Royal Caribbean has no scarcity of enjoyable issues to do on a cruise, and some them I’ve no intention of ever doing once more.
Do not get me improper, most of the time, I discover some actually pleasing issues to strive on a cruise. However similar to something in life, some issues don’t jive with me.
Some are to not my liking, and different plans backfired after giving it a strive. The excellent news, is I’ve since realized from these experiences and wished to share what I got here up in opposition to that will help you resolve what to do in your crusing.
Listed below are the highest issues I’ll by no means do once more on a Royal Caribbean cruise in hopes it might prevent the difficulty as nicely.
Skip shopping for journey insurance coverage
After I first began to cruise, I by no means purchased journey insurance coverage as a result of I assumed it was a waste of cash. Why ought to I spend cash to arrange for a situation that can very doubtless by no means occur?
I used to be in good well being, comparatively younger, and had my very own medical health insurance and coverages offered by bank cards.
It was not till years later once we had been on a cruise and my spouse didn’t really feel nicely, that the choice to not purchase journey insurance coverage got here again to hang-out me. As my spouse lay in mattress feeling terrible, we wrestled with ought to we search onboard medical care that can price us a whole lot of out pocket, or get monetary savings and danger my spouse’s well being.
That selection didn’t sit nicely with me, and so I made a decision to put money into journey insurance coverage from that time ahead.
The peace of thoughts journey insurance coverage gives is value it to know that if one thing unexpected minor or main happens, your first thought won’t be, “can I afford this?”.
Journey insurance coverage doesn’t cowl all the things (be sure you learn the coverage fastidiously), however it’s one thing I’ll by no means cruise with out once more.
Learn extra: Why you should get travel insurance for your cruise
Cruise with out the drink package deal
When Royal Caribbean launched the drink package numerous years in the past, I by no means thought it might make monetary sense to me.
In the end what modified my thoughts is a drink package deal makes it really easy to finances for a cruise.
Considerably just like the journey insurance coverage instance, once I would not have a drink package deal I torment myself mentally with the query of do I want a drink, or can I am going longer and get monetary savings with out it?
I discovered getting a drink package deal lowered that type of psychological anguish, and permits me to do what I like to do on a cruise: calm down and revel in my time onboard.
Furthermore, the comfort of the drink package deal and worth it supplies by together with not simply alcoholic drinks makes it a slam dunk choice going ahead.
By pre-purchasing and taking advantage of drink package sales, I’ve discovered a drink package deal to be a worthwhile funding each time.
Learn extra: Is the drink package worth it on Royal Caribbean?
Skip pre-paying gratuities
The invoice on the finish of the cruise that has all of our onboard prices isn’t one thing I sit up for seeing, and the choice to pre-pay gratuities actually helps preserve these prices down.
Royal Caribbean provides visitors the selection of pre-paying gratuities earlier than the cruise, or having them accrue every night whereas onboard.
I by no means used to thoughts the each day prices, however they add up and I enormously worth the chance to make unfold out the general price of my cruise.
By pre-paying, there are two advantages: I get to keep away from a bigger onboard spending invoice and I additionally lock in my gratuity price. Royal Caribbean guarantees to lock within the gratuity price on the time you pre-pay, which suggests if the cruise line raises the speed later, you continue to pay the decrease quantity.
Learn extra: Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?
Ripcord by iFly
File this beneath “issues Matt personally doesn’t have the expertise to do”.
When Royal Caribbean introduced there can be a sky diving simulator on Quantum of the Seas, I used to be excited to lastly strive sky diving with out having to leap out of an airplane. Actual sky diving is one thing I’ll completely, positively by no means do as a result of it appears totally too scary.
After I sailed on Quantum of the Seas, I had my alternative to see what it was like in a protected atmosphere. I used to be so excited that I even volunteered to go first in my group.
Sadly, I failed miserably at it and someway ended up inverted and on the underside, and I used to be as disenchanted in myself as I used to be embarrassed.
Whereas I’ve many skills, coordination is just not certainly one of them, and I’ve written off Ripcord by iFly as a kind of “been there, accomplished that” experiences.
I might by no means inform another person to not do it. I simply know I can’t be with them in line for it.
Plan to be the primary particular person off the ship when the cruise is over
It appears simple sufficient when planning a cruise to squeeze it in by making certain I can be among the many first off the ship to make a flight house, or drive again in time to get to work.
