WrittenOnYourHeart

Just clarifying something - is the Windjammer open for dinner? And does it remain a buffet or is it sit-down?

I'm asking because our group has dinner on our night in Juneau free from our normal group dining because we're in port so late and there are some late excursions. We're allowed to go to our assigned tables if we choose, but I'm just looking at options.

25 days to Southbound Radiance. Let the packing begin!! Or at least the "What laundry do I need to do in order to pack??" game!

If a picture of the tree scared your child' date=' I'd say you are not going to want to book DCL. I would have told you that the Disney things were not scary....but I'm not a 3 year old. Some guests do choose to dress up, and those costumes can't be "regulated" by DCL--some could be scary.

 

 

 

Basically you have the tree and a few activities in the kid areas. And there is a costume parade. You can avoid the activities, but you're going to be walking past the tree.

 

 

 

You really can't cruise the first week in November? This would be after Halloween and before "Very Merrytime" which would avoid trees and decorations for either season. Yes, they will likely start on the Christmas decorations almost as soon as Halloween comes down, but it takes a couple weeks to have them fully presented.[/quote']

 

 

Actually if a costume is found to be too questionable (in several ways) DCL does reserve the right to ask you to change - just like at the Halloween parties in the parks.

Not only is the possibility of it being cancelled high, there is also the rare chance you might get stranded on the glacier if unexpected weather suddenly moves in. Happened last summer with a Holland America excursion (they were just stuck one night) and it apparently happened another time for more than one night per an account by someone who worked one of the camps that aired a few weeks ago on This American Life.

How does Disney remove items from your bags? My bags will be locked with TSA locks! Do they keep them in a storage hold area and notify you to come and claim like other cruise lines do?

 

 

 

The Disney rules seem odd to me so I may accidentally pack something "illegal" and not realize it! :(

The same way the TSA locks can be removed in the event the bag needs to be searched before flying.

That said, if you decide to ignore the rules (not sure what seems "odd" - what is and isn't allowed is pretty straightforward IMHO) and your smuggled beverages break and leak and damage someone else's luggage, you WILL be required to pay for at the very least cleaning and at the worst a clothing replacement allowance for those whose luggage you damaged. One of my cruises there was a kerfuffle in the hall as a couple of the ships' officers went to a cabin down the hall where the person was trying to smuggle alcohol in their bag and it had broken and damaged others' luggage. He was told in no uncertain terms that he would be required to reimburse for the damage or he would be removed from the ship.

The main focus as noted will be one day, but I would expect to see decorations, etc throughout the cruise, but not very obtrusive. As noted, I might expect to see more related movies and cartoons on the big screen and Star Wars trivia and the like. I'd also expect to see some meet and greets, etc

 

The bigger issue may be your fellow passengers. I have heard of many Star Wars obsessed fans planning on booking these cruises who will be decorating their cabin doors, wearing costumes, etc, and I do not think THEY will limit to one day...

 

This is the first year they have done it, so I also expect adjustments, etc.

 

One thing to think of, if air fare is not booked. Demand for these cruises is VERY high. I am sure Disney would be happy to switch your $4800 cabin to a different itinerary and sell that cabin for $7500.

I definitely agree that it will be the fellow guests that will go all-out. This is different from a "fan convention" onboard which would be more of a charter or a group that booked a block of cabins and meeting rooms.

I don't know that decorations will be anything huge as I don't see them leaving them up for the non-Star Wars weeks (I know I would complain if I was on a non-Star Wars week and there was Star Wars crap all over the place (I am also very much NOT a fan if you couldn't tell - I saw the original three movies and got over them...no desire to see the more recent ones at all), and I don't see them putting in the hours with everything else they have to do on turnaround days to be putting up and taking down every week.

As a teacher I am also limited by school breaks - while I ended up canceling what I had booked for various reasons, I had initially booked the Wonder for Winter Break because that week was a Star Wars week on the Fantasy, so if it really worries you I would look at the other itineraries and ships to see if one of those would work for you. Luckily my Spring Break falls after the last Star Wars cruise, so that is still a possibility depending on other possible plans.

26 days to Southbound Radiance!

Your brother should come into Newark Airport. If he comes in the day before there is the Newark Best Western that offers a Park and cruise package and they provide shuttle to Cape Liberty and also to Newark Airport. The number is 877-442-0992. Rate is 155.00 plus tax for 2 people and includes breakfast. A few people used it from my Oct. cruise and they seemed pleased. :)

I would DEFINITELY plan on flying in at least a day ahead. All of the NYC airports are infamous for delays in and out - and that's definitely no way to begin a vacation.

I have mainly cruised Disney but am open to some other lines (there are a couple I have no desire to try, and that's my prerogative).

I think in talking with people that for some it's a case of "the devil you know..." And I guess it's that way for me as well. I always get a little nervous before trying a new cruise line (or new resort at Disney) because I don't know the ins and outs of it. I know the quirks and things with my chosen/preferred line, and it's less intimidating to stick with what I know than learn a whole new set of ins and outs. Traveling with my running coach and her husband on their marathon cruises forces me to try new lines.

