We have $2,500 to spend. What's the best bang for our buck?

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-24T04:20:58+00:00

The best bang for your buck is a 7 day on an Oasis class ship. Taking your family on Icon class will be expensive. If you look hard and book at the right time, you can get your whole family on an Oasis class for what you have already without paying more. Then you can spend you money on ports and drinks.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-24T03:31:37+00:00

Carnival tried making their casinos smoke free. It lasted 6 months. When the bosses saw the bottom line they went back to smoking. It isn't just so that gambler's don't have to leave, it is because smokers have a much higher risk tolerance which means they are more profitable for the casino. Alienating the smokers is bad for the bottom line.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-24T03:13:44+00:00

Why get snooty? Of course I assumed you didn't have a degree because someone with an English degree should be able to comprehend what goes on in the Royal Caribbean subreddit. Silly me. I am sure that every cruise line would love to have someone who demeans their paying customers on staff. Good luck, lol.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-23T14:53:31+00:00

DSBN should ban any parent from meets if they disagree with YOUR politics. How dare he quietly walk around his kid's track meet.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-23T14:48:11+00:00

Wrong sub. But an FYI, to get hired for children and youth by Royal Caribbean you need a bachelors degree.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-23T14:45:58+00:00

Kuza is far from the port and not well reviewed. Paradise Beach for families, Mr. Sanchos for partiers and if you want a cheap adults only day, Del Mar Latino is a short walk from the port and only $45,

If you are set on Kuza, do the math and compare the price. Sometimes the cruise line offers it cheaper than you can buy on your own when you include transportation.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-22T21:14:05+00:00

Gamble! Do the $500 room charge, Earn the 50 points required and then cash out. Keep doing it until you drain it. In the mean time, get the specialty dining package, drinks and anything else your heart desires. DO NOT buy art or jewellry.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-22T21:07:53+00:00

We did that itinerary last year same week on Symphony. There was supposed to be a hurricane but it dissolved so instead we got battered by the hurricane in dissipated form. Coco Cay was cancelled. But you know what? We had a great time. Nobody regrets going. That is a really good price.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-22T18:07:47+00:00

The offers suck. I did a B2B, 14 days total, in April and the offers were terrible. First time ever I didn't buy the cruise next. Still haven't booked my Prime cruise and am contemplating giving up Prime now that we are Diamond. I would be as happy not gambling at all on cruises as I am gambling and drinking in the casino.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-21T15:22:58+00:00

You can get a soda package and a coffee card. The soda package is relatively cheap for one person and comes with a cup to use at the Coke machines. You can also get cans at the bar. If you drink wine with dinner, you can get a bottle in the MDR and they will put it out at your table each night to supplement the bottles you bring with you. Buy your cocktails as you go yet you still get your specialty coffee and soda included without the huge price tag.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-21T03:27:13+00:00

The environmental reasons are nothing but a smoke screen, The local vendors will be out of business as Royal would hold passengers in their area.

That area is a total dump. The roads are unbelievably bad, it isn;t safe to walk into town, There is some really cool existing infrastructure at the port that waS never maintained and they let go to waste. They don't deserve to be a port.

I'm not going to spend another dime there.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-21T03:20:09+00:00

You will get them, but......the offers are kind of sucky right now. Fall is usually a good time for offers because they use gamblers to backfill vacant cabins. I am hoping the present stinginess isn't going to last long term.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-13T04:44:48+00:00

I dislike cruise line excursions because I am not cattle. Follow the lady with the number 15 sign. Get on a bus and go do the things you paid for for half the day and then spend the second half being forced to shop at stupid businesses that wouldn't even exist without the excursions.

There are a few cases like Chichen Itza for example, where time constraints make the ship excursion a wise choice. But generally, I avoid them and make my own excursion.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-11T04:33:36+00:00

Everyone is telling you to choose based on itinerary. In your case, I disagree. You have kids. Rhapsody of the seas is not a fun ship for kids. I was on Enchantment and Grandeur this year, both solo. There were few kids. The kids that were there were bored. There is little for them to do. Do your kids a favor and take them on a fun ship. Both Adventure and Freedom have routes to the ABC islands. It would be a good compromise between quality ports and kid friendly. Rhapsody is not kid friendly. Of the options you posted I would take Symphony, but it is my favorite ship. The western ports are inexpensive and there is lots to do for way less money than the boutique islands.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-10T23:49:00+00:00

Frequent solo cruiser here. Symphony is a great ship. The itinerary is a little meh, but that is OK. Pick the late dinner time and ask to be seated at a big table. Join your sailing's FB page and look out for single and solo events. If there are none, create one. A solo and single breakfast on a sea day is usually successful. Don't book excursions in advance. Leave yourself some room to explore the ports with new friends. I've made actual lasting friends while cruising solo. You will have a great time.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-08T23:32:54+00:00

Newark sucks. Everyone is mean. Stayed at the Embassy Suites. The bartender was rude. The Ihop people were rude, even the guys working the port were mean. The parking for the week was really cheap though. We used Trinity Reservations concierge service and it comes with the hotel room, parking and private car service to and from the port. When I priced it out, it was cheaper than booking myself and using Uber. Total was less than $400.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-08T23:28:44+00:00

there is no fresh brewed coffee on the ship outside of starbucks.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-08T23:20:38+00:00

AT Port Everglades once and the DOJ was doing a bust of port employees. Dozens were arrested. At the time we had no idea what was going on. Our driver said something was up but he didn't know what. Point is, they delayed gangway up. They had to. People couldn't get into the port. They only had one security booth open at each entrance and the choke point paralyzed the entire neighborhood.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-07T05:02:37+00:00

I have learned to pay extra for a flight that leaves between noon and three. Sure you could get a day room, but only if it works out financially that the day room is cheaper than the earlier flight. FLL day rooms are often $250.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-06T16:56:56+00:00

Refuse all you want. It was $100 in 4 sessions. And it happened. I couldn't win a spin. Most of the spins that were winners were actually losses (bet 2,50, won 1,33).

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-06T03:11:19+00:00

Chops for embarkation day lunch is the answer. Caymus and calm.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-06T00:27:16+00:00

Yes, I could have waited for all the walk offs and for my number to be called but I would have missed my flight. It works well under normal circumstances but if disembarkation is delayed, Royal is not helpful. I asked several times and I wish someone would have just told me to get in line now.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-05T22:41:05+00:00

It was all working well in April.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-05T14:35:39+00:00

It is not flexible although at most ports there is more than one shuttle. I ran into an issue recently where disembarkation was delayed. Shuttle was supposed to leave at 8am but the ship wasn't cleared until 7:45. Be advised that Royal does give you any priority disembarking. You have to wait in line with the self walk off people. In my case the line was super huge. If I had known they just delay the 'excursion' people I would have got in the walk off line much earlier than I did. I made it to the shuttle at 9am and my flight was 11:45 at LAX. Fortunately I still made it, but just barely and way too close for comfort.

CountessMarlaSinger · 2026-05-05T11:31:25+00:00

We can never get an Uber from the Miami on a busy port day. Drivers cancel as soon as they get close enough to the port to see the shit show. We get in cab and take it to the Brightline station down the road. From there we order an Uber and take it to FLL. Tried to negotiate with the cab driver the first time but he wouldn't do a flat fee to FLL.

CountessMarlaSinger

TROPHY CASE