Jayney

An email from RCI yesterday further confuses me re: formal nights and the Mosque attire! RCI states formals are day 2 & 6 (Abu Dhabi not at Sea), and women MUST bring their own gowns to wear in the mosque. I tend to take the advice of guests who have just sailed on Splendour rather than RCI's advice!

Dear Jayne,

We thank you for another opportunity to answer your enquiries; it is always a pleasure to stay in touch with our guests. Formal nights are on day 2 and day 6.

Garments are not provided you will need to bring your own. Women visiting the mosque must cover their entire body plus their head with a scarf, leaving their hands and face exposed. Men are also to be fully covered.

• No sandals or exposed feet.

• No exposed shoulders or knees.

• No tank tops or shorts.

Sorry to be thick, but how do I find Christy's post? I searched for the name but there are loads of Christys on this discussion board!

Thanks for the tip. Annoying to keep switching formal nights! Will read the post you mention. I am new to this forum but finding it very helpful. This will be 8th cruise with RCI and wish I had joined Cruise Critic years ago!

Can you explain the drinks cards on offer? On other cruises we have bought drinks packages but find you need to be drinking 24 hours a day to get your value! Interested in any other drinks offers please.

As the cruise is drawing to a close I thought I would put down some thoughts and observations for those taking this cruise in the following weeks; as there does not seem to be much information or feedback on this itinerary.

 

Firstly if you are on the RCI package with flights that arrive early in the morning, you are taken from the airport to Le Meridian hotel ( which is practically opposite the airport) to have breakfast and to complete checkin formalities. You luggage is taken straight to the ship so remember to pack your swimming stuff etc into your hand luggage. There is a full breakfast laid on, with pastries, fruit and even an omelette chef, so don't bother with the plane breakfast! We were at the hotel by 9am and on the ship by 11:20. Hotel also has free wifi.

 

The drinks prices on board include the tip. Some sample prices:

Diet Coke $3

Corona beer $6.50

Pint /20oz draft beer $7.50

Cocktail of the day and keep the glass $10

Baileys $9

Sauvignon blanc $9

Strawberry margarita $12

 

They offer a 3-meal deal (Chefs table, Chops and Izumi) for $120pp. However as I never saw any restaurant full I suspect you could have haggled a discounted price.

 

Dining room was open for lunch Brasserie 30 most days including port days.

They also had a poolside bbq on the sea day and a big pasta lunch on the Khasab day which was not advertised!!

 

The ship does not carry Omani currency.

Tip: I recommend loading xe.com onto your phone so you can quickly convert between the various currencies accepted in the souk. In Muscat they even were taking Euros.

 

Formal nights are Khasab and Abu Dhabi ( and not the sea day which is unusual ). Very high standard of dress with at least 65% of men in tuxedo!

 

Not able to see your balance on the cabin tv. Many trips to guest relations needed to ensure that my bill was kept in $$$ and not converted to £££ which was annoying.

 

First ship I have been on where the lift does not show the day of the week in the floor!

 

The ship is in excellent condition, the crew are very good, and food is to a good standard. They seem to be very relaxed, almost laid back. No hard sells of drinks packages and only a few announcements. It has a great atmosphere.

They offered the 10 drinks card for $70 on a few days.

 

We have not seen the Captain.

 

 

Khasab: not a lot here to be honest. A free shuttle bus takes you from the port to the fort and then on to the town. Totally underdeveloped and a taste of the real Oman. The little fort though is charming. $1.50pp entrance fee and they accept $$. For this you get a guide book, a map and a souvenir dvd!!!!.

 

Muscat: there was a horrid smell of gas from the refineries but this soon cleared. You have to take a little shuttle to the terminal, where you put your things through the X-ray and then you get back on the little bus that takes you to the port gates. Walking is not allowed inside the port.

It is a simple 10 minute stroll along the from to the souk. From the gate walk to your left, up to,the roundabout and then go loft along the sea front.

As we had been here before we wanted to see more of the interior so we had booked a private tour with Marktoursoman ..... And we had the same guide as 6 years ago. A long 8 hr day but great to see the forts and the spectacular mountain ranges.

That night we went out to dinner in Muscat, a little restaurant very close, It was just as the corniche started, big palm trees with lights, great food and free wifi!

Tip: do not buy a fridge magnet shaped like the dagger as they think you are bringing weapons onboard!

 

That night was White nights party which was a bit lame IMHO.

The top tier event was held in the aft decks as we sailed away from Muscat which was a stunning location. No speeches or any visible senior crew members there.

 

 

 

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Thanks for all your helpful info. Do you or anyone else who has recently done this itinerary i.e. in 2016, have copies of the Daily Compass. Another member kindly scanned hers from December, but it must have changed as the 2nd formal night is now on the Saturday and not after the day at sea. Bizarre that they changed this night from the December itinerary? Also I had an email from RCI stating that women MUST bring long gown to wear in Gradn Mosque, but this is conflicting advice, as have read they do provide Abayas at the Mosque at no charge with photo ID? Can someone confirm this?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Claire, yes just noticed that the formal used to be the day at sea has now changed to Abu Dhabi - just nice to know which nights, as don't like rushing back from an excursion to get dressed up! Thanks for all the info!

Hi there, thanks for update. Sailing on Splendour on 7 March. Another member on here kindly posted all the Daily Compass sheets so I could find out which nights were formal. her cruise date was in December 2015 and the formal nights were on the Tuesday (Khasab) and the day at Sea - you say this is now incorrect and the other formal night is in Abu Dhabi on the Saturday? - can you confirm this has been changed? Also do they charge for the sauna/steam like on Allure and Oasis? Many thanks.

Thank you so much for the link, Dragonqueen! I see the Compasses are from last December, so I am sure they will not have changed much for the March cruise. Nice to know what to pack for various evening entertainment. Glad I joined this forum, and didn't expect such a prompt reply! Thanks again.

Just returned and I would say most men had a jacket and tie but not always a tux. My husband just wore a jacket and tie and this was fine. Have a great time.

Hi Claire - never used this forum before, but have cruise 7 times with RCI. We sail from Dubai on 7 March and this is the smallest ship we have been on! Could you remember which nights were formal, as I am trying to plan our days and evenings. Usually formal nights are on the 2nd day and the day at sea if I remember rightly, which would mean they might be on the Tuesday and Friday of this particular cruise. Tried to find a copy of the Daily Compass on Splendour but found all other cruises but not this ship! Any help appreciated.