bertha

We got lucky yesterday. Made a 10am flight from pier 91. Off ship at 7:20 and into one of many waiting cabs. No traffic so at Seatac in 1/2 hour. Lots of people waiting to drop bags at Alaska airlines. We had to drop a bag, so waited about 10 mins. Then the real line started. Security had two full mazes to negotiate. Took about 45 minutes. Then the train to N gate. Got there with about 20 minutes til boarding.  Close, but it worked. I was fully prepared to miss that flight and deal with the rebooking delays. Not recommending, but it was the option we wanted so we risked it. 

Hi, I have a car booked through Juneau Car Rental for next week. I rented via the telephone two weeks ago. In chatting with Dwight, the owner, he indicated he is in the process of retiring and is unable to sell the business. He is beginning to sell off the cars but will continue through this season and then retire and close the shop. I never looked at alternatives, so sorry, I don't have another suggestion for Juneau rentals for next year.

Wet Money rental fee for car was $100. Check their web site. More info there. 

Turks and Caicos National Museum, if you like museums. It's on front street. We enjoyed it. 

Hi, Just there last month. We chose RV tours. We wanted a private tour. We could pick and choose any sites we wanted. Our guide well versed, experienced and worked with us to tailor the experience. We had a guide and driver and a nice large vehicle. The private tour was $20 more but worth it to us to be able to customize. And all day long we were ahead of the big tours. Apologize for offering you another option. Give them a look. 

Went with RV tours. Very good. We got a private 5 hour Puerto Plata city tour. 79 per person. Just two of us. Plus driver and guide. The website lists the places they will take you but you can customize. We asked for local food and grocery store and dropped a few things. We went to top of cable car mountain (with the Christ the Redeemer statue, forgot name of mountain)  Not on cable car, in the van. Botanical gardens at top. Very nice, well maintained and a good downhill walk through gardens to the waiting van. Then we went to chocolate factory, the fort, lunch stop on a beach (on our dime). Then to downtown for a short walk around to cathedral, central square and colorful streets. Then to a rum factory. It was 5 hours. Back with enough time to swim at the port and then board the ship. Most places we went had shopping opportunities. You could partake or not, whatever you wished. Driver knew his way around and guide was very knowledgeable and bi-lingual.  I would recommend. Look at their website. They have other tours available. You meet them just outside the port, but easy to find, not too far to walk (for us) and the benefit is the tour is private.  Have fun. 

On 3/6/2022 at 4:23 PM, Borky said:

Before boarding at the terminal:

1. Can I present my COVID test results printed on paper, or must I present the test results on my phone or in a health app?

2. Do the terminal workers just look at the test results (date and negative/positive status), or do they scan the QR code to verify that information?

We just went through terminal at Canaveral. Had printed test results and printed department of health vaccine records. None of them were scanned by the agent. Just read and marked to verify she checked them. Never showed info I had on my phone. 

On 3/4/2022 at 4:46 PM, DEWGirl said:

We have to wait to open the box when told to do so? So does this mean that I can't use one my test and my travel companion use the other one in the box?

The proctored tests only have one per box. The home test (not proctored and not accepted for travel) have two per box. You need the test that includes the online monitored/proctored process. Not usually available for purchase at a drug store. We bought ours online. eMed.

Yes. Just at Amber Cove a few days ago. Went on a private tour. US accepted everywhere we went. Even at local grocery store. For change, coins returned in DR currency, bills in US.

We rented a car with Wet Money 3 days ago. Booked it in advance. The rental desk is inside the port area just before the port exit. We were instructed to refill to starting level before returning. We had a car but I saw many golf carts at the station fueling up. $6.30 per gallon. Two stations. One about a mile from port, one right before port entry. Someone pumps for you. Didn't use much gas as it is a very small island. This was a good way to see the entire island. Went to the lighthouse, the museum, had lunch and stopped to poke about in a local grocery store before spending an hour at Governor's beach. Remember, drive on the left..No big deal. Was easy and fun day. Enjoy. 

Just off Elation yesterday. I think we left it in good condition for you. Looking forward to a trip down "recent memory" lane. Thank you. 

I got one too. About a week ago. After many hours on phone, I was told it was sent to many who had already completed the attestation on the to do list. They said that if the item on the to do list has the green check mark and the line through the item then it is fine. And my cruise has not been canceled. I have seen a few of these postings lately on the Carnival boards. It's a shame these threatening letters seem to be going out at random and causing angst and stress, for us and guest relations staff. 

20 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I think getting a test is a added stress that the average person says ... I'll wait. Not me.

 

If they do away with having to get tests, bookings will go up from people I know. Yes I know people who dont want the stress of having to get tested to board.

We're sailing on February 28. I agree, the testing is what is most on my mind right now. The worry that your vacation may be canceled at the last minute due to a positive test. The stress of having to have a backup vacation plan. Oh well. I will take my home proctored test as planned on Saturday morning and see what happens. 

Two good thoughts. Thank you very much!

Thank you sir. I had already tried Tony's before posting. Twice. No response. I'm wondering if I should just take my chances and see what's available when we arrive. But Mardi Gras is in port too. Arriving one hour before us. 

Hi everyone. I would prefer a rental car to a golf cart in Grand Turk. I'm having trouble finding someone to provide a car. I guess most people do a cart, so those rentals are prevalent. I've tried Tony's twice and no response. No response from Nathan's either. Anyone have experience renting a car here?  Any advice appreciated. THX.

32 minutes ago, icft said:

Folks, there are TWO DIFFERENT covid questionnaires.

