eager to be one of the first passengers on the ship. Those who arrive early will not be able to begin boarding, and those who arrive late will need to wait until we are able to work them into another group. #4 Check into your cruise as soon as you can Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. Royal Caribbean offers a wide variety of things to do, services, and benefits to all guests that it can be easy to, We love a little intrigue as much as the next person, but nothing beats finding out about a secret, right? , Cruising in 2023 is mostly back to normal following the pandemic-induced changes implemented across the industry in. A passenger can't sail from one U.S. port and get off at another U.S. port (even for the day) without the trip including a foreign port of call in the itinerary. In short, to save time and money, use a good travel agent. (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). It's the rule that you can only bring liquids three ounces or less in a one quart plastic bag, with one bag per passenger. The price of the cruise is the same whether you book at home or onboard. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Two restaurants that always offer a cheaper lunch price than dinner are Chops Grille and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen. We arrived on time (1pm) and waited over three hours to board. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. 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. The cost is $129 for a 3-5 day cruise and $199 for a 6-9 day cruise with higher rates for longer voyages. If you ever wanted to see what the suite life was all about I recommend booking a short 3 day cruise. Its also important to note that theres no best time to board the Royal Caribbean ship. The first time I booked a suite was on Celebrity Silhouette. Nor do they publish their entertainment schedules prior to a cruise. TX Royal Caribbean Directions to . 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. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board the ship. Even if you have an international cell phone plan, cruise ship cellular coverage is rarely included. Exclusive access to time slots for rock climbing, FlowRider etc. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Did you know if one adult elects to buy the unlimited alcohol package, all other adults in the same room have to get it too? You will then go straight to the section on choosing your arrival time and pick the one you want. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Some families prefer to arrive in the afternoon, so they dont have to navigate crowds at the terminal. Just turn airplane mode once you get onboard the ship. Guests who pay for this upgraded status typically receive priority access upon arrival on embarkation day. Note: MSC Cruises has a status match program, so you can carry over some of the perks you have with another cruise line. Jon got hooked on cruising after his first cruise on his honeymoon, and today he is always looking for cruise deals and reading information about the cruise industry. In general, on a cruise with RCI, you can change 1 bane, no problem, as long as at least one original guest stays . Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage. If you have a cruise booked with Royal Caribbean, you can typically check-in around 45 days before your sail date. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. Click on the person icon, and it should fire up the camera again. As long as the cruise line doesnt make a drastic change to their program you will keep reaping the rewards for every cruise. You simply keep your luggage in your room (instead of placing it in the hallway on the last evening of the cruise) and then when the ship is cleared by Customs agents, you take your own luggage and disembark the ship. I would love to hearyourtips and tricks! Royal Caribbean shore excursions are fully refundable if your ship cannot dock at a scheduled port. Prior to sailing, guests may change or cancel their show reservations online up to 4 days prior to their cruise start date. You should always check with the cruise line to see what is not allowed on their ships. 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. Royal Caribbean shore excursions guarantee your return to the ship, even if the excursion is delayed. We make sure to pack several items in our backpack, which I will include below: Youll notice that many of the items listed above are needed because our kids swim on embarkation day. 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 simplest and easiest way to get on the ship faster is taking care of the check-in process early. Want to get an idea of what entertainment, activities and things to do (along with times) will be offered on your cruise? 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 best way to learn about what is offered on your cruise is to check out a past Cruise Compass. You can enjoy a lineup of adventures on a Royal Caribbean cruise from Day One, like the North Star observation capsule, ice skating and more. Note that boarding did come to a stop at one point. [Subscribe fo. After we completed this check-in procedure, our family sat in the waiting area until it was our turn to board the ship. 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. In fact, most people don't use these showers, so there's a good chance they are unoccupied when you would need it, especially in the evening. Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. In addition to the drink package, a wifi package also works while at CocoCay. It has grown into a website full of information on family vacation tips, kid friendly activities, homeschooling organization hacks, and so much more! If you are on a Radiance or Quantum Class ship, be sure to enjoy your meals outside while at the Windjammer. In order to avoid having your phone try to use its cellular connection, all modern phones have an ability to turn off its cellular signal by enabling something called, "airplane mode.". I'm not sure RCL has started that. Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. We completed our Muster Drill requirements immediately after boarding. Your vacation time is limited, so do not waste it waiting to buy a drink package. Regardless of which day you choose, some specialty restaurants offer a lunch discount compared to dinner. Every cruise line has its own procedure for when they open up the check-in process. And in that case theres nothing you can do but sit back and make the best of it. Take advantage of the opportunity to get tickets and not be stuck in a line waiting to enter the theater or worse, miss out on the show completely. One of the best parts? If you do not complete Check-in 3 days prior, you will be required to complete this process at the pier at leasttwohoursprior to the published sailing time. 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. 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. We found our SeaPass cards in the room, which are used during the cruise as your room key, identification, credit card, etc. Any money saved is always welcome! The same is true for beer . As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Be the first to write a review! Carnival allows you to check-in 14 days before the cruise date, for Royal Caribbean its 45 days, and for Norwegian Cruise Line you can check in 21 days before a sailing. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! A. It can feel like torture if you have to wait a long time to board your ship. Our family chose to eat lunch at Windjammer Marketplace after boarding. In many cases, Royal Caribbean promises a discount on select pre-cruise purchases compared to the price onboard. Each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne, as long as one guest is of legal drinking age. If you are flying to your cruise port, be sure to fly in at least one day before the cruise is scheduled to depart to protect against a travel delay. Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. 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. Third party shore excursions can offer more personalized tours at a lower price. By planning to arrive to your departure port at least one day early, you assure yourself that a travel delay will not impact your ability to get on your cruise. my last NCL cruise was out of tamp. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. Its not a lengthy process but should you need to stop along the way to gather a piece of information, do not worry. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! 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. The concept is simple: pay a few bucks and skip the lines. Using a travel agent simplifies this entire process. Called RCL this morning and got a weird / rude response when asking about what time I can board the ship. One of the Royal Caribbean suite perks is that suite guests are permitted to enter the terminal one hour before their official port arrival time. In addition to that you get to the best locations on the ship, personalized service, exclusive amenities, and other complimentary perks. Usually, guests who book The Key are allowed to check-in with the first group (an exact time will be emailed later). After having paused this program during the cruise re-openings , Carnival is now offering Faster to the Fun again. 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. If you are wondering what time constitutes, "early", we are talking about sometime between 10am and 11:30am. Aurea is the most expensive options and could cost anywhere from $150 to $600 more than the lowest cost experience. 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. The boarding process for the 1/8 Adventure of the Seas cruise to the S. Caribbean was horrible. Set . . The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. Your email address will not be published. Once you're cleared to board, you will follow a gangway (elevated ramps) up to the ship. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. If you want to have a hassle-free boarding process, its important to stay organized and keep all your important documents organized and easily accessible. I wont go into every perk these loyalty programs offer, but you can check out our comparison of the loyalty programs on 8 different cruise lines. You can login to your account on the Royal Caribbean website or via the Royal Caribbean App. Many guests are curious how early they can board a Royal Caribbean ship on embarkation day, so here is a guide for what to expect. Royal Caribbean's app is a must-have for your cruise, so make sure to download it before your cruise. If you believe in the, "rip the Band-Aid off quickly" theory of life, than disembarking your ship early will likely result in a shorter wait. Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. Simply check in on the very day availability opens. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. In addition to the non-alcoholic beverages, you can also bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom. 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. Jon can be reached at. They offer guests the option to drink as much as they want on their cruise for a fixed price. In addition to being able to use your drink package benefits nearly anywhere onboard your ship, Royal Caribbean also extends the benefit to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas and Labadee in Haiti. That means if a couple buys The Key for a 7 day cruise it will cost at least $350. How early can I board my Royal Caribbean cruise? MSC Cruises has three experiences to choose from: Bella, Fantastica, and Aurea. An inside cabin will cost $76 per night, an ocean view cabin will cost $101 per night, a balcony cabin will cost $134 per night, and a . Remington Premier Copper 12 Gauge 3 Inch 1550 FPS 1 Ounce . In this post, we will walk you through the whole embarkation process so that youre prepared for your first day on board. Each excursion will list the price, details of the activity and any physical or age restrictions. This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group.