PrincessPete

Hi all, I have recently purchased some onboard credit by telephone (an extremely tortuous exercise!!) for a Rhapsody cruise at the end of September.

Should that appear anywhere online (Manage My Booking?) or do I just assume it will be there and take a print out of the card payment as a back up?

As always, thanks for the advice.

Kind regards, Peter

Thanks Bob, you really are a mine of information for us newbies to RC (and indeed those who are not new!!).

When I checked the different packages on offer I saw about the point you had made and Surf will clearly be fine for me not wanting to download films etc hence not needing the faster package.

I am also aware of the point another poster made regarding data roaming being included for us Brits in Europe now - thanks for that reply as well.

I am now looking at drinks packages - I know this is a different subject but to avoid setting up another topic, and as I know Bob will see this and (hopefully!) answer, can you give me the link to current bar prices/the ongoing spreadsheet on Royal so I can see if it is worth it for a package.

Once again Bob, HUGE thanks.:):)

Best regards.

Peter

Thanks for the helpful replies and please pardon my ignorance in asking this further question. What is the difference between the SURF package referred to in a reply and VOOM or is it just a play on words? Are there different packages?

Thanks again

Hi all, I guess this has been asked before, so apologies. I was looking at the packages available for our 7 night cruise on Rhapsody in September (new to Royal Caribbean).

The cost for internet for one device booked in advance for the cruise is £56 sterling ($70 approx) which seems fairly reasonable to me. My queries are:

** Would it cost much more if booked onboard?

** What kind of mobile reception can I anticipate "on the best internet service at sea" - I will be using an iPhone, mainly in the cabin and purely to send/receive WApp messages and pictures, emails, and looking at a small number of websites to catch up on football scores!! - not downloading music or films.

Many thanks for any help offered.

Kind regards.

Peter

Fair point re the Viking Lounge - as far as the paying 0000's is concerned I simply meant people paying lots of money for the holiday overall and trying to save a few £££/$$$ by getting drinks free that they KNOW should be paid for seems strange to me.

I am not trying to be "holier than thou" but it does seem odd to me. As I said earlier, perhaps I am being naive.

Indeed Smilesonfaces, I share your thoughts - drink from the same glass? My wife will not be drinking my beer (bought on the package) as she hates it! She will have a cocktail signed for and paid.

Someone said, "go to another bar and get a drink for your partner (with no package)".

I repeat what I said earlier, do people REALLY do that when they have paid 0000's for the cruise?

Would someone in the Viking Crown Lounge (on Rhapsody, the ship we are going on) really go down what looks like 5 decks to another bar to get a "free" drink.

Bizarre - or is if just me?

Please excuse my ignorance, or perhaps naivety. This is a genuine question!

If only one person (out of a couple in the same cabin) has a drinks package how can the drinks be "shared"? If you are in a bar and order two drinks would you not have to show both cruise cards and therefore be charged for one drink? Presumably you can only order one drink at a time on a card with the package?

Or do people who have paid thousands of £££/$$$ buy one drink with their card showing the package and then go to another bar and order another "free" drink for their partner who has no package?

Really? As above, please excuse my ignorance! New to RCL and drinks packages!

Peter

Hi, did "jsf" mean there are NO formal nights......or that there are but some guests do not adhere to the dress code?

New to RCL in September on Rhapsody and was expecting two formal nights. With weight allowance tight on our flight did not want to take the evening suit unnecessarily - although certainly will IF there are still formals! We love those nights

This may be a stupid question but here goes anyway....

If you register a credit card.......but then deposit cash as soon as onboard and always keep the account in credit do they still authorise the daily spend each night to your card - or wait if and until you are no longer in credit and then start authorising? Hope this makes sense!

Cheers Peter

Hi all

(apologies if asked before)

With the drinks package will I be allowed to buy bottled beer from a bar and ask for it to NOT be opened at that time so I can take it to the cabin, store in the fridge and drink later on the balcony, using my own bottle opener?

Many thanks and kind regards.

