vster5

57 minutes ago, MaxandEmme said:

THANK YOU so much!!! Your recommendation has made our upcoming cruise much less stressful!!

Try to call trip insurance store, they are very helpful with recommendations.

54 minutes ago, MaxandEmme said:

THANK YOU so much!!! Your recommendation has made our upcoming cruise much less stressful!!

Might not work for preexisting conditions since you are leaving in less that a week. Check their policies. Looks like you need to buy it more than 14 days before the trip.

7 hours ago, MaxandEmme said:

Hello! We sail this Friday and my husband was in the er for kidney stones last week. He just followed up with his urologist and they’re too big to pass, so he’s scheduled for a procedure in 2 weeks. He’s feeling fine with meds, but I’m thinking we should buy some insurance in case an issue arises? We will be driving to the port in New Jersey the day before, so we’re looking for recommendations of reputable insurance companies and what type to purchase if it’s not too late? Thank you in advance!

Geo Blue, but just medical and evacuation coverage. 

4 minutes ago, Cbktpf said:

Based on wise input from CC board, we’re arriving to FLL the day before our transatlantic cruise on the Edge. Hotels near airport or closer to Port Everglades all have less than stellar reviews. Sadly, my cousin who lived in Pompano Beach sold his home and left us without pre/post cruise accommodations and transport! Any hotel recommendations?

Hyatt Centric Las Olas. Can get free night with Chase Hyatt card.

On 2/7/2023 at 3:54 PM, keys24 said:

We were there 1/31/23. We also scheduled through WhatsApp. They took our email and responded back with confirmation. Nice 45 minute stroll. $10 and great location! Plenty of loungers and good snorkeling. Clean bathrooms. We were unable  to get a taxi back, they took us with their van instead!

Did you pay when you made reservation or at resort?

39 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

It would be comparing apples and oranges. I believe every cruise line has something to offer and Carnival and Celebrity are not direct competitors anyway.

 

The ship is very nice; my balcony is amazing. The bathroom is good sized - much better than Celebration. I have not noticed much rust - very little, in fact, although I'm not obsessed with finding any, either. Dinner the first night was incredible - dinner last night was somewhat of a let down. Many of the shore excursions are the same. The internet is not as good as what I had on Celebration, yet costs more.

 

The non-smoking casino is a plus. Everyone gets free drinks while gambling it seems, but service can be slow. One of the casino bartenders finally asked me if I wanted a drink this morning  and brought it to me, yet staff does not seem to be lacking.

 

Dirty dishes seem to be quickly dispositioned on Lido and not left on tables for an extended period.

 

Missing is a comedy club or I haven't found one.

 

The elevators are efficient and I haven't had to wait a long time for one.

 

The cabins are quieter and/or the passengers more sedate. While there are young people on the ship, there are also some fossils.

 

Whether allowed or not, I brought some bottled water in my checked luggage and it made it to the cabin. Each adult can carry on 2 bottles of wine vs 1 on Carnival.

 

Carnival Elation was in Nassau when we were there, and honestly I was somewhat wishing I was on that rust bucket, even without a balcony or the better food. One thing missing is the Carnival vibe which I really can't explain. Not really any complaints about Celebrity, the staff are nice and helpful, but Celebrity doesn't cruise from ports within an easy drive for us. If I have to fly to a cruise, I prefer it to be something special like the Med or Alaska or Antarctica or...

Can you carry on bottled water while checking in?

8 hours ago, gardengalaz said:

We are currently aboard the Beyond in Sunset Veranda 8336.  It is the largest SV

room with the largest balcony we've ever had.  I peeked around the corner and can tell you that the balconies on the cabins to either side of us are equally large.  Our balcony has 2 chairs and a small table as well as 2 chaise loungers.  Our beds are closer to the balcony and between the beds and the balcony door there is a huge about of space ... at least 6 feet by 8 feet .. that's VERY nice extra space to have.  

 

Please let me know if you have any other questions and I'll see what answers I can get for you while we're onboard.

We will be in the same cabin in January. Is cabin quiet? Any creaking noises?

On 11/12/2022 at 10:05 AM, pirate4me2 said:

Just made it thru security, waiting to board!

Parking at the port is $17/day, $145.52 total for a 7 day cruise. The garage opens at 8:30 am.

Parked on level 3 and walked right to the terminal area…easy peasy! 

Did you drop your bags before parking on level 3?

Were there any breakfast items in the Diamond lounge?

On 7/17/2022 at 3:44 PM, Blue Eyes said:

Our family spent a very enjoyable day on the beach behind the BCH.  We purchased the day pass at the Fins Up at Margaritaville for $23 each.  5 adults 3 teenagers. Chairs, tiki style umbrellas and several large loungers with cushions.  We shared the day with maybe 20-25 people total.  The beach bar located near the pool, which is not open, provided great drinks and we ordered sandwiches and salads that were delivered from Margaritaville by tipping the delivery guy generously.  The bartender was very friendly and helpful.  He told us the property has been purchased by the Margaritaville corporation and is undergoing extensive renovations inside with a target opening date in February 2023.  If you want a quiet day on the beach…this is your place.  We highly recommend it.  

