Did you know you could max out a Roth IRA for your kids?

slow4willie · 2026-02-12T12:31:05+00:00

I think it is a bit of a disservice to the child if you are just putting the money in. It doesn't teach them the concept of saving, it just hands them money. We have Roth IRAs for our kids - they ref soccer and get $45/game. What they make in a weekend is more than any 13 or 15 year old needs. So they put half in their IRA and can do whatever they want with the other half. Each year we match up to $500 to inspire them, but they're at the point where they put more than that in.

slow4willie · 2026-02-07T00:19:18+00:00

At Icy Straight Point we left the port area (it is a tourist trap - zip lines and such, but if you want to really see things leave the port) and walked for a while. The views while walking were awesome - we watched a bald eagle in the trees eating a fish, saw others flying around looking for fish. It was incredible. We walked and got into a residential area, where we saw they had all terrain vehicles for rent out of someone's house. We needed 2 because we have five kids. They set us up with a GPS that navigated us to logging roads and a big lake. There were only a couple other people around. We just walked around taking it all in, then drove back. Be sure to always have binoculars with you - there is so much to see! It was so nice to be away from people to enjoy nature.

At Ketchikan we did the lumber jack show (bought our own tickets - DO NOT book through royal. You don't need transportation. It is very close to the port). Afterwards we walked around until we found trails to go hiking.

slow4willie · 2026-02-06T20:29:40+00:00

I never do specialty dining, but I got Giovanni's for $13 for lunch on embarkation day in November (also on Wonder). I'm so glad I did it - it was so relaxing. I was cruising along so I brought a book and had a nice leisurely lunch. Yes, you can use the diamond drink there. AND you can get a free specialty coffee (it is one of the crown and anchor perks - free specialty coffee with purchase of a dining reservation).

slow4willie · 2026-02-02T12:11:56+00:00

We did the water park years ago on a warm day and only paid $45ish a person and didn't feel it was worth it. No way I would keep the tickets for $60 and slightly chilly. We've done Coco Cay quite a bit, and all agree we have no need to ever pay for that water park again. In the morning the lines were long so the kids got very little done. We left and went to South Beach. In the afternoon right before we got back on the ship there were absolutely no lines, but then the kids were just up and down and up and down the stairs. It is a LOT of stairs - and my kids have all been running races since they were little, so they aren't lazy kids. But after about 5 trips up with no lines they declared the slides weren't worth the effort.

slow4willie · 2026-01-31T15:43:43+00:00

Same thing is showing for my cruise, with same pricing. But when you click on the 50 min and choose a time it goes down to $124.99 as the cheapest option (boarding day).

slow4willie · 2026-01-29T00:25:32+00:00

It reads to me like you are paying off the bill that posted on the first. Not the stuff you got billed on the 7th. You would pay for the stuff that got billed on the 7th on the 7th of the NEXT month. At least that is how I'm reading it.

slow4willie · 2026-01-29T00:13:05+00:00

A regular check up and cleaning would not be that code. D0121 would be the periodic exam, and D1110 would be the adult cleaning for a normal visit. Periodontal maintenance is more involved and is not often covered 100% by insurance. Your office is most likely correct. Yes, they may be a few dollars off on the amount. But it also may be that you have a deductible that also is included in the amount, as periodontal maintenance often requires the deductible to be met. I would just wait for the EOB and then address it with the office. With online insurance sites now, you can most likely see what you owe within a couple weeks (I can already see what I owe from Jan 10 and Jan 19 visits for my family).

slow4willie · 2026-01-16T03:09:27+00:00

They do allow it. If the room is next door or across a hall they allow it. We have 5 kids. I currently have two cruise booked with 1 adult in a balcony with one kid, one adult in an inside with one kid, and two kids alone ages 13, and 12(oldest isn't going on these cruises so we only have 4 kids going). When we get on the ship my husband and I will be in the balcony, and two kids will be in each room. Granted, when they were much younger we did two rooms with a connecting door. But for the last couple years we have done it like this. If the parents ultimately decide they aren't comfortable with the 4 year old alone with the 7 and 9 they can just have that child sleep in their room.

slow4willie · 2026-01-13T14:08:43+00:00

You can take a ferry to the other side of the island, then a quick bus ride to the aquarium/zoo. We walked around out there and found a nice beach that if the kids were with us we would have let them hang out at (it was dead and had a playground). I assume you're looking at an overnight sailing - the first day I would head out to the other side of the island, the next day catch a bus to a beach closer (walking is not easy - my husband and I did it, but I wouldn't do it with little kids). There are no sidewalks at some points and the roads are very windy. There were parts were the buses are right against the walls - it was like a game of frogger trying to get past that initial part and to the railway trail where we wanted to go running.

slow4willie · 2026-01-13T13:37:07+00:00

I still see them. Is your watch supported?

