OCVTSGIRL

What is an AARP RCCL certificate?  I never heard of this so I'm curious.  Thanks!

21 hours ago, camper51 said:

Us too!  We are celebrating our 25th Anniversary.  We spent this morning watching a bunch of you tube videos on the various beaches and excursions.  We wanted to book something through the ship as we have never been there and wanted to be safe.  We chose the Mayan Princess Resort - all inclusive.  The beach, water and pool all look amazing.  Are you on the cruise that departs Sept 28th?

We are on the September 14th cruise.

Thanks everybody for your suggestions!

We are sailing on Symphony in September and one of our stops is Roatan, Honduras.  We have never been there and we were wondering if anybody has done excursions and what if any you would recommend?  

1 hour ago, Steven_&_Daniel said:

Not trying to hijack the thread but have a quick towel-related question...

 

We're booked for our first RCCI cruise and wondered if anyone uses those clips for holding towels on deck chairs? I've never had them, but have seen them and sometimes wished I had some.  Thanks!

We never have but our last cruise which was about a month ago on the Brilliance, we saw lots of people with them.  It got me to thinking that it was a really good idea and I may have to buy them before our next cruise.  Lots of times its windy by the pool and those clips would be a big help.

1 hour ago, JohninDC said:

Uber X or standard Lyft should easily hold you and your bags and will take you straight to your hotel. No need to fight traffic, gas up the car, drop off, shuttle to the hotel, etc.

 

Or cancel your hotel and stay close to FLL.  Then you can Uber straight to POM or use one of the popular shuttles for about $15 per person.  Check SAS, QLS, MJS, and Go Airport.

Thanks!  We booked the hotel in Miami so in the morning we would just take their shuttle to the pier and not have to possibly get stuck in traffic traveling from Ft. Lauderdale to the POM.  I think we'll probably just stick with our hotel and do Uber or Lyft.  Is UberX different from Uber?  We've never done Uber or Lyft.

On 3/19/2019 at 8:31 AM, BSocial said:

 

Had extended family on LIBERTY last week.  

 

On the last sea day at the pool, we noticed staff proactively pick up unused towels from a whole line of loungers in front of us.  

 

May have been an isolated case, but nice to see (well, not so much for the chair hogs who now had lost towel charges). 

How long were the towels on the lounges before they were picked up?  When my husband and I go to the pool, we just put the towels (still folded) on the chair and then go in the pool.  What if staff sees them and grabs them thinking we are chair hogs?  

We are staying at the Comfort Suites Airport North.  Unless I can find a better deal.  We've never done Uber or Lyft and I wasn't sure what the cost would be and if it would be cheaper to just rent a car.  I thought Uber or Lyft charged per person not per car.  If it is only $45-$40 for the car, that would definitely be cheaper that renting.  We really don't care about driving around especially since we don't get into Ft. Lauderdale until around 4:00.  There will be 2 of us with probably 2 pieces of luggage and maybe a carry on.  

We are cruising out of POM in September but we fly into Ft. Lauderdale.  We have a hotel booked in Miami and have been trying to decide the best option to get there from FLL.  I've been wondering if it might be cheaper to just rent a car at FLL and drive ourselves to the hotel in Miami and then return the car the morning of our cruise.  Wondering if any of the car rental companies offer a free shuttle to the pier.  Our hotel does offer a free shuttle to the pier so perhaps a rental car isn't the way to go.  I'm so confused.  lol  Maybe we should get a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale and return the car in Miami.  Haven't done a rental car in a really long time but when we did, we always used Alamo.  Any help would be appreciated.

We are sailing out of Miami in September and got a room at Comfort Suites Miami Airport North.  They have free shuttle from the airport and also to the pier.  The total cost for the 2 of us is $100.  Not sure what the cost would be when you are sailing but it may be worth it to check them out.

15 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Ah.... I see on their website that they do offer the shuttle to the port; that’s pretty handy!  We just made our way to McDonalds a little further down the road.  It’s a very easy walk. Me, I kind of like Quarter Pounders with cheese and my wife has a soft spot for chicken nuggets!  We caught up on our cuisine while on the ship.

Thanks for your input.  We're okay with McDonalds...we have 3 grandchildren who think McDonald's is gourmet food.  lol  I think we will keep this hotel reservation since the price is good and then we are right there in Miami for our cruise.  Now I have to figure out the best way to get from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami.  🙂 

3 hours ago, JohninDC said:

Staying out near the airport will leave you very isolated - okay if you just want a room, but you are missing out on an opportunity for great local dining and nightlife.  September prices should be reasonable - check out Hampton Inn and other hotels in the Mary Brickell area of downtown.

By the time we get to the hotel it will be dinner time.  We're hoping there is someplace nearby to get something to eat.  We aren't interested in any night life we just need a place to stay the night before the cruise.

3 hours ago, d9704011 said:

We stayed there about a year ago and thought it was quite good.  We did not get free transportation to the pier (yes for airport shuttle).  The price is great.

Do you remember if there are places around to get something to eat?  As far as free transportation to the pier, it states it on my reservation confirmation that I need to register at the front desk when we check in to reserve our seat on the shuttle.  Maybe its something new.

