7 Things to Book PRIOR to Boarding Your Royal Caribbean Cruise

Once your cruise is booked, it is time to start looking at what should be reserved and/or purchased prior to the cruise. Here are the top 7 things to consider booking before you get on the cruise ship.

7 – Onboard Activities This varies depending on what ship you are on, but if you want to experience the escape room, have a private RipCord by iFLY session, rent daybed/cabana, etc – do this ahead of time via the Royal Caribbean app or via Cruise Planner. 6 – Internet Packages Check with your phone carrier first to see if your plan covers for both your sea days and when you are at port. If they do not, you can purchase Voom which is Royal Caribbean’s internet package. The exact packages vary depending on the cruise ship, itinerary, and date.

5 – Food and Drinks Specialty dining and drink packages should also be booked in advanced. Why? It is usually more cost effective then waiting until you are onboard – plus if you want a specialty dining reservation the best times and days tend to sell out. Keep an eye out for Cruise Planner sales as well. There are usually sales on both specialty dining and drink packages in the months leading up to the cruise date. Just a note, there are a lot of specialty dining options to choose from. One of the many advantages of working with Markwood Magic is that we will recommend which restaurants are the best for your traveling party to book. These recommendations do change based on who is in the traveling party, if there are special occasions, or if it is a family verses a group.  

4 – Excursions Picking the right excursion can make or break your cruise. While there are excursions offered on the cruise line, Markwood Magic has preferred tour operators for private and small group options. Click here to read about the four excursion options you have for each port of call. The best excursions do fill up fast, and should be booked soon after they are open to not only guarantee you can do the cruise best for you and your traveling party, but also at the desired time.

3 – Entertainment

The onboard entertainment with Royal Caribbean is fantastic and should be booked as soon as possible. Guests who book with Markwood Magic get reminders of when the entertainment window opens and suggestions on how to see their favorite show twice in one cruise.   2 – Spa Treatments Spa appointments will book up first for days at seas and days where there is a formal night.  Pro tip: If you tour the spa on the first day of the cruise there may be a raffle for spa treatment drawings. It does NOT happen every cruise but might be worth checking out.

1 – Check in Time Complete the check in as soon as possible. Not only does it make the day of arrival easier, but the earlier you check in, the better chance you have of getting an early check in time. The earlier check in time allows you to start exploring the ship and enjoying the amenities onboard before other guests.

When you are ready to plan your next cruise vacation, schedule a consultation below.