kruzkween

Shareholder OBC is not combinable with hardly any other deals with RCCL. With the price of their stock now, it’s hardly worth it. Their policy is very frustrating and not at all fair to those of us who have bought stock and paid for that perk!!

I too have signatures turned OFF...makes the pages so much more manageable; strictly the posts with no added "fluff'. Do this on your settings page.

Unzipped, your suitcase should definitely fit under your bed. The beds usually have a "lip" around the frame that is a few inches lower to the floor. If your bag is truly huge, you may have to lift up the edge of the bed frame slightly to allow the suitcase to slide under, but it should fit. And the open suitcase under the bed is a great place to stash dirty clothes!

Sounds like a great cruise, enjoy!!

Absolutely take your Kindle! I always take my NOOK and enjoy reading often while on a cruise. And it sure beats the hassle & weight of packing paperbacks.

Also, remember the walls in a cruise ship cabin are metal and you can use magnets to hang/attach things. And the door is metal also. We love to put an 8x10 magnetic sign on our door...can have a custom one made from on-line sites. It's a great way to distinguish your door so it's easily identifiable as you walk down your hall.

Great tips on this thread; even highly experienced cruiser can still learn from others!!!

Blessings,

kruzkween

I've been on many cruises & had problem only once, of suitcase not fitting under bed; that was Disney Wonder. I've never taken a huge bag; probably 26"-27"...have downsized even more & now take 24"-25" bag. Love the suggestion of leaving bag unzipped under bed & keep dirty clothes or less-used items in it. I never cease to be amazed at the wonderful ideas & suggestions from my fellow cruisers!!!

Have a blessed week-end and HAPPY CRUISING!!

~kruzkween

My recommendation is to bring one suitcase per person (25"/26"/27"), plus a tote/carry-on/backpack/toiletry bag...whichever you prefer. Plenty of space to store bags under bed. You'll check your suitcase at the pier and won't see it again till your cabin steward delivers it to your room later in the afternoon. Your personal carry-on will stay with you till you drop it off in your cabin, then you can go explore the ship after you enjoy a delicious lunch.

All it takes in ONE cruise to get hooked!! Hope you have a fantastic time...enjoy!!!

kruzkween

If a large garbage bag isn't big enough, line your suitcase completely with plastic cleaners bags, overlapping the tops & sides. Keeps everything inside completely dry! I've been doing this for years. I love your idea to take pictures too. And I always put name, address, cell #, flight info, ship name, etc. inside my bag too. You don't need it till you need it...then you REALLY need it!!

Love this thread; great info even for experienced cruisers.

kruzkween

I've not heard of a "luggage policy", but there probably is one...somewhere. You certainly don't want to take a bag that's so big it won't fit under your bed; or so big you can't handle it by yourself.

fumita...if you'll turn "signatures" OFF in your preferences, you'll only have 54 pages! Makes the pages all full of actual posts and eliminates the "fluff". Is much easier to get thru. Just FYI

I read the post about taking bathroom spray, which is so true...small bathrooms and really need a good product. Here's what I do and it works just great. I buy a product called Pure Citrus Orange; comes in a 7 oz. spray can. The orange has a very strong & natural scent and it's a wonderful product. I usually buy it at Walmart but have also ordered a case from the company. I bought several little plastic spray bottles, 2 oz. each (at Walmart), and fill them up with the Pure Citrus. Two of these little bottles are more than enough to get you thru a cruise for 2 weeks. You only use 2 or 3 little squirts each time. The little bottles are small enough to go thru airport security with no problem.

Hope someone will find my "innovative suggestion" helpful. When it comes to effectiveness and efficiency while cruising (& flying), I guess every little hint & shared idea helps.

Blessings to all!!

If this cruise works out for us, we'd be flying into EWR mid-afternoon the day before our ship sails. What hotel(s) is/are recommended? Not interested in sight-seeing or anything, just want a good rest the night before boarding the ship.

What is the best means of transportation to get from the hotel to the ship the morning of sailing? Any idea how much this will cost?

Thanks for help from anyone out there in the know!!

