RCI secrets they don't tell you

[jackretired]

Just remember to turn it off, especially if you have a smart phone with limited data plan.

 

Put your smart phone in airplane mode. Nothing in or out, but you still have camera, calendar, notes, deck plans, etc. We take the compass and add items from it into my iphone's calendar. When you meet someone, add them to your contacts list complete with photo email address.

[roger1955]

If you or your kids are milk drinkers remember. The little containers are out in the WJ for breakfast only. If you want milk after that you will have to ask a server. I find it quicker to bring an extra one down and put it in the Cabin refrig and just grab it before lunch.

[saintbernardlover]

Put your smart phone in airplane mode. Nothing in or out, but you still have camera, calendar, notes, deck plans, etc. We take the compass and add items from it into my iphone's calendar. When you meet someone, add them to your contacts list complete with photo email address.

My plan exactly, plus I have both the kindle and the nook apps on my smart phone and plan to have plenty of books downloaded before I go. I also added a currency converter app today. Also, this is my first cruise after becoming disabled and I will be on a scooter. After posting some concerns about getting thru crowds on the disabled forum, someone suggested bringing a fog horn (which I personally think would be rude and annoying) but I found a great app which I added to my smart phone that has several "horn" sounds including the fog horn, mexican hat dance and whoopie cushion. May be fun for giggles and grins:rolleyes:

 

Great idea about adding new peeps to your contact list with photo. :D

[kembo]

I love the idea of taking a picture of the day plates to help keep the pictures straight! Adding that to my ever growing cruise file :)

[r2go]

I've enjoyed reading the tips. Thanks everyone for sharing.

 

Here's a tip...

 

Moving the coffee table into the closet gives you a little more floor space and one less thing to bump into.

[Pack My Bags]

I can attest to that! My mom is blind & with staterooms so small, the first thing I do is get that darn coffee table out of the way. Getting whacked in the shin is not fun!!! I am guilty of putting table out on the balcony, but mom has graduated & now made it to Jr.. Suites. With all that extra room we now just put it in the corner!

[ORANGEinINDY]

I can attest to that! My mom is blind & with staterooms so small, the first thing I do is get that darn coffee table out of the way. Getting whacked in the shin is not fun!!! I am guilty of putting table out on the balcony, but mom has graduated & now made it to Jr.. Suites. With all that extra room we now just put it in the corner!

You don't need to be blind to run into that table!

Good tip!....for all of us

[piemom9397]

Regarding the coffee table--if you're not going to use it, just ask your room steward to remove it--easy as pie! We've done that almost every cruise.

 

Another tip: if you're just itching to buy clothes or jewelry or even luggage in any of the shops on the ship, if you can--try to wait until the end of your cruise where it will go on sale.

[piemom9397]

If you buy alcohol in port (or on the ship) I will be delivered to your room the last evening...

 

Indy, was that a Freudian slip there? ("if you buy...I will be delivered to your room...");):D

 

Hehehehehehehe!

[kembo]

Indy, was that a Freudian slip there? ("if you buy...I will be delivered to your room...");):D

 

Hehehehehehehe!

 

Good catch! Bahahahaha!!

[gfd_2]

It appears that I have hit upon a cultural nerve. Which was most certainly not my intention. I know only too well from these boards that Americans do not appreciate criticism of their ways and customs.

 

It only takes a "few minutes" for my food to get cold while you are sitting there not eating.

 

At times the Windjammer is extraordinarily busy - I appreciate that it is clearly acceptable in your culture, it is quite rude in ours.

 

Did you ever ask to sit with a couple sitting at a large table which has spare seats? DW and I have met great folks from the U.S., Canada and Scotland by simply asking that question.

[ORANGEinINDY]

Indy, was that a Freudian slip there? ("if you buy...I will be delivered to your room...");):D

 

Hehehehehehehe!

Maybe wishfull thinking....

[B_Mc]

This is the best thread I've found on cc so far....Thanks!

[The_Big_M]

Another tip: if you're just itching to buy clothes or jewelry or even luggage in any of the shops on the ship, if you can--try to wait until the end of your cruise where it will go on sale.

 

The problem is not much goes on sale. And sometimes it does sell out.

[nydiana]

Any idea how to find 'mini' versions of deck plans, versus printing out individual pages for each deck ?

