monctonguy

And I believe that RCI uses up your non-refundable OBC first so at least that should help if you have some OBC and want to cash it out.

 

I think that post on CC is just someone who had a bad night or ran into some bad luck trying to get money out. As if that was the case, you would just take your credit, stick it in a machine and cash right out and take the slip back to the cash cage....so makes no sense what that person was saying happened to them. But who knows...

Interesting..I wonder what their reasoning is.

 

I am a huge waterslide fan, but I can see it being mostly kids using it and long line ups so not sure how much use I would really get out of them if they were there.

I did the Dunn's River Falls years ago while staying at  a resort, so not quite the same.

 

But based on my experiences with travelling...if you take a taxi alone, you defn will not save money compared to booking it with a group.

 

As for not wanting to do the shopping, eating part I don't think there will be any way to avoid that if you book with a group.

 

So it comes down to how much extra you want to spend to avoid the things you DON'T want to do.

 

The other thing is Falmouth is a fairly new port and not much around that area, so not sure how easy or cheap it is to grab a cab to go somewhere unlike when in Nassau or Cozumel etc.

 

I will be there in 35 days'ish....I can let you know once back as I don't plan on going anywhere when in Falmouth but I always like to research and ask and look around so I know what my options are for the next time I visit.

Ok..just wanted to make sure I understood!

 

I felt like I had been ripped off if that wasn't the case when I spoke to the next cruise desk......and I was ready to sit down and not leave the next cruise desk on my next cruise coming up till they gave me lots of OBC...haha

 

Too bad they wouldn't give more to book when on a cruise. But I guess with their full ships, they don't really need to.

Thanks. I plan on staying near the ship/port for this stop.

 

I have done Ocho Rios before and Dunn's River  Falls.

 

Sounds like Margaretville will be the place to be...as long as its not raining...haha.

 

And that wouldn't surpise me if it was raining as my week in Jamaica there was only one afternoon it was sunny,.....rain and cloud for a whole week and have never been back since.

Yeah..I am confused.....there was NO perks to booking on board for me except the instant $100 OBC for the current cruise I was on.

 

The OBC they were offering for the 3 cruises I was looking at booking, was NO different than me sitting at home and booking on the website.

 

Promo in Nov with RCI was a big OBC...nothing to do with booking onboard, you had it posted here many times during the month of Nov.(Bogo + OBC promo)

 

The above poster saying he got $400 OBC "because" he booked with the next cruise desk is not correct. I could have gotten the same deal sitting at my office and booking online....the only perk is the $100 immediate obc he received which is standard right?

I am going to be in Falmouth in Jan with IOS.....can you provide any ideas or recommendations for this to do around the port if the weather isn't great either at sea or for land excursions?

 

How was the Margaritaville there?

Same is true not booking on board.....promo last mth was $400 OBC booked in a GS suite......nothing to do with booking on board.

 

So really, its the $100 OBC you immediately receive that is the only cash perk....and I could have received that booking an inside room at the next cruise desk.

 

 

Like I said...I checked 3 different cruises, on 3 different boats...and there was NO savings or extra incentive at all with the next cruise desk for me.

I have never noticed the menu for each evening in the cruise compass! And I have to admit that usually read those things a few times each day...

 

What have I been missing for the past 7 cruises I have done...lol.

 

I took a quick look at the posted link and didn't see anything on the first 10 pages or so I looked at.

Ok...that's what I thought......

 

Poster said he got an extra  $400 obc JUST for booking on board...I didn't think that was the case.

Wow...that wasn't my experience at all on my trip to the Nextcruise  office in November.

 

I tried to do this on my last cruise on Majesty as I had 3 future cruises booked and wanted to see if I could get a better deal, or book something else. I could not for any of them, even with the extra "incentives".

 

I can't believe they gave you $100 OBC for your current cruise PLUS $300 OBC for the cruise you booked, and that was ONLY cause you booked on the ship. So your telling me there was no OBC promo that RCI had going at the time? I am pretty sure they had a OBC promo in Nov with the BOGO promo whether you booked at sea or on land.

 

Maybe offers vary from ship to ship, because you were on a bigger newer ship you got a better offer than I could?...although that wouldn't hardly seem fair......

I thought Enchantment was one of the ships getting VOOM? I actually thought I had read somewhere that all the ships in the fleet will be getting this eventually. By Jan 2017 I suppose Enchantment could have it as that is over a year away?

I don't have the link myself, but I know I have seen them somewhere. I believe that the menu's are fairly similar form ship to ship for the MDR, the order of which menu options on the different nights changes. I don't eat that often in the MDR though so I am not the best person to try and answer that for you.  I am sure someone here will be able to guide you in the right direction.

 

That being said, you have picked a very nice ship for your very first cruise. You are going to really like Brilliance. I was on her in Jan and had such a great time I am booked on her again for Feb.

