TechKnowBabble

Giving this thread a little kick....haven't been on CC in forever and was surprised to find almost NO posts for this Oasis 10/24/24 sailing.    Who is still going?  This will be our 21st cruise but our FIRST transatlantic    So excited!!

Are you looking for just parking(you pay to get to and from the port) or are you looking for a precruise hotel night, parking for 11 days, and round trip port transportation package?

Trinityreservations.com offers the Ramada hotel, 21 days parking, and round trip port transportation for 2 for $211 TAX INCLUDED for 11/24/18. Many cruisers use this deal. I have personally used it and was very happy.

Not familiar with Trinity Reservations....is it like a local expedia of sorts? Looking at the website now

Carol (138east) has given you sound advice about booking the Ramada through Trinity Reservations if you're looking for a park/sleep/cruise package that include transportation to and from the port.

 

If that's not what you want, whatever you do, steer clear of the Best Western Plus Newark Airport West. There's a reason they only charge $8 per day for parking. The hotel is in a really bad area...here's a quote from oyster.com, and it isn't even negative enough in my opinion. I wouldn't park my car there for 11 minutes, much less 11 days :

"A desolate location close to Newark Liberty International Airport, adjacent to an off-site airport parking lot and a trucking facility"

Thanks so much for the info....I am not familiar with the area and would have had NO idea

Where are you coming from and how are you coming?

 

The closest parking areas outside the port that we recommend are at Newark Airport and are primarily Park or fly/sleep/cruise options. You can get lots of airport parking, but the cost of round trip transportation to Cape Liberty will offset any savings. $20/day is very reasonable for convenient and secured parking at the port.

 

 

There is an offsite lot in Bayonne that is not recommended due to concerns about its overall security and insurance coverage(or lack thereof) for its shuttle operation. For me it's a "ditch and hitch" operation - ditch your car at a storage warehouse in Bayonne NJ and hitch a ride with a random stranger in a random vehicle to Cape Liberty.

This is just the type of post i was looking for. We are booked on Anthem (11/25/2018 11 nt sailing to Caribbean), when we last sailed on her in 2016 we stayed at the Comfort Inn Staten Island the night before and parked our car there for the 9 nights we were gone without charge or issue. I am hearing they no longer offer that at the Comfort Inn. Does anyone know of a hotel still doing the Cruise & Park or whatever the precise term is? I found Best Western Plus Newark Airport West which offers parking at $8 per day, much better than $20 at the port and most other hotels listed $17 a day. But if there was one offering the option for free that would be great as it's an added expense when didn't think we would have

Thanks in advance for any help. I have Googled it but not been completely successful

Hmmmmmm Spencer might have been the name. I will have to research further. Thanks for the info!

Anyone?

No one forced you to comment, let alone read this thread. Enjoy the rest of your evening! ;p

can you hear me applauding Joe?? why do people have to act like that. I enjoy knowing who I will sail with. The staff is a big part of what makes the cruise

We are planning on returning to Jolly Beach to renew our vows on our cruise in November. On our previous trips (a few years ago) we used a tour guide we contacted prior to the cruise and he met us near the pier. Sadly I have forgotten the name of the tour company. I believe it was a man's name. Any recommendations for tour operators to get us to Jolly Beach? Thanks in advance.

Doesn't a suite cost more then your mortgage payment?

Very much so

We've only had a suite once and it was delightful but our darned mortgage company wants us to pay them EVERY month so we can't afford them regularly :D

I've been on about 1/2 dozen cruises with John and believe me, he always enjoyed them. 🍷

A man after my own heart. Hope he has a wonderful suite up there and the premium drink package

She is doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances. :(

 

The whole thing was incredibly quick and all the more shocking as John seemed perfectly fine when we left the ship in Ft. Lauderdale. Then within a few weeks he was gone.:loudcry:

 

Betty is being helped through this trying time by her 2 children as well as their many friends.

 

Thanks for asking.

So sad for her, the family and friends. Life is way too short. I hope they had an amazing cruise on Equinox.

Has anyone that had traveled with them previously spoken with his wife? Hope she is doing as well as can be expected.

