FinallyCruisinIn2014

Yes this is for all ships. The order will vary by ship with the only common denominator is night 2 is formal night and that means the filet.

Thanks! Can't wait :)

Is this the menu for all RCI ships? Also, we are on a 4 night and the menu is for 7. Will we be offered for the first 4 nights' choices or is it mixed up? TIA :)

We have been on 2 cruises with Coco Cay as a stop (both were late March/early April). The first time we missed it because of wind. We were told they could get us there, but there would be complications getting back to the ship at the end of the day. Apparently cruisers in the past were stuck there overnight. Second cruise we were able to go, so we are 50/50 with Coco Cay. The first time it seemed no big deal, and the staff made the most out of a day at sea. When we were finally able to get there, we realized what a great opportunity we had missed! Hope you get to go!

:eek: What do they do when people are STUCK??

upcoming June/July Allure cruise while I dig out of the current Michigan snow storm. We received about 9 inches south of Detroit. Anyone else dreaming about cruising while they dig out?

Being part of I bet the ONLY SE Michigan school that actually had to go to school today, I sent my fifth grader off with the thought.... "less than 90 days til we leave for Florida!" LOL She said that wasn't helping at the moment.

Going On a Disney cruise in 2 wks from Port Canaveral. We are just 2 ppl. Arriving a few days prior to Mco airport. Unsure if it's worth to rent a car or just hire private transportation. What's the closest rental car company to port Canaveral? If I decide to rent a car and return it Sunday in port Canaveral Anyone know how much a taxi would cost from the rental company to the ship? OR if I decide to go from the airport to the ship. Anyone have recommendations for reliable and inexpensive transit companies?

Do you already have a hotel booked in Orlando? I'd check into staying onsite at Disney. free shuttle (magical express) from MCO to your resort hotel and then a free shuttle to Port Canaveral from your resort since you are sailing DCL. No car necessary on Disney property since buses can take you wherever you want to go. Just a thought.

Question within a question, please? When you say "tank top" are you mostly talking about males? Sexist, I know, but I have a sequined tank top that I was planning on possibly wearing with a nice skirt - okay or not?

I just ordered this. It got good reviews on Amazon - better than anything else.

http://www.amazon.com/DRY-DP-44-Alligator-Waterproof-Wallet/dp/B000BJ7WHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388598596&sr=8-1&keywords=waterproof+pouch+for+swimming

They also have one that will fit a Iphone 5 for around $10.

I hope it's never to early to get excited - I've been excited for months!

Last night the first words out of my mouth after Happy New Year were.... "We're going on a cruise THIS year!!"

I really want to try it! I posted this as I sat bored at 12:15 thinking how fun it would be to not worry about driving or drunks on the roads, etc....

I haven't even been on my first cruise yet but I'm sitting here in the snowy north thinking what fun it would be to go on a cruise over New Year's Eve; so I started looking....holy smokes, a lot more $$$ than my spring break cruise!

Tell me how much fun it is and what is done differently that night :)

Thanks, Scuba girl. That's what I was afraid of.

By unguarded do you mean you don't have to pay? We had not planned on going over to Atlantis at all but maybe that's an option.

Hi, we are planning for our first cruise, too :) Going in April for a 4 night. I figured if we hated it, we wouldn't be stuck for a week but it sounded good to get our "feet wet". We are also a married couple with two girls - ages 11 and 17. Originally, we had booked a balcony room for the 4 of us. Everyone here on CC said it would be cramped! So I started doing some investigating and it turns out for just $40 more total we took the girls out of our balcony stateroom and into an inside directly across the hall from us. Two rooms/two bathrooms/two t.v.s, etc.... for $40! I couldn't believe it but I am very excited about it. FYI, if you check into doing two rooms, make sure you either have the TA call or call yourself. You can't book online and put minors in rooms without an adult but you can do it on the phone (with royal Caribbean anyway).

On the ship, I was told that they are considered specialty coffees. Therefore, my little group (we all had the new Premium Beverage Package) just ordered half cups of coffee and each got various shots to share. Our favorite combination to add to coffee was: Amaretto, Kahlua, and Bailey's. Did this a few times during our cruise.

 

The exception was at Chops. We had a great waiter that pretty much gave us anything (within reason) with our package. Two of the people in my group got specialty drinks w/alcohol & NO extra charge.

 

I was on the Grandeur of the Seas their first week of implementing the package, so I seemed to know more about them than most of the people working on the ship. I anyone said something wasn't included, I got used to asking for a supervisor. The hardest thing to get ended up being bottled water, since they weren't properly stocked for all the new requests for it. Overall, the Premium Beverage Package was a great value for my group of people.

