In addition to the drink package, a wifi package also works while at CocoCay. If you are wondering what time constitutes, "early", we are talking about sometime between 10am and 11:30am. Here are some basic considerations. Norwegian Cruise Line: Priority Access Pass. Not only will buying your drink packages online save you money, it will also save you time because typically there can be lines to purchase the drink packages onboard the ship. On sea days, the main dining room is open for lunch and it serves up a different menu of options than what is offered during dinner. Want to get an idea of what entertainment, activities and things to do (along with times) will be offered on your cruise? 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. The rule is a thorn in the side of many travelers. If you encounter problems using Online Check-in, please contact Carnival. Here are the 8 easy strategies I used to save money on my Royal Caribbean cruise that you can use too. This way youre paying about half the price of a week-long cruise and you can test the waters. To be honest, your embarkation day usually starts . We will be flying out . An unusual exit wound as a result of a shotgun suicide to the head. For your return home, you have the ability to select the flight that best suits your schedule. 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. But once youre approved you will get a 5% discount on any future MSC sailing along with some other discounts on ship amenities. Once onboard, cancellations must be made at least 4 hours prior to show time. 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. 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. The faster you get on the cruise ship on embarkation day, the sooner you can start enjoying your vacation. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's wifi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill. Talk to a few agents and feel them out for their knowledge of the product and when you find one that you are comfortable with, leverage their knowledge and expertiseand book with them. Many cruise lines allow you to pay a little extra for priority access to the ship. From sunny Aruba to, If you are at least a Diamond member or above in Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society, here is a great way to, Taking a Royal Caribbean cruise is a great family vacation because of all the great things to see and do onboard. Inside a tree trunk, a forest nymph spends its day. People often wonder what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, and the key is cruise when others cannot. Whether it is a show, a ride on North Star or the tenders to CocoCay, the absolute key to avoiding waiting in any semblance of a line is to arrive before these activities are scheduled to open/operate/perform. Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. Then, the dads in our group took the kids to the pool so that they could swim in virtually empty swimming areas. Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? When you make purchases onboard your cruise, at the end of the cruise you get a final bill with all of the charges tallied up. Porters are available to assist with your luggage. If you selected my-time dining you will want to select your preferred time as the most popular times book up fast. This includes accepting the cruise contract, answering the health questions, and choosing your boarding time. For Bahamian and Caribbean cruises, check-in registration begins at 11:00 am and embarkation begins at 1:00 pm. This large room consisted of plenty of seating options, refreshments, and restrooms. No reservations needed, just walk on in and be seated. Believe me, searching for documents in your luggage is not only time-consuming but also frustrating. The helipad onis located on the bow (front)of the ship and during sailaway, Royal Caribbean permits guests access to the helipad. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. But did you know if you wait to book your drink package onboard the ship you will be overpaying for it? Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise. 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. 19 things you should do on embarkation day, 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on a cruise, loyalty programs on 8 different cruise lines, 10 biggest tipping mistakes cruisers make, 13 Biggest Mistakes Made by Carnival Cruise Passengers [Carnival Tips], Royal Caribbean Updates Perks in Loyalty Program, Carnival to Send Newly Upgraded Ship on 14-Day Transatlantic Cruise, 7 Reasons You Should Never Fly on Cruise Day, 19 Things You Should Do on Cruise Embarkation Day in 2023, Ultimate List of Shuttles From Orlando Airport (MCO) to Port Canaveral, Best Galveston Cruise Parking Tips, Rates & Locations [Read Before Cruise], Carnival Bringing a Fourth Cruise Ship to Galveston, Texas, Carry-on bag drop off in the main dining room. That being said, my sister had a junior suite AND an oceanview room booked. Naturally everyone thinks of the main dining room for dinner, but did you know it is often open forlunch (and breakfast) too? 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. You can bring soda, water, energy drinks and any other non-alcoholic beverages. Thanked the person politely and hung-up. Having an extra day or two provides a buffer to account for travel delays. These are the times of year when demand is less for cruises to certain regions. If youre still not satisfied you can pay extra for the priority access some cruise lines offer. When I tried on my Android / Pixel 6 Pro, I had to hit the button a bunch of times to take a picture . 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. The menu can vary from lunch to dinner, but the experience is still the same. Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? Book entertainment and dining as soon as possible. Youll also find a free printable cruise packing list! In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. This was a huge relief from the typical check-in desk with long check-in lines we have experienced in the past. All Oasis-class ships offer this option, but many guests are unaware that breakfast is served here, nor that it is included with your cruise fare (Johnny Rockets has a cover charge for lunch and dinner). I wrote about this in the post on 19 things you should do on embarkation day. To save time and money, you really should pre-book beverage packages, dining packages, internet packages and more. For just a few dollars, you can make the embarkation and disembarkation process significantly easier. Check-in opens up 45 days before your cruise begins. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise. Been a while since I've been on Royal Caribbean and we are sailing tomorrow out of Miami. Royal Caribbean cruises that depart from the United States will often open the cruise terminal for check-in sometime between 9am and 10am. If you subscribe to the theory that time is money, then you definitely want to arrive to your embarkation port early. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? We know youre eager to arrive at the cruise port for your Royal Caribbean cruise. 90% refund of cruise credits if you Cancel for Any Reason. In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. Just one of the perks of being a suite guest on a cruise ship is having priority access. When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. 