Night swims are the best! Seriously, I think I spend more time in the pools and hot tubs at night lol... Less people, no sunburn, usually a movie/music/lightshow off some kind going on. One of my favorite things to do before bed!
Our strategy has always been to book cruises early. If the price decreases, RCI will honor the decreased price. Also, when we hit Diamond status, we quit buying the drink package. We rarely exceed our 4 drinks per day anymore, but if we do it is still much less expensive. We also take advantage of many of the other perks offered. The UDP is costly and simply too much of a good thing. If we decide to purchase a dining package, we typically buy Chops + 1. This July we are taking our 4 grandchildren on a 5-night cruise. We plan to take advantage of many of the free amenities geared towards families. We are booking only one excursion. The cost for 6 people is almost $700. I think the grandkids will be content staying on the ship during our second port day. The pool will be less congested, the slides and Flowrider more accessible.
Love 1st tip. We just reserved a RC Cruise for April 2025 and expect to save at least 50% from booking it 90 days out. In fact, the cruise we're taking this April is now about 63% higher today than when we booked it last year. We use Cruisebound, which allows a free 7-day hold, and they promptly provide refunds when the price drops. Trains are smart with no daily parking fee - we take MARC or Amtrak from DC to Baltimore + short UBER to Baltimore Port Terminal. Trains mean no daily parking charges. Agree about Dining Package - we may eat at one specialty restaurant for our upcoming cruise. Thank you Matt for recognizing that some cruisers have to economize. LOVE THIS VIDEO!
Hey I’m looking at booking a cruise for March 2025 and I’m just curious how much you booked your cruise for. I haven’t gone through with my decision just yet but when I checked the price for a balcony room a few days ago I believe it was 844$
For 2024, my resolution is to take a non-charter Royal cruise. The one a chose is a huge one - 19 days from Honolulu to Sydney on Ovation in October. I'm hoping for the best.🙏
I think it makes sense to cut back on the extras if you are cruising 11 times a year (unless you are wealthy), but most of us don't cruise that often (I have only cruised 10 times in my life, mostly on RCCL). Since I don't cruise that often, I have no problem adding the drink package and dining package. They enhance our experience and I'm not willing to pass on these to save a few bucks. YMMV.
To me, the drink packages are too expensive, especially when funding for the family. However, on our Wonder cruise just two weeks ago, the bars were selling 10-drink cards for $90. My son, daughter, and I each bought one. That's a $5 discount per drink, and the cards can be shared. That's a great deal for people who don't drink a lot.
I'm right there with you on the drinks and dining packages...the deluxe drink package is good if you AREN'T diamond status. But once you hit diamond or higher, your free drinks makes the deluxe drink package less worthwhile. Still might do the refreshment package to get coffee, soda, bottled water and the like though... Dining package is a no-go for me - I'm not the most adventurous eater and I don't eat seafood. So I find better value in picking a couple lunches and booking those for $20-30 and using the MDR, Windjammer, Park Cafe, and Sorrentos for other meals/snacks.
On my upcoming RCL cruise in May, I am actually going to spend more time on ship, during a port visit. It will give me and my Gf, a chance to enjoy the amenities on board, and not have to wrestle for spots, such as the hot tubs or pool decks. Thisis a great topic. Me and my partner, always talk about things yo do different, to enjoy the cruising experience, after each one.
Yes.. my Mom did this on her last cruise. She said the ship is great when everyone's outside. The only downside is most of the food options are limited when the ship is basically empty.
My to do this year is stop being afraid to travel especially cruising, I listen to all the bad things that's happening and just don't want to do or go anywhere not even out to a movie. So in 2024 we've planned a cruise with the family, my husband asked me to stop listening to all the horrible cruise news channels 😑 because I almost wanted to cancel our cruise this is a big number 1 for me, I still have things to work on but I'm hopeful ☺️
I just had to cut watching the news out of my life. It’s hard at first because I want to know what’s going on, but it has helped so much with my mental health. 🙏
My wife and I cruised on Serenade of the Seas for 14 nights in November 2023, Panama Canal cruise. During that cruise, I was able to gamble enough to reach Prime status. This is beneficial to me because I like to indulge a little while on the cruise ship. After all, I'm not driving and my wife does not drink. I usually pay per drink when I want on the cruise as a result. We are booked for Oasis of the Seas on April 2014. I am looking forward to not needing to pay per drink this time. By the way, this booking is our "free" cruise for being a Prime member. I say Free because we did have to pay for port fees, taxes, gratuities. I splurged a little and bought the Key this time around to try it out.
Honestly I never did see the value of any of the drink packages, including the soft drinks. On a 7 day cruise I might have 4 or 5 acholic drinks so off the top that was a nonstarter for me. Even before I gave up processed sugar I still might only of gotten a couple of shakes and the one time I did get the soft drink package I found myself ordering a pop just because I had the package & not because I really wanted a pop. As far as the dining packages go I'll determine that on a ship by ship basis. My next cruise in September is on an older ship with fewer options so on that one I'll just save my money. However if I book a cruise on one of the newer ships I'll rethink it.
I've never bought a drink package and now you can bring two bottles of wine one per person when I can make lemonade in the dining room no drink package for me however I'm going to try Hooks Seafood on Symphony of the sea in May happy cruising🎉
Coffee in the morning then later in the day for us lovers, that’s $12 right there. 8 bottles of water $20+ right there, now you can add any coke drinks plus Pellegrino and you’re above now winning.
Tip #2 is one that I always offer up! I turned diamond about 6 months ago and have been prime in the casino for the last 2 years. Since becoming Prime, I have not brought a drink package 🎉😅! I'm also not an all day drinker but have gotten some other good tips to stretch out the Prime benefits. If you like a particular alcohol, order shots neat and dump them into a Yetti type cup. Order cans of sodas with them as well (I'll usually get 2 at a time). This can easily yield 6 drinks. Also, order a few bottles of beer and ask for them unopened. This can easily get you through the day until the casino bar opens. Also order bottles of waters from the bar. They come in handy for port day. Now that I have diamond vouchers, they carry me the whole day. It's definitely doable Matt!
I like your drink idea but I wouldn’t recommend for a lot of people. My girlfriend and I compared per drink pricing with a package and discovered that we could save around 500 dollars by going with per drink pricing. That includes getting coffee, morning smoothies, and cocktails along with other drinks throughout the cruise. If you’re considering the package I’d do the math and see what works for you.
We used Next Cruise in March 2023 to book a family cruise for December 2024 (2 staterooms, 5 adults). Still 9 months away and the current price is nearly $5k greater than what we booked 18 months in advance!
We try and book 18 months out. If we know where we want to go and it is available that long out, we book. Our travel agent says all the time, “good thing you booked this early because the price has increased”.
Please make a or some detailed videos of your gambling experiences onboard. Be very interesting to see your thoughts on it compared to what I've heard from others.
