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Not sure you want to sail on a megaship with 6,000 people but still want a vessel with a good amount of features and activities? The good news for those of you worried about excessive crowds is that, as is the case with the Icon Class ships, the Oasis Class ships don't necessarily feel as crowded as they are. Royal Caribbean designed them with a "neighborhood" concept that spreads passengers out in seven or eight (depending on the ship) distinct areas, such as the Pool and Sports Zone and the Boardwalk amusement zone. A lot of thought went into how passengers move between these neighborhoods, too.
If you booked through a travel agent / agency:
If you can find a knowledgeable and well-respected travel agent, they can be a valuable asset in assisting you throughout the process. This is especially true when there's a problem, such as if the cruise line changes or cancels a sailing, there is a mistake made by the cruise line, or some other unforeseen issue. The really good agents step up and act on their clients behalf to rectify the situation and make things right. Royal Caribbean pays travel agents a commission, so there's no direct cost to you for using an agency. Some agencies elect to charge fees for their services, but that's on a case-by-case basis.
GREAT CRUISES NEAR ME
Demand for Royal Caribbean cruises is so hot, there's less cabins to book than ever before - Royal Caribbean Blog
Demand for Royal Caribbean cruises is so hot, there's less cabins to book than ever before.
Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
During the evenings, there is an official dress code, but it only applies to passengers entering the main dining room. On any given night, one of three dress codes will apply — casual, smart casual or formal. Royal Caribbean has one of the most extensive children's programs at sea, with programs and activities for children as young as 6 months old through the age of 17. It also can be booked for special events, such as weddings, for a charge. On Oasis Class ships, there's also an outdoor Boardwalk area with a hand-carved carousel. On the new Icon Class ships, the Boardwalk area is replaced with a watery play zone for younger kids called Surfside.
What Is the Phone Number for Royal Caribbean Group Travel Agent?
Royal Caribbean offers a WiFi internet access on its ships, known as Voom, which allows you to browse the internet. Depending on which option you use to book, you could end up with bonus onboard credit or extras. Any third party you select will also require them to be your gobetween or any cancellations or changes to your reservation. No matter how you choose to book a cruise, before you commit to the reservation, there are a few important questions to ask.
For dinner in the main dining room, you must sign up for either My Time Dining, which is where you go whenever you want, or Traditional Dining, where you have a fixed table and time for dinner. While not necessarily the focus at Royal Caribbean, these smaller ships, which in general are the line's older ships, allow it to offer itineraries to places that aren't as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of Wonder of the Seas. Five of the these six giant ships, all similar in design, are part of what's known as the Oasis Class — a hugely popular series of massive megaships that began debuting in 2009 and have changed the face of cruising. A sixth Oasis Class ship — Utopia of the Seas — is scheduled to join the fleet later this year, and the line recently ordered a seventh vessel in the series that'll be ready in 2028.
What to ask before you book a cruise
Indeed, the top decks of Freedom Class ships are more loaded with attractions than any other Royal Caribbean vessels except the Icon Class and Oasis Class vessels. You just won't find several of the most over-the-top attractions, such as zip lines, that Icon Class and Oasis Class ships have. Each Radiance Class ship holds more than 2,100 passengers at double occupancy (plus a few hundred more with every berth filled). That's less than half the number of passengers on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships. Only one ship in this series (Icon of the Seas) is currently operating, but the second vessel in the series (Star of the Seas) is already open for bookings.
This includes being able to make payments, book shore excursions and other add-ons. We tested the connection while visiting the island and had the same positive impression as we did following the full implementation of the Starlink service. Speeds were blazing fast, even with two ships in port during the day. While there was some variance, they were generally in the Mbps range. One perk of the VOOM service is that Royal Caribbean has setup service to where you can connect while on their private island, CocoCay.
We had issues accessing websites and the service seemed to come and go. In fact, we had a similar issue during a morning storm later on in the cruise. There were also other times here and there that the connection seemed to be hit or miss for short spurts.
How to Make the Most of a 3 Day Cruise
We've gone back and forth due to my indecisiveness but that's on me. There's nothing holding you to MEI, and Matt won't be offended if you find a different agency / agent meets your needs better. Judy, if the specific TA from MEI isn't working out for you as far as responsiveness or level of service that you are looking for, you can always request another. MEI has many agents, and I'm sure you can find one who is more to your liking. Just call their general number, let the rep know what issues you have with your current agent and what exactly you're looking for, and they should be able to find you a better match. My hat's off to @Sweety, @Sabrinaklai, and @Boston Babe's husband!
The line's five Quantum Class vessels have a much smaller version of the Royal Promenade called the Royal Esplanade that transitions into another indoor area called The Via. Some of the extra-charge eateries come with a flat fee, usually around $35 to $50 per person, not including the cost of drinks. There are full-blown Starbucks cafes on some ships or at least a Starbucks stand. Other included-in-the-fare offerings found on some ships include Sorrento's pizza parlors, the Mediterranean cuisine-themed Solarium Bistro and the coffee bar Cafe Promenade. Royal Caribbean sails almost everywhere in the world, but its heaviest presence is in the Caribbean and Europe. In a typical summer, the line will deploy about half its ships on sailings to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda while sending another seven or eight ships to Europe.
Where hotels and flights are looked at as simpler to book directly with the provider, cruise ships aren't as clear cut a choice. That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises. In general, Royal Caribbean's big, resort-like Icon Class, Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships will be more expensive than the line's older, smaller vessels (Icon Class ships are particularly pricey). However, there are a lot of factors that go into pricing for any given cruise, including the popularity of the specific itinerary, the time of year when the cruise is taking place and changing demand trends. In addition, every ship has a least one — and sometimes many — extra-charge eateries.
There are so many choices, as you'll have to pick a ship and sail date, and then narrow down your search to a particular category. Those three choices alone can be daunting, and you'll have to navigate hundreds of possibilities. This freedom in picking a direction and potentially settling on a choice is the greatest weakness with this method for someone that is brand new to cruising. Lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits.
The bottom line is, using your cell phone on a Royal Caribbean ship while roaming can get very expensive, very quickly. Some sites stand out for just how much you can get back in booking incentives, as well being convenient with the total vacation planning process. While the base fares should be the same no matter where you book, group rates are a special way to get even lower rates. Group rates are hit or miss, so there's no way to really know what they are until you start looking around.
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