bjohio

Our tour #1 through Bernards was great. At $40 for 4.5 hours it is a great value. Tour takes you around the entire perimeter of the island- Dutch and French sides. Highlights of tour is one hour in Margot for shopping and french

pastry and 45 minutes at the airport at Maho watching the planes land over the beach. Our guide was "Mailman" and he was very friendly and informative.

A nice touch is complimentary cold drinks on the van. (Air conditioned Nisson van holding about 12 people.)

Are there any free wi-fi hot spots in Charlotte Amalie to check email once you are on land and off the ship?

Are there any free hot spots in SJ for checking email once on land and off the ship?

Frenchtown is a small community about 1/2 mile west of main shopping area. Known for its restaurants. Bella Blu has brunch Sat and Sun year round. Hook, Line & Sinker known for fish.

 

Amalia Cafe is a good choice, though, too.Beautiful courtyard setting.

Thanks so much for your input- it is very helpful.

Of the ones you mentioned, Amalia Cafe would be my choice. But you would need to find out if they are open on Easter Sunday... Hmm...about walking to Frenchtown...it is a block to the waterfront and then less than a flat 1/2 mile to the entrance. I think I would opt for a taxi if you have any questions. It can be pretty warm that time of year.

What exactly is Frenchtown? I don't remember reading about it- is it a suburb of Charlotte Amalia? What would be there on a Sunday?

And the blocks are not "city block" length, actually a very short walk back down Main Street. If you go the other way, to Frenchtown, there may be Easter brunch at Hook, Line and Sinker or Bella Blu.

How far is Frenchtown from the church? Are you talking walkable or needing a cab? (We are healthy, but 73/74 yo).

It is about 3 blocks west of main shopping area and it's flat, not downhill.

 

What kind of lunch do you want? The Windward Passage Hotel may have an Easter Brunch. If they don't, it's a nice peaceful location with courtyard or air conditioned tablecloth dining. Gladys' Cafe is nice, but may be more hectic.

 

There are other places, of course, but few in town that would have that special Easter atmosphere. More casual and bar focus.

Thanks for the information- should not be a problem to walk to town then. The restaurants we were thinking about for lunch were- Amalia Cafe, Big Kahuna Rum Shack or Beuchets Beer Garden. Any thoughts pro or con on these three? Is Glady's Cafe downtown also?

Yes, St Peter and Paul is right in town. Are you asking about walking from the dock TO town? It is about a mile from Havensight.

We will probably take a cab from the dock to church, what I wondered about was the walk from the church to downtown. I had thought the church was a little ways from town and the walk was downhill about 2 blocks to get to town- just trying to confirm that.

Am I correct in thinking that it is just a few blocks from the Cathedral to the main shopping and dining area in Charlotte Amalie and the walk is downhill?

We hope to attend Easter Mass and then walk to find a restaurant for lunch.

Does this sound doable walking?

What has been the second seating time in the MDR lately on the 10 day Eastern Caribbean out of Baltimore on the Grandeur? We have been told 8pm, but know that sometimes this changes.

It sounds like Giovanni's is outshining Chops these days- great that they have a good fillet also.

Bernard's Tour does not stop at the Iguana Farm any longer but will make a stop along the way to see Iguanas on the roadside.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2156572

I understand from a previous post that the farm is charging $5 admission so is probably the reason the tour does not stop there any longer.

So the only time differential between 1 and 2 is around 1 hour beach time?

 

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On tour 1 there is no beach time at all except for stopping at Maho beach to watch the planes arriving and leaving. Time at Marigot is at least an hour as compared to 1/2 hour with tour 2. So if you want to swim/beach time you need to take #2.

Our evenings experience was that the lamb chops were superb!

What is the dinner surcharge for Giovanni's ?

The steak (filet) is far better than chops

When you say steak is better than chops, you are meaning lamb chops, not Chops the restaurant? I'm surprised that they even serve a steak at Giovanni's- one of the main reasons we went to Chops, great if I can get it at Giovanni's too.

What is the fee for dinner at Giovanni's now? If I can get the same good fillet at Giovannis with some new other choices to go with it (ie -Egg Parm. instead of a baked potato) sounds like Giovanni's is the way to go.

We have not dined at Giovanni's Table before, but considering it this trip instead of Chops. What are some of your favorite dishes?

The only specialty restaurant where we have dined has been Chops. We are thinking of changing it up to Giovanni's this time. What's everyone's favorites?

This is something I have to admit I've been wondering about. Since most people will order different items each night, what consistent preferences are there for waiters to learn? I can imagine water with or without ice and the right dressing for a green salad, but that's as far as I get.

You are right- it is just small things- like knowing that you have decaf coffee with desert each night. Not the main thing to decide on choosing MDR certainly.

I was the one starting this thread less then a week ago and I am amazed at the number of hits on it since then and also how it has taken on a life of its own by other off shoot subjects. I hope that first time cruisers have been able to take some ideas from all that has been said and to add to their cruise experience when and if they cruise.

