What to know before you go

PASSPORTS

Your passport must have 6 months validity from the date of sail (12 NOV 2019). Please check with your travel agent to see if you require a visa. Australian passport holders do not require visas for travel to New Caledonia.

SET SAIL PASS

In order to speed up the check-in process and avoid lengthy queues at the Terminal on embarkation day, you must complete the online check in & print out your SetSail Pass on the Royal Caribbean website www.royalcaribbean.com (NOTE* This procedure is open online approx. 30 days before sail.)

• Click on Before You Board tab
• Then go to Online Check-in
• Type in your surname, reservation number, departure date of the cruise and the ship name (Radiance of the Seas).

Guests who do not hold international travel insurance that covers medical costs, repatriation and other expenses may be refused entry into New Caledonia. It is strongly recommended that all guests take out Travel Insurance for this holiday to avoid being denied entry into New Caledonian ports. Please speak to your Cruiseco Travel Agent at the time of booking about Travel Insurance.

If in the unlikely event you have to cancel your cruise and do not have travel insurance, standard cancellation fees apply, this is no exception so it is better to be safe than sorry!

When you arrive at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal and before proceeding to the check-in area, make sure that you tag your large bags by printing the baggage tag that is included in your e-documentation. Please complete this with your name, stateroom (cabin) number and date of cruise (12 November 2019) and then proceed to drop off your large bags at the Bag Drop zone. It is important that you have a tag for each bag that will be delivered to your stateroom by ship staff. Keep your hand luggage with you that includes any items that you will require within the next few hours. Please keep hand luggage to a minimum, as your stateroom will not be available until after 2pm and there are no storage areas on board for your hand luggage – so you will need to keep it with you.
Also, any fragile items should be stored in your hand luggage.

 IMPORTANT:

YOUR HAND LUGGAGE MUST CONTAIN ALL OF YOUR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS INCLUDING PASSPORT, SETSAIL PASS PAGES, CREDIT CARD / CASH AND HEALTH FORM.

Check in will begin from approximately 11:00 am. Following your bag drop, proceed to the check in area where you will need the following documentation:

• Current passport (with at least 6 months validity)
• Royal Caribbean SetSail Pass (printed when you have completed the online check in)
• Credit card (or equivalent to USD$500.00 per person cash)
• Health form (which will be given to you at the terminal)

To make check in as smooth as possible, Royal Caribbean are encouraging guests to arrive at staggered onboard check-in times to accelerate the process and avoid long lines. Specific times will be advised in your ticket booklet information sent out to you within 30 days of sail.

Adults who are not the parent or legal guardian of any child travelling with them will be required to present the child’s valid passport and any applicable visas and an original, legally affirmed or notarised letter signed by at least one of the child’s parents/legal guardians.
The letter must authorise the travelling adult to take the child on the specific cruise and must authorise the travelling adult to supervise the child, sign applicable sports waivers and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child, which in the opinion of the treating doctor needs to be carried out without delay.
A letter can be legally affirmed or notarised by a practising solicitor, notary or commissioner of oaths, who may charge a fee for this service. A form should be completed for this purpose and obtained from our office. If such evidence is not produced, the minor(s) concerned will not be permitted to board the ship and undertake the cruise.

When you check in at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney, you will receive your SeaPass card. This is the key to your cabin and is also your charge card to use for all ship purchases once on board. Drinks, shore excursions, on-board shopping, medical centre and even charges at the casino are charged back to your cabin account via your Sea Pass card. At check in, your credit card will be swiped by the check in staff (as it would at a hotel). However, if you do not have a credit card, you will need to arrange to leave cash as a security against possible on board expenses.
The amount will be USD$500 per person and this will need to be topped up regularly on board. You may pay in AUD cash but will be charged at the prevailing onboard USD rate. You can obtain an itemized cabin statement at any time from Guest Services on Deck 5. A credit card is the easiest way to pay for your on board account at the end of the cruise. You don’t even need to line up to pay for this at the end of the cruise as a copy of your account will be delivered to your cabin and your credit card will be charged automatically. If you have a disputed charge, you can check it with Guest Services on Deck 5.
Royal Caribbean recommends that you do not use a debit card as your payment method. If you do wish to use a debit card, daily holds of your onboard purchases will be placed on your debit card account. Once you have settled your account at the end of the cruise, the daily amounts held can remain on your account for up to 30 days after the cruise ends. Please ensure that you have enough funds available to avoid fees from your bank.

