lyrehc0521

I am thinking about this for my cruise next week.  Is the water the nice Caribbean blue?  In your second picture it's hard to tell.  I can see blue in the distance but it doesn't look it where the beach is.

We are on Freedom of the Seas.  When I pull up the trip in cruise planner, nothing shows up under Entertainment.  Do they not have itineraries available before the sail date?

I'm so sorry if some of these already have topics.  I scanned but couldn't see anything and I'm down to just 4 days.  If anyone has the answers to my questions, it would be greatly appreciated!

1. Internet - My daughter is going on this cruise with me and she needs internet to stay in touch with her boyfriend.  I don't need it, but would like it.  It says there is a savings if I pre-buy it now instead of onboard.  It looks like the cheapest package for one device is around $76, around $263 for two (which makes no sense).  Last year we sailed with Carnival and the rate was much cheaper and we purchased the plan onboard.  Do these prices sound right?  Is RCC more expensive than Carnival?  Should I wait or pre-buy?

2. Is there a way to view the daily activity sheets before boarding?  When can I make reservations for shows?  Do I have to wait to be onboard?

I know I have other questions but my brain isn't functioning right now.  I'm a bundle of nerves getting ready for this trip.  So again, my apologies if the answers are already somewhere on here.

Thanks Hank!!

I can't remember how long disembarking took during our January cruise but if our ship docks in San Juan at 6:00 am, am I safe to book a 3:35 pm flight?

My daughter and I are cruising out of San Juan on 1/6/19 and to play it safe we are planning to fly in on 1/5 and stay just one night. I've been researching non-stop and can't find a decent hotel for under $300/night. Once they add in taxes and resort fees it's closer to $400. I don't really care about night life or exploring San Juan. We just want to relax by a nice pool. Beachfront would be a plus but not required. Any suggestions?

Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort looks fantastic, but comes in at $352.

Barbados, Carlisle Bay, Boatyard.

I'm going to look into this but from what I've read so far, swimming with the turtles is something we need to do in Barbados. Do you agree? We did Stingray Alley in Grand Cayman and loved it. I assume it's along the same lines, but turtles?

TheSunsetGlow..THAT i my idea of a perfect beach! How gorgeous!! Thank you!

My daughter and I will be cruising on Freedom of the Seas from 1/6/19-1/13/19. I'm in the process of researching excursions but we want one day strictly dedicated to the beach. Best beach to me would be calm, clear water, sandy bottom, as little children as possible (so no blow up water toys needed). Not looking for any water related activities. Just want to park our rear ends, soak up sun and swim...but in the stereotypical Caribbean blue clear water. The ports we are stopping at are: St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Maarten. Obviously everyone has their own opinion but I'm curious as to which place has the most gorgeous beach.

Also, if there is an excursion at one of these stops that in your mind is a "must do," please let me know! Interested in any and all opinions.

Thank you!

Yep, I see 1/5. So the least expensive balconies are 6D. Personally most 7th deck balconies on this ship would drive me nuts in that you have a large protruding white canopy cover that covers the life boats right below you're cabin. You can't see straight down and it's definitely in view when you're on your cabin.

 

 

 

The image below is from another thread explaining specific cabins, however note the black arrow at cabin# 7584... that's the same white canopy cover towards the back of the ship with cabins 7640 & 7642. Look at your deck plans of the ship... all of the "indented" cabin locations will look down onto the white cover... the higher the deck the less effect it will have

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now note the picture below.... note the black arrow on deck 7. Any cabin forward of this arrow (and you have several on your list) are extremely large on deck and no white cover below you! The extend out quite a bit, but note that fellow cruisers on deck 8 can look down onto you as only half your cabin is under cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stayed in the black arrow cabin (7546) as well as the 8th deck red arrow (8542). Note the image below.... from 7546 sailing into Cannes. Note my view at the edge of the white cover compared to what that fellow cruiser about 10 cabins in would have with the white cover below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So having said the above, one of the daily and nightly joys of this ship is the Centrum glass elevators. Being center and aft also brings you closer to most things no the ship. I did not like the forward location of the stateroom and would prefer mid to aft. I see plenty of 6D cabins on deck 8 aft available to you at this time and would choose one of those in a heart beat compared to anything else you've posted so far. I see 8150 and 8648 as available. My second choice would be any of the forward cabins with the larger balconies.

