OT: Cousin getting married on a RC cruise. Help!

[katerkat]

As always the Dis is amazing! Thank you so much everyone, you have really put my mind at ease about some things. Here's some info to fill in the blanks
Ship: Freedom of the Seas,
Leaves Miami 10/5/08, we booked a balcony on the the tenth floor mid ship
DS will be 3 on 8/20/08 and he better be potty trained by October.

Do the ocean view rooms have windows that open or are they just a view?

I booked directly with Royal Caribbean during a promotion they were having (1/2 price deposit & $100 ship credit) Should I have booked with a TA instead?

Is gratuity voluntary or is is automatically charged to you?

Freedom is HUGE!! If you can't find something to do, either as a couple, just the kids, or as a family, you're just not trying hard enough. Also easy to get away from family members if necessary.

I tell my son he needs to potty train on his third birthday all the time. It was disappointed that he couldn't go in the pool, but since he wasn't quite three, he couldn't go in the kids club so I didn't push him.

Ocean view rooms are just a view. Some (like the "deluxe" rooms) will have bigger windows. I prefer oceanview because the balcony made me nervous with my monkey. (See my signature!) He also slammed his fingers in the balcony door.

We usually use a TA, but only because we've been using the same one for years and she knows what we like.

You can have gratuities charged or give cash. If you charge them to your Seapass Card, there's a set amount that you can't change, though you can add more cash to the envelopes. So it's convenient unless you want to tip less.

 

[sherry1709]

They had the wedding on the ship 3 hours prior to sail away. There were many non cruising guests that were allowed to board, watch the ceremony and attend a brief reception in one of the lounges. It was nice for them to have that option if they could not afford the cruise or had other obligations. DH & I loved the cruise! I think everyone should try cruising at least once.

 

[Floridagal23]

Freedom is GREAT! Bigger than the explorer/navigator ships, but smaller than the liberty. You will LOVE it and there is SO much for you to do on it - you can spend hours just sitting and walking along the promenade, and they have really fun parades that go through it (if you have a promenade view room, it will always be changing through your window just like it is outside because they actually dim the lights on the promenade to mimic the times of the day. They also have art gallery areas, and at least on the voyager, an ice skating rink with free skate for guests PLUS an ice capades show. The actual shows/entertainment on RCCL is much better than princess, IMO - and your kids will even like the casino decorations (it will be quiet during the day). So much to see..it will be great! I am so jealous.

I just saw that you did a balcony on the 10th floor midship. Good location - not much movement, and you will be able to take the stairs to kids club, food decks, pool decks, etc if you'd like instead of walking.

 

[ldo]

$600 more from lowest level cabin to $300 more for next category. For $300 more, I would stick with balcony--you get 214 sq ft in room vs. 183 and with 4 in a room, I would go for more room plus balcony--sometimes the balconies are A LOT more--but not really on this cruise.
Also, you have to carefully consider what is on your floor---are you on the floor with a nightclub or disco, etc.--this might be more noisy, plus have people walking by your cabin. When I saw the deckplan of this ship, I recall that the ice skating rink can be converted to have rock shows--I think--so I would not want to be on that level--thus, making your price difference not too much for the next category up vs. balcony.
Also, search every so often on RCCL website. We had a cruise booked thru RCCL and the $$ went down I and called and they instantly repriced me at the lower price.

 

[bumbershoot]

They have promanade view rooms but they said we had to book 2 rooms with the kids and it came out to more money then the balcony.



Do the ocean view rooms have windows that open or are they just a view?

I booked directly with Royal Caribbean during a promotion they were having (1/2 price deposit & $100 ship credit) Should I have booked with a TA instead?

Is gratuity voluntary or is is automatically charged to you?

That's great you were able to book during that time! I'm incredibly jealous. I had a cruise booked (for this month, actually) during their first half-deposit sales event, but had to cancel (too much Disney, lol).

With RCCL, since the TAs can't charge you cheaper than the cruise company directly (unless they have a block of rooms booked, which then limits the changes you can do), it's great to book directly.