Have recently gotten into solo cruising, Booked a cruise in Oct 2025, going to try a suite for the first time. Booking nearly 2 years ahead of time allows me to parse out the payments of the trip making it easier to afford the more lavish stateroom. I usually buy the refreshment package as a sober individual, once I hit diamond later this year I'll be ditching that as well. I've never done the UDP, it just never seemed like a good enough deal to even both with. I've always enjoyed the MDR, even with the changes to the menu. The only tips I have for eating is to book a specialty restaurant on embarkation day for lunch. It is a much more chill way to start the cruise. Then for dinner on the final night I get another one. Sort of bookend my cruise experience with fine dining.
i remember when i went on symphony back in 2022, my friend and i would go to the hot tub in the solarium at, like, nine or ten and just talk and/or watch anime. after we were done, we would put on our cover-ups and head to sorrento's for a late-night snack. maybe you could see if your kids are interested in something like that? late-night pool/hot tub and pizza!
Thank you for the idea of a night swim. Our family too talk about it but for the same mentioned reasons never do it. I think it’s time to jump in to the pool after dinner instead of bed!
I booked May 31, 23 after I got off Anthems of the Sea May 1, 23 for Symphony of the Sea May 16, 24, and thanks for the night swim reminder. I haven't done it in years👏🏽👍🏽 I'm still trying to book for 2025 for Hawaii not sure what cruise line Royal Caribbean reposition to itineraries that I don't care to visit. I guess it might be NCL unless I can come up with the funds for Winstar or another upscale Cruise Line. Happy cruising💃🏽
Love the night swim idea and the rock wall idea! We have a cruise coming up in March and our son would love if we did these activities as a family. And although the pricing has gone up for the drink packages and specialty dining, we don't partake in the spa, so these two splurges we will be keeping.
Hey Matt, I also want to do the rock wall but also the Flow rider. My other change is to take a NAP. I couldn't believe how exhausted I got on Oasis last year!
My husband and I always get the refreshments packages, then use our onboard spending on cocktails. We bring our allowed bottles as wrll, to help save some.
Brightline only works between Orlando and South Florida. They weren't smart enough to build a Port Canaveral terminal so it's not really an option from Orlando or MCO (Orlando Airport) out to Canaveral. The Brightline station is down at the Orlando airport so if you're taking the train from Orlando to South Florida, you have to park somewhere at the airport like you're flying out of town for a week. It's an option, but does have pitfalls.
“Not smart enough” isn’t really fair. The main goal was to get the MCO terminal open & connected. Brightline achieved that. Unfortunately, they aren’t running as fast as originally advertised, probably because Florida Man keeps thinking it’s better to try & beat the train rather than wait 30-45 seconds for it to cross the road. Price is a bit more than hoped for too, not bad for an individual, but can get pricy for a family. They have bought land in the Cocoa Beach area, and there are rumors of a station coming there. I’m sure they have considered proximity to Port Canaveral in the location, because that port continues to grow. There may be a station near Ft. Pierce area too in the future. I guess the big question is will that happen before the challenging push through Orlando down to Tampa. A lot of it comes down to local municipalities and planning/zoning. But the fact they finally achieved something that was discussed getting on for 20 years ago, I’d say that’s commendable.
@@moodybluesU2 how anyone could go through the effort of building out a rail line from South Florida and have it go right by Port Canaveral but then not put a terminal at Port Canaveral is beyond me. Common sense would seem to dictate you do whatever you have to do to get the rail to be able to stop at Canaveral. If that means additional bridges have to be built, raise the money and build them.
@@moodybluesU2 It's just hard to explain away how you could build a rail connection up the east coast of Florida, get that close to Port Canaveral, and then turn west like..nope..none for you today...
With the only cruise I'm going on being Icon, my wife and I plan to try and do some stuff after dinner. Almost every night after dinner we would maybe take a short walk around and then return to our cabin and call it a night. Maybe one night per cruise we would have something like our couples massage, or sit in a hot tub. But this year we're planning on going to the Jazz Club, or the Dueling Pianos. Something to try and break our shell. Also helps this'll be our first cruise as Diamond members and will have the drink vouchers to use. Though neither of drinks alcohol, so it'll be a little more challenging then most other people.
The thing also, especially in your case, is that the amount of drinks needed to "break even" is up. It's always been estimated that you need 6-7 cocktails a day to break even, and as a Pinnacle member you already get 6 free drinks. At that point it's really like you need at least 12 a day to break even.
I loved the Brightline too. We flew in to Ft. Lauderdale because the flights were so much cheaper. We took a ride share over to the Brightline station and hopped on. 35 minutes later, we were in Miami. No fuss and so easy.
I don't know what train services are like in the US but here in the UK, if I'm travelling out of my home county I nearly always take the train. It's so much easier, more relaxing, no parking problems, I don't have to worry about getting lost or other drivers! Closer to home, I will still drive though.
Like your ideas on booking early and casino deals as a drink package option. I can't speak for RC but if you get their attention, NCL will give you at least a 20% discount on the cabin along with the drinks (but only in the casino). If things go real bad for you, you might get a free inside room. All-in-all, and if you're mindful of your gambling, it's pretty close to the same price but with some added fun. Good luck to you for a super fun 2024.
I just had my 1st cruise experience...Christmas...Royal...I did not care for the main dining food, but I did enjoy the French onion soup in the main dining room...interesting you showed that dish...
I have 4 cruises on the books with 3 being the newest RCL ships. I reserve the first "moment" they become available to book. However, I do not book the first several cruises so the kinks can be worked out, or if the ship begins sailing in the summer, I wait several months as I don't cruise in the summer, unless it is Alaska. (Well, I would love to do another Med cruise someday, in the summer)
Did the bright light once because the plane ticket to West Palm Beach was cheaper than the plane ticket to Miami. I don’t think it saved a ton of money, but the bright line train was great!
Brightline questions: did you park at the train station? If so, what do they charge? Did you go down the day of the cruise or a day early? I really want to do this for our cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale in May.
We agree with you on the drink package - Being Diamond and Prime, we don't buy the drink package anymore. Our 4 drink vouchers plus the free drinks at the casino bar is more than we can typically drink in a day. Even Capuchin and Espresso in the Crown suite are complimentary. And - if we do want a 5th beverage on a day, it's just that one time Ala carte fee.
There are some many awesome places to see and many ways to vacation. Us regular people that don’t cruise as much as you or not as high in the loyalty status as you probably won’t give up the drink package, lol.
But, you CAN cruise more if you do NOT get the drink package. I have only ever booked an interior cabin and have never gotten the drink package. Spending HALF as much money on each cruise has enabled me to go on TWICE as many cruises, as I would have done otherwise.
We look forward to trying the Brightline train in 3 weeks for our trip on Icon. I'm not sure it's a better deal though as costs are about the same for 2 people and much more for 4 ($140 R/T for each person for coach plus luggage fees). in the last week or so there were two deadly accidents in Melbourne when cars were on the tracks so, just like the turnpike or 95 - there's no guarantee of clear sailing from Orlando to Miami or Lauderdale. We'll post our experience after our trip. I really hope it's a great experience. I would prefer not to make that drive.
Since I am Diamond and Prime in the casino I only get the refreshment package so that covers coffee/non alcoholic drinks and waters and then utilize my vouchers and prime in the casino for any alcoholic drinks.
Combining Diamond/Diamond Plus/Pinnacle drinks with prime (or higher) status in the casino is truly a game changer. I have never paid for a drink package because of this, and while it can be slightly inconvenient, you will save tens of thousands of dollars if you sail frequently. It’s especially beneficial on sailings with a high number of sea days due to the casino being open pretty much all the time.