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. Many people here, I think, . Packing your cruise day bag is important so that you have everything you need for your first day. Cruise fares tend to be lower the sooner you book. If you are in My Time Dining for dinner, your best strategy is to make reservations either before the cruise, or during the cruise. When we say "early", we mean booking your cruise 12, 18 or even 24 months before the sail date. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. You can even start using your drink packages right away to help you get into vacation mode even faster! And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. So if youve been delaying getting your passport renewed and dont have a trip planned any time soon, Id recommend getting that taken care of. Read more: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on a cruise. All rights reserved. After we completed this check-in procedure, our family sat in the waiting area until it was our turn to board the ship. By enabling airplane mode, your phone is incapable of using its cellular antenna. The best reason to use an agent is to save you time, because they are the ones sitting on hold when calling Royal Caribbean. Commonly it is expected to tip somewhere around $1-$2 per bag. Once you're cleared to board, you will follow a gangway (elevated ramps) up to the ship. We were technically allowed to arrive an hour before this 10:30 slot since we were suite guests. You dont want to find yourself stuck in a foreign land without your passport in a worst-case scenario. As for Royal Caribbean opening up additional earlier times, it's not usually the case. Read more:Heres what The Key is (and why some cruisers like it). Here are 7 proven ways to board your cruise ship faster on embarkation day. If you dont want to spend all morning waiting in lines, or if you just wish you could speed things up, this post is for you. At 11:00, crew members instructed all of the suite guests to form a line. We like to carry a backpack onboard the ship on embarkation day. Things like weapons, candles, and irons are on the list of things NOT to bring. We didnt even have to get off the couch. But it wasn't a nightmare either. (He was right!) Our rooms then opened up at around 1:00 that afternoon. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring up to 12 bottles/cans of non-alcoholic beverages per stateroomwith them on embarkation day. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. Things I've tried on Royal Caribbean that I won't do again, The worst cruise mistakes our readers have made on a ship. 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. So, how do you secure an early arrival time so that you can board the ship as soon as possible? 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. How to Complete Check-In. Whether this is your first cruise or youre a seasoned pro, we hope you have a great trip! Can anyone who has recently been on the Serenade rec. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! 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. Keep in mind that travel agents are paid by Royal Caribbean, so there is no additional cost to you to use their services. So if you have an early flight and can carry all your bags, then you can be among the first to get off the ship. Re: Changing one guest name - Royal Caribbean. 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). As long as the cruise line doesnt make a drastic change to their program you will keep reaping the rewards for every cruise. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. Instead of arriving to your departure city on the day of your cruise, get in early! He also directed us on exactly where to go and made certain we understood we needed passports/identification documents. And after hopping aboard I was invited to a special lounge for suite guests with all kinds of complimentary foods and beverages. Weird. 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. You can view all the shore excursions available by logging into Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner and browsing the shore excursions by port. The only trouble is you may get hooked on it, and then you will have to come up with the cash for the next cruise. (Sponsored). There are plenty of ways to improve one's cruise, but if you remember a single mantra for your cruise, it should be simply to be early. One of the best cruise ship cabin hacks is to bring magnets with you on your cruise. Embarkation day is often full of a lot of chaos and stress, especially if you are a first time cruiser. The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. I am a stay-at-home mom with an amazing husband and two little girls who keep me busy with gymnastics, soccer, and swimming. {{alert.title}} {{notification.title}} {{notification . Once logged in, navigate toOnboard Activitiesand select the show you wish to reserve. But I have a helpful suggestion. Two restaurants that always offer a cheaper lunch price than dinner are Chops Grille and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen. As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! This fish feature is prominently present on many late 19th- to early 20th-century French April Fools' Day postcards. If guests wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in our dining or bar venues, there will be a corkage fee applied. Unvaccinated travellers age 5 and This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group. The price will be different depending on which port youre sailing from $59.95 in Miami to $129.95 in Seattle. Every cruise line has its own procedure for when they open up the check-in process. I pack sunscreen to apply before swimming, and we carry on other essentials that we need before dinner. Our family chose to eat lunch at Windjammer Marketplace after boarding. Readers share: Whats the best piece of cruise advice you have ever received? Don't book a cabin one deck above or below a public space, such as a pool, dining room, or bar. By pre-purchasing certain items, you can pay off parts of the cruise months or years in advance, allowing you to reduce the cruise bill at the conclusion of your cruise. That is a question for Royal Caribbean. Other families, like mine, like to get the process started as soon as possible. Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. In general, Royal Caribbean's cruise fares are priced the least the further out you go, and as the sail date approaches, prices start to creep up as the supply of staterooms on a sailing begin to get booked up. Possible pranks include attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed. There is no question that if you want to get the lowest price on a cruise, book it as early as you can. On my most recent cruise on Oasis of the Seas, my family and I had junior suites booked with a 10:30 am port arrival time. . *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. I didnt even have a chance to sit down in the Port Everglades terminal before I was welcomed onto the ship. Once at the Muster Station, you just scan your SetSail Pass. Royal Caribbean may send you an email about boarding times, but those are mostly suggestions and not enforced at all. 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. Find answers to your questions about all the requirements to board a Royal Caribbean Cruise. 