 

This site will be  a wealth of info.

 

Also check out cruisecritic as often there you can get a lot of info as well due to the amount of people that frequent that site and have cruised many many times.

I agree with your son in that one of the best things about cruising is the people you meet and the friends you make. Some you keep in touch with , some you don't but they all make each cruise experience different, memorable and unique.

 

I used to travel to the Caribbean for years and stay at AI's and I have to admit that it was rare to meet people at the resort that you hung around with during the week or even kept in touch with. However, right from my first cruise ever its been a great experience making and meeting new friends from all over. Have even made plans to cruise again with some of these people.

 

Of course there are some other very good parts about cruising....the warm weather, the amazing food and all the drinks......

I don't remember anything called doghouse when I was on her in Jan....there was a English pub ..something "fiddle" I thought.....I will be back on her in 89 days.....was a great ship and cruise either way.

Thanks for the info  Jerel. This will be my biggest ship and longest cruise to date so I am defn looking forward to it, and interested to compare to the smaller ships and shorter cruises I usually do. I am back on Brilliance in Feb which is smaller, then on Adventure in April which is closer in size and capacity I think to Independence than the smaller ones I normally do.

 

I am one for the nightlife, so I am defn interested in checking out the nightclub. It looks and sounds pretty cool from the pics I have seen. Of course, its always the crowd that makes it. I loved hanging at the English pub on Brilliance in the early evenings and having a few drinks before hitting the nightlife so hopefully it will be similar on Independence.

 

Really looking forward to the Promenade. Looks like there is lots to see and do here so I am sure some time will be spent in this area for sure.

Awesome review.....I am heading on Independence in 49 days, but the stops are Labadee and Jamaica and leaving out of Fort Lauderdale as well.

 

Hotels are very expensive there. I am glad I had some points to use otherwise 2 nights in a  hotel would have cost me the same as the cruise...insane!

 

Couple questions...did you check out the nightclub at all? If so, how was it..music, crowd, atmosphere?

 

Also, I hear they have a rock band on board that plays some good tunes..did you hear them at all anywhere? Was the English pub they have on board any good?

I have cruised with friends, and even gone with a couple before and never had an issue. I tend to like to do my own thing so it worked out well. When I wanted to join them I did and vice versa, but lots of time to let them do their own thing and I mine. And always seem to make and meet friends around the ship as well.

 

However, I could see where if you were friends or made friends with the wrong couple and they crowded your space or followed you around it could defn get a little awkward and/or annoying.

 

Hopefully the fact that you made friends with them during a cruise and it worked out well then, that things would be similar with them this time!

So there should be one on my next cruise then as I am heading out on Independence...I will be looking forward to it!

 

Cigars under the stars sounds like a great time...especially as one of the ppl I am travelling with is a huge cigar connoisseur!

Interested to hear about this. Never seen one of these on any of my cruises so far.

 

Last cruise I wanted to enjoy a cigar one evening with  fellow cruiser and was told the only place on the ship to do that was outside by the pool.......

Where was the in- cabin video released? I have seen still shots of it and a couple second clips on the news, but not the fill video that is supposed to be out there?

I was following it on CC.....crazy. Sounds like a dispute that ended in tragedy from what I gather....the video I think is now pulled down.

 

it makes big news when it happens on a cruise ship....but when you think about how many ppl cruise each week and the few times this happens..surprised we dont see more ppl doing this.

 

Sad for the family, and delayed the ship and thousands of passengers as well.

 

Speaking of that....Majesty got in some trouble with CDC...and had to do a huge cleaning, delaying her cruise last night...a lot of unhappy guests......

 

Just hope no delays for me Monday morning when I am ready to board her!

I have never been a fan of these type of shows..couldn't care less about them. No interest at all....when I was younger or now.

 

But that's just me.....I am sure this will be a big hit for many cruisers.....that's the nice thing about cruising. So many different things going on at any time to fit anyone's interest's!

Well of course there are the some cruise lines that are expensive as heck...but when comparing the main stream/common/popular ones for around North America that the average person can/does cruise...we are really taking about Carnival/NCL/RCI.....you can maybe throw some others like Holland and Princess in there as well.

 

But at the end of the day...RCI is the pricey one out of that group. When I search for cruises out of Florida to the Caribbean and Bahamas, RCI is usually the most expensive with the least amount of perks thrown in.

If the prices are what they are today come sale time, then it will benefit me on at least one of the cruises to change over with the perks. But I have one cruise coming due on Nov12th, so cutting it close for that one. Plus I am heading out on a cruise on Monday, so will be limited in my options for looking and/or re-booking a cruise for a better deal while away. I suppose I could go to the Next cruise desk while on board and see what they could do for me with the new promo??!..hmmmm

 

Will these prices show up on the website this weekend you think?

 

I like the fact they have some perks thrown in with this promo...not just the bogo!