Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues. We enjoy being on the ship early to take advantage of as much time on board as possible. If you get on the ship early you will find this is one of the best times to enjoy the cruise ship pools without any crowds. The same is true for beer . Once you're cleared to board, you will follow a gangway (elevated ramps) up to the ship. The Windjammer on Radiance and Quantum class ships offers an area at the rear of the ship to enjoy any meal with a fantastic view of the ship's wake. You can view all the shore excursions available by logging into Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner and browsing the shore excursions by port. 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! Laundry costs extra, but it may save you money compared to paying to check an extra bag at the airport. There is no way to know in absolute terms what your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise will or will not offer, but Royal Caribbean insiders will consult past Cruise Compass' to see what was available on those similar sailings to get an idea of what to expect. For instance, with Royal Caribbeans app you can simply pick your check-in time, add some basic information and come back later to complete the rest. 19. I've been seeing some comments about show reservations being sold out by the time people boarded, that is the main reason why I was wondering if Royal Caribbean is really that strict or if it's likely they might let us on earlier. Even if you have an international cell phone plan, cruise ship cellular coverage is rarely included. But how early can you board the cruise ship? Depending on the length of your sailing, you can get up to $250 onboard credit. It's important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. Our rooms then opened up at around 1:00 that afternoon. HOW EARLY CAN I BOARD THE SHIP? By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. (The porters also have luggage tags in case you forget to print yours.). Then, the dads in our group took the kids to the pool so that they could swim in virtually empty swimming areas. By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. Keep in mind the differences between Royal Caribbean's shore excursions and third party shore excursions. Answer (1 of 9): It is becoming more common to have a check-in time on your boarding pass. Rope dropping is also a great strategy for the sort of activities that quickly generate a line. All rights reserved. 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. Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom. Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure . Like what you see? Whether its a backpack or carry-on, always keep a few things with you that you may need in the event your large bags are delayed in getting to your cabin. All sent to your inbox. People often wonder what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, and the key is cruise when others cannot. The faster you get on the cruise ship on embarkation day, the sooner you can start enjoying your vacation. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Youll also find that the water slides dont have long lines at this time on embarkation day. Royal Caribbean is inviting select guests to try out a new way to board the ship that aims to improve the embarkation, The first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise should be the start of an amazing vacation, so be sure to avoid these, The first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise is areallyfun moment in any cruise fan's vacation, because it is when, The first day of your cruise is such an awesome feeling, and I have some great tips for making it as super smooth as, Embarkation day on any Royal Caribbean cruise is an exciting and busy day, and it appears Royal Caribbean is trying to, When your Royal Caribbean cruise ship begins to sail away from port and your cruise actually begins, you will probably. 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. Read more: 10 biggest tipping mistakes cruisers make. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. TX Royal Caribbean Directions to . Its not a lengthy process but should you need to stop along the way to gather a piece of information, do not worry. There are two problems with buying The Key for an early check-in. 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. This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group. 12. long pause. Each ship is packed with adventures . Royal Caribbean's suite accommodations include a variety of VIP perks, some of which overlap with The Key. Unsubscribe whenever you want. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Inside a tree trunk, a forest nymph spends its day. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. Weird. This fish feature is prominently present on many late 19th- to early 20th-century French April Fools' Day postcards. Every cruise line has its own procedure for when they open up the check-in process. Each cruiser scanned his/her SetSail Pass (from the Royal Caribbean app) and was permitted to board the ship. Kids get special pricing at a specialty restaurant, so buy dining packages only for the adults. If you dont have extra room in the budget, the first point in this article will help the most. Read more: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on a cruise. Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage. If you want to have a hassle-free boarding process, its important to stay organized and keep all your important documents organized and easily accessible. 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. One of the best ways to stay informed with what's happening on your sailing is to join a roll call for your sailing. The boarding process for the 1/8 Adventure of the Seas cruise to the S. Caribbean was horrible. Once you get onboard and connect to the ship's wifi, it will ask you if you want to just use the app. If you plan on visiting the pool deck, you'll want a bathing suit, sunscreen, and other pool essentials. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! Do you know about when you'd like to sail? or "How do I get the lowest price?" First, if you miss The Key check-in window, you have to fall back to whatever time you had before. Some days it's sunny, some days it's stormy, some days it's just . Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's wifi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill. 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. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. 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. Each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne, as long as one guest is of legal drinking age. This large room consisted of plenty of seating options, refreshments, and restrooms. Peak dinner time is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm, so if you plan to dine during these times, reservations are so important. Royal Caribbean asks its guests to arrive within their check-in window to avoid crowding in the terminal. Norwegians priority access program includes: Other cruise lines have some sort of priority-access program as well. It has grown into a website full of information on family vacation tips, kid friendly activities, homeschooling organization hacks, and so much more! We didnt even have to get off the couch. If you subscribe to the theory that time is money, then you definitely want to arrive to your embarkation port early. In addition, Royal Caribbean has onboard laundry services you can use to make wearing the same clothes later in the cruise more practical. On Voyager, Freedom or Radiance class ships, be sure to visit the helipad for my favorite sailaway spot. 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. If your schedule allows, the best time to cruise when prices are the lowest are in the off-season and shoulder seasons. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. The NextCruise office offers incentives to book another cruise while you're still onboard. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Youll also find a free printable cruise packing list! Royal Caribbean sales promotions will come and go, but if you talk to folks who book their cruises very early, they will tell you that booking super-early beats most sales offers. It is wholly owned by parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Depending on when you go to select a time, there will be variety of 30 minute windows for you to choose from. 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. 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. Keep in mind that travel agents are paid by Royal Caribbean, so there is no additional cost to you to use their services. Previously, Royal Caribbean permitted a maximum of two 750-milliliter bottles per room. Adventure Ocean will be open on the first evening of your cruise, but they have an open house on embarkation day in the afternoon too. While buying stock in any company should be based on solid financial planning, if you happen to own at least 100 shares of Royal Caribbean Group stock, you can qualify for bonus credit to spend on your cruise. Those who arrive early will not be able to begin boarding, and those who arrive late will need to wait until we are able to work them into another group. The menu can vary from lunch to dinner, but the experience is still the same. Cruise fares tend to be lower the sooner you book. Here are 7 proven ways to board your cruise ship faster on embarkation day. 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. 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. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! 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. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. So, make sure you keep everything within reach and enjoy a smooth boarding process. That being said, my sister had a junior suite AND an oceanview room booked. 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. Be sure to check it. 2. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. 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. 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . Read a past Cruise Compass! Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise. We found our SeaPass cards in the room, which are used during the cruise as your room key, identification, credit card, etc. Either way, you should have plenty of time to enjoy all the entertainment and activities onboard the ship. Your stateroom walls are made of metal, and that means you can stick a magnet on any of them (even the ceiling). Corkscrews will be provided for guests to enjoy their drinks in their stateroom. 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. My kids wear their bathing suits onto the ship underneath their clothes. The exact benefits you get depend on which tier of Crown and Anchor Society you belong to. Read more:Heres what The Key is (and why some cruisers like it). Did you know if one adult elects to buy the unlimited alcohol package, all other adults in the same room have to get it too? This is the perfect time to make dining changes/requests, book activities and specialty restaurants, secure shore excursions, etc. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? We have spent years sharing tips, secrets and strategies on this blog about taking a better and more fun Royal Caribbean cruise, and we discovered there is one common thread among so many of our best tips: being early. Read More Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior SuitesContinue, Read More Honest Review of Perfect Day at CocoCayContinue, Read More Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips)Continue, Read More Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023)Continue, Read More Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check InContinue, Read More Honest Review of Oasis of the SeasContinue, Your email address will not be published. I wrote about this in the post on 19 things you should do on embarkation day. Known. You start getting benefits after just one cruise, and you never lose your status. Each excursion will list the price, details of the activity and any physical or age restrictions. The tours and excursions available to book in the ports your cruise will visit are many, so take advantage of the resources online to find the perfect tour before your cruise begins. 