how early can i board my royal caribbean cruise

how early can i board my royal caribbean cruise

This is the perfect time to make dining changes/requests, book activities and specialty restaurants, secure shore excursions, etc. The Key program by Royal Caribbean offers priority access at the terminal, baggage delivery to stateroom, welcome lunch from Chops Grille, VIP show access, and priority departure. #4 Check into your cruise as soon as you can Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. When I tried to check in for my May 2022 cruise, this step was the only glitchy part of the whole process. It is the fourth-largest cruise line in the world by passengers, controlling about 8.6% of the total worldwide share of the cruise market by passengers as of 2021. Not only are the dress codes quite liberal, you can also re-use the same clothes on the same sailing. Thanked the person politely and hung-up. How soon can you board a cruise ship before departure? DON'T MISS: One Key Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package Tip Cruisers Need to know Royal Caribbean does not allow passengers to bring hard liquor on board its ships. The plan offered is called the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program, and it provides the following coverage: $25k Emergency Travel Medical Insurance. Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. Called RCL this morning and got a weird / rude response when asking about what time I can board the ship. Unvaccinated travellers age 5 and Youll also find that the water slides dont have long lines at this time on embarkation day. But did you know if you wait to book your drink package onboard the ship you will be overpaying for it? Check-in opens up 45 days before your cruise begins. 5 rounds of Hornady SST Lite 12 Gauge 2 3/4" Shotgun Slugs. If you're on the fence about buying a Royal Caribbean drink package, keep in mind you can use them at Royal Caribbean's private islands. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Guests who were sailing in Star Class and had access to a Royal Genie were permitted to move to the front of the line in order to receive the priority boarding that was included in their suite perks. If you have a cruise booked with Royal Caribbean, you can typically check-in around 45 days before your sail date. This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise. Adventure Ocean will be open on the first evening of your cruise, but they have an open house on embarkation day in the afternoon too. How to Complete Check-In. If not, just leave blank, How being early is the secret to the best Royal Caribbean cruise, from start to finish, purchase the drink package of your choice online, 5 Royal Caribbean things you had no idea existed. Unlimited food and posh amenities await you, and its only feet away when youre in the cruise terminal. . Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Cruise ships have to receive clearance from port authorities in order to be able to allow passengers from the previous cruise off the ship. The reason is Royal Caribbean cruise fares are very erratic, and can change at a moment's notice. Just turn airplane mode once you get onboard the ship. For assistance in navigating Online Check-in or questions on how to fill out the information - contact your travel agent or if booked directly, contact our Service Specialists at 800 327-5782, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-10:00pm ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm . You'll need to buy The Key for every guest in the cabin (age 6 and above) for every night of the cruise. Not only will buying your drink packages online save you money, it will also save you time because typically there can be lines to purchase the drink packages onboard the ship. However, the earlier your arrival time, the sooner you are usually able to embark on the ship. This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group. MSC Cruises has three experiences to choose from: Bella, Fantastica, and Aurea. Cruise lines offer several boarding times and can only allow for so many in each slot. Your email address will not be published. If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise. (Make sure you watched and marked off the Safety video in the app the morning of your cruise.). And the price you paid for the cruise is the same whether you get onboard at 11am or 2pm, so may as well get the most time possible. Complimentary Canaps (a French hors doeuvre) on second day. The price will be different depending on which port youre sailing from $59.95 in Miami to $129.95 in Seattle. Royal Caribbean sales promotions will come and go, but if you talk to folks who book their cruises very early, they will tell you that booking super-early beats most sales offers. In fact, most people don't use these showers, so there's a good chance they are unoccupied when you would need it, especially in the evening. We have found in the US on a standard turn around that you can board a RCL ship starting around 11:30 but . I'm Shari. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! If you dont plan on using the pools, you may not need nearly as many items as we do. When we say "early", we mean booking your cruise 12, 18 or even 24 months before the sail date. When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. In addition, Royal Caribbean has onboard laundry services you can use to make wearing the same clothes later in the cruise more practical. Our rooms then opened up at around 1:00 that afternoon. However, I highly recommend traveling with a passport. Every cruise line has its own procedure for when they open up the check-in process. Cruise fares tend to be lower the sooner you book. There, crewmembers will typically check you in via . For your return home, you have the ability to select the flight that best suits your schedule. This was a huge relief from the typical check-in desk with long check-in lines we have experienced in the past. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. The earliest that guests can board a cruise is between 4-5 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail away. The NextCruise office offers incentives to book another cruise while you're still onboard. If you are sailing on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, you can pre-book shows in advance, such as the Broadway musicals or ice shows. Save time on your cruise by getting your kids signed up for Royal Caribbean's complimentary kids programming on the first day of the cruise. You'll want to include all of your valuables, medications, and documentation. As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! $250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 14 or more nights, $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 to 13 nights, $50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 5 nights or less. The tours and excursions available to book in the ports your cruise will visit are many, so take advantage of the resources online to find the perfect tour before your cruise begins. (The porters also have luggage tags in case you forget to print yours.). He also directed us on exactly where to go and made certain we understood we needed passports/identification documents. In general, on a cruise with RCI, you can change 1 bane, no problem, as long as at least one original guest stays . Also, since your cruise will likely take you to foreign countries, its crucial to have a passport with you. You really do not want to bethat personin the airport losing their mind because the latest delay means the entire vacation is in jeopardy. However, once you finally arrive at the port and board the ship, all your worries are washed away. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0f9c8c1261d574f1224454f4fa00eeb" );document.getElementById("d5aa0859c9").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise. In our experience, most guests see the times for an activity and begin arrivingafterthe scheduled start time. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Often this comes down to the ports of call being visited by the cruise line. Exclusive access to time slots for rock climbing, FlowRider etc. In addition to the drink package, a wifi package also works while at CocoCay. Readers share: Whats the best piece of cruise advice you have ever received? Royal Caribbean does not charge for its shows, nor does it charge for advanced reservations. Packing your cruise day bag is important so that you have everything you need for your first day. If you want to find the best prices for the spa on your cruise, consider booking things on port days, or early in the morning or late at night for the best prices. Freshly cooked food is always the best, and there are cooking stations available in the Windjammer that serve up some really tasty options. You start getting benefits after just one cruise, and you never lose your status. Did you know Royal Caribbean offers extra onboard credit if you own at least a certain amount of Royal Caribbean Group stock? An an example, if you have kids and water slides are a must-do, then skip the Vision Class ships and Explorer of the Seas. The FCC . I wrote about this in the post on 19 things you should do on embarkation day. Read a past Cruise Compass! You can enjoy a lineup of adventures on a Royal Caribbean cruise from Day One, like the North Star observation capsule, ice skating and more. The result is far fewer guests in the pools, hot tubs and water slides than at any other time on your cruise. Another tip for securing an early arrival time is to book a suite. Printed Set Sail Pass this morning for April 2nd Sailing of the Serenade of the Seas, out of San Juan. If you are on a Radiance or Quantum Class ship, be sure to enjoy your meals outside while at the Windjammer. Oasis Class ships offer outside dining is also available onCentral Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods. Royal Caribbean is quite understanding about schedules, and if you need to get off the ship sooner, they are usually very accommodating. The last day of your cruise is never fun, and regardless of how many times you cruise, it never gets any less depressing. By planning to arrive to your departure port at least one day early, you assure yourself that a travel delay will not impact your ability to get on your cruise. However, if you show up just 10-15 minutes before these events, you will likely find few, if any, other guests waiting and first shot at even the most popular activities. We also use the hairbrush for the kids hair after swimming. In many ports, porters have a special line for Customs that allows you to get through it all faster. To save time and money, you really should pre-book beverage packages, dining packages, internet packages and more. The Key is an optional add-on you can purchase to get VIP benefits, including an early check-in time. If you have an adult in your room that does not drink (much) alcohol, you can get around this rule by calling Royal Caribbean and requesting that person get the Royal Refreshment package. If you want to try Sky Pad, FlowRider, rock climbing wall or zipline, take advantage of lower waits on the first day of the cruise. As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner! By arriving early, you will beat the big crowds that descend upon the cruise terminal later in the day, and you also get the added benefit of having some extra time onboard the ship. Most people go on vacation based around their school or work schedules. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. So, make sure you keep everything within reach and enjoy a smooth boarding process. All Guests must board the ship no later than 4:00 pm. Guests may be able to check in earlier but will usually not be able to embark until this time. Like what you see? Follow along on this incredible voyage! For instance, although medical marijuana may be legal in parts of the United States, it is not allowed in most part of the Caribbean, and therefore will not be permitted on the ship. If you ever wanted to see what the suite life was all about I recommend booking a short 3 day cruise. 1. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. This means the terminal will open up . By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. You can use it to check-into your cruise (more on that in the next tip), book entertainment, shore excursions and packages. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), also known in short as Norwegian, is an American cruise line founded in 1966, incorporated in Bermuda and headquartered in Miami. It is wholly owned by parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Royal Caribbean's fitness center has separate showers for men and women that is complimentary to use. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. Dress codes look imposing, and you might feel like you need to have more outfit changes in a single day than most celebrities at an awards ceremony, but the reality is it's not nearly that stringent. Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time! We have an entire forum dedicated to Royal Caribbean roll calls on our message boards that is totally free to use! Venue: The Artground Date: 4 - 12 Mar 2023 Fee: $18 per pax (Weekday), $20 per pax (Weekend). Having an extra day or two provides a buffer to account for travel delays. It's important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). Note: You dont have to complete the entire check-in process in most cases. Once logged in, navigate toOnboard Activitiesand select the show you wish to reserve. While showing up early can be a problem, coming in later is not as much of a concern. Carnival allows you to check-in 14 days before the cruise date, for Royal Caribbean its 45 days, and for Norwegian Cruise Line you can check in 21 days before a sailing. Members also get invitations to special events, like behind-the-scenes tours of the ship. If you followed our previous advice about arriving to your port city early, then likely your hotel will have a check-out time in the early part of the morning, which is the perfect excuse to head to the cruise port. While you may want to save the added expense,regular medical insurance will not usually cover medical services onboard or in port. After having paused this program during the cruise re-openings , Carnival is now offering Faster to the Fun again. View All Cruises We have spent years sharing tips, secrets and strategies on this blog about taking a better and more fun Royal Caribbean cruise, and we discovered there is one common thread among so many of our best tips: being early. At 11:00, crew members instructed all of the suite guests to form a line. [Subscribe fo. (Sponsored). In that post, we provide tips for staying organized and packing for your trip. VIP access to shows in Main theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70, Surf & Stream high-speed internet package, Special breakfast on debarkation day and choice of departure time, Dedicated phone number for guest services, Expedited water shuttle from ship to shore, Daily Complimentary Standard Room Service Breakfast, $50 Spa Discount per person (Port Days Only). . Your fellow guests won't notice you wore that pair of jeans or dress from night two. This includes accepting the cruise contract, answering the health questions, and choosing your boarding time. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. Many newspapers also spread a false story on April Fish Day, and a subtle reference to a fish is sometimes given as a clue to . Modified Date: Jan 6, 2023. When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. There are also two different times to consider: what time can you board your ship and what time can you arrive at the port to check-in. This is a 9 night cruise and price per night is noted below for each cabin type. Inside a tree trunk, a forest nymph spends its day. The rule is a thorn in the side of many travelers. Royal Caribbean is inviting select guests to try out a new way to board the ship that aims to improve the embarkation, The first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise should be the start of an amazing vacation, so be sure to avoid these, The first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise is areallyfun moment in any cruise fan's vacation, because it is when, The first day of your cruise is such an awesome feeling, and I have some great tips for making it as super smooth as, Embarkation day on any Royal Caribbean cruise is an exciting and busy day, and it appears Royal Caribbean is trying to, When your Royal Caribbean cruise ship begins to sail away from port and your cruise actually begins, you will probably. Theirservices are complimentary, although a tip is expected for their trouble. Guests can use onboard credit towards purchasing Royal Caribbean'sshore excursions if they book onboard. The majority of cruises leave port at 4 or 5:00 pm. Royal Caribbean puts its itineraries on sale as much as two years in advance of the sailing, and while that may be too far in advance for many to plan vacations, the earlier you can book the cruise, the better for that bottom line price. I pack sunscreen to apply before swimming, and we carry on other essentials that we need before dinner. This is by far the least crowded time to swim on the cruise ship. Depending on the length of your sailing, you can get up to $250 onboard credit. Check-in opens up 45 days before your cruise begins. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Do you know about when you'd like to sail? One mistake a lot of new cruisers make is to book the cheapest cruise they can find because they assume the ships are more less all the same. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. For lunch and dinner, you can find a rotating set of options that include pasta, stir-fry, crepes and more. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. The Online Check-in Process is a 4 step process and Royal Caribbean will walk you through it step by step. Just one of the perks of being a suite guest on a cruise ship is having priority access. If getting onto your cruise ship as early as possible is important to you these tips above should help. Welcome aboard! Search Now Please note:All guests must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail. If it is, you should feel confident that the proper gratuity is being given to that crew member. There are plenty of ways to improve one's cruise, but if you remember a single mantra for your cruise, it should be simply to be early. Youll also find a free printable cruise packing list! On sea days, the main dining room is open for lunch and it serves up a different menu of options than what is offered during dinner. Tasks such as repricing, making special requests, dealing with weather events and more are why I use a travel agent every single I book a cruise. Knowing this, we decided to reserve a shuttle service to pick us up at our Miami hotel at 9:30 on embarkation day. If you selected my-time dining you will want to select your preferred time as the most popular times book up fast. If your stateroom shower is occupied by a family member, you could go to the gym and shower there instead. This includes your passport, boarding pass, and any other necessary paperwork. Jon got hooked on cruising after his first cruise on his honeymoon, and today he is always looking for cruise deals and reading information about the cruise industry. While buying stock in any company should be based on solid financial planning, if you happen to own at least 100 shares of Royal Caribbean Group stock, you can qualify for bonus credit to spend on your cruise. Royal Caribbean may send you an email about boarding times, but those are mostly suggestions and not enforced at all. We arrived on time (1pm) and waited over three hours to board. Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. Once you are ready to begin, completing the Royal Caribbean online check in takes very little time. Plus, the Royal Caribbean app will have all of the activities for the day listed so that you can easily reference it during your sailing. I use the Ziploc bag to hold wet swimsuits until our room is ready, so you wont need this item if you dont have a wet bathing suit to store. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. This is a great spot to see the port as you leave, especially for those that do not have a balcony stateroom or simply want something a little different. Ideally, you'll book a cruise at NextCruise while on a sailing when struck with the inspiration to book another cruise. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. An inside cabin will cost $76 per night, an ocean view cabin will cost $101 per night, a balcony cabin will cost $134 per night, and a . By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. Sure, you can book a Royal Caribbean cruise on your own, directly through the line's website. By going on embarkation day, not only will you likely have a short wait but you may be able to re-ride a number of times! Second, you're spending extra money for a benefit that is not cheap. The earlier you arrive on embarkation day, the earlier you will board the ship. On all ships, check for entertainment reservations once onboard the ship via the Royal Caribbean app. So, how do you secure an early arrival time so that you can board the ship as soon as possible? You can save and come back to the process at a later time. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things. As time progress, more and more staterooms are reserved and stateroom inventory drops, so the price increases conversely. Book entertainment and dining as soon as possible. Keep in mind that other factors may effect your boarding time. A passenger can't sail from one U.S. port and get off at another U.S. port (even for the day) without the trip including a foreign port of call in the itinerary. Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. $50k Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance. If you wait weeks or months to book a cruise onboard, the price of the cruise may increase and negate any savings you'd receive from the extra onboard credit. If you want a ship with a Broadway show, book Oasis or Harmony of the Seas, but skip Wonder of the Seas. It has grown into a website full of information on family vacation tips, kid friendly activities, homeschooling organization hacks, and so much more! What time to arrive at the port. Here are some of the benefits included with this program: Carnival Cruise Line: Faster to the Fun (FTTF). We like to carry a backpack onboard the ship on embarkation day. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. After we completed this check-in procedure, our family sat in the waiting area until it was our turn to board the ship. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Many people here, I think, . A Royal Caribbean employee came over to our large group and checked in each party using her tablet. An intangible benefit to pre-purchasing anything is it saves you time onboard from doing the exact same thing, which means more vacation time back to you. 10 tips to help you improve your cruise vacation. The online check-in process is super simple and consists of filling out personal information among other tasks. When you purchase a drink at a bar, a service at the spa, or almost anything else onboard, there's likely an automatic gratuity included with your bill. The embarkation process is stressful enough without adding in the guy behind you asking you to hurry things up in the most colorful of ways. A. It can feel like torture if you have to wait a long time to board your ship.

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