An ATM is also available on-board to dispense $USD. Additional charges do apply for making withdrawals from the ATM plus your banks charges.

CURRENCY

The currency used on board is U.S. Dollars. Currency can be exchanged at prevailing rates onboard Radiance of the Seas. The currency used in Noumea and Isle of Pines is French Pacific Franc (XPF) NOTE* Some will also accept $USD and $AUD currency. Travellers cheques and most major credit cards are accepted in Noumea. Passport ID is required when cashing travellers cheques.

GRATUITIES

Your onboard gratuities are included in your cruise cost – this covers tips for cabin staff, kitchen staff and food waiters.

 PLEASE NOTE: This does not cover tips for your drink waiters. The cruise line will automatically add on a 15% tip to your drink account (so there is no need to work out your tip or to pay any extra amount over your bill).

Laundry, dry-cleaning and pressing services are available on-board Radiance of the Seas. There is NO self-serve laundry. Due to ship safety regulations, you are NOT permitted to bring travel irons on-board.

Each evening in your cabin you will receive a copy of COMPASS, your official guide to what is happening on board Radiance of the Seas for the following day. Please take the time to read this each day as it will contain vital information on all BRAVO events as well as other on board activities.

There is an Internet area (fees payable) on board Radiance of the Seas (Deck 4). In addition, there is ship wide Wi-Fi. Charges are applicable for all internet usage on board.
Information on pre-paid packages are available in detail on-board including wireless capabilities.

You will need to bring a USA adaptor for any electrical items you are bringing (e.g. mobile phone or camera battery chargers), which can be purchased from department, luggage or duty free stores. Alternatively, you can purchase an adaptor once onboard. Note: The voltage on board Radiance of the Seas is 110 volts. If you intend to take your own hairdryer, It must have dual voltage (to convert from 220v to 110v) or it will work at half speed.

There is excellent duty free shopping on board, however please note standard Australian Customs regulations apply to alcohol & tobacco purchases. When these items are purchased, they will be stored on the ship for you and delivered to your stateroom on the last night. Duty free items cannot be consumed on-board. All duty free shopping is in $USD and charged to your Sea Pass card.

BRAVO has arranged for both International artists plus the cream of Australian stars for you to enjoy whilst on board Radiance of the Seas. The actual times for each performance will appear in your daily Compass newsletter, delivered to your stateroom each evening and highlighting the following day’s activities. To allow all passengers a chance to see each performance, once on board you will receive a coloured ticket which allows you entry to see each of the main headliner acts appearing in the Aurora Theatre.
The seating times for these performances are related to your dining times.

You will visit 2 ports of call – Noumea and Isle of Pines. The ship may change course at any time without notice if their intended course could in any way endanger passengers. To view more information on your ports of call, visit the itinerary page here.

Shore excursions will be offered. These can be booked online at www.royalcaribbean.com (go to Before You Board, then Shore & Land Excursions). Alternatively, book these on board at the Explorations Desk once onboard.

Full disembarkation instructions will be placed in your cabin by staff on the last day at sea. You will be given a colour coded ship identity tag to place on your bags and suitcases and be asked to place your packed suitcase outside your cabin door on the last evening. You will therefore need to keep essential items in your hand luggage (toiletries, clothes) for the following morning, as well as your passports and any documentation required for disembarkation. Disembarkation is staggered and will usually commence an hour or so after the ship docks.

