theampres

ColdCruise - is this you, Kathy, who has upcoming CCL cruise to Greenland? Been trying to reach you through our roll call as well as email - sent you several emails re: private tour to Gros Morne, NL — please look up and reply to let me know if you’re still cruising w/us AND specifically if you’re still interested in tbd private tour, please. I have paid 1/2 deposit and must pay balance before departure. Please send email to lap3333 at hotmail ASAP & confirm you want 2 spaces in private van. Thank you.

(p.s. pls pardon my intrusion here if not ‘Kathy’ I’m looking for …creative locator research 😉 — appreciate your understanding. If this is Kathy, again, please email me reply ASAP & include a  phone number, please, preferably cell number to text. May be possible we meet up prior 13 Aug, provided you have not cancelled cruise.
 

Many thanks, kind regards, et bon voyage a tous /to everyone reading this ‘strange’ post!

much appreciate these recent reports. have been to Aruba several times & always had in mind to go to Flamingo Island; WAS considering for upcoming January port-of-call, but based on recent reports, dropping this idea! will find something else to do/somewhere else to go...

Just try walking, A block away from the tourist strip is big difference. Ketchikan, there's a very interesting store near the tunnel by the ship docks. mix of grocery, marine supply and tourist junk. About half the people were locals.

anyone know the name of this place referenced above? or street name??

great photo! thank you for sending & helpful info; we've been to Ketchikan previously (before this tour was offered) so think this is what we'll do this time. again, thanks for your feedback, much appreciated

roblanos it will really depend on what you like, don't be afraid to book through some of the local vendors almost all my tours this summer are. These are some of the things I have done and enjoyed or am excited to try this summer. I am traveling June 22, and just booked a couple of excursions through the local vendors last week. I would not wait to long though they do fill up. :)

Ketchikan- I have done Deadliest Catch Tour (booked direct with them), this year I am trying Island Wings Misty Fjord float plane trip, there are several reputable vendors for this.

Juneau- I have done Whale watching with Harv n Marv, this year just going to wing it may catch a shuttle to Mendenhall and if nice take the tram. There are vendor booths on the dock that will sell tours also..

Skagway-there is the train this year I am booking with Chilkoot Tours for the bus/train combo they use smaller buses/vans, last summer I booked through the cruise line, I have done the Glacier Point Wildnerss Safari it is a great tour (not so sure I may not try and switch to this one again lol) booked through cruise line last time.

ATTN: NEWLKAT: how was the Deadliest Catch Tour? did you find it 'worthwhile'? appreciate your feedback, what you liked/disliked about it - thank you.

thanks for link, CruiserBruce -- will see what I can find out there.

much appreciate your help!

does anyone know of hotels that provide complimentary shuttle service to-from cruise port, Seattle, or which car rental cos. offer this service to-from SEA airport to cruise port?

thank you.

anyone know of hotels that run complimentary shuttle service to-from Seattle cruise port? OR which car rental cos. run shuttle to-from airport-cruise port?

thank you.

rjm11 : we're on same page w/this; I'll report back end of Feb. (we'll be home late on 27 Feb) on how things are/what we decide to do, etc. pls. feel free to send me email reminder after 27th in case I forget to look up this thread: lap3333 at hotmail

wish you (& us:-) un bon voyage! missing Jamaica completely or staying inside cruise port area, won't make or break the cruise!

I'd like to know same as post above - and how far from cruise port, Falmouth are the 2 Royalton resorts? I've seen 2-3 miles on one site, but others seem to indicate farther --??

when is your cruise, rjm11? we'll be on JADE; Falmouth, 19 Feb. -- have same excursion booked as you, but likely will cancel, then decide upon arrival if we want to try & get there on our own via taxi or maybe find same group/white tent, etc. and see if space available -- all yet tbd...

sounds good - will follow your advice, thank you!

you all are so very helpful, and if you think of anything else that you would recommend (specific sites, restaurants, etc.), pls. feel free to email me personally : lap3333 at Hotmail - or post here, I'll check back.

thanks again.

Lynn

booked the Marriott (Boston Marriott Burlington, One Burlington Mall Rd. yes cancellable)

will be there first weekend June. disembark NCL Dawn early a.m, Friday 2 June - will get rental car from airport, then drive 'that direction' :plan is to visit Burlington, Bedford, Concord, Salem -- any specific recommendations most welcome! - thank you!

Lynn

It wouldn't be bad at all to take a taxi from the cruise port to the airport and rent a car from there. All of the car rental agencies at Logan are located in one central place outside the terminal, so it would be easy for a taxi to drop you right off at the rental car hub away from the airport pickups and drop offs. From what I understand it is a little less expensive to rent a car from the airport location than it is from South Station or other outlying locations.

If you want to do Concord (minuteman national park, Lexington green, etc) one day and Salem another you might want to consider staying in Burlington or Bedford which are located between the two, have several decent hotels, and are easy ride from Boston. On your Salem day (witch museum, maritime park, house of seven gables) you might want to keep driving north and. Heck out Gloucester, Rockport, Newburyport. All interesting places to walk around.

Just getting back to finalizing plans for fast-approaching cruise. thank you Boston Mom, 138east, Lorieb329 for your helpful info.

decided that we will rent car from airport, then drive to Burlington-Bedford, where booked hotel for weekend. we likely will want to go back into city one day or partial day, is there train/ public transport/park & ride from Burlington-Bedford-Salem-Concord into city? water taxi Salem-Boston a possibility, as well -- will look up details.

appreciate your helpful info - thank you again!