Absolutely your best bet is to call the cruise line. You might be surprised what they could offer you. Good luck and I hope things work out for you!!

There are sooooo many considerations when deciding on a cruise. For me, we live near enough to drive to the port of Galveston, so I look specifically for cruise deals sailing from that port. So if you are near enough to a port to drive, and still sail to a destination you're happy with, then that's a good thing. Although I personally love Holland America (I'm a senior), it would most definitely not recommend them for families with younger children. Royal Caribbean & Carnival both have great reputations for outstanding children's & youth programs. With all that being said...I sailed the Disney Wonder about 2 years ago on a 7-day western Caribbean cruise from Galveston. You can't even imagine how awesome that was! Of course children's & youth programs are outstanding, entertainment is awesome, the whole atmosphere is really fun and there are so many extra amenities that they provide. The cabins have 1.5 bathrooms, even the cheapest cabins have this. That's a fabulous feature, believe me!

Well, good luck in planning a totally awesome cruise for your family. I know you'll have fun no matter which cruise line you choose.

kruzkween

If we're leaving a note for our cabin steward we just leave it on the bed. I figure that's the most likely place for him to find it. Remember too that the walls are metal underneath the surface, as well as the cabin door, and things can be hung on your cabin walls & door with a magnet. I travel with 5 or 6 and use them often.

I also travel with Scotch tape and find lots of uses for it on a cruise.

CrusinMark, if you'll turn signatures OFF you'll only have 47 pages of this thread. Sounds so much easier and faster to read than 96 pages, doesn't it...well it is! That simply eliminates the "fluff" and contains only the posts.

Sign up for the roll call thread for your cruise and you'll learn a lot from that also. And the one for first time cruisers might be helpful too. Lots of great information out there and lots of tremendously nice & helpful people.

Good luck on your wedding planning...and congratulations.

~Marilyn

tealeafdestiny...congratulations on your first cruise. I promise you will get addicted to cruising and this will only be the first of many!!

I urge you to reconsider eliminating two automatic gratuities. The $12 per person per day (or whatever the amount is for your cruiseline) is just a part of the cruise price; it must be factored in for every person sailing just like the cost of parking, shuttle service, specialty restaurant dining, drinking specialty coffees liquor or sodas taking a shore excursion, etc. It is a cost that is expected, if not required, unless you experience some sort of terrible service issue which needs to be addressed with the proper crew member. You may choose to "save" somewhere else, but I urge you to not do it in this way.

If your cabin steward doesn't deliver 4 Princess Patters to your cabin every night, it's very easy to drop by the customer service area and pick up one. They will be displayed out on a wall on a shelf somewhere.

I love to go to the library as soon as I get on the ship. That's usually when you'll find the best selection. I also bring a few paperbacks from home that I've already read, and leave them in the "share" section in the library. That way I feel good about taking a book...leave one/take one.

The check-out books don't cost anything. That works just like checking out a book from your local library. Books are due back usually late afternoon of your last day.

Drinks cost you, no matter where you are...poolside, in the Sanctuary, in a bar or lounge...anywhere. Tips are included on your bill every time you buy a drink. Some people choose to tip above & beyond that, but it's certainly not required.

The Sanctuary is very nice, and it's certainly a special treat, but it's very expensive in my opinion. Unless you require constant pampering & immediate personal service all the time, this is definitely an area where you can cut back. Doing the Sanctuary every day will set you back more than several hundred dollars per person for the entire cruise. To me, that's money wasted, but it's certainly personal preference.

Trivia games are free, and lots of fun; Bingo is expensive!

All your bath linens are provided, and if you need extras at any time your cabin steward will be happy to bring you more. Pool towels are provided also, usually right around the pools on a shelf or "towel station". Some ships you have to check out pool towels with your card, other ships you just pick them up.

I've been on one ship (RCL) that had a little florist and the prices were extremely reasonable. That was maybe 8 years ago and I don't know if your ship has that or not.

Your first cruise can be very scary & even intimidating when you don't know exactly what to expect, or what's expected of you. You are to be applauded for asking questions and seeking answers beforehand. I know you'll have a fabulous time, and I have no doubt you'll want to do it again!!!

