Your email address will not be published. They also re-wear their embarkation clothes since this first day is typically not dressy at all. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. 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. 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. However, I highly recommend traveling with a passport. By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. The best reason to use an agent is to save you time, because they are the ones sitting on hold when calling Royal Caribbean. 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. 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. 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. Thanked the person politely and hung-up. Rope dropping is also a great strategy for the sort of activities that quickly generate a line. 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. Norwegians priority access program includes: Other cruise lines have some sort of priority-access program as well. 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. The concept is simple: pay a few bucks and skip the lines. On a cruise, your vacation starts as soon as you set foot on your cruise ship. Video: Royal Caribbean food secrets Discounts, tips and more! 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. Believe me, searching for documents in your luggage is not only time-consuming but also frustrating. It can, however, still use its WiFi and Bluetooth connections to stay connected, if you so choose. This was a huge relief from the typical check-in desk with long check-in lines we have experienced in the past. I pack sunscreen to apply before swimming, and we carry on other essentials that we need before dinner. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. (This post may contain affiliate links. I wrote about this in the post on 19 things you should do on embarkation day. Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. If guests wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in our dining or bar venues, there will be a corkage fee applied. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. Peak dinner time is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm, so if you plan to dine during these times, reservations are so important. 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. A number of factors affect when you can embark a cruise ship. Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? 10 tips to help you improve your cruise vacation. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. It's the rule that you can only bring liquids three ounces or less in a one quart plastic bag, with one bag per passenger. Johnny Rockets tends to be not very crowded for breakfast, because many guests are unaware of this option, and it also has a large seating capacity (indoor and outdoor seating options). Arrived to the port at 10:30. Royal Caribbean sells its cruises largely based on the concept of supply and demand. HOW EARLY CAN I BOARD THE SHIP? If you're in a suite, you don't need to pay extra for this package too. Quick tip: You should always keep one bag with you. Cayman Islands: Who's Who & Business Guide. Theirservices are complimentary, although a tip is expected for their trouble. For just a few dollars, you can make the embarkation and disembarkation process significantly easier. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. 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. Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. I see some people skip this step because they want to save a few bucks on tipping. Nor do they publish their entertainment schedules prior to a cruise. 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. Since your luggage isnt guaranteed to arrive in your room before dinner, youll want to make sure you have everything you need ahead of time. Can anyone who has recently been on the Serenade rec. We know youre eager to arrive at the cruise port for your Royal Caribbean cruise. If you selected my-time dining you will want to select your preferred time as the most popular times book up fast. When we say "early", it essentially means as early as you can. 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. 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! For your return home, you have the ability to select the flight that best suits your schedule. The earliest that guests can board a cruise is between 4-5 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail away. Please see my disclosure policy at the bottom of this page for more details.). Read more: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on a cruise. After all, if you want to jump in that pool as soon as you get on the ship you might as well be prepared. 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. Called RCL this morning and got a weird / rude response when asking about what time I can board the ship. All rights reserved. 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. If you plan on visiting the pool deck, you'll want a bathing suit, sunscreen, and other pool essentials. Once you are ready to begin, completing the Royal Caribbean online check in takes very little time. 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! Unvaccinated travellers age 5 and 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. The total cost of my cruise for two guests, including gratuities, taxes, and fees, was $1656. TX Royal Caribbean Directions to . 1. 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. 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. The right slugs can turn a 12 gauge shotgun into a. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. 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. In most cases, you should be able to save at least $10 per person compared to dinner (if not more). Would rather get to port early and board than hang out in a hotel room. As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! and the answer to them all is simple: book your cruise as early as you can. Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! The price will be different depending on which port youre sailing from $59.95 in Miami to $129.95 in Seattle. Booking a suite has more advantages than you may think. The majority of cruises leave port at 4 or 5:00 pm. If your cruise leaves at a different time than this, check with your cruise line to see what time embarkation begins. If you can cruise during these times, there are some truly low prices to enjoy. 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. We arrived on time (1pm) and waited over three hours to board. One of the Royal Caribbean suite perks is that suite guests are permitted to enter the terminal one hour before their official port arrival time. Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? Through our past experiences, on many different lines, we have boarded closer to 11:00. One of the best ways to stay informed with what's happening on your sailing is to join a roll call for your sailing. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Knowing this, we decided to reserve a shuttle service to pick us up at our Miami hotel at 9:30 on embarkation day. This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. Regardless of which day you choose, some specialty restaurants offer a lunch discount compared to dinner. 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.". Tipping hard working crew members is a must-do, but double check the bill that it's not already included. If you have a cruise booked with Royal Caribbean, you can typically check-in around 45 days before your sail date. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. I will absolutely think twice about taking a cruise from San Juan again, and RCCL as well for that matter. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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. If not, just leave blank, 40 BEST Royal Caribbean tips, tricks & hidden secrets, what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, Royal Caribbean offers extra onboard credit if you own at least a certain amount of Royal Caribbean Group stock, entire forum dedicated to Royal Caribbean roll calls, Royal Caribbean has onboard laundry services, ensure you use the most lucrative Crown and Anchor Society perks, booking a cruise now, rather than waiting to book onboard your ship, The FAA system outage reminded us why you shouldn't violate 1 of the biggest unwritten rules about cruise planning, How to save at least $22 (and likely a lot more) off your next Royal Caribbean cruise right now, 10 cruise ship tips that worked for our Royal Caribbean Blog staffers in 2022, Cruise hack: Maximize Voom internet discount for Diamond members or above, 20 Royal Caribbean tips for a better cruise, 23 Do's and Don'ts for your Royal Caribbean cruise in 2023. View All Cruises Once you get onboard and connect to the ship's wifi, it will ask you if you want to just use the app. Related: A look inside Regent's most expensive cruise ship. 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. Plus, the agents at the port wont have to take the extra time to verify your birth certificate. Many cruise lines allow you to pay a little extra for priority access to the ship. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0f9c8c1261d574f1224454f4fa00eeb" );document.getElementById("d5aa0859c9").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. However, once you finally arrive at the port and board the ship, all your worries are washed away. Most cruise terminals enforce the boarding times, but occasionally you find situations where a particular pier agent doesn't pay attention to the check-in time or say anything about it. 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. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. 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. (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). A Royal Loft Suite on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. Passengers who booked by March 31, 2022, for cruises departing on or before Sept. 30, 2022, are protected by Royal Caribbean's Cruise With Confidence policy, which entitles them to 100% of the cruise fare paid in the form of FCC if they cancel for any reason. If you are concerned about the drink package price dropping, take solace in the fact you can always cancel and rebook with no penalty! You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board the ship. Your fellow guests won't notice you wore that pair of jeans or dress from night two. For a full list of items that my family and I pack on a cruise vacation, you can check out my Cruise Packing List article. In short, to save time and money, use a good travel agent. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Instead of arriving to your departure city on the day of your cruise, get in early! Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be found when booked many months in advance. In addition to the drink package, a wifi package also works while at CocoCay. Bermuda supreme court legalised same-sex marriage last year. In many cases, Royal Caribbean promises a discount on select pre-cruise purchases compared to the price onboard. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. Your vacation time is limited, so do not waste it waiting to buy a drink package. The FCC . Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! Since we were in a suite, we were able to stand in the super short line on the right. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. We also use the hairbrush for the kids hair after swimming. Don't worry, you don't need to buy an internet package to use the Royal Caribbean app.