suebbbhoney

My husband doesn't do beaches and I don't drink, so any recommendations? I'm considering a private tour or just lunch and a little shopping.

Has anyone used their points for a free cruise? I'd like to know how difficult it would be - 

Weekly passes are not available pre-cruise. Do you go to the Spa to purchase them onboard?

Following - I leave on the Encore 12/22. I look forward to your review. 

Let me know if you get any information about the Thermal Suite. Usually I book before I leave, but that wasn't an option this time. 

Thank you for the terrific review. We're on the Encore 12/22 and you gave so much great information! It was so helpful.

We'll be in port from 5:30 to midnight on Christmas Eve. Does anyone know what might be open?

We would love to get a meal and maybe see some historic sites, but I'm afraid everything will be closed. 

@AlohaLivin Thanks so much for the tour (and all your hard work!)

@AlohaLivin I completely understand (and sorry I missed where you explained all that).

Can you try sbryan at hallsville dot org? That's my work gmail, so it should go through. We're in San Juan on Christmas Eve and I think the walking tour may be one of the few things we'll be able to do, besides a beach. I have no idea if restaurants, etc.. will be open during our evening stop. 

I would also love a copy of the map. If would like an easy way to share it, put a copy in Google Drive and just share the link. (you can do the same with DropBox ). sbryan at mchsi dot com

I would love any information, too.

I went online and added a pin to my card. It was very easy. Now, even if it's not needed, I'm prepared.

You can save some money by booking through Expedia. That's what I did -

Thanks everyone!

My husband loves craft beers. Can anyone recommend some breweries or brewpubs to visit, especially ones that have tours? We're staying 5 days in Vancouver after our cruise and are looking for something to do. We have already booked the two HOHO loops for separate days. It's my DD (21), DH and I.

Has anyone purchased a compass card? We'll be in Vancouver for 5 days, using the Skytrain (no rental car). Are they easy to return for the deposit as you leave?

Thanks for sharing that lovely video. We walked the trail about 10 years ago and they have really improved it since then!

We found the most authentic art and crafts in Ketchikan - it was a breath of fresh air compared to the other ports (for us).

I'm interested to know, where did you shop at?

Thanks for the information. It's very helpful.

Any input about Days Inn Vancouver Airport and Accent Inn Vancouver Airport? I've booked on before and one after our cruise. They get decent ratings and aren't outrageously priced (There are 3 ships in port, so everything downtown was $250 plus.)

I'm wanting to use the Skytrain as transport, so any info in that regard would be appreciated.

Thanks!:)

When my kids were 12 and 16 we went to Alaska with RCL. They had a great time. There was plenty for them to do on the ship and we enjoyed the ports as well. They did not "hang out" with the other kids on board, but we had a lot to do together as a family. I would highly recommend it.

I'm also a fan of NCL and the "freestyle" concept, as both my husband and I have to dress nice for work and a week in comfy clothes is lovely.

I suggest you take a look at dailies for both ships and see which one fits best with the types of activities your family likes to do. If you've cruised before, you probably know what size ship you like. For us, it's always important. We really are not fans of large ships and will take a smaller, older ship over the newest and biggest.

My weather the past two trips to Alaska were completely opposite: One was in the 80s - the other the 50s. I just wanted to make sure :)

Is the outdoor pool heated? We're taking an Alaskan Cruise in June and would probably need it to be -

Hi Sue,

 

Thanks so much for the review! i have been on the Getaway twice but have never been to Western caribbean before. Can you tell me more about Maya Chan? Did you book it on your own? was it far from the port? I am traveling solo, do you think it is safe for me to go there on my own?

 

Any info you can provide is appreciated :)

I booked through their website http://costamayabeachresort.com/ . We met their port rep after a short walk (10 minutes or so) and they put us on a taxi with a group of people. We also returned with another group of people.

It's a day of pure relaxation. We mostly lounge in the ocean, drink, eat, read and catch up on email (the wifi works well), but you can kayak and snorkel, too. The food is really delicious and the bar staff goes out of their way to make drinks to suit you - alcoholic or not.

I think it would be safe to go alone, as their are many people walking to meet tours and once you are there, there's a lot of staff around. I went, the first time, with two high schools girls and never felt uncomfortable. The staff is very friendly and all speak English.

