DeckDad

On 2/3/2024 at 2:25 PM, PORT ROYAL said:

Food, ambience, food (top end) and drinks (great variety of Rum/Rhum) are superior to any other beach venue.   The beds are more comfortable and the clientele are genteel.   It’s a special place where one looks forward to returning.  
Take a look and see…. https://www.cocobeach.restaurant

We enjoyed Kontiki Beach Club, next to Bikini Beach.  Comfortable chaises, good food.  Nice atmosphere.  A little less costly than Coco.

5 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Tried Great Bay years ago…. Not now for us… Moved on to better venues….

As @DeckDad stated, no real jewellery bargains anymore, so a reason to stay around Phillipsburg evaporates.  
COCO or Castaway?  Mmmmmm - Decisions, decisions…….

Isn't Castaway at Great Bay?  We took a taxi to Orient Beach, on the French side.  We asked for Coco beach club but he dropped us off in front of Kontiki.   Looked very good, so we walked in. Nice lounges and clean facilities.  About$10 more for lounges than most places, but a little upscale.  Good drinks and food, too.  At your lounge or at the restaurant and bar.  I think any of the beach clubs on Orient Beach are fine for a day.  When we left, there was a taxi right there.  Or the bar will call for you.  $25 each way from Phillipsburg.. Per car, not per person.  Much less crowded than Great Bay, if that's important for you.

Go to Maho to see the planes overhead?  You could take the ferry from the port for a quick and fun ride to Phillipsburg. Walk the town before or after you grab a taxi to Maho for an hour or two.  Haven't done it.  But everyone says it's fun.  Taxis are plentiful.  Just ask the price before getting in.  And don't recommed  wasting time jewelry shopping.  No bargains there.

We enjoyed St Martin by taking a taxi in Phillipsburg to Orient Beach.  Easy to get there and back for $25 each way, per trip, not per person. Took ferry from Port to Phillipsburg for $7 r/t.  All the beach clubs were really nice.  $25-35 for two lounges and umbrella.  Takes about 25 minutes to get there, so don't waste time shopping for jewelry.  No bargains anyway.  

Maybe access to a concierge would be helpful for first time Celeb cruisers.  They can make reservations in MDR for you or last minute tour reservations, answer questions.  Not a butler but similar.  I agree the robes in regular cabins are embarrassing. Towels are OK, good hotel quality.

Orient Beach has fully recovered.  Enjoy--

Enjoyed the beach at Kontiki Club.  Sand was very clean.  Water had a very little seaweed early but it disappeared around noon when the tide went out.  Taxi from Back Street in Phillipsburg was $25 for two people, and same price going back. There was a taxi available as soon as we left the beach.  Ignore the jewelry shops and you'll have a perfect day.

On 3/30/2022 at 2:37 PM, brooker said:

Date of Cruise:                         

JANUARY 2024                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                            

Ship: Apex                                                                                                                                                     

 

                                                                                                                                                             

Cabin #:   

7134                                                                                                                                       

 

                                                                                                                                                            

Deck #:           

 7                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                            

Cabin Category: 

infinite veranda                                                                                                                                                              

 

                                                                                                                                                             

Cabin Location:     

Forward                                                                                                                              

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Bed Position:     

Near bathroom                                                                                                                                            

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Balcony Type:       

infinite veranda                                                                                                                                

 

 

Balcony/Window Size:                                                                                                                                                  

 

                                                                                                                                                         

Balcony/Window View/Obstruction:           

none, view of some sort of square ladder tower but only went up to deck 6                                                                                               

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Balcony Overhang?:                                                                                                                                                      

 

                                                                                                                                                            

Magic Carpet Issues?:                              No                                                                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Noise Issues?:                  No                                                                                                                                

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Wind Issues?:         No                                                                                                                                         

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Connecting Cabin? Where Does it Connect?:   

Yes to an adjoining IV.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Suite Details:                                                                                                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Advantages/Problems/Comments:   Close to forward elevators.                                                                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                                                              

Would You Book It Again?:  Absolutely

 

 

Photos or Photo Links:

 

 

3 hours ago, DeckDad said:

Our Celebrity cruise leaves at 10pm.  Is it safe to walk around after dark?  Any suggestions to do at night not far from cruise port?

Question is for San Juan, not St. Thomas.

Our Celebrity cruise leaves at 10pm.  Is it safe to walk around after dark?  Any suggestions to do at night not far from cruise port?

OMG.  What stats and pics.  I am blown away.  Thanks for helping me learn that unless cabin is sold as partial view on Deck 6, it isn't. 

The infinite veranda, E2, on the Apex..  I saw a comment that lifeboats are underneath the infinite verandas on deck 6, so you see the water straight out but not down. Wondering, since we didn't book a partial view cabin.

Do lifeboats block the view of the ocean under all the verandas in Deck 6?

Just returned from a week cruising on the QM2 from NYC to Quebec City.  You won't have any belly laughs at the pool area or in the theater.  But we never encountered any snobbery, either.  If you enjoy a quieter type of fun, you will find it on the QM2 in spades.

Just returned from a week on the Queen Victoria, cruising from Trieste to Athens. I think they are traveling around the world. We spoke to people who boarded at all different ports and days of the week. We found standards on board impeccable. White glove service and smiles from all the staff. Plus, the ship was recently renovated. Other than the imitation wood promenade, she is all real wood and brass. There are teak deck chairs to enjoy on the promenade deck, ballroom dancing to a full orchestra in the Queens Room at night, and balconies in the Royal Court theater you can rent with champagne and chocolates. Mostly everyone was in gowns and tuxedos on the two formal nights. There are no zip lines or pool slides. Instead there's a string quartet, compact casino, and French restaurant. While not small, the Queen Victoria is not behemoth sized. Best of all, there's no smoking anywhere, even on balconies. But there is a cigar lounge for that.