RCI - Baltic

Anything about any other cruise line and/or ship
User avatar

Topic author
Jan Rosser
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2406
Joined: January 2013
Location: South Wales

RCI - Baltic

#1

Post by Jan Rosser »

Off today to Southampton for my Baltic cruise with son and family. Only travelled with RCI once before - I think my granddaughters will enjoy the facilities - they’ve only sailed with P&O and Princess previously. My youngest granddaughter declared it would be too hot in the Med in August hence we are going north and a lot of the ships are not child friendly or going at the wrong time. However I’m sure we will have a fab time - will report back on my return

Byeee :wave:
Janis

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: RCI - Baltic

#2

Post by Stephen »

Have a lovely time Jan as I'm sure you will :thumbup: :wave:

User avatar

david63
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9391
Joined: January 2012
Location: Lancashire

Re: RCI - Baltic

#3

Post by david63 »

Jan Rosser wrote: 04 Aug 2019, 07:48
My youngest granddaughter declared it would be too hot in the Med in August
You might be pleasantly surprised (or not) and it it actually hotter than the Med.

Have a great time with the grandkids :thumbup: :wave:


Whynd1
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1832
Joined: February 2013
Location: Gower, Swansea

Re: RCI - Baltic

#4

Post by Whynd1 »

Hi Jan

Have a lovely holiday with the family.
Enjoy the Baltics.

Lindsey

User avatar

GillD46
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 3364
Joined: January 2013
Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales

Re: RCI - Baltic

#5

Post by GillD46 »

Have a great time Jan. It will be different from your “norm”, but that doesn’t mean not good and anyway, you’ll enjoy your lovely family time xx
Gill


cruisin_duo
Second Officer
Second Officer
Posts: 399
Joined: August 2013

Re: RCI - Baltic

#6

Post by cruisin_duo »

Hope you have a great time with your family, and look forward to hearing about your cruise when you are back.

User avatar

Topic author
Jan Rosser
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2406
Joined: January 2013
Location: South Wales

Re: RCI - Baltic

#7

Post by Jan Rosser »

On deck taking part in lifeboat drill but without life jackets :lolno:

Embarkation was a breeze :thumbup:
Janis

User avatar

Gill W
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 4897
Joined: January 2013
Location: Kent

Re: RCI - Baltic

#8

Post by Gill W »

Have a good time
Gill

User avatar

towny44
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 8946
Joined: January 2013
Location: Huddersfield

Re: RCI - Baltic

#9

Post by towny44 »

Hope you're enjoying Explorer Jan, we are certainly enjoying everything that Independence has to offer.
John

Trainee Pensioner since 2000

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: RCI - Baltic

#10

Post by Stephen »

Have a good one John :thumbup:

User avatar

Manoverboard
Ex Team Member
Posts: 13014
Joined: January 2013
Location: Dorset

Re: RCI - Baltic

#11

Post by Manoverboard »

Could you possibly post your destinations …. I / we just love the Baltic regions :wave:
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

User avatar

Dancing Queen
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 3819
Joined: January 2013
Location: Derbyshire

Re: RCI - Baltic

#12

Post by Dancing Queen »

Have a great cruise Jan - you too John.
Jo

User avatar

Topic author
Jan Rosser
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2406
Joined: January 2013
Location: South Wales

Re: RCI - Baltic

#13

Post by Jan Rosser »

towny44 wrote: 05 Aug 2019, 17:18
Hope you're enjoying Explorer Jan, we are certainly enjoying everything that Independence has to offer.
Taking a bit of getting used to - layout so different- getting lost a lot :lol: Food is excellent particularly meat but waiters disappointed we don’t eat more!!! On a hoho bus today I’m Copenhagen.
Janis

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: RCI - Baltic

#14

Post by Stephen »

Jan Rosser wrote: 07 Aug 2019, 10:04
towny44 wrote: 05 Aug 2019, 17:18
Hope you're enjoying Explorer Jan, we are certainly enjoying everything that Independence has to offer.
Taking a bit of getting used to - layout so different- getting lost a lot :lol: Food is excellent particularly meat but waiters disappointed we don’t eat more!!! On a hoho bus today I’m Copenhagen.
Ask him for a doggy bag Jan, I'll soon take it off your hands. :D

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15258
Joined: February 2013

Re: RCI - Baltic

#15

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Ah those lovely Americans. No such thing as a small plate.

