cruzinchar

Thank you so much for this very informative review!  We will be on the Harmony in a few weeks going from New Orleans to Memphis, Nov. 16th to 23rd.  Your review gave us a great idea of what to expect ..........we are very excited!

 

I do have one question for you...or others with experience on American Cruise Lines.....I understand that during the day, the dress code is very casual...but how much dressier is it at night? There are two couples in our group, and we think we will probably wear slacks and sweaters/nice tops/shirts in the evening.  Are nice jeans totally out of the question?  If so, that’s fine, but just wondering. The husbands are happy not to need to pack a sport coat.....assuming that’s true.

 

Thanks again for a great and positive review!

 

 

1 hour ago, FireEMT978 said:

They state that you will know either way, whether won or lost at least 24 hours before embarkation. That way, they can get the manifest finalized in time for Homeland Security.

I heard exactly 24 hours before my recent cruise on the Serenade that my bid was not accepted.😪.

Thank you for checking!  Darn, I was hoping it would be Men of Culture...oh well...i’m sure that Initiative will be just fine!

 

Enjoy the remaining time on your cruise.

 

I’m enjoying your posts and pictures very much!  Thank you for taking the time to do this!  Four of us will be on the Liberty on Jan. 20th, so we are especially interested in this thread.  I have a favor to ask of you....do you know if the Caribbean band called Men of Culture is presently on the Liberty?  They play reggae and other Caribbean music on the pool deck and/or the Promenade.  We have enjoyed their music on two past cruises on other ships, and last Fall on th Adventure of the Seas, I went up to them on the last night to thank them and tell them how much we enjoyed them.  The lead singer told me that they had just requested to be assigned to play on the Liberty, starting in January.  Are they there?  It would be listed in the Compass, but I’m sure you know that.  Thanks!

Today was Halifax. We took the Halifax Titanic Historical Tour with Paul. Best tour ever. His “side” job is limo driving (and has a pretty well known clientele) but he prefers doing these tours and showing off his city. If you want a Halifax tour, this is a must. Pics later tonight. But had to rave about the awesomeness of this tour

We took this exact same tour on September 12th, and I agree with everything you have said about Paul and the quality of this tour. His van is wonderful, especially because it has a tall roof, so you can stand while entering and leaving. It’s a 15 passenger van, but he only takes 10. We LOVED the pictures and videos that he showed all along the way on and

iPad mounted high up in front. If you want to go with Paul, you must book him MONTHS ahead of time. By the way, simpsol, I have the same pics you do😁.

I bought the internet package for my cruise this Thursday. If I put my phone into airplane mode and turn the wifi only on, I will still get iMessages? Even at sea?!

 

Since you bought the internet package, you should be able to get iMessages (airplane mode..WiFi on)....regardless of what ship you are on.

Was 5th day once and 4th other time for me. Was $35 and only put in it things like undies, sox, swimsuit, workout clothes, PJ's. Nothing nicer as some fading can happen. Small bag but stretch's to fit, alot, if you roll ea item up tight. My record is 10 T-shirts, 4 gym/PJ shorts, 10 underwear and 10 sox in one bag. Of course they came back in two large regular bags...

Thanks! Just what I needed to know! When we get on the cruise we will have already been away from home for three days, so was wondering how soon we’d be able to wash a few things. Sounds like it’s around halfway through the cruise so that will be great!

I know that some ships offer a laundry service at some point during the cruise (clothes in a bag for a fixed amount). Do you know if that was offered on your recent 9 night cruise on the Navigator, and, if so, on what day?

When I asked the folks at the Royal Caribbean shore excursion desk why it is for "Advanced" snorkelers, she said because there can be strong current, so you need to be a good swimmer. Their first snorkel spot is at the cut in the reef, so that's why there would be current....all the time. THAT day, the current was so severe, that they should have cancelled the trip, but they didn't. Also...there were three snorkel spots....but you were supposed to do all three without coming back to their little boat.....would have been a very long swim. Everyone came back right away, though, because they were so rattled. Also....the third snorkel spot was where they say that you may see turtles...but they told us there was no guarantee and because our big ship was so close by, it was very unlikely we would see the turtles ......then why even advertise the possibility when you know there won't be any turtles? I won't even tell you how difficult it was to get.back in their boat using their little temporary two rung ladder, but I admit that my husband and are I are older and not in as good of shape as some of the others on the boat who had to use the ladder. For us, it was horrible....I had tried to check that out ahead of time weeks ahead, but the picture I was sent of a ladder had no resemblance to the one actually on the boat.

 

There are many operators selling Snorkeling tours from the beach at Mystery Island, and their boats are all quite primitive and "basic", but that is to be expected. I think some of those tours are run by the same company we went with, but they offered tours in calmer waters.....although nothing was calm that day and I heard other stories of people in trouble in the water on that day.