I think makes sense to try out more of the adventure moments on the ship I however can not sail on any big/oasis class ships without the UDP or ULD, smaller ships sure
Taking the train tomorrow 1/20 just like you , Orlando to Miami for our 6 day Western Caribbean. First time using a none NY train 😂 we are excited and hope it works well because I HATE the drive there
For me, the dbp has to be less than about $65/day for me to feel it's worthwhile. I did just make Diamond on my last cruise, so on my upcoming 4/3 back to back, I'm forgoing the deluxe given the increased costs for those cruises, I'll easily save even if I have to supplement the 4 diamond drinks.
I've been on two Royal Caribbean cruises. I learned something very valuable that I don't intend to repeat. NO MORE GIGANTIC SHIPS. I loved the Majesty of the Seas, one of their "small" ships that fit me perfectly until they sold it off. I was also aboard the Liberty of the Seas and won't do it again--on a ship that size or bigger. Something that I also learned is that the food in the buffet and the MDRs is average. Their chocolate desserts need to upgrade flavor-wise.
I agree with dropping the dinning package, but the unlimited drink package allows those unlimited trips to the Vitality Spa after hard nights of drinking😃
We did book the unlimited dining package for our upcoming Icon trip as well as the Empire Supper Club to try the new venues. But we agree with you on generally not buying it for our shorter weekend cruises where the buffet and MDR are very good (completely agree with you on the French Onion Soup - one of my favorites). However, we do have friends we travel with who have very strict dietary considerations (severe allergic restrictions) and we've found that the specialty dining culinary teams are a little better prepared to help prepare a special meal for them. If they are joining us on a trip - we would get the package so we can all eat together.
So glad you made a plug for the train versus driving. Driving looks cheaper at first glance, but people are only looking at the cost of the gas. Adding in your car payment, insurance, upkeep, the real cost to drive, per mile, is much higher. I often get the Soda package and coffee cards. Used to get the Soda internet package for my friends, but no longer offered. I also buy the Refreshment package, especially on the larger ships. Have gotten it on sale the last three Black Friday sales. Even at $23.99 it’s still a good deal when you add up what it covers. I’m looking forward to Diamond this year and the option of a few free drinks a day.
You are the best cruise blogger! Just got off allure on our 4th cruise with the kids. Utopia in August is next. Definitely have to start booking far ahead. Can't find any cheap cruises.
The advantage Florida residents have for cruising is staggering. These are some fine money saving ideas, but the cost of the drink package or the dining package pale in comparison to the cost of flights these days. For the first time in more than a decade we didn't cruise this last Christmas - flights for the 4 of us from the Washington DC area would have been just shy of $4,000!. Add in two hotel rooms the night before and travel back and forth was coming close to the cost of the cruise! Booked a May cruise last November so airfares are down, but we just learned that something called "Beatstock" will be happening on our cruise? (Symphony out of Ft. Lauderdale in mid-may). Hope whatever this is doesn't ruin it for others on board.
Funny, I have the same challenge ahead of me this year. Multiple cruises already booked and I get my diamond drinks. Plus I already have prime. I’m going to see if it’s possible that I don’t need to buy the Deluxe drink package anymore. I do love that convenience though. But why do I feel stressed out not having booked it at the lowest price 😂
Hi Matt. I rarely see videos of Mexican Riviera Royal Caribbean cruises. We are taking our first cruise this October to the M-Riviera aboard Navigator of the Seas, and would like to see the do’s and dont’s. Thanks! BTW, you are the reason we booked Royal!
Fantastic video. I agree with the notion that drink packages and the dining package just aren't compelling at these current prices. It'd be good if RC offered an alcoholic drink package that was not unlimited. And the way that the description of the dining package on the RC website is written does not seem enticing. It's as if RC is nonchalantly throwing it out there, take it or leave it. Doesn't do a good enough job answering questions.
We are doing a 12 day cruise in May. First time RC cruise and opted not to get the drink pkg since we are in port so many days it doesn’t make sense. I don’t have more than 3 drinks in a night ever, even on vacation, so we didn’t see the point. We did opt for the water and coffee pkgs though.
Big issue with dining in the main dining room is the second seating is just too late. Wish they could push that an hour earlier, but space is limited when you keep cramming more and more people onboard. I notice now when I book, the early seating fills FAST! I will cancel now if I cannot get the early seating, and when I have spoken to customer service, they say that is getting more and more common.
Hi from the Space Coast. I will be cruising on the Icon of the Seas January 27th - February 3rd. I would love to take the Brightline train down to Miami, but it does not have a stop in my area, so I would have to drive to Orlando. The frustrating part is when Brightline leaves to head down to Miami, it goes through my neighborhood just before it goes over I-95 and makes the turn to go south on US1. Love your videos :)
The NCL included drink package that cost around $20 a day (gratuity) is the only package I would get. We could only drink 6 to 7 drinks 🍹 a day max, good value on NCL. 😅
Went on the Liberty of the Seas and was excited there was a casino. We walked through our first day to see what they had and got heartburn for the rest of the day. Getting casino credit isn't worth pain. We didn't even start normal casinos until after covid when the casinos near us had non-smoking sections. Maybe we will look into casinos if we book the ships with the non-smoking casinos. But any amount of free drinks aren't worth the pain for the rest of the day.
We have the icon in dec, that I booked when they opened , a balcony for $3145 for the 2 of us, probably half of what it is now. However looking at bright line for that cruise is running about $800 for the 2 of is, a bit high, ill probably go down but most Likely fly back. We also have something for 25 booked
We love casino comps!! Free drinks and free cruises...SIGN US UP!! We are both Prime casino status, so free drinks. Plus, we will do 4 comped cruises this year (2 with suite upgrades) and we get so many offers for more free cruises, but we still work full time and can't squeeze in any more time off. 😢
Went on a 4 night RC cruise was curious if the drink package was worth it for me and my wife. We both got it and it was worth it. I looked at the statement to see how many drinks we charged and it was 93 total 😂😂😂
More B2B cruises! No more unlimited dining packages as it is too much food anyways. Look for more excursions not thru the cruise line to get some variety. Being a older solo traveler, I feel safer with the RC excursions but have found many cities are great on my own.
I am also trying no drink package on my next cruise as I reached prime tier on my last cruise. I'll be interested to see if it was the right call. Also as a prime member, the complimentary state room offers I get are nice as well, so you could see other savings on that. I don't drink a ton of alcohol during the day so I think this will be beneficial for me personally. When I ran the cost for my upcoming 5 night cruise the best price on sale was $431 per person in our group for the drink package, and cruiser #2, my mom definitely will not reach $431 in drinks, especially since we are in Bermuda for 2 days. So it will come down to see if my mom, my sister and myself, together drink more than the $1293 it would have cost, even though my drinks are comped in the casino, I doubt it. I do get the water package delivered to the room, 12 liter bottles and found that offsets a lot of the water I would normally purchase. Also I totally agree on specialty dining, I only reserve the restaurants I want in advance and it saved me quite a bit as I feel the food is very good for the included options. Have fun and would be interested to see how these changes pan out for you.
