This made my 30th cruise on Royal Caribbean. I have loved this cruise line for the way they have always taken care of me and my family. However, on this cruise I had to ask for everything extra.
In the past we have always stayed at the Cocoa Beach Hilton. It is a fantastic beach front Hotel with a great pool and a wonderful tiki bar/restaurant on the ocean. I called a year in advance and reserved three rooms as a Diamond Hilton Honors member with points. When I called the front desk I was put in my place. Every year before this we were given free cruise parking and 2 free breakfasts per room booked. We would always eat all our meals and drinks at the hotel. This year if we wanted the rooms, we had to pay $7.95 per day parking and with three rooms booked I would only get two free breakfasts. Sorry Cocoa Beach Hilton you lost my business. I then called the Cocoa Beach Hampton Inn (also a Hilton property). They always have the free breakfast and they DID allow free parking for the week for Diamond Members. What made this hotel great was the short walk to the beach and the $10 round trip shuttle bus to the port per person.
On the morning of the cruise we always get the earliest bus to the port – 10:15AM. We were off the bus at 10:30 at the port. No more than 10 minutes later our party of 8 was on the ship!! Let me tell you Royal Caribbean has the Embarkation process down to a science. I remember talking to some Disney Cruises who said they cannot get on until 2:00!! That is a half day of your cruise wasted.
It was a normal RCCL Balcony cabin