~Marilyn

And don't forget to take a travel size bottle of Donwy Wrinkle Releaser. That stuff is amazing! My little bottle is 3 oz. so it will fly in a carry-on. But I always put my liquids/gels in zip lock bags and pack them in my check bag.

It's a shame that all ships don't have guest laundry facilities. I'm going on a 12 day cruise in Nov. on a ship with no guest laundry, and I'll have to pack very carefully. This is one subject that really, really agrivates me about cruise lines; they purposely make it so you'll have to use their expensive laundry services.

And I recommend a travel bottle of Febreze fabric freshner...can extend the life of clothes between washings.

If you'll turn OFF signatures on your preferences page, this thread will be only 45 pages. Sounds so much easier to read than 89 pages!! But I'll agree, it's been around for a long time and continues to offer lots of great information.

Marilyn

After a relaxing lunch at the buffet, when they allow us to go to our cabins, the first thing I do is wipe down ALL surfaces that are touched by "everyone"..... doorknobs, phone, hair dryer, drawer pulls, lamp/light switches, faucet handles, counter tops, etc., using antibacterial wipes. Whether or not it really makes any difference, I don't know, but it takes only a few minutes and gives me piece of mind. 24 cruises and I've never gotten sick yet!

kbset...we usually have an inside cabin and they are VERY dark at night. We turn on the bathroom light and close the door. Just enough light comes out from under the door to guide you to the bathroom during the night, but not enough to disturb a good night's sleep. Also it's always a good idea to keep a flashlight on the bedside table.

Crewzer, I agree that this is a really awesome thread and even as a seasoned cruiser I've tried many of the wonderful hints & ideas. We're never too old or experienced to learn more! Check out the thread for "First Time Cruisers". There are more good ideas/suggestions there. You mentioned that you read 83 pages of this thread...if you'll turn OFF signatures it will be 42 pages. Turning off signatures allows many more posts per page and to me is much easier to read. Also, it's not so overwhelming when you first begin. I too am sailing in Feb. and it will be here before you know it!!!

Plantcrone, I used to take 6 hangers with me also; just couldn't make it without a few extras. When I learned that more than one thing can be hung on a hanger, I finally saw the light. My motto is, every hanger has to have at least 2 things hanging on it, and pants hangers must have at least 3 things. If after that I still need more, then I've taken too many clothes. Also, I always take a travel size bottle of Donwy Wrinkle Releaser...a traveler's best friend!!

Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Marilyn (kruzkween)

Suzybeezy...you should be docked alongside in Key West and tender in Grand Cayman; don't know about Ocho Rios. And yes, tendering takes a lot longer and is more "inconvenient" to come-and-go from the ship. However, take the time while you're on the tender to meet and visit with some of your fellow passengers. Hope you have ball!!!

There are not coffee makers in the cabins, but room service each morning works great to start your day off with a cup or two. However, if you require specialty coffees or "fancy" stuff, you'll probably want to buy a coffee card.

We were on the Magic last May and enjoyed it a lot. It's a beautiful ship, very gaudy in places, but that's typical of Carnival ships. Many, things to do and places to go. ENJOY!!!!!

Someone mentioned earlier about in-room safes. I've never been on a ship that didn't have one. I think that's pretty much an industry standard now.

The last several cruises we've been on we didn't have to go outside and stand with our life vests on. Muster stations are inside in the theatre, lounges, etc. You can sit, you do not put your life vest on till the very end, and then only to make sure you can, then take it off before you leave your muster station. It still has all the safety information and lots of crew members there to help & give directions, but it's so much more comfortable. 20 minutes or so at the very beginning of a wonderful cruise certainly isn't too much to give up to ensure your own safety and that of your fellow passengers. I don't know if all cruise lines are going to this method, but I know that many are.

There is some very good information about cruise packing on independent traveler dot com. The information is especially great for newbies. At one time or another we were ALL cruise newbies and I know I really appreciated all the help I could get from the experienced cruisers.

Hope everyone has a great day!! ...only one day till the week-end!!!

~kruzkween