saroede97

Last time we sailed from FLL (2016) we stayed at Springhill Suites in Dania Beach. Nice room and breakfast and they had a shuttle. AKA SpringHill Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port

BIL is leaving for cruise tomorrow, and just found out that Puerto Rico excursion was cancelled. He just want to shop, walk around, and visit the beach. This is his first cruise without experienced cruisers, and he’s never done a non-shop excursion... could he and his fiance easily find a tour or cab, by walking off ship? How much would it cost? Are US dollars ok?

 

 

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Old San Juan (where they will dock) is an easy city to explore on foot. They should check out the forts and explore the town at their leisure. They will need a cab or uber to go to the beach.

I am not seeing much advantage to using a travel agent to book my next cruise as far as cabin pricing. The pricing differences between what they are offering and what I am getting myself online seem to be negligible. Am I missing something? If I use an agent do I still control my excursion and dining reservations? Am I giving anything up by using an agent? Other than the price of the cabin, what will they do for me? Please understand that I am not picking on travel agents in any way... I just want to understand the advantages and disadvantages of using one. Thanks for any help/opinions.

I have used the same TA for my last ten sailings, he always finds better prices than I see on the website. I track prices and if by chance it goes down, 9 times out of 10, he's already been alerted and has gotten me the cheaper fare. PLUS he deals with all the contact and frustration with RCI.

I would be comfortable without taking additional insurance in your shoes. But there will always be people on the insurance train that will tell you you need it.

 

 

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I'm not on a "train" but for $115 my spouse and I are covered for our next 7-day sailing, travel to and from the port and one nights hotel stay. I, personally, would rather have this one-stop policy that having to deal with seperate entities if any emergency should arise. It gives me one less thing to have to worry about.

We have 100% trip cancellation from our capital one charge card. My Medicare supplemental insurance covers 80% on travel outside us, plus covers Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (2 of our 4 ports). Think I’m ok without additional insurance?

 

 

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Does either cover return to the US if you are in need of medical transport? That's one of the major reason I buy the travel policies.

Response today from a Physician who was on the cruise

http://www.towleroad.com/2018/01/atlantis-cruise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+towleroad%2Ffeed+%28Towleroad+Gay+News+%29

My husband and I were supposed to cruise Alaska 2 years ago. Needless to say, we never made it to the ship when on our first night in Seattle, my husband had a massive heart attack, landing him in emergency surgery and ICU for a week.

 

Having that insurance was a G-d send. Not only did they reimburse us for the flights and the cruise fare, it also paid for our medical bills. The insurance company’s medical team called me daily to get updates on my husband and coordinate care. They almost sent us home with a nurse and oxygen upon his discharge, but it was decided by both the medical teams and the hospital that it wasn’t necessary.

 

I will NEVER travel without travel insurance again. The money is so worth it and the peace of mind in knowing there is someone there in time of need.

 

 

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All it takes is one time. I bought my parents a cruise in January 2010 that I was sailing on as well, the day before we were supposed to leave we had an unexpected death. Got every penny back and we sailed later that year.

My rule of thumb is: short cruises (3 nights) I don't buy, but any embarkation port that I have to fly to or a sailing that is a week or longer, I buy insurance. Just gives me peace of mind.

I think the answer is yes, interested to know for certain. I sailed out of San Juan last year and we dropped bags early, came back and checked-in in time for dinner. Sailing out of there again in April and might do it differently (if it's allowed).

We take at least one per year, we're in FL so it's easy to do a weekend itinerary if the price is good. I don't work but my DS still does.

It's sad that drugs are mainly prevalent on gay cruises. It gives homophobic people more arguments to hate us.

Yup.

All RCI ships have a G&L get together

Ha, no you don’t have to, anyone with a reasonably working gaydar can figure it out. The sauna is a good place to chat to people anyway, gay or straight and certainly gay couples become pretty obvious.

 

Try it out, it’s not a seedy bath house, just guys who like to sweat!

Excuse me if I come off as a prude but the LAST place i want to meet anyone is in the sauna!

And are we not supposed to read between the lines in your post " just guys who like to sweat!"?

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why is the sauna a good place to meet people? Do you keep asking people, are you gay, until you find someone? :confused: :)

I was wondering that too.

