peaceful85

Thanks for the replies all!

Since it's a 7-night cruise, would it be a good idea to buy something (a bottle of wine) from a local store while ashore? Can you then take this bottle back to the ship in your carry-on bag? (Is this allowed on RC?)

Assuming one drinks two-three glasses of wine per night, I'd estimate savings of about $100.

Additional question:

Do some people stay in the ship during daytime? I.e. instead of going to shore excursions, stay on the pool deck etc.?

Generally speaking, wine or alcohol is not included. But they will sell you a beverage.

Do you know how much a glass of wine or beer costs aboard RC? (just an approximation).

Thank you!

Still a couple more:

At dinner, is wine/other alcohol included? I'm not much of a drinker, but it would be nice to have a glass of wine in the evening to relax.

Is it possible to buy something from the shore during the day (say a bottle of beer or wine) put it in your carry-on bag and take it back to the ship? Or do they check all carry-on bags at the port?

A couple more questions about tipping, I'd really appreciate your help :)

Is the cabin cleaned every day? In that case, should I leave a few dollars as a tip when I leave the room in the morning?

About the prepaid gratuities on RC, I read somewhere that you get coupons or something, and on the last night of the cruise, you are supposed to place them in envelopes? Is this true and how does the system work exactly?

Thank you for the replies all!

So the ship's water is drinkable, even in large quantities? I saw on the RC website that it is possible to buy a pack of bottled water in advance. Does anyone know why they are offering this? Would it be something to consider, especially if I need to take a few bottles with me for the shore excursions? Or are bottles bought at the ports less expensive?

About prepaid gratuities, how do I know who I am supposed to tip and whose tip has already been included?

If I go tour an island on my own, can I enter the ship again at any time? For example, I thought about leaving the ship early in the morning, then coming back for a free lunch (good idea?), and then go back to do some more sight seeing?

An additional question: I have prepaid gratuities for the cruise. How does this work exactly? Do I still need to tip some personnel?

Do they also offer bottled water at all the ports and is it expensive? I'm asking because I normally drink a lot of water (at least a gallon per day), and if it gets hot during the day while touring the islands, I will have to carry a lot of water in my back bag :) What would be the best way to deal with this situation?

I'm taking part in my first cruise - a week in the Caribbean during Christmas holidays. I'm getting a bit nervous on what to pack. I want to travel lightly, yet have all the necessities.

First, a question about drinking water - do I need to buy bottled water (the cruise operator is Royal Caribbean)? Can I do that at the port before the ship departs?

Can I pack some snacks in my suitcase, e.g. peanuts, granola bars etc., mainly for shore excursions? Or are those forbidden for some reason (do they check your luggage)?

Would it be a good idea to print out maps of the islands the ship visits?

Those are just a few questions that came to my mind. Feel free to give any other advice! :)

by the way - you have checked out what they are going to charge you for a single supplement, correct?

Yes, well, I entered single occupancy information on the RC website. The price nearly doubled, but I was expecting that. I'm willing to pay the higher price rather than sharing a stateroom with an unknown person for 7 days :)

Thanks all for replies!

One more alternative - I noticed that Norwegian Breakaway departs from New York for a 7 night Bahamas cruise. Would this be a completely different kind of an experience compared to RC in the Caribbean?

The reason I'm considering this option is that I would avoid the round-trip flight to Puerto Rico and back, plus they have studio staterooms.

Which would you pick and why?

*See above, because it incudes St Lucia

Thanks!

If I may ask, why is St Lucia a great place to see? Also, can you easily visit the island on your own? For example, when the ship docks in the morning, can you go take a walking tour, and perhaps go swim in the ocean?

Ok, I've never been on a cruise before. My first cruise is going to be this Christmas, and what's more, I'm going alone!

All this excites and scares me a bit at the same time, so I thought I'd post here. Basically, I'd need advice on which cruise to pick, both shipwise and locationwise.

Here are the options:

4 nights Bahamas (Port Canaveral-Cococay-Nassau-Port Canaveral)

Enchantment of the Seas, RC

5 nights Western Caribbean (Tampa-Georgetown-Cozumel-Tampa)

Brilliance of the Seas, RC

7 nights Southern Caribbean (Puerto Rico-St.Thomas-St.Croix-Antigua-St.Lucia-St.Kitts-Puerto Rico)

Jewel of the Seas, RC

7 nights Southern Caribbean (Puerto Rico-St.Thomas-St.Kitts-Aruba-Curacao-Puerto Rico)

Adventure of the Seas, RC

Which would you pick and why? There are of course some price differences, but they don't matter to me that much. Moreover, do you think 7 nights is too long for a first timer, and when going alone?

What I'm looking for in a cruise is basically: relax, nice weather, some light activities, beautiful scenery.

Thanks in advance!