We purchase an annual policy and had to use it. The wife had medical issues and we were advised by the doctor not to cruise THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE TO LEAVE. We were reimbursed for any expenses that weren't credited or refunded. Very good choice. Highly suggest to invest in insurance.
If going with under age children as soon as boarding go to guest services and put a cancel on their sea pass card- avoid them from running up the tab in the arcade.. each child has 50.00 DAILY LIMIT ON THAT CARD to buy whatever! We didn’t know and charges were not loading on the app 3 days and 100.00 later is when we noticed- on RC Harmony
Great advice! We sailed on MSC, and both my kids were losing their minds!!! $700 later, I had to dispute the charges. My kids were in the arcade, buying games for ALL of the kids like they were ballers!!!
I literally watch anything you have available about the ship I’m going on. I also check for vlog, cruise critic and cruise deck plans to do as much research as possible.
14 weeks away!!!!!!!! Our first mega ship experience and I cannot wait. Also our first Royal since the mid 2000s! Switching back over from Carnival to experience something different.
Get and carry a passport even for closed loop cruises. If you are delayed in a port (medical emergency or traffic accident, or bad timing) then you need a passport to fly to meet the ship or return home.
Thanks for the tips Matt! Never travel (fly in) the day embarkation! You are taking a huge risk doing this as you can never ever predict flight delays even cancellations. It's fine if your a local driving to the port, but it's worth the cost and peace of mind getting to the departing city in advance.
My advice is wear or bring in your carry-on bag bathing suits, especially for kids. Why wait for them to be delivered with large luggage. (@12:40 where is this?)
Thank you so much for all your information, I tune in every Monday and wait for to post these informative videos, you have no idea since I’ve been following you, how much I really learned. First time cruising SOS 50 days to go 🎉
I have always wondered whether I should watch videos on the ship I am about to board. Doing so allows for better planning, but might spoil the surprise and the excitement of ship exploring.
The surprise is not spoiled. You will be just excited when you board because now it is the live version. Trust me when I say research the heck out of your cruise so that you will know all of the hidden gems that you may miss. It happened to me on my first cruise and I regretted not knowing certain fun spots, quiet areas, and food options.
I watched so many vids and my oldest daughter wanted to be surprised. So she didn’t watch. I was still excited and surprised. Me watching Made no difference
Travel Insurance does NOT cover you if your flight to the ship port gets cancelled. All of the large travel insurance companies had addendum that specifically includes flight cancellations to the port from your home state. You really have to be careful what you’re travel insurance policy covers and does not cover.
At the end of the cruise if you have any left over balance on your account from doing what ever while you are on the cruise can you pay with cash? Or is it only going to be charged to the card that is on file. Thank you, i love your vides. Mom and i will be cruising the end of October on the allure! Her first time on a ship since 1987!
Royal Caribbean states on their website that your name on a reservation must match your travel documents exactly and must be your legal name. My question is, my birth certificate shows my middle name and yet when booking my reservation there is no space provided for a middle name. Will this prevent me from boarding the ship?
Hey Everyone. I've been on 13 Disney cruises and going on the Oasis next year. That will be our first non Disney cruise. How much culture shock am I in for?
Does everyone in the room need to check in at the same time or can 1 person(the person with the app) do it first to secure the early check-in time and then add the other people in the room? Like spouse and kids?
Question; if a port stop gets canceled. For example; Haiti. Will Royal Caribbean refund me the port fees? Or will Royal Caribbean just go to a different port ?
One advice I'd have to say is look at what you can and can not bring on a cruise. it may seem silly, but there is a bunch of things that you can't bring. From surge protectors, drugs (even if it's legal where you live), Hair dryers, and even Cappuccino machines (yes, people have tried). There are many videos on what you can and can't and why on this channel. But On every cruise I've been to, I see a table before going on and off the ship, filled with these items, Confiscated before the could get on and are returned when they get off.
I'm a retired travel agent. I always encouraged my clients to purchase travel insurance. I also advised purchasing insurance thur a third party. The cruise lines insurance favors the cruise line. I had to use the insurance on a cruise last year and it paid for all medical expenses no queations asked. I'll provide the name and phone number of the company I use if asked.
There is no packing list at the URL he provided. There is a field to enter your email address, and a "Download Now" button. The download now button simply subscribes you to his email newsletter, it doesn't download the packing list. A message says that I will receive the packing list in an email, but I never received it.
hi guy I need help. My brother have an expired GC and he has an ADIT Stamp on his Vietnamese Passport can he be able to board the ship? We have a cruise coming up on May 21 to Western Carribean. Thank you!!!
