FAQs

Flights

Hotels

Cars

Packages

Cruises

General

A

Age

Average age onboard RCCL is 37 years old, Celebrity is 42. Shorter itineraries attract mainly corporate market and therefore have younger professional groups onboard.

Age Restrictions

No persons under 21 may sail on any cruise or have a cabin on their own unless accompanied by a parent or guardian who is over the age of 25. This age limit will be waived for married couples who can provide proof of marriage at check-in.

Animals

Arabic Language

Presently, Royal Caribbean do not have an “official” arabic language service on their ships.

Arrival / Departure

B

Baby Cots

Are available on request.

Baby Sitting

In addition to our Family Programme ‘Adventure Ocean’ – private baby sitting is available. See children’s section of this manual for full details.

Booking Terms & Conditions

Always refer to a latest copy of the Holiday Brochure for the most up to date booking terms and conditions. There is a section in this manual to store a current copy of our brochure(s).

C

Cancellation Penalties

Please refer to the bookings conditions section at the back of our current brochure

Children

Conference Facilities

Currencies (On-board the ship)

The currency on board all our ships is USA Dollars. The following credit cards are accepted but should be reconfirmed at the time of booking in-case of any changes:- Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Optima, Diner’s Club and American Express. USA Dollar Travellers Cheques, in small amounts, may be cashed on-board.

D

Dining

With the exception of the new ships (currently Voyager series and Millennium Series) offering a wider scope of dining choices and times, all other vessels including the Voyager and Millennium service the following:-

Casual Dining – Windjammer Café

For guests wishing to be more flexible with eating times and in casual dress, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the Windjammer. Opening times of the Windjammer Café are available on-board the ship.

Room Service

24 Hours

In addition, afternoon snacks and midnight delights are available on all vessels. A midnight Buffet is available one night during each cruise.

Some schedules in Europe may have later Dining times, please check at the time of booking.

Disembarkation

Commences as soon as the ship has docked. Guests are disembarked at different times and scheduled per the colour of their bag tags. Early disembarkation needs should be discussed at the time of booking and reconfirmed on-board the ship. The Cruise Director will give detailed instructions about clearing customs and immigration during the departure talk on the last day of the cruise, this talk will also be available on the Interactive TV available in all cabins.

Dress Codes

The below guideline refers to Dining Room dress code. Remember the Windjammer Café is open every evening (except the last night of the cruise) and dress code is casual. Days on-board the ship are casual.

E

Early Boarding

Boarding times vary by itinerary but for those common itineraries sailing early evening (between 1700 and 1800 hours) boarding can commence as early as 10.30am. Please discuss early boarding needs at the time of booking.

Electricity Voltage

Is 110/220 volts on all ships. There are both US 110 volts (square 2 pin) and European 220 volts (round 2 pin) plugs in the cabins. Adaptors are needed I the conference rooms, the ship’s electrician will help with extension cables and leads.

Embarkation

Boarding times vary by itinerary but those common itineraries sailing early evening (between 1700 and 1800 hours) boarding can commence as early as 10.30am. Latest boarding is two hours prior to sailing. Guests not on board at least two hours prior to sailing may be cancelled and incur 100% cancellation fee. Please discuss early or late boarding needs at the time of booking.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is strongly recommended that guests always arrive to the city of embarkation the day before sailing to avoid any disappointment as a result of airline arrival delays.

Entertainment

Excursions

All ships have a fully staffed Shore Excursion Desk who service shore excursion enquiries and bookings. Detailed information is also available on the interactive TV in all cabins and live lectures/talks are scheduled on each ship throughout the cruise.

Alternatively, guests are free to explore and make their own arrangements at each port. Guests can now pre-book and pre-pay their shore excursions with ease via the internet by going to our web sites at www.royalcaribbean.com or www.celebritycruises.com. On the home page click the shore excursion button on the left of the screen. This takes you to the Shore Excursion & Explorations site, where all tours worldwide can be found, booked and paid for. Your tour tickets will be delivered to your cabin on the evening of embarkation.

Note: Booked Shore Excursions are non-commissionable.

Flowers

Can be arranged with the onboard florist and charged to the guest’s account.

Food and Beverage

G

Gift Orders

Royal Caribbean International have a gift order service – “Special Occasions Gifts” which can be ordered in advance and delivered to the passenger’s stateroom or presented in the Dining Room. Please refer to the information section at the back of this folder for a price list and order form.

H

Hair Dryers

Hair Dryers are available in all cabins on all ships

Hotels pre and post

For pre and post hotel assistance please contact our reservations

Hand Luggage

At the time of booking guests should be advised to carry hand luggage onboard the ship during embarkation day as we cannot guarantee the time that the luggage will be delivered to the cabin. Valuables and fragile items should always be carried onboard. Items required for the afternoon should be placed in the hand luggage.

This is also needed as the luggage is taken from the cabins on the last evening and a piece of hand luggage is necessary to carry off items needed on the last night of the cruise.

Health and Beauty/Hairdressers

As the treatments on offer cannot be pre booked, guests should be advised to visit the Spa on the first day to book up treatments in advance. They are popular and do sell out fast. Treatments are costly but professional and relaxing and a good USP for the fleet.

Helicopter Pad

A common misconception is that the Helicopter pad can be used for VIP’s, Chairman’s of companies to use, to board or leave the ship as they wish. The Helicopter pad is only ever used in medical emergencies, even for full ship charters.

I

Insurance

We strongly advise that your clients take out full travel insurance cover for the duration of their holiday.

Internet

Now available on most ships (all Royal Caribbean ships have access to the Internet and most of Celebrity – check though as not currently available on GL). Users require a Hotmail, Yahoo or AOL account in order to pick up and receive emails. Cost is 50cents per minute Royal Caribbean ships and 95cents per minute for Celebrity ships. Charges go directly to the guest’s account. Internet facilities are available 24 hours a day

J

Jogging Track

Available on all ships! Some decks have restricted times for jogging as they have cabins nearby and the noise would be disruptive for guests

Jacuzzis

Are on all ships!

K

Keys

Royal Ships – on all Vision class ships and above, the boarding card also acts as the cabin key. This is not currently available on NR, SS, MN, MJ, but is expected to be rolled out fleetwide soon.

Celebrity Ships – the signature card also acts as the cabin key on all ships.

L

Late Boarding

The latest boarding time is two hours prior to sailing. Guests not on board at least two hours prior to sailing may be cancelled and incur 100% cancellation fee. Please discuss any late boarding needs at the time of booking. IMPORTANT NOTE: It is strongly recommended that guests always arrive to the city of embarkation the day before sailing to avoid any disappointment as a result of airline arrival delays.

Laundry

Laundry and Dry Cleaning services are available 24-hours. These services are not included in the cruise price. Irons and Ironing boards are available on request.

Luggage Allowance

There is no limit on how much luggage can be taken on the ship, though careful consideration should be given to cabin space available for storing. All luggage has to be kept in the guests cabin(s).

M

Mailing and Business Facilities

Medical Services

There is a Medical Centre on each ship which is usually staffed by a fully qualified Doctor and at least one Nurse. Medical services are charged for except for motion sickness tablets. Only cash or travellers cheques can be accepted for payment.

P

Payment

Telex Transfer

Bankers Draftpayable to Safeen Tourism in AED only – NB no US $ drafts are accepted.

Cheque– in AED payable to Safeen Tourism – NB – no US $ cheques are accepted

Credit Card– please refer to the information section in this manual for standard authorisation letter (Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club and American Express credit cards are accepted)

Payment of onboard purchases

At check-in you will be given a ‘SuperCharge’ card which is used for all on-board purchases and doubles up as a cabin key! To open a SuperCharge Account you will need to present an accepted credit card and all your charges will be taken care of. On the final morning of your cruise vacation, an itemised statement of your account will be delivered to your stateroom. Cash on board the ship is only accepted in the casino, for gratuities and for foreign exchange. Personal cheques are not accepted.

Credit cards accepted on board are:

Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Optima, Diners Club and American Express

Pregnant Guests

Photographers

Are available on all ships across the fleet. The photo gallery is also where the onboard video of the cruise can be purchased (‘Cruise in Review’). Wherever possible, please discourage European groups to purchase these videos as they are in the wrong format and cannot be played back home. Even those marked PAL, do not work!

Pursers Desk

Pursers are available 24 hours a day at the ‘Pursers Desk’! They service very much in the same way a Receptionist and Concierge service in a hotel from assistance with currencies to postal needs and information.

