KCMiller

I saw on a review that there is a shuttle to and from a shopping center both before and after the cruise.  Can you take the shuttle to the ship with your luggage before the cruise, or do you have to have your luggage dropped off at the port first?  And does anyone know what shopping center it is?

TIA,

KC

They only match if your loyalty level is pretty high - I was denied.  Sad face!  That's what I get for trying several different cruise lines!

KC

Can someone share the online schedule for the Valiant Lady?  I found one link, but couldn't tell if it was for the Scarlet Lady or Valiant Lady.  

TIA,

KC

If my cruise is booked through my TA, do they need to make the cabin upgrade bid, or can I still click the link in the email I'm sent?  And I'm sailing with friends - is there any way to make sure that both cabins are upgraded?  Likely not, but maybe someone has done this?

And if you upgrade into a suite, do you still get all the Rockstar benefits?

thanks,

KC

I'd love to read the rest of this review!

KC

We've never sailed Virgin before, but we're really excited! My daughter and I are sailing on the April 2nd cruise, and I have (so far!) 2 questions.  In the balcony cabins, if you need the bed separated into 2 beds, I've read different things - do they just separate the beds so they're next to each other, or do they put them in a kind of 'L' shaped configuration?  And is there smoking allowed in the casino?

thanks much,

KC

I'm on a ten day cruise soon, leaving from NYC and going to Newport, Charleston and Bermuda.  This is my first New England cruise, and I'd love some advice on what to wear - I don't have a good idea of how cold it gets at sea in May.  Packing for this one is sure different from going to the Caribbean!  I think I'm going to leave most of my sun dresses behind!

TIA for the advice,

KC

My son and his brand new wife are on this cruise - they're moving to Europe, and this is how they are getting there!  It's Grace's first cruise, although Jack has been on several.  It looks like this is going to be a great honeymoon!

KC

Everyone who enters must have a ticket - our understanding is that they are not making any exceptions.  But honestly, sitting watching people wait on line to slide down a slide doesn't really sound like much fun to me - I would suggest setting up a home base by the pool or beach.  By the way, there are beach wheelchairs on the island which are free to use, if that would be helpful.

We just did this excursion last week.  You book driver and passenger separately in the planner.  By the way, this is a FAST excursion - meaning they expect you to drive FAST.  My adult daughter was all excited to drive, then when we got out there, and they led off, and they were going maybe 40 MPH, it was pretty scary, and we ended up going back to the dock with an escort and missing the rest of the tour - no refund, either, although she was too embarrassed to ask for one, anyway 😉.

KC

I have a Verizon Jetpack, which is a standalone mobile hotspot.  If I bring that with me and purchase the one device plan, can I connect more than one device?  

I have a question - we had reserved a beach bed on South Beach, but today in my cruise planner, it was changed to Breezy Bay at Chill Island.  From the map posted here, it looks like there are overwater cabanas in that area as well as the new ones at the Beach Club - is that accurate?  And if so, would you say the beach beds were in a good location?

thanks much,

KC

Are there overwater cabanas on Breezy Bay?  I thought the only overwater cabanas were the ones they just built on South Beach, but the map above seems to show them.  

I know they have several beach wheelchairs for use on Coco Cay, but I seem to recall seeing a photo of a beach stroller that looked like a jogging stroller right next to a line of beach wheelchairs.  Does anyone know for sure if they have those?  We'll be in port with our infant granddaughter, and I'd love to keep her every day stroller out of the sand, if possible.

thanks,

KC

I cruise with the OSU Buckeye Cruise for Cancer, so it's a full ship charter.  Obviously (it being a fundraiser for the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State), no smoking of any kind is allowed anywhere inside, even in the casino (and it was SO nice!), but to accommodate those few people onboard who are still smokers, they did create a very nice smoking area at the far end of a deck (I can't remember which one, but it was very private), and there were chairs and a bar, and it was under cover.  So a nice outdoor designated area CAN be created - they just choose not to.  By the way, the casino was packed every night!

We just got off a charter on Independence of the Seas.  The charter didn't allow smoking anywhere inside on the ship (Buckeye Cruise for Cancer - fundraiser for cancer research, so yeah, smoking would be verboten!  There were also free sunscreen stations set up by the doors to the pool areas), and so the casino was smoke free.  It was packed every night.  The smoking area was limited to deck 4, port side - no where near an open pool area, deck 4 port side is just a long deck with seating.  They had a very nice seating area set up, comfortable chairs and tables, with a bar, which I thought was a very nice touch.  No one seemed to mind, the casino was busy, and the smokers had a pleasant and welcoming space.  It was a win/win, I think.  Of course, it was the charter rules, but I think a version of this would be a good thing for all cruise ships to aim towards - making interior spaces smoke free, but having a pleasant and attractive space designated on a deck for smokers, who deserve to be treated with respect.

Any way you can catch up to the cruise at the first port stop?  

Perhaps the OP is looking for recommendations from folks who have favorites near this hotel?  I know how to Google and navigate Trip Advisor and Yelp, but sometimes, I like to ask if anyone on the boards has specific recommendations.

We love to have lunch at Casanova's, which is a short walk from the tender piers.  Very authentic Italian, a lovely waterfront location, and some of the best Italian food we've ever had.  The service is always warm and friendly, and we are really looking forward to having lunch there in just a few weeks!

We're renting a car to drive up to Orlando after our cruise ports in Fort Lauderdale.  We'll need to get to the National Car Rental location out at FLL.  Welcoming all suggestions as to the best and most efficient way to get there - just the two of us and our suitcases.

thanks!

KC

We always stop for lunch at Casanova when we port in Grand Cayman - best Italian food we've had anywhere!  If salmon piccata (or any fresh fish piccata) is on the menu, you can't go wrong!

KC

3 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

I don't mean this to be snarky or facetious, but people often ask location of muster stations before going on a cruise.  I'm just curious, why does it matter?  It will be obvious on the ship, and the only way to change it is to change cabins.  Serious question, no offense meant. 

Sometimes people just want to know stuff - not to change things, not to find a way around things, just, you know, to know.  I think it's an interesting question, one I've never heard before.  

Whew!  Thanks much!

How accurate are the 'ships in port' websites?  Because I'm looking at the itinerary for my upcoming cruise which I got from RCCL which says that Independence of the Seas will be in Grand Cayman on 2/25/19, and I have looked at two different 'what ships are in port' websites, and they both say that only Brilliance of the Seas will be in port that day.  Before I freak out, any insight on why this would be the case?

TIA,

KC

If I book a 'non-VIP' beach day at Blue Lagoon, I know that I won't get a beach chair with an umbrella - but can I bring my own?  I have an umbrella that clips to my chair, and it's really not very large, it fits in my beach bag just fine.  I just don't want to pack it if they won't allow it.

thanks,

KC