jmnathan

Shame there are no self-service iron or washing facilities on board RC ships. P&O have a laundry which you can use at your leisure. It's really just another money making exercise for RC!

I'm on this cruise too, just planning what to pack and trying to decide quite how formal to go on the formal nights. I am trying to decide between suit and tux, I assume suit is allowed in the MDR.

17 hours ago, happy trailer said:

We were both very pleased with all our meals.  The head waiter came to our table each night to discuss our options for the following night’s meal.  My husband had several choices for each meal, and each was a fully sealed 3 course meal, including an excellent dessert (and disposable serving ware).  Although it sounds like you eat food prepared in the regular kitchen, but restrict yourself to only kosher ingredients, I suggest that before your next cruise, you contact the Special Needs department and request kosher meals; you should receive similar 3 course sealed meals.  Please note that the meals he was served were a much, much better quality than regular airline meals!  AFAIK, this is possible for all mainstream lines.  (You might have a slightly different experience if sailing the Caribbean, as the meals we received were from providers in the UK and Europe.). 

 

We have requested Kosher meals in the past but as we're happy to not always eat meat we are comfortable with vegetarian or fish. I do find that it's in the Windjammer that things get more difficult, by and large in the main dining room they are very good.

That's good to see. I stick to a Kosher diet so can not have any of the meat and only certain fish are permitted so food can sometimes be a challenge. My particular gripe is when it comes to dessert and whether or not items contain gelatine. A lot of the staff onboard the various lines we've cruised have been a bit clueless around this, but in fairness RC seems to be the best of the lot (Princess were excpetionally bad in this regard!).

Following this keenly as we sail on Indy straight after you on the 27th.

4 minutes ago, jaz33 said:

 

When we arrived there was a sign for Pinnacle, Suite and Expedited boarding.  Go to this area and you will be asked a few questions and sent to security. Your sea pass cards will be outside your room. 

 

Not or sure how busy it,will be when you arrive.  

Ah ok, sounds good. Did you add photos for your whole party via the app? I added mine but as the others weren't with me at the time I couldn't add theirs and there's no nowhere to add them via the app (seems I can add them via the website checkin though). Just wondering if lack of photo for all of us will slow things down.

We're on Indy at the end of July (27th) so following this with interest. 

We have expedited boarding and I am wondering how good it will be. We're planning to arrive around midday (driving down from the Watford area) so not sure what queues will be like at that time anyway. I ready that you get expedited boarding so long as you check in via the app. Wouldn't most people do this if offered?

Really excited for our first time on Indy 

Hi all, I know RC generally put a room aside for a Friday night Jewish Sabbath Service but I'm sailing on the Explorer in a few weeks and wondered if they also did this on sailings which start on a Friday. Does anyone know if they do or not?

I assumed all RC ships have US power sockets only? I have a stack of Poundland's finest US adaptors at the ready!

I have a question for you. I'm driving down from Heathrow to Southampton for my trip in October.

 

I've been to Stonehenge and not really into Castles. I've also been to the New Forest.

 

What would you recommend I go touristing at on the way down.

 

Thanks all.

 

Raina

Australia

I see others have already provided far more useful info than I ever could. I guess I'm a typical local, despite living in London I am not great at giving advice on these sorts of things! :):D:eek:

Out of interest what deck are you in to be asked to check in at 2:15?

We actually have someone travelling in our party who is partially disabled and as it's her first cruise we wanted to board relatively early to get her settled when there are fewer passengers on board. I have contacted RC to get confirmation from them that we can.

We're deck 6.

For completeness, here's the info we received:

Royal Caribbean International would like to offer the following check-in times to better enhance the check-in and boarding experience. Check-in will take place between 11:00 AM and 3:30 PM. We encourage and recommend guests arrive at the following designated times to limit queues and wait times.

Deck 10 11:00 AM

Deck 9 11:30 AM

Deck 8 12:15 PM

Deck 7 1:15 PM

Deck 6 2:15 PM

Deck 2 & 3 3:15 PM

Suite, Pinnacle, Diamond Plus, Diamond, Emerald and Platinum Guests can check-in and board anytime at their convenience between the hours of 11:00 AM and 3:30 PM. This also applies for any guests who have purchased Flights and/or Transfers through Royal Caribbean International. Gold Members are asked to refer to their assigned check-in time noted

above.

Thanks for the quick responses. I wasn't overly worried as it's not my first time going from Southampton but didn't want any undue delays on the drive down from London! :D

I am travelling on the Navigator on the 21st of August and received an email from RC yesterday advising that check-in would be by deck and to arrive at around 2:15 for our deck. We were planning to check-in and board earlier (around midday), I was wondering if anyone had any experience of this and knew how strict they were at the port and made you stick to these timings. I don't recall ever having this previously.

Yep, I figured that out about 10 minutes after posting...but too late to go back and edit! :D:D:D

Hi,

Looking for some advice re dining options in the MDR aboard the Navigator.

When doing Anytime Dining , is it posisble to book a table during the day for a specific time in the evening or is it a case of first come first served in the evening?

Thanks.

PS: Tried to post this on the Navigator page but can't find a start new thread option on there?

I'd boycott a claret & blue night in favour of red & white, steel themed night :-)

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Agreed, but to describe passengers not spending money on board "as having wasps in their mouths" and in some way spoiling the experience for others on board is ridiculous.

If you have a cheap cruise and spend money like water aboard, great, if you sit there with mouths full of wasps and don't spend a penny, not good news for the company or us other cruisers who are subsidising you.

I'm sorry, but that's a ridiculous notion. People spend little or no money on board for a variety of reasons, just like people spend a lot on board for a variety of reasons. I spend very little on board, in fact, mainly becuase my wife and I are not heavy drinkers and don't go to the casino. Does that make me any less of a valued passenger than someone else on board? We always tip our cabin steward and evening waiters very well; I can well imagine those who spend heavily on board tipping the absolute minimum.