FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Air Conditioning and Heating
All rooms on the ships are air conditioned and heated. All ships have individual controls in the staterooms.
Beverages
Wine, beer and soft drink is included with all onboard dinners. Alcoholic beverages are available for an additional charge. In Europe, regular coffee, tea and iced tea are available free of charge throughout the day from the self service coffee stations. On the Yangtze and Galapagos Islands cruises: coffee, tea and soft drinks are included at lunch and dinner.
Clothing
Dress aboard and on shore is "casual and comfortable". We kindly request that shorts not be warn in the restaurant or lounge in the evenings. Bathing suits are not appropriate in the lounge or restaurant at any time. You may wish to wear something a little dressier for the Captains Dinner. We recommend that for shore excursions you wear comfortable shoes and don't forget a sun hat.
Cruise Director
A professional, experienced, English-speaking Cruise Director accompanies every departure.
Cuisine
All meals on board are prepared by accomplished chefs and consist of local food adjusted to suit the tastes of international passengers. There is a buffet breakfast and in Europe a buffet lunch including a choice of soups and main courses with appetiser, salad or sandwich and dessert. On the Yangtze, a mix of Western and Chinese dishes are offered; in the Galapagos, you'll be able to taste some Ecuadorian specialties. Dinner is a multi-course meal with choice of soups and entrees.
Currency & Credit Cards
In Europe:
Most of the countries you will be visiting in Europe use the Euro. Exceptions are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Switzerland; they all have their own currencies but the Euro is accepted in many establishments. Many locations accept major credit cards; however in small towns they are not widely accepted. In these cases and for incidentals or small vendors, you will need some local currency. ATM machines are located on shore at some stops. Prior to your departure, confirm with your bank that your ATM or credit card and PIN number will work abroad. All purchases on board are charged to your room account. The onboard currency is the Euro. U.S. currency and traveller’s cheques may be exchanged for Euros. For payment of shipboard accounts, Euros and U.S. dollars are accepted as well as American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Diner’s Club. A fee is charged for the use of traveller’s cheques. Personal cheques cannot be cashed on board.
In China:
U.S. dollars are widely accepted on shore. The local currency is the Yuan. ATM machines will dispense Yuan or they can be purchased on board the ship using U.S. dollars. The currency on board is the Yuan. Shipboard accounts can be settled in cash, traveller’s cheques or most major credit cards.
In Ecuador:
Ecuador uses U.S. dollars as their official currency. Credit cards are usually accepted in larger towns. In smaller towns cash is recommended. Shipboard accounts can be settled by credit card, cash or traveller's cheques.
In Egypt:
The official currency is the Egyptian pound, but Euros and U.S. dollars are widely accepted. In small towns it is recommended to carry small amounts of local currency, but vendors in tourist areas are likely to accept U.S. dollars. Credit cards are usually accepted in larger towns. ATMs are available in most larger cities. Shipboard accounts can be settled by credit card or with cash. Traveller’s cheques are not accepted.
Dining
Meals are served in the dining room in a single sitting. There is open seating so you may sit at different tables for each meal if you wish to meet other fellow passengers. All meals on board the ship are included.
Electricity
Electricity on board is 220v. The bathrooms have a dual 220v/110-120v plug for shavers and small appliances. You will need an adapter or converter to use in other outlets in the stateroom for any small personal items such as a razor, curling iron or alarm clock. In the Galapagos, electrical outlets are 110v with American-type outlets.
Email, Internet & Fax
Internet service is available on board. The service works via satellite and there is an hourly charge. On the Yangtze River cruises the internet is a flat rate charge. Internet cafes can be found in many towns along the way in Western Europe and charges are generally very reasonable. Faxes can be sent and received via reception; there is a charge for both outgoing and incoming faxes.
Gratuities 2011
For all 2011 European cruises gratuities for your Cruise Director and crew are included in the pricing.
Hairdryers
Each stateroom is equipped with a hair dryer. Please call reception if there is no hair dryer in your room.
Laundry
Laundry service is available on board for a modest fee. Price lists will be available in your stateroom. Please note that clothes cannot be dry cleaned on board. For safety reasons, we ask that you do not iron clothing in your cabin. For a small fee, the onboard laundry service is available to iron clothing. Laundry facilities are not available on the Galapagos cruise.
Library
You may check out books from the ship's library free of charge. We ask that you return them before your cruise ends.
Mail Services
Stamps and postcards are available for purchase on board. Mail is sent from each major port.
Medical Services
Should you fall ill, please contact your ship's reception, at once. Due to the proximity to land, medical services can be called from shore when necessary. There is a resident physician on board the Santa Cruz and the La Pinta.
Newsletter
A daily newsletter is produced on each ship and features information about daily activities, shore excursions, tour departure times and more.
Onboard Language
The language on board is English. All staff, crew and tour guides speak English. All announcements and commentary will be in English.
Onboard Shop
The ships have an onboard gift shop offering accessories, films, souvenirs and gifts as well as a limited selection of personal and toiletry items.
Payment During the Cruise
A cashless system operates on the vessels. Purchases and shipboard services are credited to your account (see "Shipboard Account")
Safes
Although it is recommended that you leave valuables at home, all staterooms are equipped with a safe. Any items that exceed the size of the safe can be checked into the ship's reception desk.
Smoking
In Europe and in the Galapagos, all ships have non-smoking interiors. Smoking is only permitted on the Sky Deck. On the Victoria Anna, Victoria Jenna and Royal Lotus, smoking is limited to specific areas.
Special Occasions
Passengers celebrating special occasions, such as anniversaries or birthdays, should alert ship personnel upon boarding the ship.
Telephones
Each stateroom has it's own telephone. This may be used to call room to room or to any of the ship's offices. In Europe calls can be made from ship-to-shore. In Egypt and China, ship-to-shore calls must be made from reception. Any charges are placed on your shipboard account. In the Galapagos, there are two satellite-linked phones available for use in the reception lounge.
Television
Each stateroom has a colour satellite TV and will receive some English programming. There is a shipboard information channel and a channel with entertainment videos or movies.
Your Shipboard Account
For convenience, all purchases and paid services on board (after your authorisation) are billed to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your cruise, you will receive a total which can be paid with cash or charged to a major credit card or paid in traveller's cheques (there is a processing fee). Traveller's cheques are not accepted on the Royal Lotus. Personal cheques are not accepted.