First time cruising with RCI - some questions

[sandravb79]

Hello everyone,

 

I am bored at work looking into a cruise with RCI (Splendour in the Med) for September/ October, and have a few questions, especially since I have problems browsing their website (I think the problem is due to my PC)

 

I have cruised twice, once Carnival and the Celebrity this April, is RCI more or less the same regarding atmosphere? I mean, a mix between old and young and not super-stuffy?

 

Do they have the automated tips, i.e. do they add them to your bill onboard?

 

Are there any things very different between RCI and Celebrity/ Carnival (is it safe to assume that since RCI and Celebrity are from the same company, a lot is alike?)?

 

Thank you for your replies (and please don't roast me if I asked a "hot" question, lol)

 

Sandra

[cb at sea]

RCI has a huge mix of ages--it's certainly not "stuffy"!

 

You can pre-pay your tips, but it's not automatic. The exception is if you sign up for My TIme Dining--tips WILL be automatically added to your bill.

 

There are some minor differences between RCI and Celebrity, but nothing that will "make or break" your vacation! I think you'll find that all of the above lines are more alike than different!

 

You will have a great trip!

[sandravb79]

Thank you for the reply.

 

So, the My Time Dining, that means you don't have early or late dining and just eat when you want? Is that for everyone or only when you sign up for that specifically?

 

Also, another question: RCI in the Med, do they still have a lot of Americans onboard? (I am Belgian, but please, don't let me end up on a ship with primarily French or so, lol!)

[vickiw0318]

My Time Dining is just for those people who sign up for that option. All others are assigned an early or a late time. (Of course, eating in the Windjammer is also an option.)

 

Don't know about the composition of the passengers on the Splendour, but I'd be happy to book a cruise and find out.

 

Which Celebrity ships have you cruised on?

[sandravb79]

We were on the Century in April. I saw she's also doing Med-cruises, but it's from Barcelona with some French ports. That doesn't really scream nice vacation to me, lol. (for me, France is for the short get-aways, like this weekend two days to disneyland Paris and Champagne, it's not for longer vacations)

 

One of the reasons MSC is not even an option is because of all the French onboard. I prefer having Americans around me :)

[sandravb79]

Oh, and I have yet another question, and I know this is a hot topic on some of these boards, however, here it goes: Dress code.

Can I assume it's the same as on Celebrity? Which means I can wear capris in the MDR and don't need the Scarlet O'Hara type gown for formal night?

[vickiw0318]

I've been on the Splendour twice and it looks as though she's about the same size as the Century. She's not been refurbed like the Century though. I do like the Vision class ships and find her very easy to navigate. It looks as though she is getting very good reviews as of late. I did read several of these to see if there were any references to the passenger's nationalities, but other than one poster saying that he had Norwegian tablemates, I didn't see anything.

 

P.S. One of my very few French experiences was being on a train to Paris with a group of kids headed for

[vickiw0318]

My computer locked up and I couldn't finish my last sentence so let me try again.

 

I have been on a train in France with a group of kids headed to Euro Disney and they were acting like any group of kids headed for Disney. Must be a fun place.

 

As to your dining room attire question, yes to both. You can wear capris and you don't need to make a dress out of your green velvet drapes.

[sandravb79]

My drapes are glad they won't be turned into a dress, lol!

With the luggage restrictions Ryanair has, I am so not going to drag huge ballgowns with me, lol.

 

 

I am a huge Disney fan, so I spend a lot of time at Disneyland Paris (was there in July, going back this weekend) and go as much as I can to the US parks (was there in April, after the Celebrity cruise).

I love Mickey mouse :)