Fred&Lily
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Posts posted by Fred&Lily
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This has been a really great thread. It goes to the heart of what upsets and bothers cruisers the most - lack of manners.
All the CC reviews for all cruise lines mention passenger behavior time after time. I've seen some pretty gross behavior on 19 cruises and I'd like to think that had I been anywhere near the table where the OP of this thread witnessed this incident I would have stepped in and dealt with the harasser. - Hey, I'm a hockey player and Canadian!
We all have to hide our little pet peeves and prejudices. Mine are flip-flops and wife-beater tank tops in the MDR. Tattoos anywhere, line jumpers, deplorable elevator etiquette, bad wheelchair drivers, stinky perfumes on old ladies, pool chair hogs and loud hard drinking Germans and Aussies! But like the rest of you on CC, I grit my teeth, mutter under my breath and raise my right eye-brow in a well pointed show of disapproval.
Alcohol is always blamed for most instances of bad behavior. But there is now an increasing awareness that medications and a whole group of mood altering drugs is causing insensitivity. Even people taking common pain medications such as acetaminophen loose social awareness and empathy. Could medications be the real cause of slipping manners?
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Captain Kate McCue was in command of the Summit last year when we were on board. Her 'brand' is humour and her not so serious self-deprecating jokes about woman drivers parking a ship were hilarious. When Summit was a few minutes late leaving a port she'd make jokes about hunting for the keys in her purse. I hope she climbs right to the top spot in her career at sea - presumably Admiral of the Fleet!
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With a dozen pre-cruise and post cruise stays in San Juan my recommendation is:
# 1 - Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort
# 2 - InterContinental Hotel
# 3 - Hilton's Embassy Suites Hotel Casino
Courtyard Marriott takes the top spot for their day-pass at $75 per couple. It includes luggage storage, showers, pool drinks, towels and change rooms with guest key etc.. solves a lot of problems when you have late afternoon flights out of SJU. And it's on the best beach.
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Less than 10 minutes, but there isn't much of a sidewalk. I was there a few days ago and it's just beyond the St.John's Crafts Market. BTW, it's still a lot easier to simply walk off the ship and ask the taxi guys to take you to Darkwood Beach which is easily the best beach in Antigua. A few bucks each way.
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Old San Juan is very easy to walk around even after dark. We like to stroll west along the Paseo de la Princesa to the fountain at the west end then stroll back. You have to do it Spanish style, arm-in-arm and dressed up a little with long pants and clean button shirt for DH, dress for DW while the teen girls wear heels and mini-skirts - it's basically an old tradition of the evening promenade.
The old ladies walk with their families too and often people are singing and dancing at a bandstand near the water.
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Just walk from the cruise ship to the West End Bus Station which is close to the fish market. Take Bus 17 to English Harbour / Nelsons Dock. Some of the beaches can be easily reached by bus. Use this guide http://caribya.com/antigua/buses/
and don't be afraid to ask the ladies who hang around the depot which bus is number 17 - those women around the market love to know everybody's business but are a little hard to understand. Last time there I simply took a random bus that went along the south coast road and back.
Leave yourself time to go into the market near the port and find the stalls that sell art. If you buy a painting have it rolled up in paper and when you get home get it stretched and framed... Antigua seems to have the best Caribbean artists for some reason.
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The bus stop is at the end of the arrivals upper deck just beyond the doors to the SJU Airport Hotel.
Follow the airport workers who all seem to be waiting there and be sure to tell the driver where you want to go
as you could be on the wrong bus - I recall two different routes.
One time we didn't have exact change and the driver said get on anyway....
Another time we passed our stop and everybody on the bus yelled for the bus to stop!
The bus along Isla Verde Ave and Ashford Ave are a great way to get back and forth to Old San Juan but your first trip from the airport to the Embassy Suites (one of our favorite hotels) should be by taxi because they don't recommend carrying luggage on the bus. I have seen pilots and crew with small carry-on cases take the bus though!
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Just got two nights at the InterContinental Hotel on the Isla Verde beach from Hotwire Express Secret Deal 40% Off.
The nights are January 15 - 17 , 2019 a Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Jan 17th Celebrity Summit 12 day cruise.
The tip-off was 4 star, 90% Favorite, 3041 Reviews and by scrolling through all the 4 star's Hotwire had listed the InterContinental identified at a much higher price elsewhere with 3041 Reviews.
$287 CDN / night reduced from $475 CDN / night
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Yes, I know London well. Play senior hockey over at Western Fair Sports three mornings a week. I saw your pickle ball comment (Reflection) and really laughed. We have 8 new pickle ball courts at Pinafore Park and one of the big complaints is about all the Londoners coming down to St.Thomas and taking over the leagues.
We also dance with the London Ballroom Dance Club at the Polish Club and at UWO.
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I'm looking at the opposite problem. Booked on Summit for Jan 17 - 29, 2019 and have seen warnings that everything in stores and supplies runs down before a ship goes into dry dock.
