Radiance of the Sea - need help

[Gini]

Wondered if they supply soap and shampoo. Is there hairdryer in room? Is there a Captains Party where they serve complimentary drinks? If you have

carry on luggage can you board and take your luggage off at the end of the cruise?

Sailing October 24th.

 

Thanks

[Desert Cruizers]

Gini, soap, hairdryer, shampoo is all supplied. They geneerally have complimentry drinks during the Welcome back party. You can carry your own Carry on luggage on and off and request to carry all luggage off if you wish to disembark early. You merely need to notify the Desk a few days prior to the end of your cruise.

The hairdryer is not very powerful so if you prefer to take your own, then do so. I have also carried in small bottles, hand lotion, detergent if I wish to hand wash small items.

[cruisenfever]

Wondered if they supply soap and shampoo. Is there hairdryer in room? Is there a Captains Party where they serve complimentary drinks? If you have

carry on luggage can you board and take your luggage off at the end of the cruise?

Sailing October 24th.

 

Thanks

WOW.....lots of questions, but here goes.

 

If you are booked in a GS cabin or higher you will get complimentary bath amenities such as shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, etc. All cabins have a shampoo-shower gel in the shower.........it's green and it glows!

 

Yes, there is a hairdryer in the drawer by the desk in the cabin. Has a special plug and you must use it by the desk.

 

Captains welcome aboard reception is usually the day after embarkation where selected beverages are served.

 

You can do Express debarkation by signing up for it mid-way through the cruise, but be advised that nobody gets off the ship until the ship has been cleared by Customs & Immigration and all bills have been settled. We have disembarked 4 times in SD and we have always been held up for some reason or the other.........so we always fly home the next day.

 

If you have a flight booked, I do hope it departs at noon or later.

[Mrs_Tiki]

According to Guest Relations on our recent Radiance cruise, they have recently eliminated Self-Assist/Express Disembarkation in San Diego at the request of US Customs.

 

Here is a link to the thread on the topic:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1073745&highlight=

[cruisenfever]

According to Guest Relations on our recent Radiance cruise, they have recently eliminated Self-Assist/Express Disembarkation in San Diego at the request of US Customs.

 

Here is a link to the thread on the topic:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1073745&highlight=

Thanks for posting this........I was not aware that they had changed it and completely missed the thread you started. But I can understand why.

[critterchick]

We're just off the 10/9 cruise (we did a B2B). There was indeed no express departure on the first leg. On the second leg, there was a mention of "early departure" in the Compass, so we called Guest Services and signed up for it. The explanation given by the Concierge was that, of the two piers Radiance docks at, one has a flight of stairs and the other does not. On the 10/4 cruise we were at the north pier (with stairs) and for 10/9 we were supposed to be at the south pier (none).

 

We never saw another mention of early departure, and this morning we were docked at the north pier again, and no early departure was offered. But, because the cancellation had never been announced, a number of people had their large bags and clogged up the exit ramp (shoreside) while waiting for the lone elevator. We had decided to check our one large bag and cadge Lavendar 1 tags. We were very happy with that decision. I don't think we would have been off the ship any faster with "early" departure (the entire process started at 8:15 and we were off the ship in 5 minutes and found our bag easily).

 

Platinum, Diamond and Diamond Plus had Orange 2 tags, as did full suite guests. They were presumably escorted off the ship right after we departed.

 

You can still carry off your bags, but they ask that you check "large" suitcases. If you are in a rush to depart, get the Lavendar tags and your luggage will be waiting in the terminal.

[mommabean]

WOW.....lots of questions, but here goes.

 

If you are booked in a GS cabin or higher you will get complimentary bath amenities such as shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, etc. All cabins have a shampoo-shower gel in the shower.........it's green and it glows!

 

Yes, there is a hairdryer in the drawer by the desk in the cabin. Has a special plug and you must use it by the desk.

 

Captains welcome aboard reception is usually the day after embarkation where selected beverages are served.

 

You can do Express debarkation by signing up for it mid-way through the cruise, but be advised that nobody gets off the ship until the ship has been cleared by Customs & Immigration and all bills have been settled. We have disembarked 4 times in SD and we have always been held up for some reason or the other.........so we always fly home the next day.

