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I know that RCI's exchange rate remained the same from February to September and it was a really good rate which is partly why we're cruising again so soon. Guess I'll have to phone on Tuesday to check Celebrity's rate. Even 22% is much better than the bank though.

Does anyone know what exchange rate Celebrity is currently charging to buy OBC with Canadian dollars?

If the cruise that you are on was booked in CDN$ then you can book a cruise on board in CDN$ and get the benefits that you described.

Ah but not always, as usual it depends on who you talk to because we and family members have been told a number of times that Next cruises must be in US dollars when our cruises are booked in Canadian. But if cruisers are aware that both are possible that will make a difference to their choices.

When we booked a Next cruise on board it had to be in US dollars. So the next time we cruised B2B it was one week in US dollars and one week in Canadian dollars so I could really see the different prices. I found it was far better not to book a Next cruise on board so we always use Canadian dollars. This last cruise the prepaid gratuities were less in Canadian plus we bought onboard credit in US dollars at only 10% instead of the bank exchange rate. Far better to stay with Canadian dollars and not book on board IMHO.

We have never changed cabins from one week to the next so we have always had the same room steward. The headwaiter will come to your table in the dining room on the last night of the first week to ask for your preferences for the second week. You can keep the same table, possibly the same waiter if they don't rotate, or you can ask for someplace and/or someone different and you will be accommodated.

For future cruisers, schools in Europe go back the second week of September. I was told that the fourth week in August there were 1200 kids on board the Allure and the first week of September there were 800. I don't know how many there were our second week but there was a noticeable difference.

We just got off the Allure on the 13th after two weeks. The food was great and so was everything else. Most of the complaints we had were about the passengers as I've never been exposed to such rudeness or so many screaming kids on a cruise. The first week the crew wasn't as pleasant as on other trips but they perked up when the passengers changed for the second week....and so did we. My other complaint was having a excursion cancelled in each week after looking forward to them for months.

The cruise director on the Allure for the last two weeks was Bobby Brown. We did the RCI transfers to and from the ship to the airport as we find it faster than standing in line waiting for taxis, especially going to the ship after being in transit for almost twelve hours.

We're on the same cruise with our air booked through Choice Air and we got our booklet on July 20th.

It depends. The French side uses Euros, the Dutch side uses the Dutch currency but both sides usually list prices in US dollars as well. As we always stay on the French side, we take Euros for small purchases and are charged in Euros when using our credit card.

We were on Orient Beach on April 2nd when there were seven ships in port including the Allure. Yes there were a lot of people on the beach but there was plenty of room for more. Three ships is nothing.

Yes, Orange Fever is at the south end. Club O is clothing optional, you can leave your bathing suit on. :)

We were at Orient Beach with Bernard Tours last week on March 19th. There was a fair bit of seaweed in the water and on the beach. I am told it is a 1000% better than what it was last Nov/Dec, but was told that there was quite a bit more over the past couple of weeks.

 

There was a patch along most of the length of the beach that was about six feet wide and about six inches deep. There were pieces floating in the water and some patches were about 3 or 4 inches deep and about the size of a couch.

I'm at Orient Beach now and the only seaweed is at the north end of the beach where the businesses don't bother to clean it up. At the south end, at Club O, the water and beach are clear and beautiful. All the hurricane damage has been repaired and there is no current construction along the beach.

Thank you all again! Just phoned and prepaid our tips in CAD for less than they would be in US. Who am I to question RCI? :) So now we have extra OBC to spend. Wow.

It makes perfect sense to buy OBC now at 10% and use it to pay for the drink packages, tips, whatever once you get on board. The number you call is on the first page of this thread. I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed to this. It will make our cruise much more enjoyable knowing we saved a little bit thanks to this information.

We've never had any lunches or special offers when doing our B2Bs but that's fine, we love watching everyone else leave after a week. With the Allure being such a big ship I'm sure we'll find lots of things to do the second week that we don't have time for on the first. We never mind the menus or shows being mostly the same the second week, we just love being able to do it again.

There is one post-cruise tour of Barcelona showing in the excursion list for our Allure cruise in September. We have always taken RCI's tours from the ships to the airports. Your bags are looked after and at the airport when you arrive. It's a great way to make your cruise last just those few hours longer. Plus you avoid spending more time than necessary at the airport. Most of the time the cost of the tour isn't much more than the cost of a taxi to the airport.

I get motion sick everywhere so I carry 100% ginger pills from the health food store with me all the time. No need to take them in advance as they work in a few minutes. No side effects or drowsiness, only warning is not to take if you have gall bladder issues.

We'll be at Orient Beach. That's got to be less crowded than Phillipsburg will be. :)

<The last time we were in Orient, the nude side "cruised" (LOL) along the "prude" side, so I am not sure if that still prevails or if anyone would be offended.

"cruised".....funny. :) But legally the rocks at Pedros are the dividing line with the textiles to the north and the less clothed to the south with tickets given out for any nudes that "cruise" beyond. Topless is allowed all along the beach.

Just checked the schedule for April and there are some Sunday ships. The one day you don't want to be in St Martin is Thursday the 2nd with eight cruise ships in port including the Allure. We moved our beach vacation up this year and knew it would be busier than in the summer but eight ships plus us.......will definitely have to get to Orient beach early. :)

Go to portofstmaarten.com

We spend several weeks on St Martin every summer and I don't remember cruise ships on a Sunday. Sundays are always quiet and less crowded on Orient Beach. It's a good long beach with lots of loungers and I've never known it to be too crowded. But it would depend on the time of year and how many ships are in port that day.

We prefer Orient Bay beach. Only one side is clothing optional, the rest is textile and there are loungers all the way along the beach. Also bars, restaurants, everything you'll need.

We have a flight at 12:45 pm which we booked through RCI's Choice Air. That means we should be at the airport by 9:45 am. The person I spoke to at Choice Air said that was no problem. I did book the airport transfer through them as well so it's up to them to get us to the airport on time.........at least that's the plan. :)

For Kimmy, We have traditional dining at 6:30. Made the reservation a few weeks ago when we booked direct with RCI.