mevelandry
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2013
You can add me to the roll call for September 16, 2018- 7 day Caribbean on Allure. This will be my first RCI cruise and my first child-free cruise so I'm excited to try something new!
Done!
You can add me to the roll call for September 16, 2018- 7 day Caribbean on Allure. This will be my first RCI cruise and my first child-free cruise so I'm excited to try something new!
Specialty Restaurants:
Johnny Rockets - at sea branch of the American burger chain. Depending on the ship, you either pay a la carte or a fixed fee. Burgers are cooked on a flattop. Per the RC Blog, shakes are rumoured to be included in the beverage package.
We are currently on the Oasis. On the 1st day of our cruise Johnny Rockets told us that we could get free shakes with both the Refreshment drink package and Deluxe drink package. The 2nd cruise day they said there was a misunderstanding — only the deluxe plan included shakes. If you have the Refreshment package you have to buy a meal to get a free shake. The 3rd day we were told that even if you have the deluxe plan you have to buy a meal to get a free shake. We pulled up Royal’s website which said they were included on the deluxe plan and went to Guest Services to find out what the deal was. They said they were included, and they called JR’s in front of us. JRs told them they changed their policy. I nicely told the man at Guest Services that they should change the info on their site, and he agreed. We are having a fabulous time otherwise!!! It’s going to be hard to leave tomorrow. Let me know if I can answer any questions!
You can add us the roll call, too. I just booked our very first ever cruise on Brilliance of the Sea! We're on the Oct 29 5 day sailing.
It depends on the ship. On Anthem, the escape room was free. Anthem also has IFly and NorthStar for free.Other complimentary activities:
Laser tag on select ships (I think Indy, Mariner and Symphony)
Sky Pad (virtual reality trampolines) (Indy and Mariner)
Then for a fee there's the escape rooms.
Other 'shows' throughout the cruise include:
Parades (tend to be different themes on different ship)
Flag parade or nations
70's, 80's, 90's and Rock Britannia street parties.
It depends on the ship. On Anthem, the escape room was free. Anthem also has IFly and NorthStar for free.
Denise
Adventure Ocean:
Is split into three age groups as already stated. On smaller ships and during port days on the majority of ships the 6-8 and 9-11 age groups are combined.
There are three different sessions every day that have different themes: a different science and craft and games every session. They run at 9-12, 2-5, and 7-10. Kids can come and go as they please throughout the session and unlike DCL they are strict with their ratio and will stop sign ins once capacity is reached.
During port days advenure ocean will be open all day and any kids will be taken for lunch in the windjammer and have movie time in the break between morning and afternoon session. If there are a small number of kids they may go for a walk around the ship and get ice cream too...
There is also the option for kids to stay for dinner on certain days where they get taken for dinner in the windjammer in the break between afternoon and evening session. Unlike port day lunches kids have to be pre signed up for dinner and it normally only happens on certain days but can vary ship to ship. Normally it's formal nights and days that the ship leaves port late. However some ships offer this every night.
Unlike dcl staterooms do not have wave/dect phones. Nursery kids will always get given a phone/pager at check in, as will 3 year olds and kids with additional needs when there is availability.
After 10pm kids can stay up till 2am, but there is a charge of $7 a child an hour. This is called late night party zone.
On a sea day there are 2 family activities offered and on port days there is one.
Technically any child can be a self signer, meaning they can sign themselves in and out of adventure ocean, but staff may only advertise/suggest for the voyagers (9-11) age group. Older siblings can sign out younger ones. However, when the ship is docked someone over the age of 18 has to drop off and pick up kids from advenure ocean. As soon as the ship is moving again then anyone (authorised) can sign in and out again.
Great thread. Please add us to the roll call. We are on Allure for the Halloween Cruise on 10/28.
Would love more info on the specialty restaurants as we bought the ultimate dining package.
Here's the thing - you will compare a lot of things to DCL. If you've only done DCL, how could you not? After all, you have no other frame of reference. And whether you end up thinking DCL is better or not, remember this one thing - you're still on a cruise, still on vacation. There are plenty worse places to be.This is our first RCCL cruise only have done DCL. I’m worrying it won’t measure up. We are going with another couple that aren’t Disney fanatics like us. I really don’t want to compare everything to DCL
Here's the thing - you will compare a lot of things to DCL. If you've only done DCL, how could you not? After all, you have no other frame of reference. And whether you end up thinking DCL is better or not, remember this one thing - you're still on a cruise, still on vacation. There are plenty worse places to be.[/QUOTE]
This is my Philosophy going into it. I have done 3 Carnival Cruises and been on the DCL once on the dream. I have not had a bad cruise yet. Even when they cancelled 2 of our islands on one of our Carnival itineraries due to a Hurricane we still had an amazing time. I'm excited to try RCCL and see what they have to offer. I'm hoping my kids like it as well because if I can't find a cruise for 2020 on DCL I will be doing RCCL again or trying Norwegian.