Was very saddened to hear of John's passing on FB. Although I only met him during sailaway and briefly a couple of other times he seemed like a wonderful man. Such a shame and my heart breaks for his family :loudcry:

I care, and so do the other participants on this thread. Yes, I will choose a cruise based on the CD.

 

Why do you choose to read a thread and comment on something that means nothing to you?

 

I don't care about certain topics on this forum so I just move on and respect those who do.

Thanks...I was going to write a similar post SHEESH I have adored some of our CDs and would LOVE to see them again

Saw John again today and he confirmed he will definitely be on Anthem until the end of September now and possibly into October. As of now, he still doesn't know who will take his place come October.

YAY YAY YAY!!!! Thanks so much!

Hopefully someone who is traveling on Anthem now can ask him and report back to us.

 

He began this contract on March 15, so he is due for a break mid-July, and should return from his break mid-September.

 

Whether he goes back to Anthem remains to be seen, as Abe is supposed to have the 4 month contract on Anthem with Dru doing the 2 month vacation fill-in, unless something has changed.

Hmmmmm...have not sailed with Abe.....still hopefully for John and Katrina though...John encouraged my now hubby to propose to me so I feel like I should reward him for a job well done :D

Adventure OTS -Clo O'Connor June 11 (for 2 months? then who?)

 

Allure OTS - Tim Connor April 24 until late August, then Dru Pavlov for 2 months (need exact dates)

 

Anthem OTS - John Blair June 18 through at least the July 4th weekend (exact date? Then who? Abe Hughes?)

 

Brilliance OTS - Jerome Sueur May 14 through October 17, then Clo O'Connor for the transatlantic back to Tampa

 

Empress OTS - Carlos Torres May 28 through sometime in September (exact date? then Elvis Pinto?)

 

Enchantment OTS - Elvis Pinto May 3 until June 24, then the newly promoted Michele Scarpato begins June 24

 

Explorer OTS - Graham Seymour March 30 until July 29, then Ken Jones July 29 for approx 2 months

 

Freedom OTS - Casey Pelter May 15 until mid-August (exact date? then who?)

 

Grandeur OTS - Bill Brunkhorst June 18 until mid-July then Paul Rutter

 

Harmony OTS - Ken Rush until mid-June (need exact handover date) then Bobby Brown mid-June through October 23. Ken Rush will return Oct 23 to take the ship to Florida and will be onboard through the New Year.

 

Independence OTS - Joff Eaton May 28 until the end of August, then Jamie Fentiman (need exact handover date)

 

Jewel OTS - Dennis Charles April 24 through June 26, then Simona Ferraiuolo for the European Season beginning June 26

 

Legend OTS - Chris Brown from June 20 through October 19, then Keith Williams returns to re-position the ship from Hong Kong to Australia on October 19 until Jan 15, 2017. then Chris Brown should be returning Jan 15 to cover Keith's break again.

 

Liberty OTS - Jimmy Rhodes June 19 until June 26, then Jeff Arpin June 26

 

Majesty OTS - Marc Walker May 16 until July 1 then the newly-promoted Susan McColl July 1 through August 27, then Marc Walker returns Aug 27 to Oct 23

 

Mariner OTS - Fang Lixin end of March until mid-August, then Keith Williams mid-August through October 17. (Need handover date)

 

Navigator OTS - Rob McNally May 21 for the European Season

 

Oasis OTS - Drew Devine January 23 until June 25, Patricio Honores begins June 25 for 2 months, then Drew returns at the end of August.

 

Ovation OTS - Gordon Whatman May 26 through July 12, then Jimmy Rhodes beginning July 12 Until Nov 18, then Joff Eaton

 

Quantum OTS - Ken Jones May 21 until July 14 then Ricky Matthews July 14 until late-November, then Ken Jones for 2 months.

 

Radiance OTS - Steve Davis Jan 31 through July 15 then Jamie Fentiman (Jamie is due on Indy at the end of August to cover for Joff, so unless something changes, this will be a short coverage)

 

Rhapsody OTS - Patricio Honores April 20 until June 24, then Michelle Pimentinha Oliveira returns from her break June 24 until the end of October.

