mjyanne

Once on board you do get a discount coupon, but it has been my experience that with the coupon, going direct was cheaper.

You CAN apply the coupon even if you prepay. I usually prepay as many things as possible before the cruise so it's all paid for before we go. Usually (not always) there is a slight discount if you pre purchase.

We have used this twice and it is a great value. Make sure you hit ALL the spots where they are taking pictures to get the most value (they usually have between 4 and 6 locations each evening). Get your picture taken when you depart the ship (get off for the pic even if you don't plan to go into port). Also, whenever you see a photographer ask them to take you picture. And by all means if you see a hardcopy that is NOT in your electronic account ask them to add it. No problem there either.

Finally, if there is a C&A coupon (I know there is for D+ and Pinnacle) it IS good for 10% off a Digital Photo Package even if you pre order through the MyCruisePhotos.com PRIOR to sailing. It is CLEARLY bolded on the coupon. Don't let anyone tell you you can't use it. We argued with the manager as he said they had not seen this used for prior purchases and they were confused about how to apply the refund. They ended up refunding our prior purchase and charged our seapass card with the discount applied. Hopefully, they have figured this out (we sailed in early January on Independence).

All in all a GREAT value if you plan to buy pictures anyway.

I talked a little bit about the food in post #28, it was good, not great. I guess I was a lil underwhelmed. But it was still good.

 

Our attendant was great, always willing to get us what ever we wanted, drinks, call for the golf carts etc. Like I said before our towels didn't arrive til after lunch, they actually come from the ship, so when we didn't have any he went and found out where they were etc... I know there are other posts out there about tipping, but please tip these guys, they work hard and will do just about anything for you.:o

I agree about the "cabana boy". He was excellent. He was always there when we needed something. He guarded our table while we waited in line to get lunch. We wanted pics from the ships photographers but they never quite made it to our area (they cruise the water taking candid shots). I left the cabana to try to find one of them and the attendant asked what I needed. When I told him he said he would go and find one for us. He came back about 10 minutes later with TWO ships photographers (we figured one was in training). Since we had purchased the ALL inclusive picture CD we wanted as many ships pictures as we could get and they took about 6 pics of us which all came out great. I will try to upload a few later.

All I can say is he earned his tip and then some.

So for anyone that is wondering, no you cant reserve any specific one on the ship, they may be assigned beforehand or at the time you get there. Who knows, the best bet is to be polite, ask the concierge when you get to Barefoot beach and hopefully you get the one you want. The numbering system is way different than what I thought it would be so here is the numbering of the cabanas on Nellie's Beach. This is from our cabana attendent.

 

#1 is the one I didn't want but would be good for families with very young kids.

 

Again we had #7 and #8

 

Another perspective with #1 and #2 showing placement

 

From the water #7

 

From the water #5 and #6 which I think would be the 2 best cabanas but there is a ladder that goes to the water so may not be ideal for some. 7 and 8 the steps actually go into the water.

In October we had #3. On this sailing we had #6. It was AWESOME. The water level at #3 is too deep to stand. #6 is chest deep for about 30 yards (at least). And #6 is pretty secluded as well. Loved it! Definitely made up for getting into Labadee late (and all aboard was 4:30).

We just booked on the 4/11/10 W. Caribbean! Very excited :-) I've been reading through this thread, but it is insanely long!!! A couple of questions:

 

1. When you come onboard with carry-on luggage will they let you sneak into room and drop off luggage? On NCL they had the doors to the hallways closed until they were finished. (NO - Usually cabins are not available until 1 or 2 pm)

2. Do all rooms have mini-fridges? We have a D1 balcony. (I believe all cabins do but I know D1 cabins do have the mini-fridges)

 

3. When you get on the first day can you somehow get tickets to the ice show and tickets to do ice skating right away? (Tickets to the Ice Show will be available later in the week. The Ice Rink will be available for skating on various days but not on Embarkation Day. Don't forget to bring long pants if you plan to skate.)

 

4. Can you wait until the same day to make reservations to Chops/Portofino? (Yes. Some time slots may be booked but you should have little trouble getting a table)

 

5. Johnny Rockets: I see that there is a service charge ($4.95, right?)....do you pay that charge + the food? Are the food prices similar to what is on land? (ALL Food is included in the $4.95 price (this is supposed to also include the gratuity). Drinks are additional)

 

6. What kinds of shops are in the promenade? Is it all just the cheesy duty free stuff? Or are there actually good brand stuff? (Don't know about Liberty but on other ships I have never been overly impressed with what is available in the shops on board. Somewhere between cheesy and good would be my opinion).

 

7. How do you get the stewards to change the sheets mid-week? Just ask, or will they automatically do that? (Just ask, that way you know it is done.)

 

8. In room entertainment: I have read that they have disabled the inputs on the TV....but do they have like pay-per-view (like hotels) in the room? (Yes you can purchase movies in your stateroom)

 

Phew sorry! I think that is it right now :-)

See comments in Red.

I am sorry that you cannot dive because it is (as you know) so much fun. And you are right, people should be safe and get cleared by a doctor before attempting to get certified.