Lynn

Curious how you made your reservation. I tried on-line but not certain hther it really went through. Did you use an agency?

yes, we (qwesq part of total group of 6) made Cabaret Parisien show reservations & pre-paid in advance through local (to me) agent who specializes in travel to Cuba. will be picked up at port w/classic car, dinner at boutique restaurant in Miramar, then to 10pm show at Hotel Nacional. show tickets, car-driver for 5 hrs. all pre-paid in USD via credit card. if interested, pls. email me at lap3333 at Hotmail -- I'll pass on info. and report back to you after 22 March (our evening out in Havana! can hardly wait! :)

here's another link, re: cigar & rum prices: fairly extensive & recent (Dec. 2016):

http://yulcigars.blogspot.ca/

thanks for all info./links others have shared. all good info!

Lynn, I've been trying to do my research and looking at Google Maps. It shows that the Basilica San Francisco de Asis is pretty much right across the street from the Terminal Sierra Maestra where the cruise ships dock. There is a park looking area right next to it, but it's labeled Lonja del Comercio. The Almacenes San Jose Artisans' Market is a little ways away from the dock. Google maps says it's a 12 minute walk or a 3 min ride in a car. I'm going to try to post a link for you. Click here

 

Alan

Hi Alan - thanks for sending link - it works! we may not actually have enough time, day 1, as we are scheduled to meet our guide at ca 9am so we'll probably just try to find the Artisan Market, day 2.

are you on the March 31 cruise? don't recognize your name as part of our 21 March roll call - ? or are you on one of the later Nov-Dec cruises? I'll be happy to report back. we'll be in Havana 22-23 March.

thanks for your help!

Lynn

Anyone know which car rental cos. run shuttle between MIA airport & port of Miami ?

Thank you.

Hi - from the time of the announcement that the ship was cleared to being off the ship was about 10 seconds! We were off at, I think, around 8.15. Maybe 15 minutes later than scheduled.

wonderful! happy to hear that, hope we can do the same, as scheduled to meet private tour guide ca. 9am in front of cathedral, San Francisco Square, which, is my understanding just outside terminal. did you happen to notice or see an artisan market in same area? San Jose Artisan Market is supposed to be in same general area -- not a big deal, but if we do get off-ship as you did, would like to know what there might be to do there if we have time to wait before meeting guide.

again, so appreciative of help you are providing to all of us future cruisers, first time in Havana folks - my many thanks to you again!

wish you a delightful Day 2 in Havana et un bon voyage throughout remainder of cruise!

Lynn

you said you were among the very first to disembark. how long after ship

cleared, were you off-ship/out of terminal, pls?

thank you for your helpful info.

Thank you, Noggins! so appreciative of any feedback you can provide, as your time permits, of course. we're on next sailing and can hardly wait!

would also like to know about wifi connection onboard while in port.

ENJOY!

is there a shop to buy liquor onboard Marina (or any O ship)? if so, are purchases held to last day of cruise for pick-up or delivered to cabin on last day vs. allowing you to carry to cabin at purchase?

We booked this from ship. I have read that this is a very poor area and caution should be taken. Understandable that with the number of people in your party you would want to save $$$.

 

Be advised that some taxi drivers will take you to stops along the way and encourage you to buy things before or after you reach your destination. Please take this in consideration when you get into a cab.

 

Wish I could be of more help. Just wanted to give you the info that has been passed on to me.

 

Take care..

Hope you and your family have a great time.

 

GGBOXERS

GGBOXERS /anyone who's been to Las Escobas Springs/Waterfall, can you comment on the tour, pls.(ship's tour or private), just want to hear how it was, pls., e.g., how's the 'hike' to get there, mosquitos, or other 'bugs' - was the water at the springs clean? warm/cold?

appreciate hearing from anyone who's been there -- thank you.

lost track of whoever posted the 5-part video series, but they are great - thank you! have been doing lots of prep for upcoming visit next month, and these videos are BEST I've seen. very well done! again, thank you!

I agree about a car being an expensive liability if you are going to pretty much be staying within the Boston city limits, or anywhere else accessible by the public transit system. The MBTA transit system does run to some of the outlying tourist attractions that you might want to visit. Salem is a fun place to walk around for a day, as are Concord and Lexington which are also accessible via commuter rail. If you want to visit Cape Cod, there is a ferry that runs from the Boston wharf to Provincetown.

 

My husband works in Boston and completely knows where he is going whenever we do opt to take the car in, but unless I knew exactly where I was going and knew there would be places to park I would always take the train.

you 'Boston folks' are great! the places you mention are all under consideration... only staying thru the weekend, though... have been to Boston and done major 'tourist' sites, but it's been awhile so may stay in city-? if we were to go to Salem, Concord, or Lexington and get hotel there, would likely just take taxi from port when we disembark ship , as we'll have luggage and don't really want to lug luggage on public transport -- so how 'difficult' would it be to get taxi to airport, pick up car, then drive to Salem, Concord, or Lexington?

bigsky: yes we are sailors - from Annapolis, MD (east coast sailing capital ;-) I've never been to Bermuda. DH has & has sailed from Annapolis to Caribbean. we're excited to see America's Cup -- I'll continue on roll call. haven't been there yet, but I'll 'check-in' there next - look forward to 'chatting' w/you there or maybe via email? ( lap 3333 at hotmail dot com )