First time cruise questions! :)

[jencol28]

So me and my beautiful wife have booked our very first cruise on the Allure of the seas 30th November, to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and my birthday!

 

I guess i have a whole heap of questions and wondered if i could tap into the years of cruising experience on here.

 

Check-in/Transfer

 

We are dropping a car at Fort Lauderdale, how easy is the transfer between the airport and the cruise terminal?

 

What time is the best time to arrive at the cruise terminal on the day of embarkation?

 

Is the check in process similar to that of an aiport i.e do they make you show your liquids in a clear plastic bag etc

 

On-board

 

I read there are numerous drinks included (ice tea/coffee/soft drinks) How readily available are these drinks? e.g Are they only served in a few select locations and you are shoehorned into purchasing drinks from the main areas.

 

Do we need to bring our own towels e.g Swimming/sun bathing and showering in the room or are these provided by the ship?

 

Does the ship provide any shower gels/creams/shampoos in your room?

 

 

I am sure we will have many more questions to come. Sorry if this information is available somewhere i couldn't find.

 

Thanks

 

Col & Jen

[Clarea]

Regarding drinks included in the cruise fare, no soda is included. The only included drinks are coffee, hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, milk, flavored waters at Park Cafe, and juices at breakfast.

 

Towels are provided by the ship.

 

The shower will have a combo shampoo/conditioner dispenser and bars of soap.

[delirious9876]

So me and my beautiful wife have booked our very first cruise on the Allure of the seas 30th November, to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and my birthday!

 

I guess i have a whole heap of questions and wondered if i could tap into the years of cruising experience on here.

 

Check-in/Transfer

 

We are dropping a car at Fort Lauderdale, how easy is the transfer between the airport and the cruise terminal?

 

What time is the best time to arrive at the cruise terminal on the day of embarkation?

 

Is the check in process similar to that of an aiport i.e do they make you show your liquids in a clear plastic bag etc

 

On-board

 

I read there are numerous drinks included (ice tea/coffee/soft drinks) How readily available are these drinks? e.g Are they only served in a few select locations and you are shoehorned into purchasing drinks from the main areas.

 

Do we need to bring our own towels e.g Swimming/sun bathing and showering in the room or are these provided by the ship?

 

Does the ship provide any shower gels/creams/shampoos in your room?

 

 

I am sure we will have many more questions to come. Sorry if this information is available somewhere i couldn't find.

 

Thanks

 

Col & Jen

I just spent 20 minutes typing you some answers and CC closed down !!! Lol

 

If you don't get all your questions answered feel free to e mail me on delirious9876 at out look dot com

[TonyL128]

Check with your car rental company to see if they have a shuttle drop off at the cruise terminal. Otherwise, it's a short cab ride from airport.

 

I usually arrive at the port around 11AM. There's no line and the embarkation is quite straight forward not like the airport at all. You will have to have your hand carry scanned, but you don't have to take out your liquids, nor take off your shoes.

 

Enjoy the Allure, there's so much to do.

[Desert Cruizers]

Be sure and go into your cruises and fill out your Online Checkin, you will be able to print out once final payment is made and bring this with you when checking in along with your Photo ID, Credit Card. Around 46 days, your luggage tags should be ready to print. You can buy the plastic holders to protect the tags, but don't put them on until the night before or morning you leave for the ship. Have a great time.

[reedprincess]

So me and my beautiful wife have booked our very first cruise on the Allure of the seas 30th November, to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and my birthday!

 

I guess i have a whole heap of questions and wondered if i could tap into the years of cruising experience on here.

 

Check-in/Transfer

 

We are dropping a car at Fort Lauderdale, how easy is the transfer between the airport and the cruise terminal? Very, very easy, about a 10 minute ride in a cab from the airport to terminal.

What time is the best time to arrive at the cruise terminal on the day of embarkation? Any time after embarkation has begun. Lots of people arrive around 11, we don't arrive usually till after 12 (we sleep in late and are leisurely about getting to the port to let the crowd die down a bit) The process is very quick, you'll be on-board in no time.

