Royal Caribbean?

[becky h]

My family and I are looking for an extra special holiday this year as my mum will be 50 and i will be 18. Got a few cruise brochures including a Royal caribbean one. Never been with them before and wondered what the ships are like and if the kids clubs are good for my little brother. any extra information or hoilday ideas would be ace too. thanks.

[auntiebertie]

RCI are great for most age ranges - there are about 6 kids clubs for the various ages and they are kept pretty active I hear. All ships have rock climbing walls and mini golf - the big Freedom Class and Voyager Class also have ice rinks!.
At night there are the usual 'shows' - dancers and comics and magicians etc - and there is an iceskating show on the ice rink.
The ships are visually very pretty - art work everywhere, There is one main dining room - usually 2 or 3 stories high, then there may be a speciality restaurant that will charge $20ph supplement but the food is worth it!

Suggest you go here - www.cruisecritic.com and click on the word 'boards' and then click on the link for RCI to read comments - usually "what do I wear on formal night" type questions - also when you have picked a ship and itinerary I suggest that you click on 'Read Member Reviews' link from the front page of cruisecritic [not very clear - half way down on the right hand side] and you can see what people say about your specific ship.

Cruising has a myth that it is for 'old' people, it is stuffy, you have to dress up in black tie every night etc - but it is certainly no longer like this. Yes there will be a formal night but if you don't want to dress up you don't have to - you won't be thrown overboard! Suggest you go to the buffet to eat that evening!

Make sure you pay the gratuities before hand - roughly �35pp for a week - if you don't it will be added to your account on board.
On board you can eat/drink 24 hrs a day!! So you can certainly get your money's worth!

Also use the 'Ports of call' section on the Boards to see what people suggest doing at your various ports of call.

I have 2 cruises booked for this year and am planning 3 for next year......can you tell?!?!

[sddsddean]

Been on 2 RCI cruises and flying out on Saturday to have a week on the Freedom of the Seas. The wife and I love the cruises. Our first was from San Diego to Miami via the Panama Canal. It was brilliant, but in our opinion the best bit is we travelled 5000 miles and only had to unpack once!! On our last cruise (Alaska) we met up with a Mum and Gran and two boys (8 yr old twins). The Mum hardly ever saw the boys as they are looked after all the time by the 'kids staff'. As AuntB says, there is loads to do (the ice skating is only on the Voyager and Freedom class) and you don't get bored. The only big rule is you do not have to do anything! If you don't want go ashore, OK. If you don't want to get dressed up for formal nights, thats fine..there are other places to eat. Just go and enjoy yourself. As said there is loads of info on http://www.cruisecritic.com/

[becky h]

Thank you so much that web site is really good. will show mum later. glad the kids clubs are good. my little brother was never out of the oun last year with NCL.

[auntiebertie]

If you have already cruised with NCL then the BIG difference between them and RCL is the dining. On RCL you will have to pick a dining time [6.15 or 8.30pm] and you will be assigned a table to sit at ....with strangers who you may or may not get on with. If there are enough of you then you will get around this and be able to sit together.
The other big difference is the tipping - on NCL it is added to your bill and that is that - but on RCL it is added to your bill but you still have to go round on the last night handing out envelopes with vouchers in saying you have prepaid the tips to 4 individuals - the head waiter, your waiter and his assistant and to your room steward.
I have a bee in my bonnet about these two items - you may have guessed!

RCI ships are much 'prettier' and they do not seem to make as many announcements trying to get you to go to Bingo when you are eating dinner!!!!
Enjoy!
[and yes, cruisecritic is an amazing site and I warn you it is very addictive!]

[becky h]

thanks aunitebertie. yes i had guessed. i didnt like all the announcments either. there will be six of us going so we should have a table to oursevles. hopefully. mum is already addicted to cruisecritic she spent 3 hours on it last night.