1st time cruiser here. Does each person going on the cruise need to create an account with RC for the purpose of checking in (upload docs, selfie, etc.) or using the app on the ship, or does 1 account suffice?
Last cruise on Quantum of the Seas, I forgot to pack feminine hygiene products. To my surprise, the convenience store of the ship did not sell anything. So, ladies, make sure you pack extra hygiene items.
@@mindyedmondson3735 my wife and I were a mariner last year. They had a very small selection two choices and they were very expensive almost $10 for a travel size but it’s better than nothing.
I was on Celebrity Edge years ago and spent a whole day looking for tampons. I went to the front desk- the man who helped me had me wait 20 minutes then provided me with and envelope and 2 pads - I did find tampons hidden in the drawer in the gift shop - they didn't want to display them.
No. Dan has a great video about this. We did a 7 day on WOTS. We checked our luggage and each carried a backpack. Our rooms were ready about 1pm but our friend who is Diamond level did not get into his until about 4pm
We live in Florida and our passports did not arrive in time. We did have backup birth certificates and had no problem. The birth certificates did have to be a certified copy (not a copy you make on a copy machine). For me, I had to contact Louisiana to get a certified copy. It took about 2 weeks to get it.
Question - new to cruising. My friend who's coming with me lives in another state. Can I check in with just my info and she checks in later? Or can I check us both in?
If you’re booking a royal caribbean excursion, that’s not a problem because the line promises to get you back onboard. If you’re doing something on your own, it’s all about time management. Plan to be back to the ship 2 hours early to provide enough padding
For the room yeah you’re basically paying for two people for the room. Everything else is just paying for one. Look out for the solos meetup everyday. Have fun!
Is there a video of why you are only a “royal caribbbean” blog as opposed to talking all cruise lines as a whole? I get loving Royal Caribbean but wondering if you ever used other cruises lines (besides sister ones like celebrity). I think you do a great job on all your videos and would love insight into other cruise lines as well!
I agree with everything except for the purchase of travel insurance. The purpose of insurance is to protect against a financial hit that you would otherwise be unable to recover from. Hence, income replacement related to life insurance or health insurance, or protection against huge liabilities such as homeowners, umbrella or accident insurance, is justifiable. However, if you have a financial loss from traveling on a cruise ship that you could not recover from financially, that should be the big flashing sign that you cannot afford the cruise in the first place. By the way, the insurance providers have done more analysis than you at comparing costs to claims, and you can bet that 85-90% of the time that you will come up short.
Sure for many people its likely that nothing will go wrong but my parents were on a river cruse in france and my mom became very ill. They had to end their trip early, spend a few days in the hospital, and fly home from where they were. They got hospital, emergency flight, remainder of the cruise, missed excursions, and missed flight reimbursed. I wont be getting insurance for my family for our upcoming cruise because our risk factors are much lower. You’re not wrong but you should weigh your risk.
"... if you have a financial loss from traveling on a cruise ship that you could not recover from financially,..." Have you priced an emergency hospital stay on a Caribbean island, followed by an air ambulance flight back to the states? No one wants to have an accident, yet they happen. That is why you buy travel insurance.
We were looking at the app for our sailing in December trying to book shore excursions. The port of Orlando only seems to have one shore excursion listed but if you look at the Royal Caribbean website there are so many more. Is there something wrong with the app or is it just too early to book shore excursions?
I’m going on my very first cruise (Independence of the Sea) in December, and I’m going solo. I’m so excited!!!!! 😁😁
We purchase an annual policy and had to use it. The wife had medical issues and we were advised by the doctor not to cruise THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE TO LEAVE. We were reimbursed for any expenses that weren't credited or refunded. Very good choice. Highly suggest to invest in insurance.
Where did you purchase your policy from?
@@davidb0327 Allianz
Allianz is great!
If going with under age children as soon as boarding go to guest services and put a cancel on their sea pass card- avoid them from running up the tab in the arcade.. each child has 50.00 DAILY LIMIT ON THAT CARD to buy whatever! We didn’t know and charges were not loading on the app 3 days and 100.00 later is when we noticed- on RC Harmony
Thank you for sharing. I check the cards daily for spending but didn't know I could do that! 😊
And register the kids for the kids club.
Great advice! We sailed on MSC, and both my kids were losing their minds!!! $700 later, I had to dispute the charges. My kids were in the arcade, buying games for ALL of the kids like they were ballers!!!
