BARNET

Have found it on a few UK internet TA sites but one states that it has been temporarily withdrawn by Royal Caribbean, could be someone is looking at a charter.

I asked our TA about a upgrade from inside to balcony on a 3 day and was quoted nearly $1000, our TA has a balcony now that is cheaper them we paid for the inside. We refused as well.

I wonder if RC will eventually do away with this system of inherited C&A status. I'm sure it's nice for those who take advantage of it, but it just seems like an odd system. I don't know of any other loyalty program that works that way. Sometimes with an airline loyalty system, you might get to enjoy the perks when traveling with someone with elite status, but you only get elite status yourself by earning it outright.

Maybe it is time that Royal looked at this problem of inherited C&A status, people have been complaining for a few years about the overcrowding in the CL/DL, CL now the SL and the 3 drinks on cards has been Royal’s answer so far. Maybe Royal will finally say no more inherited status, sail the nights at sea to earn the points and earn the status.

We know the one of the old LA from Inde on one cruise maybe 3/4 years ago they had 1500 kids on-board, Inde is very popular within the UK.

I agree with the others both are great trips, if I had to choose it would be A, how about doing both as a B2B that would work for me.

Just looked at a picture and the sign by the bridge say's depth 1.7m or 5' 7''. a sign under the bridge say's it is 2.1 m or 6' 11''.

Main pool has a sign 1.3 m or 4' 6'' unsure if deep end or shallow end and a sign that looks like it is 1.6 or 5'6''.

Hi we booked through a travel agent but no mention was made of transfers. Did you organise this yourself with Royal? Thanks

We booked as a package which include flights and transfers with Royal you should be able to add Royal's transfers if you do not have them already get your TA to check it out for you.

Hi I see that you were taken to the Meridian from the airport. Was that arranged beforehand or was there someone at the airport organising this?

 

We are going on 14th March and we arrive at 8am

 

Thanks

If you have your transfer's booked with Royal you will be meet at the airport by Royal staff who will give you all the information, check in is done at the airport and also breakfast is provided, your luggage is taken from you at the hotel and you will not see it again until it is delivered to your state room. It work well for us early this year.

Apart from the 5 day that goes to Jamaica Indy doesn't do Grand Cayman also TA for Indy in 2017 are not out yet, the TA for Oct 2016 in getting full all suites and balconies are sold out on Royals website.

I want to thank everyone for responding to my question and special thanks to iipa and little britain.

 

I have one last question; if I book a 2:30 AM flight how early do I need to leave the ship? I have never been to Dubai and have no idea how long it takes to get to the airport and get checked in for a flight..............thanks again!!

You would ideally want to leave the ship by 23:30 at the latest, airport is 20-30 minutes from the port to check-in and to clear customs takes about 30 - 40 minutes and maybe another 10 minutes to get to the departure gates this is IMO.

Barnet,

 

Thank you for your reply. I live in the U.S. I was trying to determine if it is common for local restaurants, taxis, shops etc. to take dollars or do I need to convert currency. Did you notice if ATMs were easily located. I have used them in other countries when I've needed local currency.

 

TIA

Sorry for not replying soon didn't notice any ATM's but have to say wasn't looking for them, in Dubai 89% for the people that live there are ex pat's from around the world and most major banks have branches there so would guess that ATM's are available, I took $ for on board but only took 150 AED for tips if need will out on trips only used about 30/40 AED's ended up spending the rest at the airport prior to flying home had my debit and credit card and used those most of the time. I check the exchange rate which for us was 5.2 AED to £1 and then if buying something quickly work out what the cost is in £ before deciding if to buy so my advice would be check the exchange rate don't get to many more AED's then you really need and pay on a card.

Enjoy your trip.

No point DW and I having a suite we can't play the piano.

Best prize has to be the key ring.

The best fun in the D lounge was on Inde when the Pyramid Lounge was used as the D lounge and 'ROCK THE BOAT' would come in and play. Live music, free drinks and nibbles before dinner.

People who like a nice quite relaxing cruise with not to many kids, plenty of sea days to lay around in the sun. Can't wait.

Hello,

 

I'm writing on half of my parents who are doing the cruise in March. I've a few questions hopefully you all might be able to help.

 

On RC website it says they do A La Carte meals in the Viking lounge, did you happen to see how much it cost, would you have to book to dine etc?.

 

Does anyone have any info on how to get to and see the F1 Curcuit in Abu Dhabi?

 

Who will be Diamond Concierge?

 

Regarding medication will you be checked to see what medication you have?. I see some people mention here that some is restricted?.

 

Does anyone recommend tours in Khasbi or Muscat?.

 

Many thanks & great review lots of helpful answers too. Dillie

IZUMI is up in the Viking Crown lounge

Royal do Khasbi and surrounding area and Mystical Muscat we enjoy both, we don't normally do tours normally do our own thing. Mystical Muscat take to the Mosque.

Medication anything with codeine in you can not take.

