Terre

We are 6 weeks out from our b2b Oasis cruises. Completed all registration/paperwork on RCCL website but can't get to where we print our bag tags. What am I missing here? Never had this issue in all the cruises we have taken!

If all your paperwork is completed and how you will pay is complete, click on the Documentation tab. You will see cruise documentation (your ticket) and Luggage Tags. If all onboard payment and other stuff are marked complete, you should be able to print the tags and your cruise tickets.

If you still can't print, I would call RCI or your TA and let them know.

We leave the gratuities on automatic and tip our steward, waiter and assistant waiter extra in cash on the last night, if we feel they did an excellent job.

I got to thinking about the people that chose to ride it out. If I did that I would put up the boards on the inside of the home. That way if glass breaks there is still something there to kind of keep the condtions out somewhat. I have have never seen anything like this and I don't live there.

Ok but isn't the reason you board up the windows is to keep the glass from breaking if something should hit it? If it's boarded on the inside the glass would be broken. Not expecting Hugo we were not prepared and we had a couple of seals broken on our windows. Had we boarded them on the outside they would have been okay.

We are being told in the Tampa/St. Pete area to get a good night's rest because tomorrow we won't be able.

That is true. If you've never experienced a hurricane, you will not be able to sleep. Hugo hit Charlotte, NC as a Cat 4 at 2:00am. Did not expect her to come here as we are 200 miles inland. I was up in a flash and was up the entire next day. We were not prepared for anything like that. Our power was out for a week. No gasoline. Grocery stores opened up to sell what they could. Lines were hours long.

Hugo took the same path as Irma and looked like Irma. I have never seen , heard, or felt winds like that. My garage door and patio doors were actually blowing in and out and rain was pouring in. Very scary. Neighbor's chimnies were in their yards. Never want to experience that again.

My prayers are with everyone who lives there. My brother, SIL and niece stayed. They live in Kissimmee...still worried for them.

Explanation as to what happened to the sea:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/09/09/hurricane-irma-is-literally-sucking-the-water-away-from-shorelines/?utm_term=.b4c67276bbf7

That's interesting, thank you! We went to St. Maarten after a hurricane had hit there in 2015, and at Maho beach, the water was gone, just sand. I took a picture and posted it in my review and people were so mean to me saying things like they didn't believe me and it wasn't Maho beach. You could see in my picture the airport and the bar that's there, they just wouldn't believe me. Here are a couple of the pics from 2015

It's people like you with your opinions why I left cruise critic for a few years.....I had a question, I asked it in my own words...I don't have all day to sit around and scroll through hundreds of posts looking for someone who asked a similar question. I imagine every possible question about cruising has been asked before....

 

 

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It would be nice if CC had a "like" button! I like your response! I get so tired of comments like this from people on these boards, especially to new people. Not all of us do have time to search every question.

In Nassau, we have walked over to the Hilton British Colonial hotel and spent the day at its pool. They have day passes for cruise ship passengers. If you go to Freeport, take the shuttle into Port Lucaya and walk over to the Radisson. You can get a day pass at the guard hut or just walk on through over to the beach area.

We went to Half Moon Cay, and it's one of my favorite private islands.

I guess we've been lucky. We have always flown in the day of the cruise, even for our Hawaii and Mexican Riviera cruises (we're on the east coast). We do take the first flight, though. Unless we drive, we always do this. For our Alaska cruise we did go in the night before, however, but that was because flights didn't work with the cruise schedule for us.

We have an 11 day booked for December and then we need a 10 day to make Diamond. Took us longer because we've cruised with other lines as well. We made Platinum on Carnival a few years back and stayed with them for a while. We are also Platinum with Princess. Looking forward to RCI's Diamond perks!

Perks are nice but not the reason to cruise.where you go and people you meet is number one for me.The ship and its amenities is second.How ever doing med and t/a b2b being Diamond after first half will be nice "perk".

We factor these things in as well. Price, itinerary, ship, and then status. We love meeting people as well and the ports. We're still friends with a group we met on a 2009 Thanksgiving cruise. Whatever your reasons for cruising are good reasons to cruise.

I honestly don't remember. We stayed on the non smoking did as much as possible and hurried passed the casino where it is bad.

Thank You!!

You're very welcome. I might add that the reason I said get there as early as you can, is because the sooner you can get on the ship, the sooner you can begin your cruise. This gives you time to explore the ship, get your drinks and make plans!

Thanks for the review.

Thank you!

I have this question out there on another thread.............so we should plan on arriving about 10:45?

Get there as early as you can. They will either let you form or get in the line, or tell you to come back. Try to park where you can see the entrance and when you see cars going in, go. If people are still debarking, they will make you come back.

I like them both, they are about the same, except I think Carnival's food is better. Entertainment may be a tad above on RCI, but everyone has an opinion about that as well.