The truth is getting up early sufficient to be among the many first off the ship is something however pleasing.
Not solely is waking up early disagreeable, a whole lot of different individuals have the very same thought. You continue to find yourself standing in a line to disembark the ship, and it at all times appears it doesn’t matter what early time I get out of my room to get in that line, there are at all times far more individuals ready earlier than me than I count on.
On prime of all of that, I find yourself groggy and drained for the remainder of the day, with a nap later within the day to recuperate.
As an alternative, I attempt to make plans that don’t require me to be off the ship fairly so early (when attainable) to keep away from making the final morning fairly so depressing.
Keep in the identical cabin as my youngsters
I realized this lesson at an early stage with my youngsters: I like them, however I don’t love sleeping in the identical room as them.
Identical to at house, my youngsters have totally different sleeping habits than I do, and I favor them go to mattress at a sure time is not essentially the identical time as me.
As well as, having 4 of us in a single room is normally a good match. There are many cabins for 4 individuals, however there’s not normally a whole lot of area. Rooms that do have extra dwelling area for a household of 4 are typically suites, and people costs don’t slot in our finances.
As an alternative, we guide two connecting rooms in order that we’ve a typical inside door between my spouse and I and the children. This fashion, the children have their very own area, their very own beds, and their very own sleep schedule. We flip off the lights, want them an excellent evening and shut the frequent door.
Furthermore, two rooms means two full bogs. As my daughters become older, this funding is value each penny.
Getting two rooms is just not as costly because it sounds, and even when we’ve to maneuver down from a balcony for 4 individuals to 2 inside connecting rooms, the added area is value it each time.
Learn extra: Royal Caribbean adds connecting room feature to website search
Attempt to “wing it” in St. Thomas
I’ve typically had good luck in ports with strolling off the ship and figuring issues out as I am going, however St. Thomas lately grew to become the exception to that rule.
Because of the location of the place your ship docks, a taxi is a must have and if you wish to go someplace most others don’t, getting a taxi grew to become an train in futility.
On a cruise in 2019, I wished to go to part of St. Thomas no different cruise visitors wished to go. The taxi drivers had been unwilling to take me as a result of they may make more cash going to increased demand vacationer areas.
The end result was I deserted my plans to go there, and sooner or later, I’ll make preparations forward of time to keep away from this challenge.
Learn extra: Guide to visiting St. John on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Sleep in when visiting Good Day at CocoCay
In the event you suppose Royal Caribbean’s personal island is one other seaside day that you may sleep in earlier than going, suppose once more.
Good Day at CocoCay is a tremendous vacation spot that gives a lot now, and the most effective technique for getting a fantastic spot and keep away from strains is to get up and get off the ship early.
If you’re visiting the water park, being among the many first off the ship is an absolute must-do in an effort to keep away from strains for slides later.
Being off the ship early additionally lets you decide the most effective spots close to the pool, seaside, or bar. That is particularly necessary at Oasis Lagoon.
Learn extra: Do’s & Don’ts of Perfect Day at CocoCay
Not convey money with me to personal islands
Labadee and CocoCay are Royal Caribbean’s personal islands and the cruise line lets you use your SeaPass card to pay for drinks, excursions and different incidentals.
Nevertheless, the individuals engaged on the island that aren’t cruise line workers can’t take fee with a SeaPass card.
Just a few occasions I fully forgot to convey any money, because it was a cruise line vacation spot, and ended up having to return to the ship to get money for suggestions.
You will see locals working sure excursions, cabana attendants, tram drivers and extra. Tipping is customary in some conditions, so having somewhat bit of money is a must-do any longer.
What about you?
As you possibly can inform, this record may be very subjective to my experiences and I’m prepared to guess many others have their very own set of “by no means once more” issues.
On the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards, our readers shared a few of their prime picks for issues they are going to by no means do once more on a cruise:
- Promote professional lecture – Traveler
- Stroll to a seaside – melmar02
- Take the cruise line shuttle to the airport as an alternative of a taxi – dawnelda
- Snorkeling in Alaska – wstephensi
- Pay cruise line costs for medicine – Psycho and Barb
- Get off the ship with out a porter – coneyraven
You’ll want to share your individual experiences within the feedback under!
