Kroozen

Go and have fun! There are so many things to do on the ship, you won't be in the room anyway!

I think RCCL is taking lessons from Carnival on how NOT to handle things. I was booked on the Grandeur last may, but my cruise was cancelled due to the fire to broke out on board a few days prior. I was given a full refund of the cruise fare, plus I received a $500 certificate towards a future cruise. I'm glad you were still able to cruise to Cozumel, and by the looks of your post, it looks like you made the best of it, and still had a great time! Kudos!

On my very first cruise, we shared 4 people in an inside cabin on NCL for a 6 night cruise. Was it crowded? Yes. Did anyone have privacy? No. Was it still a great cruise? ABSOLUTELY! The only real issue that we ever encountered was 4 people trying to share one bathroom, but there are plenty of bathrooms everywhere on the ship. I showered in the spa to free up the shower for the other 3 people. Are you the type of people who want to sleep late in the mornings, have breakfast in bed, watch TV in your cabin, or otherwise spend a lot of time in there? If so, maybe sharing 4 to a room isn't a wise choice. However, if you intend on spending most of your time out of your cabin, then I say go for it! Take the money you're saving on the cabin and do some great shore excursions, eat in some specialty restaurants, or buy yourself something that you would never spend money on at home.

One thing to keep in mind if you're thinking about getting an ocean view cabin...You can't see ANYTHING at night. In my opinion, they're only nice during the day if you want to look outside, but once it gets dark, there's nothing to see. Like I said, that's just my opinion...I'm sure others will disagree. As far as outside seating areas, there are plenty of places you can sit outside. One my favorite places to sit on every ship I've been on is the promenade deck, which wraps all the way around the outside of the ship. You're under other decks so you're not in direct sunlight, and if it's rainy, you'll stay perfectly dry.

I'm booked on the Grandeur for a cruise to Bermuda in May. While I think I'll miss some of the activities and features that the bigger ships have, I'm really looking forward to lounging by the pool, having some umbrella drinks, and not cooking my own meals. If you're someone that has to be on the move constantly, then the Grandeur may not be what you're looking for.

Have fun!

Hello,

I usually book pretty late (generally within 45 days of sailing) and I always get good deals. However, I am never looking for a specific cabin -- I just take whatever I can get. In your case, since you are looking for a specific class of cabins, I would check several online travel websites on a daily basis to see what they are offering. Once you find something you are happy with, you should book it. I just a booked a cruise last week that is in a little over a month. I got a really good deal on the cabin, plus I also got some on board spending. But, like I said, I would have taken whatever cabin was available so I don't worry about booking last minute.

I paid $150 a few years ago (it was August), and got 2 passes to Atlantis.

I agree with the previous response. You can save a lot of money if you are willing to do a little bit of work. Whenever I book a cruise, I try to remain flexible regarding cruise line, ship, dates, and even destination. I look through all the different online booking agencies to see what companies are offering the best rates. Also, if you're trying to save money, you're probably not going to do it by booking excursions through the ship. They are always marked up, and you can usually find the same tours if you just do a little research.

Thanks. I'll have to check it out.

I agree about not doing the excursion...You'll save a lot of money by booking it on your own. It's not like the Bahamas where you'll be bombarded with people trying to sell you things. The public transportation system is so easy to use, and the ferry system is great.

I used to live in New York City...I can suggest some hotels...What are you looking to do when you're there? If you want to be close to the action, I suggest staying right in Times Square. There are several hotels in that area, but the Marriott Marquis I right in the center of Times Square. The Omni Berkshire Place is also very nice. That's located right next to Radio City Music Hall, and Rockefeller Center. Both of those hotels will run you about $200-$300 per night.

I see that you are from Maryland...Can you recommend any hotels near the port that offer parking for the week? I did a search online, and I found the Holiday Inn and Best Western...Can you recommend one over the other?

Cruise lines have to pay fees to the country or state they are sailing from/to. In my experience, in the United States for example, cruises out of Florida are generally cheaper than cruises out of New York. The fees in New York are higher than the fees in Florida, so it'll cost more to cruise out of New York.

