Brilliance of the seas

[jacksoncruisers]

We are first time cruisers in our 50's We are very active and would like some advise on everything. The Panama canal, Costa Rica, Aruba and Grand Cayman Island are our ports of call. We love snorkling, hiking and other physical activities. Advise on ship board do's and don't's or anything else would be helpfull.

[Cam6959]

Welcome Jacksoncruisers! First thing to remember is no worries just relax and have fun. When is your cruise? I am doing the Brilliance to Panama in Jan 07. Are you going to book shore excursions from the ship or on your own?

Always have some ones and fives for tips to porters and room service and excursion guides and drivers.

Plenty of film or memory cards.

Try to remeber all your toilitries from home it is murder purchasing them on board. Especially for the Mrs and deoderant. I paid $12 for a bottle of Lancome deoderant. ouch that hurt. : )

The most important thing is to remember every minute of this awesome experience and hold onto it for years. There will never again be a first cruise. Enjoy and make those special memories!

[FunCruiser56]

We will be on the Brilliance this January while not our first cruise it is our first through the Panama Canal and our first cruise longer than 11 days! you have come to the right place to find out all there is to know about cruising.

 

I would suggest you visit the port of call boards and check out each stop you will be making. We usually like to book private tours instead of ship tours, usually lots cheaper and you can customize the tour. We are taking a tour in Costa Rica with Oscar Brown, you will see his information in the costa rica board. We will be ziplining, taking the canal tour and a general tour of the area. When we were in Grand Cayman last year we took a tour with Nativeway and swam with stingrays- an unforgetable experience.

 

You will also want to check out the meet and mingle board and see if there is a group started for your cruise, it is fun to 'meet' up with fellow cruisers before you leave, it is through this group we made up our tour for costa rica.

 

Keep posting and reading- you will learn alot!

 

funcruiser

[Aideen]

If my husband was typing this he'd say - climb the rock wall on the ship. (They folks working the wall on the last ship told us that the oldest person they had climb the wall was a 96 year old lady!)

[ChoosinCruisin]

Whichever sailing you are on be sure to sign up for the Meet and Mingle party, you'll meets lots of experienced cruisers.

[jacksoncruisers]

Welcome Jacksoncruisers! First thing to remember is no worries just relax and have fun. When is your cruise? I am doing the Brilliance to Panama in Jan 07. Are you going to book shore excursions from the ship or on your own?

Always have some ones and fives for tips to porters and room service and excursion guides and drivers.

Plenty of film or memory cards.

Try to remeber all your toilitries from home it is murder purchasing them on board. Especially for the Mrs and deoderant. I paid $12 for a bottle of Lancome deoderant. ouch that hurt. : )

The most important thing is to remember every minute of this awesome experience and hold onto it for years. There will never again be a first cruise. Enjoy and make those special memories!

Thanks for the tips. We will be on the Feb. 3rd trip to Panama. Can't wait.

[Cam6959]

Your welcome. It was posted to book shore excursions outside of the cruise company. That is the cheapest way to do it. Remember though, if the excursion is late the ship will not wait. But if you book from the ship the ship will wait for you. Being your first cruise that is something to think about. After your first you will be a pro! If you book your own, also remember the time the excursion people are talking about is their time not ship time so find out the difference. You will have a great time! Let me know the best thing you saw on your cruise. I am very excited for my Panama Canal cruise!

[sanbmet]

Welcome Jacksoncruisers! First thing to remember is no worries just relax and have fun.

The most important thing is to remember every minute of this awesome experience and hold onto it for years. There will never again be a first cruise. Enjoy and make those special memories!

 

I agree......just be forewarned.....if your first cruise experience is a great one...you'll be addicted for life!!!! What a great way to travel! Enjoy....enjoy!

 

Also for the Panama canal....you'll want to be up very early on canal day to get a good spot up on deck to watch the traffic, the approach and sunrise...really a neat experience.

[cruisingrightalong]

We have done this trip and are doing TWICE next year so we must love it...plus we love the Brilliance!

 

Aruba-

We did the 4 x 4 Safari....and had a blast...took "jeep" type vehicles that you drive. OK...everyone will tell you cheaper to do by yourself. However, the tour group in front of us had one turn over and if the tour guides hadn't been there...emergency would have not been easy to obtain. So...I am glad we had native people with us!!!!

