First Time RCCL cruiser, so many questions.......HELP!

[Miggee]

Hello Everyone!

We will be on the Harmony of Seas this June for our cruise to Eastern Caribbean, we are normally DCL folks, but DD1 wanted to try RCCL, so here we are! we are booked with 2 Boardwalk connecting rooms.

I love reading the Disboards as its super helpful with TONS of great info, but here are some i didnt find, so figure i post the questions..

• I got the refreshment package for my kids and grandparents (i got the delux). so i know we are given a cup we can use to refill, but what if my kids didnt want to carry that cup all day (mostly likely would lose it somewhere within the 1st hour, LOL). are disposable cups provided at the soda refill stations or coffee places?
• 
  
• DCL provides these life jackets for little ones around the pools/slides, does RCCL have that? (just need to know if i need to pack it for DD2)
• 
  
• Casinos: how do we pay to play, is it like Vegas where we hand over cash for chips? or does it go on our sea setsail pass? or credit card? (my parents are super excited about the casino since there are none on DCL).
• 
  
• Disembarkment: on DCL everyone is off the ship by 8am, what is the latest one can get off the ship? I read that "Key" members can choose to eat between 6:30am~9:30am, does that mean it's possible to get off the ship close to 10am (if we choose breakfast at 9:30am) i'm trying to figure out when to have my transportation pick up us.

Thank you everyone in advance for your help on this!!

Mic

 

[Daisimae]

Hi, I can only answer two questions because we don't travel with kids or use the casino.

With the Refreshment package in addition to the cup you also get a soda sticker on your SeaPass card. You can show your card and get a soda from any of the bars or other places that serve drinks. If you want to use the Coke FreeStyle machines you do need to have your cup and carry it with you. The FreeStyle machines have a chip embedded in the bottom of them that tells the machine to dispense a drink for you, the same as the soda fountain machines at the Disney Resorts do when you use your refillable cup there.

For disembarkation: You will get paper documentation in your room, delivered by your stateroom attendant, asking about your flight home and when you want to get off the ship. You have a few choices for breakfast and from what I can remember you can eat up until about 10 am. I don't remember what times we have exited the ship, but, I know we are never the first off and we haven't purchased The Key. We choose to eat breakfast, in the Windjammer, at about 9 am. I've found for us if we are going straight to the airport, or, a local hotel it is less expensive for us to just get a taxi or use one of the shared transportation vans at the port in FLL. If you are going straight to the airport and meet other program requirements, there is a service that you sign up for by Wednesday on the ship call Luggage Valet. It takes your checked bags straight to the plane. After you put them out the night before the cruise ends, you don't see them again until you get to your home airport. Luggage Valet is an extra, per person, charge. The information about it is delivered by your stateroom attendant at the same time as the disembarkation information.

 

[starvenger]

There should be life vests for kids available. IIRC they will be by the towel station.

Casinos I only ever use cash so I dont know if you can purchase using your SetSail Pass.

 

[Miggee]

Hi, I can only answer two questions because we don't travel with kids or use the casino.

With the Refreshment package in addition to the cup you also get a soda sticker on your SeaPass card. You can show your card and get a soda from any of the bars or other places that serve drinks. If you want to use the Coke FreeStyle machines you do need to have your cup and carry it with you. The FreeStyle machines have a chip embedded in the bottom of them that tells the machine to dispense a drink for you, the same as the soda fountain machines at the Disney Resorts do when you use your refillable cup there.

Ah, got it, this is really helpful to know! thank you.