I’m done with cruises. I was on the Wonder of the Seas after being on Harmony in 2017(ish) and I was disappointed to no end. The food- mediocre unless you have a dinning package? I mean Winjammer just had the same bland stuff on both sides…no fish option that tasted decent. The steak was a prime rib with no seasoning and it was just awful. The MDR didn’t have my favorite classic selections daily yet always had weird Indian food option every night - (Indian food is ok but give me American or Korean BBQ or something different ) There was always a wait for dining and although I was on my time dining - the host wanted me to schedule a reservation for the next day to dine lol. (My time dining should be - schedule at your time a few days prior dining) Drinks- expensive, I must say I will never ever again get the drink package. After calculating how much i spent I saw that I could have just bough whatever I wanted to drink whenever I felt and the amount paid towards (a room full of deluxe packages) didn’t even come close to what I would have spent a la cart. Beer was about 8-12$ while liquors and cocktails maybe 14-15$ Entertainment - the most boring shows I have ever witnessed EXCEPT the ice skating show (I’ll give credit where credit is due). HOWEVER, the use of drones for a light show and just really weird performances really left my group….bored. Experience - my first time cruising was with Royal Caribbean was amazing and I was treated like royalty every where I went on the shit. This time was different…everything was rushed. I had a few items I requested (medical stuff) in my room and it wasn’t there. My personal key card didn’t work embarking and disembarking the ship so I had to go to guest services twice to get it fixed. I only got one key card for our stateroom somehow instead of everyone having their own as well (I did all the pre boarding stuff online). The ports - it was cool, I don’t book excursions through the cruise line anymore because it’s just too expensive - $100 for zip line 1 time per person? lol lol lol Coco Cay was nice but the water park was way overpriced on the already expensive cruise and again, food was like something out of an elementary school kids top 5 picks (hot dogs. Burgers. Vanilla ice cream. “juice”) Room service - we charging for breakfast food room service now? Sheeesshh I thought this cruise was all inclusive. The ship itself is nice but there was just so much more lacking on that cruise compared to an ALL Inclusive resort at another country. I don’t feel like the money is worth it to cruise anymore without good food, good entertainment, and good service which were all once the staples of why I would take 10 days off a year strictly to go on a vacation. It’s sad honestly, but I think I really am looking forward to other cruise lines as an alternative to “Royal” Caribbean
I still will cruise Royal, but I get your complaints. I traveled on Wonder this year and I can see how people don't like it. Its maybe too big for a lot of people and because of it, the personal attention just isn't there. Also, I wonder if they are still having post-COVID staffing issues. I was disappointed when almost every dining option closed at 9pm. But just an FYI - you got a lot of "kid" food options because these new big cruise ships (Icon, Wonder, etc) are being marketed to families. I took the Thanksgiving cruise on Wonder and there were a ton of under-18s onboard. This is the demographic the cruise companies want because they generate more revenue.
This is this so interesting we never pick the unlimited dining package as the ships that come to Australia don't have that greater selection for restaurants. I do however pre-book lunches at Jamie Oliver's restaurant if it's available on the ship that we are sailing, to save a little bit of money because the portions are exactly the same as dinner and it's just as delicious for lunch as it is for dinner and then you go to the wind jammer for something like for supper. I also have never bought the alcoholic drink package. Some of the cocktails are extremely boozy and the same price as the lighter cocktails and so if I really want to get lit I'll just buy one of those however, if it is on sale, I will get the soda package only if the ship has the American style soda on it. Otherwise I don't think it's worth it. I sailed last on brilliance of the sea and had the soda package and it wasn't until day 3 that I realised I don't have any idea on how to actually claim my soda so I got a refund and just stuck too the available drinks
Question, we are on sympathy of the seas next week, our first royal cruise and we have the 3 day dining package and I know it says we are allowed up to 20.00 per day and alcarte places like playmaker’s, can we eat there every day and still get our 3 speciality restaurants?
We like to end all of our cruises with a Night Swim - more specifically in the hot tub - it is so peaceful and almost never is there other people there. It's the perfect way to end a cruise for us.
Thanks Matt!! 2 questions, I still have my WOW Band from Oasis last April, If I bring it on Harmony in May, can they recode it or do I need to buy a new one? And, Harmony, May 12-19, any chance seeing you on it???
Matt question for you. I am schedule to go on a cruise with friends on grandeur of the seas on September 9-14 to Cozumel and wonder if they have Saturday night fever in the program. We thinking of dressing in costumes. Thank you
Solarium hot tub is perfect after 8 pm dinner. All the kids and older people are getting ready for bed and the people my age are clubbing. Then a casino trip once they finally kick you out the tub at like midnight. (Only for nights when your excursion isn’t early 😭)
Every cruise I go on, the rock wall is empty 90%+ of the time. Always thought it was a great waste of space. Same with the arcade, usually just a handful of kids in there once in a while when I go by.
At 68 I tried RC’s rock wall 3x, I plan on doing it again on my fall cruise this year at 70. Go me!
Night swims are the best! Seriously, I think I spend more time in the pools and hot tubs at night lol... Less people, no sunburn, usually a movie/music/lightshow off some kind going on. One of my favorite things to do before bed!
If you haven’t been in the hot tub late enough where they are cleaning the deck at night you aren’t doing it right 😂😂🎉
Our strategy has always been to book cruises early. If the price decreases, RCI will honor the decreased price. Also, when we hit Diamond status, we quit buying the drink package. We rarely exceed our 4 drinks per day anymore, but if we do it is still much less expensive. We also take advantage of many of the other perks offered. The UDP is costly and simply too much of a good thing. If we decide to purchase a dining package, we typically buy Chops + 1.
This July we are taking our 4 grandchildren on a 5-night cruise. We plan to take advantage of many of the free amenities geared towards families. We are booking only one excursion. The cost for 6 people is almost $700. I think the grandkids will be content staying on the ship during our second port day. The pool will be less congested, the slides and Flowrider more accessible.
I always book early and reap the rewards of a cheaper price. I'm always able to get a suite for a cheaper price and enjoy the added benefits.
Love 1st tip. We just reserved a RC Cruise for April 2025 and expect to save at least 50% from booking it 90 days out. In fact, the cruise we're taking this April is now about 63% higher today than when we booked it last year. We use Cruisebound, which allows a free 7-day hold, and they promptly provide refunds when the price drops. Trains are smart with no daily parking fee - we take MARC or Amtrak from DC to Baltimore + short UBER to Baltimore Port Terminal. Trains mean no daily parking charges.
Agree about Dining Package - we may eat at one specialty restaurant for our upcoming cruise. Thank you Matt for recognizing that some cruisers have to economize. LOVE THIS VIDEO!
I agree. We’ve booked for March 2025 🐨🐨🦘
Hey I’m looking at booking a cruise for March 2025 and I’m just curious how much you booked your cruise for. I haven’t gone through with my decision just yet but when I checked the price for a balcony room a few days ago I believe it was 844$
@@abyhall8508For us 7 nights in an oceanview was 500 dollars including taxes
Night swims are great! Definitely a good way to spend an evening on a cruise.