It's possible you might be limited in taking advantage of price decreases b/c of the sales event you booked under, but should you see it decrease, it can't hurt to call and ask.

I wonder what sort of rooms the rep was looking at, saying that you would have to book two rooms? You only have two kids, yes? Seems odd.


I hope you guys enjoying looking around cruisecritic. They have great articles and reviews, but don't forget to check out their forums as well. It's a bit like the community board here over there, a bit snarkier than one might be used to, but try to take the info without letting the tone get to you. And definitely check out the ports of call forums.

Our honeymoon cruise's success was solely due to the people at cruisecritic.


By the way, did you book airfare through RCCL? If not, try to book yourselves getting to the port city the day before you sail, just in case there are weather issues, or engine issues, etc. It's just prudent to do so, just in case.


Radiance was amazing enough; Freedom is going to be astonishingly beautiful!

 

[janets]

Freedom and Liberty are identical ships (both Freedom class vessels). We recently cruised Liberty with both of our boys.

As someone said, if you can't find something to do on this ship, you're not trying hard enough. One of the best things (at least to me) is the freshwater pools and the H2O zone...this is like a splash park for the kids. Water is about ankle deep, there are water shooters, dumping buckets, as well as a donut pool (with the current moving you along in a circle). My kids absolutely loved it.

For the adults, there is the Flowrider (stationary surfing simulator), the ice skating rink and the rock climbing wall, as well as mini golf, sports deck, royal promenade.

I would think that if your cousin is doing a destination wedding, she would have arranged for a TA to do all the bookings (thereby getting you something in the cabin or an OBC) or have something arranged with RCCL. If not, she's not doing anyone any favors. If your group is big enough (and it doesn't have to be so big) you should be able to get something.

It's really a wonderful ship, with so much to offer. Just check out your deck. You said you're on deck 10...that means that the pool deck and the Windjammer are directly above you. Look at the deck plan and make sure that there isn't anything above your cabin that might cause any undue noise. We had an aft junior suite on deck 7 and it was lovely. Nothing but cabins above us. You might want to consider moving down to deck 9 if there is availability.

Oh, and as for tipping, you can have them put on your seapass card (and they are billed to your CC and you get vouchers to give out on the last night) or you can pay in cash. I prefer this as then the staff get their money right away, without having to wait until their next pay period.

 

[janets]

I wonder what sort of rooms the rep was looking at, saying that you would have to book two rooms? You only have two kids, yes? Seems odd.

I believe that she was considering promenade rooms, which are limited to 2 people, thereby meaning that with 2 children, she would need 2 rooms.

 

[mjantz]

My kids would be so jealous. They really want to go on Freedom of the Seas. I'm sure you'll have a blast.

 

[barkley]

sounds like you've decided so i'll just post a few comments-

i would suggest you stick with a balcony room because it provides you and your dh a place to hang out when the kids are sleeping or trying to fall asleep (unless you all plan on going to sleep at the same time).

as for gratuities i would rely entirely on the rcl website. for most cruiselines now the policy is to bill gratuities based on THEIR formula daily to your on board account (and you have to personaly go to the ship's desk after boarding to make alternate arrangements).

you mentioned that you don't like heat. be aware that in october it can still be very warm where you are cruising-and in some of the public enclosed areas it can be rather stuffy. so make sure to stay hydrated and take cool clothing (even for dining-you can always use a wrap or sweater if necessary). i don't do well in hot/humid situations and one of my worst experiences with heat sickness was on an october cruise

i'm a big proponant of travel insurance-esp. when kids are traveling. most personal health insurance carriers don't pay for services in foreign locations or onboard cruise ships-so in the event of something that requires a doctor or a perscription, you can save several hundreds of dollars by virtue of having that travel insurance (and it might be already rolled into your cruise price if you did it through the cruise line-check with the cruise line, if it's not it can be cheaper to buy through the company than the line).

not sure how rcl does their dining-their sister company celebrity has dinner seating assigned both early and late, and depending on your children's eating habits you may want to request a sitting NOW (it can be impossible to change once on board).

as far as expenses go-be aware that every drink is adding up. i believe royal carribean does a 'soda card' like celebrity (unlimited sodas for ONE person per card for a flat fee), but bottled water, bar drinks and the like can add up pretty quickly (and avoid the temptation of buying all those adorable photos of the kids they take every 5 minutes ).

last but not least-i highly reccommend the book 'cruising for dummies'-it gives great info and suggestions for even the most seasoned cruiser.