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! Cayman Islands: Who's Who & Business Guide. Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. By the way, there are still delays in the passport renewal process. I see some people skip this step because they want to save a few bucks on tipping. Set . Here are the 8 easy strategies I used to save money on my Royal Caribbean cruise that you can use too. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. 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. All rights reserved. The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. The first time I booked a suite was on Celebrity Silhouette. 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. The total cost of my cruise for two guests, including gratuities, taxes, and fees, was $1656. $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. Welcome aboard! The only trouble is you may get hooked on it, and then you will have to come up with the cash for the next cruise. Since the online check-in time usually opens up at midnight (EST) 45 days before your cruise, youll want to login at this time. 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. Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? The concept is simple: pay a few bucks and skip the lines. 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. What you want to do is log onto the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's website and purchase the drink package of your choice online. DON'T assume your cabin is pristine and in working order, if you tend to worry about such things. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. Guests who were sailing in Star Class and had access to a Royal Genie were permitted to move to the front of the line in order to receive the priority boarding that was included in their suite perks. This is basically a forum for discussing your exact sailing with other people booked on it too. And if this gets delayed it will also impact when you can embark. This online check-in is when you choose your port arrival time. Those who arrive early will not be able to begin boarding, and those who arrive late will need to wait until we are able to work them into another group. As for Royal Caribbean opening up additional earlier times, it's not usually the case. The price will be different depending on which port youre sailing from $59.95 in Miami to $129.95 in Seattle. 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. In our experience, most guests see the times for an activity and begin arrivingafterthe scheduled start time. A. Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. Whether the first day or the last day of your cruise, be sure to grab a porter to make things easier on yourself. Unlimited food and posh amenities await you, and its only feet away when youre in the cruise terminal. Unvaccinated travellers age 5 and NATURI A sound installation and performance for young audiences from 18 months up to physical or psychomotor skills of 4 years!. When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have a choice of places to eat throughout the day. Regardless of which day you choose, some specialty restaurants offer a lunch discount compared to dinner. Search Multiple Sites at Once Many people here, I think, . Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table . 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. Readers share: Whats the best piece of cruise advice you have ever received? So which food is included and which cost extra? 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! The drink packages have become quite popular with guests, but Royal Caribbean rewards guests that purchase their drink package early with a discount. A number of factors affect when you can embark a cruise ship. You can bring soda, water, energy drinks and any other non-alcoholic beverages. This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. Most cruise ships will . And it may seem way out of your budget. 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. You dont want to find yourself stuck in a foreign land without your passport in a worst-case scenario. Just one of the perks of being a suite guest on a cruise ship is having priority access. In the morning, there is an omelet station available. You will then go straight to the section on choosing your arrival time and pick the one you want. Second, you're spending extra money for a benefit that is not cheap. Firearms and ammunition, including plastic replicas and toys, Sharp objects like knives and scissors(scissors with a blade length of less than 4 inches are allowed), Coffee makers, clothes irons, travel steamers and hot plates, Alcoholic beverages like beer, selter, or hard liquor. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. Venue: The Artground Date: 4 - 12 Mar 2023 Fee: $18 per pax (Weekday), $20 per pax (Weekend). Search Now 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. And again, this just slows down that quick embarkation process. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. When I tried to check in for my May 2022 cruise, this step was the only glitchy part of the whole process. 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. Third party shore excursions can offer more personalized tours at a lower price. The benefits wont always be the same, and you have to fill out a form and wait for approval. 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. and the answer to them all is simple: book your cruise as early as you can. We know youre eager to arrive at the cruise port for your Royal Caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean does not charge for its shows, nor does it charge for advanced reservations. The earlier you can book, the best chance you will have at getting a good price on your cruise.