For 2024, my resolution is to take a non-charter Royal cruise. The one a chose is a huge one - 19 days from Honolulu to Sydney on Ovation in October. I'm hoping for the best.🙏
I think it makes sense to cut back on the extras if you are cruising 11 times a year (unless you are wealthy), but most of us don't cruise that often (I have only cruised 10 times in my life, mostly on RCCL). Since I don't cruise that often, I have no problem adding the drink package and dining package. They enhance our experience and I'm not willing to pass on these to save a few bucks. YMMV.
I agree! I don't cruise every other month. When I do cruise, I want my vacation to feel like a real getaway.
To me, the drink packages are too expensive, especially when funding for the family. However, on our Wonder cruise just two weeks ago, the bars were selling 10-drink cards for $90. My son, daughter, and I each bought one. That's a $5 discount per drink, and the cards can be shared. That's a great deal for people who don't drink a lot.
Was that a pre boarding deal or did you buy those cards on the ship?
Hello Jim! Didn't think I would find you here. Does your daughter drink at lot?
Bingo...by booking ICON back on the day the bookings were announced in Oct. last year, we have saved more than $5k! Book early is our rule!
I'm right there with you on the drinks and dining packages...the deluxe drink package is good if you AREN'T diamond status. But once you hit diamond or higher, your free drinks makes the deluxe drink package less worthwhile. Still might do the refreshment package to get coffee, soda, bottled water and the like though...
Dining package is a no-go for me - I'm not the most adventurous eater and I don't eat seafood. So I find better value in picking a couple lunches and booking those for $20-30 and using the MDR, Windjammer, Park Cafe, and Sorrentos for other meals/snacks.
On my upcoming RCL cruise in May, I am actually going to spend more time on ship, during a port visit. It will give me and my Gf, a chance to enjoy the amenities on board, and not have to wrestle for spots, such as the hot tubs or pool decks. Thisis a great topic. Me and my partner, always talk about things yo do different, to enjoy the cruising experience, after each one.
Yes.. my Mom did this on her last cruise. She said the ship is great when everyone's outside. The only downside is most of the food options are limited when the ship is basically empty.
Try the solarium after dinner. It’s a ghost town. Especially if you have the 8 pm time slot.
My to do this year is stop being afraid to travel especially cruising, I listen to all the bad things that's happening and just don't want to do or go anywhere not even out to a movie.
So in 2024 we've planned a cruise with the family, my husband asked me to stop listening to all the horrible cruise news channels 😑 because I almost wanted to cancel our cruise this is a big number 1 for me, I still have things to work on but I'm hopeful ☺️
I just had to cut watching the news out of my life. It’s hard at first because I want to know what’s going on, but it has helped so much with my mental health. 🙏
My wife and I cruised on Serenade of the Seas for 14 nights in November 2023, Panama Canal cruise. During that cruise, I was able to gamble enough to reach Prime status. This is beneficial to me because I like to indulge a little while on the cruise ship. After all, I'm not driving and my wife does not drink. I usually pay per drink when I want on the cruise as a result.
We are booked for Oasis of the Seas on April 2014. I am looking forward to not needing to pay per drink this time. By the way, this booking is our "free" cruise for being a Prime member. I say Free because we did have to pay for port fees, taxes, gratuities. I splurged a little and bought the Key this time around to try it out.
Honestly I never did see the value of any of the drink packages, including the soft drinks. On a 7 day cruise I might have 4 or 5 acholic drinks so off the top that was a nonstarter for me. Even before I gave up processed sugar I still might only of gotten a couple of shakes and the one time I did get the soft drink package I found myself ordering a pop just because I had the package & not because I really wanted a pop. As far as the dining packages go I'll determine that on a ship by ship basis. My next cruise in September is on an older ship with fewer options so on that one I'll just save my money. However if I book a cruise on one of the newer ships I'll rethink it.
I've never bought a drink package and now you can bring two bottles of wine one per person when I can make lemonade in the dining room no drink package for me however I'm going to try Hooks Seafood on Symphony of the sea in May happy cruising🎉
Coffee in the morning then later in the day for us lovers, that’s $12 right there. 8 bottles of water $20+ right there, now you can add any coke drinks plus Pellegrino and you’re above now winning.
@@tears2040 sorry but your math still ain’t mathing. It’s still not adding up to the cost of the drink package.
Yeah, the drink packages are tantamount to highway robbery.
Tip #2 is one that I always offer up! I turned diamond about 6 months ago and have been prime in the casino for the last 2 years. Since becoming Prime, I have not brought a drink package 🎉😅! I'm also not an all day drinker but have gotten some other good tips to stretch out the Prime benefits. If you like a particular alcohol, order shots neat and dump them into a Yetti type cup. Order cans of sodas with them as well (I'll usually get 2 at a time). This can easily yield 6 drinks. Also, order a few bottles of beer and ask for them unopened. This can easily get you through the day until the casino bar opens. Also order bottles of waters from the bar. They come in handy for port day. Now that I have diamond vouchers, they carry me the whole day. It's definitely doable Matt!
I like your drink idea but I wouldn’t recommend for a lot of people. My girlfriend and I compared per drink pricing with a package and discovered that we could save around 500 dollars by going with per drink pricing. That includes getting coffee, morning smoothies, and cocktails along with other drinks throughout the cruise. If you’re considering the package I’d do the math and see what works for you.
My family and went on our first cruise last summer. We had a blast, and one of the best times of the day was the night swim and movie. So relaxing.
We stopped taking the drink package when we became eligible for the 4 free drinks per day. It's just not worth the extra expense.
How do you become eligible for that?
@@bingobecky1564 status. When you become diamond you get 4 per day loaded onto your seapass, D+ gets 5, I do not remember what pinnacle gets.
Agreed! Between the 2 bottles of wine we bring in board, plus 4 drinks a day, we really don't need more than that.
@@bingobecky1564it's a perk starting with the Diamond level of the Crown & Anchor program. 😊
You're not a real drinker
I’m doing the Mediterranean next year! Spain, France and Italy.. in the spring 😊
We used Next Cruise in March 2023 to book a family cruise for December 2024 (2 staterooms, 5 adults). Still 9 months away and the current price is nearly $5k greater than what we booked 18 months in advance!
Wow huge save! I’m still debating wether to use NextCruise or a travel agent after my next sail in May
We try and book 18 months out. If we know where we want to go and it is available that long out, we book. Our travel agent says all the time, “good thing you booked this early because the price has increased”.
Please make a or some detailed videos of your gambling experiences onboard. Be very interesting to see your thoughts on it compared to what I've heard from others.
I've got my next 4 cruises into 2026 already booked. ✌
Have recently gotten into solo cruising, Booked a cruise in Oct 2025, going to try a suite for the first time. Booking nearly 2 years ahead of time allows me to parse out the payments of the trip making it easier to afford the more lavish stateroom. I usually buy the refreshment package as a sober individual, once I hit diamond later this year I'll be ditching that as well. I've never done the UDP, it just never seemed like a good enough deal to even both with. I've always enjoyed the MDR, even with the changes to the menu. The only tips I have for eating is to book a specialty restaurant on embarkation day for lunch. It is a much more chill way to start the cruise. Then for dinner on the final night I get another one. Sort of bookend my cruise experience with fine dining.