 

[AlwaysEeyore]

Thank you again!

They had the wedding on the ship 3 hours prior to sail away. There were many non cruising guests that were allowed to board, watch the ceremony and attend a brief reception in one of the lounges. It was nice for them to have that option if they could not afford the cruise or had other obligations. DH & I loved the cruise! I think everyone should try cruising at least once.

I wish this is what she were doing but she wants to get married on the beach in St. Marteen. Oh well!

I would think that if your cousin is doing a destination wedding, she would have arranged for a TA to do all the bookings (thereby getting you something in the cabin or an OBC) or have something arranged with RCCL. If not, she's not doing anyone any favors. If your group is big enough (and it doesn't have to be so big) you should be able to get something.

DC has a TA booking everything but I really didn't care for her. She was not very helpful, I asked her to price out a few different rooms for us and she seemed annoyed. Supposedly she can save me some money though so I am have to transfer my reservation to her.

$600 more from lowest level cabin to $300 more for next category. For $300 more, I would stick with balcony--you get 214 sq ft in room vs. 183 and with 4 in a room, I would go for more room plus balcony--sometimes the balconies are A LOT more--but not really on this cruise.
Also, you have to carefully consider what is on your floor---are you on the floor with a nightclub or disco, etc.--this might be more noisy, plus have people walking by your cabin. When I saw the deckplan of this ship, I recall that the ice skating rink can be converted to have rock shows--I think--so I would not want to be on that level--thus, making your price difference not too much for the next category up vs. balcony.
Also, search every so often on RCCL website. We had a cruise booked thru RCCL and the $$ went down I and called and they instantly repriced me at the lower price.

That's how I looked at it too. If we are going to spend all this money what's another $300 for a larger room and fresh air.

"Barkely"
One of the main reasons I wanted a balcony is because I know of two couples who have taken cruises and had the AC go on the ship. The only way they survived (that's how they tell it) is that they had the cool air from the balcony. I so worry about that.

We did take out travel insurance just incase, it was an extra $200 something but everyone recommended it to us.

We are stuck at the later dinner seating because we are part of the wedding group and thats what my cousin picked. Do we have to eat in the dining room? Isn't there a buffett on the ship too? Will we have to sit with strangers in the dining room?

What can we drink for free on the ship?

Thank you again everyone, I knew if I posted this on the Dis I would get some help.

 

[wilderness01]

Thank you again!


I wish this is what she were doing but she wants to get married on the beach in St. Marteen. Oh well!


DC has a TA booking everything but I really didn't care for her. She was not very helpful, I asked her to price out a few different rooms for us and she seemed annoyed. Supposedly she can save me some money though so I am have to transfer my reservation to her.



That's how I looked at it too. If we are going to spend all this money what's another $300 for a larger room and fresh air.

"Barkely"
One of the main reasons I wanted a balcony is because I know of two couples who have taken cruises and had the AC go on the ship. The only way they survived (that's how they tell it) is that they had the cool air from the balcony. I so worry about that.

We did take out travel insurance just incase, it was an extra $200 something but everyone recommended it to us.

We are stuck at the later dinner seating because we are part of the wedding group and thats what my cousin picked. Do we have to eat in the dining room? Isn't there a buffett on the ship too? Will we have to sit with strangers in the dining room?


What can we drink for free on the ship?

Thank you again everyone, I knew if I posted this on the Dis I would get some help.

You can always get the kids food before your late dinner seating at any of the food places/buffets. I would suggest this if they are not late eaters. Just a light something to tide them over.