S

Safes / Safety Deposit Boxes

Safety

Seasickness

Our ships are fitted with stabilisers to minimise rolling movements should the weather conditions be rough. Passengers who do experience motion sickness can obtain seasickness pills on board the ship. In general reports of motion sickness from our passengers are minimal.

Ship Contact Details

Please refer to the Ship section in this manual for a complete list of telephone and fax numbers

Shore excursions

All ships have a fully staffed Shore Excursion Desk who service shore excursion enquiries and bookings. Detailed information is also available on the interactive TV in all staterooms and live lectures/talks are scheduled on each ship throughout the cruise. Alternatively, guests are free to explore and make their own arrangements at each port. Guests can now pre-book and pre-pay their shore excursions with ease via the internet by going to our web sites at www.royalcaribbean.com or www.celebritycruises.com. On the home page click the shore excursion button on the left of the screen. This takes you to the new Shore Excursion & Explorations site, where all tours worldwide can be found, booked and paid for. Your tour tickets will be delivered to your stateroom on the evening of embarkation. Note: Booked Shore Excursions are non-commissionable.

Smoking

Smoking is permitted in designated areas of the ships and all staterooms. All Dining rooms and Theatres are non-smoking. Cigar and Pipe smoking is permitted only on the outer ship decks. Some vessels have Cigar Clubs.

Spa

Strongly recommend that appointments are made as early as possible on the first day to guarantee availability.

Special needs

Wheelchairs need to be ordered onboard for the duration of the cruise. Special diets and other requests should all be entered in full.

Handicapped cabins need to have a doctors letter detailing the nature of the special need for this cabin and sent to the relevant department in Miami.

Special diets

Please notify us at the time of booking giving as much detail as possible to the particular requirement.

Stateroom, Bathroom

Stateroom, Bed

Stateroom, Bathroom

T

Telephone Calls

1. Outgoing

   All staterooms are furnished with a phone and guests can make ship-to-shore calls from their stateroom 24 hours a day. The cost of a call is approximately $25.50 per minute and will be automatically charged to the guest’s account.

2. Incoming

   Yes, guests can receive incoming calls. You will have access to information/contact numbers to provide them with and you can contact our reservations for further information or clarification. Yours guests will also receive further information on ship contacts within their ticket jacket.

Tipping Guidelines

Also known as gratuities. Tips/Gratuities can be prepaid in advance or paid on-board the ship at the end of the cruise. For current guideline suggestions refer to a copy of our current brochure

Tours

All ships have a fully staffed Shore Excursion Desk who service shore excursion enquiries and bookings. Detailed information is also available on the interactive TV in all staterooms and live lectures/talks are scheduled on each ship throughout the cruise. Alternatively, guests are free to explore and make their own arrangements at each port. Guests can now pre-book and pre-pay their shore excursions with ease via the internet by going to our web sites at www.royalcaribbean.com or www.celebritycruises.com. On the home page click the shore excursion button on the left of the screen. This takes you to the new Shore Excursion & Explorations site, where all tours worldwide can be found, booked and paid for. Your tour tickets will be delivered to your stateroom on the evening of embarkation. Note: Booked Shore Excursions are non-commissionable.

U

Upgrade

Can be paid for at the full rate – subject to availability.

V

Valuables

Safes are available in most staterooms. In addition, a limited number of safety deposit boxes are available at Guest Relations at the Purser’s desk, free of charge. All valuables and their security are the total responsibility of the guest.

Visas

Visa requirements and documentation are the sole responsibility of the guest who should check with the Embassies of the countries they will be visiting during the cruise. Some travel agents provide this service. Guideline information is also available from Timatic. Guidelines and advice are available at the time of booking but Royal Caribbean or their representatives can not accept any responsibility or liability for visa information and documentation. Incorrect documentation at the time of boarding the cruise will result in denied boarding.

As a general guideline, for Caribbean cruises all passengers should have a multi-entry U.S. visa, for Alaskan cruises multi-entry U.S. and Canadian visas, for Europe, Mediterranean and all others, passengers are advised to check with their travel agent or the nearest embassy.

Visitors

For Security Reasons, you will not be allowed to bring any visitors on board the ship in any port.

W

Wheelchairs

Have to be ordered in advance for the duration of the cruise.

Y

Young Average Age

On Royal Caribbean our official average age is 37 years

On Celebrity the average age is 42 years.

Making Travel Easier