 

We almost took the Snorkeling Tour in the Lagoon in Noumea, that you are also considering, but opted for stuff on land that day. I kept trying to find someone who had done that trip to see how it was, but never found anyone.

You won't believe this, but we have just returned from doing BOTH of these itineraries, so I'll try to help.......First, we took the Jan. 13th sailing on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas 12 day cruise to the South Pacific (Mare, Noumea, Mystery Island, Suva (Fiji) and Lautoka (Fiji). Then, after three days in Sydney, we boarded the Radiance of the Seas on Jan. 28th for a 12 day cruise to New Zealand (Bay of Islands, Auckland, Tauranga, Akaroa, Dunedin, and Dusky, Doubtful and Milford Sounds. We had a wonderful trip with mostly wonderful weather. I had expected to be wearing shorts in the South Pacific and jeans in New Zealand, but we were always in shorts.....until we got down to the Sounds. In fact, we sailed into some pretty bad weather, with 95 mph winds (Cat. 2 hurricane strength) as we approached the sounds. The captain hoped the weather would improve sooner than it did, but due to high winds, we could not enter the first two Sounds....Dusky and Doubtful), but by the time we got up to Milford Sound, we were able to enter that.

 

Now, to try to help you out with your decision...we have no regrets, but if we were to "do over" we might not have done the South Pacific, and instead taken a different cruise stopping at ports in Australia, so that we could have experienced and learned about more than just Sydney (which we LOVED). Being from Minnesota, I think we were focusing on going somewhere warm in January, which is why we booked the South Pacific...it was fun and very pretty, but everything was mostly centered around water sports. We are experienced scuba divers, but are getting older, so we have some mobility issues too. We did go Snorkeling in Mare, Mystery Island and in Laukota Fiji. Snorkeling was just ok.....we did spend the day in Laukota on a little private island for a wonderful day in the sun and water, complete with a wonderful lunch and plenty of shade. In Noumea, we took a little tourist train tour and then walked to the small World War Two Museum that they have there. My husband is a history buff, so he really wanted to go to that museum...was very good!

 

 

I agree that if you really want to be in the water, than the South Pacific would be great for you.....New Zealand was great for tours of all kinds....some were Harbor cruises looking for wildlife...others were bus tours. It was plenty sunny and warm, though!

 

 

Not sure if this helps or confuses you.....ask any more specific questions if you like. Good luck with your planning!

Thank you for sharing this information. We are sailing to this area in November on Radiance in an aft balcony. Our plan is to view from our balcony but after reading this thread I think it would be wonderful to hear the park ranger commentary. Maybe it can be heard from the balcony?

We just returned from a New Zealand cruise on the Radiance and we had an aft cabin (1604). Unfortunately, we couldn't hear the commentary on our balcony, but due to the very windy and wet conditions, we didn't even try to view from the balcony.....instead, we viewed from inside the Schooner bar. The windows there made for great viewing, but the commentary wasn't broadcast in there, even though it was advertised to be! We only made it into the Milford Sound, due to bad weather....but at least we made it into one!

We were on the Explorer of the Seas South Pacific cruise a few weeks ago. Jan.13th sailing. We took the Advanced Snorkeling Tour booked through the ship on Mystery Island and would absolutely NOT recommend this trip. We are experienced scuba divers with over 350 logged dives so we are very comfortable in the water. We asked ahead of time why this was for "Advanced" snorkelers, and we were told that there could be some current. These guys took 8 guests out in their little tiny boat with unsecured wooden slats for seats and started the snorkel trip right at the opening to the reef. The current was stronger than any current we have ever experienced, nor would any dive operation we have been on have ever put us into those conditions. My husband and I actually dealt with the current "ok", although cruising along at that speed wasn't fun.....but others became exhausted in just minutes....one woman needed the life preserver thrown to her...others struggled back to the boat, coughing from swallowing water. My husband and I just let the current carry us along and the guide kept yelling to "slow down". Ridiculous. the visibility was poor and conditions so challenging...not to mention no fish...that we decided to hang it up and get back in the boat. Others did a little more snorkeling, but I'm not sure anyone saw fish except during the "fish feeding". When we got back to the beach, the crew (all who were very nice guys, I must say), couldn't handle the boat as people were getting off. They directed my husband to be the first and swing his leg over....but since the couldn't hold the boat steady in the waves, the boat moved and trapped my husband's left foot between the hull and the sand, while his right foot was still trapped in the boat. The crew kind of panicked and saw what was happening and moved the boat off his foot, freeing it. The crew member in charge did apologize to everyone that the current that day was much stronger than usual, but we watched them take the next group out 30 minutes later to the same spot! We told the Royal Caribbean shore excursion staff about our experience that night and that they should consider not using these guys, or at least to check them out for themselves, but they just said something about them "being cheap". We didn't snorkel in Noumea, so I can't comment on that.