On the last cruise we went on, there was lemonaide and iced tea for free.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

My ds's 11 & 7 want to go on FOS sooo bad!!! Really, your kids will be talking about it months after you return.
I should also warn you, not all kids love the clubs, as in mine. ds11 would say things like, "but don't you want to be with me, Mom?" I never push them and enjoy being together but wouldn't mind a little break.

If it's only $300 more for a balcony and bigger room, I'd go for it. Most here on the dis think of DCL pricing which is at least $1000 more to go from lower window to balcony. Also even a little extra square feet makes a difference with 4 in a room so it's nice that you get a larger cabin too. (on DCL the cabin itself is same sq. ft. whether it's a window or balcony. the only extra room is the balc. itself, kwim?)

There are plenty of things to drink free. I can't say from experience with RCCL since our 1st RCCL cruise is this Thurs. on Navigator of the Seas but most cruise lines you pay even for soda or bottled water if it's from the bar. Usually the free stuff is a fountain-type stand with lots of cups out to help yourself. Don't be afraid to ask first if you're unsure. I have a coworker who racked up an $800 bar bill in 1 week!!!

There a lots of buffets on ships and if you want to you could eat non-stop and never see the dining room. Whenever we sail with a group, we ask the cruise line to link all of our ressies so we sit together at dinner. I've never sailed with more than 8 people so I'm guessing with a large group like yours you will probably not all be able to sit at 1 table but still maybe ask the maitre d' (??sp) if your tables can be close to each other. Well, really you should all give your ressie #'s to your cousin and her ta can ask RCCL to link them.

As far as pricing goes, we always book direct w/cruise line then transfer to a TA if they can get us an on board credit. With our upcoming DCL cruise we got a $200 obc from Disney for rebooking onboard, then our TA got us another $200 obc, for a total of $400. Our TA's obc is dependent on the total cost of the cruise. So since our RCCL cruise this Thurs. is only 4 nts. and it's just dh and me, 1st time w/ no kids it was much cheaper and our obc is only $75. Hey, every little bit helps. I can shop with no guilt.

Hope this helps!!

 

[eeyoregon]

we are not the type of family that can sit and do nothing on vacation.

Your kidding, right?????? You just can't put the word "cruise" in the same sentence with "nothing to do".

We go to Disney World to relax after we cruise. There is SOOOOOOOO much to do on a cruise. It gets quite overwhelming because you want to try and do everything but it's just not possible. Depending on which ship you are on, the opportunities on board are endless. Then of course there are the zillion shore excursions.

I suggest checking out the ship and seeing what it has to offer on board and off. If it's RC's newest ship, you will be amazed!

Cruising is the BEST vacation EVER and that's coming from a WDW fanatic.

 

[janets]

There are a number of free beverages available on board. On FOS (like Liberty) you can get juice/coffee/tea/ice water/iced tea in the Windjammer (juice is only available for free in the AM). On the Promenade, there is the Promenade Cafe, which has ice water available all the time, along with coffee and tea. If you want Seattle's Best Coffee, you pay extra for it. Soda (and any other "soda" type beverages, like club soda) are not free. But you can get them using the soda card ($6/day +tax paid upfront for the 7 day cruise upon boarding). Then you show your card at all the places that have soda and get it (as much as you want, so if 1 person drinks a lot, it might be worth it). Soda is not free in the dining room (some lines used to include it but not anymore).

Again, check where you cabin is on FOS (I recall you said that you booked deck 10). If you are happy with the placement, leave it. However, if you think you might have a lot of noise (under the windjammer, pools, etc.) see about shifting down to deck 9.

I think that this is an incredible ship (loved, loved, loved Liberty) and my kids are still talking about it (we went in November). As for the clubs, both of my kids had a good time. Younger ds (then 5y, 4m) said he was only going when DH and I went to Chops. Ended up really enjoying it, did it every night and allowed us to go to Portofino as well. Plus he participated in the parade (they dress like pirates and walk around the ship) and even wanted to stay for late night a couple of times. The youngest group is 3-5, then 6-8, 9-11, 12-14. Each has counselors and age appropriate activities. They have an open house on boarding day so that you can check it out.