For disembarkation: You will get paper documentation in your room, delivered by your stateroom attendant, asking about your flight home and when you want to get off the ship. You have a few choices for breakfast and from what I can remember you can eat up until about 10 am. I don't remember what times we have exited the ship, but, I know we are never the first off and we haven't purchased The Key. We choose to eat breakfast, in the Windjammer, at about 9 am. I've found for us if we are going straight to the airport, or, a local hotel it is less expensive for us to just get a taxi or use one of the shared transportation vans at the port in FLL. If you are going straight to the airport and meet other program requirements, there is a service that you sign up for by Wednesday on the ship call Luggage Valet. It takes your checked bags straight to the plane. After you put them out the night before the cruise ends, you don't see them again until you get to your home airport. Luggage Valet is an extra, per person, charge. The information about it is delivered by your stateroom attendant at the same time as the disembarkation information.

this is great, as my DD is slow to get up in the morning, and we have purchased the key, so allows us to eat breakfast a bit later, we are heading to WDW after the cruise.

 

[Miggee]

There should be life vests for kids available. IIRC they will be by the towel station.

awesome, great to know I wont have to pack them myself! yay!!!

Casinos I only ever use cash so I dont know if you can purchase using your SetSail Pass.

got it,, i'll let my parents know.. thank you!

 

[tltay2005]

Hello Everyone!

We will be on the Harmony of Seas this June for our cruise to Eastern Caribbean, we are normally DCL folks, but DD1 wanted to try RCCL, so here we are! we are booked with 2 Boardwalk connecting rooms.

I love reading the Disboards as its super helpful with TONS of great info, but here are some i didnt find, so figure i post the questions..

• I got the refreshment package for my kids and grandparents (i got the delux). so i know we are given a cup we can use to refill, but what if my kids didnt want to carry that cup all day (mostly likely would lose it somewhere within the 1st hour, LOL). are disposable cups provided at the soda refill stations or coffee places?
• 
  
• DCL provides these life jackets for little ones around the pools/slides, does RCCL have that? (just need to know if i need to pack it for DD2)
• 
  
• Casinos: how do we pay to play, is it like Vegas where we hand over cash for chips? or does it go on our sea setsail pass? or credit card? (my parents are super excited about the casino since there are none on DCL).
• 
  
• Disembarkment: on DCL everyone is off the ship by 8am, what is the latest one can get off the ship? I read that "Key" members can choose to eat between 6:30am~9:30am, does that mean it's possible to get off the ship close to 10am (if we choose breakfast at 9:30am) i'm trying to figure out when to have my transportation pick up us.

Thank you everyone in advance for your help on this!!

Mic

If the Harmony is like the Allure, the soda machines are Coke Freestyle machines and you have to have the cup. They can get it in a regular glass at any restaurant, buffet or bar as your set sail pass should show you have the package.

On the Allure, the casino was cash only. You could use your set sail pass at the casino to get cash, but there was an additional upcharge, I think it was 5%.

 

[Miggee]

If the Harmony is like the Allure, the soda machines are Coke Freestyle machines and you have to have the cup. They can get it in a regular glass at any restaurant, buffet or bar as your set sail pass should show you have the package.

On the Allure, the casino was cash only. You could use your set sail pass at the casino to get cash, but there was an additional upcharge, I think it was 5%.

thank you.. wow 5%! i will be sure to let my parents know..

 

[Mrsjvb]

Hello Everyone!

We will be on the Harmony of Seas this June for our cruise to Eastern Caribbean, we are normally DCL folks, but DD1 wanted to try RCCL, so here we are! we are booked with 2 Boardwalk connecting rooms.

I love reading the Disboards as its super helpful with TONS of great info, but here are some i didnt find, so figure i post the questions..

• I got the refreshment package for my kids and grandparents (i got the delux). so i know we are given a cup we can use to refill, but what if my kids didnt want to carry that cup all day (mostly likely would lose it somewhere within the 1st hour, LOL). are disposable cups provided at the soda refill stations or coffee places?
• No. The machines only work with the chip in the provided cup. However, any bar will serve soda from the gun( not cans) with the package
• DCL provides these life jackets for little ones around the pools/slides, does RCCL have that? (just need to know if i need to pack it for DD2). Yes. You may have to ask a pool attendant if they are not easily accessible ( or visible)
• 
  
• Casinos: how do we pay to play, is it like Vegas where we hand over cash for chips? or does it go on our sea setsail pass? or credit card? (my parents are super excited about the casino since there are none on DCL).
• 
  
• Disembarkment: on DCL everyone is off the ship by 8am, what is the latest one can get off the ship? I read that "Key" members can choose to eat between 6:30am~9:30am, does that mean it's possible to get off the ship close to 10am (if we choose breakfast at 9:30am) i'm trying to figure out when to have my transportation pick up us.

