Before Your Trip

What’s included and what’s not

Just about everything is included in your fare: your cabin, meals, certain drinks (coffee, hot and iced tea, milk, and juice during meals), room service, gratuities to your cabin steward, waiter, busperson and maitre d’, Olivia entertainment, music, dancing and non-stop fun.

The following items are not included: airfare, transfers to and from the airport, travel insurance, personal items, alcohol, soft drinks, bottled water, spa services, beauty salon services, boutique purchases, telephone, fax, internet access, shore excursions, ship’s photos, bingo, casino activities, fuel surcharge, and medical attention.

NDA charges are not included in the price of the trip but have already been added to your reservation as reflected on your invoice.

Travel documentation and identification

You will need a passport that is valid for six months past the date of the trip. If you are not a US citizen, please check with your country’s consulate to make sure that you do not need an entry visa or other additional documentation.

Vaccinations

Please check with your local Public Heath Department or personal physician regarding immunization requirements for all countries on your itinerary. You may also check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site at: www.cdc.gov. Just click on “Traveler’s Health” and then “Vaccinations.”

Travel insurance

We encourage all guests to purchase travel insurance. Olivia has recently partnered with Travelex to make things easier for you; you can now add your travel insurance when you book your trip, all in one call. In order to receive the most comprehensive coverage, please purchase your insurance within 14 days of your initial invoice. If you have questions about Olivia’s travel insurance, call (800) 631-6277 to talk to one of our travel consultants, or visit the Olivia Travel Protection Plan page for more information.

Joining the Olivia.com trip group

If you’d like to chat with people who are going on the trip, sign up for the official Olivia trip group, Western Caribbean Cruise.

About Our Destination

Currency

You will often be able to use US dollars, but the local currencies are: Mexican peso (Mexico); Belize dollar (Belize); and the Honduran lempira (Honduras).

Languages

Spanish, English

Travel and arrival

Air travel

Where to fly into/out of

You will need to fly into and out of Tampa International Airport (TPA), which is located approximately 15-20 minutes (15 miles) from the port terminal. We encourage all passengers to arrive a day early to avoid the stress of unexpected delays.

Suggested arrival/departure times

Guests arriving in Tampa on the day of sailing (February 28, 2010) should arrive no later than noon. Return flights from Tampa on the day of disembarkation (March 7, 2010) must be after noon.

Discount airfare offer

Olivia travelers enjoy a 7% discount on American Airlines for flights in and out of Tampa International Airport (TPA). The dates of travel are February 23-March 10, 2010. To take advantage of this offer, call American Airlines at (800) 433-1790 or go to www.aa.com/rainbow. Please note a $20 ticketing fee applies to phone reservations. Use discount code A2820AA.

Luggage allowances

While there is no luggage limit on the cruise itself, airlines often restrict (or charge) for excess baggage. Because each airline is different, and the regulations change over time, please check with your airline for baggage allowances.

Transfers and meeting up with Olivia

Getting to your pre-trip hotel

Please check back for a pre-trip hotel recommendation.

Getting to your ship

You can take a taxi from the airport to the port for approximately $15 dollars.

Transfers after your trip

see below

Check in

Ship

Check in begins at 11:30AM. Embarkation begins at 1:00PM. All aboard by 4:00PM for lifeboat drill.

During your trip

Amenities

Cabin amenities include: individual stateroom thermostats, 24-hour room service, hair dryers, 24-hour front desk, laundry, pressing and dry cleaning, telephone and television. (Television and telephone are available when signal permits). There are fees for laundry and dry cleaning, as well as phone use.

Ship amenities include: casino, fitness center, spa services, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, shopping boutiques, photo center, 24-hour Internet center, laundry service, and a movie theater. There is a fee for some of these services/amenities. There will also be plenty of dancing, music, and entertainment.

Dining

Seating policy

Seating is open so you may sit where you wish! We will have a special solos dining area for those traveling alone.

Times

The first dinner seating is at 6:00PM and the second seating is at 8:15PM. You will be assigned a dining time when you book your reservation. Restaurant hours will be listed in your daily program.

Restaurants

Rotterdam Dining Room:

The Rotterdam dining room features impeccable service and an extensive wine list. Five-course menus include continental cuisine, vegetarian and low-carb options.

24-Hour Room Service

If you would like to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or a midnight snack in the comfort of your cabin, a room service menu is available 24 hours a day. Refer to your in-cabin service guide.

The Lido Restaurant

The Lido Restaurant’s relaxed ambiance features both an indoor, air-conditioned restaurant and portable buffet bars outside on the deck, offering make-it-yourself deli sandwiches, pasta dishes, salads and fresh, cooked-to-order entrees. Enjoy stir fry, hamburgers, desserts and the daily ice cream bar.

The Pinnacle Grill – Specialty Restaurant

The Pinnacle Grill, the ms. Ryndam’s specialty restaurant, is a great addition to your dining options. Spoil yourself with an exquisite fine dining experience, including many wines rated “Excellent” by Wine Spectator. Please note that a per-person charge will be applied to your ship account when you dine at The Pinnacle Grill. Contact the restaurant manager on board for reservations.

Electricity

The cabins have 110 and volt electricity, which is the same as that which is used in the US.

Excursions

Excursions may be booked up to 30 days in advance. Please come back and visit the Trip Itinerary page for your trip to get your booking number and detailed instructions on shore excursions and activities at that time.

Gratuities

Gratuities are included in the cost of the cruise. Gratuities are provided for your cabin steward, dining room steward, bus person, maitre'd and other-behind-the-scenes crew members.

Internet/e-mail/fax

There is an Internet center on board; minute plans are available. Pricing will be posted onboard. Guests may also bring their own laptops and purchase an Internet wireless plan onboard. Connectivity on board is often very slow, and all guests and ships personnel are using the same feed. Letters and postcards may be mailed from the ship while in ports of call. You may buy stamps in port or purchase them through your onboard account.

Laundry and dry cleaning

Laundry, pressing and dry cleaning service is available onboard.

Medical services

There is an onboard infirmary. Medical services entail an additional fee.

Money: Paying for things on board

Onboard, the currency is US Dollars. All purchases made on the ship will be charged to your onboard account, which you create when you first check in. The ship will process credit card cash advances for a three percent fee at the front office. You can also obtain cash through your onboard account in the casino. Please check with the front office on board for further details.

Phone

Each cabin has a phone. There is an additional fee to use this phone; cost is available onboard.

Smoking policy

We have designated smoking and non-smoking areas on board. The non-smoking areas include all public areas and the port (left) side of all outdoor areas. Smoking is permitted in your cabins, on the starboard (right) side of outside decks and starboard side of the Crow's Nest.

Spa services

There is a spa onboard, and massages and other services are available for an additional fee.

Solo travelers

We will have a solos program onboard, led by a solos coordinator who will ensure you have a great time. We have dozens of activities for singles, special solos dining and show seating, and even a designated solos excursion.

After your Trip

Transfers to the airport

For those going directly to the Tampa airport, you can take a taxi from the port to the airport for approximately $15 dollars, or you can purchase a transfer onboard. Taxis can be scarce after a cruise, so we recommend purchasing a transfer.

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