nbsjcruiser

Adding to my list Very few kids - goes along with the older clientele Better buffets especially on the Regal class of ships.

Quieter more relaxing pool deck - no hairy leg contests, belly flop contests, rowdy crowds. Older clientele and a calmer, quieter evening experience Much better food. Dining room on our last few cruises was so good that we nixed the idea of specialty restaurants. Classier ships. Toned down - no splashy orange colored decorations Princess medallions - you'll like that Higher end experience. Wonderfully comfy beds

Good advice. We've been on 32 cruise and so far the only time anyone got Noro was on the plane flying down to the cruise. Luckily we arrived 5 days before the cruise so had a chance to recuperate after visiting the hospital a couple times and getting medication to stop the affects. I always bring these meds with us now, just in case. Both are prescription only but given how well they work, its worth being prepared. See links below for each. Lomotil and Histantil

Ahhhh yes, I hadn't noticed that. You're right. When I went back and did a pretend booking on the US site the price ends up at $1078USD = $1471CAD. I changed countries to Canada and the price ends up at $1482CAD.

So I was looking at possibly booking a 7 day western out of Miami in March 2024. I priced it in Canadian and it totalled $1489. Pricing in US dollars was $789. Now I'm no mathematician but that conversion rate MSC is using to book in CAD seems quite a bit off. Going on my own bank site just now I was able to purchase $789 USD for $1077CAD for a conversion rate of appx $0.73. MSC is over charging about $400 to book in Canadian. Is this normal?

Highly dependant on how much you drink and the cost of the packages. For example, on our upcoming cruise in February we have the package. When I did the math on how much I drink (2-3 per day) and how much my wife drinks (1-2 a day) it was feasible for us to take the base package. I think I figured that I'd pretty much break even considering tips are included. When I look at our fall cruise, the drink packages are much more expensive. Its much better for me to bring 2 bottles of wine on board and pay as I go. Its not even close really. So, it varies

Not surprised. I kinda figured the bean counters would get a firm grip on the cruise lines once things began to open back up after Covid. We've cruised 3 times since fall 2021 on Princess and RCI. The cutbacks were very noticeable on RCI not so much on Princess. As far as Broadway style shows go - I'm "meh" so it doesn't affect me but I know others are. A hint of things to come as cruise lines try to recover and keep costs down at the same time.

I really wonder just what is going on there. Every once in a blue moon you get someone who actually know what they're doing and its like a breath of fresh air. Most times, sadly, you wait on line for 40-60 minutes and the person who answers hasn't got a clue. Case in point: we are booked on the Sky on Feb 18th. We have the Princess plus and we got a note that said we qualify for the upgraded deserts and juice drinks. All we had to do was call in and ask for it to be added. An hour later and 2 people later, we gave up. Wasn't worth the hassle. First person had no idea what we were talking about and the second person put us on hold until we gave up. Another example. We're booked on the Caribbean Princess next fall and initially we chose not to put the drink package on. Last week while browsing the site we saw the note to add Princess Plus or Premier. After clicking the link to see how much it would be we were informed to call in. After at least an hour on the phone and being transferred to someone who told us she had no idea why we were transferred to her, we were told nope, sorry. Can't do that unless you cancel and rebook at the new rate. What in God's name is going on with Princess? My money is not good enough to purchase an add-on that YOU advertised??? Its a nightmare just to get through (unless you're booking a cruise of course) and then nobody seems to know what they're talking about. From now on when we book, that's going to be it. Not purchasing anything else. Just gimmie my cruise and I'll go on about my business.

Yes, they stop there frequently. We've been out there probably 6 times, never had a problem just walking up and getting one. Sometimes I've also arranged for the driver who takes us out to come back and pick us up at a certain time. Long story short - no issues at all getting back

Hi, you can take one of the open air buses from the port for $20 pp and they'll drop you off at the beach. You can just enjoy the day with your towels and no chair at that point if you like - free to use the beach. You can rent chairs and umbrellas but I can't remember how much they are but you rent them from the little dive shop that is out there. There is a restaurant there (or there was pre-Covid) and its pretty good. The beach is typically very quiet with few people which is why we enjoy it.

Been there so many times I can't recall and we're going back in February. Our first thought was Secret Harbour, been there many times and always enjoyed it. Got me thinking though, are there any resorts where we could get in for the day? Any other suggestions for someone who has been to many of the beaches in St Thomas?

Eight. I used to enjoy Carnival back in the early 2000's actually but then discovered RCI and saw a big difference. There's no denying Carnival is near the bottom of the barrel, lets face it.

RCI is not in the same class as Carnival. Carnival is the Red Neck Riviera with Golden Corral food. RCI, used to be in the same class as Princess based on my previous cruising experience on both lines and while we can call them budget line, they certainly don't price like they're budget line. They have separated themselves from Princess in terms of quality.

I think you have a point and I agree that that is where they slot in now but my experience in the past has been that Princess and RCI were more alike than they were different other than the pool activities of course. The differences now seem more stark than they were even 3 years ago when we were on our last RCI cruise on the Adventure. Don't get me wrong, we had a great cruise on the Liberty but given this is our first post-covid cruise I couldn't help but notice that Princess took a step forward and RCI (at least in their food and cabins) took a step back.

In November/December we did two great cruises, one on the Liberty of the Seas and another on the Sky Princess, I thought it would be a decent idea to compare the two to see how they match up and to see what differences there are now that cruising seems to be back 100%. These two cruises are really our first real cruise since COVID. While we did a 3 day last year, things were so different then. So this is a post-COVID, "cruising-is-back review for real" review. So here goes. About us: We have 32 cruises under our belts and are Diamond on RCI and Platinum on Princess Embarkation/Disembarkation: Embarkation was equally fast and efficient on both lines and we found ourselves on both ships PDQ. In fact, we were early enough that the buffet barely had a chance to open. Disembarkation: I have to give to Princess. They had facial recognition equipment and we literally walked right through like nobody was there once we had our facial recognition complete. Verdict: Princess Ship amenities: This one might be a bit subjective because the lines seem to have separated themselves a bit and what appeals to me might not to others. RCI has the Royal Promenade (why more lines don’t do this is a mystery), wave runner, slides and lots of activity around the pool. On the other hand, I’m in my early 60’s DW is late 50’s and we know those things bring kids, loads of kids, and its not something we're into now. Princess has the Piazza, a wonderful pool deck with lots of places where you can peacefully lie out, the Retreat pool for adults and even an upscale area called the Sanctuary. So for me to compare the both ships might be a bit unfair but I have to do it based on what appeals to me. Verdict: Princess Room: This is where I start to notice the separation of the two lines. Liberty beds were hard and uncomfortable and yes I used the word “beds” because it was a common complaint that I heard all week. Princess beds are a dream. Comfortable, cozy and a joy to sleep on. The rooms are similar to RCI but the TV offering is definitely better on Princess and the TVs are larger too. Verdict: Princess Food: Again, an area noticeable for its difference. There simply is no comparison in food on Princess and RCI. Don’t get me wrong, the food on RCI was good but Princess? The dinners and desserts were knock your socks off good and this is not a subjective comparison its the absolute truth. Its not close folks. Princess has made a conscious decision to be more upscale and to appeal to middle aged folks like us and it is noticeable. Nowhere was the difference more stark than in Chops. We’re used to seeing exceptional service in Chops with great steaks and wonderful desserts. The night we were there, I found the service slow and the offerings disappointing. Never have I been to a steakhouse where they didn’t have mushrooms but in Chops they didn’t have them. No more mushroom soup either which many people enjoy. The desserts seemed lack lustre as well. Typically the desserts are the topper to a great meal but they simply were not good. Cost cutting gone wild? We had several meals in the MDR on Princess that were miles ahead of Chops. I likely wouldn’t go back to Chops until they clean up their act. Verdict: Princess by a mile Service: This one was close but I’ll give the nod to Princess. Both of our waiters in the MDR were good – no complaints whatsoever but again, the Princess service in the MDR was noticeably better and our waiter really knew the menus and what to recommend. I think part of the reason I feel this way was the general ambience of the MDR as well. On Princess people were dressed nicely for dinner (business casual to suits and dresses) while on RCI we saw lots of shorts, flip flops and so on. Not that I have a problem with that because I don’t, but I think it just shows the separation of Princess from RCI and NCL for example. Room attendants on both ships were very good. Verdict: Princess Theatre shows: Both lines do a good job here and RCI seems to be a bit better but otoh, Princess had more comedians and did more shows in side lounges that were pretty good. This one is a bit unfair to compare because the Princess cruise was 7 days while Liberty was only 4 so I’ll give it a tie. Verdict: Tie Internet: Internet was slow on both ships but Liberty was so slow that had I not got it free because of our diamond level, I would have asked for my money back. Also both lines block many apps which is annoying. Verdict: Tie Drink packages: Offerings were similarly good, we got 4 free drinks a day on RCI which is nice and I thought both ships did a decent job of varying their offerings. Verdict: Tie Overall impression: We had a great time on both ships and I’d go back on either today with no hesitation but it is readily apparent that Princess has decided to upscale their cruise experience and separate themselves from the pack. Really, it boils down to this: if food and service are your main concerns and you want a comfortable bed then Princess is your choice. If you want water slides, have kids and are more into a hit and run dinner with 3 star food quality, then RCI is your choice. If I had to pick one over the other, it wouldn't be a contest. Sky Princess would be my choice.

In November/December we did two great cruises, one on the Liberty of the Seas and another on the Sky Princess, I thought it would be a decent idea to compare the two to see how they match up and to see what differences there are now that cruising seems to be back 100%. These two cruises are really our first real cruise since COVID. While we did a 3 day last year, things were so different then. So this is a post-COVID, "cruising-is-back review for real" review. So here goes. About us: We have 32 cruises under our belts and are Diamond on RCI and Platinum on Princess Embarkation/Disembarkation: Embarkation was equally fast and efficient on both lines and we found ourselves on both ships PDQ. In fact, we were early enough that the buffet barely had a chance to open. Disembarkation: I have to give to Princess. They had facial recognition equipment and we literally walked right through like nobody was there once we had our facial recognition complete. Verdict: Princess Ship amenities: This one might be a bit subjective because the lines seem to have separated themselves a bit and what appeals to me might not to others. RCI has the Royal Promenade (why more lines don’t do this is a mystery), wave runner, slides and lots of activity around the pool. On the other hand, I’m in my early 60’s DW is late 50’s and we know those things bring kids, loads of kids, and its not something we're into now. Princess has the Piazza, a wonderful pool deck with lots of places where you can peacefully lie out, the Retreat pool for adults and even an upscale area called the Sanctuary. So for me to compare the both ships might be a bit unfair but I have to do it based on what appeals to me. Verdict: Princess Room: This is where I start to notice the separation of the two lines. Liberty beds were hard and uncomfortable and yes I used the word “beds” because it was a common complaint that I heard all week. Princess beds are a dream. Comfortable, cozy and a joy to sleep on. The rooms are similar to RCI but the TV offering is definitely better on Princess and the TVs are larger too. Verdict: Princess Food: Again, an area noticeable for its difference. There simply is no comparison in food on Princess and RCI. Don’t get me wrong, the food on RCI was good but Princess? The dinners and desserts were knock your socks off good and this is not a subjective comparison its the absolute truth. Its not close folks. Princess has made a conscious decision to be more upscale and to appeal to middle aged folks like us and it is noticeable. Nowhere was the difference more stark than in Chops. We’re used to seeing exceptional service in Chops with great steaks and wonderful desserts. The night we were there, I found the service slow and the offerings disappointing. Never have I been to a steakhouse where they didn’t have mushrooms but in Chops they didn’t have them. No more mushroom soup either which many people enjoy. The desserts seemed lack lustre as well. Typically the desserts are the topper to a great meal but they simply were not good. Cost cutting gone wild? We had several meals in the MDR on Princess that were miles ahead of Chops. I likely wouldn’t go back to Chops until they clean up their act. Verdict: Princess by a mile Service: This one was close but I’ll give the nod to Princess. Both of our waiters in the MDR were good – no complaints whatsoever but again, the Princess service in the MDR was noticeably better and our waiter really knew the menus and what to recommend. I think part of the reason I feel this way was the general ambience of the MDR as well. On Princess people were dressed nicely for dinner (business casual to suits and dresses) while on RCI we saw lots of shorts, flip flops and so on. Not that I have a problem with that because I don’t, but I think it just shows the separation of Princess from RCI and NCL for example. Room attendants on both ships were very good. Verdict: Princess Theatre shows: Both lines do a good job here and RCI seems to be a bit better but otoh, Princess had more comedians and did more shows in side lounges that were pretty good. This one is a bit unfair to compare because the Princess cruise was 7 days while Liberty was only 4 so I’ll give it a tie. Verdict: Tie Internet: Internet was slow on both ships but Liberty was so slow that had I not got it free because of our diamond level, I would have asked for my money back. Also both lines block many apps which is annoying. Verdict: Tie Drink packages: Offerings were similarly good, we got 4 free drinks a day on RCI which is nice and I thought both ships did a decent job of varying their offerings. Verdict: Tie Overall impression: We had a great time on both ships and I’d go back on either today with no hesitation but it is readily apparent that Princess has decided to upscale their cruise experience and separate themselves from the pack. Really, it boils down to this: if food and service are your main concerns and you want a comfortable bed then Princess is your choice. If you want water slides, have kids and are more into a hit and run dinner with 3 star food quality, then RCI is your choice. If I had to pick one over the other, it wouldn't be a contest. Sky Princess would be my choice.