I agree that you'll find the temps on the ship to shift depending on where you are. It can get downright chilly in places, so you'll need a light sweater or overshirt at times. In other places, you'll get warm and muggy. So have a variety of different weight items along for comfort. Also remember that RCCL doesn't have any self laundry facilities so unfortunately you'll have to bring enough for every day (and with small kids, contingency clothes in the event of a mess).

Seriously, I think that this might open up a whole new world of vacation possibilities for you. And this is also from a WDW fanatic (we own DVC as well). We do WDW 1-2 times a year (did 4 times in 2006) and try to cruise now at least once a year. If you have any other questions, please post them.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

There are a number of free beverages available on board. On FOS (like Liberty) you can get juice/coffee/tea/ice water/iced tea in the Windjammer (juice is only available for free in the AM). On the Promenade, there is the Promenade Cafe, which has ice water available all the time, along with coffee and tea. If you want Seattle's Best Coffee, you pay extra for it. Soda (and any other "soda" type beverages, like club soda) are not free. But you can get them using the soda card ($6/day +tax paid upfront for the 7 day cruise upon boarding). Then you show your card at all the places that have soda and get it (as much as you want, so if 1 person drinks a lot, it might be worth it). Soda is not free in the dining room (some lines used to include it but not anymore).

Again, check where you cabin is on FOS (I recall you said that you booked deck 10). If you are happy with the placement, leave it. However, if you think you might have a lot of noise (under the windjammer, pools, etc.) see about shifting down to deck 9.

I think that this is an incredible ship (loved, loved, loved Liberty) and my kids are still talking about it (we went in November). As for the clubs, both of my kids had a good time. Younger ds (then 5y, 4m) said he was only going when DH and I went to Chops. Ended up really enjoying it, did it every night and allowed us to go to Portofino as well. Plus he participated in the parade (they dress like pirates and walk around the ship) and even wanted to stay for late night a couple of times. The youngest group is 3-5, then 6-8, 9-11, 12-14. Each has counselors and age appropriate activities. They have an open house on boarding day so that you can check it out.

I agree that you'll find the temps on the ship to shift depending on where you are. It can get downright chilly in places, so you'll need a light sweater or overshirt at times. In other places, you'll get warm and muggy. So have a variety of different weight items along for comfort. Also remember that RCCL doesn't have any self laundry facilities so unfortunately you'll have to bring enough for every day (and with small kids, contingency clothes in the event of a mess).

Seriously, I think that this might open up a whole new world of vacation possibilities for you. And this is also from a WDW fanatic (we own DVC as well). We do WDW 1-2 times a year (did 4 times in 2006) and try to cruise now at least once a year. If you have any other questions, please post them.

I believe they do have a laundry service though right? So if you were ever in a real pinch, you could just pay to have your clothes done. We did this on Carnival. They were having a special: $20 per bag. Boy I rolled our stuff up so tiny and really crammed a lot into 1 small bag. I left it on the bed in the am and it was all folded up and smelling fresh and clean, when we returned from dinner that night. I would do it again.

 

[barkley]

My ds's 11 & 7 want to go on FOS sooo bad!!! Really, your kids will be talking about it months after you return.
I should also warn you, not all kids love the clubs, as in mine. ds11 would say things like, "but don't you want to be with me, Mom?" I never push them and enjoy being together but wouldn't mind a little break.

If it's only $300 more for a balcony and bigger room, I'd go for it. Most here on the dis think of DCL pricing which is at least $1000 more to go from lower window to balcony. Also even a little extra square feet makes a difference with 4 in a room so it's nice that you get a larger cabin too. (on DCL the cabin itself is same sq. ft. whether it's a window or balcony. the only extra room is the balc. itself, kwim?)

There are plenty of things to drink free. I can't say from experience with RCCL since our 1st RCCL cruise is this Thurs. on Navigator of the Seas but most cruise lines you pay even for soda or bottled water if it's from the bar. Usually the free stuff is a fountain-type stand with lots of cups out to help yourself. Don't be afraid to ask first if you're unsure. I have a coworker who racked up an $800 bar bill in 1 week!!!