On my Disney cruises I have pretty much always tipped extra. $5-10 for my cabin steward as I travel solo and keep things tidy. The $10 was the most recent cruise where I met my steward in the hall while I was going to buy some after-sun gel in the shops because I'd missed some skin with the spray-on sunblock and she asked about my day. When I said it was great and I'd had a blast, just gotten a little burned, she told me to wait a minute and she would be back. She came back with some of the after-sun gel bottles the Concierge guests get without my even asking for it. My dining team usually gets extra as well - anywhere from $5 for a fantastic head server to $10 for a great assistant server and $15-20 for a great server. But I never feel obligated to tip extra - even with the envelopes you get a slip that says the tip amount they are receiving from prepaid or autograts so even if you're not tipping extra you can put the slip in the envelope and give it to them. I do always mention spectacular service by name though as that is probably THE most important thing you can do for your servers/stewards.

Now last summer on Holland America, the service was fine, but nothing over the top, nothing above and beyond. I gave nothing extra and felt no guilt about it. No one stood out enough to be mentioned either.

We will see what happens in 27 days when I'm on my first Royal Caribbean cruise. :)

27 days to Southbound Radiance!

So the only info I would need on the others going is the names and DOB? I thought maybe I would need socials or something of the like

Pretty sure I've never given my SSN on any kind of travel reservation...

I would book a second person, so that you freeze the price for them. You can change the name up to 24 hours before the cruise.

Awesome! That is what my thinking was going towards - lock in that rate. I'd need to cancel the second person before the PIF date to not get charged a fee though, right?

Yes, you would need to give a name for the second person at the time you make your initial reservation. They'll also ask you for that person's DOB. Just give them any name you want and either make up a birthday or tell them you don't know it.

 

As long as ONE person stays the same on the reservation from start to end, you can change the other names as much as you like. Just give RCL a call (or your TA) and let them know the new name and DOB of the person and who is being removed.

 

It's a pretty straight forward process. :)

Cool. I can put my sister's name and birthday on there (I'm trying to talk her into going anyway since we share a birthday (not twins though) and it's a big year for both of us). Thanks!

Thinking about my intention to book a cruise for next summer while I'm onboard the Radiance in Alaska, at this point I will be going on my own, but given that I am looking at a year away, anything can happen. I was thinking today "What if I meet someone between now and then?"

Would I have to have a name for a second person at the time of booking or could I make a reservation for two people to lock in the price so that the second person isn't charged a lot more and then give a name later in the process?

Thanks everyone for the replies... it certainly helps. Yes have sailed on the Radiance back in 2004 not the Jewel. Love this class of ship was just a bit concerned with some of the reviews. Looking forward to the 10 days in Jan/16.:)

I think a previous poster was right... Those that have no real problems are typically much less likely to write a review. And those that do, the positive reviews seem to quickly slide to later pages. Those who have negative experiences (whether through what many would consider unreasonable expectations or demands or through issues that would bother the most laid-back traveler) are much more likely to write about it - and those posts seem to stick on page one longer because of debates and/or justifications.

Correct.

Nice! Thanks!! Last year we were on Holland and theirs is one per adult in the stateroom (maybe up to two) so singles got the short straw there.

28!! Four weeks from today I board the Radiance!

We got our wine from here - threebearsalaska.com/seward/

 

 

 

Good selection and friendly service. Even got some Aussie wine!

Nice! Just to clarify, it's two bottles per STATEROOM (with guests over 21 in it), right? So even though I'm solo I could bring on two bottles?

And it's walking distance from where the bus drops you off?

Honestly you would have to work pretty hard to mess up a jukebox musical - especially one that admits they use some pre-recorded chorus singing.

It's not like they're putting on Next to Normal or another Pulitzer Prize winning show...

I tried to book the internet package too and it wouldn't let me. We sale out in 17 days. I really wanted the 10% off!

I wonder if this is a case where screenshots (or printouts) would be helpful. Like "I wanted and tried to take advantage of the offered deal, but your website wasn't ready for what you were promoting..."

:DSo happy to finally read a report from a 2015 SOUTHBOUND! We'll be Southbound on August 14. I'd be very appreciative if you have copies of the Compass. I've scrutinized the Northbound ones but not sure if it's safe to simply assume everything is exactly the same only in reverse order (if you know what I mean). Thanks in advance.

This!!

I am especially interested in when muster drill is for Southbound as I have read that in past years it made early dining rushed and incomplete... (I would never voluntarily choose early, but that is what the group I am with has. :/ )

29 days to Southbound Radiance!!

My one time in Nassau that we stayed late it was formal night, which made no sense at all. Formal night should have been the next day when you had to be back on the ship by 3.

That actually seems like it would be the ideal solution - those who want to do formal night can go back to the ship and those who don't can stay and party in Nassau. :)

Anyone?