Peter

Thank you for the helpful replies. I was interested in Biker19's comment about Surf being cheaper to buy onboard. The cruise personaliser offering the prices I quoted in my original posting say they are 20% cheaper than onboard?

Can anyone assist further please with comments whether it is best to wait or to buy in advance. My query is more out of interest as the money involved is not huge either way just that being able to buy cheaper on the cruise is contrary to what the current offer says.

Thanks again.

Hi all

We are on the Rhapsody for a 7 night cruise in September and I am looking at the internet packages. I believe from other postings that there is no “low user” package and you have to buy 24 hours cover for around $20 (may have the amount wrong).

On my cruise personaliser I can currently buy internet for the whole cruise at £11.08 per day = £77.56 for the cruise (around $100). This is said to be a discounted rate to buying it onboard.

That price is for one device which is all I need – my iPhone. Although I will not be streaming videos etc I will wish to check emails and send texts etc.

Pardon my ignorance on technical matters but will I be able to use WApp and therefore also be able to send pictures/texts free of any other charge from my network in addition to checking emails?

Any comments on this and the quality of service I can anticipate would be greatly appreciated and many thanks in advance for any help to this not very technically minded cruiser!!

Kind regards.

Peter

Hi all, just before I ask this question a big thank you to Bob (Clarea) who answered a couple of recent questions I had as a newbie to RCL this year. You are a mine of information Bob and your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to advice on prices I have now established a drinks package is not of any use to us in view of our low consumption and likewise we only use the internet very sparingly for quick emails home etc. An internet package is therefore not worth it either.

Can you buy a couple of hours and simply log on and log off until the time purchased is used?

Any ideas of cost?

Thanks again to Bob and all and with kind regards.

Peter

I am trying to work out whether it is worth buying a drinks package for our forthcoming Rhapsody cruise.

I understand all the principles about how many port days/time off the ship etc etc but would appreciate any information on the current cost of lager. Afraid that's all I drink!

Do the Royal Caribbean ships sell draught lager and if so how much is a pint? Or perhaps they don't use the pint as a measure?

I know from experience that some bars on most ships only sell bottled beer so how much would, say, a 16oz Budweiser cost which is moreorless a pint I recall.

Grateful for any help and with kind regards.

Peter

Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before. I would like to buy onboard credit for our forthcoming Rhapsody cruise but can not find how to do it online on the Manage My Booking site. Indeed I have seen a few entries on C/C reviews that say it can only be purchased in the USA.

Can anyone please advise if I can buy it as a UK passenger?

I prefer doing that so we are pretty much paid in advance for everything and just end up with a small credit card bill.

Many thanks in advance and with kind regards.

Peter

Hi all, we are on our first Royal Caribbean cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas in September (not strictly true as we did a one night trip on the Vision of the Seas before her maiden voyage!!).

I am looking at the Drinks Package and internet facility for one device which costs around £340 booked in advance (7 day cruise).

My questions.............drinks package...............we spend a lot of time on the balcony, am I able to take bottles of beer UNOPENED back to the cabin. I appreciate this would only be one at a time but I could take one back at various times during the day for consumption early evening which is our drinking/balcony time.

My wife hardly drinks so the package would not be worth it. Do I simply show both our cruise cards when buying drinks together and sign for hers in the usual way and mine is covered by the package? I think I am right in saying both people in the same cabin do NOT have to purchase the package.

I also fully understand that the package is not transferable and therefore we pay for any drinks she has.

Internet question........with the high speed and excellent service as advertised can I expect my iPhone to work in the cabin and on the balcony? I would only be using it to send WApp messages and pictures plus receiving emails not downloading videos etc. I appreciate it will be slower than at home.

Many thanks in advance for any help on these points.

With kind regards.

Peter

Hi all, We are on the Eastbound Transatlantic on 3 January 2018 on Queen Mary 2. Does anyone have any idea whether the Christmas trees/decorations will still be in place when we embark. I guess so if they stay up until 12th night which is midway through our voyage but wonder if someone can enlighten us from experience.

Many thanks and kind regards.