That first tip is key. I’m saving to book on the icon for a big celebration in 2026 while doing smaller cruises in between! Thanks for this 🎉
i remember when i went on symphony back in 2022, my friend and i would go to the hot tub in the solarium at, like, nine or ten and just talk and/or watch anime. after we were done, we would put on our cover-ups and head to sorrento's for a late-night snack. maybe you could see if your kids are interested in something like that? late-night pool/hot tub and pizza!
Thank you for the idea of a night swim. Our family too talk about it but for the same mentioned reasons never do it. I think it’s time to jump in to the pool after dinner instead of bed!
I booked May 31, 23 after I got off Anthems of the Sea May 1, 23 for Symphony of the Sea May 16, 24, and thanks for the night swim reminder. I haven't done it in years👏🏽👍🏽 I'm still trying to book for 2025 for Hawaii not sure what cruise line Royal Caribbean reposition to itineraries that I don't care to visit. I guess it might be NCL unless I can come up with the funds for Winstar or another upscale Cruise Line. Happy cruising💃🏽
Braggers.. *Sigh* alright for some to do multiple cruises per year.. I love cruising too but im lucky to get 1 in per year
Love the night swim idea and the rock wall idea! We have a cruise coming up in March and our son would love if we did these activities as a family. And although the pricing has gone up for the drink packages and specialty dining, we don't partake in the spa, so these two splurges we will be keeping.
Hey Matt, I also want to do the rock wall but also the Flow rider. My other change is to take a NAP. I couldn't believe how exhausted I got on Oasis last year!
I have watched many of your videos and have recommended them to many people. Thanks for the honest and insightful info. We cruise Feb 18th
My husband and I always get the refreshments packages, then use our onboard spending on cocktails. We bring our allowed bottles as wrll, to help save some.
We convert Points from our RCL CC to onboard credit to cover drinks instead of buying the package...
Brightline only works between Orlando and South Florida. They weren't smart enough to build a Port Canaveral terminal so it's not really an option from Orlando or MCO (Orlando Airport) out to Canaveral. The Brightline station is down at the Orlando airport so if you're taking the train from Orlando to South Florida, you have to park somewhere at the airport like you're flying out of town for a week. It's an option, but does have pitfalls.
“Not smart enough” isn’t really fair. The main goal was to get the MCO terminal open & connected. Brightline achieved that. Unfortunately, they aren’t running as fast as originally advertised, probably because Florida Man keeps thinking it’s better to try & beat the train rather than wait 30-45 seconds for it to cross the road. Price is a bit more than hoped for too, not bad for an individual, but can get pricy for a family.
They have bought land in the Cocoa Beach area, and there are rumors of a station coming there. I’m sure they have considered proximity to Port Canaveral in the location, because that port continues to grow. There may be a station near Ft. Pierce area too in the future.
I guess the big question is will that happen before the challenging push through Orlando down to Tampa. A lot of it comes down to local municipalities and planning/zoning. But the fact they finally achieved something that was discussed getting on for 20 years ago, I’d say that’s commendable.
@@moodybluesU2 how anyone could go through the effort of building out a rail line from South Florida and have it go right by Port Canaveral but then not put a terminal at Port Canaveral is beyond me. Common sense would seem to dictate you do whatever you have to do to get the rail to be able to stop at Canaveral. If that means additional bridges have to be built, raise the money and build them.
@@moodybluesU2 It's just hard to explain away how you could build a rail connection up the east coast of Florida, get that close to Port Canaveral, and then turn west like..nope..none for you today...
With the only cruise I'm going on being Icon, my wife and I plan to try and do some stuff after dinner. Almost every night after dinner we would maybe take a short walk around and then return to our cabin and call it a night. Maybe one night per cruise we would have something like our couples massage, or sit in a hot tub. But this year we're planning on going to the Jazz Club, or the Dueling Pianos. Something to try and break our shell. Also helps this'll be our first cruise as Diamond members and will have the drink vouchers to use. Though neither of drinks alcohol, so it'll be a little more challenging then most other people.
Let me know how that goes 🙏 We don’t drink either but are a huge fan of mocktails. Curious what they will let you use the vouchers for.
The thing also, especially in your case, is that the amount of drinks needed to "break even" is up.
It's always been estimated that you need 6-7 cocktails a day to break even, and as a Pinnacle member you already get 6 free drinks. At that point it's really like you need at least 12 a day to break even.
I'm heading out in a couple of hours to fly to my next cruise, TOMORROW! XD Super excited
Hope it went well
I loved the Brightline too. We flew in to Ft. Lauderdale because the flights were so much cheaper. We took a ride share over to the Brightline station and hopped on. 35 minutes later, we were in Miami. No fuss and so easy.
I don't know what train services are like in the US but here in the UK, if I'm travelling out of my home county I nearly always take the train. It's so much easier, more relaxing, no parking problems, I don't have to worry about getting lost or other drivers!
Closer to home, I will still drive though.
Like your ideas on booking early and casino deals as a drink package option. I can't speak for RC but if you get their attention, NCL will give you at least a 20% discount on the cabin along with the drinks (but only in the casino). If things go real bad for you, you might get a free inside room. All-in-all, and if you're mindful of your gambling, it's pretty close to the same price but with some added fun. Good luck to you for a super fun 2024.
I just had my 1st cruise experience...Christmas...Royal...I did not care for the main dining food, but I did enjoy the French onion soup in the main dining room...interesting you showed that dish...
I'm going on my first cruise this Christmas. We embark on my birthday, so there will be lots to celebrate. Was the ship decorated for Christmas?
Love the night swim idea for kids !
I have 4 cruises on the books with 3 being the newest RCL ships. I reserve the first "moment" they become available to book. However, I do not book the first several cruises so the kinks can be worked out, or if the ship begins sailing in the summer, I wait several months as I don't cruise in the summer, unless it is Alaska. (Well, I would love to do another Med cruise someday, in the summer)
@3:45 We're taking Amtrak from San Antonio to Vancouver for our Alaska cruises in May.
Wow, how long is the ride? Will you have a sleeper car?
@@michelleb749 66 hours. Nope, in a ... chair? Lounger?
Did the bright light once because the plane ticket to West Palm Beach was cheaper than the plane ticket to Miami. I don’t think it saved a ton of money, but the bright line train was great!
Brightline questions: did you park at the train station? If so, what do they charge? Did you go down the day of the cruise or a day early? I really want to do this for our cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale in May.
$15 per day. I went a day early
We agree with you on the drink package - Being Diamond and Prime, we don't buy the drink package anymore. Our 4 drink vouchers plus the free drinks at the casino bar is more than we can typically drink in a day. Even Capuchin and Espresso in the Crown suite are complimentary. And - if we do want a 5th beverage on a day, it's just that one time Ala carte fee.
There are some many awesome places to see and many ways to vacation. Us regular people that don’t cruise as much as you or not as high in the loyalty status as you probably won’t give up the drink package, lol.
But, you CAN cruise more if you do NOT get the drink package. I have only ever booked an interior cabin and have never gotten the drink package. Spending HALF as much money on each cruise has enabled me to go on TWICE as many cruises, as I would have done otherwise.
