Going on first cruise next week. No idea really what to expect. Anyone have any last minute pointers? TIA

If you want to see the shows, reserve them now. Same for extra fee dining restaurants.

Go on Cruise Critic

Info overload on all you need to know.

We didn't do Harmony but same class.

All the shows were good, but the aquatheater show was the best, IMO. My son, 2 at the time, talked about the divers for a year plus. Our favorite restaurant was 150 Central Park.

Kids? Ages? With the 2 year old, our first priority was waiting at the kids club to sign up for slots. Older ages were easier to book, but the younger ages filled up and they limited you for number of slots. They opened up more later in the cruise.

It was our first cruise. We enjoyed it way more than we were expecting. We haven't done one since but that's mainly because we now have a 4 month old. I can see us doing a cruise every few years.

Enjoy.

Just wife and I going booked first week of school hoping for less kids on it we shall see. Roatan, costa maya and Cozumel

Those were the same stops we made. Our excursions are likely vastly different than what you'd be looking for with no kids….

"Free" soft serve ice cream on the pool deck!

I hit that thing like 3x a day

Watch the Tour and pointers on Youtube. Things felt easier to grasp when you can see the layout:

For us, it was a mix of participating in the organized sports, activities, karaoke, and shows and just hanging out at a bar/pool/lounging was a good mix.

Costa Maya was cool, right by port theres an area with a pool and bars/restaurants you can hit up and also a little drag area thats right on the beach with shops and restaurants you can take a taxi to. We went diving there but it was pretty underwhelming and should've went in Cozumel.

A lot more to do in Cozumel but there's a few of these "all inclusive" beach and pool clubs you can get a day pass too and its just a taxi ride away. Mr Sanchos and Paradise Beach are some good ones.

Harmony of the Seas departing Galveston on 9/1? If so, maybe keep an eye out for a couple other Aggie Rings!

Look at Amazon and search, "Cruise Ship Essentials" for ideas. I wish we would have had some of the magnetic hooks, hanging toiletry bags and over the door organizer.

aggiebrad94 said:

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Look at Amazon and search, "Cruise Ship Essentials" for ideas. I wish we would have had some of the magnetic hooks, hanging toiletry bags and over the door organizer.

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We did the magnetic hooks and curtains to separate our bed off from the couch area to make it easier for our son to sleep.

They were also useful to hang stuff on the walls. Good call.

If you want to be in dad mode, and have a balcony, bring some binoculars. It's fun to spot far off stuff.

Great idea thanks. Yea I got some hooks. I would have never thought of either one.

I never take a cruise without a folding hamper. I keep it in the closet in my cabin.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MS22P3M?ref=emc_p_m_5_i_atc&th=1

schmendeler said:

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If you want to be in dad mode, and have a balcony, bring some binoculars. It's fun to spot far off stuff.

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Unless your balcony is internally located - then the wife gets mad

"GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY"

Central Park is an overlooked spot if you need to sit and have some quiet time.

I was surprised by the lack of deck chairs facing outward towards the ocean that weren't in the Solarium where there is no breeze. If you head on the top deck towards the Solarium, there's a handful of chairs that you can move and watch the water.

Happy cruising!

Royal Caribbean Blog is your best resource. More than you could ever digest.

Biggest 'can't miss' for me are the Aqua Shows, Wonderland, and the Crazy Quest.

Book on the cruise planner now!

Was curious if anyone recently bought the Deluxe Drink Package and what was the cost? Website wasn't specific, but Google search showed it varied around $110/per day.

I found it on sale for $72 per day and we bought it

You should absolutely by it in the cruise planner before. Sales will get it down to about $70/day

Trivia is fun and the running track on Deck 5 is great if you're a runner. They do Trivia for all ages and can be fun for the whole family. And of course, the Aqua Show was by far the best entertainment. Just hope for non-windy days! We were able to book as soon as we got on ship, but not before unless you pay.

In regards to the drink package, it was pricey. It varies somewhat on your dates, but it was $1,300 (in advance) for just my wife and I. Between being off he ship for basically three full days and buying a couple of cocktails on ship/day, we didn't end up doing it. All of our excursions were all-inclusive so that helped with my buzz!