Mom.to.2

It's only open on certain days, and you are correct that there's no public skating on ice show days. At least on the Explorer, the public skate times were structured into 45 minute sessions and the first 30 guests to sign up are allowed to skate during that session. Skating ran 10 am - 12:15 pm and 1 - 4:45 pm (multiple 45 minute sessions.)

Day 2 (Friday) and Day 8 (Thursday)

Also not the Enchantment, but the Explorer had Mello Yello too.

From personal experience (my husband is a physician) I can tell you doctors are working more and earning less than 4 years ago. DH leaves the house in the morning before the kids & I are awake, and doesn't get home till 9 pm or later. I'm not sure where pp is getting his/her erroneous information.

Oh, and no vacation home here. We live in a modest family home.

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I just debarked the Explorer this past Saturday. I agree with prior posters, she's in great shape considering her age, a wonderful ship & crew. Overlook minor wear & tear and have a fabulous cruise!

Some of the cabins have tube TVs and some have flat screen.

Here's a picture of one of our JS cabins last week (it had a flat screen):

2 rooms for sure.

Here's a picture of the second "bedroom" in the FOV on the Explorer. It's literally a closet with bunk beds in it.

If it's the Explorer, the connecting door was near the balcony sliders.

view of connecting door in Explorer JS. suite

view of the room from the hall door.

138east...I'm currently enjoying lunch in the Windjammer. Your directions were SPOT on and by far the easiest route we've taken to Cape Liberty. Thank you!!!!!

There was no traffic around exit 14 on the NJ Turnpike. But there was a sign that said the skyway is closing on Saturday, so I'm not sure that has happened yet.

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Definitely take the baby somewhere that does passport photos. We get ours at our local AAA. Our Walgreens does them too.

While most people on this thread have gotten their children passports (including myself) my impression is that most parents do NOT get passports for their children.

As everyone above has indicated, it's up to the discretion of the Adventure Ocean Supervisor. No way to know how it will go ahead of time. If it's a high child volume cruise (i.e. school vacation week) the chances are less likely.

138east...I apologize if my questions have become burdensome. I will cease and desist. But not before I thank you again for your expert information. Your time & effort is VERY appreciated, and knowing I have the best route 'mapped' out will make our drive to the port much easier. I will try to post Thursday (my embarkation day) and report on our experience with traffic around exit 14.

Perhaps I should have been clearer from my first post where I stated "I know I can look it up on mapquest or use my GPS, but I'm thinking the regulars here may have better info." This is actually my 4th time to Cape Liberty Port. And I haven't gone the same way twice. Mapquest, Google Maps, and my GPS all disagree with each other. I've gone over the GWB, and I've not. I've gone through the Lincoln Tunnel, and I've not. I may have gone over the Tapanzee too. Clearly there are many, many different ways to get to the port and that's why I came here because I trust the regulars to give me the BEST way to avoid traffic. Unlike Mr. Bill, I trust 138east's directions more than map quest directions.

It's not that I don't want to take the initiative. It's that I'm afraid of inadvertently altering my route by reading directions from other sources. I'm going to try the drive without turning the GPS on, because it can get very distracting when the gps continually tries to send you a different way than you intend to go. I guess my GPS is outdated because it doesn't always send me the best way and it definitely doesn't tell me which lane I should be in. But if I take a wrong turn and get lost, I do have a GPS and it'll get me there one way or another.

I was only half kidding when I posted earlier that I've got PTSD from taking I-95 through CT and over the GWB when I was in college. I definitely wouldn't take that route nor would I recommend it to anyone.

Things I've learned from this thread that I would not have learned if I looked at a map, relied on map quest and/or and my gps:

-the BEST way to get to the port to avoid traffic

-expect heavy delays around exit 14 due to closure of Skyway

-Henry Hudson Bridge toll is unmanned and they will mail me a bill

-which lanes to be in at several different points

-signs to look for a several different points

-you can no longer turn left on Port Terminal Blvd

Again, THANK YOU 138east & NJHorseman!

138...so I will take the Holland Tunnel? Is this on the NJ turnpike?