@@melissap8826 swipe, swipe and swipe
i didnt know that either. i usually get a carnival gift card and once thats used up, its over!
I literally watch anything you have available about the ship I’m going on. I also check for vlog, cruise critic and cruise deck plans to do as much research as possible.
14 weeks away!!!!!!!! Our first mega ship experience and I cannot wait. Also our first Royal since the mid 2000s! Switching back over from Carnival to experience something different.
Bring half the clothes
and twice the money
Ayup. I didn't overpack, but I definitely spent a lot more than I planned on before the trip.
My first cruise I budgeted $25 a day spending money. My first day purchasing duty free blew that up real quick.
SO DANG TRUE!!!!!
Get and carry a passport even for closed loop cruises. If you are delayed in a port (medical emergency or traffic accident, or bad timing) then you need a passport to fly to meet the ship or return home.
Hey Matt, the proofreader in me immediately saw "Collard shirts" in your Ultimate Cruise Packing List instead of Collared. Yummy! 😊
18 days icon. Can’t wait
9 days till quantum of the seas I'm so exited
Thanks for the tips Matt! Never travel (fly in) the day embarkation! You are taking a huge risk doing this as you can never ever predict flight delays even cancellations. It's fine if your a local driving to the port, but it's worth the cost and peace of mind getting to the departing city in advance.
I leave on the 26th for 7 days on royal Caribbean can't wait....
What ship? My cruise ends on the 26th.
29 for us, Anthem OTS to the Fjords! 🛳️
If you’re going on Wonder to CoCo Cay, St Thomas, and St Marteen, we may be on the same cruise lol
Harmony of the sea...
@@kevinjordan6390 Have fun.
What great timing on this video. 20 days to go til my Royal Alaska cruise!
Same here, my wife and I leave next Thursday
I hear Alaskan are beautiful
Awesome. We did Alaska last year. You will love it.
Returning to CocoCay this weekend for first time in 20 years. It was barren island back then.
Check in 45 days before the cruise to get an early check in time is helpful too.
I recommend having both the card, and book passport. The card you keep on you, and the book you put in your carry-on.
My advice is wear or bring in your carry-on bag bathing suits, especially for kids. Why wait for them to be delivered with large luggage.
(@12:40 where is this?)
Roatan! It's new with the port updates they are doing - the blue building kind of hidden by the palm trees gave it away to me.
Make sure you pack running shoes. The zip line, climbing wall and lazer tag needed running shoes. My daughter had to use her older sisters shoes lol
Also t-shirt. It was required for zip line. They won’t let you wear a tank top although you can wear a tank top for the rock wall.
Thank you so much for all your information, I tune in every Monday and wait for to post these informative videos, you have no idea since I’ve been following you, how much I really learned. First time cruising SOS 50 days to go 🎉
You are so welcome!
I have always wondered whether I should watch videos on the ship I am about to board. Doing so allows for better planning, but might spoil the surprise and the excitement of ship exploring.
Trust me, it will still be exciting!
The surprise is not spoiled. You will be just excited when you board because now it is the live version. Trust me when I say research the heck out of your cruise so that you will know all of the hidden gems that you may miss. It happened to me on my first cruise and I regretted not knowing certain fun spots, quiet areas, and food options.
I watched so many vids and my oldest daughter wanted to be surprised. So she didn’t watch. I was still excited and surprised. Me watching Made no difference
I watched the snot out of videos on my ship before I got on.
Saved me a lot of anxiety over not knowing where everything was, and what was available.
I researched the Allure ship by sailing on it out of Galveston last year. Really wish I could have gotten a different ship but it is going to Bahamas.
29 days until Anthem OTS for our Norwegian Fjords cruise!!😊
Travel Insurance does NOT cover you if your flight to the ship port gets cancelled. All of the large travel insurance companies had addendum that specifically includes flight cancellations to the port from your home state. You really have to be careful what you’re travel insurance policy covers and does not cover.
First Royal Caribbean cruise in 13 days!! Only been on Disney! So what’s different about Royal? I’m really looking forward to the casino!
Great Video and say Hello to Brasil !
Thanks
At the end of the cruise if you have any left over balance on your account from doing what ever while you are on the cruise can you pay with cash? Or is it only going to be charged to the card that is on file. Thank you, i love your vides. Mom and i will be cruising the end of October on the allure! Her first time on a ship since 1987!
I think you should check with your ship purser.