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1 hour ago, oceangoer2 said:
Haha...sounds like us.
And we're from St.Thomas, ON.
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Grab an Uber or Taxi and go to Hollywood Beach. Rent some bicycles or a surrey which seats four and ride along the boardwalk all the way to North Miami Beach and back. The problem with the water taxi idea is that when you get off at a stop it can be an hour or more until the next water taxi comes along.
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I usually cruise with two jackets. One linen and one seersucker and while it might just be my age (67) I feel a jacket is appropriate after 6 pm. Okay, the real reason is DW doesn't carry a purse or clutch on board the ship so I carry all her "stuff" in my pockets. Also, she doesn't bother with a sweater or wrap, so guess what she puts over her shoulder if it's too chilly in the theatre... I'll spare you the sorry woe of who has to carry her extra pairs of shoes in their luggage.
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I've left reviews in TripAdvisor under the name Fred. The Courtyard Marriott is a lovely hotel / beach resort. It's only drawback is the rather long walk going west past the Ritz-Carlton and various condos to get to the interesting restaurants which start approximately opposite the Hampton Suites. The neighborhood is safe and I had no problem walking alone at 4 am to the Denny's for a snack. It is a bit pricey but we've used it pre-cruise and post-cruise several times. I actually prefer the Emabssy Suites but it's closed right now also the other Marriott (Stellaris) on Condado is a bit livelier but Courtyard Marriott on Isla Verde is generally excellent.
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I'm just back from 11 days in the southern Caribbean, which included Barbados, Grenada, St.Lucia and four nights in Puerto Rico. Not a single mosquito to be seen or heard.
BTW, a few bee stings, spider bites and mosquito probes etc.. can be beneficial to your immune system!
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We rode on the trolley Monday (January 22) but the fort was closed due to the government shutdown.
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A very reliable Canadian founded charity is right at the west end of the Avenue Princessa below the walls of the city.
It feeds all the stray cats, neuters them and generally looks after their well being. There is a donation box and a couple of golf carts that go around checking water and food at various places around the sea-wall.
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Last Monday Jan -22 we found few places open around the port in the morning but a local recommended we walk up to VSJ Cuatro Sombras Torrefacc which was next the First Bank - 259 C/Recinto Sur Anx 1A.
Cafe Americano and Croissant with guava butter $5. Smoked salmon sandwich with avocado $10.25 and the Mezcla sandwich was $3.95 - also with avocado.
Clean bathrooms and busy with early morning office workers - all on their cell phones. Very pleasant.
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There is a good side street thet reaches the beach just beside the Intercontinental Hotel. There is also a public beach with parking just to the east of the Courtyard Marriott. I was on the beach at various times between Jan 20 and yesterday - Jan 23, and it's in good shape, though many palm trees are a little thin on top.
The official Beach Patrol who ride up and down on ATV vehicles are a bunch of corrupt bullies who march into the Courtyard Marriott about four or five times daily and get free food and drink from the Banana Juice Bar - pushing their way ahead of paying guests and treating the servers with disrespect and outright arrogance. I complained at the desk several times and was told nothing could be done because they were "government". My TripAdvisor review will have more to say on the matter.
The signature Hilton El San Juan is totally closed as well as the Ritz-Carlton and the Embassy Suites. The Verdanza is only being used by FEMA. Yesterday morning early I was the only person on the Isla Verde Beach at about 9 am - I'm talking quarter mile in both directions. Saturday and Sunday were busy with all the Puerto Rican families on the beach. Monday was semi-busy probably because of the government shutdown.
The taxi cabs are plentiful and the T5 bus along Ashford Drive and Isla Verde still busy. I used the bus twice to get to OSJ - it's .35 cents exact change and bounces along the route about every 20 minutes.
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We're booked for three nights post-cruise stay Jan 20 at $208/night (before resort fees and taxes are added in). We've been here twice before on pre-cruise and post-cruise stays for $99/night using that site where you don't know what you got until after it's booked and paid.
Hint: Use Hotxxxx.com and ask for 3 star or better in ZipCode 00979
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Another from London here..... we've used Spirit Flight 801 from DTW to SJU many times which has a very high reliability rating and is usually half the price found on Delta and A/A.
However, if you have long legs, definitely go with JetBlue which gives you 34" leg room compared to 28" on Spirit.
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We're Canadian and just trying to get warm. Done 15 Caribbean cruises, although Florida is nice in April when the snowbirds start flying home and the prices get back to normal.
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Yes, that is a Rooster and thanks for letting me know you hit the Google sign in wall. That might be the problem I'm having posting pictures. My share properties don't work and Google Photo Albums just suck!
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Dance Instructors on MSC DIvina
in MSC Cruises
Posted
I thought you were asking about Alex and Erin who were on the MSC Seaside
maiden voyage from Trieste to Miami. Currently performing at festivals in Ontario.
www.pointetango.com
Spectacular dancers and I wish they would come back to MSC.