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Merritt south, (I know how to cut over to Merritt in CT) to

Hutchinson River Pkwy (at NY/CT line), to

Exit 15, Cross County Pkwy, get in middle-left lane (turns into left lane) to

Saw Mill Pkwy SOUTH to

Henry Hudson Pkwy (at NYC line) - (unmanned toll, will mail $5 bill) to a left exit for

GWB exit, Will drive on city street for one block. Then turn right at traffic light to go over bridge.

On GW bridge, get into middle left lane, to

NJ Turnpike, eastern spur better but either work (follow FIRSTsign for Lincoln Tunnel) Do not actually take the Lincoln Tunnel. to

exit 14-14A-14B-14C, follow signs to 14A

pay toll & go straight across the toll plaza and get on a 2 lane ramp that goes up and curves left.

On the ramp stay on the right and make the first right,

stay to the right and make another right.

Left at light at route 440

stay left, and make a left at the first light onto Goldsborough Drive.

Goldsborough Drive will merge with Port Terminal Blvd.

Follow the crowd about 2 miles out to the ship.

Return trip: if on upper GWB, get in right lane and take 1st exit to Henry Hudson Pkwy.

if on lower GWB, get in left lane and exit to Henry Hudson Pkwy.

Unfortunately, not everyone who drives this route is as savvy as the locals about the intricacies of this route and, what is obvious to those of us who do drive it, is a big scary unknown to others posting on this forum. Maps answer some questions, but not all questions. I don't know the EZ Pass answer for the Henry Hudson, so perhaps someone local could comment on that.

This is it EXACTLY. THANK YOU for your understanding response & help, and for not taunting me.

I went to college in S.I. (20 years ago) and have PTSD from the drive back & forth from my parent's home in CT. Just mention the BQE & GWB and I start twitching! But as you mention in an earlier post, I was entering the GWB from I-95 so hopefully the merge will be much easier with your directions.

If you don't have an EZ pass they bill the Henry Hudson Bridge toll by mail to the address associated with your car's license plate. The toll by mail is $5.

 

http://web.mta.info/bandt/html/cashless.html

Thank you for the info. We do NOT have an EZ pass (there's no tolls near us.) And no time to get one (we embark this Thursday!)

This sounds very strange to me to have an unmanned toll and mail home the bill. Good to know ahead of time so we aren't confused & panic during the drive. THANK YOU!

Directions from Mass

 

If you come out the Mass Pike, you pick up I84 west in Auburn and I91 south in Hartford. You take exit 17 marked W Cross Parkway. This becomes the Merritt Parkway wt Milford.

 

If you come down I95 there is a cutover to the Merritt at Milford CT exit 38. At Rye NY there is another cutover to the Hutchinson River Parkway South exit 21 immediately after exit 1 in CT. This cutover is longer than the one at Milford and involves getting off onto I287 West and following the signs to the Merritt/Hutch. You get off onto a service road, go through a few lights and take the turn for the Hutch south.

 

The Merritt Pkwy becomes the Hutchinson River Pkwy at the NY/CT line. From the Hutch take exit 15 in New Rochelle to get on the Cross County Pkwy. Stay in the middle left lane, which will become the left lane when the road "scrunches". This leads onto the Saw Mill River Pkwy South which becomes the Henry Hudson Pkwy at the NYC line ($4 toll). The toll is worth every penny.

 

You take the George Washington Bridge exit and slide over to the middle left lane. Follow the NJ Turnpike signs. When you get on the turnpike, follow the first set of Lincoln Tunnel signs to get on the eastern spur of the turnpike, but don't get off at the actual tunnel exit. Continue on to exit 14-14A-14B-14C and follow the signs to exit 14A.

 

The are no trucks on this route from Meriden CT to the GW Bridge and you will avoid any traffic issues on the Cross Bronx Expressway or the intersection with I87.

