k9sar

We used them when we were in the Caymans. A trip to Stingray city then another location for some diving. The people were very nice and they took lots of care at Stingray City to make sure everyone had the opportunity to hold/pet/experience stingrays, even if some of the experiences were to be spat upon by the critters. I would definitely use them again if we went back to that area.

Hey k9sar,

 

Dad says 9lbs of smoked alaskan salmon showed up at his door today. Might want to swing over there and steal some from him before its gone :)

They are coming to dinner tonight... perhaps we are having salmon or maybe they are bringing a care package for me. :D

Hi Mike, great review and pics. I noticed in some of the extra pics you provided links to that you were able to open the doors between the balconies. A much debated topic here on the cruise boards. I was wondering if they gave you much of a hassle. We are heading on the same cruise in a few weeks.

we opened them between 3 mini-suites. It would have been 4 but one of our suites happened to be across that magic line in the carpet where there was a different steward and the balcony partition was solid. They never said anything to me, not sure if they did to you Mike. We did the same on the Epic and not a word was said.

Nice review Mike. Now mine doesn't have to be as complete. For those interested, I was part of the party of 14 and had many similar experiences with my brother but we did go our seperate ways from time to time. I had different excursions in Ketchikan and Skagway so there will be more detailed information about those trips. I'll post a crosslink to my review once I'm done with it.

There are obviously things that work well for some people and opinions aboput other methods. To the OP, If this is your first cruise (or the first for the person who gets seasick, I forget the original post), consider a combination and a backup supply of another option... perhaps something like taking ginger for a few days before and as you start the cruise. Have a supply of meclazine on hand just in case. Perhaps an ear clip of wristband in your back pocket just in case. None of these solutions are very expensive but I believe the fiels is narrowed down for you. Just a note on the meclazine... the first time my mother took a cruise and ended up sick in the ships infirmary, that's exactly what they gave her. I think it was RCI but I would still call it CruiseLine Approved. :-) Enjoy your trip.

My mother gets severe seasickness. She takes 2 meclazine (the ingredient in bonine) the morning we board and 1 each morning therafter. Never a problem. Non drowsy dramamine is the same ingredient but I found it to be more expensive and it's not chewable like bonine is (good if the kids feel ill). Never tried ginger and I stay away from all that holistic crud. Keep your herbs, beads, etc and give me good old science and chemistry.

Wear shoes. As you approach platforms you will often have to stretch out with your feet, hit the edge of the platform, and hoist yourself up (with guide assistance). Having very stable shoes is important, as is protecting your toes.

 

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yea... you wouldn't want to get to the end of one of the longest ziplines, clip the tree and lose your sandals like my nephew did. :D. The folks at Victor's were nice enough to walk back onto the grounds to retrieve them.

Hi all,

 

maybe this was addressed and I missed it so I apologize for asking again.

 

I'm leaving for my 2 week b2b cruise on the EPIC this Saturday (yea!) and I've nearly finished packing.

 

But I can't remember if there was mention whether body/hand lotion was part of the bathroom toiletry amenities? I know I have to pack my own hair conditioner and bar soap but I couldn't remember about lotion. Should I bring my own?

 

Thanks.

I do not recall any NCL provided lotion in the cabin.

Great review! So much detail!

he's a bit anal like that.:D

Maybe I missed it in the pictures, where is the hair dryer and the in-room safe hidden away?

Look on page 4. The safe is in the curved cabinet next to the closet and the hair dryer is in a holder under the counter beneath where the safe is. In one of the pics, you can see the butt-end of the chrome/black hair dryer. If you see a picture with a small stool in it, the HD is just to the right.

Sorry if you have already answered this, but did you book the Victor Bodden tour when you arrived or did you pre book? It sounds great and we would love to do this tour.

 

Julie

Julie

We booked ahead of time. It was not an excursion available through the cruise line. Mike had read about it here on the boards and we all decided it looked like a good idea so he contacted them directly. I believe there is a web site but do not know the link offhand. A quick search on Victor Bodden will most likely get you there.

Scott

Hey Mike

I read in your review that your brother did the Snuba in Cozumel. How did he like that?? I am trying to figure out my plan and DH wants to try Snuba. Also, even though you did not go to Mr Sanchos in Cozumel did you hear any feedback on it?? Thanks so much!!

