PINEVIEW01

My DH's sister asked us to come see her next time we cruised out of Tampa as she lives and hour away. Now we have flights booked and I had assumed she would be picking us up from the airport and taking us to the port (this is what my sister would do and she lived the same distance away.)

So now we need to rent a car at the airport and return it at the port. The other choice is rent round trip at the airport and than cab it to the port which would be more of a hassle.

Does anyone know of a rental agencies that lets you drop off at least when ships are in? They had this in Huston, not a rental cite just for day of cruise drop offs.

I did a search here but the info is old.

Next time I will just get a hotel at the port and she can come see us if she wants.:D

I have done many solo's on the Inspiration and always had a great time too.

hmmmm, I don't know if it is. This one is in El Yunque Rainforest it says so I don't know. Maybe someone that knows Puerto Rico better then I do would know. Can't believe that its 1/2 the price of the ship tour! Its like 2 for 1!

I have done many private tours that are 1/2 the price of the ship tours over the years. Some even less.

We really like Celebrity Summit's itinerary out of San Juan and have taken this cruise many times. Since we've been to San Juan so many times, lately we've been taking the red eye from Houston and arrive in San Juan at approximately 6:15 a.m. I've recommended to many people on Cruise Critic how to spend your time when you arrive on the red eye before boarding the ship and it always included hanging out at the airport until 8:15 a.m.

 

In the past, we would collect our luggage, take an elevator upstairs, and go eat breakfast and use the wifi at the McDonalds by the security entrance to terminal C. Well, we tried to do that Saturday, December 28, and the McDonalds is shut down and all evidence of it having been a McDonalds is gone.

 

We ended up eating breakfast at El Meson (across from the vacant McDonalds site) and then found some chairs to wait around in before taking a cab to Barrachina's to drop off our luggage so we can do our walk about Old Town before heading to the ship at 11:00. This will be our new plan for passing time before boarding the ship.

what is Barrachina's that you can drop off luggage.

I didn't know they had shops past security so you can carry on. That is too cool.

Is there somewhere to get a GOOD map. We got one from the visitor center and I had some trouble finding a route coming back that felt safe and I was with another female at the time.

I took the trolley the time I went to the fort. I was with a friend and her DH, very large man and it seemed like a very long way around to me. I wish I had someone going on this cruise that felt safe and in good shape to walk it with me.

I am not east or west coast. Just know I like having the table cloth as it help cut down the noise in the dinning room. Yes, it does make dinning in the MDR worth going for. With this I might as well just go to the buffet and cut down on the 2+ hours being reported.

They are doing the Same in January. They must have figured out taking away the solo 150% for 1A wasn't such a good move. I had booked a b2b in a 1A not realizing that was so. Canceled those sailings when I found two 7 day cruises on Liberty for 100% solo rate. I didn't get the $40 bar credit though as I had already booked on another solo sale with a lower rate.

I am really sad to hear all this. I just came back from Four RCCL cruises b2b. While the food was better on these cruises than previous cruises, I and others were still bragging up how Carnival has better food.

Now I come back and see hear what is being rolled out and regret sending folks to Carnival for the great food.

I don't go cruising to eat buffet/family style eating. If I want low class dinning I can get that at Denny's here at home.

No pumpkin can be a deal breaker for me. I was so looking forward to it as the soup on RCCL can't hold a candle to Carnivals Pumpkin Soup

Then she made the mistake of opening up for questions. It was obvious she had no clue as to what actually goes on in the "real world". Several solo gents brought up what they felt was deception by RCL, to give all of the publicity to the new point system, and then a few weeks later change the pricing for solos to more than double. The marketing rep was totally lost, had no idea what they were talking about. They asked her if RCL marketing plans intended to discourage solo travelers, which have been a large and loyal group of cruisers, or did RCL not realize what the impact would be, or think that solos would be so thrilled with extra points they'd be willing to pay any price. She had no answer, said she'd take the concern back to corporate. Uh huh.

I have always paid the 200% (the reason I would do Carnival was they had 150%-now 200%) not sure the point the gents were making. I haven't seen the 200%+ yet.

I am in the hotel business, and just know that the cry of "Bedbugs"!! is the number one most commonly manufactured complaint people use to get refunds or money back.

 

The industry is keenly aware of the issue, especially in an international area like Ft Lauderdale. Any decent lodging facility (like a Hilton product, which Homewood is) takes constant measures to prevent / find / eradicate bed bugs if they are spotted by the housekeeping staff.

 

Not saying the TripAdvisor poster did not see or think they saw bedbugs, just saying maybe don't panic. Just be aware, and just like ship reviews, be skeptical of TA reviews.

 

Embassy Suites gets them, the Ritz Carlton gets them, and cruise ships get them.

Yep, they can show up anywhere, anytime as they can show up on anybody from anywhere. We had friends go to Disney and found them. You KNOW Disney does everything possible to prevent/find/eradicate them. But, people still transport them. Now if there were multiple post about the same place over and over, I would think they weren't doing enough.

Thanks! I just need to figure the best way to get the DH off the ship and to the airport. He has never done this without me. He has never had to claim luggage, clear customs, check-in to a airport not alone change planes. I'm getting nervous about it.

I don't have it checked and the C&A told me to select it. I told them as I was B2B I would only want to upgrade if I would get it, the same cabin, on both. So, I can only upgrade if all go on sell at the same time with the same cabin available and that doesn't happen.

