Kenny1118 Posted November 5, 2006 #1 Share Posted November 5, 2006 I'm leaving for my first Cruise on the 20th, the Brilliance of the Seas Panama Canal Cruise. Has anyone ever taken this cruise and have any advice? Also, I have a few questions if anyone can answer them. I'm sure some of these have been asked a million times before, so let's make it a million and one. Are drinks in the casino free? We have booked a few excursions. How do we get to them? Is there a meeting point on the boat and you leave from there? Or are you on your own as far as getting there? I've been tossing around the idea of taking the fishing excursion in Panama, anyone ever done it? Is it worth it? Are the dress codes just for dinner, or does that include shows and bars and anything else I'd do on the boat that night? If not, I'd probably wear khaki's and a dress shirt, but no tie or jacket, but what about shorts or jeans? Should I even bother packing them? We have a room with a balcony. How private are they? If I want to sit out on my balcony at night and have a beer or two and listen to a little music before calling it a night, will the people on the balcony next to me be able to hear my music? Has anyone ever rented a tux on the boat for formal nights? I see that is an option. Do I need to do that in advance? Or can I order one while on the boat? I have all my measurements, since I just got measured for my wedding tux a few days ago, so I wouldn't need to be measured. Do they have a Thanksgiving Dinner? It would be kinda strange to not have Turkey on Turkey Day. Do they have any bars that will show NFL Football? What about College Football? Where can I find info on things to do at the ports outside of the excursions listed? I've read that there is kareoke. My fiancee has a beautiful voice and loves to sing kareoke, is it every night, or just a one night thing? Do the dining areas have a problem with you brining items in? Just small things like a bottle of hot sauce. I love hot sauce on almost everything, but I can't stand 'Tabasco' brand hot sauce, which is what most places carry. Would they object if I brought my own bottle? Answers to these questions, and any other information anyone cares to offer are greatly appreciated. Kenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sha88 Posted November 5, 2006 #2 Share Posted November 5, 2006 Okay, I will start with your first question. Drinks in the casino are not free, for as much money as I lose, they should be!:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsKnuts2 Posted November 5, 2006 #3 Share Posted November 5, 2006 I can answer a few more of your questions. If you booked your excursions through RCL, you will find your tickets in your cabin with a meeting time and place. For dinner, no shorts or jeans. You can wear shorts & jeans any other time. The people in the next cabin WILL be able to hear you, maybe not word for word but they will hear you. There is a section on these boards called Ports of Call that should be VERY helpful. Anybody else have some answers? Have a great cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuyReallyLow Posted November 5, 2006 #4 Share Posted November 5, 2006 I have rented a tux a couple of times. Good experience both times - it is delivered right to your room. You'll have a choice of colors and styles, along with if you want the shoes and socks. I often bring my own socks and have brought my own dress shoes to save a few bucks. Have a great time! Enjoy yourself! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelleigh229 Posted November 6, 2006 #5 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I'm leaving for my first Cruise on the 20th, the Brilliance of the Seas Panama Canal Cruise. Has anyone ever taken this cruise and have any advice? Also, I have a few questions if anyone can answer them. I'm sure some of these have been asked a million times before, so let's make it a million and one. Are drinks in the casino free? We have booked a few excursions. How do we get to them? Is there a meeting point on the boat and you leave from there? Or are you on your own as far as getting there? I've been tossing around the idea of taking the fishing excursion in Panama, anyone ever done it? Is it worth it? Are the dress codes just for dinner, or does that include shows and bars and anything else I'd do on the boat that night? If not, I'd probably wear khaki's and a dress shirt, but no tie or jacket, but what about shorts or jeans? Should I even bother packing them? We have a room with a balcony. How private are they? If I want to sit out on my balcony at night and have a beer or two and listen to a little music before calling it a night, will the people on the balcony next to me be able to hear my music? Has anyone ever rented a tux on the boat for formal nights? I see that is an option. Do I need to do that in advance? Or can I order one while on the boat? I have all my measurements, since I just got measured for my wedding tux a few days ago, so I wouldn't need to be measured. Do they have a Thanksgiving Dinner? It would be kinda strange to not have Turkey on Turkey Day. Do they have any bars that will show NFL Football? What about