The folks at Sand Dollar sports were very nice. They were very accomodating with the gear and getting everyone fitted well. Blas was our guide and he was very patient as one of my kids had some trouble equalizing. The entrypoint (Sunset Beach) was a little rough since boats were coming and going but once we got through the checkout and out into deeper water, it was fine. IF you can, stay near the bottom, it will help prevent entanglement in the air lines. Apparetnly that was an issue with one or two of the folks who kept popping up to the raft. Blas was very good at pointing things out liek the yellow stingray and eels. Not quite the reef environment as if you dove Santa Rosa but very nice for the beginner.

In addition, after SNUBA, they will let you take snorkle gear for as long as you want and you can buzz around the area on your own. When you are done, they cover the cab fare back to the ship as well.

The cons.... the restaurant person was a bit pushy to get you to have a meal there but the beef nachos were very good. We ran into a group of SCUBA students on our trip and a couple of people got confused which way to go so keep an eye on your guide.

If you complete the SNUBA class and take a second trip that day, or if you are a certified diver with your C-card, you can take an underwater camera with you, otherwise, there is no photography other than their person. Their reason... they want you to pay attention to SNUBA and the guide rather than a camera. Makse sense to me but I wish I would have known this before going as I would have grabbed my PADI card and camera for the trip.

As things come to mind, I will continue to share the information. Since it is nearly lunchtime, you can imagine where my head is at.

1. In TASTE and The MANHATTEN Room, they sometimes have a dessert that involves caramel sauce. My wife LOVES caramel so we ordered the cheesecake minus the strawberries but drowned in caramel. We were not disappointed with the portion and the cheesecake was very tasty but I felt that the caramal had a bit of a burnt and bitter taste. I chalked it up to a bad batch until I had another dessert later in the cruise and it tasted the same. Not to my liking but it may be expected/acceptable for others.

2. In the Garden cafe, there were a variety of desserts you could have but, in my opinion, any of the non-chocolate (I don't like chocolate) desserts lacked flavor, especially the sugar-free selections.

3. I heard from others (again, I don't do chocolate) that many of the chocolate desserts were prepared with semi-sweet or dark chocolate rather than milk-chocolate. The result is a bolder, more bitter flavor that was not a favorite for some. Nice thing though... if you don't like it, get something else.

That was the best review I have ever had the pleasure of reading! Thank You for the time and effort you put forth, to share your adventure with all of us!

 

Why do people feel compelled to express their negative .02 on these boards??? Keep your drab comments to yourself, specifically on a review.:(

 

Mike, if you get a chance, can you comment about the "ice" up on the sports deck? I saw in the western daily they have "open skating" on a few nights, and a few hockey events on certain afternoons.

 

Also, did you see any advantage to "premium seating" at the Circue dinner?

 

Thank You again, and we anxiously await see the Dailies.

 

Mike

With regard to the 'ice'... I didn't skate on it but have been on surfaces like this before. It 'sounds' wierd (if you notice), it grabs a bit more on edge (can't really do a good ice-throwing hockey-stop) and it drags a bit more so you have to work a little harder to make distance or speed. The surface is comprised of a puzzle of thick plastic (HDPE or cutting-board material) then coated with a combination of an oil and another solution to make it slick. It is strongly recommended that you wear clothes that you don't care much about since they will get oily if you happen to fall on the 'rink' which has no side rails or anything to hold onto while skating on the 16th deck of a moving ship.

Hi Scott - I'm sorry, I really don't know about Chankanaab as we just hung out in the area around the port. However, I've never found a shortage of vans and cabs in ANY port I've visited. You might want to post your question in the ports of call section of the board. I believe there is a specific forum on Cozumel, and you'll likely be able to get an answer there. Have fun!

As you enter the port, you will need to go upstairs to cross the main street there. This will lead you into the shopping plaza and several nice little shops. Continue heading directly away from the ship and, after the last shop (a rental car place), go down the stairs and turn right (you will still be heading away from the ship. In front of yyou will be a taxi stand with a list of destinations and prices (in US dollars) and several drivers/representatives who will wave the next cab in line over to you. We took a cab to Sunset Beach (for SNUBA with Sand Dollar Sports) which is al most down to the dock where the Oasis was. The cost of a taxi for that distance was only 7 dollars. I know I saw Chankanaab on the price-board but do not recall the fare.