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. When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have a choice of places to eat throughout the day. Most people go on vacation based around their school or work schedules. Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure manifests at least 60 minutes prior to sailing, guests are requested to complete Check-in no later than 3 days prior to their cruise. You'll want to include all of your valuables, medications, and documentation. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! If you're reading this at home, you're still better off booking a cruise now, rather than waiting to book onboard your ship. You can read more about me here- Meet Shari. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. Powered by Cruiseline.com. 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. The simplest and easiest way to get on the ship faster is taking care of the check-in process early. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), also known in short as Norwegian, is an American cruise line founded in 1966, incorporated in Bermuda and headquartered in Miami. Since we were in a suite, we were able to stand in the super short line on the right. $50k Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance. 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. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Its also important to note that theres no best time to board the Royal Caribbean ship. By the way, there are still delays in the passport renewal process. Royal Caribbean International allows cruisers to choose a port arrival time during online check-in. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Do you have Cruise Fever too? Depending on when you go to select a time, there will be variety of 30 minute windows for you to choose from. Search Multiple Sites at Once In short, the app is tied to so much of the cruise experience now. We will also provide tips for scoring the earliest boarding time on Royal Caribbean based on our recent experience on the Oasis of the Seas at the cruise terminal in Port of Miami. When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. Getting an early arrival slot means that you can board the ship earlier than . Your stateroom walls are made of metal, and that means you can stick a magnet on any of them (even the ceiling). Kids get special pricing at a specialty restaurant, so buy dining packages only for the adults. Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. In that post, we provide tips for staying organized and packing for your trip. Booked my cruise early. Sure, you can book a Royal Caribbean cruise on your own, directly through the line's website. or "How do I get the lowest price?" 1. . The benefits wont always be the same, and you have to fill out a form and wait for approval. The biggest key is being prepared and knowing when you should or shouldnt pay extra to get on board faster. Too many parents are unaware of the open house and waste time signing their kids up as the evening session is set to begin. We fly in early enough to explore the port city if we want to prior to embarkation day. Hi there! The plan offered is called the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program, and it provides the following coverage: $25k Emergency Travel Medical Insurance. The FCC . [Subscribe fo. Nor do they publish their entertainment schedules prior to a cruise. Whether its a backpack or carry-on, always keep a few things with you that you may need in the event your large bags are delayed in getting to your cabin. Each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne, as long as one guest is of legal drinking age. 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. Here are my tips for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner. All E-Docs will be available up to 21 days prior to departure, provided full payment has been received and Online Check-In has been completed. And it may seem way out of your budget. The Online Check-in Process is a 4 step process and Royal Caribbean will walk you through it step by step. Called RCL this morning and got a weird / rude response when asking about what time I can board the ship. Just like dining, you can reserve shows in advance by going to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site. Please plan your arrival accordingly to avoid the possibility of not being permitted to sail. Using a travel agent simplifies this entire process. Perhaps one of the most common questions we receive on Royal Caribbean Blog is about how to save money and get the best possible price for a Royal Caribbean cruise. The benefit of doing this is you get to "meet" other people on your sailing, which may result in new friendships, or saving money on a shore excursion or other activity that has a group discount. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. Once you get onboard and connect to the ship's wifi, it will ask you if you want to just use the app. 5 rounds of Hornady SST Lite 12 Gauge 2 3/4" Shotgun Slugs. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. If you'd like to arrive at that time, go right ahead! Your vacation time is limited, so do not waste it waiting to buy a drink package. Things like medications, documents, passports, and even a bathing suit and some sunscreen can be kept in this bag. 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.". If you are sailing on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, you can pre-book shows in advance, such as the Broadway musicals or ice shows. 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. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. This means you can get extra value from your drink package purchase while anywhere in these private destinations. 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. The same is true for beer . Read more: 10 biggest tipping mistakes cruisers make. Some families prefer to arrive in the afternoon, so they dont have to navigate crowds at the terminal. On cruise day, everyone is excited to board. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. By going on embarkation day, not only will you likely have a short wait but you may be able to re-ride a number of times! If you dont have extra room in the budget, the first point in this article will help the most. Keep in mind that other factors may effect your boarding time. This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. Please note:All guests must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail. In addition to the non-alcoholic beverages, you can also bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom. Passengers who booked by March 31, 2022, for cruises departing on or before Sept. 30, 2022, are protected by Royal Caribbean's Cruise With Confidence policy, which entitles them to 100% of the cruise fare paid in the form of FCC if they cancel for any reason. On a cruise, your vacation starts as soon as you set foot on your cruise ship. Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? The difference is booking onboard will get you extra onboard credit and reduced deposit. 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. 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. 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. The Key program by Royal Caribbean offers priority access at the terminal, baggage delivery to stateroom, welcome lunch from Chops Grille, VIP show access, and priority departure. Laundry costs extra, but it may save you money compared to paying to check an extra bag at the airport.