Peter and Beverley

Hi, we have done one MSC cruise on Magnifica in 2014 (had a great time) and are planning to book a repeat of the Northern Europe itinerary for October 2018. I would be most grateful for updates on the dining times/experience please.

We are booking a Fantastica Balcony cabin (the different experiences programme was brought in after we cruised with MSC before) and will choose second sitting. What time is the second sitting these days, please?

Unfortunately it is the case that our preferred dining time is later than first sitting but earlier than second! Am I right that we can not choose My Choice dining on the Fantastica experience?

Is there any other choice open to us to eat at our preferred time of, say 1945 (I am assuming second sitting is around 2015) eg speciality restaurants - we would not wish to eat in the buffet in the evenings

Can anyone also please help me with the choice of speciality restaurants as we would be happy on the second sitting if a couple of nights we opted for a speciality restaurant at an earlier time.

Any help will be much appreciated and many thanks in advance.

Kind regards.

Peter and Beverley

Hi all

I see that on our forthcoming Transatlantic two of the formal nights are the Black and White Ball and the Royal Ascot Ball.

The choice of clothes are, of course, obvious for the Black and White Ball but can anyone help with what people usually wear for the Royal Ascot Ball, please?

As an entirely unrelated question, can anyone also please help with advising what time Queen's Grill passengers can normally embark at New York for an eastbound Transatlantic - and is the sailing still usually 4.00pm?

Many thanks and kind regards.

Peter and Beverley

Thank you so much for the replies to date - and if I may especially thank Richard for those amazing photos, and loved the blog!

May I ask an extra question in the hope someone will see it, rather than opening a new thread - what time is embarkation likely to be for Queens Grill passengers in New York? I believe the ship normally sails at 1600 hours so just wondering how early we can embark.

Many thanks again and kind regards.

Peter

Sorry for the number of words not separated by a space in my posting - something to do with the formatting on my computer and I cannot seem to edit it now it is online. Apologies!

Hi all, we are from near London andhave booked a 5 night stay in New York over New Year 2017 and then are sailingback on the Transatlantic voyage on Queen Mary 2 on 3 January 2018. We havesailed on the Queen Mary 2 several times, the last being four years ago when wewere upgraded from Princess Grill to a Q5 Queen’s Grill cabin on a round trip NewYork/Caribbean voyage. The experience was so brilliant that we have booked a Q5cabin for this forthcoming trip.

We would be most grateful forresponses to any of the following questions, please:

STATEROOM

A friend told us they thought tea andcoffee making facilities are now in the staterooms. Is that correct? Tea isimportant to us Brits although last time the room service was so efficient it wasdelivered before we would have had time to make it anyway!

The second stateroom question concernsthe settee which, from the brochure pictures, now appears to be placed at thefoot of the bed. From my recollection it was previously against the wallfurthest from the bed and gave a great view looking out over the balcony. Itseems in its new position not to offer such a good view. Any comments? Can thesettee be moved to a different angle to give a clearer view of the sea? Obviouslywe do not expect to be able to spend much (any?) time on the balcony at that timeof year but do like just sitting there looking at the sea.

Finally, I am partial to theoccasional beer – can that be provided in the complimentary minibar as an alternativeto the wine etc mentioned in the brochure? I seem to recall it was no problemlast time.

QUEEN’S GRILL RESTAURANT

We had a great time in the restauranton the last trip and on a couple of occasions the wonderful Maitre D’ Osmanasked us “would you like anything special for dinner tonight” (as if the a lacarte menu itself did not have enough choice of luxury dishes!). Is that kindof service still offered and is the food overall still as amazing?

This may seem a small point but it isimportant to me. Looking at pictures of the refurbished restaurant (which looksmagnificent) I noticed that the chairs do not appear to have arms, unlike thosein the Princess Grill. Having arms on a chair is vital to me due to a back condition needing support from my arms – is it likely they would be able to accommodate that request?

BOAT DRILL

Is the boat drill at New York always heldbefore the ship sails, therefore allowing us to see the Statue of Liberty from thebalcony as we sail by? I would hate to be attending the muster and find we werealready out of sight of land for the next week!