We're in our early 60's/late 50's. For years we cruised on our favoured line, RCI. I like the layout of the Royal Promenade, the pool decks, their shows, Chops and of course the service has always been quite good. But something changed with us in our early 50's when we started sampling other lines. We tried HAL, too old and quiet although the food and service were impeccable. Tried NCL's bigger ships. Noise, blaring music everywhere it seemed, crowded pool decks with too much crammed into an area too small, although they do know how to do My Time Dining better than anyone. Then we tried Princess. Great food, beautiful ships, a nice quiet pool deck where getting a deck chair is not a battle, beautiful beds - this was and is the line for us. Recently we came off the Liberty of the Seas (last week in fact). Our son and his fiancee and her parents booked it last year and we thought, why not, lets jump on and get to know each other. We had a good time, no question, but we both came off convinced that Princess is still the line for us. There wasn't anything really wrong with the Liberty but 600 kids, wave runners and slides are not on our bucket list of things to enjoy while taking a vacation. Admittedly, I did do the wave runner 🙂. On our last sea day I went up on the pool deck looking for a chair and the pool deck was a zoo. Kids running all over the place, hairy leg contest, belly flop contest - just not something that I care about anymore. Next week we'll be on the Sky and our daughter and her husband are joining us, they're both in their late 30's, no kids and its going to be interesting to see how they enjoy Princess. They're not into water slides, wave runners, bumper cars - they prefer a more dialed back experience with good food but having only cruised on RCI, it will be interesting to get their take on Princess once its over. Once we do come off, I'm going to do a side-by-side comparison of both the Liberty and Sky and post a review on both boards.

We got 2 days free last week on the Liberty. Had I paid for it, I would have asked for my money back. It was worse than dial up.

If the speed is anything like it was on the Liberty of the Seas - dont waste your money.

There was no roll call for that cruise, at least last time I checked.

Two of our party of six have tested positive. We disembarked the ship last Friday, the 11th, one person tested positive Sunday the 13th, and another this morning the 16th. I suspect the first person to test positive gave it to the second person since we were in close contact after the cruise but its obvious the first case was in contact while they were on the ship given the incubation period of Omicron. Not complaining btw, just curious. I know the chance we take going on a cruise and I'm ok with it. So far symptoms are no worse than a bad head cold. Not a big deal.

They had sauteed mushrooms in the MDR, fwiw. Makes even less sense that they dont have them in chops.

Just came off a 4 day Liberty cruise. It was supposed to go to Nassau and Coco Cay but instead went to Puerto Plata. Fine by me, weather was great all 4 days so well done to RCI. Much appreciated. Overall it was a fun cruise with few hiccups. I found the bed hard and our traveling partners each reported the same. Our room steward was able to put something on the mattress to make it better but I'd say by the looks of things, ther beds need some serious attention on this ship. The only other odd thing we found was during our visit to Chops. They had no mushrooms and no mushroom soup? WTH RCI? Seriously? That's like a hamburger joint not serving fries with their burgers. This make so sense whatsoever. Did Elon Musk buy RCI when I wasn't looking? Anyway - great cruise, weather was perfect, crew exceptional, loads of fun by everyone and food was good so no complaints.

We'll be in Coco Cay next Thursday and all we want is a nice spot with a chair and umbrella so we can relax near the water for the day. Where would be the best spot for that? Are there lots of chairs and umbrellas for use?

If you take one of the shuttles over to the beach area by Front Street, you get off at the main pier. His spot is to the right of that main pier/shopping spot, halfway down the beach - orange umbrellas. Nobody messes with Miguel btw. When you're heading down to his place and people ask if you want one of their spots a simple "I've got a spot with Miguel" is enough to ward even the bravest of souls away. You get a simple "ok" back as a response and they leave you alone.