1st timer with loads of ???s

[jana616]

Hi, DH and I leave in 17 days for our 1st cruise (Radiance to western caribbean). I have been religiously reading these boards for months, and as we get closer to leaving, I have a bunch of random ?s for all of you experts...

1) Can we pre-book excursions using our shipboard credit or do we have to pay with credit card? We want to do the 1st Canopy tour in Ocho Rios, and I am afraid it will be full when we get onboard, but we have a lot of shipboard credit from our TA and RC Visa.

 

2) I am afraid of tipping; I never who to tip or how much. Do we tip the person who drops our bags to our stateroom? Or is that our attendant for the week, so we wait? Help!

 

3) I may be dreaming this, but I thought I read somewhere about being able to check luggage all the way from the ship to American Airlines gate. Is this true?

 

4) How far and how much should it cost to taxi from MIA airport to pier? Is there anywhere to stop to get soft drinks to bring onboard?

 

5)Is there an alarm clock in the room?

 

6) I realize everyone has different needs, but I have no clue how much cash to bring. We don't plan to gamble or purchase a lot of drinks.

 

7) Dinner the 1st night, what's the dress? We may not have our bags yet, right? So should we wear khakis on the plane?

 

8) I understand they have orange juice in the AM. Do they have pineapple juice?

 

TIA! I realize some of these questions are kind of silly, but never having done it before, I'm pretty clueless!

[Guest cruzr44]

Hi, DH and I leave in 17 days for our 1st cruise (Radiance to western caribbean). I have been religiously reading these boards for months, and as we get closer to leaving, I have a bunch of random ?s for all of you experts...

1) Can we pre-book excursions using our shipboard credit or do we have to pay with credit card? We want to do the 1st Canopy tour in Ocho Rios, and I am afraid it will be full when we get onboard, but we have a lot of shipboard credit from our TA and RC Visa.

 

2) I am afraid of tipping; I never who to tip or how much. Do we tip the person who drops our bags to our stateroom? Or is that our attendant for the week, so we wait? Help! You should tip the porter who takes you bags before you get on the ship. He will make sure your luggage gets on the ship. $1-2 per bag. He will not be your steward. You will tip your steward separately.

 

3) I may be dreaming this, but I thought I read somewhere about being able to check luggage all the way from the ship to American Airlines gate. Is this true?

 

4) How far and how much should it cost to taxi from MIA airport to pier? Is there anywhere to stop to get soft drinks to bring onboard?

 

5)Is there an alarm clock in the room? No alarm clock but there is a wake up service.

 

6) I realize everyone has different needs, but I have no clue how much cash to bring. We don't plan to gamble or purchase a lot of drinks. Drinks on board are purchased on your card, no cash. If you go to the casino you can get a cash advance on your card. It will just be put on your onboard account, not charged as a cash advance from your credit card. We usually bring about $500 in cash. We do not put our tips on our account, but put them aside in envelopes for the last day. Room Steward, waiter, asst waiter.

 

7) Dinner the 1st night, what's the dress? We may not have our bags yet, right? So should we wear khakis on the plane? We like to travel in jeans so if our luggage has not arrived that is what we wear. People do pack a change of clothes in their carry on and some do get their luggage by dinner so there are people who are dressed up.

 

8) I understand they have orange juice in the AM. Do they have pineapple juice? I have only seen OJ, grapefruit and V8. You may be able to order pineapple from room service.

 

TIA! I realize some of these questions are kind of silly, but never having done it before, I'm pretty clueless!

 

Have a great cruise!!

[glen tev]

Once you have your reservation number you can pre-book excursions on RCCL.com using a credit card and the tickets will be in your room on arrival.The airlines have a counter right at RCCL peir in Miami-just get off the boat and give them your bags.There are people with signs at the airport that will guide you to the shuttle bus that will take you to the peir but there may be a charge(there wasn't in 01) but a buddy of mine just paid $20 for a carnival shuttle in Miami-check with RCCL.Good luck

[Cam6959]

Jana -

 

1. You can reserve your shore excursions online but you do have to pay with a credit card. If you want to wait until you get to the ship you can pay with your onboard credit but you have the chance of missing the excursion you want. It is first come, first serve.

