Royal Newbies- not able to book any activities-any hope?

[pangyal]

Hi all!

We are booked for our kiddo’s tenth birthday on Anthem next month. We have done DCL a number of times, but are total RCCL newbies. This was his wish for a birthday trip, as he wants to try all of the super cool activities like the I-Fly, Northstar, the trapeze and so on.

However, we are now about six weeks out and none of these activities have appeared for booking in the planner. I am pretty sure from my research that the ticketed/ bookable ones are IFly, Northstar and maybe trapeze (kiddo is not heavy enough for Flowrider, but both me and DH would like to try it); however, not one of these activities has been available for the past few weeks when I started checking. I don’t even know when I should have started checking, as we didn’t receive any form of “timing checklists” or something of that sort when we booked, indicating when our newbie window would open. We did book a higher-level room assuming that cruisers with C&A status would get first dibs at the activities and the website said that this room would get priority access to the on-board activities, but I’m thinking that if they are not showing up on the site, then all activities are fully booked and the concierge or whoever wouldn’t be able to slot us in for that reason either. I am thinking that maybe the priority access only extends to the non-ticketed ones like bumper cars.

My question is twofold- first, is it worthwhile to stalk the website for cancellations? I’ve been doing that, but have never seen anything open up, so I’m not sure. Second, I know that on DCL, they can usually work some sort of magic at embarkation time if you are booked Concierge and missed out on activities. Do I have any faint hope that this might be similar? I actually called Royal and they flat-out told me that if I’m not seeing these activities, then unfortunately we miss out during the cruise, but that was too depressing an answer to leave it be .

Any advice is appreciated! Sorry so long .

 

[Denise W]

You can't pre book the trapeze. I just checked my cruise planner once a day until the North Star and IFly opened. It helped that I joined the roll call for my cruise on cruise critic, as they posted whenever something became available or went on sale. You can try to sign up when you first board, as well, but by pre booking I got my choice of day and time.
Denise

 

[bbel]

If you haven't seen anything they probably haven't opened up for booking. There's no set time with royal for booking, unlike disney, you just have to keep checking. Also unlike disney, it opens for everyone at the same time so it doesn't necessarily get booked up for newbies before they even get a chance.

For things like the flowrider, you only need to pre book if you want a lesson or private session. To just have a regular session you just turn up during opening times.

 

[pangyal]

Thank you both!

I thought that the activities and shows would have opened up by now as we are less than 50 days out, but this does give me some hope that perhaps they haven’t been loaded. That does seem unlikely, though.

 

[cel_disney]

My Symphony Cruise is in April and entertainment just opened last week and we still don’t have escape room etc.

Keep checking - they will show up eventually but I’m pretty sure that they haven’t opened yet if you see nothing on your planner for entertainment or activities.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Does anyone know about booking the evening Entertainment shows, like the Broadway Queen revue. etc? I keep checking and I have booked North Star and iFly but I thought the nightly entertainment would be available? Do we def need reservations? How many and at what time of the evenings do they have the shows? Also I just saw bracelet making Someone said it WASN'T free (she encountered a charge) but in our planner it says it is free How/when do we book this? We're on the Anthem in June Not quite 90 days out yet.

 

[Denise W]

Does anyone know about booking the evening Entertainment shows, like the Broadway Queen revue. etc? I keep checking and I have booked North Star and iFly but I thought the nightly entertainment would be available? Do we def need reservations? How many and at what time of the evenings do they have the shows? Also I just saw bracelet making Someone said it WASN'T free (she encountered a charge) but in our planner it says it is free How/when do we book this? We're on the Anthem in June Not quite 90 days out yet.

