RCI secrets they don't tell you

[travelpeon]

My tip in general for travel - keep your house/car keys in a safe but accessible place during your journey back. Remove them from checked-in luggage before leaving luggage outside the door/at the airport. Oh. Don't let the kids play with them on the plane, either...

 

Bringing a small identifier near the cabin door for those who get "landmarks" more than numbers could be helpful. A postcard clipped to the paper slot, a ribbon on the knob, just something easy for identification.

 

Since there's no self-laundry, a reasonable substitute for those looking to pack minimally and not send their wash out is a large ziplock bag. There are 2.5 gallon ones available. Pop your clothes in, add water, then add a dollop of the provided shampoo, seal, and shake to create your own washing machine. An elastic travel wash line comes in handy as well so you can position clothes under the a/c vent where it should dry faster than in the damp bathroom. Make a "clothing burrito" with a bath towel and squish it hard to get the water out before you hang things up to reduce drying time. I bring a flocked hanger for air drying tops and since it is velvet flock, other things like socks will also stay when draped over it. If you have a hanging suiter, this can be the hanger you pack as it is slimmer than the larger wooden/plastic ones.

[RUBBER DUCK]

Here's a different angle:

 

Is that just on Voyager or all Voyager class?

 

 

That one was on the Navigator.

[memassey]

...did you happen to notice how visible the lifeboats are below you?...

We were in Oasis/6680 - the lifeboats are aft/below this cabin and can't be seen unless looking over the railing...

[ucfknight07]

We were in Oasis/6680 - the lifeboats are aft/below this cabin and can't be seen unless looking over the railing...

 

Glad to hear. While I'm not overly concerned, I am happy to know that they're not intrusive and noticeably visible!

[mets550]

Glad to hear. While I'm not overly concerned, I am happy to know that they're not intrusive and noticeably visible!

 

I think this is what they were going for when they designed the Titanic too!

[ucfknight07]

I think this is what they were going for when they designed the Titanic too!

 

LOL!!! Well, thankfully, they've got enough seats to account for everybody, but what about their location?!? It seems like lifeboats (or lifeships as they may be more appropriately categorized for Oasis and Allure) get closer and closer to the waterline as each new ship debuts! I'm sure the ships' engineers determine the amount of time it would take to evacuate all passengers and crew, but honestly, if the captain gave orders to abandon ship, I want be in one before they're sitting at sea level!

[jaredjalonni]

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.

 

 

I'm American and I would have to agree with you, I find it rude too. If everyone just got their table/lounge chair when they were ready to use it then who know's, I might be finished with it by the time you came through the line...and so the circle would go.

[astracat]

another thing RCL does not tell you is that they are PAID to promote the shops in the port. The shops pay up to $100,000 per year to advertise and have their shops highlighted on the map. And RCL girl gets 10% of all sales from what her cruise shoppers buy. Bigger is not always better. Yes those shops have the "guarantee" but if you know what you are looking for, try the smaller shops for better jewlery deals. We found a great place down the strip in St Thomas called House of Diamonds. Got some wonderful, one of a kind pieces including a nice chocolate diamond ring! So just beware of the PUSH from RCL to go to only the stores they tell you. But also beware of wrip-off artists in other shops. Get their business cards, have them write up an appraisal of their jewlery. Tell them you saw something at Diamonds International or the ship had a better price....

they will DEAL for sure to compete!

 

Learned from the guys on the excursion boat that the best place to get rum is at the Kmart. Seriously, look for local off track shops, they are always better.

[astracat]

My tip in general for travel - keep your house/car keys in a safe but accessible place during your journey back. Remove them from checked-in luggage before leaving luggage outside the door/at the airport. Oh. Don't let the kids play with them on the plane, either...

 

Boy, I bet there's a good story behind that tip.

 

Bringing a small identifier near the cabin door for those who get "landmarks" more than numbers could be helpful. A postcard clipped to the paper slot, a ribbon on the knob, just something easy for identification.

 

We usually travel smaller Celebrity ships so end up looking for landmarks around the cabin like 2nd floor of the library, head toward the chairs with cushions that look like the cat.

 

Since there's no self-laundry, a reasonable substitute for those looking to pack minimally and not send their wash out is a large ziplock bag. There are 2.5 gallon ones available. Pop your clothes in, add water, then add a dollop of the provided shampoo, seal, and shake to create your own washing machine. An elastic travel wash line comes in handy as well so you can position clothes under the a/c vent where it should dry faster than in the damp bathroom. Make a "clothing burrito" with a bath towel and squish it hard to get the water out before you hang things up to reduce drying time. I bring a flocked hanger for air drying tops and since it is velvet flock, other things like socks will also stay when draped over it. If you have a hanging suiter, this can be the hanger you pack as it is slimmer than the larger wooden/plastic ones.

 

This brings up the don't overpack thread. We've learned to wash smaller items so that we don't have to pack as many of them.

