First timer on RCCL Questions

[Ryanne]

We've just booked the Radiance of the Seas for 12/5 eastern sailing. I've cruised before but I still have a lot of quesitons

1. What exactly is the "towel policy" on RCCL for pool/beach towels?
2. Can I bring my own wine for dinner and pay an uncorkage fee?
3. What type of activities do they have on the private island and what is your favorite thing to do there?
4. How are the lunch options if I don't want to dress for the dining room?

Thanks,

[stretch]

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=navy]Here's what I've found out.[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]Towel Policy: You will find a "pool" towel for each guest in your cabin when you arrive. These can be traded in for fresh/dry towels at the pool area and are replaced daily by your room steward. They say that you will be charged if you lose your towel but I'm not sure how strictly that is enforced. If you do lose one, do as I did, pick one up that's been saving a chair for a chair hog for a few hours. Their loss is your gain![/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]You can take your own bottle of wine to dinner if you like. There is a posted corkage fee but again it's sort of up the the asst. waiter (they did away with the wine steward on the Brilliance the sister ship of the Radiance). If you slip him a $5 or so the first time you bring wine, you'll probably be good to go for the rest of the cruise. They do have some decent wine packages available to purchase, you've got to read carefully because some of the better (KJ) white wines are actually 1/2 bottles. For our 11 day cruise in March we got the 7 bottle Platinum package for $209 including tip and thought it was a decent deal. BTW, we're red wino's![/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]I'm guessing that you'll be going to Labadee for a day. We were there 2 years ago on the Explorer and had a great time. It's just a nice place to sit and relax, swim, do alittle shopping at the market area, etc. The best excursions there are the Waverunner tour (about 45 mins), or the Parasailing. (about 7 mins. in the air). They bring all the bar stuff over to the island for drinks and have two huge stainless steel bar-b-que pits at different ends of the beach. The ribs are really good, they also have burgers, hot dogs, salads, deserts etc. It's worth it to go even if you don't want to spend all day. The little shopping area had some good deals on wood carvings, wooden bowls and local touristy type stuff. Be prepared to be bombared by the locals in the Flea market area trying to sell their wares and bargain with them. The items in the indoor area were at fixed prices, but very reasonable.[/color][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]Dining options:[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=navy]For lunch, the Windjammer is where we usually eat, good selection of just about everything, sandwich stuff, burgers, hot dogs, carved meats, salads, pasta bar, fruit and desert bars, just about everything you can think of. The Seaview Cafe will be open for lunch on sea days and has good stuff (see below).[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]They have two fee added alternative restaurants, Chops and Portofino's. The steaks, prime rib, lamb chops and veal chops are great at Chops. Make your reservations as soon as possible because they will fill up as the cruise goes on. Portofino's is the Italian (well Caribbean Italian) Restaurant. Food there is quite good, but IMHO not in the same league as Chops.[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]If they have a Murder Mystery night, give it a try, it begins with cocktails or champage in the Colony club and ends up in Portofino's. Dinner, from a limited menu, wine and desert is included in the charge for the Mystery. Prizes are given away and the actors are all ship's staff. It was alot of fun. [/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#000080]You can always have room service or a casual dinner in the Windjammer. They do serve wine, drinks and beer also. The buffet food at the Windjammer was alway good. We have eaten there once or twice on our 11 day cruises because we were tired from excursions or just doing nothing and didn't really feel like the main dining room that evening. There is also the Seaview Cafe, just above the Windjammer that is open at different times and has good burgers, hot dogs, chicken, Cuban sandwiches, chili, fries, onion rings (gotta have them), and pretty good malts and shakes, etc and is open late at night for those, don't want to go to bed hungry evenings. We've sailed on the Brilliance the last two years, 11 day Circle the Caribbean in '03 and the 11 day Ultimate Caribbean this past March. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have, I do my best to answer. [/color][/font]
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[RiverRev]

An entire hour and no one has answered your questions. I'll do my best.

1. Fresh towels are put in your cabin every day by your steward. When sitting on the pool deck you may trade in your used towel for another one. At least that was how it was on Navigator. If you lose or misplace your towel your account will be charged $20 for the loss. They will leave you notice of this policy onboard on your first day. Don't worry; the towel is very bland and there is no way you would want to pay $20 bucks for that souvenir.

2. Can't answer the wine question - I don't imbibe. There have been numerous other postings on this in the past and I seem to remember something about a corking fee.

3. We went to Labadee. There was swimming in the rougher surf of the open sea and the sheltered harbor. Volleyball, football games. Wave runners, parasailing, and sea kayaking. A great water park. A beach barbeque that is quite good. A local market selling arts and crafts.

4. Never ate in the DR for lunch. The windjammer was marevelous with evrything from carved meats to grilled burgers and dogs. A great mix of salad, soups and sandwiches. a good selection of eastern dishes in Jade. I know that Radiance does not have Jade but the fare in the Windjammer/Island Grill will be relatively similar.

[Ryanne]

Thanks so much for all the info. I'm sorry I posted the same question twice although I've been reading for a while, I just started posting and apparently still have a few things to learn.

[stretch]

No problem, it's real easy to double click on the post button.
I've done it many times. Have a great time!
Stretch