User avatar

towny44
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 8946
Joined: January 2013
Location: Huddersfield

Re: RCI - Baltic

#16

Post by towny44 »

Well our Independence cruise is nearly finished, Captain Iv has had his pedal to the metal since leaving Cadiz and we should be safely alongside by 11:00pm tonight ahead of the worst of the forecast winds.
There has been no force feeding and the food has been about the same standard as P&O, with probably a wider choice. About the only thing RCI don't do at least as well as P&O is their My Time version of Freedom dining, they encourage passengers to book a table and time, which IMO defeats the benefits of Freedom dining, and results in lots of empty tables and even longer queues waiting for a table. We were fortunate the assistant M'aitre D insists that we are allowed to jump the queue as priority wheelchair guests.
Of course drink prices and anything else that's not included is extortionately expensive, but the ships are so much better designed and cared for that you almost forget about the higher costs.
John

Trainee Pensioner since 2000

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: RCI - Baltic

#17

Post by Stephen »

Queue jumper

User avatar

Topic author
Jan Rosser
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2406
Joined: January 2013
Location: South Wales

Re: RCI - Baltic

#18

Post by Jan Rosser »

Helsinki today - survived St Petersburg - just - and we didn’t even do long tours :lolno:

Unlike John we found dining okay- we did eat at the same time most nights and were thoroughly spoiled by our waiters and have never had so much attention from head waiters before but we had a couple of issues over breakfast one day and after that we have been treated very well. More about it when I return home.

Food we all think much better than P&O- surprised to find kettle in room too.
Janis

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: RCI - Baltic

#19

Post by Stephen »

Don't tell me they forgot the laverbread Jan. That's well out of order.

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15258
Joined: February 2013

Re: RCI - Baltic

#20

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Jan Rosser wrote: 12 Aug 2019, 11:14
Food we all think much better than P&O- surprised to find kettle in room too.
Yes I remember we got one of those too. But I was irritated that it came with throwaway paper cups not proper crockery.

User avatar

Manoverboard
Ex Team Member
Posts: 13014
Joined: January 2013
Location: Dorset

Re: RCI - Baltic

#21

Post by Manoverboard »

You mean to say that Trish didn't take the Royal Albert set … tshhhh.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

User avatar

towny44
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 8946
Joined: January 2013
Location: Huddersfield

Re: RCI - Baltic

#22

Post by towny44 »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 12 Aug 2019, 17:32
Jan Rosser wrote: 12 Aug 2019, 11:14
Food we all think much better than P&O- surprised to find kettle in room too.
Yes I remember we got one of those too. But I was irritated that it came with throwaway paper cups not proper crockery.
We got proper mugs, but maybe that's because we are Diamond.😉
John

Trainee Pensioner since 2000

User avatar

Topic author
Jan Rosser
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2406
Joined: January 2013
Location: South Wales

Re: RCI - Baltic

#23

Post by Jan Rosser »

towny44 wrote: 12 Aug 2019, 19:27
Mervyn and Trish wrote: 12 Aug 2019, 17:32
Jan Rosser wrote: 12 Aug 2019, 11:14
Food we all think much better than P&O- surprised to find kettle in room too.
Yes I remember we got one of those too. But I was irritated that it came with throwaway paper cups not proper crockery.
We got proper mugs, but maybe that's because we are Diamond.😉
No paper cups for us either 😉 Stockholm today - off on shuttle bus to explore. The tickets for the bus are ridiculously expensive - we can’t believe how much we’ve spent so far - a definite negative for RCI.
Janis

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: RCI - Baltic

#24

Post by Stephen »

I'll stick to good old Pee & Oh.

User avatar

towny44
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 8946
Joined: January 2013
Location: Huddersfield

Re: RCI - Baltic

#25

Post by towny44 »

Stephen wrote: 13 Aug 2019, 07:18
I'll stick to good old Pee & Oh.
That'll be P&O Vanilla cruising as opposed to Rum 'n Raisin, Tutti Fruiti and chocolate chip cookie dough with RCI. :sarcasm: :lol:
John

Trainee Pensioner since 2000

Return to “Any Other Cruise Line/Ship”