 

At exit 14A please follow these directions. Others have followed them successfully. The signage is poor. There are lots of choices and you have to make a quick decision as to where you are going. For a first timer there's not time to stop and try to spot the correct little sign and I'm not sure the names of all the streets are clearly marked. After you pay your toll you go straight across the toll plaza and get on a 2 lane ramp that goes up and curves left. This is hard to miss. On the ramp you stay on the right and make the first right, stay to the right and make another right. You will come to the light at route 440 where you will make a left, stay left, and make a left at the first light onto Goldsborough Drive. Route 440 is a four lane divided highway. You can only turn left at a traffic light - going south the first light is now at Goldsborough Drive. The left turn into the port used to be at Port Terminal Blvd (and it still is coming the other way), but they shut down that turn fairly recently and made Goldsborough Drive the main port access road coming from the north. Goldsborough Drive will merge with Port Terminal Blvd. You will be able to see the ship and you just follow the crowd about 2 miles out to the ship.

THANK YOU!!!!!! Dumb question...am I actually going over the GWB, or just taking that exit which puts me on NJ Turnpike? Clearly I don't know the area!

Would you mind reviewing how I've reformatted the info (so I can follow along easier than a paragraph while we're actually driving) and make sure I didn't confuse anything?

Merritt south, (I know how to cut over to Merritt in CT) to

Hutchinson River Pkwy (at NY/CT line), to

Exit 15, Cross County Pkwy, get in middle-left lane (turns into left lane) to

Saw Mill Pkwy to

Henry Hudson Pkwy (at NYC line) - $4 toll, to

GWB exit, get in middle left lane, to

NJ Turnpike, (follow signs for Lincoln Tunnel) to

exit 14-14A-14B-14C, follow signs to 14A

pay toll & go straight across the toll plaza and get on a 2 lane ramp that goes up and curves left.

On the ramp stay on the right and make the first right,

stay to the right and make another right.

Left at light at route 440

stay left, and make a left at the first light onto Goldsborough Drive.

Goldsborough Drive will merge with Port Terminal Blvd.

Follow the crowd about 2 miles out to the ship.

Can anyone give me the best directions from central CT (near I-84, Route 9, I-91) to the Cape Liberty port? We're parking at the pier.

I know I can look it up on mapquest or use my GPS, but I'm thinking the regulars here may have better info.

TIA

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I am with you. I am bringing our sitter along expressly so I have the option if leaving my child onboard in one port. Would never leave my kid on board even in the kids club if I and my spouse left the ship. What, I wonder, is the ships protocol if the parents miss the ship?

I've heard (on cruise critic) the cruise line assigns a staff member to babysit the 'abandoned' minor and charges the parent their hourly babysitting rate ($19/hr).

For those who have texted specifically on the Explorer of the Seas....was there any lag time to send/receive texts between 2 iphones both on the ship?

I've called verizon and know the cost ($.50 to send and $.05 receive texts) now just want to know if texting is truly reliable. We're thinking to use this to keep in touch with our 11 year old while she's in Adventure Ocean.

Also, I noticed 1750 is available - I'd grab that cabin in a heartbeat. We were in 1708 on Allure, which is the same location but on the port side. Very close to the middle of the hump (1710 and I think 1748 are dead center), very private, great views.

 

Just my 2 cents in case you decide to go for it. :D If i wasn't going on Explorer next week, I might have snagged 1750 for myself in May...

Karma are you on 4/10 Explorer? Join our roll call!

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I have no firsthand knowledge of what RCL stocks but if you're driving to the port, you might want to bring your own skates with you. Size 15 seems a little bit outside the box.

just got back - on our cruise stop in st maarten- we went to orient beach, our group of 15 did not get biten- only myself and my son had deet on- everyone else felt no need to apply as there was a breeze. also, no one on the cruise seem concerned.

Thank you for coming back to report!

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I looked into that, it is almost $40.00 per person with 11 people and tip it would be close to $500.00.:eek:

Sounds reasonable to me!

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You could even consider taking a scooter to the beach on your day out, if you like.

If you're thinking scooter, read this thread before you decide: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1884016

Agree with the Cabana. If that's not an option, Columbus Cove beach is best for the 7 year old. Find a tree to park yourself under for Grandma.