fragilek

Sorry about these very basic questions- but it our first RCI cruise.

I have picked my time dining. I keep seeing ref to booking a time. If I book 7.30 - do I have to always go at that time or can we go early/late if it suits (DD is diabetic so a set time can be a bit difficult us to always manage).

Would 7.30 allow us to go to the 2nd showing of the show on the vision on a med cruise.

Would that time clash with the stuff that they put on in the atrium. When to the slots become available to book (we sail aug 2015).

I want to buy the drinks pack but want to use OBC for it - do I need to book on the ship for that.

Do I have to book it for all nights or can I book on Day 2. and get the price pro ratta. I have also seen info about booking for shows- Is that just for on the mega ships.

When are the fee restaurant available to book and again if I book in advance will OBC be used or will it get added to bill. If I leave it until we are on the ship - will I still get booked ok.

What days on the 12 night med are formal ones.

Thanks for any help

Can you leave the ship at its last port of call if you want to. May fancy getting off in amalfi and doing a week there. Is that possible

Hi has anyone tried getting about any of these ports to see the sites using a scooter or wheelchair

Cannes, Florence, Rome, Athens, Santorina, Amalfi (pompeii).

I have just found out that I could hire a scooter so save my DH having to push me about in the heat of August. Can any confirm if trying to use a scooter in the sites at the above places is doable - and for that matter how easy is it using a wheelchair. I have used a scooter at Disney during full park days so have some experience of using in crowds without killing anyone

Getting on and off the ship at ports- can scooters just join the normal lines or do they have to wait until the masses have gone.

How do the tenders work for a scooter (ie at Santorini)

Thanks for any advice.

that's not so good can we request an additional trundle on the vision of the sea, would it fit in the room.

Also, how do you deal with the heat? I tend to spend a lot of time in the solarium pool and stay hydrated. This last year I lost about 90lbs so that should help me stay cooler. I will be doing a western Caribbean cruise in less than 30 days so I will see if the weight loss helps. God bless you and have a great cruise.

I seem to be ok in the heat- I have a very strange form of MS - I have recurring transverse Myelitis. So basically it is just MS of the spinal cord probably caused by Lupus. Each attack cuts into my cord so there is less chance for any remission after each attack. To try and stop further attacks I am on a chemo type drug - so far so good - no more major attacks since going on it. Draw back I can only be on it for 5 years. I get tired more by the actual effort and concentration it takes to make my left leg move when using sticks. And when the lupus is playing up it is painful to take the weight through my arms and shoulders to use the sticks. But lucky in that so far I have no brain involvement so the heat and other brain factors of MS are not so much of an issue for me.

Hope the Caribbean is not too hot for you and well done on your weight loss- Its so hard to keep the weight off when we are not able to exercise- I now eat no carbs and only have between 1000-1300 cal a day- not fun.

Y

I too have MS and fully understand your need for an accessible cabin. Have you considered renting a mobility scooter for the cruise ? That's what I do and I'm able to enjoy the cruise much better. It allows me more freedom and better manage the fatigue that so many of us endure. When I return to the ship I'm not exhausted or over heated and can enjoy the rest of the day/evening even if I choose to use my rollator on board. Hope you give it some thought.

 

Also suggest that if you have any further questions please post them on this form instead http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

 

Here's the links to RCCL's approved vendors

 

http://www.carevacations.com

 

http://www.specialneedsatsea.com

 

Enjoy your cruise !

I did not know that was an option in Europe- Last year we went Florida and I rented one there- It just made my holiday soooo much better. It was the first time since I took ill that I had to wait for my family to catch up with me. lol I will definitely do this if it is available. thanks

Thanks That sounds better for me:D - not so sure how that would be for them. Has anyone slept on the sofa bed - they are both adults - one is 5 ft 11" both are about between 120-135lb. Are they the foam floor type or a thin mattress over a spring set pull out.

Do you need an accessible room? if not they could move you out for someone that needs one

Yes I need it, I meant I may need to consider keeping that room and adding an inside opposite it for my grown up girls. Finding any info about it seem difficult. I saw some pictures of one on a different RCI ship and my main worry was that one of the pullman beds seems to be above and horizontally across the top of the double bed. Not sure I fancy that much. But adding an inside would be quite of lot more expensive so I want to avoid if I can.

