Seton is setting sail this fall on a one-week cruise up through New England and Canada to view the ultimate fall foliage. Enjoy seven nights of pure relaxation and incredible views on the Jewel of the Seas with Royal Caribbean.
Q: What cruise line and ship will we be on? This cruise will be a 7-night Royal Caribbean cruise on the Jewel of the Seas departing out of Boston, MA on Sunday, October 6 and returning Sunday, October 13. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/sgp/en/cruise-ships/jewel-of-the-seas
Q: How much does this cruise cost? The base price for a double occupancy room on this cruise will be $1,640 per berth. The price will fluctuate based on the occupancy and upgrades. A double occupancy room means two people sharing one room. Through the registration process you’ll be able to choose if you want two beds, separately or one bed. For anyone who may want a Single Occupancy, they will need to register as a double, and then notify the travel agent that they want to switch to a single. Airfare, hotel in Boston and transportation to the pier will be an additional cost; see next question. Travel insurance is highly recommended and will be available to purchase at the time of registration.
Q: Will this trip include airfare, accommodation and transportation? $1,640 is the base price per berth for the cruise. There will be an additional charge for the airfare, accommodation and transportation to the pier. The travel agent is working on pricing for this portion of the trip. The price could fluctuate based on the number of registrations received for the trip. The group flight will fly into Boston, MA on Saturday, October 5 and include a one-night stay. Transportation to the pier will be included on the day the cruise departs. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on the cruise is included. Once off the ship, each individual is on their own.
Q: Can we book our flight on our own? Yes, you can book your own flight. If you do not choose the option to take the group flight, you will be responsible for any overnight stay in Boston as well as the transportation to the pier on the day of departure. It is recommended that when booking your flight arrangements, plan to arrive in Boston on October 6 by 12:00 p.m., noon and book your plane reservations to depart on October 13 after 12:00 p.m., noon, if possible. Under normal circumstances, the ship will begin disembarkation at 8:00 a.m., however there may be unforeseen circumstances that could delay that process.
Airport Transfers will be available to add on at $60.00 round trip per person. There are certain restrictions when booking, this however as it is not private, door to door services.
Q: When I look at https://www.royalcaribbean.com/sgp/en/cruise-ships/jewel-of-the-seas the pricing starts at a lower price. Why is that? The cheapest cabin on the ship starts at $500+ price. The category of cabin that is being offered through the Seton Cruise is Category 2D which includes a cabin with a balcony to view the fall foliage. There is a slight premium to be part of the Seton group which will include Seton organized gatherings during the week, communication from Seton organizers as well as cabins in the same area on the ship. When logging into the website to view the cruise, the site will always start with the “lowest” priced cabin which is not an option through the Seton group. To travel with the Seton group and receive the communication and cabin locations, the price is set at $1,640 per berth and must be booked through Sapphire Tours. When comparing prices, be sure to compare with the same category on the same date.
Q: What kind of room accommodations will be blocked for our group? We are only blocking balcony cabins in Category 2D. Once people register and provide their deposit and all of their information, Royal Caribbean will allow the travel agent to reserve their specific cabin. If the fare comes down, they will honor that fare.
Q: Do we need a passport for this cruise? Yes, a valid passport is required for all passengers.
Q: How many people do we expect on this trip with Seton and how many does the ship hold? We expect up to 60 individuals on this trip with Seton and the guest capacity on the ship is 2,112.
Q: Do you expect the 60 spots to sell out? If so, can I still go on this trip with Seton? The travel agent does have the 60 spots reserved but they are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis based on when individuals register and pay their deposit. Then, there will be a wait list. This cruise will sell out because it is a limited schedule much like an Alaskan cruise with a short season – so they always sell out. There is no guarantee there will be availability to go on this trip once our 60 spots sell out although there is a possibility a few more spots could open up.