Thank you everyone in advance for your help on this!!

Mic

No experience with casino or the new Key program

 

[nancy drew]

Hello Everyone!

We will be on the Harmony of Seas this June for our cruise to Eastern Caribbean, we are normally DCL folks, but DD1 wanted to try RCCL, so here we are! we are booked with 2 Boardwalk connecting rooms.

I love reading the Disboards as its super helpful with TONS of great info, but here are some i didnt find, so figure i post the questions..

• I got the refreshment package for my kids and grandparents (i got the delux). so i know we are given a cup we can use to refill, but what if my kids didnt want to carry that cup all day (mostly likely would lose it somewhere within the 1st hour, LOL). are disposable cups provided at the soda refill stations or coffee places?
• 
  
• DCL provides these life jackets for little ones around the pools/slides, does RCCL have that? (just need to know if i need to pack it for DD2)
• 
  
• Casinos: how do we pay to play, is it like Vegas where we hand over cash for chips? or does it go on our sea setsail pass? or credit card? (my parents are super excited about the casino since there are none on DCL).
• 
  
• Disembarkment: on DCL everyone is off the ship by 8am, what is the latest one can get off the ship? I read that "Key" members can choose to eat between 6:30am~9:30am, does that mean it's possible to get off the ship close to 10am (if we choose breakfast at 9:30am) i'm trying to figure out when to have my transportation pick up us.

Thank you everyone in advance for your help on this!!

Mic

Awesome! We loved our Symphony of the Seas sailing!

Refreshment package: You'll need the cup. We didn't have issues with getting the cup when needed and putting it back in the room when not needed. I thought this would be an issue but it wasn't. If we didn't have the cup, we just got water or lemonade. There are plenty of beverage options without the Freestyle machines.

Lifejackets: We are past that age but they won't need lifejackets for the splash area as there is maybe 1 inch of water:

Casino: No clue, I do not gamble.

Disembarkment: I would not think you could get off the ship at 10. I would not expect to have them seating guests at 9:30am. My guess is that means service stops at 9:30am. And I would be surprised if it lasts that long, TBH. Most people are off the ship early. I would set a time for transportation, and work backwards from there. To me, everything feels so urgent on the last day, I would not want to linger on the ship and be among the last off.

 

[ascardino]

This whole cup thing has me anxious. So I upgraded 3 “kids” for the soda package. They are familiar with Disney and not carrying a cup or anything really around the ship. My 13 year old would lose her head if not attached. Last cruise she lost brand new Nike slides. They just don’t carry stuff around except their phone!

So what happens if the cup is lost? I had refillable cups taken off my stroller while I waited for my kids on a ride last year at Universal Studios. Unfortunate but just the way things are.

 

[nancy drew]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I really think y'all are overthinking THE CUP. You can still have something to drink without THE CUP. You only need THE CUP when you are getting Freestyle soda. Planning to sit out at the pool, then go to The Jammer and you want Freestyle? Throw the cups in your bag with your sunscreen and book/kindle. When you are done, rinse the cups in any of the hand washing stations or bathrooms, throw them back in the bag. Done. Want to get pizza and Freestyle? Get the cup, get the pizza and Freestyle, take the cup back to the room, then go do something else.

Just get the cup when you want it and take it back to the room when you are done. It takes like 5 extra minutes and burns off some of the soda calories. There is no reason for you or your children to carry a cup around 24/7 or lose sleep worrying about misplacing a cup.