College Football? Where can I find info on things to do at the ports outside of the excursions listed? I've read that there is kareoke. My fiancee has a beautiful voice and loves to sing kareoke, is it every night, or just a one night thing? Do the dining areas have a problem with you brining items in? Just small things like a bottle of hot sauce. I love hot sauce on almost everything, but I can't stand 'Tabasco' brand hot sauce, which is what most places carry. Would they object if I brought my own bottle? Answers to these questions, and any other information anyone cares to offer are greatly appreciated. Kenny I've never been on Brilliance, but hopefully this will apply to you as well. Regarding the balconies: You can see into other's balconies while leaning over the rail. But if you are just sitting on your balcony, it should be pretty private. As far as the music is concerned, as long as it's not very loud, it shouldn't bother anyone. With the noise of the water, waves going by, you should be just fine. Dress: Khakis and a dress shirt are fine for dinner except for the formal nights. Otherwise, jeans and shorts are completely appropriate for hanging out at the bars or doing activities. Thanksgiving dinner: I can't imagine that they wouldn't have turkey that day. My parents were just on Navigator and the catered to Halloween so I can't imagine them not celebrating Thanksgiving in some way. Football: Theres a sports bar on the voyager class ships that shows football but it's very limited and it's the same game on all of the TVs from my experience. I also remember TVs in the golf themed bar on the top deck of the Voyager class ships. Hot sauce: Bring it in. I really can't see anyone having a problem with that. The servers want their diners to be happy - I don't see it as an issue at all. Enjoy yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie K Posted November 6, 2006 #6 Share Posted November 6, 2006 As far as clothing expectations, you can wear just about anything for the shows, casino, etc - you don't have to stay in the same clothes you wore for dinner on the formal nights if you don't want to. Windjammer had a requirement for shoes and cover up over swim suits which is pretty much typical off the pool deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Booper Posted November 6, 2006 #7 Share Posted November 6, 2006 You have to remember that you will be sailing in international waters. That means no domestic broadcasts so the ship has ESPN International, not ESPN Domestic. Which means you will see the international feed in your cabin (lots of futbol aka soccer). The sports bars sometimes will show a football game being broadcast on an international feed. We were on a 15 day cruise during the basebal playoffs and World Series and saw a total of 3 games broadcast live in those 15 days ! SportsCenter is frequently in Spanish (ESPN Desportes). You will be able to get the the scores in the small ship's paper, which runs a day late. (Sun football in the Tuesday paper) As far as excursions, the tickets will tell you where and when to meet. The tickets will be delivered to your room by your cabin steward. Kareoke is frequently done over several nights, with the finals towards the end of the trip. At some ports, there will be local trip vendors waiting outside the terminal to get business from those passengers who didn't book the ship's tours. As newbies, unless you get friendly with experienced cruisers who can advise you, it might pay to stick with the ship's tours the first time. Depends how adventursome you are. Remember, if you go off on your own and get back too late you will have a great view of the ship as it sails out of the harbor. When you go ashore always take a copy of the daily ship schedule. This tells you when the gangplank is scheduled to be pulled up and when the ship is scheduled to sail. If a disaster happens and you get back too late it will also have the telephone number and address of the local company that functions as the cruise lines agent on that island. They can help you secure transportation to catch up to the ship at the next stop and will notify the ship where you are. Don't laugh at this idea, people with balcony cabins often say the best thing is sitting out on the verandah watching stragglers charging down the pier yelling to wait wait wait.:eek: Except there won't be another elevator along in 20 seconds. You are responsible for getting yourself to the next stop if you are late getting back to the ship. In any case have fun:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nurse Daybreak Posted November 6, 2006 #8 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Don't laugh at this idea, people with balcony cabins often say the best thing is sitting out on the verandah watching stragglers charging down the pier yelling to wait wait wait.:eek: Except there won't be another elevator along in 20 seconds. You are responsible for getting yourself to the next stop if you are late getting back to the ship. One of my favorite passtimes as well. LOL:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Priusprof Posted November 6, 2006 #9 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Kenny1118: