rjrpar

We have left over Euros from last summer in Europe. Will we be able to use them on the Dutch side for taxis or at the restaurants?

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I just hope Carnival doesn't use the Security personnel as scapegoats. It was Carnival's ( the Captain's) decision NOT to nip it in the bud earlier by off loading them. By allowing them to remain on board it put the under-trained Security staff in a very awkward position and they dealt with the gradually escalating situation in the only way they knew. Carnival....it's your fault. Yes, improve the Security training but first, accept the blame.

Totally agree, thanks

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This has nothing to do with cutbacks and all to do with the people who were fighting.

Correct but the super cheap fares are attracting certain types of people.

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We did the "Tour 2", which is the longer of the two provided.

 

 

 

We made extended stops at the lookout point by Oyster Pond, Orient Beach (about 10-15 minutes), made an extended swim/beach stop at Friars Bay Beach (about 90 minutes), Marigot market (30 minutes), Maho Beach/airport (30-40 minutes, my wife and I had a quick lunch here) and then a 10-15 minute stop at a French bakery in Cole Bay I believe, because quite a few people wanted to stop and grab some pastries.. I think that was it for the major stops, there were a few other very quick stops for viewpoints and guide information.

 

 

 

Not much flexibility as far as where the tour went...the itinerary was pretty set out. We made a stop at the temporary iguana farm but no one really wanted to get out for pictures so we just left.

 

 

 

We got lots of information about the island itself, the history, and of course what has happened since Irma.

 

 

 

I would say that if you think you'll be at all uncomfortable with scenes of destruction, a full island tour where you witness a lot of it first hand may not be for you.

 

 

 

I love St Maarten, it's one of my favorite places I've been (if not my #1). The resilience of its people made me love it even more.

 

 

 

We are going back in November on Adventure, and we decided that we want to do the Bernard's tour again.

Thanks. We love staying at Anse Marcel and eating in Grand Case. I wanted to view them firsthand to assess when they may reopen the hotels, hoping for next year. It is difficult to find someone to drive us to these locations (and a few more) at a fair price. We are only interested in a driving tour with very short stops. Thought about renting a car but want to stop in Phillipsburg for lunch and didn’t want to deal with parking and driving back to pier after “a few” drinks. Hoping to find something at the taxi stand upon arrival in 2 weeks.

Thanks again

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Did Bernard’s about two weeks ago....great tour.

 

SXM not in great shape, but they did a really good job showing the island, explaining what happened and the recovery efforts, and didn’t hide anything. Worth every penny.

Can you list some of the sights you saw and if there was any flexibility in the itinerary. Thanks in advance

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We had a significant problem with Spencer a couple years ago. A busy day in port and he over scheduled. When people got upset with his poor service he lost his cool and started yelling at some folks. Never again for us

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I have been scouring CC for months looking for an answer to my question about the Fitness Facility onboard, but haven't been able to find one - does the Fitness Facility have a locker room/changing area with shower's for use after working out? I'm not booked until 1/18/2019, but I LOVE reading the "live" reviews from Anthem. Gives me ideas and things I can dream about until I finally make the trip. Have a great time.

No

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I think the deposit needed for that was $25pp. Which then goes towards the costs of chairs, umbrellas, drinks, food, etc.....

$25 is correct. Just reserved thru Gail for March 2.

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We're cruising in Alaska in August. A Premium Beverage Package costs $68.99 per day. For us, that seems really steep. Princess says it includes 15 alcoholic drinks per day plus unlimited sodas, bottled water, fancy coffees, etc. Fifteen alcoholic drinks is way too much for us. In fact, 15 drinks a day is more than enough for both of us together.

 

 

 

Here's my question: If we buy one of these packages, can we share it? In other words, could hubby buy the package and then head to a bar on the ship and order one beer (for him) AND one glass of wine (for me) at the same time? Or could he go to a coffee place and order 2 lattes and use his package for both - as long as we don't go over the 15 drinks per day max? If this is allowed, then we'd consider buying one Premium Package for him and one of the soda packages for me.

Please tell me you are not serious

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Highly recommend Bernard's Tours on St. Maarten if you're looking for an island tour. $40/pp and was excellent when I used them. I was a solo cruiser that trip, and only shared the tour with a couple from Germany, so it was practically a private tour. http://www.bernardstours.com/

They just quoted me $300 for 4 people for 3 hours.

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There are many cruise lines providing this type of experience. It sounds like your tastes and checkbook are in conflict

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Has anyone used them for island tours since the hurricane? The tours described on their website are what we want at a fair price but they are not responding to emails. I’m wondering if they are back in business.

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It was a taxi but I requested a private van because I didn’t want to share.

 

So it wasn’t necessarily a tour company, but in reality it did the same thing.

 

 

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Thanks for the the clarification. One more question- how long did you use the taxi for the $30pp? We have only 4 people, guess that would add to the cost/person

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In St. Maarten there was no negotiation with the taxi prices. The prices are printed on the board. As you walk up the operators are there and the taxis are lined up in the curb. And they pull up in order.

 

I found one at the pier/port.

 

When I walked out of the ship, the only people i saw were pre booked tours with signs.

 

Once I walked inside the port, there were no one hanging around like most ports. Very very quiet... then I walked to the side and I found the taxi set up.

 

I asked the taxi why is it set up this way, he mentioned that is set up this way to protect the tourist from being scammed etc.

 

 

 

 

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Sorry, I misunderstood your post. Thought you used a private van for your tour and paid $30pp . I guess you used a “public” taxi for your tour

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The taxi are all regulated and they have buses and cars.