This topic definitely strikes a chord with me. Based on a few data points I have observed based on my cruising experiences (mostly gay), the following trends seem to apply... in America, that is:

 

Unfriendly/Haughty/Boring Gays tend to be:

-younger

-have a lower body fat percentage

-come from NYC and points north and east

 

Friendly/Outgoing/Fun Gays tend to be:

-older

-less obsessed with body fat/image

-come from the sun belt (FL, TX, CA, etc.)

 

I once happened to be seated at breakfast with a couple from NYC who literally lived one block from me. Didn't express even a whiff of interest in anything about me. The conversation was all about their fabulous apartment and the fabulous location, fabulous renovation, blah blah blah. And then for the rest of the cruise they didn't even acknowledge my existence. On another cruise, I was seated at the end of a group table (against a wall) next to a couple from NYC, who literally turned their backs away from me. I could postulate on the reasons this happens to me on cruises (ageism, racism, looks-ism, etc.), but this type of NYC gay trash is simply not worth two seconds to ponder over. By stark contrast, I have always had lots of fun with my fellow Palm Springs and Florida cruisers.

 

Full disclosure: I live in NYC!

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in 30 or 40 years when these "PERFECT" specimens are older, pudgy, and losing their hair. They have NO idea!

Booked a cruise with my TA a few weeks ago and he told me "go to deck X to see deck Y" so it must be widely known. Whether and when RCI will correct it remains to be seen.

76, 245, and 473

Our flight arrives @2:30 pm and last boarding time is 7 pm. This is our first time taking a cruise out of SJ. DH would like to have lunch in OSJ before boarding.

1) Will we have enough time to grab lunch before boarding?

2) Can we drop our luggage off at the port and then find a restaurant before boarding?

3) Any recommendations on where to have lunch?

Been to San Juan twice, going back in April, we always have breakfast or lunch at Cafe Manolin Old San Juan. It's nothing fancy, usually full of locals, but the food is excellent!

We tend to go right as the casino opens, play our twenty bucks, and leave. It still stinks, but the smoke isn't as heavy as when the casino is full of smokers.

like they feared we were going to jump up and scream "haaaaaaaaay, girlfriends!!!!!" and throw glitter on them.

lmao!

Hi all!

 

We just booked on Jewel for April 2019 for a transatlantic, San Juan to Rome. The awesome lady who applied our Club Royals credit told me to make sure I check for price drops. We have a 2D balcony.

 

Newbie to way-out bookings - how do I do this? I can see the invoice showing the original price, minus Next Cruise, minus 30% Nonrefundable deposit, minus Club Royale, plus gratuities, plus taxes/fees.

 

What on earth number do I use to determine if the price has dropped? I honestly can't figure out my official "original booking price" from this mess, much less figure out what to compare it with to see if the price has dropped. Also, not sure how often to check, a year out. Help! :D

There is a website that will check prices for you (based on what you enter as price paid) Google "cruise price tracker" and go past the first few (which are ads). I use the one ending in dot net.

My husband and I are celebrating our 45th anniversary in June and we booked a cruise on Freedom out of San Juan last year before all the storms hit. I know the conditions are still not good there and we are hesitant about this cruise. Does anyone have any hotel suggestions for our pre cruise stay? Near the airport or other suggestions? How about getting around? Would we be wise to have Royal book a hotel for us?

 

We mainly need reassurance about this as a departure port and the airport. We have seriously discussed canceling.

 

Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions!

I am sailing from San Juan in April and have booked two rooms but only need one, I plan to check with both hotels before the cancellation window and make sure my first choice will honor my reservation (check the boards Host Clarea suggested for my reasoning in booking the second room). I expect by June things will be even more normal.

Should we bring a wine opener with us? Is that even allowed? Or will we have to ask someone for one. Thanks

You may bring or ask your room steward to bring you one

Sorry to butt in with a different question but related anyway...You can bring a bottle of wine but not water? We're going on the April 1st sailing of the Oasis and would like to take a case of water but have been told that is not allowed. Seems odd they would allow one but not the other.

I always take water and Gatorade in duffel bags, never had it confiscated.

This is one of the reasons I use a TA. I let him deal with all of RCI's shenanigans.

After reading this thread I decided to book a back-up hotel. My first reservation is for Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel & Casino and I just booked Hampton Inn (Isla Verde Ave). I plan to confirm with both before the cancellation period expires.