All your basic questions have already been answered. We spent 12 nights on Brilliance this summer and you are in for a big treat. This ship is super nice with great amenities. We are going on your cruise in February so we will be interested in a review when you get back. Dress code is simple. Jacket & tie or tux for 2 formal nights. Two dressy casual usually are nice slacks and a long sleeve dressier casual shirt. Casual nights are dockers and golf shirts. There is no requirement to eat in the dining room every night. If jeans are your style eat at the Windjammer or Seaview Cafe. Portofino and Chops are premium dining on deck 6 right off the Schooner bar. Costs $20 and is worth every penny. Dressy casual to go there. Shorts are the uniform of the day while at sea or in port. Just not in the dining room. The pools have heated water and the Solarium is totally enclosed. Colony Club on deck 6 has pool tables that a nice diversion. Play Bingo, gamble in the casino. There is a big sports bar. This summer was world cup soccer. They showed the games in the bar. Brilliance is beautiful with great views all over the ship. Enjoy!:) There was a cruise long Kareoke contest on Brilliance for our last trip so tell your gal to practice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisical1 Posted November 6, 2006 #10 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Please tell us how your cruise was. I will be taking this cruise in April and would love to know all the details. Have a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rala Posted November 6, 2006 #11 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I believe you can order your tux in advance. When you get your cruise document booklet (about a month before you sail typically), there will be a section explaining the tux rental process. Have a great time on your cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrp96 Posted November 6, 2006 #12 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Brilliance is my favorite ship and the Panama Canal cruise was outstanding. For excursions, where you meet depends on the excursion. For example, Panama Canal excursions meet in the theater and then they lead you by excursion to the tenders. In Aruba, excursions met in the terminal building at the pier. In Costa Rica early excursions met in one of the lounges to be led of the ship first, but later excursions met on the pier. When you get to the ship, your excursion tickets will be waiting in your stateroom. The time and place to meet will be listed on your excursion tickets. Unless your excursion specifically states you are on your own for transportation, then transportation to and from the ship will be provided. In Panama, I did the Panama Canal by Ferry excursion which was a really great way to see the entire canal. I can't comment on the fishing excursion except to say that our guide on the ferry mentioned that the fishing was good in Panama. During the day, dress code is whatever you want to wear. During the day, the dining rooms including the buffet have a minimum dress code of no swimsuits. The dining room has a minimum dress code at night of no shorts and no tank tops. Jeans would be fine for casual nights. Smart casual nights you will want to wear at least khakis and a button up shirt. Formal nights (there will be 2) you would probably want at least a tie if not a jacket, since most people will be wearing suits and tuxes. There is no dress code throughout the rest of the ship so you would be perfectly fine wearing your jeans and shorts elsewhere. One caution though. It is very hot and humid on this cruise, and it may be too hot for your jeans. There is a Sports Bar on the ship (next to the casino) but what is shown is dependent on the satellite feed on your cruise. I cruised after football season so I'm not sure what would be shown. Definitely no problem sitting out on your balcony at night drinking a couple of beers. As to the music, if you kept it soft it should be no problem. You do have to bring your own cd player, etc since one is not provided in the rooms (unless you count the music video station on the TV). On Brilliance last year, most of the Karaoke was a contest called Karaoke Idol. Each night they would have a competition and the top people ended up going to the finals in the theater the last night. They had a couple of nights that weren't part of the competition. You can definitely bring your own hot sauce with you. I'm not a big hot sauce person so can't tell you if they had any other kinds than Tabasco so if it is a preference for you, then bring your own. For information on what to do in the various ports (other than through the ship), look to the various Ports of Call boards for each of your ports. One caution. In the Panama Canal, if you want to get off the ship there, you must be on a cruiseline excursion. RCCL only lets people on ships excursions tender off at Gatun Lake. If you are interested I posted Live from the Brilliance when I went on her, and my review is at the end of the thread. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=299889 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.