Low Country Sandlapper

Thank you, all. Sounds like Vista suites might be the safer bet.

I am considering booking a Neptune suite on the Volendam. I am concerned, however, because the Neptune Suites are on the deck immediately below the Lido Deck. Do the Neptune suites have a problem with noise? Has anyone stayed in a Neptune Suite on this ship? Thank you for your help!

I am so glad I stumbled across this thread! I thought I was just unlucky. I have been on 7 cruises in the past 10 years and have tried several different agents with different types of agencies. None has been great. (But luckily, none has been horrible, either.) None has provided the wonderful service that I see described from time to time in various posts on Cruise Critic. It is nice to know that I am not alone in my experience.

CardowMD, I can ease your mind on the last point. In my father’s solo cabin, there was enough seating for three people to visit. Now, that did involve one of us sitting on the bed.

I recently sailed on the Vista. While my husband and I were in a Concierge Cabin, my father was in the solo cabin (also concierge class) next door. The Vista is lovely, and both cabins were attractive. If you are considering a solo cabin, I want to give you a couple of heads up. First, unlike in our cabin (and in all balcony cabins I have ever stayed in), the door to the balcony does not encompass the entire back wall of the cabin. It is a small door that takes up only about half of the wall. That means that much less light comes into the cabin. I found my father’s cabin to be somewhat dark. The balcony itself, however, is a nice size and has ample space for one person. The second watch out is the bathroom. It is SMALL. In contrast, our cabin had a nice-sized bathroom. The shower in my father’s cabin was tiny. Once when he dropped the soap, he had to turn off the water and exit the shower in order for him to pick it up. On our sailing, the solo cabin cost my father about $1,000.00 less than the total cost of our cabin. If I were sailing alone, I think I would probably pay the extra $1,000.00 and get the double cabin. Not because of the bathroom (I could live with that), but because of the limited natural light in the solo cabin. I found that off-putting. I don’t know if Oceania ever runs sales with a discounted single supplement, but if it does, I would definitely pay the supplement and get the double cabin. Hope this helps someone.

Thank you all, so very much!

Yes, it does.

My sister and I will be taking the February 11th trip to the Caribbean on the Vista. My father wants to stay on the ship except for the ports of Roatan and Harvest Caye in Belize. I am uneasy about those ports. My father can walk with a walker, but not long distances (maybe a 1/4 mile). The piers seem pretty long. Does Oceania offer transportation along the piers? How about in the ports themselves? Is there any transportation in the port area? Golf carts? Anything? We have excursions booked (one private and one through Oceania) at each port, but I am concerned about getting him to the pick-up points. Does anyone have any feedback? Thank you.

I would be interested in knowing as well.

Thank you both for responding. I appreciate it.

Can anyone recommend a bar with good drinks (I’m not a beer drinker) outside of the port itself, but within walking distance. Thank you for your help.

Thank you, Mum2Mercury! Your reply was most helpful. Merry Christmas!

My husband and I will be in Cozumel in mid February. We want to spend 5 hours or so at a beach. Here is what we are looking for: 1. Easy ability to get a cab back to the cruise ship. 2. A beach where we can snorkel from the beach itself. 3. Beach chairs or bed with shade. This is VERY important. We would be happy to rent a cabana. 4. Easy access to bathrooms, bar, and restaurant. (But does not have to be all inclusive.). Beach service would be great but not required. 5. Quiet — no screaming children or blaring music. What do you suggest? Thank you so much for your help.

I can now answer my own question. Go to the Amex website and look for “Cruise Privileges Program.” The perks differ from cruise line to cruise line.

Has anyone sailed a Disney Cruise in February? Castaway Cay looks like a lot of fun, but will it be too cool to enjoy it?