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Live from Splendour of the Seas - Dubai


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Thanks for all your helpful info. Do you or anyone else who has recently done this itinerary i.e. in 2016, have copies of the Daily Compass. Another member kindly scanned hers from December, but it must have changed as the 2nd formal night is now on the Saturday and not after the day at sea. Bizarre that they changed this night from the December itinerary? Also I had an email from RCI stating that women MUST bring long gown to wear in Gradn Mosque, but this is conflicting advice, as have read they do provide Abayas at the Mosque at no charge with photo ID? Can someone confirm this?

Thanks in advance.

If you read Christy's post just a few up it says that the formal nights are now back again to being Khasab and Sea Day. No idea why they did it on AD day on our cruise.

Abaya's are provided to wear at the AD mosque if you are not suitably covered.

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Thanks for the tip. Annoying to keep switching formal nights! Will read the post you mention. I am new to this forum but finding it very helpful. This will be 8th cruise with RCI and wish I had joined Cruise Critic years ago!

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Can you explain the drinks cards on offer? On other cruises we have bought drinks packages but find you need to be drinking 24 hours a day to get your value! Interested in any other drinks offers please.

The cards I have seen give you some specific number of drinks that end up being a significant discount from buying one at a time. Most recently, I've seen at 10-drink card for $79, gratuity included in that prie. Since these were for a specific number of drinks, they did not care if you shared them.

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Barnet,

 

Thank you for your reply. I live in the U.S. I was trying to determine if it is common for local restaurants, taxis, shops etc. to take dollars or do I need to convert currency. Did you notice if ATMs were easily located. I have used them in other countries when I've needed local currency.

 

TIA

 

Sorry for not replying soon didn't notice any ATM's but have to say wasn't looking for them, in Dubai 89% for the people that live there are ex pat's from around the world and most major banks have branches there so would guess that ATM's are available, I took $ for on board but only took 150 AED for tips if need will out on trips only used about 30/40 AED's ended up spending the rest at the airport prior to flying home had my debit and credit card and used those most of the time. I check the exchange rate which for us was 5.2 AED to £1 and then if buying something quickly work out what the cost is in £ before deciding if to buy so my advice would be check the exchange rate don't get to many more AED's then you really need and pay on a card.

Enjoy your trip.

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Thank you for the review. In May we embarked in Dubai, went to Oman, through the Suez Canal and then had stops in Israel, Greece and Turkey.

 

Just a few comments. We found the duty free in the Dubai airport to have a great selection if wine and had no problem purchasing or bringing on board. We purchased a bottle for our 3 day pre cruise stay in Dubai. We were happy we did this as we had arrived during a holiday and no alcohol was available anywhere for two days.

 

We also had NO problem with medication. We brought bottles with many more pills than the trip, medication with codeine etc and were never asked about medication. We had our daily meds as well as our usual travel meds and NO issue or problem.

 

It was very warm during the trip. Well over 100 F in Oman. In most cities I wore a short sleeve top and ankle length pants but did have a long sleeve blouse and a head covering with me if needed.

 

Dubai was amazing. It was our first time in the region and we hope to get back.

 

OP. Thanks again for your review

M

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Can you explain the drinks cards on offer? On other cruises we have bought drinks packages but find you need to be drinking 24 hours a day to get your value! Interested in any other drinks offers please.

 

The drinks card was Ten Drinks for $80 gratuity included (apparently it was $70 on previous cruises?).

 

On our sailing, the card was offered on day 5, the sea day between Muscat and Abu Dhabi advertised as 'Sea Day Drinks Special'. Any drinks up to $14 in value.

 

There were also daily drinks of the day at $10 ($11.80 including tip)

Edited by icsys
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  • 2 weeks later...
We just packed our two bottles of wine in our cases and no problems. Just to add that as we were on an over night flight we were take to the meridian next to the airport at 9am and were fully checked in to save doing this at terminal. Nice breakfast, sitting in the sun and on board bY 11.30 am. This was a much nicer experience rather than having to queue up at the port. Any other questions just ask.

 

Hi I see that you were taken to the Meridian from the airport. Was that arranged beforehand or was there someone at the airport organising this?

 

We are going on 14th March and we arrive at 8am

 

Thanks

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Hi I see that you were taken to the Meridian from the airport. Was that arranged beforehand or was there someone at the airport organising this?

 

We are going on 14th March and we arrive at 8am

 

Thanks

 

If you have your transfer's booked with Royal you will be meet at the airport by Royal staff who will give you all the information, check in is done at the airport and also breakfast is provided, your luggage is taken from you at the hotel and you will not see it again until it is delivered to your state room. It work well for us early this year.

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Hi we booked through a travel agent but no mention was made of transfers. Did you organise this yourself with Royal? Thanks

We booked as a package which include flights and transfers with Royal you should be able to add Royal's transfers if you do not have them already get your TA to check it out for you.

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Hi, we sailed with Celebrity late last year and we were able to bring 2 bottles of wine onboard with us. Do you know is it the same limit for RCI/Splendour of the Seas?

 

Thank you for the review. In May we embarked in Dubai, went to Oman, through the Suez Canal and then had stops in Israel, Greece and Turkey.

 

Just a few comments. We found the duty free in the Dubai airport to have a great selection if wine and had no problem purchasing or bringing on board. We purchased a bottle for our 3 day pre cruise stay in Dubai. We were happy we did this as we had arrived during a holiday and no alcohol was available anywhere for two days.

 

We also had NO problem with medication. We brought bottles with many more pills than the trip, medication with codeine etc and were never asked about medication. We had our daily meds as well as our usual travel meds and NO issue or problem.

 

It was very warm during the trip. Well over 100 F in Oman. In most cities I wore a short sleeve top and ankle length pants but did have a long sleeve blouse and a head covering with me if needed.

 

Dubai was amazing. It was our first time in the region and we hope to get back.

 

OP. Thanks again for your review

M

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I see my question seems to have been answered already above!!, thanks to all for this thread.

 

Sounds like we should buy the wine at home and put it in checked in cases instead of waiting and buying in Dubai duty free on arrival as is pricey there.

 

Hi, we sailed with Celebrity late last year and we were able to bring 2 bottles of wine onboard with us. Do you know is it the same limit for RCI/Splendour of the Seas?
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One last question... are there happy hours at the bars dotted around the ship? we found on Celebrity that the happy hours were normally just before the early dining room sitting which worked out great.
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