Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options. The Key is an optional add-on you can purchase to get VIP benefits, including an early check-in time. You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board the ship. Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? (This post may contain affiliate links. Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! For Bahamian and Caribbean cruises, check-in registration begins at 11:00 am and embarkation begins at 1:00 pm. It can, however, still use its WiFi and Bluetooth connections to stay connected, if you so choose. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. We completed our Muster Drill requirements immediately after boarding. When I tried to check in for my May 2022 cruise, this step was the only glitchy part of the whole process. 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. Like what you see? You can even start using your drink packages right away to help you get into vacation mode even faster! Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring up to 12 bottles/cans of non-alcoholic beverages per stateroomwith them on embarkation day. Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. The first time I booked a suite was on Celebrity Silhouette. Don't book a cabin one deck above or below a public space, such as a pool, dining room, or bar. Royal Caribbean does not charge for its shows, nor does it charge for advanced reservations. Royal Caribbean's fitness center has separate showers for men and women that is complimentary to use. But if you're at home, it's still a good idea to book as early as you can to lock in the lowest price. 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 plan on visiting the pool deck, you'll want a bathing suit, sunscreen, and other pool essentials. As long as the cruise line doesnt make a drastic change to their program you will keep reaping the rewards for every cruise. All rights reserved. In addition to the non-alcoholic beverages, you can also bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. Complimentary Canaps (a French hors doeuvre) on second day. Priority access off the ship to the shore in port. Hi there! That seems like a lot to save an hour or two on embarkation day. Once at the Muster Station, you just scan your SetSail Pass. What you want to do is look at what the ship you're considering has to do onboard, and ensure it has the most important options that you want to experience. By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. Whether the first day or the last day of your cruise, be sure to grab a porter to make things easier on yourself. Rope dropping is also a great strategy for the sort of activities that quickly generate a line. Click on the person icon, and it should fire up the camera again. The reason is Royal Caribbean cruise fares are very erratic, and can change at a moment's notice. 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. Second, you're spending extra money for a benefit that is not cheap. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Thanked the person politely and hung-up. Guests may be able to check in earlier but will usually not be able to embark until this time. Aurea is the most expensive options and could cost anywhere from $150 to $600 more than the lowest cost experience. 1. One of the best mantras for cruise planning is book as early as you can in order to get the lowest price. 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. . Unsubscribe whenever you want. In addition, Royal Caribbean has onboard laundry services you can use to make wearing the same clothes later in the cruise more practical. The result is far fewer guests in the pools, hot tubs and water slides than at any other time on your cruise. In fact, most people don't use these showers, so there's a good chance they are unoccupied when you would need it, especially in the evening. Each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne, as long as one guest is of legal drinking age. People often wonder what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, and the key is cruise when others cannot. The price will be different depending on which port youre sailing from $59.95 in Miami to $129.95 in Seattle. Depending on when you go to select a time, there will be variety of 30 minute windows . The NextCruise office offers incentives to book another cruise while you're still onboard. There is a lot that goes into a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, from your cruise fare (and the slew of discounts available), to dining, shore excursions, air travel and more. Powered by Cruiseline.com. Over the course of a 7-night cruise, those savings add up quickly! If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise. Any money saved is always welcome! 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. That means if a couple buys The Key for a 7 day cruise it will cost at least $350. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Youll also find that the water slides dont have long lines at this time on embarkation day. . Children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary and ages 6-12 are $10 per child at any specialty restaurant. After we completed this check-in procedure, our family sat in the waiting area until it was our turn to board the ship. 5 rounds of Hornady SST Lite 12 Gauge 2 3/4" Shotgun Slugs. If you dont have extra room in the budget, the first point in this article will help the most. So, make sure you keep everything within reach and enjoy a smooth boarding process. 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. 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. Prior to sailing, guests may change or cancel their show reservations online up to 4 days prior to their cruise start date. So, continue reading below to find out everything you need to know about how to get an early boarding time on Royal Caribbean, so you can get started on your vacation as soon as possible! Employees come over to make you show that you are in a suite. For groups traveling with more than two people per room, however, a new policy could allow groups to bring . But once youre approved you will get a 5% discount on any future MSC sailing along with some other discounts on ship amenities. We didnt even have to get off the couch. Our rooms then opened up at around 1:00 that afternoon. Guests who pay for this upgraded status typically receive priority access upon arrival on embarkation day. 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. Lets look at what some of these early-access programs offer. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? If you ask seasoned travelers how they get around these obstacles, the answer is often to give yourself more time. Once onboard, cancellations must be made at least 4 hours prior to show time. . We fly in early enough to explore the port city if we want to prior to embarkation day. It has grown into a website full of information on family vacation tips, kid friendly activities, homeschooling organization hacks, and so much more! 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. Most guests pack their bathing suits in the checked luggage, which means they will not have access to it until later that day. This didnt take long at all, and our whole group was onboard the ship shortly after 11:00. 2. You can view all the shore excursions available by logging into Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner and browsing the shore excursions by port. 12. long pause. Did you know that Johnny Rockets is complimentary for breakfast on Oasis Class ships? I would love to hearyourtips and tricks! Its just easier and faster. TX Royal Caribbean Directions to . To be honest, your embarkation day usually starts . The Aurea experience provides much more than just priority access and luggage drop off, also including access to the Top Exclusive Solarium, access to the thermal suite, discounted drink package rates, free delivery of room service and more. Each ship is packed with adventures . VIP access to shows in Main theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70, Surf & Stream high-speed internet package, Special breakfast on debarkation day and choice of departure time, Dedicated phone number for guest services, Expedited water shuttle from ship to shore, Daily Complimentary Standard Room Service Breakfast, $50 Spa Discount per person (Port Days Only). Unvaccinated travellers age 5 and Photo Credit: NAN728 / Shutterstock. 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. Now, if youre planning to embark on a closed-loop itinerary that starts and ends in the United States, you can use your birth certificate and legal name change documentation to board. If you're in a suite, you don't need to pay extra for this package too. It's important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. Our driver dropped us off with the porters at the terminal who checked that all of our bags held luggage tags, which we had printed from our online account. 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. The larger the group, the more important having a reservation is to limiting the wait times. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. The exact benefits you get depend on which tier of Crown and Anchor Society you belong to. It wasn't nearly as easy as usual. First, if you miss The Key check-in window, you have to fall back to whatever time you had before. Third party shore excursions can offer more personalized tours at a lower price. Answer (1 of 9): It is becoming more common to have a check-in time on your boarding pass. Re: Changing one guest name - Royal Caribbean. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Like what you see? 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. Related: A look inside Regent's most expensive cruise ship. 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. 19. Exclusive access to time slots for rock climbing, FlowRider etc. 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. Embark's office is located in an industrial chic building in Boston's Seaport District. 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. But if you opt to drag your suitcases all through the terminal and onto the ship youre just slowing down the entire process. I didnt even have a chance to sit down in the Port Everglades terminal before I was welcomed onto the ship. My kids wear their bathing suits onto the ship underneath their clothes. We were technically allowed to arrive an hour before this 10:30 slot since we were suite guests. This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. Our family chose to eat lunch at Windjammer Marketplace after boarding. 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. They also re-wear their embarkation clothes since this first day is typically not dressy at all. 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. After all, if you want to jump in that pool as soon as you get on the ship you might as well be prepared. 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. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time! We'll walk you through a typical cruise embarkation day and the cruise ship boarding process, and give you some cruise embarkation tips to make sure your first day on the ship goes as smooth as butter. The drink packages have become quite popular with guests, but Royal Caribbean rewards guests that purchase their drink package early with a discount. You can save and come back to the process at a later time. Cruise lines offer several boarding times and can only allow for so many in each slot. For just a few dollars, you can make the embarkation and disembarkation process significantly easier. Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage. If you're on the fence about buying a Royal Caribbean drink package, keep in mind you can use them at Royal Caribbean's private islands. We arrived on time (1pm) and waited over three hours to board. A Royal Loft Suite on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. 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. I dont think I need to mention how this would slow down your boarding process, but its a key element to remember when cruising. 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. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. Other families, like mine, like to get the process started as soon as possible. Been a while since I've been on Royal Caribbean and we are sailing tomorrow out of Miami. This means the terminal will open up . Here are some basic considerations. First, we recommend choosing your port arrival time before completing anything else during online check in. Believe me, searching for documents in your luggage is not only time-consuming but also frustrating. Kids get special pricing at a specialty restaurant, so buy dining packages only for the adults. DON'T assume your cabin is pristine and in working order, if you tend to worry about such things. So, anyone in the wrong line was asked to move. For some folks, that may sound like lunacy to plan a vacation up to two years in advance, but the fact of the matter is employing this strategy is the key to getting a really great price. The online check-in process is super simple and consists of filling out personal information among other tasks. You can then save this information and complete the rest of the check-in process at a later date. Ideally, you'll book a cruise at NextCruise while on a sailing when struck with the inspiration to book another cruise. I wrote about this in the post on 19 things you should do on embarkation day. Not only are the dress codes quite liberal, you can also re-use the same clothes on the same sailing. The best reason to use an agent is to save you time, because they are the ones sitting on hold when calling Royal Caribbean. 