Rhapsody - self disembarkation??

[bobsydney]

Hi everyone,

 

Can someone who has sailed on Rhapsody tell me whether RCI offers self disembarkation (that is, carry tour own luggage off the ship) in Sydney? If it is available, would be keen to get feedback on how well it worked. Have done self/express disembarkation before on other ships (eg Carnival where I was the first non-US pax off the ship) and thought it was great, but have seen some posts from people who said that they have had problems self disembarking on RCI ships, to the point where people disembarking normally were actually off the ship much quicker.

 

Thanks

Bob

[RD MULLET]

Hi everyone,

 

Can someone who has sailed on Rhapsody tell me whether RCI offers self disembarkation (that is, carry tour own luggage off the ship) in Sydney? If it is available, would be keen to get feedback on how well it worked. Have done self/express disembarkation before on other ships (eg Carnival where I was the first non-US pax off the ship) and thought it was great, but have seen some posts from people who said that they have had problems self disembarking on RCI ships, to the point where people disembarking normally were actually off the ship much quicker.

 

Thanks

Bob

When we arrived on Rhapsody on 17th October we were told all luggage had to go off the ship and go through the X-ray machines before we would be able to pick them up. We were told you could not take your luggage off yourself.

[bobsydney]

Thanks for clarifying the position, thought that might be the case, but was hoping otherwise. Just means we now have to take an extra bag for our overnight stuff ... and of course, will have to waste valuable drinking time packing our bags on the last night ... :mad:

 

Cheers

Bob

[thied]

Thanks for clarifying the position, thought that might be the case, but was hoping otherwise. Just means we now have to take an extra bag for our overnight stuff ... and of course, will have to waste valuable drinking time packing our bags on the last night ... :mad:

 

Cheers

Bob

i se you are in sydney and are cruise from sydney, when we cruise from our home port brisbane we take enough cloths to last the hole cruise, and pack the used cloths as we go, that makes packing mush easyer on the last day/night and no wasting time doing the washing on the cruise. But as fore when we cruise from over sea,s and any other port, we cant do that as the excess luggage is way to much due to having to fly.

[deeej]

RD MULLET..i just noticed you did the same cruise we are seriosuly considering doing next Sept. Fly to Honolulu and cruise back to Sydney via tahiti on the Rhapsody. We have only been on The Pacific Sun and Pacific Dawn so if you could tell me how you enjoyed that cruise and how that ship compared to P&O i would be so grateful. Thanks heaps, Donna

[RD MULLET]

RD MULLET..i just noticed you did the same cruise we are seriosuly considering doing next Sept. Fly to Honolulu and cruise back to Sydney via tahiti on the Rhapsody. We have only been on The Pacific Sun and Pacific Dawn so if you could tell me how you enjoyed that cruise and how that ship compared to P&O i would be so grateful. Thanks heaps, Donna

Donna

 

I tried to do that cruise 2 years ago and ended up in hospital in Hawaii as the ship set sail without me, swore then I would be back.

I took the family, 14 YO Boy, 11 YO boy SHMBO and self, saw the boys a couple of time a day, usually late at night and relaxed ourselves for a change.

Have been on the Rhapsody before and really enjoyed it. Have done both the Dawn and the Sun before and enjoyed those as well.

Comparisons are dificult because they are set up so different, P & O are set up for Aussies to have a holiday whereas Rhapsody seems to be set up for a more international market. By that i mean you notice things like "Grits" and "Donuts" on the breakfast menu that P & O just don't have, but they don't have Aussie style bacon where P & O do (English style is very close though). If you go to enjoy yourself you will on either line, just make sure you take your sense of humour along on either.

 

P.S. Your clothes still shrink on Rhapsody as well, must be the salt in the air !

[Lestel]

Hi RD Mullett

 

We are on Rhapsody on 1st Dec and will have our 15 year old son with us. I am presuming that as you didn't see much of your kids they were in the kids/teen club. Did they have much feedback about that? Our son enjoyed the teen club last year on the Pacific Sun so I am sure he will be fine on Rhapsody. I saw a Cruise Compass from last week and it mentioned a teen curfew of midnight. Did you notice if they stuck to that or was it just a general rule so that they only had certain areas they could 'hang' in after that. Last year he was always last home after DH, myself and older son so it will be funny if he has to be first this time! :rolleyes:

 

Glad you were able to do the cruise you missed out on, I would love to do that leg one day.

 

Lesley :)

[cruisin-m]

Hi RD Mullett

 

We are on Rhapsody on 1st Dec and will have our 15 year old son with us. I am presuming that as you didn't see much of your kids they were in the kids/teen club. Did they have much feedback about that? Our son enjoyed the teen club last year on the Pacific Sun so I am sure he will be fine on Rhapsody. I saw a Cruise Compass from last week and it mentioned a teen curfew of midnight. Did you notice if they stuck to that or was it just a general rule so that they only had certain areas they could 'hang' in after that. Last year he was always last home after DH, myself and older son so it will be funny if he has to be first this time! :rolleyes:

 

Glad you were able to do the cruise you missed out on, I would love to do that leg one day.

 

Lesley :)

 

It's a cruise ship, surely they can't curfew anyone no matter what their age is, that would make it a school camp not a holiday.:p

 

Pretty sure it would just be the parents responsibility, cruise lines should have no business in what time people are up/curfews it's meant to be a holiday.