 

1. Vaccination Survey - this is on your planner as soon as you book. It asks if you are vaccinated.

 

2.. Health Assessment - this is supposed to pop up on your planner 72 hours before sailing. It asks if you have had certain symptoms or have tested positive recently or have been in close contact with an infected person.

 

Carnival has a bad habit of sending out emails saying it is urgent you complete the Health Assessment before the Health Assessment shows up on your planner. Usually if you just wait 12 hours the Assessment will show up.

 

 

Thank you. 

My question is about #1.   The threatening letter says I did not do Vaccination survey. It was in my planner and I completed it before I got the "We'll cancel your cruise in 48 hours if you don't do it" letter. I'm 3 weeks from sailing. Thanks for any other thoughts? Oh, after 45 minutes someone answered only to say she could not pull up my booking and had to transfer to someone else. Another 45 minutes and I had to hang up. Trying again. 

Hello. I just got one of these threatening emails. I did the vaccine attestation in my cruise planner two days after booking. Now I get the letter after I did the attestation. Planner currently indicates I have finished it. Tried hitting edit and doing it again. Says I'm done. It's not a detailed process. Just say "Yes I'm vaccinated" and check box that I am not lying. Is there more to it that I am missing? I think I will have to call.  UUGGHH. Anyone else having this problem? Or have any advice?

Thank you everyone!   Wow. Success. Not only did I get answers from all of you, but Carnival updated their web page after I called them. That was quick. And the call didn't take long either. 

Hi everyone. Copied the below from the Carnival web page titled "Locations where you can smoke." Every ship is listed. (didn't copy all of them).  Notice that on Elation there is no "outdoors" info. Outdoors designated areas are included under every ship except Elation. Could it be that you can't smoke outdoors anywhere on only Elation? Is there no designated outdoor smoking location on Elation? Figured someone who's been onboard recently can say if smoking is allowed on open decks and which ones are designated on Elation?  Thanks!

Carnival Ecstasy®
Cigarette smoking (including electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers) are permitted in the following areas:

• Crystal Palace Casino: Smoking is permitted while playing at designated slot machines and table games during open hours.
• Outdoors: Smoking is permitted in a designated area on Deck 11 (starboard side, midship).
• Note: Cigar and tobacco pipes are only permitted at the above outdoor smoking area.  
• Note: On embarkation and debarkation day, smoking is not allowed outdoors while the ship is refueling. Please consider selecting a later Arrival Appointment to minimize any inconvenience on embarkation day.

Carnival Elation®
Cigarette smoking (including electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers) are permitted in the following areas:

• Casablanca Casino: Smoking is permitted while playing at designated slot machines and table games during open hours.
• Note: Cigar and tobacco pipes are only permitted at the above outdoor smoking area.  
• Note: On embarkation and debarkation day, smoking is not allowed outdoors while the ship is refueling. Please consider selecting a later Arrival Appointment to minimize any inconvenience on embarkation day.

Carnival Freedom®
Cigarette smoking (including electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers) are permitted in the following areas:

• Babylon Casino: Smoking is permitted while playing at designated slot machines and table games during open hours.
• Outdoors: Smoking is permitted in designated areas on Deck 3 (starboard side, forward) and Deck 10 (starboard side, midship).
• Note: Cigar and tobacco pipes are only permitted at the outdoor smoking area on Deck 10 (starboard side, midship).
• Note: On embarkation and debarkation day, smoking is not allowed outdoors while the ship is refueling. Please consider selecting a later Arrival Appointment to minimize any inconvenience on embarkation day.

Hi. We made an afternoon and evening stop in San Juan last week. We went to El Jibarito. 280 Calle Sol. Quite good. Seemed that most patrons were locals. We had shrimp mofongo. DH is very into food and he loved this place. Thanks to everyone on these boards for recommending it. 

Hi. We made a 9:01 am flight this past Sunday. Walked off with all our bags. We were in line early and were amongst the first 25 off ship. Got through entry at terminal and security at airport quickly. All went well for us. I did a lot of reading on these boards before booking the early flight. It seems most feel flights around 11 or after are fine at PE for FLL as long as you get off early.  I thought we would not make 9am, but we wanted to try and had a backup.       Enjoy your cruise.

Hi. We made a 9:01am flight yesterday. Ship docked at 7. We were in line with our bags to walk off at 6:45. Line started moving at 7:10. Not many passengers at immigration yet and 4 lanes open. Cursory glance at passports and out. My parents, who were on the cruise with us, had driven to the port. Their car was in the midport lot. They dropped us at airport. There at 7:50 and through security and waiting at gate at 8:10. 

We walked right past the taxi stand on way to garage. Only one person in line at time we walked by. Probably would have gotten to airport earlier in taxi versus having to go to garage, load up 4 people, get out, pay.....

It worked. We were lucky. We had a back up plan!

Hi. I'm also curious to know if this process at Port Everglades is standard now for disembarking passengers. Anyone else have this speedy customs experience? Thank you.

Hi. In Bar Harbor walk over to the "bar." Interesting to explore. It's the land bridge that appears for a few hour twice a day at low tide. Easy walk from tender and fascinating for youngsters. Don't stay too long and watch the tide. You would probably also have time to walk to the village green (a few blocks) and hop on the Island Explorer bus. Take the one to Sand Beach. Great Maine beach. Fun for play. Walking trails nearby too. Bonus....all of this is free! Stop by a shop and grab some snacks for the beach on the way to the bus.

The Maritime Museum in Halifax is near the ship, within easy walking distance. It keeps adults interested and has things for kids. Check out the parrot!  Walk there via the boardwalk along to harbor. There is fun stuff to see (and buy).

Gail