[Linda VH]

In most restaurants here in the States that are buffet there is a host/hostess who seats you and a drink order is taken, you then go for your food. We always sit first, whoever is left behind orders the drinks for all concerned (DH drinks diet coke from a can and I usually have wine at lunch). If it is just DH and I (we usually have a large group) we, of course, offer to let people sit who are looking for a spot. In the larger ships, unfortunately, they haven't made the Windjammer big enough to handle a crowd during peak hours. We always leave promptly after finishing our meals.

As to the soap and shampoo - some of us can't use it unless we can read the ingredients. I'm allergic to aloe vera and can't take the chance. I always bring my own.

Thanks for all the tips!

[Pack My Bags]

GRETEL1128 -- YES Carpet is different colors on port & starboard sides of the ship. This is not in the elevator banks (those usually have pink carpet), its off into the hall where the staterooms are.

 

For instance. If you are standing in the forward elevator bank/staircase & look left the Hallway carpet may be navy & when you look right it's green. When you are in the aft bank the hallways may be pink & green. CAREFUL don't get confused because one of the colors will repeat itself. It WILL however be diagonal. I.e... The green may be forward port & then aft starboard. It does help!!!!

[broland]

Hi, all. Just saw your thread and thought I'd add two more tips. :p

1) You might want to bring along one of those over-the-door, shoe-pocket bags. Hang it facing inside or outside on the bathroom door, and you can keep handy a lot of the little things you need (comb, hairbrush, hair clips, curling iron, make-up bag, razor, pills, little bottles of shampoo, creams, toothpaste, little flashlight, etc.) without taking up so much bathroom counter or room vanity table space.

2) If you have an inside cabin, you may want to bring a night light.

Just a couple of ideas.

Happy cruising!! Bev

[silvercrikhix]

Quoted from travelpeon:

 

Since there's no self-laundry, a reasonable substitute for those looking to pack minimally and not send their wash out is a large ziplock bag. There are 2.5 gallon ones available. Pop your clothes in, add water, then add a dollop of the provided shampoo, seal, and shake to create your own washing machine.

Love this idea! Thank you for posting it. I've been kind of dreading a 9 nighter with no self serve laundry and only outrageous priced laundry service. This is awesome! Shake shake shake.....lol.

[Pack My Bags]

I'm a tour operator & sleep in more hotel beds than my own. On my last Feeedom cruise (Sept 2010) our room steward bumped into us as we were headed to the solarium & said your room smells so nice!

 

Since I am a creature of comfort, I keep one thing around that feels like home. The scent. I ALWAYS bring a glade plug-in with the same scent I have at home. (I also bring a surge protector for extra outlets.)

-Ria

[jaredjalonni]

I'm a tour operator & sleep in more hotel beds than my own. On my last Feeedom cruise (Sept 2010) our room steward bumped into us as we were headed to the solarium & said your room smells so nice!

 

Since I am a creature of comfort, I keep one thing around that feels like home. The scent. I ALWAYS bring a glade plug-in with the same scent I have at home. (I also bring a surge protector for extra outlets.)

-Ria

 

 

Love, love the glade plug in idea...might have to use that one. As much as I do like the ziplock washing machine it sounds like more work than i care to do on vacation :)

[Bluegirl]

Great tips! Keep 'em coming!

 

1) This has been touched on in other threads, but I thought I should mention here that for those interested in a Labadee cabana but NOT staying in a suite, it is possible to reserve one through the concierge if there are any available that have not already been claimed. They are not cheap (I believe $150 or $200 for the day?), but they sure do make for a nice day at Labadee at the best beach there for kids. Not everyone knows that others besides just suite guests can potentially get access to a cabana.

 

2) After cruising multiple times with toddlers and even babies, I stopped bringing so many grocery store bags to seal used diapers in when I realized that you can ask your cabin attendant to stock you up with disposal bags.

 

3) Guests in balcony rooms can request loungers. We had two connecting D1's on the Liberty this year and managed to fit two loungers on our slightly larger, combined balcony space. Ask your cabin attendant on embarkation day, and if there are any extras, you should be able to get one. Ours were obviously queued for upgrades (slightly worn, wood lacking varnish), but they still did the trick!

 

4) Re traveling with kids or just in general, I got on the plane with food for our travel day in two tupperwares with seal-on lids and used them nearly every day on our cruises this past year. They're light and mess-free during travel days and excellent for taking food back to your cabin from the Windjammer, especially delicate items like a sampling of desserts. Even mac 'n' cheese and oatmeal and such! I would wash them out every night and make sure to have them in my purse when leaving the cabin - you never know when you'll make a surprise stop by the Promenade or some other place where little goodies have been laid out.

