jc4me

23 hours ago, Micah's Grandad said:

Would never send out expensive delicate stuff. Also write Platinum laundry in big letters to make sure no mistake in billing.

 

Strawberries come on elegant night but they usually dont look all that good and half get tossed

Thanks!

23 hours ago, mdsgu said:

Love the Platinum laundry deal!  We usually use it toward the end of the cruise and take home mostly clean, folded clothes.  Less work when we get home.

I normally visit the launderette toward the end of the cruise for the same reason....plus, my husband runs and I don't want to pack up damp, stinking clothes to stink up everything else 😮  I'm looking forward to not having to spend that vacation time doing laundry.  Sounds like I'm down at the river pounding the clothes on rocks, doesn't it?  First world problems - waiting for a machine to finish washing your clothes using up your vacation time - yikes!

26 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Keep in mind everything is washed in hot water, so be careful with what clothes you send out for washing. The last poster described the process well. The only thing I would add is some ships still use paper bags while other ships use plastic bags. 

Thank you!

29 minutes ago, jmcathome said:

You fill out the form usually found in drawer in room. Make sure to see really small spot for plat. card number. Fill the plastic bag with your clothes. Roll them tight to get as many in as possible, Put the bag on bed for your steward and it is usually returned the next day. The plate is usually left in your room on the second or third day. sometimes later

Thank you!  I've seen the form before, but always did my own laundry based on their prices 🙂  

On our next cruise we are turning Platinum (been cruising since 1994), so it's been a long time coming.  Can someone tell me how the free laundry perk works?  Also, do they ask you when you want your strawberry plate?  Thanks in advance!

I love your reviews!  I was looking for something to hold me over until our February cruise on the Breeze.  Thanks for taking the time to share....

We did this in Cozumel and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I can't vouch for any other port.  Like most things, it is probably what you make of it.

We were on the 8 night leaving May 6th, but I didn't keep the Fun Times.  Is there anything specific you want to know?  There are some great YouTube videos by ParoDeeJay of our trip, but I don't think they have the Fun Times either.

2 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

Usually the first row or two are the vendors...not sure how they managed to move their way into the cruiser area because when we were there a few years ago, they had to be at the very end and there was a sign saying that you were "leaving the cruise area" part of the beach and would be charged for chairs. 

 

We parked ourselves several months ago in the second row with no issues and watched another company sit in the front and be rushed with vendors and was charged $25 to sit there. Crazy!

 

 

Governors Beach is so beautiful and not many people there. 

 

They did have working restrooms (in a building) and also areas with running showers and running water to wash your feet off. You just won't find any food/drink vendors there. 

 

Restrooms and showers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foot washing station

 

 

 

 

 

 

And beautiful Governors Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty of shade

 

 

 

 

Even some picnic tables

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much!  This certainly looks like a possibility.  We can bring some bottled water with us and maybe even a snack along with a beach blanket.  

We used it last month and had no problems.  We booked with their flexible fares so that we could cancel if we happened to find a better flight, which we didn't.  We flew out a few days early and stayed a few days after, so there was no flying in the day of the cruise.  One benefit of booking the flight directly with Carnival is that they need to get you to the port and if you miss the ship they should work to get you to the first port.

We have sailed on most of the Fantasy class ships and like them, but also like the bells and whistles of the larger ships. As someone else mentioned, we can drive to Florida (from North Carolina) and cruise cheaper than we can cruise from Charleston right now.

2 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

There are restrooms but I don't believe there are loungers anymore.  You'll need to bring your cabin towels.  It is possible someone could be there with loungers for rent or maybe sodas and beer out of coolers, but doubt you'll see anything cheaper than the vendors at the port.  Just not that many people frequenting the beach to make it worth any vendor's wile.

Thank you!  This helps in our decision!

5 hours ago, teknoge3k said:

No vendors at Governor's Beach, very secluded and not as busy. Jack's Shack doesn't have any vendors bugging you either and the beach area is MUCH nicer. 

Thank you! Do you know if there are restrooms and lounge chairs (for rent) at Governor's Beach?  We've always just stayed at the port or taken a snorkel excursion.

6 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

Go right off the pier for free chairs.  The Beached Whale has also opened up since you were there and so you have access to food and drink. If you're early you can find a lounger under a palmtree.

 

If you go left to Margaritaville you need to watch where you park.  The first 2-3 rows of umbrellas are the vendor chairs.

 

Recent thread with picture here.

 

 

Thanks!

On our last trip to Grand Turk a few years ago the free chairs on the left side of the port had so many pushy vendors that it reminded me of Jamaica.  Has anyone been to that area recently, and are the vendors bad?  The last time we were there we got our free chairs under a palm tree and hubby realized that he had forgotten his book, so we walked back to the ship to get it.  While he was gone two of the chair/umbrella rental people were about to get into a fist fight right in front of me.  The odd thing is that there was a security guard standing right behind me that did nothing.  I could deal with the other vendors without much problem, but when they start getting violent and I'm there alone with no way to be able to carry everything back to the ship myself, it was a little more than I want to deal with.  On our next trip we go to another beach, but I've always enjoyed the beach right at the port and enjoy snorkeling there.

Thanks for sharing!  We were on this same cruise and I spotted my husband and his cousin for a brief second in Icy Strait 🙂  It was an amazing cruise!

We cruised Carnival Legend May 6-14, 2019 and LOVED this trip.  Thank you for your suggestions.  It was an amazing trip and the drive up the Klondike Highway was one of our favorite days.  You Rock!

On 9/27/2018 at 7:14 PM, trippingpara said:

 

Hi JC4ME, glad you're enjoying this review and thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate it! If you are going to rent a car and do this drive then yes, you will need your passport as you will cross into Canada. In fact, you will cross into two different provinces of Canada (British Columbia and Yukon Territories). If you don't have your passport, then it is very important not to pass the U.S. Customs building that is only a couple miles outside of Skagway. If you do, you won't be able to get back into the U.S. even if you didn't cross into Canada. The 12 miles of the White Pass summit is essentially a no man's zone in-between the U.S. and Canadian custom buildings. If you go into that area without a passport, you're going to be there a long time before they are able to sort things out for you!

Hi Trip...our trip is getting closer (leaving May 6th) and I was wondering if you brought any Canadian money for this portion of the trip or if those along this route take US dollars...or if you used a credit card to make purchases?  Your review has been so helpful in our planning!  Thanks again 🙂

Thank you for your excellent review and beautiful photos.  We are booked for May 2019 and while I'm waiting I've been watching YouTube videos and reading reviews.  We booked over a year ago, so I'm just ready for it to get here already!  We have time pre and post-cruise in Seattle and our cruise is 8 nights.  We are scheduled to cruise Glacier Bay (instead of Tracy Arm) and visit Icy Straight Point in addition to what you did.  Thanks again for taking the time to do this!

3 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

 

Thanks for reading! We will never go to Bermuda in October again. It is warm then but just not beach weather. We'll be heading back in September.

Wish we were going in September!  We are expanding our May Alaska trip before and after in Seattle, so I don't see that happening this year. 🙂

Thank you for another great review!  We had been booked on this cruise and started having second thoughts because of the weather.  We ended up cancelling it and booking Legend to Alaska this May.  I still want to cruise to Bermuda, but will do it during a warmer month.  We cruised on Breeze this same week to the Western Caribbean and think we made the right choice!  Hope that your surgery went well and that you are all ready for your cruise next month!  Congratulations on #50....

15 minutes ago, jwcruise1 said:

Hover cursor over gift cards and there is a link to e-gift cards, click on that the $100 carnival is the one that comes up as featured on mine but you can scroll down and find the $500

Mine used to give me that option, but doesn't any more.  I have bought them that way, but it won't let me any more.  Wonder if there is a lifetime limit on the e-gift cards?  I just have to be sure that I order my cards in plenty of time to have them delivered.

19 minutes ago, jwcruise1 said:

Yes allstate rewards has the ecards in $100 and $500. I just checked

That is odd because the only option mine has is "mail" for delivery.  jwcruise1, how do you get to the e-card option?

3 minutes ago, BAMAMOMOF3 said:

I just joined AARP and want to get the 10% off of gift cards for my cruise. Do i just call AARP? I am worried i may not do it right and get screwed. I want to do the 500 gift card for 450.00 and that is alot of money if i dont do it right. Do i have to use my  poiints that i have acrued to get that? And i did see where someone was waiting on the cards to get to them so that kinda scares me. I dont mean to act DUMB, but ummmm well maybe i am. LOL

BAMAMOM0F3 - You have to go into Rewards For Good to get to the gift cards so you can place your order.  The $500 gift cards (for $450) do "cost" you 5,000 points.  You will have to be home when UPS arrives with your cards because you have to sign for them.  I've always gotten my cards within about a week.  Hope that helps!

8 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Anyone know if Allstate has ecards? AARP no longer does and I still have not gottten notice of shipment on cards I ordered 5 days ago. Might they give me the number and pin on the phone once they have shipped since they will not get here before final payment on Mon.?

I don't think that anyone offers the ecards any longer.  Have read that there was too much fraud with them, so they discontinued.  The number and PIN are on the cards, so they couldn't do that.  Hope that they arrive in time for you!