Sorry I should have been clearer- I have MS and use a wheelchair, I can walk with sticks on good days (but have no idea in advance if I will be in a good phase in aug 2015- also if I am (hoping and hoping!) and manage to walk about a little to see sites I know that by the time I am back on ship I will not be fit to walk any more for the rest of the day so I will be back in the chair (thus I need the space as the other room I at looked was nicer -PV room- and was more or less the same price as the accessible on deck 2) . I also need bars and shower seats. My concern is that as I have not filled anything in when the TA (first time I have used a TA) booked - I do not want to be bumped, that's why I asked if there was anything to fill in (I have never cruised with RCI so didn't know what the procedure should be).

I will contact my TA

I booked an accessible OV through a TA. I haven not been asked why I need the room or to fill amything in - should I have been, I do not want bumped from this room as it looks twice the size of the other OV rooms.

I would rather be limited to good wine than unlimited to plonk :p I can't believe the number of posts you have on here- I now know who to chase for advice.:D

We have booked an accessible ov room 2602 for next year. Its for 4 adults I would love to see pictures of this room or hear reviews from other who have seen it or 2102. If it is too small I have time to change to a bigger option (may be 2 rooms). thanks

sorry should say please can- oops!

if dh and I get the package do we also have to get it for our dd's (one is only 18) or can just dh and I get it. Are there wine packages- we like good wine lol

Just booked- hummed and hawed over the vision 12 day versus the ncl 12 - which included istanbul and venice. but we enjoy our food and the the ncl reviews were so bad we choose the rci one. We have never cruised RCI before some have some questions.

We got quite a lot of OBC can we use this once on board to buy the drinks packages. There are 4 adults in one room - but my dd will bot want the drinks packages as one is diabetic and the other only just 18yrs can only 2 adults get it.

In one day we would probably have 2 cocktails and 2 glasses of wine - dh would have 2 beers , 2 wines and 1 cocktail max- sometimes less- is the drinks package worth it for us.

Can we use OBC for cruise excursions or in the shops.

Does RCI charge for coffee after meals if so is that included in the drinks packages.

Is there icream machines - my youngest dd liked those on another cruise.

I am sure I will have many more questions - sorry

Yes, I am not a typical young adult, I don't go to parties and drink. I have a Mike's hard lemonade once in a great while at home, and when I'm on a cruise I like to enjoy it a little bit.

sorry I didn't mean to sound like I was judging Americans - its just that with different expectations from peers and adults they acted differently from my DD and her friends of the same age. No right or wrong approach to alcohol age - just different. There are some youngest this side of the pond who should not be allowed it - and I wouldn't want to be cruising with them if they had access to a bottomless bar lol!!

Why are you so hung up on how much and what types of alcohol you are going to be able to drink on your cruise while underage? Just curious.

But its not underage to everyone- Our young adults are allowed to drink - anything they like from 18 that the law here. It's the parents responsibility to teach then to respect themselves and alcohol ahead of that age.

I think its bizarre that my eldest DD who has lived independently in her own flat for 4 years while at university is not considered an adult by a cruise in the EU at 20yrs. I accept that she is not an adult in the US and having cruised from tampa 2yrs ago, I would agree that most teens who where equivalent in age (19 at the time) acted more like my younger daughters age (15yrs) and were not nearly ready to be given alcohol or responsibilities (weird to see 18 yr olds trying to sneakily drink behinde their parents backs) - But that not how it is in the EU so I am surprised at their rule. But its no big deal as I would only expect my youngest to have 2-4 drinks over entire 12 days.

Ok I have relooked - I did't use the link and just went in to site and didn't call up the 21 day cruise. Using the link I would say the 22 day one.

Venice has outlying islands around it and there are boats (bus boats) that go around venice and to the islands- you can get multi day passes. main other islands are Burano & Murano and the lido (beach resort area). Main areas of venice worth strolling about in that are away from the crowds are

Ponte dei Pugni, the bridge of fists, where a little vegetable barge was tied up next to the bridge on a narrow canal in the Dorsoduro sestiere

The Jewish quarter, Santa Maria area but just about anywhere is lovely- the further you walk from st marks the quieter and more authentic the area. The Rialto area and surrounding canals are also lovely- but I prefer them in evening when many of the visitors have left.

