jimw

special--regular rate for laundry seems to be $5. a piece--you will get a special notice a few days following embarkation

We were on a Dawn 2 weeker earlier this month. Paid $29. for a good size bag of laundry-returned next day. Leave on bed in bag with document and call for pickup. Worked great!

We were on Dawn's Feb 26,2023 sailing--we heard announcements regarding muster and expected to go, but on the way----they said it was over! Not that either of us cared!! Anyway, I guess they are not really checking people off a list.

On Dawn during the Bahrain weekend 2023. Nada in the room, The Irish pub always seemed to have soccer on. Internet was sooo slow that pictures were rarely seen. The only reference I saw to F1 was on a shore excursion, a bar putting out a sign indicating they would have practice, qualifying, and the race on tv.

Currently on Mera at the dock in Cozumel. At 12:35am the cruise director announced we could go ashore immediately--some did! He said we would leave Friday night at 10pm and go directly to Miami rather than stop at the private island.

Read the Carnival FAQ yesterday....6am-10pm room service is complementary mostly. There are charges after 10 pm of 2-6 bucks per item.

10 Carnival cruises-dive gear on all 10-with a knife attached to bc for several cruises along with emt shears. No problem. My wife had a knife loose in her dive bag one cruise and they kept it for her to get at the ramp off the boat. The rub--loud alarms went off each and every time prompting others to freak out as the wife collected her knife.....funny! She has NOT taken a knife since!

Evidently, the Cozumel dive op is Sand Dollar, I saw some comments from years ago that they were the dive guys then---and word today on Scubaboard that a few months ago, Sand Dollar was the dive op!

Or, Royal Caribbean; as RCI is the parent of Celebrity! Who is the dive op for the 2 cruise lines on Cozumel?

TIA

Klein Bonaire, the vessel Woodwind does it very well according to many reviewers. Klein is about 1 mile off Bonaire and visible as you come into port. It is possible to do a bit of Klein on your own using the water taxi...

We are on the Celebrity Equinox in Jan., 2018. Thanks in advance. The last time we did a ship trip there, it turned out to be Dive House and was very, very good. Most trips, we make our own arrangements, but this time we have some onboard credit and may want to use it...

There is a small barge wreck beyond the mermaid statue off of Sunset House that is in a depth of 70-75 I think. What depth is needed for Adventure Diver? Just north of the Turtle Farm is a shore site that looked to me as though it gets deep quickly--we were near shore entertained by tarpon in 40-60 ft. There are folks on Grand Cayman who specialize in guided shore dives! I take it that one needs an instructor anyway for the Cert. Happy diving!

I was on the last cruise before dry dock. It ran from Feb. 6 to 13. The captain and two senior officers were taking questions from passengers one morning in the Spinnaker lounge. They told us that the staterooms were going to be refurbished, a new hd big screen was going in the Crystal Atrium, and O'Sheenans was getting a major makeover to bring it in line with the venue on other NCL ships. On disembarkation morning I saw crew ripping up the carpet in the main dining room. All wooden exterior handrails are being replaced. A worker was taking down the handrail from the balcony stateroom next to ours an hour before we left the ship. I saw several lifts of plywood being loaded aboard by crane. Other than that, I don't know much more. This was our very first cruise and we thoroughly enjoyed it. NCL is a perfect fit for us. We aren't fancy people and neither are they.

We were on that cruise too. Crew were covering wood rails at Great Outdoors a couple of days before we got off. The room tv's were 1st generation digitals and tiny--so they stuck out as needing replacement.

If it is a ship trip--you will likely make it. But, if you scheduled it outside the cruise line; probably not. You absolutely must catch the first tender and they put the ship trip folks on those....