 

2. Is answered very well. As far as tipping goes throughout the trip. I bring my tip money in an envelope already labeled with who it goes to and if the service is above and beyond normal service I put in a little extra the last night. But if you get room service tip as they deliver.

 

3. This service is called luggage valet and it is new. I do not know if your trip will have it. It is only on some of the piers.

 

One thing to remember is take your camera and take a lot of pics and remember every minute of this cruise. A first cruise is the best cruise.

[sas80]

1) Can we pre-book excursions using our shipboard credit or do we have to pay with credit card? We want to do the 1st Canopy tour in Ocho Rios, and I am afraid it will be full when we get onboard, but we have a lot of shipboard credit from our TA and RC Visa.

 

I dont think so. If you prebook and I believe you are charged immediately. There IS a chance that you wont be charged until after the service is rendered, call RCCL and ask.

 

2) I am afraid of tipping; I never who to tip or how much. Do we tip the person who drops our bags to our stateroom? Or is that our attendant for the week, so we wait? Help!!

 

I never see this person.....:eek: Your cruise binder will have tipping info in it, reccomended amounts. Yes, please tip the porter that you give your bags to at the pier. I think $1-2 per bag is sufficient.

 

3) I may be dreaming this, but I thought I read somewhere about being able to check luggage all the way from the ship to American Airlines gate. Is this true?

 

I read that on this site. I would call RCCL and ask.

 

4) How far and how much should it cost to taxi from MIA airport to pier? Is there anywhere to stop to get soft drinks to bring onboard?

 

dunno

 

5)Is there an alarm clock in the room?

 

dunno

 

6) I realize everyone has different needs, but I have no clue how much cash to bring. We don't plan to gamble or purchase a lot of drinks.

bring minnimal cash with you. If you need to you can get cash from the ATM (fee involved) or from the casino (just tell them you want to gamblewith it) IIRC the casino will give you up to $2k to gamble with per day (and as long as your credit card holds out) This appears as an RCCL shipboard charge on your credit card, NOT a cash advance.

 

7) Dinner the 1st night, what's the dress? We may not have our bags yet, right? So should we wear khakis on the plane?

 

It's a "come as you are" / "come as you are comfortable" type of scenario. No worries!

 

 

8) I understand they have orange juice in the AM. Do they have pineapple juice?

 

dunno

 

 

Happy Cruising you are going to LOVE it!!!

[*erika*]

regarding getting to and from the airport to the cruise terminal, you're best bet is to just a take a taxi. it will be quicker, easier and most likely less expensive! if you choose to go with the RCCL transfers, you have to wait until a bus is filled before you will head to the port. but with a taxi, you can ask them to stop somewhere to get drinks before getting to the port.

 

good luck and have a great time!

[LABCHICK]

Hi We got off the ship , got our luggage and went to the AA area. They took our luggage. I stayed with the luggage while they sent my husband to check in. After that was done they gave us our boarding passes. We hopped a cab and off to MIA. All we had to do was go through security. Our luggage was in Phila. when we arrived. Good luck and have fun. Judi :)

[alphakitty]

 

4) How far and how much should it cost to taxi from MIA airport to pier? Is there anywhere to stop to get soft drinks to bring onboard?

 

Super Shuttle will take you from airport to port of Miami for $11 pp.

[bucknellmom]

Jana616, I had pineapple juice on the voyager in nov. It wasn't on the menu but i asked for it anyway. Think of all those tropical drinks made with pineapple juice. They have to have plenty on board.

[PSCruiser]

How much money - what I always do is make an estimate, and include enough cash for the tips. That way, if you start running low, charge the tips to the Seapass and that gives you an extra chunk of cash.