Extra Quiet Places To Hang
Enjoy secret quiet spots on the ship like the observation deck at the end of deck 14 right next to the runners track. It is equipped with lounge chairs, where you can relax and have a nice view of the ocean, read a book or have a private conversation.
For a more peaceful and tranquil experience go for the adult only pool or the solarium. Its quieter there, without the noise of the kids having fun and the music common in other pool decks.
Learn To Surf In A Controlled Environment
There are many fun activities aboard RCCL ships including state of the art Flow rider surfing simulation. Learn or enjoy surfing while being trained by live professionals on the surf simulation wonder called flow rider that gives you a surreal surf experience. Enjoy zip lining as well, across the ship and in some instances over the ocean.
Can You Opt Out Of Paying Gratuities
If you dont receive good service during your cruise, you can ask for the gratuities to be removed or reduced. To do this, you would need to go to the Guest Services desk on the morning of your departure and explain your reason.
The service on Royal Caribbean cruises is generally exceptional. So, if you do have any issues, you should head to Guest Services as early in your cruise as you can, so that things can be put right for you before it affects the rest of your cruise.
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Stay Aware Of Travel Restrictions
Stay on top of your state/province/country travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, especially for returning home after a trip.
Keep in mind when you see news about new testing requirements for a country your ship will visit, than often times those policies apply to tourists arriving via airplanes. Cruise ship travel is usually handled under different requirements.
Go To The Helipad For Sailaway
On Voyager, Freedom or Radiance class ships, be sure to visit the helipad for my favorite sailaway spot.
The helipad on is located on the bow of the ship and during sailaway, Royal Caribbean permits guests access to the helipad. This is a great spot to see the port as you leave, especially for those that do not have a balcony stateroom or simply want something a little different.
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Book Your Cruise Early
The most assured way to save money on your Royal Caribbean Cruise is to book your cruise as early as possible. Booking early allows you to get the best stateroom and the best prices. Dont worry about missing out on better price deals along the way. RCCL assures that with their price guarantee, they will honor a lower price deal and refund you the excess when prices drop. Note: Check with your cruise if your location gets this benefit.
What Is Royal Caribbean’s Service Gratuities Price And Policy
As of September 7th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guests SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.
In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Guests who have pre-paid their gratuity will not see a daily charge during their cruise.
The automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. Applying this charge automatically helps streamline the recognition process for the crew members that work to enhance your cruise. We hope you find the gratuity to be an accurate reflection of your satisfaction and thank you for your generous recognition of our staff.
A 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases.
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Can I Change The Amount Paid What If Im Not Happy With Service
As with most cruise lines, the gratuity amount is automatic at the set rate. Typically its frowned upon to change the amount charged. That said, there are times where reducing the gratuity amount is reasonable, such as if you received poor service or had a major issue.
If you feel you havent received satisfactory service, then you can ask to change the tip amount by visiting Guest Services onboard. Guests have until the morning of their departure to make changes to the gratuities they pay.
The 18% charged at the ships bars and spa are automatic and not able to be changed. If you want a refund of a specific gratuity, then you can visit Guest Services to talk about being refunded the charge.
Booking Your Royal Caribbean Cruise
There are so many different options on Royal Caribbean including different Royal Caribbean ships, itineraries, ports, and lengths of the cruise. Look at the various options and choose what will work best for your family. Make sure to review the ports of call, because those are a big part of your vacation. For a longer cruise, you definitely will want to get off the ship at these stops on your cruise itinerary.
Once you find the date and the ship, youll need to select the best stateroom. I generally recommend getting a balcony, because youll probably use it during your trip. Its a great place to sit and drink coffee in the morning and gives you a private place to watch the ocean.
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All You Can Eat Buffet
Eat as much as you want for free at the Windjammer. The food quality at the Windjammer is really good and offers a wide variety of foods that suit even the picky eaters. You can eat there any time of the day. Also look out for the cooking stations at Windjammer, to get a variety of custom-made fresh dishes.
Carry Your Carryon On Embarkation Day
Pack your swimsuit, swimming gear, travel documents and some personal effects in your carry-on on embarkation day. It will be long before you get your luggage or access to your stateroom, so carry some fun items in your carry on to start enjoying your vacation immediately you are on board as you await your room to be ready.
Find good travel carry on bags from Amazon right here.