There a lots of buffets on ships and if you want to you could eat non-stop and never see the dining room. Whenever we sail with a group, we ask the cruise line to link all of our ressies so we sit together at dinner. I've never sailed with more than 8 people so I'm guessing with a large group like yours you will probably not all be able to sit at 1 table but still maybe ask the maitre d' (??sp) if your tables can be close to each other. Well, really you should all give your ressie #'s to your cousin and her ta can ask RCCL to link them.

As far as pricing goes, we always book direct w/cruise line then transfer to a TA if they can get us an on board credit. With our upcoming DCL cruise we got a $200 obc from Disney for rebooking onboard, then our TA got us another $200 obc, for a total of $400. Our TA's obc is dependent on the total cost of the cruise. So since our RCCL cruise this Thurs. is only 4 nts. and it's just dh and me, 1st time w/ no kids it was much cheaper and our obc is only $75. Hey, every little bit helps. I can shop with no guilt.

Hope this helps!!

the only line i know of that has a free soda station is disney-and that was directly in response to the comments from the pay for participation survey groups they do random selections for on board (i was part of one a few years ago ). we've done hal, norweigan and celebrity (in addition to disney) and none provided free sodas (save perhaps for the kids at dinner). you could get free juice, lemonade, non bottled water, ice tea, tea, hot chocolate, milk and coffee (basic not the fancy stuff) at the buffetts and some of the pool side venues but soda always had to be ordered and since it was always at the bar you were looking at that mandatory tip they rolled in (used to be 15% might be 20% now) into bar tabs.

op-your friends are allot hardier than i am, if our a/c had gone out i would have died trying to cool off our cabin with outside air-we've cruised the route you're doing 3 times during dates ranging from late september to early november-i've never encountered anything that resembled what my non humidity conditioned body perceives as a cool breeze you might want to consider taking along some packages of 'keep cool' strips-they are mine/my kids saviour for these issues.

 

[Gillian]

op-your friends are allot hardier than i am, if our a/c had gone out i would have died trying to cool off our cabin with outside air-we've cruised the route you're doing 3 times during dates ranging from late september to early november-i've never encountered anything that resembled what my non humidity conditioned body perceives as a cool breeze

This is so true! It's usually humid on the balcony & cool in the AC in the cabin. We've never had an AC problem, but we've only cruised a few times.

We also like a balcony with young kids because we like to sit outside after they go to bed, or when they're napping. I brought travel mugs to bring coffee & drinks back to our room & we enjoyed our beverages outside.

I know it's a lot of money, but you will (hopefully) have a wonderful time!

 

[AlwaysEeyore]

Okay, so juice, water and milk are free? We should be okay then. I will have an occaional cocktail but we are not real soda drinkers.

If we don't eat in the formal dining room every night do I still have to give tips to the wait staff? I could really just see us eating there the night of the wedding (since that is what she is feeding us) and that's it.

Is the Italian restaurant family friendly or adult only? Do they have menus anywhere?

Thanks again everyone, I hope I'm not becoming a pain in the butt, you are all so helpful!

 

[ldo]

1st--late seating IMHO is TERRIBLE for young kids--just too late and they are too tired and hungry. BUT--you can feed kids from the buffet and then usually the kids club has re-opened BEFORE the late seating so you can check your kids into kids club and then enjoy a leisurely dinner without the kids (if you choose). DH and I rarely go out for dinner by ourselves during the rest of the year, so this is a nice little treat--we have had plenty of family time during the day and the kids love it--so it works very well.
Otherwise, you can call RCCL and ask to be switched to early dining--just explain you have young kids and do NOT want to be with your wedding party.

 

[Minniemouse07]

My sister worked for Carnival for the first 4 years of my daughter's life. Dd went on THREE cruises before she was 3.5yo!!

We always had late seating and it was wonderful! The first two cruises dd was 2.5yo. We would take her to eat at the buffet before our dinner, and then take her to the kid's program. When she was 3.5yo, she ate dinner w/ us in the dining room. She did great. Before we left we would practice our "restaurant" manners by going out to eat.

I think you will be fine w/ a late seating!