You have opened up a can of worms here, this is one of 5-6 highly contested topics here on CC, so I will put my 2 cents in...FIRST, I do NOT cruise to meet waiters, never have, never will..although it is nice to meet them, I know 99% of the time I will never see them again..this obsession to "get to know my waiters" has puzzled me on all 30 cruises over 15 years on all but MSC & Costa ( I'm a cruise agent & avid cruiser)..similarly, we do not cruise to meet passengers at dinner..we like a table for 2 if we cruise alone, or a table with friends or family if we cruise with others..I am overly friendly ( those who have met me at Sailaway parties or M & M's can attest to that) and love to socialize, when it comes to dining, we like some solitude, and some privacy, and feel the lousy $$ is always worth it..$15-35 pp is not a lot of money for a great meal with terrific ambiance for us..

 

Second, sometimes my wife & don't feel like eating catered food ,which is what most MDR food tastes like to me..I also call it "wedding food"..it is "OK".."not bad", "decent" etc., is what I usually find..rarely "fantastic, can't wait for tomorrow night"..my wife works very hard & long hours, and sometimes I would like to treat her to better food, better service, and most important, better ambiance...dining with 1500 people is not my idea of that..

 

Third, QUALITY of food in specialty venues, IMO, is 100% better than the MDR...things I like- crab cakes,Potatoes au gratin, shrimp cocktail ( big ones, not small cheap ones!) , NY Strip, simply are much better in the specialty venues...food is subjective, I know..a perfect example is about 5 years ago, we cruised with 2 other couples on the RCI'S Navigator Of The Seas and for one couple, it was their first cruise..we dined 3 nights in the MDR, and 2 nights $$, Chops & Portifinos..on the last night, I asked both couples if they thought there was a difference in the quality of food in the $$ venues & if it was worth the difference..my friend Bill, who NEVER is at a loss for words, said," you would have to be either drunk, unconscious, or just an idiot to not think this is better & worth the difference"...plus, we sat both nights at the specialty venues at a table over-looking the sea, perfect!

 

Lastly, we often cruise on our anniversary, or our birthdays, which are 3 weeks apart ..we often book a specialty venue because I like to have my wife feel "special" at dinner time..dining in a loud, bright room with 1500 other passengers and 300 waiters criss crossing back & forth with trays of food is not my idea of feeling special...similarly, if I wanted to take my wife out to dinner at home for a special occasion, I would not take her to Fridays or Chili's, it would be more like Ruth Chris, Morton's, Capital Grill, etc..even though we like Chili's, Outback, etc., it's just not "special"... I have a saying I tell all- "if you want to eat, go to the buffet..if you want to eat better, go to the MDR...if you want to DINE & enjoy your food in a special dining experience, go to a specialty venue". Just MHO...

 

Big Al

You make good points, but you, as a cruise agent, are not the new, first-time cruiser that I was trying to reach. With each new experience peoples choices will change, I was just trying to reach Cruisers 101.

Maybe "reasons" isn't the right term. More like 4 "factors" that a first-time cruiser might not know otherwise :)

Good point, that would have been a better choice of words.

bjohio, I understood why you posted this, and I think it's good. You put it on the First Time Cruisers thread - I think first-time cruisers might be wondering whether they should book specialty restos, and whether they will like the dining room. You gave your views, and Roz added other points, s'all good.

 

For those who responded with different views, okay, those are your opinions and preferences. No need to take offence at the original post though, I think.

Thank you, that was all my intent- as a new cruiser I would have liked to have known more and was hesitant about sitting with new people, but am glad we did as it added to the experience.

I eat in the MDR as often as possible for 2 main reasons:

 

1. Weight Managment - I eat less when I order a pre-plated meal, and don't get seconds (or thirds!). I also eat slower when I eat with other people.

 

2. Atmosphere - The MDR has a more refined feel to it and is therefore more relaxing than the chaos and frenzy of the Lido.

 

Roz

Roz has put it more succinctly than I did and maybe the 4 lb weight gain is questionable, but usually there is weight gain of some amount if you aren't careful. I loved the sea air causing clothes to shrink comment made!

I don't understand why someone would need to decide where they're eating all their meals before the cruise. The main dining meals are included in one's fare as are some other venues (buffet' date=' and others depending on cruise line). Specialty restaurants are usually extra, but again, depending on the cruise line, some can be booked during the cruise depending on demand.

 

Some cruise lines do offer a choice of booking traditional (assigned) dining and flexible dining, so that would be a decision to make ahead of time. But those both are for the main dining rooms.[/quote']

We do opt for a specialty restaurant at least once on a cruise, just let your table and head waiter know the night before that you won't be joining them-just the polite thing to do.

OP .... Thanks for your thoughts on this. Do you do Traditional Seating or the Anytime option in the MDR?

LuLu

We do the traditional seating so we are with the same companions each night at the same time. If for some reason after the first night you don't think you are going to click with the others you can change tables by asking the head waiter. We have never found that necessary. Sometimes we do eat at the specialty restaurant- just let your fellow diners and the head waiter know the night before so they won't be waiting for you.

We will be in St. Thomas on a Sunday. What is the closest Catholic church to the pier? Thanks

We are on the Grandeur in St. Thomas on Easter Sunday. We plan to taxi to St. Peter and Paul Cathedral for 10:30 mass- just about two miles away and then I think walking distance downhill to the shopping and restaurant area.