 

We did the taxi and we did want to share because it was 6 of us and the bus was closed in. Therefore, we paid $30 instead of $25 per person for a private van.

 

They can take you to all of the stops you mentioned in 2.5 hours.

 

 

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Did you prearranged the private van or find one at the pier and negotiate the price?

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We were hoping to take a tour, either public taxi or private van, to see the beaches on the French side. Would like to see Orient, Anse Marcel, Grand Case, Marigot and then get dropped off in Phillipsburg to shop and have lunch - maybe 2-3 hours. Any advice how to arrange this?

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What is the infatuation with cruise ship wages/tip allocation? Just pay the suggested and enjoy your cruise

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Rented from hertz. They have a place close to the dock area. Cost about $100 for the day. Will post more important issues after our trip.

Thanks, sounds like a good idea for cost and flexibility, but we are a little concerned about driving on our own. Would appreciate your feedback upon return.

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We rented a Jeep for next week, will we be able to drive around the island/ French side.

We are in St. Martin next month and would like to tour the island, particularly the French side. Can you provide any details on your Jeep rental. We would prefer to take a taxi to visit several beaches but I’m not sure that is feasible in St. M. Thanks in advance

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Parking in Baltimore is very easy, just used it this past week

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Agree with personal responsibility. Unfortunately too many people in this country(and probably other countries) do not think this way.

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First, let me say this is written from the view of someone that has been sailing Carnival since the 90’s. So, I may have seen things others haven’t noticed. That being said, ANY time on a cruise is better than sitting behind my desk at work!

 

 

 

The Ship: Pride is starting to show some wear and tear for sure. Someone on board mentioned she’s due into dry dock soon. She could use it in spots. Overall, cleaner and in better shape 5han we saw her in Oct of 16. But, we noticed there are fewer staff to keep things shiny and new looking. For example, when we first started sailing, the balcony glass was always clean. This week, they cleaned it once in port. But, the room was always clean and Nolito took great care of us.

 

The Entertainment: more cutbacks over the years have seen the dance team cut down to 7 people total. It used to be 7 of each (man and woman). The shows were still good. One of the dancers seemed to over exaggerate the moves and one was very natural. The singers were good (save one male singer that strained every song).

 

There was a very good band in Red Frog Pub. Beasts of the East. We enjoyed a cold frosty in there each evening.

 

There was also a string trio that performed in the Atrium bar. Very good and quite beautiful. During one trivia session, the question was about Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman. As the song was played, the trio came walking by in their formals...timing is everything!

 

Food: This is where I really have to mark them down. David’s Steak House as always was very good. But, that’s what the main dining room used to be like. Carnival’s choice to go to the American Table menu was not a good one IMHO. The selections were not very wide and I was surprised to see so few fish selections. The one night I chose Swordfish, it came from the grill, was about a 1/4 inch thick and was over cooked and dry. The Prime rib looked more like a slice of roast beef. The wait staff has been reduced so wait times were much longer. The wait staff always does a great job, they are just spread too thin.

 

 

 

Like I said, we enjoyed the cruise overall and will return. But, I feel like Carnival has gone from Marriott to Holiday Inn Express. It’s many little things that long time cruisers notice and tend to stack up...table clothes only on formal night. Dress codes that are rarely enforced(I know that’s an ongoing argument). The little basket of toiletries you used to get. General cleanliness of public areas (I saw a pile of French fries on the floor that weren’t cleaned up for over an hour.). BUT, rest assured, those photographers are still in your face at dinner time!

 

 

 

Anyway, just my thoughts. I’m sure there will be others that agree or disagree. It’s what keeps things interesting.

We were on this same cruise and the review is very accurate. The Pride really needs a complete makeover, things are both worn and dirty. Great comedians

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Wow. A lot of hateful and judgmental comments here. Does anyone here even know anyone that is Jamaican?? I know many Jamaicans quit well. I’ve had several stay in my home. We spend our summers on Mackinac Island at the same Resort for the last 20 years. The majority of the employees are from Jamaica. They spend the summer here working. Many have become part of our family. I have never met such beautiful, caring, unselfish, loving people in all my life. And yes, we know them quite well. My children were attached to them and would cry when we left the island. Our son had his wedding on the island and they were all there. My daughter was badly injured one night and we had our son take her bike back to the Resort while she was getting stitches in her forehead. He told a Jamaican friend what had happened. Several hours later after midnight we came back and there they all were waiting to make sure she was ok. They had all brought gifts to her. She got an oversized Jamaica t-shirt, a Jamaican flag, a stuffed animal..... and oh how they doted on her.

I’m disgusted that people on here call them ugly. If we have tourists in the USA do we warn them not to go to the South side of Chicago?? Or downtown Detroit? Seriously! Our country has crime too! But to make a general statement about all Jamaican people saying they are ugly is completely judgmental and hateful. Those who make these generalized statements are truly the ugly ones. My Jamaican family is far far better then many people on here.

STOP THE HATE!!

 

 

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No one is saying that the majority of Jamaican people are bad but let’s look at the facts; the murder rate in Jamaica is one of the highest in the world and drug usage is rampant on the island. As they say, you are entitled to your opinions but not to your own facts.

By the way, if I had visitors I would strongly advise them not to go to the south side of Chicago, why? Because of the facts

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Hard to believe that Carnival has more market share than RCCL. 22% sounds high to me

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Try RCCL or cruise when most kids are in school. I agree with you and we travel on multiple cruise lines but never when schools are closed. It’s no big deal with 50 kids onboard but with a 1000 is can be annoying

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