• Valid Passport (6 months from sail date – 12 NOV 2019)
• Your travel documentation must be in the same name as it appears in your passport.
• Checked for any visas
• Online Check In completed
• Royal Caribbean SetSail Pass Printed
• Credit card (or equivalent cash)
• Travel Insurance
• Adaptor

If you have any further questions not answered in this document, please refer to your CruiseCo travel agent.

Your Stateroom will not be available until after approximately 2:00pm. The Windjammer Café will be open for lunch between 12:00pm and 3:00pm so feel free to visit there, relax and have a meal. Alternatively there are several bars around the ship to visit for a quiet drink.

We want everyone on board to feel comfortable and the general dress code is casual. There will also be theme nights on board. The climate in Noumea and Isle of Pines is warm and tropical, and should be in the mid to high 20s for this time of year. For these ports, don’t forget to take your swimming costume, hat and plenty of sunscreen!

Guests on Radiance of the Seas are permitted to bring personal wine with them at the beginning of the cruise (in Sydney). This is limited to two (2) bottles per stateroom. When consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of USD$25.00.

This wine brought on board can, however, be consumed free of charge in guest staterooms. No open liquor bottles will be permitted to be brought into the dining areas or public areas. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from shops on board will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the sailing. The ship has x-ray machines, and as you board you will be asked to place all bags on a conveyor belt (similar to airports) to be scanned. All other alcoholic beverages (non wine or bottles of wine in excess of the above restriction) will be seized on embarkation day and will not be returned.

When ordering drinks whilst on board Radiance of the Seas, your Sea Pass will be swiped and costs (plus a 15% tip) will be automatically added on to your cabin account. All charges to your Sea Pass card will need to be signed for. The legal drinking age on board is 18 years. Passengers between the age of 18 and 20 years are no longer required to have an alcohol waiver signed.

Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic drinks packages are available for purchase online or on the first day onboard including a soda package, bottled water package and juice package, along with the ultimate beverage package.

There are two dining times for the Cascades Restaurant

1. Main Seating 6:00pm
2. Second Seating 8:30pm

All dining time confirmations will occur at check-in. Even if you have made a request for a certain dining time, this will not be confirmed until you board the ship. While we will try to accommodate your requested dining time, this is not always possible. If you are travelling with friends, it is important that you advise your travel agent so we can try to sit you all together for dinner. Your dining time & table will appear on your Sea Pass card.
If you do not wish to dine in the main dining room, you have several other dining alternatives. For no additional charge, there is the Windjammer Café, The Park Café or you can order room service from your cabin. (Fees apply after certain times).

 PLEASE NOTE:

For any dining changes – please see the Maitre’ D located outside the Cascades Dining Room. All / any dining changes are subject to availability in the dining room and can only be done by the Maitre’ D. The purser’s desk & hospitality desk are unable to make amendments to your dining. If you are changing your dining time, please come and see the hospitality desk to change your pass for the evening shows in the Aurora Theatre. If your dining time and show ticket don’t match, you may miss out on the show!

OPEN HOURS FOR CASCADES RESTAURANT

Breakfast 8.00am – 9.30am (Sea Days), 7:30am – 9:00am approx. (Port Days – based on arrival into port).
Lunch 12.00noon – 1:30pm (Sea Days), Closed on Port Days.
Dinner Main Seating 6:00 pm & Second Seating: 8:30pm.

OPEN HOURS FOR WINDJAMMER CAFÉ / BUFFET

Breakfast 7.00am – 10.30am (Sea Days) & Last two Sea Days (7:30am-10:30am)
Breakfast 6:30am – 10:00am approx. (Port Days – based on arrival into port)
Lunch 11.30am – 3.00pm every day
Dinner 6:30pm – 9:00pm

OPEN HOURS FOR PARK CAFÉ

Breakfast 6.30am – 10.00am
Lunch 11.00am – 3.00pm (Sea Days), 1:00pm – 3:00pm (Port Days)
Afternoon Snacks 3:00pm – 6:30pm
Late Night Snacks 11:00pm – 1:00am

24 HOUR ROOM SERVICE

** Charges Apply