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The Drink Package Covers Specialty Restaurants As Well
Royal Caribbeans drink package covers drinks included in the specialty restaurants as well. There may be exclusions but a majority of beers, cocktails, and liquors can be taken at the specialty restaurants at no extra cost as they are covered in your drink package. As an added bonus you also get to sample specialty beverages offered only in these restaurants.
Keep An Eye On The Other Cruise Lines
The cruise industry is a tight-knit group, so it makes sense to see what Royal Caribbean’s competitors are doing these days.
Whether it’s extending or changing policies, or even cancelling cruises, there’s value in looking at the entire industry for trends.
Personally, I put a higher weight on what Norwegian Cruise Line or Carnival Cruise Line does because they are closer to Royal Caribbean in their approach.
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Reserve Main Theater Shows Before You Board
Jaw-dropping Broadway, ice-skating and high-diving acrobatic shows make Royal Caribbean one of our favorite cruise lines for entertainment. Not surprisingly, seats for these shows fill up fast. Cruisers have the option to reserve seats after booking, and we highly recommend it — especially for Broadway shows like “Mamma Mia!” and “Grease.”
Bear in mind: Reservations only include admission to a specific show time, not assigned seats. If you don’t have reservations, there’s still a chance you can get in when booked passengers don’t show up. Either way, it’s a good idea to arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure you snag a good spot.
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While Packing For A Cruise Try To Keep It Light But Make Sure You Have All The Essentials Covered
Sharon Taylor, who has been on five cruises, told Insider that first-timers should be careful not to overpack.
“New cruisers think cruising is a fashion show and pack way too many clothes and shoes, but you wind up just wanting to be comfortable,” she said.
For a seven-night cruise, Taylor said she brought two bathing suits, four pairs of shorts, two pairs of shoes, one formal outfit, eight pairs of underwear, and six tops. She planned to buy two more tops on the trip.
Paul Gallifrey, who has been on 30 cruises on various lines, said to pack what you need for the length of the cruise but add a few extra options just in case.
“Maybe you decide to change clothes between pool time and the buffet,” Gallifrey said. “An extra shirt and pair of shorts will come in handy.”
Gallifrey added that some activities on ships and excursions required specific clothing, like lace-up shoes for zip lining. Check the cruise line’s website for these requirements and pack accordingly.
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The Main Dining Room Is Underrated
Try breakfast and lunch in the main dining room, for a leisurely-pleasant-meal-atmosphere. Avoid the herd of people at the Windjammer and enjoy a delicious breakfast in the dining room.
Most people dont seem to know that there is an option to have breakfast in the dining room. Alternatively, just order-in breakfast, its the only free room service offered by the Royal Caribbean. The breakfast is however strictly continental, you pay extra for items not on the menu.
Drink And Internet Packages Work On Cococay
Wondering if a drink package is worth the money? One thing to know is that the package is for every day of the cruise. So you pay for it, even if the ship is in port and you are out enjoying yourself all day. That means its much harder to get your moneys worth on a cruise where the ship has a lot of ports of call since youll have more time you wont be able to use the package.
But with the cruise lines private island CocoCay there is a nice perk. Drink packages extend to the island. You can use them just like you would on the ship. There are bars dotted all around the island, just like onboard.
The same goes for Internet packages as well. If you buy access for your cruise, it will work on the island while you visit. So you can stay connected even while you are relaxing on the beach.
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Wine And Champagne Are Allowed Onboard
Two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne are allowed onboard per stateroom. Royal Caribbean doesnt have a corkage fee, so enjoy your wine to the fullest. In case you are taking back to back trips, you are allowed to carry additional two bottles per trip. They will hold them for you and release them to you at the beginning of each trip.
Save Money With The Drink Of The Day
Looking for ways to save money on drinks? Royal Caribbean features a “drink of the day,” and it costs roughly $2 to $4 less than the average cocktail. Check your Cruise Compass to see what the drink of the day is and where you can find it.
Note: More avid imbibers might want to consider a beverage package, which allows them to pay one base price for unlimited drinks. Already booked? Keep an eye on your Cruise Planner online account. Royal Caribbean has been known to offer limited-time beverage package discounts on select sailings.
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Other Interior Attractions And Activities
In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of Royal Caribbean ships are loaded with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night, including a seemingly endless array of bars, lounges and nightspots.
Every Royal Caribbean ship has a casino, and on the lines bigger vessels, these are big operations. The Casino Royale on Oasis of the Seas sprawls with 450 slot machines, 27 table games and a poker room, plus its very own bar.