 

Costa Rica-

We did the rain forest....this is a long bus ride...a tour...lunch and all BOOK THRU THE SHIP...BECAUSE we were "hauling" back and barely made it..and yep they would have had to wait for us! The rains were bad enough to wash some roads so he had to take it easy in places. The guide said if one particular road was washed we would have had to go around and that would have been an extra 3 hours!!! BUt, we had a blast...lots of people did the Tortu...Canal trip and some did white water rafting and had a blast.

 

Grand Cayman-

we have been enough that we usually get off walk around and such..however lots of people like the tours...we have snorkeled just off the ship...you get off....head right down the street...and you will come to Eden Roc.....to snorkle right off the shore. They have lockers and such for rent and gear.

 

Panama Canal-

Some get off the ship but we come for the Canal Experience...if you go thru the canal and then get off for a tour they take you back to Christophel so that means you only do the Canal crossing once instead of twice. MOST IMPORTANT-when you go thru there are lots of vantage points....however don't miss I think it is deck 5....go outside and see just how close you are to the side and see the people working up close!!

 

Any questions, just ask all of us.

 

Lou

[Cam6959]

Hi Lou,

That was so informative. I did not know that about excursions at the canal. I have a hump cabin will that be a good place to be going through the canal? I can't wait until the OP comes back from their cruise in Feb! I want to hear all about it!

[cruisingrightalong]

Cam6959-Here are our favorite viewing spots:

 

our aft cabin (or go up to the miniature golf area in back and watch) or at the seaview cafe on deck 12

 

up in front of the spa (and if it sprinkles every one runs for cover) and we stay...it is only water and not cold!!!

 

deck 5-reach out and touch!!! not really but so very interesting

 

In the lake...we like to park ourselves up by the pool area and watch the other ships come thru

 

You will have time if you stay on to do all of these coming and going!

 

Lou

[jacksoncruisers]

Hi Lou,

That was so informative. I did not know that about excursions at the canal. I have a hump cabin will that be a good place to be going through the canal? I can't wait until the OP comes back from their cruise in Feb! I want to hear all about it!

I've read alot about hump cabins but don't know really what they are. Our cabin number is 4030 close to the elevators. Is this a hump cabin ?

[Watermanfunari]

Cruisingrightalong: Thanks so much for the info. When I tell my hubby I am on the computer looking for info, he just rolls his eyes, but then when we do the things I find out, he is thrilled, so I will tell him it was you, another great Cruise Critic that gave me the info and you will get all the credit, lol. Any other things that you must tell us about the ship please do, we want to know all about this great ship and it activities.

 

jacksoncruisers: HELLO, we will be on this cruise with you. Please go to the top of this board and click on ROLL CALLS for Brillinace and then find our date of the cruise and please join in on our chats we have about the up coming cruise. We have about 20 people so far I think on our post, if we get to 25 RCCL throws us a party, so also sign up for the meet and mingle party. See you over at the Roll call board.

 

Thanks again,

 

Sue

[Cam6959]

Hi Steveareno!

Sorry to say 4030 is too low to be on the hump. If you go to the deck plans at royalcaribbean.com you will see the cabins start to bow out by the elevators. These are the hump cabins. I picked a hump cabin because of the Panama Canal. I wanted to reach out and touch someone but I think I am too high up there. Dang it! I know you will have an awesome cruise! Just don't forget to let me know everything you do and the don't miss things!

 

Lou,

I like your idea of parking it on the pool area and watching the other ships. Sounds relaxing and something to not miss!

[jacksoncruisers]

Hi Steveareno!

Sorry to say 4030 is too low to be on the hump. If you go to the deck plans at royalcaribbean.com you will see the cabins start to bow out by the elevators. These are the hump cabins. I picked a hump cabin because of the Panama Canal. I wanted to reach out and touch someone but I think I am too high up there. Dang it! I know you will have an awesome cruise! Just don't forget to let me know everything you do and the don't miss things!

 

Lou,

I like your idea of parking it on the pool area and watching the other ships. Sounds relaxing and something to not miss!

Hey thanks Cam for cabin info. Now I get the hump layout. Another question.

Are their Irons and ironing boards in the rooms, and what about laundry facilities ?

[cruisingrightalong]

No irons no ironing boards no laundry facilities...you send everything to the "cleaners"....and it is easy and reasonable.

 

Actually on the 11 days we send out everything we need to and we spend less than $30 for the entire trip and that is with LOTS of stuff....we do it so the t-shirts and all don't "smell". Normally we spend about $15 as a rule.

 

You put them in the bag....mark the bag...and they will be hanging in your closet the next day!

 

Lou

[jacksoncruisers]

Hey thanks Lou for the help.

[ChoosinCruisin]

And you can mark the items as "press only" and the charge is half.