Natitude61

On 3/27/2024 at 8:05 AM, PORT ROYAL said:

Just phoned a Bajan friend, he said SM is a beautiful 60ft dream machine….Hence XL = Extra Large

 

Thanks…booked!

Has anyone gone to Treehouse Beach Club? We’ve been to Antigua before, so just looking for a place to chill for the day with a good bar/food, sun and surf, and shade for when we need it. Would appreciate any feedback! Thank you!

On 3/11/2024 at 1:05 PM, DISFANS3 said:

Silvermoon for us, XL Adult. We just made reservation for OCT 2024. Second time on Silvermoon.

Do you know what the difference is between the regular lunch cruise and the XL?

Not the age demographic you requested (we’re early 60s, but think we’re still 40-somethings if that counts 😂), but just completed our first Celebrity cruise (Equinox) after being Diamond on RCCL.

Despite being concerned after reading all the pessimism on the Internet, we were very impressed and will make X our preferred line (already have 3 other sailings booked, plus an open deposit made on board). 
 

What we liked — the crew, of course; the ship itself (was concerned that Equinox was overdue for a dry dock, but she was well maintained); the venues (nothing like relaxing with a lavendar martini in the martini bar before dinner); the food (yes, there were misses as well as hits, but was definitely a step up from RCCL); the “little things” (not having to check out towels with a sea pass, real towels in the restrooms, even the chocolates on the pillows 😂). Oh, and definitely the demographics— not overrun by kids (there were reportedly 6 on our sailing, but never saw one) and, for the most part, a more polite and less boisterous crowd.

What we weren’t crazy about — the entertainment (the only show in the theater that we went to/were interested in was the comedian); storage space in the cabin (appreciate that RCCL has shelves in the closet [we were in Concierge Sunset Veranda]); specialty restaurants (Murano was just good, Tuscan average).

For the first time ever, we disembarked with a few dollars left over in OBC. Granted, we booked back when the Indulge package was a thing, but really the only extras we ended up paying for onboard was a couple mornings of room service, a glass or two of good Scotch and a bottle of wine with dinner one night. Don’t feel like we were nickel and dimed at all. Oh, and I did get a shampoo and blowout one day at the spa when I just didn’t feel like dealing with my hair, and even that was a betting experience than RCCL (although I recognize that it’s the same spa contractor and I probably just got lucky that day!)

Has anyone done this excursion through Celebrity? Off road to the Ayo Rock Formations then to Mangel Halto beach? It’s a 4-hour excursion, and we have a snorkel/sail booked about an hour after this ends (booked privately, not through Celebrity). Just wondering if the Jeep tour is worthwhile, or should we just hang out on the beach before our snorkel/sail. Thanks in advance!

On 11/11/2023 at 9:10 AM, CunucuMom said:

I've found stylish and inexpensive cruisewear at Venus dot com.  Word of warning, they do carry some shall I say "provacative" pieces that aren't my style (lots of cutouts, midriff-baring, very low cut) and/or too young for my 60++ body (too tight, too short, ripped jeans, backless).  And I still cringe when the UPS driver drops off my packages emblazoned with "S*xy Style."  🤣

 

That said, I have picked up cute and stylish tops (haven't purchased any shorts, pants, skirts yet) and a couple of chic night dresses for which I received unsolicited compliments. Also purchased cute 'cruise sandals' that I figured I would toss after the cruise, but again, received compliments on the style so now they're keepers.  Also bought a couple of swimsuits, coverups and casual dresses super cheap.  Best part is they have fantastic sales (ie, 30, 45, 75% off) and I've never paid full price.  Easy returns, too, so it wasn't a big deal to find my correct size and fit.

I actually got a really cute sundress from there a couple of years ago, Yes, the slit came up way higher than I expected, and the V-neck was way lower than I would have liked, but a few stitches made it presentable! And like you said, the price was right!

Once again, I waited until November to start shopping for my winter cruise to the Caribbean. All my local stores only have sweaters and coats in stock, but desperately in need some warm weather attire. Please share your go-to online stores that still have summer attire in stock. Looking specifically for tops, nothing outrageously expensive, preferably US based so don't have to pay crazy shipping with long wait times, and prefer no Amazon as I've been burned there before! Thanks in advance!

We’ll be doing a late afternoon catamaran that leaves from Hadicurari pier. Looking for a nice place to chill on the beach nearby beforehand — preferably with a bar/restaurant, restrooms and chair/umbrella rentals. Any ideas, or are we better off just going to Eagle and jumping on the bus when it’s time? Thanks in advance!

4 hours ago, Alex618 said:

Has anyone stayed at the Marriott Courtyard which appears to be in same location?

Yes, we stayed there in January and were impressed…clean, nice people, nice rooms and lobby bar with food. Personally, we liked it better than Embassy, where we had typically stayed in the past…

9 minutes ago, Ashland said:

The ship will provide a shuttle from the dock roundtrip into the town of Sitka. 

When you get off the shuttle you'll see someone selling the excursion/tour to the Fortress of the Bear and the Raptor Center. This is a private company and has nothing to do with the cruise line. 

Don’t think we’ll get back to the ship in time if we shuttle from Boston to Sitka 😂 😂 

On 5/18/2023 at 9:44 PM, BklynBoy8 said:

 

I have never heard of anyone from all our previous sailings walked to downtown.

 

It is a long 2 mile walk and about 45 minutes.

 

I suggest to reserve your energy for all the other sites to see. 

 

Normal shuttles from the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal to the Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market are the best bet.

 

Some of the sites we've seen is Faneuil Hall, Boston Commons, Public Gardens, many small historical cemeteries, some of the Freedom Trail, Old State House to name a few.. 