I did call and get the E3 from the OV I paid for. If I didn't care about changing cabins I would have been in a D2 and D1 for them. I could have gotten a D2 on the third but not at the same time.

This is one reason I am thinking of trying to book just one longer cruise instead of the b2b2b2b that I am doing this time.

If you are going before the end of January, there is a Groupon for the Florida Aquarium that will save you quite a bit. $29 for 2 people which comes to $14.50 each. Florida Aquarium $29 Groupon

This is walking distance from the ship, right? I would be liking to do it with my sister as we have a very late flight. She just had a hip replacement so I need to be able to walk with her. Also, is there still a service to leave luggage here. Trying to remember back to when I was here last with out my other sister that used to live near and drove me. Was sorry to see her move back to MI.

What is "The Thrifty shuttle". Is it something you had to reserve in advance? I will be on the Brilliance 12-2,7,12&16. My DH is going home after the 12th. I still need to figure the easiest way to get him off, thru, customs and to the air port. He has never done this as I do all the planning and he is also starting do have some cognitive age related issued.

Any hints would be great.

I think they ended up with a lot of unsold inventory in December due to those Diamond thinking they were getting double and than cancelling. In Feb you start having school breaks that can cause higher prices depending on the week.

Brilliance was giving away balconies for $199 for December too.

Received PDF showing upgrade from G Ocean view to D Balcony on Dec.2nd Brilliance, this morning We will have to change cabins on our b2b; not a problem!

They gave you my D:mad: I was trying to upgrade to D on the 2&7 BOS and they said they were all gone.:cool: I'll just have to come visit you in yours:D

Here is the problem with that. With our family of 5 we opted for a suite, however RCCL only allows 4 on a reservation and the 5th person is separate. This makes for it to be impossible to rate shop. I have two separate reservations in a family suite. None of this is advertised, so I cannot possibly know if there is a rate drop. If I call RCCL, they immediately ask if we have a previous reservation or are working with a TA. In other words, we paid for our suite and there is no way to get a better rate...:(

I'm confused! You have a suite, are all five people in the same room or do you have two rooms?

A bunch of higher up CCL cruisers are ticked that for $50 someone can buy "status" but the fact of the matter is all those $50 a pop cabins with FTTF are subsidizing part of what is given to loyalty guests.

No those $50 a pop are not subsidizing part of what is given to loyalty guest. It cost NOTHING for Carnival to let the Platinum members board first and have their rooms made up first so they can drop their bags of first. It also doesn't coast to let them tender first or have a line at GS. So, yes they are selling off what they do for their loyal guest.

If RCCL uses the discount of drink package that would just be another buy something to get something. Like all the BOGO's in the "benefit" booklet. If you want to reward me just do something less for free than do a bogo or give a price break on the cruise.

A little birdy sung in my ear on the roll call for my cruise in December on Brilliance about the price drop for the Suites.

 

Going through a new booking process with a JS Guarantee it was a few hundred less than my current room in a Balcony. Gave them a phone call not too long ago and I snatched up the last remaining Guarantee JS for only a $30 difference than my previous room.

 

Definitely a good bargain for the additional perks that come along with a Suite.

 

Now I am just waiting for a room assignment. :rolleyes: lol

I passed as I was doing 4 b2b. I didn't want to switch rooms for each cruise.

That is why when I book I always give them one name and TBA. That way you can always book the new one in the other name and you are TBA. Later you add your name. Some times just changing the name order works.

I got that too...the first survey said it was for my sailing on the INDY (which was 2009 & 2010)..thought that was strange..then came the Oops e-mail but this one indicated no ship..so which of the last 4 different ships I've sailed on would they want it to apply :confused:...

 

BTW: I have no problem taking the time to participate in their surveys...you never know how much it might help to convince them of how important my C&A perks are to me just in case their considering in changing any of them.

I got the Indy and have NEVER been on it. Than the real one which is just trying to figure out what C&A perks they can get ride of with the least upset.

Would I be a bad person if I said that NCL sucks, and I'd FAR rather sail Carnival on the Mexican Riviera than NCL? LOL Seriously though, do you enjoy NCL? My experience with NCL wasn't so fantastic, which is why I kind of decided to stick with Royal and build up points with them.

I am there with you. I really did not like NCL at all and would pick Carnival over then any day.

Is that the "Cruise Documentation" I keep seeing a link to check the "status" of? My SetSail passes are ready to print now (if only my printer agreed!) but the Cruise Documentation has been making me wonder.

 

 

 

 

Unless, of course, their website is having issues. Like the repeated emails I got THIS month telling me that my final payment was due 1/12/13. Um, January? Hmm. The real due date was 11/12/13 but not according to official emails! So keep track of it on your own.

The "Cruise Documentation" will contain the luggage tag to print but, you can also print it from the set sail page.

I and TA were on the phone for 3 hours trying to find out why docs weren't updated with the upgrades and also why no docs have been generated for two cruises 2 weeks out when they are suppose to be at 49 days. The doc department couldn't get them reissued today and the 2nd cruise of the two still doesn't have docs issued.:eek:

I asked what I was suppose to do without the docs. I was told I didn't really need them. So why do they do them??

Also OP I make sure one last time the price hasn't dropped and make final payment at the last minute to get any last deals. Not that is does much good as the deals start after final payment.

Yep, on the 4 b2b's I'm doing (I didn't get the memo:cool:) they are giving way balconies this last week end for $299 and today, $199:eek: