Grimsby

Have any of you stayed at Rodeway Inn FLL, Holiday Inn FLL, Embassy Suites FLL, .........

 

Stayed at the Rodeway Inn last February. What attracted us was the proximity of a restaurant next door, and the free shuttle from the airport and to the cruise port. At the price we paid, about $130. the Rodeway Inn was just barely O.K.

 

Checked it out for next February and the prices were ridiculously high for a basic motel room. Looking elsewhere.

I know there are lots of threads about opinions on hotels near the port. We have stayed at the Embassy Suites previously and have the booked for our cruise next April. But if airfare doesn't come down we will be driving instead of flying into FLL, ..........

 

Check out the Ramada -Fort Lauderdale Oakland Park. Reviews are favorable for this basic hotel and I think parking is free or a reasonable price. The shuttle to the port is also free or low cost.

 

We're flying into FLL, and I've booked this hotel for both our December 2016 and February 2017 cruises.

We are on the Conquest out of FLL for an 8 day cruise in September. We return on a Sunday and have looked at the 10:45 a.m. non-stop flight on Delta back to Knoxville. Is this doable? We are platinum and will do self-disembark. TIA for your help.

 

 

Just one more little thing to think about. During our last cruise we were three hours late leaving the last port stop before Fort Lauderdale because of some mechanical problems on the ship. The Captain made up two hours of this delay over the course of the night, but we still docked at Ft. Lauderdale an hour later than expected.

What is the general practice when there is a relatively decent price drop after final payment? Sol?

 

This always presents a moral dilemma. We, (I included), want the cruise lines to allow our previously booked fare to be reduced equal to the latest lower posted price. How would we feel if they increased our already booked cruise cost to match the latest increase in price?

 

And I will readily confess to having requested, and received, price reductions in the past. Once several weeks after final payment.

Celebrity, Royal Carribbean Inc., denied my request for shareholder credit for my B2B2B cruises in February. This was first denial in 10 cruises.....................

 

We held RCCL shares for many years. Purchased them at $35. - watched them plummet to $5. in 2008, and then recover to about $80. a year or so ago.

 

Prior to our last cruise on Royal Carribean I applied for the Shareholder Credit and much to my surprise, I was denied. After jumping through more hoops than a circus dog, I was finally granted this credit. However, it just wasn't worth the aggravation to hold these shares just to get a few $$$ in my on-board account. So I sold them, and at a fairly decent profit. As an investor, I don't purchase a stock because of possible perks. I do so to make money, and I won't let the "bean counters" at RCCL dissuade me from cruising on one of their ships if the price and conditions are right.

[quote name='jabrown40']I booked a Summit cruise for March 2018. I'm glad I read this, will hold off purchasing airfare until I'm sure the cruise is sailing. How frustrating![/QUOTE]

It appears there were some significant changes made in, and around November 2016.

I too was concerned because we need to purchase travel medical insurance within 21 days of booking. I contacted my travel agent to inquire about the 9 day cruise we booked his month on the Summit. I just received confirmation from Celebrity, through our travel agent, that this particular cruise is scheduled to sail as planned on February 18, 2017.

Make sure you bring your ear plugs for the shows on the Royal Princess! I was on the Feb 15 and Feb 22 sailings and all of the shows were so loud ...........

 

We were on the Feb. 22 sailing, and have quite another take on this issue. One evening we attended a performance by 4 female violinists in the Piazza. These talented ladies had developed quite a following and we were fortunate to find a seat. Unfortunately, the only seats available were off to the side, near the bar and directly in front of a table of four buffoons, who, as the music started felt the need to shout loudly enough that they drowned out the music and we could only hear their raucous laughter and shouting. These ignorant louts obviously felt that they could do what they wanted "on their cruise, in their space." We finally left!!!!

I am repeating here the comments I posted on our "Royal" roll call page.

 

"Just saw the new Princess hull colors for "Majestic Princess" and, eventually all of the fleet, (look under the "NEWS" heading at the top of this page).

 

I'm beginning to suspect that Princess wants to attract a whole new clientele. Circus performers and old time carnival barkers should feel right at home with this new color scheme. I expect some might like it, but I find it just a bit gaudy and reminiscent of Norwegian ships."

What is customary for tipping on excursions not affiliated with our cruise ship? We have a day long catamaran excursion and I'm not sure what is appropriate. Also, do we tip the captain for the whole crew or tip individually? Is it rude to tip in American dollars?

