FAQs/RCCL
Frequently Asked Questions
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Royal Caribbean evaluates prices every day for every unsold cabin based on days remaining until sailing, number of cabins remaining in each category, and buying trends. Their goal is to sell the maximum number of cabins for the maximum amount of profit. That means sometimes prices can drop, but when demand is heavy, rates on the most popular categories go up.
We reserve blocks of staterooms 1-2 years in advance and negotiate rates, options, amenities, group services, and conference room logistics. These rates are locked in and are exempt from daily changes.
However, our group discounts are limited in number and specifically in place to encourage "early bird" reservations. They expire without warning 3-6 months before sailing. When our group rates are gone, ALL FARES BECOME SUBJECT TO THE CRUISE LINE DAILY FARE ADJUSTMENTS. During this time, we access all promotions and discounts to match or beat the posted fares.
Generally, the earlier you book, the cheaper the fare. Currently we are not seeing cheap "last minute" fares. Most ships are booked 100% capacity months in advance, so don't be surprised if the fare you see today is higher tomorrow, or the stateroom category is sold out.
INCLUDED
- Stateroom with daily service from a Cabin Steward
- Gov't taxes and port fees
- Complimentary food and beverages:
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- Main Dining Room - 3-course menu offered each evening
- International Buffet
- Solarium Breakfast Buffet
- Cafes & Food Vendors
- Pizza, Ice Cream, Dessert, Sandwich, Taco shops
- Beverages - Juice, Coffee, Tea, Milk, Water stations throughout the ship
- Room Service (Complimentary Menu, Fee for Delivery)
- Live entertainment - FREE. Some shows require reservations through the RCCL mobile app
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- Theater productions
- Ice shows
- Aqua shows
- Live music
- Comedy Club
NOT INCLUDED
- Specialty Dining Restaurants - available on the mobile app
- Alcohol, soda, bottled water - available on the mobile app
- Starbucks - Available on the mobile app
- Tips & Gratuities
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- The cruise line will add a Service Charge (Tips & Gratuities) each day for each passenger, usually $18-$20 / person / day. These charges vary according to your cabin category and will accumulate daily during the cruise.
- Internet - available on the mobile app
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- Internet access is an additional cost - $21/day when pre-ordered. $31/day if ordered onboard - for unlimited access for the week per device. You can change devices but can only use one device at a time per service package.
- The CME Conference is a separate cost.
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- Register for the Conference at:
CME Vacations - February 23-March 3, 2025 Hospital Medicine Update Cruise
CME Custom Travel reserves a block of staterooms 1-2 years in advance and negotiates favorable rates, options, amenities, group services, and conference room logistics with Royal Caribbean. In return for these reduced fares and Conference services, RCCL requests that ALL participants, families and friends go through a single Travel Agency. This gives them an efficient way to communicate and provide better services to our guests.
They also guarantee that the assigned Travel Agent will always have access to every promotion and discount posted on their official website, so our fares will always reflect the best available pricing.
We partner with CME Vacations to provide Travel Agent services for the Hospital and Outpatient Medicine Update Conference Cruises. To cooperate with Royal Caribbean guidelines, CME Vacations requires all CME participants to reserve staterooms through CME Custom Travel.
YES!
Anyone can take advantage of the discount fares and reserve a cabin through CME Custom Travel on a CME group cruise even if they are not taking the CME classes.
CME Custom Travel will work with you to select the stateroom that best fits your preference: near the dining room, elevators, Observation Deck, on a higher or lower deck, etc.
Let us know your preferences at the time of your reservation. We will select what we believe to be the best cabin available. If you prefer a different cabin, we can change your stateroom for you to a comparable cabin if there is one available.
We do not book air travel.
Royal Caribbean books a limited number of seats for every cruise on major airlines from major airports and guarantees the lowest fares. If there are seats available and it fits your timeline, this is the cheapest way to go. You must have a cruise reservation secured to book flights directly with the cruise lines.
EMBARKING
If you are flying to Miami, we STRONGLY recommend arriving the day before departure, and spending the night in a hotel. Your hotel can advise when booking if they provide pick-up shuttle service from the airport. If your hotel does not provide shuttle service, we have found Uber to be fast, convenient, and reasonably priced.
DISEMBARKING
You will probably be off the ship between 7:30-9am, no later than 10am. The Cruise Lines have shuttle busses waiting at the Port to transport 1000’s of passengers to the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale airports. It sounds like chaos, but they do this several times a week and they’re pretty good at it. You can purchase shuttle passes online through the app, or on board during the first 3 days of the cruise at Guest Services.