 

You should write to the Boston Chamber of Commerce for a Visitors Guide to Boston

Are these shuttles offered by the cruise lines as an excursion or are they just booked at the terminal? Don’t see an option for the shuttle on our Royal Caribbean stop…

1 hour ago, Ripheus said:

TL; DR: LGB is good, but skip the steak. 

 

We went to Le Grand Bistro for lunch yesterday. Overall, it was a good meal. We both had the lobster bisque. Not much lobster but tons of flavor. I had mussels; DW had the escargot. They do not skimp on portions. For entrees, DW had the trout. It was tasty, but not quite perfect. I had the steak frites. It was not good. The steak was cooked to the right temperature (medium rare) but it was too mushy. And it seemed like they didn't preseason it at all. So it had no flavor and had the wrong texture. Additionally, it may have been bad meat. After lunch and a beer or two at Craft Social, I started to feel ill. Other than an attempt at going to dinner, I was in the room for the rest of the day. I am eternally grateful to my Dear Wife for being patient with me and am glad too that she was still able to go enjoy herself for the evening while I was indisposed. 

Ugh…hope you feel better soon. The prime rib on Royal has always had a weird texture also. I wonder if they soups vide some of the meats (for too long) before finishing them on the grill or in the oven.

On 2/26/2023 at 5:08 PM, Ripheus said:

DW @Moochiand I will be embarking on honeymoon #2 one week from today. We'll be in a Aqua Sky Suite that we booked a little a month or so ago as a suite guarantee. (We were really aiming at getting a magic carpet sky suite but happened to get lucky, I think.) 

 

Throughout this week, I'll give the occasional update on our struggles to pack and all the work that we do to make cruising possible for us. We'll be staying in Fort Lauderdale the night before, so I'm sure there will be some shenanigans to post about too. 

 

To get things started, DW and I are enjoying a bottle or two at a local winery we recently joined. We had been doing dry February but we thought our livers wouldn't be happy if we went from zero to sixty in no time flat. So we're easing into drinking again over the last week until embarking. 

 

If you have any questions at any time, please do ask. If I can give an answer, I will. 

Is that Rappahannock Cellars?!

Enjoy your cruise…just booked Beyond for the distant future (2025), so will be following 

19 minutes ago, blue_water said:

Ok, I saw GCM on your next cruise so went with that ☺️

You can compare the Tortola info here to what you learn from the Grenada forum. Really depends on what you are looking for in a daysail - snorkeling, visiting other islands, etc…

Good luck!

Thanks Blue Water — guess I need to update my signature 😊 

Oops, sorry. Meant St George’s, Grenada!

Debating between two sailings— one has St George’s, other has Tortola. Which island would you choose and why? Thank you!

Debating between two sailings— one has St George’s, other has Tortola. Which island would you choose and why? Thank you!

We’ve purchased the UDP for our upcoming sailing, and noticed that Chefs Table is included for a $49 surcharge. Does anyone know if there’s any way to book this in advance? When I try on the cruise planner, it doesn’t recognize that I have the UDP and defaults to the regular price.

If my assumption is correct that I can’t book in advance, is it likely to be sold out once I board?!

 Thank you!

For those who’ve had to spend time in quarantine during your cruise, how long did it take to get the email with your FCC? 

Decided to go ahead and get the unlimited dining for our upcoming Anthem cruise. For those who have done this, do you add an additional tip when you dine (gratuity was automatically added to the price of the package)?

So I can confirm that this is the case, at least on RCI. Caught Covid on Ovation, and letter that was given to us specifically said that we could smoke in our bathroom (NOT on the balcony). 

And no, we’re not smokers so didn’t take them up on it 😊

So on the President's Cruise a couple weeks ago, someone asked Michael Bayley this very question. He responded that he foresees pre-cruise testing to continue for the next month or two, but insinuated that they were looking at changing the policy.

For those who insist on testing during embarkation, there is more to the nightmare than just the actual testing. Think of those who fly across country and then test positive at the port. Now they're stuck for a 10-day quarantine far from home. That is, after they just sat on a crowded airplane and infected all those people. I guarantee a good number of those people would choose to fly home right away, rather than pay for an extended hotel stay, again infecting a planeful of people.

It's time to move on. Unless we're going to test for every respiratory virus and communicable disease, this is really just theater. Covid's not going away. If you don't want to take the risk, don't cruise.

So after hearing all the rave reviews about Cosol, we booked with them for our December 2021 cruise. Granted, things were a bit of a mess in St Lucia, since it was still on partial lockdown. Took forever to disembark from the ship due to Covid screening, and only one other couple had booked the same tour. After waiting for an hour or so to see if they’d show up (assuming they were stuck in the long lines), our driver finally gave up and took just us.

It was obvious that our tour guide was not in the best mood — maybe due to having to wait, maybe due to the no-shows, maybe just had a fight with his girlfriend, who knows?! Barely talked throughout the tour and seemed irritated at times. He was a young thin guy; not one of the happy, friendly guides that I see on their website or FB page or hear everyone talk about.

We’re going back to St Lucia next January, and willing to give them another shot. How can I be sure we won’t get the same guide? Can I request a certain guide? I have no idea what our guide’s name was, so can’t request NOT to have him…

Is it worth giving them another shot?

Hmmm…now that I look at it, the booking number doesn’t match our current reservation. 
 

I vaguely remember booking a cruise way back, when they had a $50 deposit special. We ended up booking an RCI ship instead and don’t think I ever canceled. Guess that sailing ended up falling into the Covid shutdown…

Not that I’m complaining, but just received a $50 FCC and have no idea what it’s for. We’ve yet to sail on X; our first cruise on Celebrity isn’t until 2024 and it hasn’t been canceled (plus $50 wouldn’t cover our deposit anyway). Any ideas??