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. Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? Once you board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, youll want to take care of a few chores. Ships embarking on cruises from Amsterdam are docked in one of two places: Felison Terminal, where smaller ships dock, or the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam , where a 10-minute walk will take you to a popular station. This is a 9 night cruise and price per night is noted below for each cabin type. It can feel like torture if you have to wait a long time to board your ship. Just like dining, you can reserve shows in advance by going to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site. After having paused this program during the cruise re-openings , Carnival is now offering Faster to the Fun again. {{alert.title}} {{notification.title}} {{notification . 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 . (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). A number of factors affect when you can embark a cruise ship. We enjoy being on the ship early to take advantage of as much time on board as possible. It was 6 years ago and I still remember my waiters name. 90% refund of cruise credits if you Cancel for Any Reason. NATURI - A Sound Installation & Performance. Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? Packing your cruise day bag is important so that you have everything you need for your first day. Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise. 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. View All Cruises By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. By the way, there are still delays in the passport renewal process. (Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean) You are staying in a suite. If you'd like to arrive at that time, go right ahead! 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. The last day of your cruise is never fun, and regardless of how many times you cruise, it never gets any less depressing. If you have an adult in your room that does not drink (much) alcohol, you can get around this rule by calling Royal Caribbean and requesting that person get the Royal Refreshment package. I am a stay-at-home mom with an amazing husband and two little girls who keep me busy with gymnastics, soccer, and swimming. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Called RCL this morning and got a weird / rude response when asking about what time I can board the ship. By enabling airplane mode, your phone is incapable of using its cellular antenna. Tipping hard working crew members is a must-do, but double check the bill that it's not already included. If you are in My Time Dining for dinner, your best strategy is to make reservations either before the cruise, or during the cruise. 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. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Taking the time to purchase anything onboard does not take very much time, but every little bit helps, and some purchases on the first day of the cruise can require waiting in a line, such as drink packages. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. 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. 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. If getting onto your cruise ship as early as possible is important to you these tips above should help. 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. 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. Depending on when you go to select a time, there will be variety of 30 minute windows for you to choose from. I pack sunscreen to apply before swimming, and we carry on other essentials that we need before dinner. These are not the times you actually board the ship. Once logged in, navigate toOnboard Activitiesand select the show you wish to reserve. 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 . Royal Caribbean asks its guests to arrive within their check-in window to avoid crowding in the terminal. Arrive early. Our next RCL isn't until December 2016. If your stateroom shower is occupied by a family member, you could go to the gym and shower there instead. In addition to that you get to the best locations on the ship, personalized service, exclusive amenities, and other complimentary perks. Simply check in on the very day availability opens. Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. 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. However, the earlier your arrival time, the sooner you are usually able to embark on the ship. Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be found when booked many months in advance. Before the cruise, guests may change the show/ti. $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. There are a few tricks to scoring early arrival times if you are eager to be one of the first passengers on the ship. And again, this just slows down that quick embarkation process. Royal Caribbean is quite understanding about schedules, and if you need to get off the ship sooner, they are usually very accommodating. As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! But it wasn't a nightmare either. All rights reserved. Call (225) 687-7590 or what can i bring on a cruise royal caribbean today! 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. As time progress, more and more staterooms are reserved and stateroom inventory drops, so the price increases conversely. When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. If you can cruise during these times, there are some truly low prices to enjoy. 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. When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. Keep in mind that travel agents are paid by Royal Caribbean, so there is no additional cost to you to use their services. 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 .