I make a photocopy of the two page deck plan from the cruise catalog. I wear a fanny pack with my sea pass card, these photo copies and the cruise compass highlighted with the items I am interested.

Diana

Edited January 2, 2011 by nydiana

[jackretired]

Are there any drinks that are free? I know the alcoholic drinks are not, what about non-alcoholic drinks?

 

A glass of ice at any bar. Lemonade etc in WJ.

[nydiana]

Now that I have a digital camera I don't need to worry about wasting film. I take a picture of a sign in each port so I know were the pictures are from. I also do this for the name of the museum or other tour site so I know were those pictures were taken. I bring my laptop and each day when we get back to our cabin I off load the pictures. Then the pictures automaticly go into a folder which I name the port name.

Diana

[Jaxxgent]

Orange, that is just not right.

 

Orange himself is not right ... trust me, I've sailed with him and his lovely wife a few times! LOL (then again, what's that say about me if I enjoy their company?! LOL)

 

Oh, hi, Bill! :)

[Jaxxgent]

I love the idea of taking a picture of the day plates to help keep the pictures straight! Adding that to my ever growing cruise file :)

 

I have to laugh at myself, we've done that on nearly every cruise ... or started to. I have lots of the first day pics, but always forget to take any the rest of the week! LOL

[ElaineD]

The official RCCL app doesn't save the deck plans. It will try to go online each time and download them. The non RCCL "Ship Mate" has the deck plans built in to the app. It's not free (but it's not very expensive) and the deck plan resolution is not that great, but it's a pretty handy app all the same.

 

The RCCL app does have deck plans, but, at least on my iPhone, they are not accessible in Airplane Mode. In Shipmate (which only 1.99, and I will be able to use on future cruises!) you CAN access it in Airplane mode. Thanks for the tip!!

[mdroom101]

This is a great Thread. Wonderful tips!

[twospoiled]

For those that smoke, please don't try to flick your cigarette butts over the railing! It doesn't work! I know from personal experience as I was once on the receiving end of one of those butts when it flew back onto the deck where I was relaxing and was burned.:(

[fleckle]

I like to start taking photos early in the morning as we are approaching the next port. My problem was that I would take a lot of shots before I ever saw a sign with the name of the port. As a result, the establishment shot that identified the place would end up somewhere in the middle of my photos from that port instead of at the beginning.

 

Then a photographer gave me a simple tip. On the ship they give you a program every night for the next day and it always has the name of the next port and the date on it. So now I shoot a closeup photo of the name of the next port and date as my last shot each night. Then when I wake up the next morning and start taking photos, even if I am still half asleep, I already have my establishment shot to identify the next port, and it will be in exactly the right place in the sequence.

 

But this really is not an RCI tip as it works for any ship.

[Jaxxgent]

For those that smoke, please don't try to flick your cigarette butts over the railing! It doesn't work! I know from personal experience as I was once on the receiving end of one of those butts when it flew back onto the deck where I was relaxing and was burned.:(

 

Yikes! We're smokers, but would NEVER do anything like that - it's inconsiderate, and it's littering! We try to be very considerate about our smoking. We do, however, smoke on our balcony - it's one of the reasons we pay for a balcony cabin. (We try to get one more towards the back.)

 

We have encountered some very inconsiderate (rude and obnoxious would fit well here, too) smokers that did not care who they offended with their habit, or where their ashes or butts ended up and we were quite disgusted with them.

 

So, smokers (us included), please be considerate of those around you! While it is our right to smoke (albeit in limited, designated areas), it is someone else's right to not smoke, and to not be exposed to our habit. Don't be a litterbug, put ashes and butts where they belong.

 

Happy Wednesday, ya'll! :)

[Trickie Dickie]

A favorite sail away spot for me is the helicopter landing pad at the very front of the ship (Voyager, Freedom and Radiance classes). Most folks don't figure out the way there until later in the cruise. Just go out to the wrap around promenade under the life boats (deck 4 on Freedom) and walk all the way forward. There will be stairs that take you up one deck, continue walking toward the front and you'll soon be at the heli pad with one of the best views on board.

 

I too love the beak of the ship! Boy was I upset when I found out I couldn't go there on Oasis! I had to do my king of the world picture in another (fake) location. :mad: