Bilge Rats

We haven't flown in to SJU since the pandemic, but prior to that, taxis at the airport were plentiful and you paid a flat fee based on what zone you were traveling to.  There were posted signs directing you to the taxi stands.  The staff at the taxi stand told us what our fare was upfront, before we even got into the taxi.  (We always paid cash, so I don't know if they accept credit cards or not.)

Thanks for the information on the corkage fee!  We will be relaxing with a glass of wine in our room or on our balcony, so I am glad to learn that there is no extra fee for this.

Does anyone know the amount charged as a corkage fee?

On 7/7/2023 at 11:25 AM, bguppies said:

Los Cinco Soles.

100% better tasting than the fake stuff at your grocery store.

A tiny splash has more flavor than half a bottle of extract.

We always get ours at Los Cinco Soles.  It is very tasty and has no coumarin in it.

Thanks, DCThunder.  Appreciate the warning about the iced tea.  I think we will be packing some tea bags to bring with us for iced tea.  The hot tea selection sounds nice.

What brand of tea does Princess offer in the buffet and main dining room?  Twinings? Lipton? Something else?  I am asking about hot tea options, not iced tea.  Thanks.

They have a new park along the ocean that is within walking distance of the port (Linear Park).  Here is some information from Fodor's (2016 date): https://www.fodors.com/world/caribbean/aruba/experiences/news/photos/new-things-to-do-in-oranjestad-aruba

We have sailed in this regatta twice in Cozumel and enjoyed it both times. First attempt, we had very light wind (the organizers even delayed our start in hopes winds would pick up), so it was slow going. Second time we booked, it was canceled because winds were too high. Third time we had decent wind and rails in the water! Would like to do it again this winter, but so far it is not offered as an excursion for our sailing. :(

For those who have not done this, please don't expect this to be a cruising sailboat. It is an actual racing boat - no cushy seats and no bathroom onboard - and you are in an actual race against another boat. The captain calls out orders that you have to implement as part of the sailing team. It's not a sightseeing cruise. You also have to be careful where you place your hands/arms/legs, and you have to be OK with heeling over (riding along on a somewhat unnatural angle through the water). They will give you a life vest if you want one. Also, you are taken to where the sailboats are moored on a pontoon boat, and you have to get from one boat to the other safely. For people with mobility issues, this might be challenging. I say all of this not to discourage folks (as I said - I am a repeat customer), but I do think it's important to know what you are signing up for.

If you enjoy sailing, I encourage you to take this opportunity to race on actual America' Cup boats!

The Cozumel program is the sister program to the St. Maarten program. 2 of the boats from St. Maarten are now here - "Stars&Stripes 56 & True North IV.

I have done the program and St. Maarten several times and would recommend it to anyone. These are historic sailboats and to have the chance to sail on one of them is a bucket list item.

Absolutely! We have done this excursion twice in Cozumel. Lost the race on Stars & Stripes, but came back 3 years later to win on True North IV! There wasn't much wind to work with on our first attempt, but the second time we had the rails in the water. It is a real race - you have a set course to complete, and there is even a penalty if you cross the starting line too soon. These are actual racing boats, so don't expect the amenities of a cruising sailboat (like bathrooms or actual seats).

The 18% tax is only a little over $14 per day. Wines are about $10/glass. Beer is about $5/bottle. Drink one of each and you "break even" on what you actually pay in taxes for the package.

You can walk to the downtown area of Bridgetown (15-20 minutes) and browse through the shops there (no cost unless you buy something). The walk is along the shoreline, so you can see the ocean while you are meandering. You also can walk to the Mount Gay distillery and take a tour with a rum tasting for just $10 per person. That walk is the opposite direction from the downtown area and is through an industrial park that not as pedestrian-friendly as the walk to downtown, but there were several passengers besides us who chose to burn off some calories and traveled on foot when we did it several years ago.

You should review the information provided by the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov) for your destination, and consult with your pediatrician. The mosquitos that transmit malaria tend to be active at night, so on a cruise you are less likely to encounter them than if you were staying on the island for your entire vacation. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue are active all of the time, unfortunately. We have visited twice and have not taken antimalarial medicine - we just used bug spray (DEET for exposed skin and permethrin-treated clothes) and were fine both times (we did island tour, ziplining, botanical garden, cameo factory, lunch on waterfront in West End...lots of different environments).

You will go directly to the parking garage. Once you are inside, you stop on the first level and give bags to the porters. Then you go up the ramps until you find a spot to park your vehicle. The porters are good about reminding you to keep the bag that has your passport and boarding pass in it!

We just did a TA on QM2. I could find a generic version of Splenda in the buffet area (only in the dispensers on the tables, not in the ones at the coffee/tea stations), but it was not evident in the main dining room. Perhaps the waiter would have brought it if I asked, but I did not bother to put in a special request.

All of the ships I have seen in Cozumel are docked. All you have to do is be ready when they announce it is cleared to go ashore, then walk off. They have 3 main pier areas in Cozumel. The northern one (Langosta) is close to the ferry dock, which is in the city of San Miguel. The other piers are farther away and it would be fastest to take a taxi to the ferry dock, I think.