[RD MULLET]

Hi RD Mullett

 

We are on Rhapsody on 1st Dec and will have our 15 year old son with us. I am presuming that as you didn't see much of your kids they were in the kids/teen club. Did they have much feedback about that? Our son enjoyed the teen club last year on the Pacific Sun so I am sure he will be fine on Rhapsody. I saw a Cruise Compass from last week and it mentioned a teen curfew of midnight. Did you notice if they stuck to that or was it just a general rule so that they only had certain areas they could 'hang' in after that. Last year he was always last home after DH, myself and older son so it will be funny if he has to be first this time! :rolleyes:

 

Glad you were able to do the cruise you missed out on, I would love to do that leg one day.

 

Lesley :)

 

Yep they do have a curfew for all kids under 18! They cannot be anywhere on the ship after midnight without a parent/gardian or a staff member (read Kids Club Person). They can be in the teen club though, and that is where they will be till all hours if your not with them.

 

Both kids absolutely loved the clubs (1 in each), we would wake them sometime in the morning to have breakfast, they would tell us off for not waking them earlier "cause the kids club is already open". They would usually find us at lunch time for a few minutes to tell us they were going for lunch and then we wouldn't see them till dinner if they decided they would have dinner with us, which was about 5 times in the whole cruise.

 

We made them leave us note on the mirror if they came back to the cabin and were going to do something unusual but that was about all. They had the freedom they think they deserve and it worked well, we were in a group of 8 "oldies" so we knew what they did at just about any time, but they didn't know we knew.

[Ausgirl]

Yep they do have a curfew for all kids under 18! They cannot be anywhere on the ship after midnight without a parent/gardian or a staff member (read Kids Club Person). They can be in the teen club though, and that is where they will be till all hours if your not with them.

 

Both kids absolutely loved the clubs (1 in each), we would wake them sometime in the morning to have breakfast, they would tell us off for not waking them earlier "cause the kids club is already open". They would usually find us at lunch time for a few minutes to tell us they were going for lunch and then we wouldn't see them till dinner if they decided they would have dinner with us, which was about 5 times in the whole cruise.

 

We made them leave us note on the mirror if they came back to the cabin and were going to do something unusual but that was about all. They had the freedom they think they deserve and it worked well, we were in a group of 8 "oldies" so we knew what they did at just about any time, but they didn't know we knew.

 

Sounds like bliss - taking your kids on holiday but still having all that time to yourself. How old were your kids when you went? I have 3 kids, 2 teenagers and an 11 year old, and I'm hoping my youngest will be fine around the ship on his own. He's pretty independent and I don't want him to feel he has to report to us every minute, as long as we know where he is most of the time, but just wondering what your experience was with this?

[RD MULLET]

Sounds like bliss - taking your kids on holiday but still having all that time to yourself. How old were your kids when you went? I have 3 kids, 2 teenagers and an 11 year old, and I'm hoping my youngest will be fine around the ship on his own. He's pretty independent and I don't want him to feel he has to report to us every minute, as long as we know where he is most of the time, but just wondering what your experience was with this?

The youngest had his 11th birthday on the first day of the cruise, the other is just 14. Unless they are on a scavenger hunt or similar I can tell you now that you will find the younger one on Level 10 Forward.

The only thing to consider is that for the Non-Teens the kids club "closes" at 10-30, if yours are like mine it will cost you $5 US per half hour after that and they can still stay there, the only difference is that you have to go and collect them. Usually I let them sign them selves in and out, you just let them know that when you sign up on the first day. I usually let him stay late when sea days follow as he can always sleep in. The teenagers will be teenagers, but they are still under a more relaxed supervision, which is good.

They have both been on 6 cruises now, because it is such a good holiday for Mum.

[Ausgirl]

Thanks so much for the info. Sounds like I will be doing the same as you and letting him do his own thing. We have booked late seating dinner, so if the kids club closes at 10.30 I can't see him eating with us every night. I guess the kids will mostly go to the Windjammer and to the kids club after that, rather than sitting at dinner till 10 and missing the night time activities. Will also just have to budget for $10 per hour every night so we can go out after dinner and not have to go back to the cabin with him.

 

Did your son make friends at kids club that he hung out with most of the time? I'm hoping my teenage girls will too...

[RD MULLET]

Thanks so much for the info. Sounds like I will be doing the same as you and letting him do his own thing. We have booked late seating dinner, so if the kids club closes at 10.30 I can't see him eating with us every night. I guess the kids will mostly go to the Windjammer and to the kids club after that, rather than sitting at dinner till 10 and missing the night time activities. Will also just have to budget for $10 per hour every night so we can go out after dinner and not have to go back to the cabin with him.

 

Did your son make friends at kids club that he hung out with most of the time? I'm hoping my teenage girls will too...

 

They all will, guaranteed ! Just don't be shocked when a scavenger hunts ends with them dressed like this

[Ausgirl]

They all will, guaranteed ! Just don't be shocked when a scavenger hunts ends with them dressed like this

 

Looks like they were having a ball! Mum's bra??

[RD MULLET]

Looks like they were having a ball! Mum's bra??

No. From memory it was from one of the girls in the day spa. the blue eye shadow also, the green eye shadow on the other eye was from one of the girls at the Pursers desk, and the red nail polish was from one of the room stewards etc. I think the crew must be warned and expect the requests. Yes they did have a ball. The room they are in is at the "bar" in the teen centre so as you can see they have quite a good setup for them.

[Lestel]

Thanks very much for the reply. My son will be happy to know he can still be 'out' after curfew and I think I'm happy knowing exactly where he will be!

 

The teen club picture looks like a much better set up than the Pacific Sun. They had a very small room there which meant they had to utilise other areas on the ship for most activities.

 

Thanks again.

 

Lesley :)