We have a RCCL cruise in September out of Miami.  We fly into FLL the day before.  We feel it is better for us to get ourselves to Miami that day so the next day it is a short trip to the ship.  We've booked at Comfort Suites Miami Airport North which says they have a free shuttle to the pier.  Has anybody stayed there and what are your thoughts and opinions?  Our total cost for the 2 of us is $100 which sounds like a good deal if it is a good hotel.

Thanks everybody!  We are booked at the Comfort Suites in Miami Springs.  Total cost for the 2 of us is $100 and includes a free shuttle to the port.  I think it would be best for us to stay a this hotel so the morning of our cruise it should be a short trip to the port rather than traveling from Ft. Lauderdale to the port.  The hotel looks nice and got good reviews but I'm still trying to find out what is nearby as far as places to eat without much luck.  Our flight gets into Ft. Lauderdale around 3:30 so we figure by the time we get there and check in we might be ready for dinner.  Sounds like Lyft is the way to go as far as getting ourselves from the airport to the hotel.  Has anybody else stayed at this hotel or have any recommendations for a different hotel.  I just checked their website and found the same room to be $125 before fees when we got $89 plus fees when we booked a month ago.

This has probably been asked before so if it has, I apologize.  In September we are flying into FLL via Spirit Airlines (they don't fly to Miami) the day before our cruise on the Symphony of the Seas out of Miami.  We have a hotel booked in Miami because we thought that is where we would be flying in to.  My question is should we keep that hotel and find a way to get ourselves there from Ft. Lauderdale or try to get a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale that perhaps has a shuttle to the Miami port?  Anybody have experience with this that can make suggestions?  Also, what is our best option getting back to Ft. Lauderdale at the end of the cruise.  Our return flight is at 3:00 and the excursions I see are for those having flights after 4:00.  I seem to remember in the past the cruise line having transportation to the airport that we could book once we were on the ship but it wasn't this ship or this airport.  

On 2/19/2019 at 5:32 PM, GA cruising couple said:

 

When you arrive you take a ticket from the machine and park. When you leave you drive back to the exit and pull up to the machine with the bar down. Do not put the ticket in the machine to pay. There is a help button on the machine. Press the help button and someone will ask how they can help you. Tell them you have a confirmation number from park connect. The confirmation is on the email they send you. Give them that number and they will raise the bar and let you out. It was really easy..

Just getting to respond back since after our cruise we were in Disney for a week and just got back today.  We also had a great experience with Park Connect.  We parked on the 5th level.  After the cruise it was easy to get out of the parking garage.  We pulled up to the gate and didn't even have to hit the call button.  Someone spoke to us and I told them we had prepaid parking.  He said have a nice day and lifted the gate.  Never even asked for our confirmation #.  I highly recommend this to anybody cruising out of Tampa.

2 hours ago, Dinda said:

I can vouch for Park Connect which we used last month for our cruise on Brillance.  Our printed voucher told us to park on 3rd deck or higher.  We found an empty spot on 3rd deck, walker to elevator and easy walk to the ship.  We had dropped our luggage at ship drop off first so just had one carry on with us.  After the cruise my husband went back to get the car while I waited with luggage.  He pulled up to the exit and someone was there and he showed them our prepaid voucher and they let the bar up for him to exit.

Our voucher says the same...park on the 3rd deck or higher.  I think we are going to be glad we did this.  Thanks for our input.

I know this sounded too good to be true for me but reviews were all good so we are giving it a try!  Good luck to you and have a great cruise!  This is also our first time on the Brilliance!  Not our first time on Royal Caribbean.  Soon we will be diamond!

1 hour ago, GA cruising couple said:

 

Did they park you in the Channelside Garage across from terminal 3? We have a cruise on Brilliance coming up and for our 4 day it is half of what it is to pay at the garage.

Yes we are in the Channelside Garage.  This is our first time cruising out of Tampa so I don't know about terminal #s.  When I went in to book it I was given a choice of cruise lines and then it had the ships and their dates and I had to choose ours which is Feb. 18th.  It was $35 for the 5 nights as opposed to the $75 I was going to have to pay at the garage.  

Thanks all!  I just booked our parking through Park Connect since everyone here said they had a good experience and they received great reviews online.  Cost me $35 for 5 nights on the Brilliance as opposed to $75 I would have paid.

10 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I have used Park Connect twice, as recently as 1/31/19.  It seems almost too good to be true; you purchase online and receive a barcoded pass, present the pass at the entrance to the Channelside garage, and are directed to a specific level to park.  I just paid $29.96 to park for four nights on the Brilliance, about half of the normal cost.  It was very easy and flawless both times.

So you park in the garage at the port?  

22 hours ago, JohninDC said:

Have you posted this question on the Florida departures board?

Yes and that is where somebody recommended Park Connect but I didn't get feedback from anybody else so I thought I would try here.

On another board I had asked about parking at the port in Tampa.  Someone posted that they used Park Connect and were very happy.  Anybody here familiar with this?  It would cost us $35 for our 5 night cruise as apposed to paying $75 at the port.  Also, they made it sound like it was actually a parking deck at the port right across from where we would get on our ship (the Brilliance).  I would love to hear more feedback before I decide whether or not to go this route.  Thanks!

On 2/6/2019 at 11:08 AM, OCVTSGIRL said:

Somebody suggested Park Connect. Inside the garage across from terminal 2 and 3.  Does anybody have experience with this?  When I checked it, it would cost us $35 for the 5 days.  

Anybody????  I am hoping to get some feedback before I decide if I should book this or not.  Thanks all!