Just booked on the Destiny for 28th February

[spireflyer]

Hi first ever cruise booked today on the Destiny 28th February bound for the Carribean for 2 weeks,tour is the Coral and Gems.....

 

I have a few questions so i hope you regulars can help me,first how do i phone home to the uk,is it expensive and can people phone me on the ship ?

 

Do i really need to take a suit and tie or would a shirt and trousers be just fine when dining ?

 

Do they charge and how much to use the internet ?

 

I have the all inclusive package but is it really all inclusive or is there restrictions you can have ?

 

Thankyou in advance.....

[kruzseeka]

Hi first ever cruise booked today on the Destiny 28th February bound for the Carribean for 2 weeks,tour is the Coral and Gems.....

 

I have a few questions so i hope you regulars can help me,first how do i phone home to the uk,is it expensive and can people phone me on the ship ?

 

Do i really need to take a suit and tie or would a shirt and trousers be just fine when dining ?

 

Do they charge and how much to use the internet ?

 

I have the all inclusive package but is it really all inclusive or is there restrictions you can have ?

 

Thankyou in advance.....

 

Hello there - and welcome to the forum.

 

I'll try to answer what I can and I'm sure others will add their advice too.

 

It's probably best (cheapest) to phone home using a mobile when on shore (usually you can't do that on your own network when at sea as you're usually out of range). You can also use mobiles for phoning and texts whilst at sea using the ship's satellite but it does say this is usually more expensive than your own mobile roaming charges. They will tell you at reception what the charges are.

 

In a recent ticket booklet it says 'Family and friends can contact you via a satellite link - but it is expensive. Calls can only be paid for with credit/debit cards and cost roughly 7.95$ per minute'. In an emergency there is a Thomson's number which will pass a 'phone home' message on to you. You can phone from your cabin agai,n using the satellite link, and that costs £3 per minute, charged to your onboard account.

 

Shirt and trousers is fine for dining although on the formal night most do wear either a DJ or suit - at a minimum perhaps add a tie, although there is a wide range of response to the attire for formal night. Alternatively, you can dine in the Lido restaurant on formal nights if you really don't want the dressing up bit.

 

Yes, there is a charge for the internet (again charged to your onboard account) but I'm not sure what it is.

 

All inclusive includes a wide range of drinks/coffees/soft drinks but there is a surcharge for certain premium brands. If you do a search for 'AI' in the 'Search this Forum' box (top right of the table) you will find quite a lot of threads with information about the AI package and some kind members have also posted copies of bar menus so you can check it out - but they do vary a bit from ship to ship.

 

Hope this helps - enjoy your trip. :)

[capasamari]

Spireflyer, I'm not sure whether you are saying you are not keen on the idea of formal dressing or just not sure whether it's popular. On our first cruise Paul just took a jacket and tie (with trousers!) for the Gala night as he didn't think people would actually wear dinner jackets or suits. However he found out that most men did and our table companions assured him that was usually the case. Since then he has amassed quite a collection of bow-ties and cuff-links and enjoys the formal dressing.

 

For the casual nights, long trousers are required with a short or long sleeved shirt.

 

Enjoy the Destiny, we really like her and are doing Caribbean Gems for New Year.

 

Carol x

[spireflyer]

Hello there - and welcome to the forum.

 

I'll try to answer what I can and I'm sure others will add their advice too.

 

It's probably best (cheapest) to phone home using a mobile when on shore (usually you can't do that on your own network when at sea as you're usually out of range). You can also use mobiles for phoning and texts whilst at sea using the ship's satellite but it does say this is usually more expensive than your own mobile roaming charges. They will tell you at reception what the charges are.

 

In a recent ticket booklet it says 'Family and friends can contact you via a satellite link - but it is expensive. Calls can only be paid for with credit/debit cards and cost roughly 7.95$ per minute'. In an emergency there is a Thomson's number which will pass a 'phone home' message on to you. You can phone from your cabin agai,n using the satellite link, and that costs £3 per minute, charged to your onboard account.

 

Shirt and trousers is fine for dining although on the formal night most do wear either a DJ or suit - at a minimum perhaps add a tie, although there is a wide range of response to the attire for formal night. Alternatively, you can dine in the Lido restaurant on formal nights if you really don't want the dressing up bit.

 

Yes, there is a charge for the internet (again charged to your onboard account) but I'm not sure what it is.

 

All inclusive includes a wide range of drinks/coffees/soft drinks but there is a surcharge for certain premium brands. If you do a search for 'AI' in the 'Search this Forum' box (top right of the table) you will find quite a lot of threads with information about the AI package and some kind members have also posted copies of bar menus so you can check it out - but they do vary a bit from ship to ship.

 

Hope this helps - enjoy your trip. :)

 

Thankyou very much,i have looked at a few pages already but i will look at a lot more,and your answers are what i was expecting.

 

It is my first cruise and i do want to get it right,so i think the suit will travel with me...

 

Keith...

[spireflyer]

Spireflyer, I'm not sure whether you are saying you are not keen on the idea of formal dressing or just not sure whether it's popular. On our first cruise Paul just took a jacket and tie (with trousers!) for the Gala night as he didn't think people would actually wear dinner jackets or suits. However he found out that most men did and our table companions assured him that was usually the case. Since then he has amassed quite a collection of bow-ties and cuff-links and enjoys the formal dressing.

 

For the casual nights, long trousers are required with a short or long sleeved shirt.

 

Enjoy the Destiny, we really like her and are doing Caribbean Gems for New Year.

 

Carol x

 

Thanks Carol,i do like to dress up at night and i will take a suit and tie,better to be safe than sorry.