Thanks for this great info video! 🚢
Royal Caribbean states on their website that your name on a reservation must match your travel documents exactly and must be your legal name. My question is, my birth certificate shows my middle name and yet when booking my reservation there is no space provided for a middle name. Will this prevent me from boarding the ship?
31 days until setsail! Can't wait.
Hey Everyone. I've been on 13 Disney cruises and going on the Oasis next year. That will be our first non Disney cruise. How much culture shock am I in for?
Wish there was a tour of the vision of the seas on the blog youtube channel. Can’t seem to find one
I just typed in 'vision of the seas' and saw a bunch of videos.
Get a credit card with zero foreign transaction fees.
Does everyone in the room need to check in at the same time or can 1 person(the person with the app) do it first to secure the early check-in time and then add the other people in the room? Like spouse and kids?
Question; if a port stop gets canceled. For example; Haiti. Will Royal Caribbean refund me the port fees? Or will Royal Caribbean just go to a different port ?
We received a refund when Haiti was skipped in March.
@@craigjhart OK, thank you for your quick reply. I’d rather just stay an extra day out at sea.
@@craigjhart May I ask; how did you get that Royal Caribbean icon next to your name?
We were rescheduled to Turks and Caicos. It was wonderful but not as good as Labadee. I love Labadee.
@@SilverHonda0767He is a paid subscriber to this channel.
One advice I'd have to say is look at what you can and can not bring on a cruise. it may seem silly, but there is a bunch of things that you can't bring. From surge protectors, drugs (even if it's legal where you live), Hair dryers, and even Cappuccino machines (yes, people have tried). There are many videos on what you can and can't and why on this channel. But On every cruise I've been to, I see a table before going on and off the ship, filled with these items, Confiscated before the could get on and are returned when they get off.
I'm a retired travel agent. I always encouraged my clients to purchase travel insurance.
I also advised purchasing insurance thur a third party. The cruise lines insurance favors the cruise line. I had to use the insurance on a cruise last year and it paid for all medical expenses no queations asked. I'll provide the name and phone number of the company I use if asked.
There is no packing list at the URL he provided. There is a field to enter your email address, and a "Download Now" button. The download now button simply subscribes you to his email newsletter, it doesn't download the packing list. A message says that I will receive the packing list in an email, but I never received it.
Send me an email and I’ll send it over to you. matt @ RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com
hi guy I need help. My brother have an expired GC and he has an ADIT Stamp on his Vietnamese Passport can he be able to board the ship? We have a cruise coming up on May 21 to Western Carribean. Thank you!!!
208 days and counting until Adventure of the Sea. Haiti 🇭🇹 port on the itinerary but hope it gets canceled.
Is the mariner of the seas and older smaller ship?
Middle age
Matt, what is the ounces of the 12 cans Or bottles of soda that you can bring?
Check with the ship you are sailing on. I have heard that you can, (and can't) bring soda on.
1st time cruiser here. Does each person going on the cruise need to create an account with RC for the purpose of checking in (upload docs, selfie, etc.) or using the app on the ship, or does 1 account suffice?
Just the name it’s booked under. But everyone should get the app so they can chat with y ok on the ship and watch for updates up until cruise time!
@@bonnieweakley7405 thank you!
Last cruise on Quantum of the Seas, I forgot to pack feminine hygiene products. To my surprise, the convenience store of the ship did not sell anything. So, ladies, make sure you pack extra hygiene items.
Woe.
Whaaaaat?? They need to do better. That's ridiculous.
@@mindyedmondson3735 my wife and I were a mariner last year. They had a very small selection two choices and they were very expensive almost $10 for a travel size but it’s better than nothing.
That's awful 😢
I was on Celebrity Edge years ago and spent a whole day looking for tampons. I went to the front desk- the man who helped me had me wait 20 minutes then provided me with and envelope and 2 pads - I did find tampons hidden in the drawer in the gift shop - they didn't want to display them.
is the stateroom accessible as soon as you board? or will I be lugging my carry on around for a long time?
No. Dan has a great video about this. We did a 7 day on WOTS. We checked our luggage and each carried a backpack. Our rooms were ready about 1pm but our friend who is Diamond level did not get into his until about 4pm
How do you check in if you have more than one room? Only one shows up in the app…
Link the other reservation to yours. You can add other reservations to the app if you have the reservation number, last name, and birthday
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog I had them linked. I found it!! Thanks.
Question: for early check in…my daughter lives in another state, so how would I check her in??
You could log into her account
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog but doesn’t she have to submit a picture?
