(This post may contain affiliate links. Exclusive a la carte breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on . The boarding process for the 1/8 Adventure of the Seas cruise to the S. Caribbean was horrible. In short, to save time and money, use a good travel agent. (+1 345) 244 2431. Keep in mind that other factors may effect your boarding time. I pack my kids undergarments for them to put on after they swim. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. What food is included with your Royal Caribbean cruise? The Online Check-in Process is a 4 step process and Royal Caribbean will walk you through it step by step. Try to get on the ship as soon as you can (in other words, get inline at the port early or get to the airport to the Royal Caribbean desk early to get the first transfer to the pier). All rights reserved. NATURI A sound installation and performance for young audiences from 18 months up to physical or psychomotor skills of 4 years!. Follow along on this incredible voyage! Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Like what you see? (Make sure you watched and marked off the Safety video in the app the morning of your cruise.). Depending on your disembarkation time and port, the time needed to arrive at the airport will vary. Just turn airplane mode once you get onboard the ship. 2023 Mom's Plan-it Vacation Blog - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior Suites, Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips), Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023), Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check In. Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage. Holland American Line: Mariner Society . 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. 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 . So many aspects of the cruise experience, from saving money to saving time, can be greatly improved if you embrace the idea of doing it all early. Before the cruise, guests may change the show/ti. So the best way to learn about what is offered on your cruise is to check out a past Cruise Compass. Exclusive access to time slots for rock climbing, FlowRider etc. Check-in opens up 45 days before your cruise begins. Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure manifests at least 60 minutes prior to sailing, guests are requested to complete Check-in no later than 3 days prior to their cruise. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things. Your fellow guests won't notice you wore that pair of jeans or dress from night two. Search Multiple Sites at Once In that case, keep in mind the luggage tags you will be provided with can be swapped out at Guest Services for a luggage tag with an earlier disembarkation time. When you get the terminal, be sure to tell the pier agent you are staying in a suite so you can be directed to the right place. Laundry costs extra, but it may save you money compared to paying to check an extra bag at the airport. Norwegians priority program offers everything from faster embarkation to quicker tendering, and even a faster debarkation process. Readers share: Whats the best piece of cruise advice you have ever received? Because so many guests are just getting onboard and acclimated to the new ship, many guests are unaware of where the headline attractions are or that they are open on embarkation day. Be the first to write a review! Since 2021, Royal Caribbean has mostly been enforcing check-in times, so it's important to get a good time as early as you can. You should always check with the cruise line to see what is not allowed on their ships. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. One of the best ways to stay informed with what's happening on your sailing is to join a roll call for your sailing. The earliest that guests can board a cruise is between 4-5 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail away. 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. The price for The Key varies by sailing, but prices start at $25 per guest for each day of the cruise. Keep in mind the differences between Royal Caribbean's shore excursions and third party shore excursions. Easier said than done, but you probably won't need all the clothes, shoes, and outfits you think you might need on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The benefits wont always be the same, and you have to fill out a form and wait for approval. Whether it is a show, a ride on North Star or the tenders to CocoCay, the absolute key to avoiding waiting in any semblance of a line is to arrive before these activities are scheduled to open/operate/perform. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. Club Orange by Holland America Line offers passengers priority access to exclusive perks and amenities, including priority check-in, stateroom upgrades, and an intimate dining venue on select ships. How to Get on Your Cruise Ship As Early as Possible: 7 We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. For lunch and dinner, you can find a rotating set of options that include pasta, stir-fry, crepes and more. This was a huge relief from the typical check-in desk with long check-in lines we have experienced in the past. #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. This didnt take long at all, and our whole group was onboard the ship shortly after 11:00. And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore. When should I arrive at the cruise port terminal? | Royal Caribbean Cruises The Key is an optional add-on you can purchase to get VIP benefits, including an early check-in time. What's the Earliest You Should Schedule a Flight After a Cruise? Youll also find a free printable cruise packing list! By enabling airplane mode, your phone is incapable of using its cellular antenna. Royal Caribbean has The Key, Carnival has Faster to the Fun, and Norwegian has the Priority Access Pass. While Royal Caribbean maintains a core experience across all ships, each vessel has its own list of amenities and activities, and even ships within the same Royal Caribbean ship class can vary. If you're reading this at home, you're still better off booking a cruise now, rather than waiting to book onboard your ship. So, continue reading below to find out everything you need to know about how to get an early boarding time on Royal Caribbean, so you can get started on your vacation as soon as possible! Possible pranks include attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed. That is a question for Royal Caribbean. Once we walked to the entrance of Terminal Building A, we saw two separate lines: a LONG line on the left and a short line on the right. Here are my tips for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner. Keep in mind that travel agents are paid by Royal Caribbean, so there is no additional cost to you to use their services. Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. These programs often offer other perks as well that are usually only reserved for suite passengers. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! This is not only a great opportunity for your kids to become familiar with the kids club, but also save time later so all you have to do when the club opens up is drop them off and be done. The concept is simple: pay a few bucks and skip the lines. 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. But if you opt to drag your suitcases all through the terminal and onto the ship youre just slowing down the entire process. While making a mistake is bound to happen, we can learn from, The proverb, "experience is the best teacher" is a famous proverb ofJulius Caesar, and it applies to so many aspects, While I can't come up with a formula for the perfect cruise for every single person, I can suggest some easy ways to. In this post, we will walk you through the whole embarkation process so that youre prepared for your first day on board. The Windjammer is the go-to spot for most when they get onboard their Royal Caribbean ship for lunch, but there are good alternatives that are less crowded. You may also want to pack a dinner outfit, especially if you . Did you know Royal Caribbean offers extra onboard credit if you own at least a certain amount of Royal Caribbean Group stock? In order to avoid having your phone try to use its cellular connection, all modern phones have an ability to turn off its cellular signal by enabling something called, "airplane mode.". When you complete online check-in, you will be assigned a check-in time. The FCC . 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. 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. By pre-purchasing certain items, you can pay off parts of the cruise months or years in advance, allowing you to reduce the cruise bill at the conclusion of your cruise. Boarding Time Adjustments for Royal Caribbean Ship Heres what The Key is (and why some cruisers like it), Royal Caribbean testing expedited boarding, Video: Mistakes to avoid on the first day of your cruise, What to expect on embarkation day on a Royal Caribbean cruise, The best spot for sailaway on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship. But how early can you board the cruise ship? (Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas). Peak dinner time is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm, so if you plan to dine during these times, reservations are so important. At 11:00, crew members instructed all of the suite guests to form a line. Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! A number of factors affect when you can embark a cruise ship. For instance, with Royal Caribbeans app you can simply pick your check-in time, add some basic information and come back later to complete the rest. You can view all the shore excursions available by logging into Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner and browsing the shore excursions by port. We know youre eager to arrive at the cruise port for your Royal Caribbean cruise. The benefit of doing this is you get to "meet" other people on your sailing, which may result in new friendships, or saving money on a shore excursion or other activity that has a group discount. In addition to the non-alcoholic beverages, you can also bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom. And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. 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. Did you know if one adult elects to buy the unlimited alcohol package, all other adults in the same room have to get it too? Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? Porters are available to assist with your luggage. This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's wifi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill. Freshly cooked food is always the best, and there are cooking stations available in the Windjammer that serve up some really tasty options. In that post, we provide tips for staying organized and packing for your trip. 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. Royal Caribbean asks its guests to arrive within their check-in window to avoid crowding in the terminal. When I tried to check in for my May 2022 cruise, this step was the only glitchy part of the whole process. Additionally, a cruise vacation, like any other type of travel, poses a risk for trip interruption, delays, and other unexpected issues. Our rooms then opened up at around 1:00 that afternoon. Did you know that Johnny Rockets is complimentary for breakfast on Oasis Class ships? 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. Search Now Venue: The Artground Date: 4 - 12 Mar 2023 Fee: $18 per pax (Weekday), $20 per pax (Weekend). 90% refund of cruise credits if you Cancel for Any Reason. Can I Get Off a Cruise Early in Another Port? (Partial Cruises) Royal Caribbean. Passengers who booked by March 31, 2022, for cruises departing on or before Sept. 30, 2022, are protected by Royal Caribbean's Cruise With Confidence policy, which entitles them to 100% of the cruise fare paid in the form of FCC if they cancel for any reason. The biggest key is being prepared and knowing when you should or shouldnt pay extra to get on board faster. 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. When you make purchases onboard your cruise, at the end of the cruise you get a final bill with all of the charges tallied up. Quick tip: You should always keep one bag with you. The total cost of my cruise for two guests, including gratuities, taxes, and fees, was $1656. Welcome aboard! Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time! (He was right!) Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. Unsubscribe whenever you want. The open house is when you can go to meet the staff, register your kids, and ask any questions. [Subscribe fo. Our driver dropped us off with the porters at the terminal who checked that all of our bags held luggage tags, which we had printed from our online account. The Windjammer on Radiance and Quantum class ships offers an area at the rear of the ship to enjoy any meal with a fantastic view of the ship's wake. Theirservices are complimentary, although a tip is expected for their trouble. Read more: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on a cruise. For some folks, that may sound like lunacy to plan a vacation up to two years in advance, but the fact of the matter is employing this strategy is the key to getting a really great price. . If you'd like to arrive at that time, go right ahead! Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Serenade April 2- How early can u really board? - Royal Caribbean When we say "early", it essentially means as early as you can. Here are some of the benefits included with this program: Carnival Cruise Line: Faster to the Fun (FTTF). Each excursion will list the price, details of the activity and any physical or age restrictions. Changing one guest name - Royal Caribbean - Cruises Forum Sounds great, right? So, how do you secure an early arrival time so that you can board the ship as soon as possible? Since the online check-in time usually opens up at midnight (EST) 45 days before your cruise, youll want to login at this time.