We look forward to trying the Brightline train in 3 weeks for our trip on Icon. I'm not sure it's a better deal though as costs are about the same for 2 people and much more for 4 ($140 R/T for each person for coach plus luggage fees). in the last week or so there were two deadly accidents in Melbourne when cars were on the tracks so, just like the turnpike or 95 - there's no guarantee of clear sailing from Orlando to Miami or Lauderdale. We'll post our experience after our trip. I really hope it's a great experience. I would prefer not to make that drive.
Since I am Diamond and Prime in the casino I only get the refreshment package so that covers coffee/non alcoholic drinks and waters and then utilize my vouchers and prime in the casino for any alcoholic drinks.
Me and my partner exceeded our drink package cost by over 1.8x. Very glad we purchased it
How long was your cruise and how many drinks did you have?
Booked 28 day b2b cruise in a Suite in Oct 24 on Ovation to Australia. I am Diamond so the perks are ok for now
If you ever try NCL I recommend the Bliss
Combining Diamond/Diamond Plus/Pinnacle drinks with prime (or higher) status in the casino is truly a game changer. I have never paid for a drink package because of this, and while it can be slightly inconvenient, you will save tens of thousands of dollars if you sail frequently. It’s especially beneficial on sailings with a high number of sea days due to the casino being open pretty much all the time.
I think makes sense to try out more of the adventure moments on the ship I however can not sail on any big/oasis class ships without the UDP or ULD, smaller ships sure
Does brightside have bathrooms, any food ect or is it like the metro?
Taking the train tomorrow 1/20 just like you , Orlando to Miami for our 6 day Western Caribbean. First time using a none NY train 😂 we are excited and hope it works well because I HATE the drive there
For me, the dbp has to be less than about $65/day for me to feel it's worthwhile. I did just make Diamond on my last cruise, so on my upcoming 4/3 back to back, I'm forgoing the deluxe given the increased costs for those cruises, I'll easily save even if I have to supplement the 4 diamond drinks.
I've been on two Royal Caribbean cruises. I learned something very valuable that I don't intend to repeat. NO MORE GIGANTIC SHIPS. I loved the Majesty of the Seas, one of their "small" ships that fit me perfectly until they sold it off. I was also aboard the Liberty of the Seas and won't do it again--on a ship that size or bigger. Something that I also learned is that the food in the buffet and the MDRs is average. Their chocolate desserts need to upgrade flavor-wise.
I agree with dropping the dinning package, but the unlimited drink package allows those unlimited trips to the Vitality Spa after hard nights of drinking😃
We did book the unlimited dining package for our upcoming Icon trip as well as the Empire Supper Club to try the new venues. But we agree with you on generally not buying it for our shorter weekend cruises where the buffet and MDR are very good (completely agree with you on the French Onion Soup - one of my favorites). However, we do have friends we travel with who have very strict dietary considerations (severe allergic restrictions) and we've found that the specialty dining culinary teams are a little better prepared to help prepare a special meal for them. If they are joining us on a trip - we would get the package so we can all eat together.
So glad you made a plug for the train versus driving. Driving looks cheaper at first glance, but people are only looking at the cost of the gas. Adding in your car payment, insurance, upkeep, the real cost to drive, per mile, is much higher. I often get the Soda package and coffee cards. Used to get the Soda internet package for my friends, but no longer offered. I also buy the Refreshment package, especially on the larger ships. Have gotten it on sale the last three Black Friday sales. Even at $23.99 it’s still a good deal when you add up what it covers. I’m looking forward to Diamond this year and the option of a few free drinks a day.
You are the best cruise blogger! Just got off allure on our 4th cruise with the kids. Utopia in August is next. Definitely have to start booking far ahead. Can't find any cheap cruises.
I booked ours a year and a half. I have to have sodas. I drink at least 3 cokes a day. I don't drink alcohol. But I wouldn't mind on mock-tail.
I've been booking out since the re start.
I'm booked now into 2025
Shhhhh. Don't need everyone else doing this!
Hey man, love these videos. We're Emerald (almost Diamond) and sure wish I'd found this channel 5 years ago before we started RCL'ing so much!
Welcome aboard!
The advantage Florida residents have for cruising is staggering. These are some fine money saving ideas, but the cost of the drink package or the dining package pale in comparison to the cost of flights these days. For the first time in more than a decade we didn't cruise this last Christmas - flights for the 4 of us from the Washington DC area would have been just shy of $4,000!. Add in two hotel rooms the night before and travel back and forth was coming close to the cost of the cruise! Booked a May cruise last November so airfares are down, but we just learned that something called "Beatstock" will be happening on our cruise? (Symphony out of Ft. Lauderdale in mid-may). Hope whatever this is doesn't ruin it for others on board.
Funny, I have the same challenge ahead of me this year. Multiple cruises already booked and I get my diamond drinks. Plus I already have prime. I’m going to see if it’s possible that I don’t need to buy the Deluxe drink package anymore. I do love that convenience though. But why do I feel stressed out not having booked it at the lowest price 😂
Hi Matt. I rarely see videos of Mexican Riviera Royal Caribbean cruises. We are taking our first cruise this October to the M-Riviera aboard Navigator of the Seas, and would like to see the do’s and dont’s.
Thanks!
BTW, you are the reason we booked Royal!
Fantastic video. I agree with the notion that drink packages and the dining package just aren't compelling at these current prices. It'd be good if RC offered an alcoholic drink package that was not unlimited. And the way that the description of the dining package on the RC website is written does not seem enticing. It's as if RC is nonchalantly throwing it out there, take it or leave it. Doesn't do a good enough job answering questions.
Great ideas, thanks. What am I going to do differently? I'm going take your advice and try to find a good Travel Agent.
We are doing a 12 day cruise in May. First time RC cruise and opted not to get the drink pkg since we are in port so many days it doesn’t make sense. I don’t have more than 3 drinks in a night ever, even on vacation, so we didn’t see the point. We did opt for the water and coffee pkgs though.
Big issue with dining in the main dining room is the second seating is just too late. Wish they could push that an hour earlier, but space is limited when you keep cramming more and more people onboard. I notice now when I book, the early seating fills FAST! I will cancel now if I cannot get the early seating, and when I have spoken to customer service, they say that is getting more and more common.
Hi from the Space Coast. I will be cruising on the Icon of the Seas January 27th - February 3rd. I would love to take the Brightline train down to Miami, but it does not have a stop in my area, so I would have to drive to Orlando. The frustrating part is when Brightline leaves to head down to Miami, it goes through my neighborhood just before it goes over I-95 and makes the turn to go south on US1. Love your videos :)
The NCL included drink package that cost around $20 a day (gratuity) is the only package I would get. We could only drink 6 to 7 drinks 🍹 a day max, good value on NCL. 😅
Went on the Liberty of the Seas and was excited there was a casino. We walked through our first day to see what they had and got heartburn for the rest of the day. Getting casino credit isn't worth pain. We didn't even start normal casinos until after covid when the casinos near us had non-smoking sections. Maybe we will look into casinos if we book the ships with the non-smoking casinos. But any amount of free drinks aren't worth the pain for the rest of the day.