I've used lenses for diving since the 80's. First, I applied old prescription lenses to the outside of my mask--worked ok. Then, a couple years later ordered a new mask with RX lenses at a rather large co$t. So, later yet, when that prescription was very old but the mask still workable--I went with the "drug store glasses" approach. Dive shops sell replacement lenses in various diopters for a few specific masks. I have used Tusa masks with diopters for about 25 years now and this still works for me. The last time I bought lenses, they were$25. and $33. at 2 diveshops. The shop will change out the lenses if you ask. And since they have lenses, they will also have the mask or masks that the diopter lenses fit. The masks are 2 lens masks. This may not work for you if you have vision problems other than near or far.... This is evidently what the OP used for snorkeling! If you have a current prescription, the needed diopter for left and right will be found in it. Google how to find the right numbers for your mask!

AFAIK, To be Open Water certified, you will need 4 dives over 2 days and therefor 2 islands. Arrange for diving on St Martin and Bonaire, so you will be able to dive Curacao and maybe Aruba.....I can suggest Dive Friends and VIP Divers on Bonaire. Arrange with them well in advance. The best diving will probably be Bonaire and Curacao. St Martin is not bad and Aruba has a wreck dive or 2. Not much diving around San Juan, but there is away from the city.

"Stay mid-ship and stay closer to the action."

 

this is the official reason to pay more for a mid ship room. i dont understand how being farther from all the stairs and elevators is closer to the action. do they mean as measured up and down through the floors? :confused:

 

seems like paying for mid ship is only really worth it if you get seasick

Yep, you got it right. When combined with a lower deck--less apparent motion=happier campers!

Ocean view cabins. How strict are they now re:sodas brought aboard--I usually take a 12pack? How much are Pepsi's onboard? TIA

We ran into a deal on a 7 day Pearl for Feb 6-13th,'17 in an ocean view for $205. and booked 4 cabins. Anyway, the drydock is hopefully NOT while we are aboard.... :) This wasn't listed online anywhere--our NCL person called and told me about it. It wasn't even on the NCL site until the next day. Of course, it sold out within a day or so. Haven't been on NCL for a few years---Is the no soda's brought onboard really enforced? I normally take a 12 pack.

I heard a few years ago while on a cruise in Curacao that the taxi fare is $60. out that way. We decided not to do that. An option might be a car rental. Ask Go West for their recommendations as well.

I think I would skip PADI Scuba Diver and either do a Resort Course or the Openwater class. It may well be that one of the dive shops in your area offers a free introduction to diving in an indoor pool or maybe at Dutch Springs in warm weather.

They use Dive Friends - the first is a check out dive prior to entering the marine park. You will do 2 boat dives off of Klein Bonaire.

 

 

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Is the checkout a shore dive at Yellow Sub? And then 2 boat dives? Or is the whole pkg 2 boat dives?

With regard to Bonaire, I would do the ship trip if they go to Klein Bonaire as it is not accessible from the Bonaire shore. I've made about 25 vaca trips to Bonaire and feel that the shore dive at Habitat is superior to those closer to the pier such as Divi Flamingo Beach Hotel. A taxi is normally a small expense (but could be greater on a cruise day). A taxi to Habitat is around 2 miles and $12. The shore dive to the right from the Habitat dock is Cliff and quite nice in my view. Dive Friends is a good op and I might be tempted.....but it's a little pricy!

I have been to both Aruba and Curacao but not diving. On Curacao, possibly the Dive Bus shore dive might appeal to you. On one cruise, we thought we wanted to do the west area where most think the best diving is, but the taxi fare was $60. We did not dive as a result.

We were there many years ago and dove the BiancaC with a shop located on Grand Anse Beach. The viz was not good on the wreck but it was an ok dive--the 2nd dive was on a nice reef that seemed untrod upon--I liked that dive better..........If I remember correctly, we ran into the shop looking for divers just after getting off the ship and they gave us a ride over and back......

We are scuba divers and have evac. coverage thru a DAN (Divers Alert Network) membership. I also have via my Medicare Advantage plan, some coverage outside the US. The family DAN membership is about $60. per year. Many Medicare Advantage plans costs nothing additional to the premium paid via social security. afaik, DAN membership is available to all, google; dan.org..............