A first-timer "chicken or the egg" question.

[bazzaw]

We have mostly cruised on Aussie or UK based ships. Mostly we have simply been told a boarding time - and we have arranged travel to the ship to suit. But, for our first cruise with RCCL, they are asking us (via the online checkin procedure) what time we will be arriving at the ship - without us knowing at this time what the boarding hour will be. Any thoughts about this please??

 

Second question - some ships we have been on, after boarding around or before lunch time, we have been only able to access the buffet restaurant for lunch - whereas others also open their main dining room. So - where do others advise to lunch eat on the first day with RCCL?? I have found that for the ships that do open the MDR for lunch, it is a lot quieter there than in the buffet (which can be a bit of a nightmare on the first day). For those that don't open the MDR, we have no other choice.

 

Barry

[paul_a142]

We have mostly cruised on Aussie or UK based ships. Mostly we have simply been told a boarding time - and we have arranged travel to the ship to suit. But, for our first cruise with RCCL, they are asking us (via the online checkin procedure) what time we will be arriving at the ship - without us knowing at this time what the boarding hour will be. Any thoughts about this please??

 

Second question - some ships we have been on, after boarding around or before lunch time, we have been only able to access the buffet restaurant for lunch - whereas others also open their main dining room. So - where do others advise to lunch eat on the first day with RCCL?? I have found that for the ships that do open the MDR for lunch, it is a lot quieter there than in the buffet (which can be a bit of a nightmare on the first day). For those that don't open the MDR, we have no other choice.

 

Barry

 

Hi barry It may help if you can advise which ship and port you are using.

 

Regards.

 

Paul

[Jillibean]

Hi Bazzaw,

 

We leave on our first RCI cruise on the Brilliance this September so have no firsthand knowledge, but from reading the boards here on CC think that the Windjammer Cafe is the only option. I'm sure if I have it wrong someone else will post. Maybe it depends on which ship you are on too.

 

As regards to the arrival time we also were asked to provide that info. Perhaps it helps them logistically with staffing? Our departure time is 4.30pm and our travel docs advise a boarding time of 1.30pm. We will arrive much earlier as they will process you before that time I believe.

 

Happy cruising!

[Clarea]

We have mostly cruised on Aussie or UK based ships. Mostly we have simply been told a boarding time - and we have arranged travel to the ship to suit. But, for our first cruise with RCCL, they are asking us (via the online checkin procedure) what time we will be arriving at the ship - without us knowing at this time what the boarding hour will be. Any thoughts about this please??

 

Second question - some ships we have been on, after boarding around or before lunch time, we have been only able to access the buffet restaurant for lunch - whereas others also open their main dining room. So - where do others advise to lunch eat on the first day with RCCL?? I have found that for the ships that do open the MDR for lunch, it is a lot quieter there than in the buffet (which can be a bit of a nightmare on the first day). For those that don't open the MDR, we have no other choice.

 

Barry

I don't know the purpose of the arrival time field in the on line check-in. I don't know if there's some operational use, or possibly they want to warn you if plan to arrive at some inappropriate time. In any case, I always enter 1:00pm, no matter when I actually plan to arrive. I really don't think it matters. It's sort of like the question that asks how many times you have cruised before - I think they are just doing some data gathering for statistical purposes.

 

Regarding lunch, I've never seen the MDR open on boarding day on a Royal ship. However, there are usually alternatives to the Windjammer (buffet). For example, Voyager has the Cafe Promenade available. Rhapsody and Radiance have Park Cafe.

[bazzaw]

Hi barry It may help if you can advise which ship and port you are using.

 

Regards.

 

Paul

 

WOOPS!! - sorry! We sail on Voyager of the Seas from Sydney. Sailing time is midnight.

 

Barry

[DonnaK]

Voyager will probably begin boarding sometime between 11am and 12noon, depending upon how long it takes to clear customs and disembark passengers from the previous cruise.

 

On Voyager, the MDR will be closed for lunch. Besides the Windjammer buffet, you can have sandwiches and pizza at the Cafe Promenade on deck 5 forward.