I am sure I sound like a jerk so please understand that my sense of humor is coloring the tone of this post, but trust me: you can go get the cup when you want it and put it back in the room when you are done. It will not be a big deal. At all. You'll think "Ooooh, I really want one of those Strawberry Cream Soda things Nancy Drew was talking about in her trip report..." so you'll go get the cup and go to the nearest Freestyle and get one, sip it while you do whatever you were planning to do next, and when it is empty either refill it (because the Strawberry Cream Soda has taken control of your brain) or finish it off while you take the cup back to the room because you are planning to do something else and you don't want to carry it around any more. Or you'll find yourself at Loco with a quesadilla, thinking "If only I had THE CUP! But alas, lemonade will have to do this time." And you'll move on. Because it is a vacation and a cup shouldn't consume this much mental energy.

Or just wear it around all week. Maybe that's the best solution.

 

[starvenger]

Cup carrier suggestions aside, they are apparently introducing new cups with a handle and straw for the freestyle machines. This new and innovative design hasn't been seen since... probably the last time I was at an amusement park.

 

[bbel]

This whole cup thing has me anxious. So I upgraded 3 “kids” for the soda package. They are familiar with Disney and not carrying a cup or anything really around the ship. My 13 year old would lose her head if not attached. Last cruise she lost brand new Nike slides. They just don’t carry stuff around except their phone!

So what happens if the cup is lost? I had refillable cups taken off my stroller while I waited for my kids on a ride last year at Universal Studios. Unfortunate but just the way things are.

If you just want basic soda, nothing fancy, not out the freestyle machine, just normal coke etc you can get it at any bar without the cup. Its marked on the sea pass card that you have the package and which package it is. I know people who have had the soda package and not even taken the cups out of their cabin once. If youre at the windjammer, just go to the bar, if you're at the pool, go to the bar or ask a server walking around.

You really dont need to carry the cup around at all. You only need the cup if you want to use the freestyle machines.

 

[Denise W]

If you just want basic soda, nothing fancy, not out the freestyle machine, just normal coke etc you can get it at any bar without the cup. Its marked on the sea pass card that you have the package and which package it is. I know people who have had the soda package and not even taken the cups out of their cabin once. If youre at the windjammer, just go to the bar, if you're at the pool, go to the bar or ask a server walking around.

You really dont need to carry the cup around at all. You only need the cup if you want to use the freestyle machines.

Yes, on our Serenade cruise last September, I never even unwrapped the cup. Our room was right off the centrum so I would just take my room card and go to the bar there to get a soda whenever I wanted one.
Denise

 

[Magical2017]

May I piggy-back on this thread? DH wants to take the kids out of school and cruise in January instead of next summer. I am off for the month of January so this is ideal. The prices are a bit lower, as well. I am wondering if there will be a lot of other kids around? My boys are 13 and 10 (14 and 11 at the time of sailing) and love to be with other kids. If it is more adult-oriented, we may go in June instead.

 

[bbel]

May I piggy-back on this thread? DH wants to take the kids out of school and cruise in January instead of next summer. I am off for the month of January so this is ideal. The prices are a bit lower, as well. I am wondering if there will be a lot of other kids around? My boys are 13 and 10 (14 and 11 at the time of sailing) and love to be with other kids. If it is more adult-oriented, we may go in June instead.

Depends on the ship, itinerary, length of cruise...

 

[Magical2017]

Depends on the ship, itinerary, length of cruise...

We are looking at a 7 night Eastern Caribbean on Allure of the Seas in January. Sorry, I should have included that information.

 

[starvenger]

I suppose it depends when in Jan. First 2 weeks or so kids are variously off of school or parents are willing to forego that first week back, so I'd guess there will be more kids. Later in the month, there might be less.

 

[bbel]

We are looking at a 7 night Eastern Caribbean on Allure of the Seas in January. Sorry, I should have included that information.

No problem. The older ships on longer itineraries tend to have very few kids, but newer bigger ships always have a decent number, apart from the odd transatlantic or repo cruise. People will travel further for those ships and they attract families more than other ships.