Last Day - Debarkation

We choose to do self carry, as we only had one bag each plus our backpacks. We met with the concierge one last time in the Haven lounge for debarkation. They took us down the freight elevator and we were able to bypass the lines of people leaving the ship. We did have to wait in line for customs, but it cut our time in half (at the very least). Lines were very long and I don't know if it's just because it's a largw ship or things moved slowly.

We headed to the garage, loaded out luggage, paid, and were off. Getting in and out of the garage was very efficient. It's expensive, but convenient. Debarkation Notice

Shore Excusioneer Problems (see Day 4)

When we returned home, I checked to see if I Shore Excusioneer had refunded my deposit. They had not. I contacted them:

“When we arrived for our tour, we were told they had already left (although we were on the first tender off our ship) and that there was not time to do the tour. How do I go about getting a refund for our deposit?”

They responded the same day with:

“Hello Sue,

Thank you for contacting Shore Excursioneer. Regarding your inquiry about not making your excursion. Please allow us 24 to 36 hours to verify on your case. I will need to verify with our local operator what had happened. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you for understanding.

Regards,

Karina E.”

So I thought my refund was on it's way, but 5 days later I had not heard back and so I sent them :

“Have you been able to contact your local operator yet? “

Once again, they responded the same day:

“Hello Susanne,

I am glad to hear back from you today. We verified your case with our local representatives in Belize and they*answered that it is impossible as they were at the cruise terminal until all guest from the 3rd tender were all ashore. On that date, we had several guests from the Getaway that were off the ship in time for their excursions. Sorry, but in these case, a refund will not be applicable. I apologize for the inconvenience that might cause you.

Regards,

Karina E.”

As you can assume, I was now pretty angry. They threw a wrench into my well laid vacation plans and were now refusing a refund of my deposit. It's not a huge amount, $38, but it's the principal of the thing. So I sent back:

“​We got off the very first tender and were there on time. As Haven guests, we had priority disembarkation and arrived at the meeting site at 8:15. We were told that the*Lamanai Mayan Ruins Excursion*took too long and everyone had already left from the other ships, that they didn't do that tour with our ship - there wasn't enough time.*

We talked to a man right outside the gate, he walked us over to a pregnant woman. She told us this information.”

They never responded back,. Since I had paid with Papal, I went through their process to get my refund. I did eventually get my money back, but it was a hassle. If we had been late, I would have understood – no refund, but we were actually 15 minutes early and one of the first people on the first tender.

I had checked them out on Cruise Critic before I booked and they had good reviews, but I would not recommend ever using them.

Final Thoughts:

Ship Size

This was our first trip on a “big ship” and I enjoyed it, but I think I prefer a smaller ship. We had a really great time, but embarkation and debarkation in Miami and the ports was a lot more difficult. If we hadn’t been Haven passengers, it would have been a huge headache. Also, there were so many people that you had to make reservations for most of the entertainment ahead of time – most “headliner” shows filled up early. Additionally, the ship was so large it took us a couple of days to find everything and I think we really didn't have time to enjoy it all the ship offered.

The Haven

We really used “The Haven” amenities a lot and enjoyed them. On this ship, it was well worth the money. I would have had a great time regardless, but my DH doesn’t like crowds much and lines make him really crabby, so it made vacation MUCH better for him. If you decide to upgrade, research what they will do for you and take advantage of it. Eat in the restaurant ( outstanding food and service with an upgraded menu), use the priority embarkation and debarkation, etc ... (Virginia, the concierge was wonderful), watch the free movies, and lounge on the sundecks/pools.

The Getaway

She's a beautiful ship with many nice amenities. I love that the fish on the carpet “swim” to the front, so you can find your way. Our stateroom was the BEST! So comfortable and spacious! We enjoyed every meal and all the shows were entertaining. Yes, the pool deck is crowded, but there were always sun loungers open away from the pool. I think the Atrium is a poor place for shows, but the shows were fun. Don't miss the Illusionarium, Million Dollar Quartet and Burn the Floor. If I could cruise in the Haven, I would go on the Getaway again, but I think that overall I prefer a smaller ship if I'm in a regular cabin. Not a critique of the ship, but just my preference.