In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. 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. But if you opt to drag your suitcases all through the terminal and onto the ship youre just slowing down the entire process. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. The reason is Royal Caribbean cruise fares are very erratic, and can change at a moment's notice. Royal Caribbean shore excursions guarantee your return to the ship, even if the excursion is delayed. You can then save this information and complete the rest of the check-in process at a later date. You can login to your account on the Royal Caribbean website or via the Royal Caribbean App. 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. This includes accepting the cruise contract, answering the health questions, and choosing your boarding time. The biggest key is being prepared and knowing when you should or shouldnt pay extra to get on board faster. We were technically allowed to arrive an hour before this 10:30 slot since we were suite guests. 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. Lunch and drink package 3. Just turn airplane mode once you get onboard the ship. You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board the ship. The Key program by Royal Caribbean offers priority access at the terminal, baggage delivery to stateroom, welcome lunch from Chops Grille, VIP show access, and priority departure. By the way, there are still delays in the passport renewal process. Don't worry, you don't need to buy an internet package to use the Royal Caribbean app. 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. 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 . Readers share: Whats the best piece of cruise advice you have ever received? When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have a choice of places to eat throughout the day. We like to carry a backpack onboard the ship on embarkation day. (+1 345) 244 2431. Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. If guests wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in our dining or bar venues, there will be a corkage fee applied. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. They also re-wear their embarkation clothes since this first day is typically not dressy at all. But once youre approved you will get a 5% discount on any future MSC sailing along with some other discounts on ship amenities. If you wait weeks or months to book a cruise onboard, the price of the cruise may increase and negate any savings you'd receive from the extra onboard credit. 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. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure . In addition, Royal Caribbean has onboard laundry services you can use to make wearing the same clothes later in the cruise more practical. In fact, Day One has the makings to be as memorable as every other day of your getaway. Getting on the ship for us is also the point when the cruise 'starts'. Here are the 8 easy strategies I used to save money on my Royal Caribbean cruise that you can use too. (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). He also directed us on exactly where to go and made certain we understood we needed passports/identification documents. You should always check with the cruise line to see what is not allowed on their ships. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. Not only will buying your drink packages online save you money, it will also save you time because typically there can be lines to purchase the drink packages onboard the ship. Holland American Line: Mariner Society . On Voyager, Freedom or Radiance class ships, be sure to visit the helipad for my favorite sailaway spot. Just one of the perks of being a suite guest on a cruise ship is having priority access. Not only are the dress codes quite liberal, you can also re-use the same clothes on the same sailing. On all ships, check for entertainment reservations once onboard the ship via the Royal Caribbean app. I dont think I need to mention how this would slow down your boarding process, but its a key element to remember when cruising. This was a huge relief from the typical check-in desk with long check-in lines we have experienced in the past. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. That is a question for Royal Caribbean. This means the terminal will open up . 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. In general, Royal Caribbean's cruise fares are priced the least the further out you go, and as the sail date approaches, prices start to creep up as the supply of staterooms on a sailing begin to get booked up. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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. Guests who pay for this upgraded status typically receive priority access upon arrival on embarkation day. The Windjammer is the go-to spot for most when they get onboard their Royal Caribbean ship for lunch, but there are good alternatives that are less crowded. 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. . 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. The plan offered is called the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program, and it provides the following coverage: $25k Emergency Travel Medical Insurance. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. However, the cruise terminal in Miami did not open its doors until 10:00 am. This online check-in is when you choose your port arrival time. There, crewmembers will typically check you in via . Then, the dads in our group took the kids to the pool so that they could swim in virtually empty swimming areas. 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. It May be Time for Some Royal Caribbean Elites to Reconsider Paying for Drink Packages frequentfloaters.com - Marshall Jackson Cruise line drink packages and whether or not you should buy one are a subject of sometimes intense debate among frequent floaters. If you want to try Sky Pad, FlowRider, rock climbing wall or zipline, take advantage of lower waits on the first day of the cruise. 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. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. my last NCL cruise was out of tamp. If you can check in using the cruise lines app or website the very first day you have a better chance of having an early boarding time. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. 22 Do's and Don'ts for Your First Day Onboard a Cruise Ship - Cruise Critic 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. The larger the group, the more important having a reservation is to limiting the wait times. When we say "early", it essentially means as early as you can. Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring up to 12 bottles/cans of non-alcoholic beverages per stateroomwith them on embarkation day. Instant Real Time Pricing Two restaurants that always offer a cheaper lunch price than dinner are Chops Grille and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen. The cruise line can have an impact as some lines have different embarkation . 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. First, if you miss The Key check-in window, you have to fall back to whatever time you had before. The last day of your cruise is never fun, and regardless of how many times you cruise, it never gets any less depressing. And in that case theres nothing you can do but sit back and make the best of it. On a cruise, your vacation starts as soon as you set foot on your cruise ship. How soon can you board a cruise ship before departure? Known. 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! How to Check In for Your Royal Caribbean Cruise in 2022 Royal Caribbean's fitness center has separate showers for men and women that is complimentary to use. To save time and money, you really should pre-book beverage packages, dining packages, internet packages and more. 1. What is the Best Time to Board Your Cruise Ship on - Cruise Fever Depending on the length of your sailing, you can get up to $250 onboard credit. 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. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things. This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. If you are concerned about the drink package price dropping, take solace in the fact you can always cancel and rebook with no penalty! All Guests must board the ship no later than 4:00 pm. Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues. The earliest that guests can board a cruise is between 4-5 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail away. Each excursion will list the price, details of the activity and any physical or age restrictions. And the price you paid for the cruise is the same whether you get onboard at 11am or 2pm, so may as well get the most time possible. Royal Caribbean's app is a must-have for your cruise, so make sure to download it before your cruise. 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. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . The total cost of my cruise for two guests, including gratuities, taxes, and fees, was $1656. Most cruise ships will . Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance - AARDY 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. Remington Premier Copper 12 Gauge 3 Inch 1550 FPS 1 Ounce . Set . While Royal Caribbean maintains a core experience across all ships, each vessel has its own list of amenities and activities, and even ships within the same Royal Caribbean ship class can vary. Boarding Time Adjustments for Royal Caribbean Ship 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. Using a travel agent simplifies this entire process. It's important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. Each cruise line has their own list of prohibited items, so just make sure you follow those instructions and avoid being pulled to the side by security at the cruise terminal. We arrived on time (1pm) and waited over three hours to board. So, make sure you keep everything within reach and enjoy a smooth boarding process. As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! Rope dropping is also a great strategy for the sort of activities that quickly generate a line. 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. Having an extra day or two provides a buffer to account for travel delays. Cruise fares tend to be lower the sooner you book. For Bahamian and Caribbean cruises, check-in registration begins at 11:00 am and embarkation begins at 1:00 pm. Suite guests still need to get a check-in time for their sailing, butusuallythey will be give more flexibility in their times. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. In this post, we will walk you through the whole embarkation process so that youre prepared for your first day on board. Note that boarding did come to a stop at one point. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. 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! Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time! The moms in our group then ran errands to take care of some items. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. The FCC . When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. If you are in My Time Dining for dinner, your best strategy is to make reservations either before the cruise, or during the cruise. Be among the first to check in and it will feel like youre getting priority access at the terminal. 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. 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.