 

I like vacations, and really love cruise vacations. I know many folks in the islands depend on tips as a partial source of their livelihood and I do tip most of the service workers, (excluding the operators of the 10 minute ferry ride in St. Marten). However, it's a relief to get back home where not everyone you meet has their hand out.

Ok so I need everyone's opinion/advice, we are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale...what is the best airport to fly into. Miami or Fort Lauderdale? Are the transfers hard to find? When do they start leaving for the ship? We have already booked the transfers through Princess just curious if the people are easy to locate.

 

Almost all of our 15 cruises have been out of Fort Lauderdale. Only once have we found a flight deal with a price so appealing that we flew into MIami, paid the $50.00 shuttle fee to Ft. Lauderdale, and still came out significant $$$ ahead. One other word of advice. If we're flying in the winter, (in our case from Buffalo N.Y.), we always fly in a day ahead of the cruise departure date and stay in a Ft. Lauderdale hotel, many of which will shuttle you to your ship.

You know the difference between a beer lover and a beer snob?

 

Drinking Fosters beer is a little like eating at "McD's." We all say we'll never do that again, and six months later ........

 

We've had Fosters available in Canada for years, and every time I buy one, I say "never again". It has usually sold at a discount on many cruises we've been on. And, forgetting my "never again", I foolishly buy one on the first day.

 

I guess you need to be Australian to truly appreciate the subtle qualities of that beer!!!

We are sailing from Singapore on the Saphire Princess in a few weeks. It is our first time on Princess cruises.

Does anyone have a copy or picture of the room service menu?

I would really appreciate it.

 

Also, don't forget to get take some small bills to tip the room service waiter. We usually tip $2.00 U.S. or equivalent for each room service delivery.

" ..................... Princess allows you to stack OBC from different sources such as stockholder, from use of FCCs, from special sales promotions, etc. RCI severely limits limits the stacking. For example, if you get a special balcony rate due to loyalty status, you cannot get stockholder OBC."

 

Our last cruise on RCCL I had to "do handstands" and "jump through hoops" to receive my "Shareholder Credit". Their standard answer is "NO." Then if you persist, they will grudgingly allow this credit after several denials.

Following this last RCCL cruise I sold all of my RCCL shares, (although at a good profit), and will likely not sail with them again. Too much of a hassle to obtain what is advertised as rightfully ours.

Several cruise lines have stepped up screening for detection of prohibited articles....mainly to stem the tide of smuggled alcohol. Anecdotal reports here on CC indicate that there has been considerable success in this effort.

 

We recently sailed with RCCL, and at the time I was wearing a somewhat larger than normal men's watch. This set off alarms at the airport, which was easily explained away to the TSA screeners.

 

So I get to the cruise terminal and once again my watch initiated the security system alarms. Well before I even had 2 seconds to demonstrate what triggered the alarm, the local "rent-a-cop" pushed me aside and was so thorough in frisking me he knew more about my physical make up than my Proctologist. I believe this guy was a frustrated wannabe cop, who just couldn't make the grade.

 

The intrusive nature of this type of physical search was well above and beyond any necessary security screening, and the cruise lines need to train their screeners to be a little more sensitive to the personal feelings of their passengers.

What happens if you have credit left over at the end of the cruise?

 

Assuming a 10 day cruise, you would receive a total of $100. OBC. If you spend less than $100. during your cruise, (even exclusive of gratuities), I want to know how you are able to budget so exceptionally well. Our on board bill at the end of any cruise has always been upwards of $500.:D

 

My story: You should always invest in what you know. So in March of 2008 after another great Princess cruise, I purchased 200 Carnival shares at $35/each. In September of that year they were worth about $5.50/each. Fortunately I held on to all of these shares and made a significant profit once the "market" began to recover, plus 7 years of OBC for each cruise on Princess, Carnival, and Holland America. I still hold Carnival shares to this day.

The app is not needed. You just follow the instructions - I think they were in the patter - and go to the intranet site for the ship you are on and make an account. It was really very easy. As far as I know the app only adds in push notifications if someone sends you a message over the system.

 

Does this use up internet minutes, (which accumulate quickly because of the snail paced internet on-board), or is it a no charge option?

Allow me to add to this discussion, by quoting the final paragraph from my RCCL cruise ship review of Grandeur of the Seas in the Fall of 2014. I just hope that those that need this advice will read it.

However ...........