If you have an early flight, Uber / Lyft are fast and curb-to-curb. You can save 30 minutes vs. taking the shuttle.
After you have a reservation number, download the RCCL mobile app and start the pre-board check-in. You can select a boarding time, or they will assign a time to be at the dock for boarding. TSA requires all passengers be on board at least 2 hours before departure, so boarding times generally will be between 10am and 2pm.
IF YOU FLY IN THE DAY OF DEPARTURE AND YOU ARE DELAYED FOR ANY REASON, YOU MAY WELL MISS THE BOAT. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOARD WITHIN 2 HOURS OF THE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE.
Hotels near the airport are generally cheaper and provide shuttle pick-up service. Hotels nearer the Terminal or Downtown generally have more restaurants and tourist attractions within walking distance if you like to spend the evening exploring a bit. Hotels near the Port Terminal will almost always have shuttle service to the Port in the morning.
If you are flying out of Miami, we recommend scheduling your flight home for noon or later on the day you disembark. You can catch an 11am flight only if everything goes perfectly.
If you are flying out of Ft. Lauderdale, schedule your return flight after 1pm.
This is a tricky one.
Royal Caribbean vets and inspects all excursion vendors and equipment listed on their cruise excursion site.
If you buy an excursion through RCCL, they guarantee the ship will not depart before your excursion returns even if you encounter accidents, mechanical failures, etc. Many of the horror stories you read involving passengers being left behind started with an excursion or tour guide not licensed with the cruise line.
However, you will definitely pay more for a sponsored excursion than you do for the same experience through an independent guide.
Some of the best deals can be found at the vendor tents set up at the end of the pier when you disembark where they are selling excursion tickets at discount prices to fill up a bus or boat that already has people on it who purchased at a higher price through the cruise line. You get the advantage of a vetted tour at a discount rate.
Many of the most desirable excursions sell out early, so there is no guarantee that the excursion you have your heart set on will be able to accommodate you at the last minute.
My recommendation: If there is something you really want to do, book it through the RCCL app. If you’re adventurous and looking for something to catch your eye, explore the vendor booths at the end of the pier for a good deal, or wander into town a block or two and mix with the locals.
Depending on your policy, Travel Protection Insurance (TPI) can cover expenses including trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical situations, emergency medical transportation, baggage loss or damage, baggage delay, rental car theft or damage, business equipment loss or damage, and other unexpected travel emergencies.
TRAVEL PROTECTION INSURANCE doesn't need to break the budget. Here are a couple of options:
- RCCL offers Travel Protection Insurance. You can purchase this through CME Custom Travel. Prices vary depending on your fare price. Call me for an exact quote. Follow the link to see details of what is (and is not) included with the AON plan:
ROYAL CARIBBEAN TRAVEL PROTECTION DETAILS
MY RECOMMENDATION: Allianz Travel Insurance - (I am not sponsored by them and don't make a commission from them. They are just the best we've found!)
- The annual plan is about the same cost per person as a single week for the cruise line AON Insurance and provides comprehensive coverage all year on ships, planes, shuttles, or rental cars. I recommend taking a look at the cost and benefits with these folks before travelling. They have reasonably priced plans and offer single trip coverage as well as annual options.
Yes. We can process multiple methods of payment from different individuals and issue separate personalized receipts / invoices for reimbursement purposes.
Not usually. Since they don't have the same space restrictions as the airlines, Royal Caribbean has a flexible luggage policy. If you can carry it, you can probably check it.
All bags are subject to TSA inspection for illegal or restricted items. Electric appliances, weapons, and drugs are subject to seizure.
Your up-to-date passport is the best and most readily accepted form of ID for a cruise. It should be valid for at least 6 months after your sail date to be accepted by TSA.
If you do not have a passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate with a raised notarized seal PLUS a 2nd form of Gov’t picture ID is acceptable for US citizens, but not recommended. Non-US citizens will need additional documents.
The Symphony has Star Link which provides very reliable internet access both in open water and in port. Just like you are used to at home, you can make calls, check email, stream, and download. RCCL charges $150 for unlimited internet for one device for the duration of the cruise if you pre-order/prepay. Internet access can be swapped from one device to another, but only one device can be used at a time per package. It is $30/day to order once you are onboard.
Yes. Let us know when you book your reservation if you are a qualified military personnel. We will include it with your reservation application. RCCL will verify your status, and the current discount will be applied. The discount will be applied to all passengers in the stateroom.