If you are starting in Barcelona- then Girona is worth a visit if you have time (but as In said I am not a fan of Barcelona)

can someone clarify this for me wrt eu cruises can an over 18 year old buy/get cocktails on an eu cruise. Is the wine /beer rule just for the US. Our young adults look after themsleves at uni all year and they can buy what ever the wish over 18 in UK (16 in some other EU places). My youngest DD will just have turned 18 and I planned on treating her to a one or two pina coladas on our cruise. She doesn't like wine- yet:p

Without any doubt I would say Venice is a must see- However, the other cruise perhaps has other more interesting places on it including Istanbul. If you do not plan to be cruising the med again I would be tempted to do the 21 day cruise that ends in Rome then take the train to Venice for a few days (in fact you need a few days there as the most beautiful areas are not near st marks square but scattered on the circumference of Venice- the other Venetian islands are also worthy of a visit (can be done in a few hrs). I am not a big fan of Barcelona- but others are.

Just to add its was googling pictures of places mentions in some reviews of Istanbul that looked so fascinating we have changed our planned med RCI cruise to the ncl spirt cruise. I have never cruised ncl before but I think the Itinerary looks amazing.

OK so we have finally just about decided to do the NCL spirit instead of the RCI vision as it adds Istanbul and Venice to the itinerary but sadly swaps Santorini for Mykonos.

The problem is with the added ports is added costs for our party of 4 (me DH DD 22 and DD18). I need to try an minimise the cost as much as possible to make this choice affordable.

Is plan below easy to do - any info appreciated

Toulon- walk or taxi to nearest nice town to walk around

Livorno- Train to Florence - diy tour using guide books and preplaned route

Rome - Train to Rome - again preplaned visit. Tour by guide books (been for week before but our girls haven't)

Naples- Train to Pompeii (may do NCL tour here to see Amalfi coast and pompeii)

Mykonos- hopefully nice villages or beaches to visit nearby-taxi-???doable

Istanbul- DIY or NCL - advise needed here at bit apprehensive about doing this DIY.

Kusadasi- Water park (been to Ephesus before)

Athens- Have no idea how to do DYI - May need NCL tour

Venice- Know it quite well so will just wonder as far away from st Marks square (and the masses) as possible lol

Still trying to plan which room to choose- either deck 6 or deck 5

deck 6 below le bistro - worried about noise from casino or henrys

deck 5 what is below on deck 4 open space behind medical center

Thanks for any info.

What time is le bistro open until - I thinking of the room below and any noise.- thanks

I like the Spirit itinerary better. A couple years a. Many European museums and tourist sites are closed one day a week. Make sure that the day you are in town is not the day that the site you want to visit is closed.

OH! I didn't even think of that!! - thank you

I am about to book one of these but can't decide which- we have never been on either RCI or NCL. Both are cruises round the med in Aug. On the cruise will be me DH and 2 DD (18 &22)

RCi vision- OV room Barcelona-Cannes, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Santorini, Naples- barcelon

NCL Spirit- inside family room- Barcelona with stops in Toulon, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kusadasi, Piraeus, Venice.

Food and evening shows are quite important to us. We would avoid ant game/game show stuff- just not our cup of tea!

We think the NCL may have the edge on itinerary but are a bit worried about the cabin and food quality (never been but from reading reviews).

The RCI one is £900 more

Oh and I am celiac (gluten free) - so if anyone can comment on the difference for food on these two line for me that would be great- I hate having to just eat plain stuff and would like a cruise where my dinner looks just a good as the others and still has sauce/ dressing on it.

I am about to book one of these but can't decide which- we have never been on either RCI or NCL. Both are cruises round the med in Aug. On the cruise will be me DH and 2 DD (18 &22)

RCi vision- OV room Barcelona-Cannes, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Santorini, Naples- barcelon

NCL Spirit- inside family room- Barcelona with stops in Toulon, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kusadasi, Piraeus, Venice.

Food and evening shows are quite important to us. We would avoid ant game/gameshow stuff- just not our cup of tea!

We think the NCL may have the edge on itinerary but are a bit worried about the cabin and food quality (never been but from reading reviews).

The RCI one is about £800-900 more

Oh and I am celiac (gluten free) - so if anyone can comment on the difference for food on these two line for me that would be great- I hate having to just eat plain stuff and would like a cruise where my dinner looks just a good as the others and still has sauce/ dressing on it.