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. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. Here is a list of several cruise lines that offer priority boarding when you gain loyalty status and what it takes to get there: Most of the time if you have priority boarding you will also have priority disembarkation included as well. Prior to sailing, guests may change or cancel their show reservations online up to 4 days prior to their cruise start date. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. The total cost of my cruise for two guests, including gratuities, taxes, and fees, was $1656. We like to carry a backpack onboard the ship on embarkation day. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Norwegians priority access program includes: Other cruise lines have some sort of priority-access program as well. (This post may contain affiliate links. Be the first to write a review! 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. On all ships, check for entertainment reservations once onboard the ship via the Royal Caribbean app. 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. People often wonder what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, and the key is cruise when others cannot. Cruise lines offer several boarding times and can only allow for so many in each slot. 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. All rights reserved. Try to get on the ship as soon as you can (in other words, get inline at the port early or get to the airport to the Royal Caribbean desk early to get the first transfer to the pier). The faster you get on the cruise ship on embarkation day, the sooner you can start enjoying your vacation. I would love to hearyourtips and tricks! But did you know if you wait to book your drink package onboard the ship you will be overpaying for it? The price you pay for the cruise is the same whether you board at noon or 2pm, so you may as well get the extra two hours of fun! Many cruise lines allow you to pay a little extra for priority access to the ship. The same is true for beer . We were technically allowed to arrive an hour before this 10:30 slot since we were suite guests. If you do not complete check-in online, you will be required to complete this process at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time. Then, the dads in our group took the kids to the pool so that they could swim in virtually empty swimming areas. For assistance in navigating Online Check-in or questions on how to fill out the information - contact your travel agent or if booked directly, contact our Service Specialists at 800 327-5782, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-10:00pm ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm . Any money saved is always welcome! 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. You'll want to include all of your valuables, medications, and documentation. We also use the hairbrush for the kids hair after swimming. Don't worry, you don't need to buy an internet package to use the Royal Caribbean app. 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. This is not only a great opportunity for your kids to become familiar with the kids club, but also save time later so all you have to do when the club opens up is drop them off and be done. Lots of passengers arrive early, standing in line for the opportunity to board early and be among the first on the ship. An intangible benefit to pre-purchasing anything is it saves you time onboard from doing the exact same thing, which means more vacation time back to you. Freshly cooked food is always the best, and there are cooking stations available in the Windjammer that serve up some really tasty options. Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. 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. Related: Photography on Cruise Ships: What to Expect. As long as the cruise line doesnt make a drastic change to their program you will keep reaping the rewards for every cruise. For obvious reasons the early times are taken first. Another tip for securing an early arrival time is to book a suite. In general, on a cruise with RCI, you can change 1 bane, no problem, as long as at least one original guest stays . I'm not sure RCL has started that. The cruise line can have an impact as some lines have different embarkation . Keep in mind that travel agents are paid by Royal Caribbean, so there is no additional cost to you to use their services. Royal Caribbean International allows cruisers to choose a port arrival time during online check-in. 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. After all, if you want to jump in that pool as soon as you get on the ship you might as well be prepared. Once you are ready to begin, completing the Royal Caribbean online check in takes very little time. Most guests pack their bathing suits in the checked luggage, which means they will not have access to it until later that day. Related: A look inside Regent's most expensive cruise ship. There is no question that if you want to get the lowest price on a cruise, book it as early as you can. Your vacation time is limited, so do not waste it waiting to buy a drink package. 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. Your loyalty status doesnt reset at the end of the year. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. I see some people skip this step because they want to save a few bucks on tipping. No one wants to think worst case scenario, but you're probably better off buying a travel insurance plan for your cruise than risking not having it. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Many people here, I think, . You dont want to find yourself stuck in a foreign land without your passport in a worst-case scenario. Your stateroom walls are made of metal, and that means you can stick a magnet on any of them (even the ceiling). Sure, you can book a Royal Caribbean cruise on your own, directly through the line's website. Can anyone who has recently been on the Serenade rec. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. Follow along on this incredible voyage! So, how do you secure an early arrival time so that you can board the ship as soon as possible? If you can cruise during these times, there are some truly low prices to enjoy. Most cruise ships will . Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure . 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. If you ever wanted to see what the suite life was all about I recommend booking a short 3 day cruise. A number of factors affect when you can embark a cruise ship. 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. 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. I use the Ziploc bag to hold wet swimsuits until our room is ready, so you wont need this item if you dont have a wet bathing suit to store. My kids wear their bathing suits onto the ship underneath their clothes. 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. When you make a reservation for a restaurant onboard, let your server know the adults have dining packages, but kids don't and you will get a better price than if you bought the dining package for everyone. Please see my disclosure policy at the bottom of this page for more details.). In that post, we provide tips for staying organized and packing for your trip. Some families prefer to arrive in the afternoon, so they dont have to navigate crowds at the terminal. If you followed our previous advice about arriving to your port city early, then likely your hotel will have a check-out time in the early part of the morning, which is the perfect excuse to head to the cruise port. DON'T MISS: One Key Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package Tip Cruisers Need to know Royal Caribbean does not allow passengers to bring hard liquor on board its ships. Often this comes down to the ports of call being visited by the cruise line. By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. 2023 Mom's Plan-it Vacation Blog - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior Suites, Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips), Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023), Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check In. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. For instance, although medical marijuana may be legal in parts of the United States, it is not allowed in most part of the Caribbean, and therefore will not be permitted on the ship. Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. 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. Dress codes look imposing, and you might feel like you need to have more outfit changes in a single day than most celebrities at an awards ceremony, but the reality is it's not nearly that stringent. This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. 