 

A question about the swimming pools are they fresh water or sea water ?

 

Thanks again Keith...

[Flopsy]

Hi Keith

 

Just a point regarding using your mobile aboad.I can always use mine as I am on 'Pay as you go' with no restrictions.

 

However I went to Ibiza with a friend and she couldn't use hers as she was on a tariff of so many minutes plus texts for a fixed sum each month.She was furious when she realised! Apparently she should have told Orange she was going abroad and they would have done what was necessary to make her phone useable abroad.

 

I think that you will love the Destiny- I have just changed my booking for May 2010 from the Island Escape to the Destiny, (after getting worried reading a few bad reviews about the plumbing problems on the Island Cruises forum), so I am really looking forward to it now.

 

If it's anything like the Celebration it will be great.

 

Flopsy (in Dronfield!)

[spireflyer]

Hi Keith

 

Just a point regarding using your mobile aboad.I can always use mine as I am on 'Pay as you go' with no restrictions.

 

However I went to Ibiza with a friend and she couldn't use hers as she was on a tariff of so many minutes plus texts for a fixed sum each month.She was furious when she realised! Apparently she should have told Orange she was going abroad and they would have done what was necessary to make her phone useable abroad.

 

I think that you will love the Destiny- I have just changed my booking for May 2010 from the Island Escape to the Destiny, (after getting worried reading a few bad reviews about the plumbing problems on the Island Cruises forum), so I am really looking forward to it now.

 

If it's anything like the Celebration it will be great.

 

Flopsy (in Dronfield!)

 

Hi Flopsy,i am with orange PAYG and i know my phone is usable abroad not cheap mind,so will probably text a lot.You have just reminded me to check on the orange web site whether its ok to use in the Carribean....

 

Spireflyer might give my location away ,its a bit crooked lol,just down the road from you in Whitt Moor Chesterfield....

 

Keith....

[capasamari]

The swimming pools are sea water, with a fresh water shower at the side if you want to rinse off. Good fun if the ship is rolling and the water is sloshing from side to side!

 

Carol x

[spireflyer]

Thanks for your replies....

 

I have another question about visas/tourist card and departure taxes,i have searched online and ok we don't need a visa,but i have seen we need a tourist card which we can either buy when we land at La Romana or buy online before we go,but the travel agent said we will have to pay departure tax but i think i have read on here that because we are on a cruise we are classed as in transit so do not have to pay it,it would be great if anyone that has been could tell me exactly what happens...

 

Thanks Keith.....

[smiffy1951]

Hi Keith

 

Not sure what the tourist card is but we didn't have one when we went to Caribbean last year. You DEFINITELY DO NOT pay the departure tax as you are on a cruise.

 

This is a fabulous cruise and we have booked it again for March 2011.:)

 

Janet

[spireflyer]

Hi Keith

 

Not sure what the tourist card is but we didn't have one when we went to Caribbean last year. You DEFINITELY DO NOT pay the departure tax as you are on a cruise.

 

This is a fabulous cruise and we have booked it again for March 2011.:)

 

Janet

 

Thanks Janet..... http://www.dominicanembassy.org.uk/

 

it is this link i found maybe we don't need one as we are on the cruise,so i think i will leave that and see what happens when we arrive at La Romana...

 

Keith...

[smiffy1951]

Hi Keith

 

Had a look at the link an we didn't have one of those either so I shouldn't bother.

 

Janet

[Cymro1953]

Hi Flopsy,i am with orange PAYG and i know my phone is usable abroad not cheap mind,so will probably text a lot.You have just reminded me to check on the orange web site whether its ok to use in the Carribean....

 

Spireflyer might give my location away ,its a bit crooked lol,just down the road from you in Whitt Moor Chesterfield....

 

Keith....

 

Hi Keith,

You 'll probably need to make sure your phone is a tri-band one to be able to use in Caribbean, (and USA and Mexico, I know you're not going to those 2).

 

Orange should have a list of call rates from abroad on their website.

As others have said if you need to use it, phone from ashore.

Make sure that the phone has switched from the ship's satellite to the local phone company.

It usually does it automatically, but if still on board and in port it might not change without you turning it off and back on again.

 

Berwyn

[spireflyer]

Hi Keith,

You 'll probably need to make sure your phone is a tri-band one to be able to use in Caribbean, (and USA and Mexico, I know you're not going to those 2).

 

Orange should have a list of call rates from abroad on their website.

As others have said if you need to use it, phone from ashore.

Make sure that the phone has switched from the ship's satellite to the local phone company.

It usually does it automatically, but if still on board and in port it might not change without you turning it off and back on again.

 

Berwyn

 

Hi Berwyn,i have used it in usa so i know it will work anywhere,and yea i have printed off the prices off the Orange web site,i shall not use it a lot as the £1.75 per minute will mount up,probably text a lot though,thanks for your tips...

 

Keith...

[spireflyer]

Hi Keith

 

Had a look at the link an we didn't have one of those either so I shouldn't bother.

 

Janet

 

Saved me £20 already thankyou....

[Cymro1953]

Hi Berwyn,i have used it in usa so i know it will work anywhere,and yea i have printed off the prices off the Orange web site,i shall not use it a lot as the £1.75 per minute will mount up,probably text a lot though,thanks for your tips...

 

Keith...

 

Hi Keith, I'm not sure if this is any use. We're with Virgin mobile and as we're off to Mexico in Sept with the subject coming up I went too look at rates.

Anyway it said for some countries in the Caribbean you may need a quad band phone. But it wasn't specific as to which ones.

 

Berwyn