We have the icon in dec, that I booked when they opened , a balcony for $3145 for the 2 of us, probably half of what it is now. However looking at bright line for that cruise is running about $800 for the 2 of is, a bit high, ill probably go down but most
Likely fly back. We also have something for 25 booked
Hi can you share more of your favorite destinations and places you visit? And things to do at those destinations thank you!
Is the rock climbing included or an additional charge?
Included
We love casino comps!! Free drinks and free cruises...SIGN US UP!! We are both Prime casino status, so free drinks. Plus, we will do 4 comped cruises this year (2 with suite upgrades) and we get so many offers for more free cruises, but we still work full time and can't squeeze in any more time off. 😢
Went on a 4 night RC cruise was curious if the drink package was worth it for me and my wife. We both got it and it was worth it. I looked at the statement to see how many drinks we charged and it was 93 total 😂😂😂
More B2B cruises! No more unlimited dining packages as it is too much food anyways. Look for more excursions not thru the cruise line to get some variety. Being a older solo traveler, I feel safer with the RC excursions but have found many cities are great on my own.
Great suggestions. BTW...I think your time notations are off -- check where the train one starts.
I am also trying no drink package on my next cruise as I reached prime tier on my last cruise. I'll be interested to see if it was the right call. Also as a prime member, the complimentary state room offers I get are nice as well, so you could see other savings on that. I don't drink a ton of alcohol during the day so I think this will be beneficial for me personally. When I ran the cost for my upcoming 5 night cruise the best price on sale was $431 per person in our group for the drink package, and cruiser #2, my mom definitely will not reach $431 in drinks, especially since we are in Bermuda for 2 days. So it will come down to see if my mom, my sister and myself, together drink more than the $1293 it would have cost, even though my drinks are comped in the casino, I doubt it. I do get the water package delivered to the room, 12 liter bottles and found that offsets a lot of the water I would normally purchase. Also I totally agree on specialty dining, I only reserve the restaurants I want in advance and it saved me quite a bit as I feel the food is very good for the included options. Have fun and would be interested to see how these changes pan out for you.
Lots of great info. Thank you!
I love the shout out for the train. We should have more trains.
I’m done with cruises. I was on the Wonder of the Seas after being on Harmony in 2017(ish) and I was disappointed to no end.
The food- mediocre unless you have a dinning package? I mean Winjammer just had the same bland stuff on both sides…no fish option that tasted decent. The steak was a prime rib with no seasoning and it was just awful.
The MDR didn’t have my favorite classic selections daily yet always had weird Indian food option every night - (Indian food is ok but give me American or Korean BBQ or something different )
There was always a wait for dining and although I was on my time dining - the host wanted me to schedule a reservation for the next day to dine lol. (My time dining should be - schedule at your time a few days prior dining)
Drinks- expensive, I must say I will never ever again get the drink package. After calculating how much i spent I saw that I could have just bough whatever I wanted to drink whenever I felt and the amount paid towards (a room full of deluxe packages) didn’t even come close to what I would have spent a la cart. Beer was about 8-12$ while liquors and cocktails maybe 14-15$
Entertainment - the most boring shows I have ever witnessed EXCEPT the ice skating show (I’ll give credit where credit is due).
HOWEVER, the use of drones for a light show and just really weird performances really left my group….bored.
Experience - my first time cruising was with Royal Caribbean was amazing and I was treated like royalty every where I went on the shit. This time was different…everything was rushed. I had a few items I requested (medical stuff) in my room and it wasn’t there. My personal key card didn’t work embarking and disembarking the ship so I had to go to guest services twice to get it fixed. I only got one key card for our stateroom somehow instead of everyone having their own as well (I did all the pre boarding stuff online).
The ports - it was cool, I don’t book excursions through the cruise line anymore because it’s just too expensive - $100 for zip line 1 time per person? lol lol lol
Coco Cay was nice but the water park was way overpriced on the already expensive cruise and again, food was like something out of an elementary school kids top 5 picks (hot dogs. Burgers. Vanilla ice cream. “juice”)
Room service - we charging for breakfast food room service now? Sheeesshh I thought this cruise was all inclusive.
The ship itself is nice but there was just so much more lacking on that cruise compared to an ALL Inclusive resort at another country.
I don’t feel like the money is worth it to cruise anymore without good food, good entertainment, and good service which were all once the staples of why I would take 10 days off a year strictly to go on a vacation.
It’s sad honestly, but I think I really am looking forward to other cruise lines as an alternative to “Royal” Caribbean
I still will cruise Royal, but I get your complaints. I traveled on Wonder this year and I can see how people don't like it. Its maybe too big for a lot of people and because of it, the personal attention just isn't there. Also, I wonder if they are still having post-COVID staffing issues. I was disappointed when almost every dining option closed at 9pm.
But just an FYI - you got a lot of "kid" food options because these new big cruise ships (Icon, Wonder, etc) are being marketed to families. I took the Thanksgiving cruise on Wonder and there were a ton of under-18s onboard. This is the demographic the cruise companies want because they generate more revenue.
Pretty thorough review. 👍
💙💙💙Wish I was there right now 😊
Love the bright line
I LOVE THAT AMERICA IS FINALLY CATCHING UP ON TRAINS!!!!
I don’t understand why Brightline didn’t put a train stop over at Port Canaveral. That would be the best stop leaving from MCO.
This is this so interesting we never pick the unlimited dining package as the ships that come to Australia don't have that greater selection for restaurants. I do however pre-book lunches at Jamie Oliver's restaurant if it's available on the ship that we are sailing, to save a little bit of money because the portions are exactly the same as dinner and it's just as delicious for lunch as it is for dinner and then you go to the wind jammer for something like for supper. I also have never bought the alcoholic drink package. Some of the cocktails are extremely boozy and the same price as the lighter cocktails and so if I really want to get lit I'll just buy one of those however, if it is on sale, I will get the soda package only if the ship has the American style soda on it. Otherwise I don't think it's worth it. I sailed last on brilliance of the sea and had the soda package and it wasn't until day 3 that I realised I don't have any idea on how to actually claim my soda so I got a refund and just stuck too the available drinks
Great ideas!
Question, we are on sympathy of the seas next week, our first royal cruise and we have the 3 day dining package and I know it says we are allowed up to 20.00 per day and alcarte places like playmaker’s, can we eat there every day and still get our 3 speciality restaurants?
We like to end all of our cruises with a Night Swim - more specifically in the hot tub - it is so peaceful and almost never is there other people there. It's the perfect way to end a cruise for us.
Thanks Matt!! 2 questions, I still have my WOW Band from Oasis last April, If I bring it on Harmony in May, can they recode it or do I need to buy a new one? And, Harmony, May 12-19, any chance seeing you on it???
Matt question for you. I am schedule to go on a cruise with friends on grandeur of the seas on September 9-14 to Cozumel and wonder if they have Saturday night fever in the program. We thinking of dressing in costumes. Thank you
Solarium hot tub is perfect after 8 pm dinner. All the kids and older people are getting ready for bed and the people my age are clubbing. Then a casino trip once they finally kick you out the tub at like midnight. (Only for nights when your excursion isn’t early 😭)
Every cruise I go on, the rock wall is empty 90%+ of the time. Always thought it was a great waste of space. Same with the arcade, usually just a handful of kids in there once in a while when I go by.