 

5) When you order a late afternoon or evening glass of champagne (or actually anything from the Champagne Bar) on most ships, you are treated to a little plate of cheeses and canapes. I used the two-for-one coupons in our Gold booklet to fetch flutes of champagne for myself and my husband and took everything (even the canapes) back to our cabin to enjoy while dressing for formal night. From what I could tell, the canapes were of the same sort served to suite guests in the concierge lounge. Very yummy.

 

6) I totally agree about Deck 4 on most ships in the fleet. My favorite place to hang out in a deck chair both during the day and after dinner. Very quiet and, as others have said, the only place where you get that old-fashioned "ship feeling" of being so close to the water and away from loud pool deck music. At night especially, you can enjoy being in the sea air minus the higher winds on the top decks. It's also fun to watch families play shuffleboard there. I'm always surprised how under-populated Deck 4 outside is. Also a very nice place to relax with your book and a drink. The starboard side (usually) is smoke-free, while the port side is a good quiet haven for smokers.

[vegasgirl702]

Secrets: Book "some" port excursions with Local companies/tour groups vs with RCCL. Enjoyed the smaller group size and more time at sites.

 

Book these excursions with people from your roll call. Most memorable ports were:

 

St Petersburg, Russia -Our guide was a Russian History Prof. currently teaching at a German University

 

Naples, Italy -saw Positano for first time and fell in

love. My husband took me back on a land trip a year

later for our anniversary.

 

Florence, Italy - Our driver was informative and Delicious to look at! All the women were swooning!:p

 

Eze, France - Mmh, oh those crepes

 

St Maarten, Carribean - Did an Artist tour, bought original art:)

Edited December 3, 2010 by vegasgirl702

[vegasgirl702]

Tips!

 

Talk to your tablemates, people at the bars, they usually have great stories or tips/hints about current ship/port etc...

 

Pack Light! One less outfit, shoes etc...

 

Bring something small from your town for your servers or chocolates! eg baseball hat or deck of Vegas cards

 

Bring your camera with you at all times!

 

Buy "cruise" supplies off season eg. Bikini/trunks, formal wear

 

For women - bring a small tote (vs beach bag) to carry mags/book/kindle/scarf during ship days or port days when you stay on ship

[jaredjalonni]

Does anyone know how far away Coral World is from the port? I wanted to Snuba in St. Thomas but I found that if you go to Coral World that you can do Snuba there also and rccl doesn't offer that type of an excursion. At any rate I'm just trying to figure out how I would get there and how costly getting there woudl be. :confused:

[MrsORANGE]

Note to self: Don't sit next to ORANGEinINDY...:p;):D

 

We'll set him in a corner, and I guess I'll have to sit next to him.:D

[birdcat]

Does anyone know how far away Coral World is from the port? I wanted to Snuba in St. Thomas but I found that if you go to Coral World that you can do Snuba there also and rccl doesn't offer that type of an excursion. At any rate I'm just trying to figure out how I would get there and how costly getting there woudl be. :confused:

IF I remember correctly, it was something like a 20 minute cab ride. I do remember that we loved it and would highly recommend it - The Lorikeets loved my DW's earrings as much as the nectar! We love zoos & aquariums and Coral World, while not the biggest we have been to, was really nice.

[MrsORANGE]

Does anyone know how far away Coral World is from the port? I wanted to Snuba in St. Thomas but I found that if you go to Coral World that you can do Snuba there also and rccl doesn't offer that type of an excursion. At any rate I'm just trying to figure out how I would get there and how costly getting there woudl be. :confused:

 

We took a privately found tour 2 years back (reccommened by some of the CC people) that included Coral World, and it was 1/2 hour or so from the port i think, and it was is a very small place, but seemed very unknown and very personal tour when we arrived. I'll try to find more info on the tour company for you.

[MrsORANGE]

FYI, For those looking for deck plans, If you can wait until you board, we got a lovely pocket size map (folded many different ways) of the Mariner (this was on our 1st cruise back in 2005), But when we went on her a month ago i actually remembered to bring it with me, as it was a great resource. Go to the customer service desk and ask if they have a map of the ship, i think most have this very helpful tool.

Every ship is laid out differently, even if they are in the same class, but I always like to walk each floor of the ship within the first 24 hours so i can see all the hidden "secret" areas too. Plus it's good exercise. :)

[jaredjalonni]

IF I remember correctly, it was something like a 20 minute cab ride. I do remember that we loved it and would highly recommend it - The Lorikeets loved my DW's earrings as much as the nectar! We love zoos & aquariums and Coral World, while not the biggest we have been to, was really nice.

 

Well thank you, now I'm leaning much more to doing it! I love to see the animals! I hope the cab ride won't cost too much. :rolleyes:

[MrsORANGE]

te tour was thu Island Marketing Ltd, just google Coral World St Thomas and the site is under the Ultimate St Thomas island tour with Coral World.

 

we thoughorly enjoyed it, and the DH dropped his cell phone in the stingray tank too, real fun day. :D