Last Minute Questions?

[Daisy21015]

Hi, we are sailing on the Allure 7/31 and I had a few last minute questions:

 

1) Can you bring hair straighteners on board?

 

2) Can you text on board? (I know it will cost but if we have our phones and our girls have theirs, can we text where to meet etc?)

 

3) We have MTD and need to make reservations on board - do we go directly to the 5th floor dining room? Or, is there a central location?

 

4) We wanted to make reservations at Chops but couldn't online because two of my girls are under 13 (I know we have to go before 7PM). Do we make this reservation at Chops?

 

5) The only show we still to need to make reservations for is the Comedy Show - Where do we do this?

 

6) For disembarkation - how can we get one of the later time slots (instead of like 7AM). We have a car and do not need to worrry to make a plane - just don't want to have to rush.

 

7) We have excursion for Labadee and Cozumel. Not sure yet about Jamaica - is it too late to do this on board?

 

I think that is all for now. Thank you so much for your responses. This is our first cruise and I'm getting a bit anxious about everything coming together.

 

Also, any last minute advise for the first timer much appreciated!

[39august]

1. yes 2. yes 3. Reservations are not required, but if you want to make then, go to the desk which will be out in front of the designated MTD area of the dining room. 4. Yes 6. Just ask for later assigned time at Guest Relations. 7. No

[tizbo1423]

I didn't know I had the same questions until you asked!

 

And I didn't know you had an option as to what time you could leave the ship. I would LOVE to not have to be rushed off at 7AM. What are the other options, when's the lastest we can go?

[Syran]

I'd only point out a couple of things.

2. be wary, could be $.20-$1 per text (so double it, as sending & receiving). You may be better off having some form of walkie-talkie that i've seen alot of people use on ships, just keep them a little low. As your kids are under 13, I have a feeling they would mostly be in rcl's kids program I can't remember the name of.

 

6. Unless using self disembark, typically locally parked customers are some of the last off the ship unless you request it. I don't know about Allure, but my last RCL cruise in 2010 on Radiance, we had to wait in main areas, then migrate to the show lounge before being allowed to disembark; and had to be out of our cabin fairly early.

[AlanAllyn]

We got off the Allure 11 days ago. Some comments below in red.

Hi, we are sailing on the Allure 7/31 and I had a few last minute questions:

 

1) Can you bring hair straighteners on board?

 

2) Can you text on board? (I know it will cost but if we have our phones and our girls have theirs, can we text where to meet etc?) For Verizon, it costs 50¢ to send a text and 5¢ for incoming texts, when at sea. I'm not sure about in port.

 

3) We have MTD and need to make reservations on board - do we go directly to the 5th floor dining room? Or, is there a central location? You can do it on your tv or dial 4000 before 4.

 

4) We wanted to make reservations at Chops but couldn't online because two of my girls are under 13 (I know we have to go before 7PM). Do we make this reservation at Chops? yes, do it as soon as you can; the sell out quickly.

 

5) The only show we still to need to make reservations for is the Comedy Show - Where do we do this? tv or Studio B on first day 11:30-3:15, 5:15-7. Also, do it early; it sells out.

 

6) For disembarkation - how can we get one of the later time slots (instead of like 7AM). We have a car and do not need to worrry to make a plane - just don't want to have to rush. You will get a form asking about debarkation plans. When you get your luggage tags, if they are too early, go to Customer Service desk and they can likely get you later ones. (We did.) You can stay in your room until you are ready to leave.

 

7) We have excursion for Labadee and Cozumel. Not sure yet about Jamaica - is it too late to do this on board?

 

I think that is all for now. Thank you so much for your responses. This is our first cruise and I'm getting a bit anxious about everything coming together.

 

Also, any last minute advise for the first timer much appreciated!

Board around noon and go to Park Cafe or Solarium Cafe for lunch; avoid the Windjammer.

[neptune18]

I would try to decide on a Jamaica excursion and book it now. They sell out (especially in a port like Falmouth where there is not much around the port). Also, lines to book excursions can be very long. We're on your sailing and I booked the Dreamer Catamaran snorkel and sail because we didn't want to worry about getting our own expensive transportation to MoBay.

 

If it's not too late I would also try to make your MTD reservations now so you don't have to deal with it later.

[Daisy21015]

Thank you all for the replies so far.

 

I tried to book MTD reservations but all the earlier times are booked. I will do it on board as soon as possible so we have a chance of getting the times we want.

 

I will check with AT&T about texting rates - I guess I want to know, if they will text while the ship is at sea??

 

Thanks for the info on Falmouth - I think we will have a family meeting tonight and make some decisions!

 

A special thank you from my teenage daughters who can now rest easy knowing they can straighten their hair!!

[AlanAllyn]

Staying on board the ship in Falmouth is not a bad option. Everything is much less crowded.

[figgyva]

In my experience last week, you can pretty much leave Allure at any time. No one is actually checking for your time (unless they're doing it with the SeaPass, but I doubt it). My family were in group #2 (7:15 AM), and the kids weren't even up at that point. We got off the ship at around 8:30 AM without any problem. It seems that the only time dependence issue is your luggage. If you leave the ship before your assigned time, your luggage will likely not be there. But, they don't move it if you're "too" late. They had about 36 groups of luggage when we got off, all organized and labeled.

[mnovak61]

Thank you all for the replies so far.

 

I tried to book MTD reservations but all the earlier times are booked. I will do it on board as soon as possible so we have a chance of getting the times we want.

 

I will check with AT&T about texting rates - I guess I want to know, if they will text while the ship is at sea??

 

Thanks for the info on Falmouth - I think we will have a family meeting tonight and make some decisions!

 

A special thank you from my teenage daughters who can now rest easy knowing they can straighten their hair!!

 

I called US Cellular about this same question. They told me that the ship has it's own cell tower. I called and confirmed this with RCL. We have a plan with free incoming calls and messages but any message we send while on the ship will cost .25 cents and calls are $2.99 a minute. They also told us some countries like Mexico will charge you a fee ($3.99 a day) as soon as your phone connects to one of their towers whether you use your phone or not. Keep it off while in port to avoid these charges

[neptune18]

I believe you are charged for all incoming texts so that can get expensive. You're better off renting the DECT phones for $25 each. We turn off or put our phones on airplane mode as soon as we set sail.

[Cruise-A-Hoy]

In my experience last week, you can pretty much leave Allure at any time. No one is actually checking for your time (unless they're doing it with the SeaPass, but I doubt it). My family were in group #2 (7:15 AM), and the kids weren't even up at that point. We got off the ship at around 8:30 AM without any problem. It seems that the only time dependence issue is your luggage. If you leave the ship before your assigned time, your luggage will likely not be there. But, they don't move it if you're "too" late. They had about 36 groups of luggage when we got off, all organized and labeled.

 

You are 100% correct figgyva.

When they call your number, and their were 56 numbers all it means is that your luggage is on the pier. You do not have to get off when they call your number, they just don't want you to get off before they call your number, as your luggage may not have been taken off yet.

 

Getting off no one checks your number, as long as they called you number you can collect your luggage and if they did not call your number you will be standing (no chairs) around waiting for it.

[Reijo]

Concerning the question of disembarkation.....I have ALWAYS been told that you could not just stay in your room. You have areas that you are allowed to go to. The ship has to be made ready for the next guests so you do have to leave the room after 8AM or so. Can't remember the exact time. We've never taken advantage of it. Also if you do decide to depart late, do make sure to talk to customer service otherwise your luggage will be going round and round and round on the carousel until you show up.