Q: If I know I would like to go on this trip, should I wait to register at the meeting on March 20? We have received a lot of interest in this cruise. Our travel agent, Paula with Sapphire Tours, has 60 slots reserved for Seton on the Jewel of the Seas. It is very possible that the slots reserved for Seton will sell out before, or shortly after, our meeting on March 20th. The recommendation we received from our travel agent is that anyone who feels certain they will want to go on this cruise should sign up before our meeting on March 20th. The registration link is live, and you can register at any time. The $250 deposit is non-refundable and non-transferrable. You will need to register through the link provided through Sapphire Tours. Bringing a check to the meeting on March 20th WILL NOT reserve your spot. Name Changes are treated as a cancellation and not permitted once you are deposited.Registration Link: https://sapphiretours.wetravel.com/trips/seton-high-school-alumnae-fall-colors-cruise-sapphire-tours-travel-boston-ma-usa-53653431
Q: Is there a list of the excursions that will be available during the cruise? Below is a link of the excursions that are currently available but price, availability and choices are subject to change. All excursions are changeable and refundable until 2 days prior. Excursions can be booked once your cabin is assigned and your individual reservation numbers have been generated. This will be completed by April 15. Excursions are fully cancellable and refundable if you choose to cancel (each excursion will note their cancellation policy)Spa Services are fully cancellable and refundable if you choose to cancel (your reservation will document the cancellation policy)
Q: Is the registration link available? The registration link can be found on Seton’s website. The registration link is through the travel agent, Paula Zackeru at Sapphire Tours, not through Seton. All payments will be set up and processed through the registration site. The online registration system charges an additional 2.9% if using a credit card. If you set up payment through EFT (from your checking or savings account), there is no extra charge. When you register, you will be asked who you are rooming with; please indicate the roommate's name. If you do not have a roommate, the organizers will try their best to match you up with a roommate. Additional excursions and gratuities will be available to add to your booking at a later date.
Q: Is there a list of the excursion options and beverage package options? Once you register you will then be able to see the list of excursion options along with gratuities and beverage package options.
Q: When is the initial deposit due? A $250 deposit is due by Wednesday, March 27. Final payment is due by June 20, 2024.
Q: If I have a question, who should I contact? You can contact Christina McCarthy at mccarthyc@setoncincinnati.org or 513-471-2600 x2423 or if you have a specific question that may be better suited for the travel agent, you can contact Paula Zackeru at paula@sapphiretours.com.
Other FAQs:
All documents will be available on the Royal Caribbean App. You can download the App now, however your documents will not be viewable until 30 days prior to departure.
There will be no paper documents for this cruise. Everything will be electronic or on the Royal Caribbean App.
If you have a Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor #, it can be applied to your booking.
Ports of Call and Excursions can be changed at any time due to weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
There are no vaccine requirements to board the ship, however each traveler may be required to fill out a Health Questionnaire.
Once the flights and hotel are established by the travel agent, she will send an email and each person can decide if they want to book their own flight or be part of the group flight. They can be booked together or separately
Cancellation policy: $250.00 Deposit Non-Refundable 89 - 75 Days Prior to Sailing 25% of Payment 74 - 61 Days Prior to Sailing 50% of Payment 60 - 31 Days Prior to Sailing 75% of Payment 30 - 0 Days Prior to Sailing 100% of Payment
There is limited amount of space on Excursions. Individuals can go on a waiting list or wait for another excursion to be added This is very common. The travel agent plans on uploading the list to Royal Caribbean next week, so everyone should have their reservation #’s next week (earlier than expected)
Airport Transfers will be available to add on at $60.00 round trip per person - Explanation: This is only the transportation from airport to dock and from dock to airport. It means that it is not private as it is Royal Caribbean’s Transfers. You will have to stop at other terminals/airlines before they get to yours. She does not have a price for the hotel to the dock or the airport to the hotel because she does not know how many people will be participating.
Q: Is it possible that there will be a drink package sale prior to the cruise if you purchase it by a certain date or during a window of time? A: Those sales come un-announced.
