RCL Newbie - few Explorer questions

[joand452]

The only question I can answer for sure is below:

 

Here are a few more questions....thanks everyone for your help!

 

What is a good time to get to port on embarkation day? (Bayonne)

 

If I want to bring a case of water, what is the best way? Will it go through if I stick it in a suitcase and put it with my checked luggage?

 

We rewrapped an unopened case (24 bottles) of water with clear packing tape and also taped on one of our pre-printed luggage tags, and left it with our luggage at the drop off. It made it to our cabin just fine.

 

Does the Explorer have shuffleboard?

 

If I am getting car service, what is a good time to tell the driver to pick us up?

 

Hope this helps!

[dodgeball24]

This port worst debarking due to you can not walk off the ship to the terminal you have to get off the ship then get on a shuttle bus which is combat bus riding, really not fun so to answer your question boarding can start from 11 to 12:30 so arriving around 11:30 is a good time.

 

Sorry about the laundry cost jumping up to 30 but I am Dplus so it is free for me. I do get mine back by 2 days again I tip my room steward 10 or 20 when I get there so if I ask for ice or anything I get it.

 

Like I said on an earlier post take a 6 pack cooler bag in your luggage for your water ask your room attendant to keep it filled with ice, to get your water on board tape it up with wide tape so it doesn't break and put your room number on all sides with black marker. When you pull up to unload let one person there with the luggage and make sure your luggage handler gets all your stuff and give him $10 to make sure your water and luggage makes it on the ship. The reason for the cooler is the fridge is full on their stuff and it never gets cold. Parking is the first left after drop off then about 20 yards another left between the buildings. There are other options for off premise parking for 12 a day just google it and if u are coming in the night before country inn and suites near airport gives u 10 days free parking but u have to pay a fee for shuttle.

 

Shuffleboard deck 4 they usually have two tournaments during the cruise, same as mini golf and bean bag. I live on the sports deck but my wife enjoys shuffleboard and bean bag games.

 

Hope this helps I have close to 100 days on the explorer but just got off for the last time on March 2nd, brother on there now and he taking the last 2 sailings for a 23 day cruise to Bermuda and southern repositioning

[wezie]

Thank you so much for the answers. You guys are great! I am so excited!

 

What time is a good time to get to the port the day of debarkation?

[Clarea]

Thank you so much for the answers. You guys are great! I am so excited!

 

What time is a good time to get to the port the day of debarkation?

Assuming you mean embarkation, 11am is a good time.

[wezie]

Assuming you mean embarkation, 11am is a good time.

 

Oops...yes :-) Thanks!

[EmpressofPurple]

turn around is usually 72 hours. we never ever had it back in 24..

 

Um, it's a 7-day cruise... if you hand in the bag on the night of the 3rd day and don't get it back for 72 hours (that's THREE DAYS) it has NO VALUE!! Why would you want clean clothes for just your last day?

 

I have ALWAYS gotten the bag back in 24 hours. This enables me to pack for 3 days for a 7-day cruise... throw everything in the laundry (including my travel clothes) and re-wear it for the last 3 days (I think I spend the middle day in my swimsuit on the pool deck!!) -- makes it possible to pack all-carryon for a cruise.

 

(FYI, on Oasis, for the first time ever, it took 2 days for the midweek bag to come back, and that wreaked havoc with my careful packing... I actually had to buy clothes to wear that extra day!

 

Worse still, after complaining to Guest Services while onboard, and being put through to the head of the laundry service, I was lectured that the bag never comes back in 24 hours -- despite my many experiences with it doing exactly that, and having specifically been told by my room steward on this sailing that it would -- and despite politely requesting a discount since I had to purchase clothes, I was told all I would get was my $10 off Diamond coupon, nothing extra for the delayed return.

 

On a positive note: when I wrote to RCL customer care after my return, they apologized for my having had problems with the laundry service, for being treated rudely, and not receiving any consideration for the delayed return -- and they kindly offered an obc to be used on a future cruise, which I truly did not expect. Yay, good customer service!!)

 

Also, FYI: it's now $30 for the bag (before any C&A discounts you may have). Here's a picture of it (next to my kindle for size comparison):

 

Here's a close-up of the form (only certain types of clothing are permitted in this bag; if you put in something else -- i.e., skirts, pants, dresses, collared shirts -- it will be washed at the regular per-piece prices).