Live from Brilliance of the Seas, Arabian Gulf

[Nettiehesh]

Hi Stevei

You can book big bus online before you go. I know we have looked at doing that too

 

Jeanette

[Kruizefan]

The best time to join the ship is between 13:00 and 14:00.

 

What is the earliest time to board the ship as I will arrive as early as 7 am in Dubai?

[Mary Ellen]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Oh, I'd definitely love that (as I write from snowy NJ) but I was posting for Sue Bryant, who wrote the blog. Have a great trip and let us know how it goes.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

CSB, if you are one of the late departures from the ship on Monday, perhaps we will get to meet....Look for 3 Texans...

 

Enjoying the blog...ready to fly now.

[little britain]

Hi Littlebritain

Just to let you know that we have today confirmed the half day tour in Muscat it was $110 for up to 4 people

Many thanks

Jeanette

I hope you have a fab cruise and as good a trip in Muscat as we did!

Hope you'll write a full review when you get back.

BTW - the Muscat visa is $13 - people on another review site are complaining about this.....:rolleyes:

[MikeNJ1109]

My wife and I took our honeymoon on the Brilliance, when she was still doing ten day "Circle The Carib" cruises ... and ever since then, the Radiance class of RCL ships has always been our favourites, with all that glass and open space to allow the natural light to shine through.

 

We wish you a very safe & enjoyable cruise out of Dubai, and will look forward to reading your blog ... and if the cruise is even half as good I suspect it will be, then we'll probably be back on the Brilliance next year to celebrate our 10th anniversary.

 

Michael and Silke

[OHV44]

What is the earliest time to board the ship...

Hi Peter,

 

approx 11-12am. :cool:

CU soon.

[Rancher Dave]

Oh, I'd definitely love that (as I write from snowy NJ) but I was posting for Sue Bryant, who wrote the blog. Have a great trip and let us know how it goes.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

 

It was quite nice...just wish there was disclosure ahead of time about the visa fee for Oman...funny US citizens are not charged if we just walk across the border but are charged by the ship...

 

We had one Cuban on board...I think it was a total of 43 countries represented by pax alone...75% from UK, Germany, China, and USA in that order if I recall correctly...the USA count was up in part due to one group on the ship.

 

Loved the ship...very nice. They needed to and were working on some chipping and painting under deck 11...

 

I hope to lead a group there next Spring Break (2012) which should allow me to take more of my family with me on that trip. I do hope by then a new concierege will be aboard...she did not impress.

[Rancher Dave]

What is the earliest time to board the ship as I will arrive as early as 7 am in Dubai?

 

Go slowly thru the airport and then head on over to the ship...worst case, you wait for a while in the terminal, which is big and nice. It is rumored to have free internet, I never did bother to check that feature out.

 

There seemed to be a trickle of folks on and off the ship less like you would see in Miami or other US ports...the advantage being the ship comes in the day before you get aboard and a lot of folks head out overnight for their (like my) 2am flight. We were headed to Frankfurt...I believe the other Lufthansa flight to Germany leaves a few hours later.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Funkymonkeys]

Hi Dave

 

You seem to not be happy with the concierge on board at the moment,we will be on board next week in a GS can you let us know your problems you have had as we wish to make sure we do not have a bad experience with her while on board. We pay extra for this service and expect it to be excellent.

 

Many thanks

[Rancher Dave]

Hi Dave

 

You seem to not be happy with the concierge on board at the moment,we will be on board next week in a GS can you let us know your problems you have had as we wish to make sure we do not have a bad experience with her while on board. We pay extra for this service and expect it to be excellent.

 

Many thanks

 

She never responded to pre cruise requests which were made twice, and didn't handle the requested issues without responding. She spent her time sitting at the desk and then made sure to have big tip envelopes out there for folks.

 

The wait staff was excellent per my parents. They said waiter knew their names instantly, knew their drinks etc...the way it should be...

 

Maybe you will get lucky and the other concierge will be back there. I can't imagine that Betsy is the real full time concierge...if she is, hopefully a complaint (or several complaints) to corporate will get her put back to the guest relations area where she also works.

 

I did hear from more than one that felt her service was bad...bad...bad!!!

 

Hope you have a better experience.

[GEORGET]

We found Betsy and Norman very helpful when we were on the Brilliance, had no complaints.

Cruise we were on there was always somebody at her desk and she coped well.

 

So enjoy the lounge and cruise.

g