 

Is the check in process similar to that of an aiport i.e do they make you show your liquids in a clear plastic bag etc Not really that similar to an airport. Yes, you will go through a metal detector, but they don't care about the liquids in your carryon - they are checking for weapons or contraband (booze, irons, etc). You can pack your carryon however you like

 

On-board

 

I read there are numerous drinks included (ice tea/coffee/soft drinks) How readily available are these drinks? e.g Are they only served in a few select locations and you are shoehorned into purchasing drinks from the main areas. Water, coffee, tea all included and readily available around the ship. Flavored waters, juices from concentrate (squash), lemonade available in Windjammer and dining room (sometimes) Booze is readily available at any bar for an additional price, as is soda again at an additional cost.

 

Do we need to bring our own towels e.g Swimming/sun bathing and showering in the room or are these provided by the ship? This one always cracks me up from Brits! Where do you guys all seem to go that you have to bring even your own bathroom towels! lol. Anyways - RCI provide both all the towels for the bath room (face cloths, bath towels, hand cloths) and pool and beach towels - and you can swap out wet ones any time you want.

 

Does the ship provide any shower gels/creams/shampoos in your room? A shower gel, small hand soap and a "conditioning shampoo" are provided. Not great quality by any means. We bring our own - we actually pick it up at the Walgreens or CVS right near the port in Ft Lauderdale

 

 

I am sure we will have many more questions to come. Sorry if this information is available somewhere i couldn't find.

 

Thanks

 

Col & Jen

 

See answers in red above. Ask away with any questions - that's what these pages are for!! Enjoy your cruise!

[Life is Good Cruising]

Even though the ship has a trio combination of shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, it may be a good idea to bring your own.

[dlambright]

I know shower gels have always been provided in the past, but they have gone the way of live entertainment. Not provided on all ships and/or cabin classes anymore. I believe I read they still provide them on Oasis and Allure. I was on Vision last week and they were not provided. Bring your own to be safe and have good quality gels.

[TonyL128]

I was on Allure in July. They still had the shampoo dispenser and bath soap.

[dacsmom]

What a wonderful way to spend your Anniversary/Birthday. I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

While shampoo is provided, I have found that it leaves my hair really frizzy so I usually pack my own.

[jencol28]

See answers in red above. Ask away with any questions - that's what these pages are for!! Enjoy your cruise!

 

Reedprincess -thanks very much for your answers/help. You can never be too careful about the towels situation!!! We regularly visit Spain and i dont think the Spanish either like towels or have any in the country!!!

[jencol28]

What a wonderful way to spend your Anniversary/Birthday. I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

While shampoo is provided, I have found that it leaves my hair really frizzy so I usually pack my own.

 

Thanks dacsmom :) we are both really excite and looking forward to it - though i have to admit i have never considered a cruise, it was the wife's persuasiveness that i am!

 

Thanks for your comment re Shampoo - i have next to no hair so this one is for her ;)

[jencol28]

I know shower gels have always been provided in the past, but they have gone the way of live entertainment. Not provided on all ships and/or cabin classes anymore. I believe I read they still provide them on Oasis and Allure. I was on Vision last week and they were not provided. Bring your own to be safe and have good quality gels.

 

Thanks :) we are in Orlando for a week before, so its likely we will just buy them from Walmart or somewhere pre-cruise

[jencol28]

Be sure and go into your cruises and fill out your Online Checkin, you will be able to print out once final payment is made and bring this with you when checking in along with your Photo ID, Credit Card. Around 46 days, your luggage tags should be ready to print. You can buy the plastic holders to protect the tags, but don't put them on until the night before or morning you leave for the ship. Have a great time.

 

 

Thanks so much for your help/advice. When you say you can buy plastic tags - do they sell these at the terminal? i just did a quick ebay search and found tons of them on there as well as tons of them on Amazon - is it worth pre-buying? i would imagine that they are cheaper that way?

[jencol28]

I just spent 20 minutes typing you some answers and CC closed down !!! Lol

 

If you don't get all your questions answered feel free to e mail me on delirious9876 at out look dot com

 

Thanks delirious, i may bug you with other questions...you will regret that! ha

[Adayatatime]

Reedprincess -thanks very much for your answers/help. You can never be too careful about the towels situation!!! We regularly visit Spain and i dont think the Spanish either like towels or have any in the country!!!

 

Isn't that so true. I watched a telly programme the other day where the price to hire linen and towels on a cheap holiday weekend doubled the price of the holiday!

 

Like, you don't need towels and linen. It's really bizarre when you think about it.