My boyfriend and I are heading out on our first cruise ever. We are from Colorado and have spent very little time on beaches in our lives. I am hoping I could get a few specific questions below answered, as well as just a general recommendation of items to bring that someone more familiar with climbing mountains than swimming in water might want to consider.

 

 

 

 

1. Does the ship provide towels, or do we need to buy a few beach towels to bring around with us? The ship will provide towels, but if you lose them, you will be charged. I think it's $25 per towel.
   
2. Is there a way to rent snorkels anywhere? We will be snorkeling with an excursion in Bonaire, however there are three other beaches we plan on visiting (Curacao, St. Martin, Aruba) and would like to snorkel there as well. We don't want to purchase snorkels unless we must. The excursion should provide snorkel gear, but if you are on a beach on your on, you will need to bring your own gear. You may want to read this thread about purchasing gear onboard the ship: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2529329
   
   
3. What does your "beach bag" typically hold? Do you just bring a backpack to make it easier to walk around port and head to the beach? If we are going to a beach, my bag holds towels, sunscreen, small towel, bottled water, hand sanitizer. If we are on an excursion, my smaller bag will hold money, camera, one towel, sunscreen, bottled water, a smaller insulated bag to keep camera dry if it rains. Also, small plastic raincoats.
   
4. Should I bring my passport off the ship, or just ID? No, we never bring our passports, just a copy. You will need your drivers license to get back inside the cruise terminal in addition to your set sail pass (cabin key).
   
5. Do you recommend buying some sort of water shoe? I don't like them, but they are good if you will be walking on rocky beaches.
   
6. Any other recommendations for this mountain gal (ps. I am gonna be an expert at that rock wall!) Enjoy your cruise, try everything, do everything and don't let the little things bother you. Read, read, read all you can on Cruise Critic.
   

Just for general knowledge, we are on the September 9 sailing of Adventure out of San Juan! We so look forward to taking advantage of our Deluxe Beverage Package at 7,000 feel lower in elevation, should be a fun experiment :cool:

You will have a great time and I promise, you will be come addicts like the rest of us.

I didn't see camera and charger. I know most people these days use their cell phones for pictures, but if you're like me and take 500 pictures, your cell phone may be inadequate.

I, too, take clip magnets for hanging important on the walls. I also take hand sanitizer for excursions. Never know when you might want to eat something and have been in the ocean, touching all kinds of dirty things on the beach, etc. And a plastic bag for dirty clothes. I keep it in the bottom drawer and we just throw the dirty stuff in it.

For excursions, a small tote bag for towels, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bottles of water, money, camera, room key, etc. You may have mentioned this, and if so, sorry. I take a first aid kit with stomach relief meds, Ibuprofen, band aides, peroxide, bandages, antibiotic ointment, small scissors, etc. When my son was very young I always added children's cough syrup and children's Tylenol.

Enjoyed your review, we are cruising in January driving down from Myrtle Beach. If you are Platinum and had a handicapped placard, I thought you'd be priority. Everything I've heard is Platinum's can arrive whenever they want. Also was your parking free?

Thank you so much.

We thought so, too, but we got there very early and that's why she told us to come back at 11:30. People were still debarking. Parking was free for us because of the handicapped tag. I guess because the guy didn't see a placard (I have a permanent tag) is why he waved us on to the next level.

Sorry, one more. I took this from the Crown Princess on our Mexican Riviera cruise in 2015

Oh my gosh! These are some beautiful sunsets! It looks like all of the ones I posted have disappeared. Trying again, maybe they'll stay this time.

From the Carnival Fantasy:

Also from the Carnival Fantasy:

Oasis of the Seas, 2013:

Freedom of the Seas, 2015:

Thanks for the comments - I'll look at my luggage tags this evening.

 

Bob - is that a number I can use from the UK?

You should be able to use that number; you'll just have to dial the country code for the US after 1+country code+area code+number

We book anytime dining. For choosing our entertainment schedule, I printed out the list, we chose what we wanted to see at what time. We marked them on the print out.

I tried booking them on line, but only the first one got booked. I called RCI and the lady I spoke to booked them for me. I was still able to get what I wanted except the time for the comedy show and we got it on another day. Keep your list and confirmations from RCI so you won't forget where you need to be when. I take a magnetic clip for the wall and put anything like this in the the clip so it doesn't get lost with all the papers they leave in your room.

Hope this helps.

We always put ours on before leaving home even when flying. I print them, cut off the folding instructions and then laminate them. Punch a hole at the top and attach with a cable tie.

Why don't you call RCI and ask them if it matters? I know with Carnival once you reach Platinum and above, it does matter because your luggage tags will have "Priority" on them and your luggage gets delivered first. Not sure about RCI, though.

I'm not sure you will know before the cruise. Usually you don't know formal nights until you see the dress code for the evening in your newspaper the night before. You may be able to find out closer to the date from someone on that particular cruise if they post on CC.