lax19

Within a mile radius of your hotel, there are plenty of stores, bars and restaurants. A couple of years ago, my wife and I stayed in the same area pre-cruise. Walked all over, rode the water taxi, and the trolley. Plenty of things to do. You don't need a car. There is a CVS about a mile south of your hotel and a Publix supermarket about a mile north west.

Search for your hotel on Google maps, zoom in and move both north and south along Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd to get an idea oif what is around.

The advantage in booking SWA is that if fares go down, you can re-book with no fees. You will have a credit you will need to use within a year, but it is better than the re-booking fees some airlines charge.

you do realize the tax free spree aint free. duh! they bump up the cabin base rate by the price of what taxes are .

Not in my case. Original booked price was $2301. Rebooked tax free sale at $2030.

Typically, if you are after final payment you are locked in with your price and cabin. You may get lucky and get an upgrade or OBC, but it is not mandatory for NCL or any other cruise line to offer this to you.

If you are not at the final payment date, you can cancel and rebook at the new price, but you will lose any perks you had with your original booking. You have to do the math to see if it is worth it to you.

For example: On an my March 2018 cruise, my initial booking included free daily service fee for the first two guests. When NCL offered their tax free sail (no taxes or port fees for the first two guests), I did the math and figured I could save money by rebooking. I called NCL and got rebooked and saved ~$90. I now have to pay the DSC for two, but I do not have to pay port fees and taxes.

You could order an Uber from Hotel A to Hotel B. Then when you arrive at Hotel B order an Uber from Hotel B to Hotel C (you may get the same Uber). Then repeat from Hotel C to the Port.

For whatever reason, it seems like I—a reticent flier at best, a white-knuckling ball of panic at worst—am always destined for weather-related anxiety and a rough flight every time I set out on vacation. Last year it was a hurricane off the coast of Virginia, this year bone-freezing cold and thirty plus MPH winds.

So...onward. Coming up: pre-cruise in New Orleans.

Xanax is your friend to calm your nerves while flying.

Since we don't drink, we picked Gratuities and internet. I though about the Unlimited beverage Plan, but knew we wouldn't drink that much soda to equal the 18% included gratuity.

A base point is all I needed by the airport and light rail so it will work good enough for a night. I splurged every other step of the way.

 

 

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If this is the address of the hotel (15901 W Valley Hwy, Tukwila, WA 98188) the airport is about 4.3 miles away (hotel has an airport shuttle) and about a 30 minute walk to the main shopping area nearby. The nearest light rail station is about 2.3 miles away (or maybe take the Hotel shuttle to the airport and catch the light rail there.)

There are half a dozen hotels in the area and a couple of fast food places.

Thanks for the clarification on the Bouncy House. I would have been mistakenly waiting for Apple Pie Service at this location.

I use this for keeping things dry while in the water.

Dry Pak TPU Waterproof and Temperature-Resistant Wallet with Alligator Skin Print Pattern and Removable Adjustable Lanyard

The Edgewater hotel and the Seattle Waterfront Marriott are the closest hotels to pier 66.

Here's another plan - divide and conquer the lines if they are long...

One gets the bags while one gets in line to check in at SWA.

The "bag getter" drops off the bags with the "SWA line stander" and gets in line at the TSA check point.

Once the bags are checked, the "SWA line stander" joins the "TSA line stander".

If you only have two checked bags between you, you would not have to pay any extra. If you have more than two bags to check, the "bag getter" would have to join the "SWA line stander" to check all the bags. Then both of you would become "TSA line standers".

Amtrak is a possibility. About $50 per person. If your cruise leaves on Sunday the 27th, you would have to travel Saturday as the train does not arrive in FLL until 5:00 PM.

You can fly from either LAX, Long Beach or Orange County on Southwest to Portland for under $100 in October. LAX is the cheapest, but Long beach would be the most convenient (smaller airport, less crowded...). You can also fly Jet Blue out of Long Beach.

Jet Blue is direct, but charges for checked bags. Southwest stops in Oakland, but first two bags are free.

In Skagway, we had king crab at the Skagway Fish Company and thoroughly enjoyed it. Depending on which dock you are at, it's a 100 yard to 1/2 mile walk.

It's much like voting:

Go early, go often!

Per the Deck plans on NCL.com, the Chapel on the Pearl is on Deck 13 next to Spinnakers (Front - Port side)

Given that it's five o'clock somewhere....every buffet is a midnight buffet 'cause it's midnight somewhere....:D

How about this:

Debark in SF....head to Oakland for same day flight to SEA.

Spend the night at home near SEA.

Catch the cruise the next day.

Last November, we stayed at the Drift Hotel.

(http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34227-d7132255-Reviews-The_Drift_Hotel-Fort_Lauderdale_Florida.html).

It's a little "boutique" hotel about three or four blocks north of Las Olas Blvd and a block off of the beach. Cab from the airport was about $25 and about the same back to the Port. Easy walk to the night life (restaurants, bars) along the beach. Easy walk to the water taxi stop.

The hotel was very quiet, comfortable, tastefully decorated and very relaxing.

North of 17th you see amazing homes and yachts. South of 17th you see the port (and maybe some cruise ships). On the way to Hollywood beach you go past a nature preserve. We took the water taxi down to Hollywood beach, hopped off and hung out in the beach for a couple hours.

Yes at $26 per person it seems expensive, but it made for an enjoyable day. We were there last November. We walked from our hotel to the Cortez Street Stop (just north of Las Olas). Headed south bound and saw all the preparations for the boat show plus several huge yachts lining up for the show. At 17th street we transferred and continued southbound past Port Everglades and down to Hollywood Beach. Spent a couple of hours there and headed back north. Got off at the Galleria Stop (Sunrise Blvd) and took the Trolley back to our hotel.

We haven't sailed out of California before and I'm not sure what to do. Looks like we would fly into LAX?

Look into flying Jet Blue. They fly from Boston to Long Beach (a non stop is available). Long beach Airport is much smaller than LAX and closer to the cruise terminals. Taxi's and shuttles are plentiful (also car rentals).

If it is only a couple of miles, maybe the hotel shuttle can take you. You can ask- just be sure to tip the driver.

When you say "brand new property", are you referring to the Comfort Suites I mentioned? Just to make sure, is it the one located on West 19th Court? Approximately how close is the strip mall and restaurants? I haven't called the hotel yet, but so far, this looks to be the closest I'm going find to what I'm looking for.

If you put "Comfort Inn Dania Beach FL" into Google maps, you'll get a good idea of what is around. The Hotel is on the NW side of I95 and Stirling Road. Kmart is on the SE side about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away. I've stayed in the area pre-cruise a few years back (at the Springhill Suites) and had no proble walking to Kmart for last minute supplies. There are a few fast food places (McDonalds, Subway) and a couple of other sandwich shops/restaurants in the area.