Hope that helps.

Can you please talk about how much currency is needed in AED. Where is the best place to convert?

 

I am really enjoying this thread. I will be taking this cruise in March.

 

TIA

How much to take depends on what you want to do, as for which currency to take most places will take AED, Dollars or Euro. Also where do you live in the UK or somewhere else, I used our local currency exchange in North London, it is best to google for the current rates and then shop around we found the currency exchange was better then all the supermarkets that now have exchanges and also the post office. Any more question please ask.

Back on Nov 2012 we sailed on Explorer on a B2B for 20 nights when booking what we didn't know was that the first 11 nights was a C&A members cruise talk about D, D+ and P members. It was nice and quite on the other 9 nights plenty of seats at the D event.

The Insight that I posted at Post 45 was from 23 years in the Royal Navy. I started it by saying that I debated if to post or not and it was posted as IMO. No doubt there is vast difference to the way military and merchant seaman work at sea when launching and recovering ship boats.

Debate if to post this or not but here goes

I slightly insight to what I know, as others have said nearly impossible to launch the lifeboats in the conditions that Anthem was experiencing, first reason to safely launch a boat at sea it is far easier and safer for the mother vessel to be making headway and secondly ideally for the boat to be launch to be in the lee of the ship meaning that the ship would need to have the wind 20 /30 degrees on the port or starboard bow.

So you have the boat level with 5th or whatever is the open deck and passengers are loaded the boat is then lowered towards the seas here come another problem most for these lifeboats are on a quick release gearing meaning that once the boat comes in to connect with enough water to take the boats weight it would be released, one freak wave even in the lee of the mother vessel and the boat could plummet 20/30 feet in the conditions that Anthem was in.

The life rafts that are carried are the white containers that are secured to the open deck normally release by a hydrostatic release at a certain depth of water once the ship starters to sink, these can manually be release and pushed over the side a line know as a painter is normally attached to the side of the ship by pulling on the painter it releases a pin inside and activates the gas cylinders which inflates that raft, these can inflate upside down these are not the easiest thing to turn over even in calm seas, the main problem is also that everyone using these has to enter the water first the danger from that is primarily secondary drowning from the sea spray while attempting to swim to the life raft and of cause the cold I.E. hypothermia.

Lifejackets used are of a solid structure jumping from 40 feet in one of those could lead to a neck injure and a far lot worse so the question is to wear a life jacket or not, there are lifejackets available that inflate on contact with water you pop it over your head secure the straps around yourself and jump into the water and by the time you surface it is inflated, during my time in the Royal Navy the life jackets we had you 2/3 inflated by mouth jumped in to the water then on surfacing you full inflated them these also had a face cover which help to prevent secondary drown from the sea spray we also had what where call survival suits a cheap version of a dry bag which on entering the life raft could be removed and clothes underneath should be dry.

I’m no expert this is just my insight on how one might survive at sea.

I’m not surprised that anyone wanting to air any positive views on what must have been a very unpleasant situation has not made it onto the news channels good news very rarely make the headlines and certainly does not sell papers.

Just got a reminder from RC about obtaining a multiple entry visa before boarding. Just to confirm that I will get this at the airport. Thank you. I am British and my family are Americans.

As a Brit on arrival at Dubai airport your passport will be stamped with a arrival visa on check in for Splendour, Royal will retain your passport and we did not get them back until Abu Dhabi all visa for Oman where dealt with by Royal you do not as a Brit to get visa in advance.

No none at all just take it with you the price at the airport are very high, in arrivals is a duty free shop and anyone arriving that is not muslim can buy 4 litres of spirits without a problem.

Thanks for all your replies to my questions. Lots of helpful advice.

 

Can I just clarify the Diamond wifi. Sorry for being a bit dim :). So if one of us logs on and takes the free day on Friday then the other can log on and take the free package on Saturday, but gets two days as it is now just $40 anyway? That sounds good. We don't usually bother with wifi on board but our sons will be away skiing so would like to keep in touch.

The internet if you are both D I believe that you both get 24 hours free internet use if you log on, on Thursday morning and select one device you will have the option to combine both the $40 free usage for the remaining 4 days which will expire the day you leave I.E. on Monday.

The reason I did it was because you may find the first 3 nights / days to be busy if you at flying in and have Royal transfers and arrive before 9am you are taken to a hotel to check in and have breakfast and free wifi so you are able to check emails prior to boarding.

I logged my wife device on and combine the 2 x 24 hours and she had internet until we left on the Monday morning, as long as her device was not connected to the internet I was still able to use the other internet machines on-board I.E. the ones in the D lounge or the ones on 8 deck. This enabled use to check in for the flights and print the boarding passes.

Hope this does not seem that I am teaching you to suck eggs it's the best way that I can explain how I used the internet to suit my wife and myself we logged in after 9am on the Thursday as we know we would be disembarked before that on the Monday.

It is Splendour port day today in overnight them disembark's and boards tomorrow.