 

Serenade OTS - Topi Ylonen May 15 through September 13, then Carly Boileau for the Canadian Season (September 13 through October 30 or November 11)

 

Vision OTS - Mike Hunnerup has been onboard since Jan 31, and was due for his break in late-May/early-June. Is he still onboard? Until when? Then who?

 

Voyager OTS -Mitch Merucci April 16 for 4 months

 

Jamie Fentiman is awaiting medical clearance post-back-surgery

Rich Edwards is temporarily out due to back issues and will not be returning until at least October 2016

Amy Fickert-Southgate is taking a job shoreside as of June 8

Luke Aerowsmith is working at the corporate office in London

Ken Rush works behind the scenes on the new ships, helping to provide smooth take-outs. In between, he works with the new builds at the shipyard, and he fills in on the larger/newer ships as CD during the regular CD's break

Gordon Whatman is retired, but will be filling-in from time-to-time if needed (see Ovation - May 2016)

Allan Brooks works for Celebrity in their corporate office.

Richard Spacey is a CD with Celebrity

Becky Thompson works for Celebrity Cruises in their corporate offices in Miami.

Dave Chapman is a CD with HAL

James Andrews is a real estate agent in Sydney

Mike Szwajkowski is a Canadian Mountie

Leo Papa is a Product Manager at Tauck Corp in Connecticut

Anna Bass is a make-up artist

João Pereira is studying Portuguese/English education and translation at Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas in Brazil

Kirk Detweiler is now CD with Silversea cruises.

Simeon Baker - married a dancer, had a baby girl and is a sales exec at a Porsche dealer in Saskatchewan

Matt Baker - Sim's brother - recently married and living in Wales. They bought a pub called the Tiddley

Kieron Buffrey - CD with Holland America

Tom Canosa - teaching 6th grade science in North Carolina

Peter Benfield and Johnny Osborne have emigrated to Thailand

Anthony Richards is living in Miami with his wife, and is working for Royal Media Partners as Manager Port Revenue Operations

Rico du Breil is now a travel & show consultant in Canada

Paul Lancaster is no longer with RCI, and resides in England

Abel Jeney is Customer Service & People Manager at Momentum Services Ltd

Parker Cristan is living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - staging/choreographing for local theater

Ashley Kerr - married and living in Vancouver BC, working as a marketing rep for a PR firm

Karen Maybury - has a consultant/pr/entertainment agency

Jannie Cloete - leading expeditions on small ships

Warren Allen (aka Warren Melhuish) lives in Ontario, Canada. He has retired from ship-life but still works on the stage

Thomas DeCell is no longer with RCI

Leigh Xuereb is the CD of Carnival Freedom (his AM Frankie Portera is the CD of Carnival Liberty)

I am very interested in finding out if John Blair and Katrina will be on Anthem on the Sept 22nd sailing if anyone can find out I'd be very grateful. Sailed with John on Celebrity and loved him, hoping to see him again

 

They do not have freestyle machines like Royal. I wish they did. You get them from a bar.

DRAT....I was so hoping for another cute freestyle souvenir cup :(

Does anyone happen to know the cabin window size (not portholes) on Grandeur or her class ship? We had something we wanted to hang in our window but I have no idea how big the window is. Thanks in advance!

List of flavors from another poster:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=41963551&postcount=2

Thanks so much....I did search but didn't see that.

Sailing on Grandeur soon, thinking about package. Does anyone know what products are offered in the machine? In particular we have them at some fast food type joints here and they have Minute Maid Light products lemonade and a bunch of flavored lemonade products. Just wondering if they would have them as I love them. Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know if the Trolley Roger tour goes to Hell?

Don't know for sure but do know that he has been with Royal for quite a while.

We sailed him with on Celebrity in 2006 so still entirely possible. I found him on FB and it appears to be them :D

The Blairs announced to everyone that they are moving to Jewel.

John Blair....does anyone know if that's the same John Blair that used to be a CD on Celebrity?