Are there any restrooms close to the beach behind the BCH? Were chairs and umbrellas included in the BCH beach day pass? Did you get arm bands for BCH beach day pass?

On 5/6/2021 at 11:08 AM, Hlitner said:

This post is a "think piece" about our world without cruising.  DW and I are cruise lovers who used to spend about 100 days a year on ships.  Like many here on CC we have missed our cruising life (which will, for us, resume in July with a trip to Greece).  But unlike many, DW and I have continued to travel by seeking out alternatives to cruising.  Last week we flew to Cancun to spend 8 days in an adults-only All Inclusive resort.  Our AA flight to Cancun was about 80% full with folks from all ages and various diverse groups.  We all wore masks in the airport and on the aircraft.  At Cancun, the airport was crowded and seemed normal except for masking (just like in the USA).  We were immediately met by our private transfer company and our driver and ourselves remained masked during the 40 minute ride to our "high end" resort.  At the resort (which is beyond huge double gates) we cleared security and drove into the expansive resort that had hundreds of guests.  As soon as we entered the main building (to check in) we noticed that none of the guests were wearing masks and staff had simple face shields (no masks).  For the next 8 days we lived a very normal life where nobody wore masks and few seemed to worry about social distancing.  Everyone we met was either from the USA or Mexico and all told us they were fully vaccinated (there was no vaccination requirement to enter Mexico or the resort).  We had a fantastic 8 days and just about forgot that there is still a Pandemic.  Life at the resort was completely normal with some capacity restrictions (i.e. tables were a bit further apart in restaurants to comply with Mexican government requirements).   Our resort "got it" and realized that many folks want normalcy and apparently figured that grown ups are capable of making their own decisions on mitigation.  Folks were certainly free to mask-up and could have easily social distanced.  But in our 8 days at the resort we did not see anyone making those kind of choices.   I am talking folks of all adult ages from young honeymooners to we seniors.  It was the happiest group of folks I have seen for over a year and it became obvious that all shared the same secret....that life can be normal for those that make that choice.

 

The reason for my post is to let folks know that one can find a relatively normal travel experience despite what you might hear in the press.   There are plenty of folks who understand that being fully vaccinated means liberation and these folks (including us) reject the ridiculous messaging that vaccinated folks need to act like prisoners and pretend that vaccines do not work.  Vaccines do work and they work well (you can find the facts to support this on the CDC's own web site).  For those folks who have doubts and want to stay locked down and masked we do think that is a personal decision that serves their own needs.  For those of us who have decided it is time to return to a normal life it is possible.   I should add that when we returned to the Cancun Airport yesterday morning the terminal was a complete zoo packed with travelers.  As per airport rules everyone was masked (although many wore masks below their nose) and folks seemed very happy to travel.  We had lunch at a packed airport Margaritaville where all we saw were smiles from the happy diners/drinkers.  Personal responsibility and decision making is a good thing and many travelers "get it."

 

I am very concerned about the future of cruising from US Ports.  The kind of restrictions and rules (mostly being imposed by the CDC) not only make little sense, but will make cruising a different kind of experience which will either force cruisers to ignore the restrictions or have many finding the experience awful!  Cruising on a ship where folks must constantly wear masks,  social distance (how do you do that in bars, lounges and elevators) is not cruising in the traditional sense.  Having all kinds of rules and restrictions on dining, attending shows, shore visits, etc. will make lots of folks very unhappy and not be a good thing for cruising.    One of the reasons we finally booked a smaller ship cruise in Greece is the promise of no port restrictions.  Since our ship will have only vaccinated folks (passengers and crew) and our far from the nonsensical arm of the CDC should make for more reasonable onboard mitigation measures.  

 

In the USA, COVID has been defeated for those that have been vaccinated.  The risk of a fully vaccinated person getting (or spreading) COVID is so small that it does not justify any kind of restrictions on those folks.  It is unheard of to have government imposed healthcare restrictions on a population of such a low risk (the CDC's own numbers put the risk at no more then 1 in 14,000 for the vaccinated and there is some reason to believe that even that number overstates the risk).  We now see the  hypocrisy when government officials contradict themselves every day with both words and actions (anyone see the photo of the Bidens with the Carters?).   Time for our government to stop all this nonsense and simply say that fully vaccinated folks can return to a normal life without restrictions.  And for those who still choose to believe that restrictions and lockdowns are a good thing....well they can choose to continue those ways (this is caused free choice).

 

Hank 

Hank, if you can, please email me information about this wonderful sounding AI resort in Cancun at vster5 at Comcast dot net. Thanks in advance

What time of the year is better for this trip, spring or autumn?

I have always booked far in advance. We have possibility of taking reposition Jewel from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome. Leaves 4/28 and has several suites available. Any suggestions on working a great deal.

Thanks

We are booked on May 13 th cruise on Jewel and prices dropped on the larger suites on our sailing recently. Your TA cruise is within final payment, so you wouldn't be able to adjust price if it will drop after your booking. Two bedroom suite (fits up to 9 guests) on our sailing is less than $2,700 pp. It is more expensive on TA cruise.

Kinda what I thought , not worth the risk for the money

Just call to get $200 OBC when WOW sale starts tomorrow. More likely you will get it under your current reservation. Nothing to lose for asking.