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.". What time to arrive at the port. Many newspapers also spread a false story on April Fish Day, and a subtle reference to a fish is sometimes given as a clue to . And after hopping aboard I was invited to a special lounge for suite guests with all kinds of complimentary foods and beverages. You can login to your account on the Royal Caribbean website or via the Royal Caribbean App. 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. When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time! However, once you finally arrive at the port and board the ship, all your worries are washed away. 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. 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. Royal Caribbean's app is a must-have for your cruise, so make sure to download it before your cruise. Plus, the agents at the port wont have to take the extra time to verify your birth certificate. A second way to grab an early port arrival time is by purchasing The Key. In this post, we will walk you through the whole embarkation process so that youre prepared for your first day on board. Club Orange by Holland America Line offers passengers priority access to exclusive perks and amenities, including priority check-in, stateroom upgrades, and an intimate dining venue on select ships. There are a few tricks to scoring early arrival times if you are eager to be one of the first passengers on the ship. While frustrating to not have the rules enforced across the board, we still recommend adhering to the check-in time window to avoid any possible denial of boarding until later. 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. If not, just leave blank. Look up your specific cruise line to see exactly how early you can check in and then set an alarm or reminder on your phone for that date. Unless you've really got money to blow, don't know how people make the decision to go to Caribbean/offshore schools anymore.Foundation year 1 (FY1) doctors told The BMJ that they had asked the trust to consider increasing medical locum shift pay rates from 24 an hour for social hours and 29 for unsocial hours to match those provided for . On embarkation day, the pools are open so be sure to pack a bathing suit in your carry-on luggage so that you can enjoy them with less crowds! (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). $250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 14 or more nights, $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 to 13 nights, $50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 5 nights or less. We have found in the US on a standard turn around that you can board a RCL ship starting around 11:30 but . Tasks such as repricing, making special requests, dealing with weather events and more are why I use a travel agent every single I book a cruise. If you have a cruise booked with Royal Caribbean, you can typically check-in around 45 days before your sail date. By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. Once we walked to the entrance of Terminal Building A, we saw two separate lines: a LONG line on the left and a short line on the right. This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. 1. . Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. If youre still not satisfied you can pay extra for the priority access some cruise lines offer. Been a while since I've been on Royal Caribbean and we are sailing tomorrow out of Miami. Simply check in on the very day availability opens. 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. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. Royal Caribbean cruises that depart from the United States will often open the cruise terminal for check-in sometime between 9am and 10am. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. Its not a lengthy process but should you need to stop along the way to gather a piece of information, do not worry. Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise. Most people go on vacation based around their school or work schedules. Note: MSC Cruises has a status match program, so you can carry over some of the perks you have with another cruise line. 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. (The porters also have luggage tags in case you forget to print yours.). The helipad onis located on the bow (front)of the ship and during sailaway, Royal Caribbean permits guests access to the helipad. This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's wifi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill. 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. These are the times of year when demand is less for cruises to certain regions. If you selected my-time dining you will want to select your preferred time as the most popular times book up fast. Re: Changing one guest name - Royal Caribbean. If your cruise leaves at a different time than this, check with your cruise line to see what time embarkation begins. Our $2,179.98 cruise has an insurance cost of $138 if bought through Royal Caribbean. If someone cancels their cruise, their check-in time goes back into the system for someone else to grab. Royal Caribbean asks its guests to arrive within their check-in window to avoid crowding in the terminal. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Share them in our comments on this post. 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. For just a few dollars, you can make the embarkation and disembarkation process significantly easier. Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. Once you get onboard and connect to the ship's wifi, it will ask you if you want to just use the app. In many cases, Royal Caribbean promises a discount on select pre-cruise purchases compared to the price onboard. If you are in My Time Dining for dinner, your best strategy is to make reservations either before the cruise, or during the cruise. An an example, if you have kids and water slides are a must-do, then skip the Vision Class ships and Explorer of the Seas. (Sponsored). Royal Caribbean may send you an email about boarding times, but those are mostly suggestions and not enforced at all. There are also two different times to consider: what time can you board your ship and what time can you arrive at the port to check-in. The common thread among these times is it is when others are unable or unwilling to go to the spa, so prices tend to be better. The result is far fewer guests in the pools, hot tubs and water slides than at any other time on your cruise. Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be found when booked many months in advance. Priority access off the ship to the shore in port. All rights reserved. 2) Take a security photo. Things I've tried on Royal Caribbean that I won't do again, The worst cruise mistakes our readers have made on a ship. While I do enjoy sailing on many different cruise lines and seeing how they compare, sticking with one line can get you those loyalty perks. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. 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. Be sure to look up all your benefits, and ensure you use the most lucrative Crown and Anchor Society perks during your sailing so you can reap the best rewards! In our experience, most guests see the times for an activity and begin arrivingafterthe scheduled start time. (+1 345) 244 2431. Whether the first day or the last day of your cruise, be sure to grab a porter to make things easier on yourself. 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. It'll guide you to aim and take the picture. 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. We found our SeaPass cards in the room, which are used during the cruise as your room key, identification, credit card, etc. He also directed us on exactly where to go and made certain we understood we needed passports/identification documents. About a week before the cruise, the Suite Concierge will email suite guests with an introduction and outline basic suite policies, including a flexible arrival policy, where suite guests can arrive one hour before or after their check-in time. Regardless of which day you choose, some specialty restaurants offer a lunch discount compared to dinner. 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. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. The benefits wont always be the same, and you have to fill out a form and wait for approval. Not only can a porter help take a load off of you, they can greatly assist with disembarkation and getting you through the terminal faster. Second, you're spending extra money for a benefit that is not cheap. The plan offered is called the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program, and it provides the following coverage: $25k Emergency Travel Medical Insurance.