 

different RC ship but we spent a whole fortnight without paying for one soft drink (bought alcoholic ones obviously!). Iced water was the most important for us, but plenty of free drinks around.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Adayatatime

[Adayatatime]

Thanks dacsmom :) we are both really excite and looking forward to it - though i have to admit i have never considered a cruise, it was the wife's persuasiveness that i am!

 

Thanks for your comment re Shampoo - i have next to no hair so this one is for her ;)

 

You will NEVER look back and will wonder why you haven't considered it before. Best value, best sightseeing, romantic. We took years to decide because we used to lie on the beach (I remember particularly in the Cayman Islands) wondering how all those people could be so tightly packed together. It's nothing like that on board.

 

There does see to be an attitude in the UK that cruises are for "older" people or are "naff" (for want of a better word). It really isn't like that at all.

 

I'm excited for you - have a lovely trip x

[cruisegirl1]

Thanks so much for your help/advice. When you say you can buy plastic tags - do they sell these at the terminal? i just did a quick ebay search and found tons of them on there as well as tons of them on Amazon - is it worth pre-buying? i would imagine that they are cheaper that way?

 

The plastic tag holders are not necessary. We have them and usually never bother using them. For most cabins, you will print the actual paper tag, and fold according to instructions, then staple or tape to the suitcase. It makes a secure tag. No need to carry staple gun/tape, the front desk at your pre cruise hotel can provide some for you. I believe suite passengers may still be sent adhesive tags

 

If you decide you want the plastic holders, they are not available at the terminal, you would need to purchase in advance.

 

Others may offer a different opinion.

 

More questions? Ask away.

M

Edited August 7, 2014 by cruisegirl1

[Desert Cruizers]

jenco, I bought ours thru Amazon, i do believe, thru Crusie Critic you can also get the narrow ones which RCCL uses, and they can be reused over and over. I used the Zip Lock Ties over the plastic ones that come with them but only ran them thru the first hole so I could interchange tags out especially if doing a b2b.

 

To go into your booking without signing unto RCCL, at the top of the RCCL Web Site & Tab, Before You Board, there is the tital, Online Checkin, there you put in Reserv #, Last Name, Date of sailing & Ship Name. There you can fill out your Online Check In.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Desert Cruizers

[life_dizzy]

We are celebrating our first anniversary on this cruise as well!:D

 

Not sure if you are dropping a car off if you're flying in or driving there...but you may consider flying/driving in the day before and staying in a hotel for one night. You can choose a hotel that has airport and port transportation. It's just a thought...I know a lot of people fly in the day of and have no problems, but for a lot of people, it's just easier and less stressful to do it the day before!

Edited August 7, 2014 by life_dizzy

[delirious9876]

Thanks delirious, i may bug you with other questions...you will regret that! ha

Ha ha ha ! Feel free :-)

[womack214]

I laminate my luggage tag after I print it out. Print as many as you want. Throw them in the laminator and staple to your bag handle at the hotel the morning of embarkation.

 

 

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[Juliesfirstcruise]

Hello, we had our first cruise in May last yr, on the Allure, it was our 30th anniversary and we wanted something special, and it definitely was! It was amazing we loved every minute, so much so that we booked to go on the Oasis couple of days ago for May next year!! Been watching the prices for a while and the all inc came up so we booked! Can't wait! You will love it it's a fantastic ship!! Still things we didn't do on our last day, so will make sure we do them first next time, slightly different ship and different islands to visit! We are definately hooked, enjoy yourselves!

Julie

[jencol28]

Hello, we had our first cruise in May last yr, on the Allure, it was our 30th anniversary and we wanted something special, and it definitely was! It was amazing we loved every minute, so much so that we booked to go on the Oasis couple of days ago for May next year!! Been watching the prices for a while and the all inc came up so we booked! Can't wait! You will love it it's a fantastic ship!! Still things we didn't do on our last day, so will make sure we do them first next time, slightly different ship and different islands to visit! We are definately hooked, enjoy yourselves!

Julie

 

Julie thats fantastic! we were a little disappointed because we booked around a week before that offer went live! so we missed out! have you just booked a cruise on its own? We are off to Orlando for a week first...followed by the cruise on the 30th Nov.

[Juliesfirstcruise]

Yes we've just booked the cruise only for now, we fancy going a week earlier and driving to key west for couple days!! We stayed in Fort Lauderdale last year, it's lovely there too! Plans are in action now!