I have sailed Anthem twice and will sail on her again in July and January. You will probably be able to book the shows (We Will Rock You, The Gift, and Spectra's Cabaret) at about 90 days before you cruise. The shows are shown several times on each cruise, depending on how long the cruise is. I have seen afternoon times, as well as at 7, 8, 9, and 10 at night, depending on what else is going on. I have not seen bracelet making, but assume if you are making one to keep, there will be a charge. If you don't see it on your cruise planner you can sign up on board.
Denise

 

[bbel]

Does anyone know about booking the evening Entertainment shows, like the Broadway Queen revue. etc? I keep checking and I have booked North Star and iFly but I thought the nightly entertainment would be available? Do we def need reservations? How many and at what time of the evenings do they have the shows? Also I just saw bracelet making Someone said it WASN'T free (she encountered a charge) but in our planner it says it is free How/when do we book this? We're on the Anthem in June Not quite 90 days out yet.

I was talking to a cruise staff friend the other day and while we weren't talking about this situation exactly, she made it sound like, they have 'workshops' and 'classes' and I think one is free and one has a charge....but not sure which is which. But there will/should be a dollar sign next to events that have a charge on the compass. As for booking it, you don't need to. It will be on the compass and you just rock up. Just show up on time, because if no one is there within 15minutes then the event gets cancelled...

 

[pangyal]

I remembered this thread since there were new posts in it...just wanted to update that I still haven’t seen any activities including the iFly or North Star, but the shows are up. We sail March 30. Is it really possible that they haven’t loaded any of the activities yet? I am confused by this system, lol.

If they are all sold out, is there a chance we can get them onboard like on DCL?

 

[starvenger]

If they are all sold out, is there a chance we can get them onboard like on DCL?

There's a chance, yes. But as Denise noted it'll be standby.

You are not the first, and won't be the last, to be confused by the booking system. Or rather, the seemingly random way things become available in the Cruise Planner. Because I still haven't figured it out yet.

 

[bdcp]

Yes, you can book onboard. We've been on Anthem twice (and Royal Car 21 times) and were able to pre-book everything, but I've been hearing more and more reports of things not opening up early enough or at all prior to the cruise. It could have to do with Spring Break, or they are trying something different. When you board, go straight to an ipad which there are a few scattered around near excursions desk and the coffee area (cafe promenade) as well as a few other places and you can book them there.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Does RCCL do.a PAT you can book on line ahead of time? I haven't seen mention of that yet. @Denise W @starvenger ?

 

[starvenger]

Does RCCL do.a PAT you can book on line ahead of time? I haven't seen mention of that yet. @Denise W @starvenger ?

It's finally happened - I've been stumped by an acronym.

What's a PAT?

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Hahaha. Sorry about that, @starvenger ! Is that DCL lingo? Port Arrival Time

 

[starvenger]

I think I've just never seen it. It's not an uncommon term, after all.

If you go to Cruise Planner and look at the "Full Calendar", it will show you the current Arrival and Departure times.

For embarkation you're usually assigned a "boarding time" but my understanding is that this is merely a suggestion, and not set in stone.

 

[Denise W]

I know when I check in online I have to select an arrival time, although RCCL does not appear to enforce it. I always get there before my official arrival time and I can still check in right away.
Denise

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Thank you, @starvenger ! @Denise W I haven't heard anything about when we are able to check in on line w/RCCL. Just as soon as you are PIF?

 

[starvenger]

Pretty much right after that yeah.

The old website (which was hella-ugly, but functional) used to have a timeline that showed when you could start. The new one (which looks nice) seems to enjoy presenting us with a mystery.

 

[pangyal]

Yes, I consider the RCCL booking/ onboard activity reservation website to be a mystery wrapped in an enigma. I guess maybe they feel it will be more exciting for us. Lol.

Can a concierge-type help with booking when we board or is it safer to go straight to the ipads mentioned upthread? I’m pretty sure we have access to a concierge with our room, but I have no idea how they work or what they actually do, ha ha ha!

I’m just super worried about these activities because the only reason we booked this cruise was that the kidlet wanted all of the activities for his birthday trip, and he keeps asking what we have booked and I have to tell him nothing...yet! At least I know we can stand in line for some, that’s a huge relief. I thought they were all pre-booked. I would be nowhere without all of the helpful advice, thank you all so much!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Here’s hoping you get what you want! And that your son has an Amazing Birthday Trip!!