As I have never taken the ferry to the mainland, I can't help with that part of your question.

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Thank you for sharing. We are scheduled to visit Almaplena in about 2 weeks - hoping for a wonderful, sunny beach day, but good to know Monica will work with you if Mother Nature has other plans.

We have booked excursions both ways and have never missed our ship yet!

If the excursion is far from the cruise port, or if time is short in a tendered port, we are more likely to choose a trip offered through the cruise line.

We have done private tours in Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Bahamas, Antigua, Skagway, Juneau, Halifax, Bar Harbor, St. John (Canada), Dominica, Mazatlan, San Juan, and Roatan. As others have said, do your research to find good private tour operators - we rely on Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor. Most reputable operators will not charge you if you miss a tour because your ship does not port (due to weather, mechanical issues, etc.).

We visited the ruins in October of 2013. We had treated our clothes with permethrin and also brought some DEET for exposed skin. As soon as folks began getting off the bus, they began slapping mosquitoes. Perhaps it depends on time of year and weather (we visited during a rainy period). Night-flying mosquitoes in the region transmit malaria, and day-flying mosquitoes transmit dengue fever, so we came prepared!

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Here are my questions:

 

1) Cruise line excursions vs. third-party excursions? What are the pros and cons of each? Is one better than another?

 

2) What happens if we choose not to do any excursions? Can we relax on a beach until departure (if so, are there chairs, etc provided)?

 

3) Since we are traveling in the middle of winter (from Virginia), what can we do if our flights to Ft. Lauderdale get cancelled? I heard something about booking flights through the cruise line and/or purchasing insurance. Are either of these options good and/or reasonable?

 

4) Are meals provided on excursions?

I hope you enjoy your first cruise! We have visited these ports and have done both ship and independent shore excursions, so here are some of my experiences:

1) For long/distant excursions (for example, Lamanai ruins in Belize), we book through the ship. If the tour is delayed getting back, they will hold the ship for you. If you do this on your own and are late, you have to find your own way to the next port. For short/local excursions, we more often book on our own. Generally, the cost is less. Be sure to read the boards here for each port, as folks will share their experiences with independent tour providers so you will know who is good and who is questionable. Most reputable operators will not charge you or will refund your money if your ship does not port due to weather or mechanical issues, but be sure to check on this and understand their cancellation and refund policies in advance. On our trip to Roatan last fall, we (5 adults) book an all-day, custom independent tour of the entire island and only paid $125 - much cheaper than the excursions offered via the cruise line.

2) You can always get off the ship and go on your own. Each port is a little different in what activities are available within walking distance. Again, I advise you to read the boards here to get an idea of what is at each port. Also, you will find a number of tour operators/taxi drivers just waiting for your business when you arrive in most places. I am not sure where Carnival ports in Roatan. Belize is tendered - there are docks but no beach where the tenders arrive. There are a number of shops, bars, and restaurants where Carnival usually docks near the south end of Cozumel. There is a small beach area with some sand and a few palm trees, but you can't really get in the water there. There are much nicer sand beaches (swimming and snorkeling) south of the port - you can book independently or through the ship.

3) As others have said - get trip insurance and arrive a day early to leave yourself some wiggle room.

4) Depends on the excursion. Read the description to be sure. Food is usually provided for long (all-day) trips.

I would definitely recommend that you plan your wardrobe with layering in mind. That way you can add or remove items as the weather dictates. When we did Alaska in 2009, I wore long-sleeve t-shirts with a sweatshirt/hoodie over that, then a fleece jacket, and then a raincoat. And I brought (and wore!) gloves. We sailed the last week of June in 2009 and encountered a rain/snow mix as we ported in Juneau!

Alaska was very beautiful. I hope you enjoy your trip!

We won lanyards on our first cruise (Celebrity) in a trivia competition and have used them ever since. Very handy when you do not have an outfit with secure pockets. We have seen cards fall out of people's pockets when they sit down in the dining room or lounges. The part that actually holds our room key is on a key ring and detaches easily from the part that goes around your neck. We also bring carbiners to clip the card holder portion to a belt loop (much less annoying than having it around your neck all the time, but still keeps the card secure). And we can just slip the card holder part into a suit jacket pocket or small handbag when we dress for dinner on formal nights.

Thanks for volunteering information on relative costs, Doug and Ann! It sounds like there is a much broader range of choices in carriers when using Cunard - and at far more reasonable rates.

Sally

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We are traveling in May 2015 and have begun to look at airfares. Several of you have mentioned that Cunard can get offer discounted one-way airfares on a larger number of carriers. My question is, how big is the discount? Can anyone give me some examples? Thanks in advance!

We used Victor Bodden Tours (Tex) last October and had a wonderful time! Five of us did the private tour. We included Ziplining, general sightseeing, and even a stop at the local grocery store to get some Honduran coffee. Price was very reasonable and everyone in our group was glad we chose this way to spend our day in port.

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You would bring your own towels. Most cruise lines provide beach towels for your use, though.