For example, a 7 day cruise with the Bella experience will earn you 500 points, while that same cruise with the Aurea experience will net you 1,000 points. Simply check in on the very day availability opens. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. Quick tip: You should always keep one bag with you. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0f9c8c1261d574f1224454f4fa00eeb" );document.getElementById("d5aa0859c9").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. At 10:00, the doors to the terminal opened, and the suite guests were escorted to an elevator that took us to a separate security line. Once onboard, cancellations must be made at least 4 hours prior to show time. Do you have Cruise Fever too? For lunch and dinner, you can find a rotating set of options that include pasta, stir-fry, crepes and more. If you dont have extra room in the budget, the first point in this article will help the most. Jon can be reached at. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. Want to get an idea of what entertainment, activities and things to do (along with times) will be offered on your cruise? Knowing this, we decided to reserve a shuttle service to pick us up at our Miami hotel at 9:30 on embarkation day. How early can I board my Royal Caribbean cruise? Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time! We have an entire forum dedicated to Royal Caribbean roll calls on our message boards that is totally free to use! A passenger can't sail from one U.S. port and get off at another U.S. port (even for the day) without the trip including a foreign port of call in the itinerary. 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. Getting an early arrival slot means that you can board the ship earlier than . (+1 345) 244 2431. In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things. Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise. You should always let the cruise terminal porters take your large bags for you. Guests may be able to check in earlier but will usually not be able to embark until this time. No reservations needed, just walk on in and be seated. 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. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Norwegians priority access program includes: Other cruise lines have some sort of priority-access program as well. We have found in the US on a standard turn around that you can board a RCL ship starting around 11:30 but . Having an extra day or two provides a buffer to account for travel delays. If you believe in the, "rip the Band-Aid off quickly" theory of life, than disembarking your ship early will likely result in a shorter wait. As time progress, more and more staterooms are reserved and stateroom inventory drops, so the price increases conversely. Plus, the Royal Caribbean app will have all of the activities for the day listed so that you can easily reference it during your sailing. It is wholly owned by parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. You have a lot more going on there than a basic name change for the cruise, and thus really need to talk to whomever it is you booked through. One of the best cruise ship cabin hacks is to bring magnets with you on your cruise. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. 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. 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. When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. 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. This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's wifi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. Royal Caribbean's suite accommodations include a variety of VIP perks, some of which overlap with The Key. Even if you have an international cell phone plan, cruise ship cellular coverage is rarely included. 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! The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. Before the cruise, guests may change the show/ti. (Sponsored). Just know that with some of the tips above you will still be able to get on the ship before most of the other passengers. But did you know if you wait to book your drink package onboard the ship you will be overpaying for it? There, crewmembers will typically check you in via . For groups traveling with more than two people per room, however, a new policy could allow groups to bring . Here are my tips for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner. Regardless of which day you choose, some specialty restaurants offer a lunch discount compared to dinner. However, the cruise terminal in Miami did not open its doors until 10:00 am. I wont go into every perk these loyalty programs offer, but you can check out our comparison of the loyalty programs on 8 different cruise lines. Just turn airplane mode once you get onboard the ship. 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. 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. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Cruise lines want you to be loyal to them, so ranking up your loyalty tier is a great way to get faster boarding times in addition to a ton of other perks. The best reason to use an agent is to save you time, because they are the ones sitting on hold when calling Royal Caribbean. 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. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. Like what you see? Lots of passengers arrive early, standing in line for the opportunity to board early and be among the first on the ship. 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. Most guests pack their bathing suits in the checked luggage, which means they will not have access to it until later that day. Either way, you should have plenty of time to enjoy all the entertainment and activities onboard the ship. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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! If your stateroom shower is occupied by a family member, you could go to the gym and shower there instead. 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. I dont think I need to mention how this would slow down your boarding process, but its a key element to remember when cruising. It can feel like torture if you have to wait a long time to board your ship. Don't book a cabin one deck above or below a public space, such as a pool, dining room, or bar. Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage. For obvious reasons the early times are taken first. (Make sure you watched and marked off the Safety video in the app the morning of your cruise.). 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. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Royal Caribbean puts its itineraries on sale as much as two years in advance of the sailing, and while that may be too far in advance for many to plan vacations, the earlier you can book the cruise, the better for that bottom line price. Guests can use onboard credit towards purchasing Royal Caribbean'sshore excursions if they book onboard. Royal Caribbean shore excursions are fully refundable if your ship cannot dock at a scheduled port. A really common mistake is for passengers to leave their phone on like normal, and come home to a monster bill because of hefty roaming charges. Entertainment is typically included in your cruise fare but on the largest ships, you are required to make reservations. 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. I pack sunscreen to apply before swimming, and we carry on other essentials that we need before dinner. Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. If you're flying to your cruise, take heed of what happened today as an important reminder of what not to do, We have a quick tip to share on how you can save money on your next Royal Caribbean cruise before you ever set foot on, The Royal Caribbean Blog staff collectively spent over 270 nights on Royal Caribbean ships in 2022. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. When it comes to travel, there are always going to be certain factors involved in the trip that you have no control over: weather, canceled flights, flat tires, and Michael Poole. Please plan your arrival accordingly to avoid the possibility of not being permitted to sail. If a ship sails a journey to a "nearby" foreign port, a passenger still can't leave the ship permanently at a different U.S. port than the embarkation point (nearby foreign . I will absolutely think twice about taking a cruise from San Juan again, and RCCL as well for that matter. A Royal Caribbean cruise is hands down my favorite type of vacation, and with so many years of going cruising, I have come across a lot of tricks and tips that really enhance my cruise. 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. 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. 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. Answer (1 of 9): It is becoming more common to have a check-in time on your boarding pass. Our $2,179.98 cruise has an insurance cost of $138 if bought through Royal Caribbean. Tipping hard working crew members is a must-do, but double check the bill that it's not already included. Lets look at what some of these early-access programs offer. If you selected my-time dining you will want to select your preferred time as the most popular times book up fast. Royal Caribbean offers all guests the option to bring their own luggage (rather than have their luggage delivered to the terminal) and leave the ship anytime once customs officials clear the ship. Thanked the person politely and hung-up. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. Sure, you can book a Royal Caribbean cruise on your own, directly through the line's website. Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! 19. One of my favorite benefits was having access to an amazing restaurant that was reserved for suite guests only. To be honest, your embarkation day usually starts . Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. There is no question that if you want to get the lowest price on a cruise, book it as early as you can. Inside a tree trunk, a forest nymph spends its day. When you get the terminal, be sure to tell the pier agent you are staying in a suite so you can be directed to the right place. But given that you must make many decisions during the booking process, it can pay to use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises to help you arrange things. It was 6 years ago and I still remember my waiters name. 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 . 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. Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom. We also use the hairbrush for the kids hair after swimming. 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. 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. Depending on the arrival time you chose during online check-in, you can show up at the cruise terminal as early as 10:00 am for your cruise vacation. Another tip for securing an early arrival time is to book a suite. Once at the Muster Station, you just scan your SetSail Pass. 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 buy heavy duty magnets with hooks, you can use these magnets to store certain items. Comment below to share your tips with us! You can use it to check-into your cruise (more on that in the next tip), book entertainment, shore excursions and packages. 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. We arrived on time (1pm) and waited over three hours to board. We know youre eager to arrive at the cruise port for your Royal Caribbean cruise. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. $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. The earlier you can book, the best chance you will have at getting a good price on your cruise. Be among the first to check in and it will feel like youre getting priority access at the terminal. So the earlier you book your cruise, the more stateroom inventory you will have and if freshman year high school economics taught me anything, it is that supply and demand plays a big part in pricing. All rights reserved. In addition, these roll calls are helpful because someone might spot a change or announcement before you, which can greatly benefit you by getting ahead of the pack. Then, we walked right into the suite waiting area. When you purchase a drink at a bar, a service at the spa, or almost anything else onboard, there's likely an automatic gratuity included with your bill. The price for The Key varies by sailing, but prices start at $25 per guest for each day of the cruise. Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. When you purchase anything before your cruise via the Cruise Planner site, you will be required to pay for it at the time of purchase. In general, on a cruise with RCI, you can change 1 bane, no problem, as long as at least one original guest stays . 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. Once logged in, navigate toOnboard Activitiesand select the show you wish to reserve. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Call (225) 687-7590 or what can i bring on a cruise royal caribbean today! This option may not beviable for everyone because families and large groups may find lugging all their stuff from the stateroom to the terminal is not practical. These programs often offer other perks as well that are usually only reserved for suite passengers. 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. The boarding process for the 1/8 Adventure of the Seas cruise to the S. Caribbean was horrible. Royal Caribbean shore excursions guarantee your return to the ship, even if the excursion is delayed. In fact, Day One has the makings to be as memorable as every other day of your getaway. Save time on your cruise by getting your kids signed up for Royal Caribbean's complimentary kids programming on the first day of the cruise. There are two problems with buying The Key for an early check-in. 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. 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. However, once you finally arrive at the port and board the ship, all your worries are washed away. Welcome aboard! When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. If not, just leave blank. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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. Many guests are curious how early they can board a Royal Caribbean ship on embarkation day, so here is a guide for what to expect. If you want a ship with a Broadway show, book Oasis or Harmony of the Seas, but skip Wonder of the Seas. The exact amount of the discount will vary from sailing to sailing, but in general, the savings of booking a drink package online before a cruise can be as much as over $10 per person, per day compared to booking it onboard. If you plan on visiting the pool deck, you'll want a bathing suit, sunscreen, and other pool essentials. Any money saved is always welcome! Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. Your fellow guests won't notice you wore that pair of jeans or dress from night two. So the best way to learn about what is offered on your cruise is to check out a past Cruise Compass. 2) Take a security photo. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Keep in mind that other factors may effect your boarding time. Second, you're spending extra money for a benefit that is not cheap. 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. The majority of cruises leave port at 4 or 5:00 pm. 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. Unsubscribe whenever you want. It wasn't nearly as easy as usual. While showing up early can be a problem, coming in later is not as much of a concern. 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 must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. At 11:00, crew members instructed all of the suite guests to form a line. The price will be different depending on which port youre sailing from $59.95 in Miami to $129.95 in Seattle. 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. You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board 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.". Embark's office is located in an industrial chic building in Boston's Seaport District. Since 2021, Royal Caribbean has mostly been enforcing check-in times, so it's important to get a good time as early as you can. I pack my kids undergarments for them to put on after they swim. 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. When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have a choice of places to eat throughout the day. Remember, if your suitcase will not fit through the x-rays at the security check-point you will have to employ the services of the porter anyway. The same is true for beer . This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise. It has grown into a website full of information on family vacation tips, kid friendly activities, homeschooling organization hacks, and so much more! The NextCruise office offers incentives to book another cruise while you're still onboard. By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. The Online Check-in Process is a 4 step process and Royal Caribbean will walk you through it step by step. In short, to save time and money, use a good travel agent. If you ever wanted to see what the suite life was all about I recommend booking a short 3 day cruise. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. HOW EARLY CAN I BOARD THE SHIP? Royal Caribbean offers a wide variety of things to do, services, and benefits to all guests that it can be easy to, We love a little intrigue as much as the next person, but nothing beats finding out about a secret, right? The right slugs can turn a 12 gauge shotgun into a. This allows us to keep our things organized and within easy access. If you encounter problems using Online Check-in, please contact Carnival. And from there the perks just kept coming. One mistake a lot of new cruisers make is to book the cheapest cruise they can find because they assume the ships are more less all the same. 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! Because so many guests are just getting onboard and acclimated to the new ship, many guests are unaware of where the headline attractions are or that they are open on embarkation day. Read more: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on a cruise. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. There arediscounts, vouchers, and even freebies anyone can take advantage of once onboard. These nifty little secrets can save money, time or both, and so I wanted to whittle them down to thebestRoyal Caribbean tips and tricks in hopes of savingyoutime and money!