 

In our 16 years of cruising, I’ve noticed that the percentage of our fellow passengers behaving in a somewhat rude, arrogant, “me first” manner has increased substantially. The majority of passengers we have met are wonderful people who it has been our privilege to know, and interact with. However, many more now seem to be from the “ME” generation who were never taught, or do not care to act courteously, with any consideration for others. We’re a small community on a big ocean folks, so let’s be kind to each other.

I have a cruise booked in US$ with a US agent and the Visa statement says Princess Cruise Passage Valencia.

 

Since the cruise is booked in US$, Princess charged US$ and Visa converted into CDN$ with Visa"s exchange rate. I am wondering does Visa charge a service charge? If they do, being hit with exchange rate plus service charge?

 

The exchange rate as of July 25, to convert CDN to US is $1.33.

 

Most credit cards include a 2.25% foreign currency exchange surcharge over and above the posted exchange rate. Some do not. For example I have a credit card issued by CHASE BANK which does not levy this premium on foreign currency exchanges, and I use it for all of my U.S. $$ purchases. Read the terms and conditions that came with your credit card.

We have sailed 15 times divided among most of the mainstream cruise lines, including several with Royal Caribbean. In fact our last cruise was on RCCL in October 2014.

Our preference is Princess because the whole "experience package" just seems better for us. To name just two aspects, the quality of the food in the MDR seems marginally superior, and the enrichment lecturers actually present their subject in an informed and enthusiastic manner. I should also qualify my comments by stating our age, which is in the late 60's.

This may be a good time to quote the last paragraph of my cruise review from October 2014:

 

"In our 16 years of cruising, I’ve noticed that the percentage of our fellow passengers behaving in a somewhat rude, arrogant, “me first” manner has increased substantially. The majority of passengers we have met are wonderful people who it has been our privilege to know, and interact with. However, many more now seem to be from the “ME” generation who were never taught, or do not care to act courteously, with any consideration for others. We’re a small community on a big ocean folks, so let’s be kind to each other.

I sure hope everyone who takes a cruise, be it with Princess or another line, helps to helps to spread the message of courtesy and consideration for our fellow travellers.

Usually have good luck with Stay123.com. We have a lot of experience with Best Western Plus BWI (formerly Sleep Inn), and staying there has always worked well for us.................

 

There is a whole section on these boards dedicated to "Stay123", and credit cards that, coincidentally, were compromised after booking on this web site. I personally had fraudulent charges on my credit card from London England, (we live in Canada), after booking, and then cancelling a reservation with Stay123.com in early 2014.

 

Having said that, many people have had good luck with this company. Just a word of caution advising anyone booking with "Stay123" to monitor their credit card statements very closely. Some have drawn the conclusion that "Stay123" needs to beef up their internet security.

I am having difficulty even doing a "search for a cruise". I am unable to click on anything to bring up any type of a cruise. I am getting frustrated with their site and may have to switch cruise lines if they can't get it sorted out.

Anyone else with this problem.

 

It appears to me that RCCL's web site was developed just shortly after some of our fellow North Americans gave up communicating with smoke signals. And hasn't been up-graded since.

 

We sail in less than a week, and for more than a month I've tried to obtain information on the shore excursions offered on our cruise. The six or eight times I've tried to connect to RCCL's cruise shore excursions web page, I've usually spent 10 - 15 minutes watching a spinning "ball", before giving up. Of course during these 10 or 15 minutes RCCL's on screen message is telling me that: "We're creating your perfect vacation."

 

I've seen better web sites, and received quicker responses from private tour operators on so called third world islands.

[quote name='leisuretraveler223']......[COLOR=Red]room service on RCI (long waits, wrong or incomplete orders, tepid to warm food, etc...), anyone else wonder if [B]maybe this service shouldn't be free, but rather for a fee[/B]?[/COLOR][/quote]

RCCL doesn't need any help finding more ways to pick their guests pockets. They have already trained their Investor Relations group to use only one word when we apply for our shareholders' OBC. "[U][B]No[/B][/U]"!!!!!!!

What are the less populated beaches in St. Marteen that still have food and restroom facilities available? I so desperately want to go to Tintamarre Island, but we'd have to pack a picnic. Boo to that.

 

I would read the thread marked "Crime" on these St Maarten boards before heading off to any "secluded" areas on St. Maarten/St. Martin, or any Caribbean Island for that matter.

How do you find out how many ships will be in port on the day you will be there?

 

Just "click" or paste the link below into your web browser. It shows worldwide ports. Select your port, then select your date from the calender, and you will see what ships are in port.

 

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/