So you *can* get a Bailey's and coffee you just have to make it yourself with the basic coffee everyone can get - right? I can live with that.

It's our first cruise too and we are actually the week after you, April 13th.. Our Spring Break coincides with the week after our cruise, so the kids are actually out of school for an entire week before their actual break. I would think these would be considered Spring Break cruises though.. Like you, we know Disney.. We are fore going it this year for a cruise.

High schooler refused to miss school so we are going during actual break (she did concede to miss the last two days before break since they don't do much) which means flights out of here are insanely expensive so we are driving. Which is how we ended up putting Disney on the beginning of the trip LOL I'm not driving 19 hours to Florida and not spending time on Disney property. that would be a sin ;)

Just to weigh in on the seasick question. I always have a pack of the seabands with me and ginger tablets. I get the seabands at CVS or any drug store, they are something like $8-11 a pack. They really do work.

Thanks! I'll look into the bands at CVS. Are they okay for any age? Youngest is 11.

How about laundry the morning you leave for the port at your WDW resort? Most people will be up and about to go into the parks and machines should be available. Get up early, send the rest of the family for breakfast when they wake and be on your way by checkout time.

 

If all else fails I'm all about laundry at 2am. Usually a ghost town. :)

That may be what we end up doing. I googled Laundromats in Cape Canaveral and the google earth showed one on Astronaut blvd. but for some reason from above it didn't look like the best neighborhood - I don't know :confused: I to make it to park and cruise for one of the first shuttles at 10:30 a.m. so I guess I will be up really early doing laundry!

We will be in Nassau until almost midnight.

Any suggestions on what to do with two parents and two teenage girls at night?

A big thank you to everyone else who responded to this - I don't know what I'd do without message boards for my vacations - especially vacations where I don't have a clue.

One more quick question I forgot - we sail April 7th. Is this considered a Spring Break cruise? I know it's 'our' spring break but it's the week before Easter so I wasn't sure what to expect crowd and kid wise. There is no Roll Call on CC for this cruise so as of now I'm thinking we have the ship to ourselves ;)

I think most of your questions have been answered, but I want to mention that I have seen 2 different cruise compasses for Enchantment, and the May one you've seen is quote different from those Ive seen for July and September. (I was looking at the 4 night) For instance " Cant stop the Rock Production show is listed as 8:45 and 10:45 in one compass and 7 and 9 in another. The Stage to Screen production show was offered twice in one compass, but more recently is offered only once at 7:30 PM. Another big change from May was moving Quest out of the Nassau day to the last night of the cruise (4 night cruise). That may be in response to people complaining that Quest was held before some people returned from the casinos in Nassau (all aboard is almost midnight in Nassau)

 

So it might be tough to know exactly when the shows will be! But, we travel in February and I will have a review and my reviews ALWAYS include the Compass- so at least you will have something current to see before you sail:D

 

 

 

Enjoy your first cruise, you'll be hooked for sure !

Great! I'm jealous you're going before me, but I look forward to your review!

1. Good chance lifeboat station will be the same. BUT! Worry not! All cruise ships have developed procedures and systems to handle any child that might not be with their parent at the time of any emergency...this will be explained once you board.

 

2. drink package. It is a bit inconvenient to go to the bar, but that is the only way the cruise line can manage their accounting system...Not only RCI, but others as well..thus the minor inconvenience.

Thanks - those tray drinks were confusing me. I guess if I can't walk to the bar, I don't need a drink ;)

Here's a specimen breakfast menu from the MDR.... the 'Ultimates' changes daily. There's a chocolate breakfast one day......

 

This is great - thank you!

Smoking - There are 'designated' outside smoking areas, all of which are on the starboard side of the ship. The two primary locations are:

 

Deck 4 -Outside promenade. Most Royal ships have deck chairs out, not sure about the Enchantment.

 

Deck 9 - Just outside the Windjammer, by the pool area. Here there are tables and chairs both port and starboard sides, many bring their food there to enjoy eating outside. Smoking is allowed in this section on the starboard side. I will tell you that if you are an early bird, this is where smokers gather for that first cup of coffee and conversation.

I will be there :)

Just wanted to add a few things

 

- seasickness, I don't take pills, but I bring ginger tablets. If you have a health food store near you, they should have them. I've also tried the sea bands they are like bracelets and hit a pressure point to help you from getting nausea. Store like Target sell them, I've seen them by the baby stuff to help with morning sickness. I will also say I was terrified of getting seasick because I get motion sick at the drop of a hat. I've only run into problems twice and it was due to hurricanes. In both cases we slowed to let the storm pass.