 

 

 

Good luck!

You are amazing! Thank you for taking the time to put all that together.

I just got off the phone with RCI and they can offer me either room 8026 or 8638. Any thoughts on those? I’m not sure if the front or the rear of the shop is better?

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I just pulled up all 4 sailings for Jewel in Jan 2019, and all 4 of them have at ton of 6D balcony cabins. Where are you seeing only these 14 choices? What's your sailing date?

I have to sail on 1/6 (or 1/5, I can’t remember) to work around my daughter’s break from school. Looking to do southern Caribbean out of San Juan.

Thank you so much! I’m new at cruising and the things I have learned here are invaluable.

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I am trying to book a balcony room and there isn't much left. My choices are:

7640

7642

7158

7150

7520

7524

7514

8010

8014

8016

9000

9004

9006

9008

Do any of you have opinions about any of these cabins? My daughter and I just returned from our Carnival cruise and had an interior cabin, which we didn't mind at all. We loved the cruise so much I'm booking our second but I want to experience a balcony. Even though I'm looking at January, 2019, the list above is all that's left (without incurring an additional $188). I obviously need to book this soon. Would appreciate any help.

I was just on the Splendor Jan 6-14 and felt no ill effects from drinking the water. I did purchase 2 packs of water to keep in our room but we drank the tap water at dinner. Neither me nor my daughter got sick.

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I am flying into Fort Lauderdale airport on Saturday and cruising out of POM on Sunday. I reached out to Quality Limo Service for a quote and they replied they are not available. I also reached out to Jiffy Jet, who has informed me they have a minimum charge of $120. Looks like I'll be Ubering it.

Thank you so much everyone!

After reviewing some of the suggestions, I think I might need to lower my price. The taxes and resort fees can add to up well over $100 on top of the room price. The more I think about it, since we're going to be cruising for 8 days and our excursions are all beach related, we may not need something right on the beach in Fort Lauderdale.

I really need some help. I'm taking a cruise out of Miami with my daughter 1/7 to 1/14.

My plan is to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on 1/6 and stay overnight and head to Miami on 1/7.

When we return from the cruise on 1/14 I want to stay one night in Miami and head home on 1/15.

I've been searching all week for the best hotels on the beach, one in Fort Lauderdale for the night of 1/6 and one in Miami for the night of 1/14. We don't care about the party scene. My budget is about $300-$350/night. I would like a room with two double beds but if we had to we could share a king. I would love a hotel with a really nice pool. I have been searching non-stop for the past two days and every time I find something I think is in my price range, once the fees and taxes get added on it jumps to over $400/night. I just don't want to pay that.

I would appreciate any recommendations/suggestions! Worse case, the hotel in Miami doesn't have to be on the beach. I have a feeling that after 7 days at sea we're not going to really care. I have read through so many of these threads my head is pounding and I'm still getting nowhere.

Thanks again everyone!

Thank you Bob!

I am planning a cruise with my daughter (who just turned 21) in January, 2018. I have spent more time reading through all the information on here then I care to admit. It's all so overwhelming. Some background:

I have been on 2 cruises but at least 10 years ago. My daughter has been on 1 with her father.

I don't drink and my daughter, having just turned 21, might have a few but nothing excessive.

My daughter is in school and classes start back up on 1/20.

I'm willing to cruise out of any port in the US on the eastern coast.

I think I've narrowed it down to a 7 night western caribbean cruise on Carnival Splendor out of Miami, FL, stopping in Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany Bay and Grand Cayman.

I realize cruising is subjective but I was just wondering if this seems like a good choice based on what we're looking for. We're not high maintenance and really just want to relax and enjoy a gorgeous beach and weather. I really want to zip line and horseback ride on the beach and my daughter is interested in sloths and monkeys.

Appreciate any thoughts/comments/suggestions. Thank you!