Many thanks for any responses and we willbe most grateful.

Kind regards.

Peter and Beverley

Hi all, we have cruised 15 plus times on Princess ships since 1988 but not for 4 years due to medical issues. Some friends have just returned from a 20 night cruise on the Royal Princess (back to back 10 nighters) in the Caribbean and were fairlyscathing about the food. It was their first Princess cruise although they have done several on other lines.

They said there were no steaks available, even on the “Always Available” menu, and were also critical of the prawn cocktail (4 prawns) and the Caesar salad (3 croutons).They said they gave up on the main dining room and ate in the buffet where “the food was much better and had a greater choice”.

We were not there, of course, so can hardly suggest they are being hyper-critical but if correct it does seem a major drop in standards since our last cruise on Diamond Princess when we had outstanding meals for 17 nights in the main dining room.

I also found the shortage of steaks strange bearing in mind the number of American passengers who I know love steaks!

I would welcome comments and opinions from Princess regulars and particularly from recent Royal Princess passengers. Our friend’s comments will certainly not put us off Princess as they are our preferred line, perhaps demonstrated by the fact that we are Elite status in the Captain’s Circle. Other opinions, though, would be most welcome.

Many thanks in advance and best wishes to all.

Peter

Thanks for the replies to date. I can only agree that HAL will indeed gain more business through smokers opting for their less restrictive rules than other lines.

I was amused by IanCal’s response – I quote, “It may seem odd but HAL does not make it's business and policy decisions based upon your specific cruise preferences. This is not difficult. Simply select another cruise line. Why all the fuss and consternation? It is not all about you.”

Thank you IanCal for showing why I do not bother to post here too often as one can always guarantee an acerbic reply such as yours – and indeed one that entirely misses the point, again like yours.

If you had actually read my posting you will see we HAVE already selected another cruise line!

I am devastated that they did not ring me before making “their business and policy decisions based on my preferences”, ha ha. What a pathetic comment, compounded by the “Its not all about you” further on.

I was merely raising an issue for discussion although it appears you agree with me!

Oh dear!

We have been on dozens of cruises but never on Holland America. I am a bit of a “ship nut” and go on lots of ship visits and have been over Eurodam, Rotterdam, Prinsendam and a couple of others whose names escape me – they are lovely ships and I am sure the product is excellent.

There are 10 of us, 5 couples, and we fell in love with a Greek Isles itinerary on Westerdam in September 2017, all intending to travel in fairly high class accommodation – the total expenditure on the cruise fares would have been around £30,000 for the 5 cabins /10 passengers.

I had at the back of my mind though that Holland America were one of the few lines where smoking is still allowed on balconies – a quick brochure check confirmed this and an email response from Customer Services suggested the policy is not going to be reviewed in the near future.

We therefore cannot book as we all love spending time on the balcony and that would be impossible for all of us, but particularly 3 of the couples, if anyone was smoking on an adjacent balcony. (we will be in different grades of accommodation so could not block book 5 cabins to minimise the risk!).

Clearly anyone who smokes on the balconies on the ship is absolutely entitled to in accordance with Holland America’s rules.

My query though is can Holland America afford to lose the £30,000 they have now done which has gone to Royal Caribbean (on one of their smaller ships not the mega ones) for a lovely cruise with a similar itinerary plus 3 days stay in Lake Garda. It will be a different cruise but we will at least be in comfort on our balcony where we do love spending time.

I guess the answer is they CAN afford to lose our business and the cabins will all sell – I wonder if they will sell them at the original price that we were prepared to pay though or whether it will be discounted.

I doubt smokers would be put off cruising with Holland America if the rules were changed provided there was still a smoking area. For us at present though it is a deal breaker.

Please accept I am not trying to be controversial and have no arguments with Holland America passengers who smoke on balconies – my argument is with the Line itself as to why they do not follow the lead taken by nearly every other Cruise company. And why do Carnival allow one of their Lines (two actually as I think Costa have the same policy) when it is out of synch with the rest of their Corporation and those outside it?