The 12 vessels that are part of the Voyager, Freedom and Oasis classes also have Royal Promenades indoor, mall-like spaces that are home to some of the coolest bars at sea as well as food outlets and retail shops.
The version of the Royal Promenade on Oasis of the Seas, for instance, offers the Bionic Bar, where a robot makes the drinks, along with the equally innovative Rising Tide Bar, which rises between the Royal Promenade and the outdoor Central Park area three decks above while you drink. Theres also a British pub, a karaoke lounge, a Latin-themed nightspot and located one deck up in a balcony area the lines signature Schooner Bar.
The lines five Quantum Class vessels have a much smaller version of the Royal Promenade called the Royal Esplanade that transitions into another indoor area called The Via.
Older Ships Can Save Lots Of Money
Cruising can be a tremendous value for what you get, but that doesnt mean it is cheap. Cruises easily run into the thousands of dollars. If you want to save money sailing on Royal Caribbean, then look to some of the older ships in the fleet.
The cruise line is known for having the biggest and most ground-breaking ships, but these newest ships are also the most expensive. After all, when a new ship is making headlines, there is plenty of demand, pushing up prices.
Older ships are still well-maintained and have tons of features found on the newest ships. Even so, these older vessels can cost dramatically less money to sail. Its not unusual to find similar trips on older ships costing hundreds less than those on the newest ships in the fleet.
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Never Assume Your Plans Are Written In Stone
If there’s been one constant with cruises since they restarted, it is that no plans are ever a sure bet.
More than likely, a cruise you have booked in 2022 will probably happen, but itinerary changes are quite possible, and even a cancellation cannot be ruled out.
Where your cruise to is important, and I think most people focus on the ports of call, but when considering which ship to sail on, you might place a greater value on a ship that has the features, staterooms, and dining options that appeal to you most.
Statistically, there’s a good chance your cruise will happen and the ports you have scheduled will occur. Remember, the media isn’t reporting on all the ships that successfully stopped at each port, so it’s easy to lose sight of the fact most ships and visits are occurring as scheduled.
Royal Caribbean Raises Gratuities For First Time In 4 Years
For the first time in over four years, Royal Caribbean International will be raising its daily gratuity charges.
In a letter to booked guests, the line said As of September 7th, 2022, the automatic daily gratuity charge will increase from $14.50 to $16.00 per guest, per day for non-suite staterooms and from $17.50 to $18.50 per guest, per day for suites.
Travelers who are already booked on a Royal Caribbean cruise that takes place after September 7th will be able to pre-pay their gratuities at the current rate before sailing. Those who wait to pay them onboard will be charged the new rate.
Other onboard gratuity policies will remain the same an 18 percent gratuity will be automatically added to purchases for beverage, spa, and salon services, as well as room service and mini bar items.
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Daily gratuities are shared among both crew members that guests will meet and interact with, such as dining and bar staff and cabin stewards, as well as other crew that theyll never come into contact with, such as those in the laundry room and other behind-the-scenes hotel service teams.
This past spring, both Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line also raised their daily gratuity rates.
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Download The Royal Caribbean App
The brand new Royal Caribbean app is a must-have for any cruiser. This fantastic app tells you whats on and when! It includes all your cruise documents for faster check-in, a Daily Planner and your onboard expenditure account.
The app is available on Allure of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas.
You can download the app from the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.
If You Have To Fly Into The Port Where Your Ship Is Leaving From Book A Flight At Least One Day Before Departure To Avoid Missing The Boat
Unless you book a flight through a cruise-line package, the ship will leave without you even if your delayed or canceled flight is what makes you late, Stephanie Franks, who has been on more than 15 cruises, said.
With Royal Caribbean, if you book a flight through the cruise line, and it’s delayed or canceled, their emergency-travel team will get you on an earlier flight or fly you to the next port to join the cruise. If you don’t book through the cruise line, you’ll have to figure it out yourself.
Earlier this month, Franks said her friend’s flight to Miami got canceled the day before her cruise because of the weather in Florida.
“They hopped in a car and drove 19 hours straight to get here on time. You just never know,” she said. “But best to be prepared and early than late.”
She recommended flying in at least one day before the ship’s departure to leave extra time for delays and cancellations. Stay near the port, she said, adding that there were plenty of hotels in Florida with shuttles to the port.
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