I don't know where my thread should go. Re: Cruises

[m 'n c]

Originally Posted by Hedy

Would he be into a tour or Richard Petty at WDW?

no and he put a price limit on me too! I'm thinking $100 or less. I want to do something other than workout clothes or target polos (which hold up very nice by the way).

[Hedy]

Cufflinks?

[m 'n c]

Originally Posted by Hedy

Cufflinks?

That might work. He's been talking about wanting some. I'll have to check things remembered and a few other SR merchants and see what they have. Boys are so difficult!

[spring]

Ummm.....perhaps some nice tropic print shirts to wear on the cruise? A new pair of sandals? An awesome pair of sunglasses?

[~Kathie]

I've cruised RCCL twice. Once on the Jewel of the Seas (06) and once on the Mariner of the Seas (this past April). We had a great time on both cruises.

The Mariner is a much larger ship than the Jewel and all the ships have plenty to do.


My sister and BIL are Diamond Plus members of RCCL and have cruised 75 times.
Yes........75!! They both retired early after working in high level, high stressful jobs since hs and college. They have no children, and when they retired they sold their home. They now rent and spend most of their time traveling and cruising. They worked like maniacs.......and now they are playing!!

What ship are you thinking of going on?

I can help you to get around on Cruise Critic. First you have to register in order to access any posts in the forums. You find the ship you are going on and then search for the date you leave. There is a lot of information about the ships too. People post and they get to chatting and if you sign up on RCCL for a "meet and mingle" party RCCL gives the party and usually there is a gift and raffles. You get to meet other people on the cruise......we did it this last time......it was nice. People are nice on CC......at least the ones I've met.


I'd go on another RCCL cruise in a minute. The service was great. the staterooms are nice, both times we had wonderful cruises.

[Hedy]

http://www.myjewelrybox.com/?section=item&itemID=2770

[m 'n c]

Thanks Hedy. I found these on myweddingfavors.com (another SR merchant) so I think I might go with them since they are a little cheaper and he doesn't have a shirt to wear them with yet (we'll have to hit the outlet mall for that).


Kathie - our ship will be Splendour of the Seas.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findac...VI&shipCode=SP

It seems really really nice.

[~Kathie]

Originally Posted by m 'n c

Kathie - our ship will be Splendour of the Seas.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findac...VI&shipCode=SP

It seems really really nice.

It's a different class ship than either of the 2 ships I have been on. It does seem similar to the Mariner.

I'll email my sister and see what she can tell us. I'm sure she's been on that ship.....I think she's been on all of them.

I may not be able to get back to you for a while. My sister only checks her email once a week or so, and we are leaving for Ireland Sunday. We'll be home July 1st. Maybe I'll call her. I think she's home this week.......not cruising.

[m 'n c]

Originally Posted by ~Kathie

It's a different class ship than either of the 2 ships I have been on. It does seem similar to the Mariner.

I'll email my sister and see what she can tell us. I'm sure she's been on that ship.....I think she's been on all of them.

I may not be able to get back to you for a while. My sister only checks her email once a week or so, and we are leaving for Ireland Sunday. We'll be home July 1st. Maybe I'll call her. I think she's home this week.......not cruising.

That's cool. Anything yall can tell me in general about cruising would be greatly appreciated especially how things work - re dining times, reservations, excursion bookings, drink cards, etc. We are clueless newbies

[~Kathie]

I can answer some of those questions.

Dining
The dining is 4 options Main (6:30) and Late (8:00), Windjammer (buffet) or Specialty restaurant.

Specialty restaurants cost extra per person and you have to make reservations. We ate at Chops Grille this past trip. I think it was $20-$25 per person. The service was incredible, the food was fantastic. Everything is cooked to order so plan on being there for the evening. You should go at least once.......you'll love it.

There are usually a couple of main restaurants on different floors. They are all the same, but they give them different names so not everyone is crowding in the same place. We were assigned to Top Hat & Tails. There was also Sound of Music on another floor. Same restaurant, just different floors and different decor. You can see one from the other. You sit at the same table every evening. You can ask to sit alone or with other people.

We had the main seating on this past trip. At one port we got back too late for dinner so we ate at the Windjammer. We left the ports early in the day except for that one, so we always made it to dinner.

We've had late seating on previous cruise. We never left the dining room until 10-10:30 on some nights. So good and bad points to both.

We ate breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer. Being a buffet, you could pick and choose what you wanted to eat. You won't starve that's for sure.
Usually just only one of the full service restaurants is open for breakfast & lunch as most people prefer to eat at the Windjammer buffet.

You can also choose to eat at the Windjammer every night which is fine. They actually have the same food that is being served in the dining room but it is self service. Even if you think you want to eat at the buffet every night, get a main or late seating reservation anyway. Just in case you change your mind.


Entertainment
There is usually a show/comedian/musical every night. Some nights there was only one show. That was interesting trying to get a seat. Most of the nights there are 2 shows. Depending on your dinner time, main seating usually goes to one show and late seating another. They changed it around on our ship. Sometimes the late seating went before their dinner and we went later. They will put a daily news update into your cabin the night before so you can plan your day.

If they have a late night comedian for adults only......be sure to go. Ours was a lot of fun.

Shore Excursions

Once you book your cruise and sign up on RCCL.com, you will have access to the website and will be able to download shore excursions. They will have an explanation of what the trip entails, what it costs, and what you get(food/drink etc). There are little signs that tell you how much walking etc

I would book as soon as you decide what want to do. Check to see what the cancellation policy is. I'm sorry, I can't remember as the ones we booked were 2 cruises ago. My sister booked the ones for this cruise and we just paid her.

RCCL has a FAQ page about shore excursions. FAQ's
It actually answers questions about all kind of stuff!!!

Drink Cards

Not sure what these are.......they do offer soda/soft drink packages. You buy a mug and can refill it for free the entire trip. If you decide to do this, get it when you get on board. After the first day, they don't offer it anymore. Water, lemonade and iced tea are available free usually all day in the Windjammer.

Anything you buy while on board get charged to your shipboard account. Including alcohol. Any drinks you buy in any of the bars or restaurants have an automatic 18% added on for a gratuity. No cash taken, only your Sea Pass. It opens your room and you charge with it.

I just looked it up in the book I received with my cruise documents and the attire schedule is for your cruise

Cruise Length 6-9
Casual Evenings 3-6
Smart Casual 1
Formal 2

They may change this. We had 2 formal nights, 2 Smart casuals, one Caribbean night, and 3 Casual

Smart Casual is jacket (tie not necessary) for men, dresses or pantsuits for women.
Casual is polo shirts for men and sun dresses or slacks and a blouse for women. No shorts in the dining room.
Formal, Tuxes or suit and tie for men, Cocktail dresses for women.

Bring an overnight bag for your last day at sea. They will collect your luggage by midnight of your last night and you will need a bag to put your clothes from the night before, your nigthclothes and your toiletries in to carry off the ship. Don't forget to leave out your passport and keep your meds in your carry on bag.



What else??