 

If you have a flight booked, I do hope it departs at noon or later.

 

Now you tell me. We only departed from San Diego, never returned there. Our flight leaves at 11:30am. :eek:

 

Gina

[cruisenfever]

Now you tell me. We only departed from San Diego, never returned there. Our flight leaves at 11:30am. :eek:

 

Gina

oops.........you didn't ask me.:o

 

As long as you are in the first group to disembark the ship.............you should be OK.

 

It's only a 10 minute drive to the airport from the port, but in traffic it can be a longer trip.

[mommabean]

oops.........you didn't ask me.:o

As long as you are in the first group to disembark the ship.............you should be OK.

 

It's only a 10 minute drive to the airport from the port, but in traffic it can be a longer trip.

 

Excuses, excuses. :)

 

It was a nightmare being in the first group to get off Radiance in Fort Lauderdale. The express departure - who were before us - happened to be the entire ship. The line snaked the length of the ship inside, only to go outside and go the length the other way. Obviously everyone wasn't express since many didn't have ANY luggage. They all just figured they wanted to be first off.

 

I, for one, would be glad to see express departure discontinued across the fleet. It slows the process down since half the people can't manage the luggage they have and it clogs up the waiting areas.

 

Gina

[Jkbcws]

For those of you that have traveled on Radiance since the C&A changes, have you been to the new Diamond reception on this ship? Just curious as to what you thought.

Also, what type of temps should we expect for this time of year? We've only sailed the Caribbean.

 

Thanks!

[cruisenfever]

Excuses, excuses. :)

 

It was a nightmare being in the first group to get off Radiance in Fort Lauderdale. The express departure - who were before us - happened to be the entire ship. The line snaked the length of the ship inside, only to go outside and go the length the other way. Obviously everyone wasn't express since many didn't have ANY luggage. They all just figured they wanted to be first off.

 

I, for one, would be glad to see express departure discontinued across the fleet. It slows the process down since half the people can't manage the luggage they have and it clogs up the waiting areas.

 

Gina

OMG........I forgot about your bad debarkation experience on Radiance after your PC cruise.:eek:

 

I don't think you will have that problem in SD.......well, I hope not anyway.

[cruisenfever]

For those of you that have traveled on Radiance since the C&A changes, have you been to the new Diamond reception on this ship? Just curious as to what you thought.

Also, what type of temps should we expect for this time of year? We've only sailed the Caribbean.

 

Thanks!

Hi Jackie............Here is a link that may answer your question. Go to post 11

 

Where is the Diamond Event held on Radiance? (1 2)

 

As far as the temperature, if you have a My Cruises account set up on the RCI website, you can click on your booking number and it should have the temps. for SD listed on the bottom right hand side of the page.

 

We are cruising the end of next month and are wondering the same thing.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Now you tell me. We only departed from San Diego, never returned there. Our flight leaves at 11:30am. :eek:

 

Gina

 

 

We have a 12 pm flight, we have departed SD many times, sometimes it can be boggled mess, but otherwise we were always off and on our way to the airport by 10:30.....like Patti said its a short ride...its security that can really hold you up!

 

Thats a bummer about self disembarkation...one medium sized suitcase is so easy!

 

***

[jjb415]

I, for one, would be glad to see express departure discontinued across the fleet. It slows the process down since half the people can't manage the luggage they have and it clogs up the waiting areas.

 

Gina

 

I disagree here, I have used it on all of my recent sailings on several different ships and have had no problems at all. Discontinuing it across the fleet would be a bad decision.

[mommabean]

For those of you that have traveled on Radiance since the C&A changes, have you been to the new Diamond reception on this ship? Just curious as to what you thought.

Also, what type of temps should we expect for this time of year? We've only sailed the Caribbean.

 

Thanks!

 

Cool by FL standards in San Diego and Ensenada. Hot as usual in Cabo San Lucas.

 

I'm bringing a jacket for night time.

 

Gina

[Jkbcws]

thanks for the help. wish i was cruising today!