Soda will run you about $2-$2.25...Frozen "mock"tails will be around $4-$5. It all depends on how much you drink when deciding if the $20/day package will be worth it.

Long time no chat! I thought I was the last one to take my replacement cruise, but you've got me beat. We did the Dec. 14th sailing. Have a great cruise!

Good to see you on here again! I tried to rebook for October, but things kept getting in the way. I'm crossing my fingers (& toes) that everything goes smoothly this time.

I'm scheduled to sail on the Grandeur on May 9th. I just called RCCL to inquire about the reported damage, and they told me that this was the first they had heard about it. I only called them because I was originally booked on the Grandeur last year, but my cruise was cancelled because of the fire that broke out a few days before my cruise would have started.

Yes, I'll be on Grandeur, arriving on Sunday. Thanks for the info on Fort St. Catherines Beach. I've heard of it, but I don't know much about it. Does it have bathrooms or any other facilities?

Hello,

I'll be sailing to Bermuda in early May. I've been there once before, so I have a pretty good idea of what I want to see, but I was hoping for some advice on my Itinerary. Tell me what you think...

Day 1: 3pm Arrival

Since we don't arrive until 3pm, this will be a dockyard day. We'll get our 2 day transportation passes, and explore the sites of the dockyard. I was thinking about getting a drink in a pub, and then just exploring the area on foot.

Day 2: Full day

Since we'll have all day, this will be a St. George's day. We'll catch an early ferry, and head to St. George. I'd like to stop in some shops in the town square, then head to Tobacco Bay for some swimming and sun bathing. After that, I'd like to catch a taxi to Alexandria's Battery to walk around the grounds and pick up some sea glass. After that, I'm thinking about heading to the Swizzle Inn for a snack and some rum swizzles.

Day 3: Depart at 6pm

Since we'll have most of the day, we'll head to horseshoe bay to go swimming. I'm planning on taking the #7 bus round trip. I'm thinking we'll follow the path and walk to the other beaches nearby. If there's still time, maybe we'll spend a little more time in the dockyard area once we leave the beach.

How does this sound? Should I be moving something around? Thanks for any input or advice :-)

I think you can almost always find a good deal, if you're willing to take some time and scour the internet for the best price. If you have to fly to the port, airfare will be a big expense, so you should factor that in when your making your decision. For example, if you can find a cruise out of Florida for $599 per person, but it'll cost you $600 per person to fly there, that cruise is actually costing you $1200 before you even get on the ship. Also consider your on board activities...casino, bingo, art auction, classes...they can really hit your wallet hard. THEN consider shore excursions, tips, specialty restaurants...everything should be considered. Alcohol is a HUGE expense for a lot of people, and they never even think about it until they see their bill.

I set a budget for the cost of the cruise/airfare, then I also set a budget for everything I do and spend while on the trip. I limit the specialty restaurants to once or twice during the cruise, I'll usually go to the casino every night, but I'll only spend $20-40 at a time, and when my gambling money is gone, it's gone. No trips to the ATM or cash advances. On board bingo is expensive, and the prizes are generally pretty small so I stay away from that. I don't do shore excursions, but rather I buy a tour book instead and do it myself. The book also makes for a good souvenir of all the places I visited. Drinks are pricey, so I limit myself to a few a day. ($12/drink adds up FAST!)

Take you're time looking online, have fun researching, and you can find a good deal!

I have a future cruise credit that I am trying to use, and when I called RCCL they told me that I had to pay in full first (since I'm within final payment), send in the certificate, and then I would be credited back within a few days of them getting the certificate. I'm going to photo copy my certificate, and then send it certified mail, with insurance.

What website are you using to to pay with the Future Cruise Credit? Is it directly with RCCL?

I'm sailing on the Explorer in February, and I was wondering if there are any "must do's or "must see's" on the ship. I was on the Mariner of the seas a few years ago, and I understand they are similar, but I was wondering if Explorer has anything different than the Mariner that I should check out. One thing that I really liked on the Mariner was the bridge observation area. Does Explorer have this?

Thanks!

I'll be on EOS in February...Were the pools heated/were people in them while sailing from New Jersey?

That's a good idea. I've done the same thing.