DRLPP

On more than one occasion we were late to our scheduled 6:00 dining time. We talked to head waiter at entrance to MDR for later 8:00 and he accommodated us both times at a table, once at a table that was empty and another time at a table that had other people seated. Never hurts to ask, at worst you will get a "sorry".

In March/April 2020 wife and I are doing B2B out of Sydney, one to NZ and then South pacific. Radiance, same balcony cabin. Spending 5 days pre-cruise in Sydney. I agree that we are not looking forward to the flight from Pittsburgh via SFO or DTW. Liked the idea of B2B so we didn't need to shuffle too much. Radiance is my favorite class esp for port intensive trips.

Last family of four cruise out of Miami we used a taxi, a Dodge caravan I remember. Just report to taxi stand and request a taxi for four. There was one there in a couple minutes. It included 3 big pieces of luggage and a car seat, 3 adults and toddler. Was much cheaper and quicker than RCL transfer, which they do have. Same on return from ship to airport, there was a taxi van at pickup point.

The bus/water taxi system is very good and runs frequently. That said if there are three of you, all in one taxi, then car taxi would be my choice.

Having gone as a single, I enjoyed my MDR time while meeting new people and the serving staff and time goes quick, though I skip desert to save time. Honestly, I usually do late dining, I check out the WJ first and see what's there and if I "enjoy" my time there I often skip MDR.

MDR will take at least a full hour even if you let the staff know you need a quick exit. If you truly need to eat in less than an hour then the Windjammer buffet is about it.

This is a little off subject but we have a B2B cruise coming up in 2020 out of Sydney. Do you tip extra in Aussie or NZ money or US ? I always prepay gratuities but I am talking about extra cash tips to cruise staff.

I would have no concerns for safety if using a RCCL tour. I have walked to Junkaroo beach with my daughter and granddaughter and felt safe. Straw market is safe but I can see where some people, especially a younger child, may be intimidated. Venders, esp hair braiders can be overly pushy, but a firm "no" will do. That said I personally would not walk around after dark outside of port area.

Agree with taking 417 east to avoid traffic, I-4 is very unpredicable. Figure 1 1/2 hr. Check your driving app just as you leave to verify traffic.

I usually figure disembarking two hours after docking time listed to be on the safe side, then add travel time to airport, shooting to be there 2 hrs before flight. Factors: If you do have an earlier flight, try to ask for an earlier disembarking number or carry off your luggage, also are you driving and parked in cruise garage or off sight?. Personally I try yo get a later flight and enjoy a leisurely breakfast, sometimes even make plans for a local sight to visit. I would rather spend an extra hour with peace of mind at the airport than rush and sweat out missing a plane.

Best part of sailing in early December is this is one of the lowest cruise price times. December weather in Orlando at that time is hit or miss. Been there at that time and it has been in the low 80's and sun and also have had 60's and rain. Average is around 70-75. Likely that your ports of call should be nicer weather. IMO, anytime is a good time for a cruise.

IMHO 7 days just won't do it even with a pre or post stay. Wife and I loved the 12 night Venice cruise out of Barcelona especially if it is a once in a life time trip. France, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Kotor, Montenegro and Venice. What was extra nice was that after the intensive ports of call you end with two days at sea to unwind and enjoy the sun and ship.

Park Café on Radiance class is smaller than on Oasis class but offered a very nice selection for breakfast(no omelets but breakfast sandwiches,fruit,oatmeal...) and lunch(salads,soup,sandwiches...).

I love the Radiance class ships!! My favorites. Just big enough to offer things to do, small enough to get better personal service(IMO). Great ship to relax and unwind. I personally spend a lot of time in the Solarium area. Great pool and viewing chairs. Ate a lot at the Park Café for breakfast and lunch which is also located in that area.

Waaytoo reminded me of the time my sister booked a trip to Jacksonville, Fl. She never looked at the info well. Went to airport on the day of flight and found out the flight was going to Jacksonville NC!!! OOPS Yep, triple check all info.

A big "thank you" for the great info. Exactly what I need. Cruisecritic and TripAdvisor reviews just don"t give much specific info.

KristZ, Thank you for taking the time to respond and share your insight. I am trying to decide how much time to devote to water activities vs. cultural so your info is exactly what I am looking for. ?

I am reposting a request for info about B2B cruises on Radiance out of Sydney in 2020. Looking for info on shore excursions for stops in New Zealand and the South Pacific islands. I know the 2019 summer/fall season there is just finishing up so hoping for some suggestions or feedback from some of your stops in either area. My New Zealand stops are Dunedin, Akaroa, Auckland and Bay of Islands. South Pacific stops are Noumea, Mystery Island, Mare, Vila, Lifou and Isle of Pines. Also any other tips or pointers are appreciated. Last thing deals with pre-cruise hotel in Sydney. I am looking at Rendezvous or the Holiday Inn in the Rocks area. Greatly appreciated.

You can refill your personal water bottles at multiple locations. They just ask you not dispense directly into your container but instead fill a provided plastic cup to fill your vessel. Main dining attire is casual, similar to Carnival. For formal nights a sports coat is fine, many people don't even do that.

I have done many a mistake. Incorrect dates, misspelled names on plane tickets, forgotten travel documents. Most inconvenient and embarrassing was taking a taxi to the wrong HIE in Vancouver and getting into an argument with the hotel clerk about their error and only upon showing her my phone e-mail confirmation did she point out to me that I had the wrong HIE. After a hefty apology she arranged for their shuttle to take me to the correct hotel. The key, as I have told my children over and over, learn from your mistakes. Double, triple check EVERYTHING!!

Did the Solarium Bistro on the Oasis this past December on two nights. First was a reserved on Day 1, not crowded at all for 6:00 PM. On day 4 we returned for an dinner without reservation and were seated quickly, maybe half the tables were filled. I would suggest trying it first with a reservation and deciding if you wish to return and then reserve if you have a specific time in mind. The setting was actually nice, dimmed lighting and very nice service. The menu did not change between the two nights. The food was on par with the MDR. The salmon we had was very good, with a large variety of sides, some good, others just ok. A few main items were available for an upcharge. I must admit that on the second night I did hit the WJ up for a tummy top off to satisfy an urging for more food/desert.

Nice new info. I have wondered about the new train service. Not likely I would take it but really appreciate the post.

You can't count on 80's and sun in the Bahamas. On more than one occasion we were unable to stop at CoCoCay due to weather issues. That may be different now with the dock opening. I would say a 70/30 odds of good enough weather to sun/swim. That's better odds than what you will get at the casino by the way. Bring a rain proof jacket with you on your trip as insurance. Hoping you have a great trip.?️

MDR is available for breakfast every morning usually in one of the main dining rooms. Check one of the "live blogs" for a possible photo of a menu. Many hot/cold selections are available with coffee/tea/juice. Also there is now a smaller buffet area in MDR to serve yourself if you would like. A suggestion, your post doesn't mention if you are with a large group or not, once we had a group of twelve and we always met together for breakfast. We talked to one of the head waiters the second day and they actually reserved a table for us each morning with a certain reserved time.

You can check out the table(it is on your Seapass card) shortly after boarding and see if its to your liking, if not ask to change it. Two suggestions. 1) stick with the MTD(My Time Dining) to give you the flexibility to go at anytime really although you may need to wait a bit or stick to your scheduled MTD for on time seating. 2) something I do with my kids/grandkids; we often take then to Windjammer earlier and have them eat before us then drop them off at the kid's club and then the remaining adults can go have a nice quiet dinner by yourself. You could even alternate choices depending on your evening mood/schedule.