We just got off the Radiance and we were in aft cabin 1604 on deck 10. The cabin was just great....especially the balcony, which we called our "deck". A couple of times I heard some slight movement of chairs from the Windjammer above...that was very early in the morning.....before 6:00. I'm a very light sleeper, which is probably why I heard it (barely), so it really wasn't a problem. BUT...for some reason, on the second to the last morning, it was really noisy!! That was around 7:00 a.m. We think that they might have been doing a thorough cleaning since the weather had been bad the day before (this is an outdoor eating area). Nevertheless. I don't think the noise from above is a problem. I wasn't crazy about the LONG walk to the elevator, but the nice cabin and balcony made up for it.

We set off from Sydney on 29th November towards Vila, Mystery Island and Noumea. We are on our third sea day, due to arrive at Vila tomorrow. Any questions folks?

 

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I have two questions. Did you snorkel at Mystery Island, and if so, how was it? Did you just snorkel from shore or from a boat? Through the ship or on your own?

 

Second question is about the parade in the Promenade on the first night. We have never been on a ship as large as the Explorer and my understanding is that they have a big parade as part of the Sail Away festivities. Is that a "must do" or is it mostly for kids (that's what I heard somewhere).

 

Looking forward to our Jan. 13th Explorer cruise to the South Pacific!

I have two upcoming cruises, and I won't save much money per day if I switch from what I already have to this Sip and Stream.....BUT it would upgrade me from a Surf only Internet package to the Surf and Stream on one of my upcoming cruises (I already have a good price for the Surf and Stream on my other cruise). For that reason alone, I think I should do it. Just to be sure I do it right.....do I go into my order history and cancel first and then buy it? Kinda scary....

Has anyone taken the Advanced Snorkeling Tour (offered by the ship) on Mystery Island? I am thinking of booking it while on my Royal Caribbean cruise in January. I think P & O offers it as well. Any comments from those who have taken this?

I have two cruises booked for January. One of them shows shore excursions "up to 20% off". The other cruise doesn't show any sale on shore excursions. I wish I could remember what the normal price was of the shore excursions that I'm interested in, so that I could tell how much of a sale it really is. "up to" doesn't necessarily mean "20%". Not sure whether or not to jump on this sale.

Wow! That is just unbelievable to me! I had no idea that things like itinerary updates wouldn't be published for all to see, no matter what country they are from! Anyway, I know that some people affected by this double booking have received e-mails. I have not, nor has my travel agent. Do you think those are only going to the Australia residents as well? I think I have the information I need, but I just think it's strange that RCI has not told me (or my TA) directly.

Thank you, Big M, for posting that link. I see now that since I live in the United States, it doesn't show up in my Itinerary Updates. Once I changed my country to Australia, there it is! Not the most efficient way to communicate to everyone on the cruise!

Thanks for posting that, lazy day. You say that you found it on the website, under Itinerary Updates. I am booked on the Jan. 28th cruise, and I can't seem to find "Itinerary Updates". I think some folks have received an email from RCI pertaining to this, but I don't have that either. I know this information is totally correct, but I just wonder why I don't see anything on my reservation. Maybe I don't know where to look.

Hi Julie,

 

Glad to hear that's what you're going to do too....take the bus from the airport to Piazalle Roma. I think you've got a good plan....believe me, you don't want to get on a vaparetto with a lot of luggage. Even with a little bit of luggage, it's not too much fun (I've done it). You'll be fine, as long as you don't take on more than you can handle easily.

 

So, I think we'll either take the free shuttle Princess offers from Piazalle Roma to the ship or we'll hop a cab from there. Probably don't need to make those plans till we get there....

Thank you everyone for your advice. We will be going on the Grand Princess which will let us board on Sept. 11th at 1:00 p.m., but we don't actually leave until the next afternoon, so we will have quite a bit of time to see Venice. The transfer that Princess offers cost $52 pp, so that is pretty steep.

 

I have now found that there is a bus from the airport to Piazalle Roma (only about 3 Euros) and then it sounds like the cruise ships run free shuttles from there to the ship. That sounds like the way to go.

 

Anyone had any experience with that?

Yes, thank you so much for the info. I was kind of wondering if we would need two taxis, but thanks for the information about requesting a larger cab, and not having to take the first one in line.

We will be arriving in Venice by plane and want to get to the cruise pier as quickly and cheaply as possible. Our ship, the Grand Princess, will not be leaving until the next day, so our hotel is the ship. We just want to get on board, spend a little bit getting settled and then head off sightseeing.

 

I am under the impression that you can take a land taxi from the airport to the pier. There will be four of us to share the cost.....approximately what will it cost?

 

Thanks!