LEMJMcC

Taking our first cruise next month, sailing out of Tampa on The Brilliance of the Seas for five nights. So I've been doing some reading on the forum - a great way to gather tips. I saw one post that stated to avoid a certain dining venue on embarkation day (day 1) at lunch due to the crowds. Can those who have taken a similar cruise comment on this? What would you recommend for that first day onboard? The wife and I are hoping to get aboard earlier enough to get a quick workout in before lunch, but really don't know what to expect.

Thanks in advance.

So, what's the best solution to wrinkled dress clothes for the formal dinner? Any idea what they charge to press pants and shirts?

First time cruise coming up next month. Question: are the checked bags opened and searched or are they just scanned? Seems like taking an iron is out of the question, but I was wondering how they find it in the checked baggage. How would they find bottled water if I put some in my checked bags? I'm not keen on teh idea of having someone rummage through my personal belongings.

I presume they do open and search carry-on bags.

Thanks.

First time for my wife and I on any cruise and we are considering beverage packages. The Royal Replenish Package (RPP) sounds good, what kind of bottled water does it include? Is it available in the stateroom or must we fetch it ourselves? Also, can I get alcohol-free pina coladas with it? We don't drink any pop (sodas), but my wife does like coffee; I'm happy with hot tea (Irish Breakfast Tea preferably) with breakfast, good water all day long, and an occasional chocolate milk (2%). With that said, is the RPP right for us?

Thanks.