 

Like your DW, I dive with my son and it is such a wonderful experience to share. Living in central Ohio, there are not many places to dive and I wish I could do more. My son is far more advanced than me, having earned his Stress & Rescue certification too. He also does a lot of local quarry diving with his Dad. I hate to be such a 'girl' about it, but I cannot push myself to quarry dive. The water just looks so muddy and dirty to me. And I dont know if I could EVER muster enough courage to shark dive...kudos to your DW and DS.

I wouldn't say not liking quarry diving is "girlie". MY DW and DS both don't care for the local quarry for the same reasons you mentioned. There is another quarry a couple of hours from us that appears to be clearer and has more "stuff" to see. They may make a trip there.

I also agree about the shark thing. I think they're nuts but they absolutely loved it.

WOW...all of that and a vacation squeezed into a week! Seems like a lot of important information to swallow in a short period of time. Me personally, I would hate to spend money on a cruise and then be tied to to a schedule of lessons and tests but to each their own. I still agree with many of the previous posters, I would strongly urge people to get certified before their vacation.

 

Not sure how we would 'go over' specific skills online from your log book, but thanks for the invite. Congratulations on your certification. Happy cruising and safe diving!

It is the same (PADI) course and time requirements that you incur on land. In 2005, I talked my DW and DS into getting their certification on our cruise (since we were going often enough and they really wanted to do it). We factored time into our schedule and actually made it part of the vacation. Since then, my DW has established a very good relationship with 2 local dive shops. They each have 45 and 46 dives repectively (includes 2 shark dives). I even made them do the refresher course 6 months after their certification so I would be comfortable that they had retained the basic skills and info. They also have added a couple of additional certifications and are looking to add even more. It has turned into a great hobby for both of them.

I would love to dive but for medical reasons I cannot.

I strongly recommend that anyone considering doing any type of diving that they consult their doctor and get the PADI medical form signed as cleared to dive. It will certainly save a lot of hassle at some dive locations.

Just returned from the Serenade of the Seas (Mar 17 - 22). We pre booked the Captain Morgan's Sailing Adventure (4 ½ hour excursion; $82/person). The description provided is “Join Capt. Serge and his professional crew on this traditional sailing experience around the Southern coast of St. Maarten. A BBQ lunch and time for swimming and snorkeling will be available on this exclusive sailing adventure. Minimum age to participate is 3 years old. Capt. Serge and his professional crew will take you to experience traditional sailing, on a discovery of the beautiful southern coast of the island. You'll see Cay Bay, Simpson Bay, and Maho. Also enjoy sailing to Baie Longue, one of the island’s most beautiful and peaceful white sand beaches, where you will anchor for BBQ lunch and swimming or snorkeling (snorkeling equipment provided). Baie Longue offers total tranquility and with this stunning backdrop everybody can ‘de-compress’ with the occasional dip in the crystal waters and regular visits to the floating bar. If your goal is simply to relax and do as little as possible, you can recline in comfort on Capt. Morgan’s large on-deck sun lounges while sipping the special rum punch and soaking up the sunshine listening to the wonderful Caribbean music. Then you set sail and head back to Philipsburg being pushed along by the trade winds. Relaxing music, a complimentary bar and a tropical fruit salad gets you back to the cruise ship pier. Captain Morgan is not as big as the party boats. Leaving the crowds behind you, Capt. Morgan welcomes a maximum of 20 passengers to ensure an ambiance of private luxury. That leaves plenty of room on the deck with spots of shade and lots of sun. All cruises on Capt. Morgan are staffed by a friendly crew who will accompany you throughout your tour and treat you to fabulous service.” There were 20 of us on this excursion as well. In my opinion, 20 people is too many for this boat as there is really not enough seating and really no place to lounge on the boat (except for a small cushioned area that will accommodate maybe 4 people max (2 sitting and 2 laying down). This was definitely more of a relaxed sailing and we definitely felt the waves and rough water as we sailed towards the French side of St Maarten. Don’t get me wrong, it was a nice sail but if you are susceptible to seasickness you may want to reconsider this excursion (we actually had one person who spent the last 30 minutes of the trip “feeding the fish” from the French side to the Dutch side of the island). Once we got to Baie Longue, we anchored, swam, and snorkeled (not a great snorkeling site) (snorkeling gear, noodles and waist belts were provided). The water was calm, clear and cool in places. While we swam, lunch was prepared and after 30 minutes or so, we returned to the boat for a very good chicken lunch accompanied by a delicious potato salad and green salad. Scrapes were fed to the few fish that were in the area. Overall, a nice day and nice excursion. Having done it once, don’t think I would do it again but if you are looking for relaxing sail this would fit the bill.

I just came back from AoS and did the COSOL tour. Worth every penny. I think the advice given by otehrs is on target. The volcano and waterfall may be a bit of a challenge but everything would be doable. The beach would be no problem and most of the scenic stops involve little walking. Cosol will do everything he can to make this enjoyable. He cares about his guests (other taxi drivers could take lessons from him) and wants to ensure they have a good time.

I would book this tour again without question.