 

- breakfast in the MDR. As said its first come first served. Depending on how many people you have they may put you in a big table. It always seems to me they try & fill the 10 tops. So you may be seated with other people.to me it always seems like the breakfast menu is limited.

 

- coffee, you can't bring a coffee maker, but if you're worried about early morning coffee order it from room service so you can have some in the morning. Or send your spouse/travelmate to get some ;)

 

-smoking, I'm not sure of all the areas, but they will be marked and listed in the Compass. They're easy to spot since there are ashtrays on the tables.

 

- laundry Some of the Disney hotels have laundry services (not sure if you're staying on property) either way, wherever you stay they should be able to direct you to a laundromat.

Thanks! I will look for some ginger tablets at the health food store. I like this idea better than a "drug" anyway. Yes, I could do laundry at our Disney resort but we will spend every available second in a park and the machines are often taken late at night. I know Disney like you all know cruising :) My original plan was to leave WDW early in the a.m. and drive over to the coast, do some quick loads of laundry and then wait for the time we can board the ship.

You have gotten lots of great answers but just want to add my experience with muster stations. We had a balcony room with 2 insides across the hall for the kids. We had different muster stations. We were next to each other but in a real emergency we would have been expected to go in different lifeboats. I just told myself that if something really happened they would just have to deal with us because there is no way I would have gotten into a different life boat from my kids!

I will look at the plans someone suggested (thank you!) but I'm with you, in a real emergency, my kids go with me - period. I'll cross that bridge if I come to it.

I am obsessed. We sail in 99 days - yeah! Here are my current questions I can't seem to find answers for/get clarification. thanks in advance :)

(FYI Enchantment of the Seas 4 night in April is our first cruise)

1) Bonine and alcohol. I've gotten the impression this is not a good combination? I don't even know if I'll need the bonine but I'll want the drinks ;) any suggestions?

2) I have found a cruise compass from May, '13 - does the basic schedule stay consistent like show times and restaurant open times?

3) Can I bring my own coffee maker? (I think this answer is no but my brain is muddled)

4) Is breakfast in the MDR sitdown/be served and is it included in my fare? Is it first come first serve?

5)We have a balcony and an inside directly across from each other (midship) will we be in the same muster station?

6)Everyone says that Welcome Aboard drink is not "free" but if I have the premium drink package, is it included?

7)I see that smoking cigarettes is allowed on the starboard side of the ship. Are there specific areas on this side that are marked or is it the entire outside areas of that side? Is there seating available in the smoking area? I am a smoker and a rule follower and I will go wherever I am supposed to go to have a cigarette, just need to know where that is exactly (and please no debates with this - simple question).

8) Looking for a laundromat in Port Canaveral - any locals that know the area? We will be coming from 5 days in Disney and I'd like to do a couple loads before we get on the ship (this one I might have to ask over on the PC port forum, too)

Thanks again - I read these forums daily!!

We have two adults in one stateroom (balcony); two minors in inside directly across the hall.

What I am hearing from my TA is that it is not allowed when the TA is booking online - they need to make a phone call. Some TAs don't want to be 'bothered' going that extra mile to make a person to person phone call so they tell you it can't be done. It can.

All 4 of ours arrived in less than two weeks and that included Thanksgiving week in there (thinking the gov. probably worked a short week that week). Would I have counted on that? No way. The official time frame is 4-6 weeks.

You are correct. Some choose to tip more and therefore the OBC credit can be used towards it.

 

Don't mean to be dense, but how can I use it for tips? Is there a way I can sign for tips (let's say for room service) instead of handing them cash?

 

Can be used for arcade purchases, Ben and jerry's, speciality coffee, pictures etc.

I forgot about pictures - we may get one (or not) thanks!

Yes, MTD requires pre-payment of gratuities, also included in your drink package. Unless we do MTD, we never pre-pay for anything as we usually have substantial OBC to use. BTW, if your OBC comes from a scource other than RCI, you may take the remainder out in cash on the last day of your cruise. So don't buy something you don't really want just to "use up" your OBC.

It is from RCI so I need to use it up - thanks!

I used the pouch you referenced in grand cayman for stingray city and snorkeling excursion. Put ship card, drivers license, credit card, and cash inside. Hung it around my neck and it spent the day in the water. Worked great. Be sure to test at home before your cruise.

Excellent! Thanks! I'm going to order it now :)