I will be going on my first cruise soon! Can I bring my passport ID card as a US citizen instead of the passport book?
We live in Florida and our passports did not arrive in time. We did have backup birth certificates and had no problem. The birth certificates did have to be a certified copy (not a copy you make on a copy machine). For me, I had to contact Louisiana to get a certified copy. It took about 2 weeks to get it.
First time cruiser on Anthem of the Seas out of Southampton England. Is check-in US time or UK time?
Local time where the ship is based
June 14? We will be on there with you. So excited. 🛳️
Question - new to cruising. My friend who's coming with me lives in another state. Can I check in with just my info and she checks in later? Or can I check us both in?
You can check her in later
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog thank you!
Have you ever done the Celiac Cruise?
I'm really nervous on booking an excursion. I don't want to get left. What should I look for to make sure this doesn't happen?
If you’re booking a royal caribbean excursion, that’s not a problem because the line promises to get you back onboard.
If you’re doing something on your own, it’s all about time management. Plan to be back to the ship 2 hours early to provide enough padding
We use a travel credit card that already has travel insurance.....
Utopia December!!
I’m going on my first cruise in June on Allure of the seas with my wife and kids (18/11). Any suggestions anyone?
Watch these videos
Book on-ship shows and activities as early as you can. They do book up and you don’t want to miss out!
Bring running shoes , they require for activities and get at least the pop drink package
Can we bring a case of nonalcoholic beer?
No
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog Thank you for answering!! :)))))))
I'm traveling with a seven year old. Does he need a passport?
I'm going to cruise solo do I have to pay twice as much?
For the room yeah you’re basically paying for two people for the room. Everything else is just paying for one. Look out for the solos meetup everyday. Have fun!
@@artieo5339 then I wont go on this ship.
Many cruise ships offer solo cabins but they sell out fast so you have to book early enough unfortunately.
Lo mejor de lo mejor Royal Carribean crucero 🚢 de excelencia vacaciones merecidas
Can I take walkie talkies on Royal Caribbean?
Yes
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlogthanks
Pack your ear plugs and patience because of all the kids on RCL.
100 days until Harmony of the Seas
Annoying how he lowers and raises his voice. Have to be constantly controlling the volume
Is there a video of why you are only a “royal caribbbean” blog as opposed to talking all cruise lines as a whole? I get loving Royal Caribbean but wondering if you ever used other cruises lines (besides sister ones like celebrity).
I think you do a great job on all your videos and would love insight into other cruise lines as well!
When I wanted to start a blog I wanted to focus on Royal because it was the line I really liked
Matt owns another cruise blog where he posts videos about other cruise lines! Here is the channel: youtube.com/@cruiseblogguide
@@angievognild894 oh that’s though him? Didn’t realize, I thought it was other cruisers. I’ve been watching them for awhile now!
@@TheClimateChannel Yep, he owns both blogs!
The reason it’s a good idea to pre-plan your cruise…is because basically no one is going to do it for you.
I agree with everything except for the purchase of travel insurance. The purpose of insurance is to protect against a financial hit that you would otherwise be unable to recover from. Hence, income replacement related to life insurance or health insurance, or protection against huge liabilities such as homeowners, umbrella or accident insurance, is justifiable. However, if you have a financial loss from traveling on a cruise ship that you could not recover from financially, that should be the big flashing sign that you cannot afford the cruise in the first place. By the way, the insurance providers have done more analysis than you at comparing costs to claims, and you can bet that 85-90% of the time that you will come up short.
Sure for many people its likely that nothing will go wrong but my parents were on a river cruse in france and my mom became very ill. They had to end their trip early, spend a few days in the hospital, and fly home from where they were. They got hospital, emergency flight, remainder of the cruise, missed excursions, and missed flight reimbursed.
I wont be getting insurance for my family for our upcoming cruise because our risk factors are much lower. You’re not wrong but you should weigh your risk.
"... if you have a financial loss from traveling on a cruise ship that you could not recover from financially,..." Have you priced an emergency hospital stay on a Caribbean island, followed by an air ambulance flight back to the states? No one wants to have an accident, yet they happen. That is why you buy travel insurance.
Very informative video. Do us one favour and please slow your speech down. You sound like you're "speeding" on some kind of substance.
We were looking at the app for our sailing in December trying to book shore excursions. The port of Orlando only seems to have one shore excursion listed but if you look at the Royal Caribbean website there are so many more. Is there something wrong with the app or is it just too early to book shore excursions?