chocolatemaniac

Our group of 4 sailed on the Jolly Mon on February 26, 2018.

Chuck and Jennifer Cannon were wonderful! Jen provided us with amazing food and beverages.. our favorite being painkillers! Both are super friendly and easy going - like hanging out with good friends!

Sailed to Buck Island and snorkeled the shipwreck. Instead of another snorkeling stop, we asked Captain Chuck if we could just sail, so we sailed around St Thomas and that was so nice and relaxing.

Highly recommend!!!:)

We just did Spencer Ambrose Land Sea Beach tour last week, March 1 2018.

It was fun, although a little disorganized at the start - waiting for all of the group to arrive.

The speedboat was a little bumpy, so hang on or sit in the back for a smoother ride. The boats are not fancy but get you there. Fortunately we didn't have the diesel problem in the earlier thread.

Mud baths, Sulphur springs, waterfall and time at Jalousie Beach was fun. Lunch was good. The rest of the staff were friendly and really tried hard to make sure you had a good time.

We booked St Kitts Catamaran Sail and Nevis Beach (KTA4) through Royal Caribbean. Arrived via the Jewel of the Seas on February 27 2018.

About 20 people on board, which was nice... some other Cats had 40-50 people packed on. Sailed to private beach on Nevis for lunch on the beach. No snorkeling in this package. Lots of beverages. It was a fun day.:)

We sailed with Calabaza on March 2, 2018. Wonderful experience! Beautiful catamaran, the captain and crew was friendly and attentive. Only about 12 passengers on board, so not crowded at all. Lots of food and drink! The crew took lots of pictures of us both onboard and in the water, and then emailed us the link of 212 photos, which we could download for free. I booked this tour independently.

Highly recommend this trip! :)

Our group of 4 booked Scenic Tours Antigua independently and arrived in Antiqua via Jewel of the Seas on Feb 28th 2018. It was a great tour and our driver/guide Raymond was wonderful as well. Toured the island, saw all the important sites, ended at Jolly Beach for lunch on our own and some beach time. Great tour.:)

Thank you to all who have weighed in on the Beverage package. We have decided to purchase this - it was on sale, and if you have a Bloody Mary in the AM, a beer at lunch and 2 glasses of wine at night, you've paid for it. I do like it that it's paid for in advance and no surprises of huge bar bills at the end.

We will be in St Kitts in Feb 2018 and are looking into independent tours.

Has anyone used Blue Water Safari Tours? Either for sailing/snorkeling or mini speed boats?

Thanks for your help!

Great Thank you!.....this is the email I got from Royal Caribbean today.

St. John On Your Own

 

Meet guide and walk down pier to ferry/vessel 0:15

Ferry transfer over to Cruz bay St. John 0:45

Leisure time in St. John to "SELF EXPLORE" 4:00

Return Ferry back to ship 0:45

 

Enjoy a scenic ferry ride along St. Thomas' picturesque southern coast, then shop, sightsee or snorkel the azure waters of St. John. You'll spend at least 4 hours freely exploring the beautiful isle which is 2/3rd National Park.. Swim at a local beach, see the "Arawak" archaeological site, or follow the snorkel trail at Trunk Bay. Browse boutiques or dine in Cruz Bay. After a great day of leisure enjoy your private ferry back to ship

 

Please note that entrances or additional transfers needed are not included.

 

Best regards,

 

Rosemary Lemcke

Shore Excursionse Inquiry Team | Global Tour Operations | Royal Caribbean International | Celebrity Cruises | Azamara Club Cruises

Great info! Thanks!

We are leaving on the Jewel of the Seas Feb 25-Mar 4. We haven't cruised in a few years and beverages packages are new since we last cruised.

Are they worth the money? We are looking at the Premium package, for wine and alcohol. In the fine print it says covers drinks up to $12. So.... how much are drinks otherwise? Thinking Cosmos, margaritas, Jim Beam, etc.

The packages are on sale now so I guess I have to decide soon! Any help would be appreciated!

From your name I deduce that you like chocolate? :)In Cologne most ships dock at a convenient (walk or take a short taxi ride) place for visiting the chocolate museum: http://www.chocolatemuseum-cologne.com/I have not been in myself. However, my tastebuds prefer other brands of chocolate. Belgian, for example. There are quite a few local chocolatiers in the towns you will visit. Two of my favourite cafès: 1. http://www.cafebaumann.de/das-cafe/das-cafe.html Address is Löhrstrasse 93 in Koblenz (in the Prussian town extension, a 25 min. walk from the ship) 2. http://www.cafe-reichard.de/index.html Address is Unter Fetthennen 11 in Cologne (close to the cathedral).

 

In October it could be chilly on the river, pack layers, and small binoculars for the Rhine gorge if you want to look at things close up. You might be able to sample the new wine called Federweisser or Junger Wein in Germany. It is still fermenting, so drink with caution. :D

 

In Koblenz take the cable car up to Ehrenbreitstein, or a taxi if you do not like heights. Fantastic view, beats a guided tour in the town centre in my opinion. If they offer this, go to the Mendig optional tour, described by sleep7: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=51542711

Very unusual.

 

Be prepared for double docking and potential low water issues. Read the stickies on top of the river cruise page. They will prepare you well.

 

And then, have fun! :):)

 

notamermaid

You are exactly right! I am a huge chocolate fan! Looking forward to some wonderful German chocolate on this trip. Thanks for the links and tips on where to go!

Avalon does not include ALL excursions, just some, FYI.Pack layers so you can add and subtract as needed. I recommend two pair of walking shoes, so you can switch for comfort. Mine for fall are waterproof.Research your stops in advance and get off the beaten path. Enjoy the local food and experience as much as you can.

 

We have done the Rhine twice with AMA and love the mix of large cities and smaller towns.

 

Enjoy!

Thanks for the info and tips! Really looking forward to our trip.

Hi Ruth,

We did a very similar cruise this past September on this ship from Amsterdam to Basel. Absolutely wonderful time and we were fortunate with fantastic weather. Have only been on 3 river cruises so far after many years of ocean cruising. You're correct in that dinner is more casual than on ocean cruise ships. The whole atmosphere is more laid back & casual. All and all, its a terrific way to see cities, towns, & villages close up and a nice change to get off a ship in be in the center of town in many cases. We're doing another Avalon cruise on the Rhone ending in Paris this September as well. Enjoy your trip!Bob

Thanks Bob! We are really looking forward to this trip!

We are going on our first ever river cruise this October. We have been on many cruises on the large ships, so this will definitely be a change!

Our cruise is on the Rhine, starting in Zurich and ending in Amsterdam.

Any helpful tips we should know, from those of you expert travelers?

I understand the dress for dinner is more casual and all expeditions are included.

Anything you think helpful would be appreciated!

Ruth

We are considering Avalon Felicity for October 2017, Rhine cruise. Our first river cruise. What category cabin do you recommend? We want one with sliding French door. What deck or part of the ship do you think is best? Thanks in advance for your help!