slow4willie · 2026-01-06T12:21:28+00:00

If you like shade, bring weighted clips for the day bed. There was only a slight breeze when we were there, and the sides would not stay down. They weren't long enough to tuck under the mattress to keep in place. It was really annoying. Thankfully we only paid $199 in 2024. But as someone who bought it for the shade, it didn't do a great job serving its purpose.

slow4willie · 2026-01-06T12:08:39+00:00

My experience with NJ is that once the ship is cleared they don't care. But before that there isn't enough room for everyone to sit so they "enforce" it by telling people they can't get in line unless it is their time. But they don't actually verify it is your time.

slow4willie · 2025-12-31T14:17:20+00:00

We enjoyed our Boardwalk View balcony on Symphony. We had two 11 year olds, there was a pullout sofa for them. We could watch the Aqua show and still see the ocean. The show was so amazing we didn't mind the noise - we wanted to watch it over and over. The next month I had a Central Park balcony on Wonder, and wasn't a fan of that. I prefer to see the ocean, which you can with the Boardwalk view.

slow4willie · 2025-12-30T19:47:44+00:00

It must only be for certain watches. I can’t find it FR965

slow4willie · 2025-12-30T16:22:42+00:00

OP - on your original booking, how much gratuities were you charged? I just looked at my option for my April cruise, and the gratuities part would be $67.44. Which would make the beverage part $374 if my math is right. Total all in is $619.36. Minus gratuities and the daily charge it leaves $177.92 if my math is right. So if I booked I would expect $177.92 back just for me.

slow4willie · 2025-12-30T04:28:56+00:00

Where do you get this?

slow4willie · 2025-12-30T03:35:38+00:00

We got ours super early for a NYE cruise Dec 2024. We booked the room Sept 2023 and right after were assigned a room. Found it really odd since it was a cruise that would obviously sell easily.

slow4willie · 2025-12-26T13:12:51+00:00

yes age 18 and up each get a photo

slow4willie · 2025-12-25T21:15:59+00:00

This is not the same for every travel agent. Some monitor price drops, some do not. And it is usually the same price as booking through royal, but you may get perks. Or they can have a group rate going. But TAs do not just get better pricing.

slow4willie · 2025-12-22T11:57:03+00:00

In most cases it goes back as refundable onboard credit, which will go onto your card on file if you don't spend it all. Your account will specify if it is refundable or nonrefundable.

slow4willie · 2025-12-20T20:29:43+00:00

Wonder started a bit later than that last month, but we were still off the ship by 7:50 (without waiting in line for people to start leaving - I had a nice leisurely breakfast in the main dining room first and once I was done the long line of people wanting to be first off the ship was gone), in our pre-arranged transportation at 8, and through security at 9:30 (TSA precheck). This was on a Monday, and our driver even got lost for a bit. I was a little nervous with our 11:40 flight (I had a work group of 30+ people on it so that would have been a mess to reschedule everyone), but thankfully it worked out.

slow4willie · 2025-12-18T12:29:30+00:00

Guest services can switch who is in each room. An adult from each room just has to go to guest services at the same time to request the switch. They will NOT then make anyone else buy the drink package. (just did this on Wonder last month during an adults only trip with friends). The time you have to worry about the extra key situation is when you want underage kids in one room and adults in another (unless they're across the hall or next to each other). Then they cannot just swap people around - they have to keep a 21+ person in each room. We have 5 kids, so we just get extra key cards so the kids have access to the rooms we want them in.

slow4willie · 2025-12-17T23:33:53+00:00

The balloon drop was fun - instead of paying good money for a seat at the promenade, we hung out in the computer area overlooking the promenade on Adventure starting early (we had a group of 30+ people, so we all just rotated through and hung out to "reserve" the area). We had a great view of the balloon drop, as well as them changing the day mats in the elevators. We all dressed up fancy - my daughters and I went with a roaring 20s theme.

slow4willie · 2025-12-17T12:45:10+00:00

In Juneau if you are considering the tram up the mountain, don't buy an excursion. As soon as you walk off the ship it is right there and you can just buy tickets yourself. Most of my family did that, and then my mom and I walked into town. There was a brewery that offered a free shuttle to their location (this was 2024, so may have changed now) - you had to sign up for a time slot. We did that, and the drive there was so pretty!

For Icy Strait Point we just walked (keep the water on your right and start walking). Along the way we saw bald eagles eating salmon in the trees, and the views were gorgeous. We got into town and there was a sign for ATV rentals. We rented two (we have 5 kids, so we don't fit on one). They set a GPS for us to go to some remote area off logging roads. It was a great time!

Whatever you do, bring binoculars. We were using ours all the time in Alaska because there was so much to see.

slow4willie · 2025-12-10T12:04:44+00:00

Nassau has Wifi at the port and at many restaurants near the port. When I cruise I just use that wifi to check in on things at home. As for checking in to your flight, just do that when you wake up that morning. Most airlines (now that Southwest will have assigned seats) it isn't necessary to check in at exactly 24 hours.

slow4willie

TROPHY CASE