Charles4515

When was the last time you were at Snorkel Park? The new management turned it into an exclusive beach club with $15 admission. Last summer no music or nighttime activities. Don’t know if the beach club worked out and if they will repeat that this year.

It is too bad they put in USB-A when all our devices are USB-C or are going to be USB-C. I bring and adapter so I can use the European outlet with my US plugs.

I have been charged an additional amount a couple of times when port fees had been increased.

That is a full Busness Class with 2 seats on each side. Put your bags in the luggage area at the front of the car and you will be able to keep an eye on them. The only possible issue is if someone takes your bag by mistake. As they all look alike. Your bag could fit overhead. It depends on the size. I have had no problems with 24 inch luggage. The weight may be an issue for you putting them overhead. Also if the Busness Class is the first car and right behind the engine then take your bags to the rear of the car for .your exit at Newark. As for the expense of the Doubletree or other hotels I personally would not book a cheap hotel in Newark. You should also factor in the expense of getting from the train station to a hotel. The Doubletree is connected to the station so no Uber or taxi needed. You should ask about Hotels on the East Coast departure board if you have not already.

There is Hilton Doubletree connected to Newark Penn. I have not read recent reviews but it was okay when I stayed there 9 years ago. The problem with answering the question of 2 seats on each side and keeping luggage in sight is that there are full Busness class cars and some half busness class cars that have 1x2 seating and a cafe area. So the suggestion that was made of having a Red Cap or station services at your boarding station is a good one. They can pre board you.

Sitting at Newark 10-15 minutes is not normal. Either the train was early or was being held for congestion between Newark and New York. There are not many Red Caps at Newark so I recommend that leaving Philadelphia Jimbo tell the Conductor they need Red Cap assistance at Newark.

The raw temperatures from a google search are informative but don’t tell you everything. Getting multiple answers to the question from actual people is a good idea. What those Bermuda temperatures mean has been subjectively interpreted because October and November are when the change to winter season is occurring. Weather won’t be exactly the same every year.

Daytime high will be upper 70's at begining of October dropping toward low 70 at end of the month. November and December about 70. Water temp chilly. November and December not considered beach weather November and December. As far as indoor pools there are a bunch of ships. Some have suite only indoor pools and others have adult only indoor pools. I think you need to search, NCL, Carnival. Disney and MSC by Bermuda sailings and then research the ships. I think Anthem of the Seas main pool has a retractable roof.

There are no beaches with similar characteristics to Horseshoe that have guaranteed chair and umbrella rentals. Warwick Long Bay and Elbow Beach which have similar characteristics, they are south shore beaches and sometimes have had vendors renting chairs. Last summer they were there in June, July and August. John Smith's Bay is south shore, no rentals but there is a restarant open some days. Tobacco Beach, a small beach in St. George is not like Horseshoe but has chair and umbrella rentals. Clearwater Beach on St. David is man made but most people won't know that unless they know the history. It is a good enough beach and there are chair and umbrella rentals. It is farthest to get to. Next to Clearwater is Coopers Reserve with a number of beautiful natural beaches but no rentals.

Do the ships tour on the small boat that goes through the locks to the Pacific. You will be fine I don't think you can do private tours from Gatun. The one to village I have heard positve about. Same with Panama City I have heard positve. Don't do the train tour. You won't see that much.You will be retuned to the ship on any of the tours. I think the baot through the locks is best unless you have done the canal before.The only negative to the small boat is that it can be hot on the top outside deck. I did it twice. The train was a mistake.

The authorities in Bermuda often bring sniffer dogs on board.

The Haitians think it is good for you. All a matter of perspective. A lot of cultures eat stuff I would never touch. I would never buy mud cookies, ugh because I would not eat them but if I did buy tham it would ake sense to eat them.

The vendors have an aggressive approach. When I first went to Labadee in 1996 we had to walk through the vendor area and some passengers would get overwhelmed by the aggressive pitch of the vendors. Royal Caribbean wisely redesigned Labadee so that none have to walk through the vendor area. It is optional. Some passengers like to buy and haggle and get good deals other passenger prefer not to.

All the vendors have the same type of stuff (Haitian) but not the exact same stuff. It is not mass made in a factory in China.

The guide they provided us was pretty good.

You can do a night tour. We did a private tour organized out of our roll call of about 6. I don't know the tour company as I did not organize the tour but we took the tram, walked the area around Sultanhamet Square, the nightlife area Taksim Square, Galata Tower. All really cool, walkable and safe at night. The company I did day tours with was Ephesus Shuttle. We did a day and a half with them and also used them for Ephesus. There are plenty of tour companies. The port of call board on Cruise Critic should have names of guides. You can actually do Istanbul DIY which I have done after I did those tours. But the first trip I was not confident to do that.

That would be the fare each way for the taxi. For the taxi not per person.

It does not really matter on checked bags. I still prefer two wheeled Travel Pro to spinner Travel Pro. I have managed though not to do checked bags for the last four years.

It only takes a few minutes and all the attractions, Hahgia, Blue Mosque and Hippodrome are close to each other. Walkable.

In the version that was posted before the above version the underling flat out said it was Royal Caribbean making the decision based on nine days and five sea days. The thread with the that version has been removed. It is a mystery to me why the underlings letter had been altered. The underlings letter made sense before it was altered although it didn’t explain how Royal came up with the nine days/5 sea days it stated it was Royal requiring it not the US or Canada.

Royal Caribbean’s explanation has been edited out of the above for some reason, maybe by mistake? but they say over nine days and five sea days. Still does not really explain, oh how I hate to use this term, the science. Like how did they come up with five sea days and nine days. Seems arbitrary. I am glad they are getting a refund which obviously they should as no way they could be fully vaccinated now on such short notice.

They need it because Royal Caribbean is requiring it. Does not matter if the United States and Canada don't require it. Royal can make any requirement they want. As to Royal Caribbean's reasons.......they have not said that I am aware.

I always pack a foldable backpack for the beach and as a daybag as the free bags don't hold enough for the beach and are not good enough as a daypack. The free bags only work for the ship pool area for me as the issue pool towels on deck.

Most of my family won't cruise and my major cruise buddy and his girlfriend have decided since Covid to be self prisoners and won't travel so for cruises I am again stuck solo/solo. So what you can do to feel safe is make friends on the roll calls both CC and groups elsewhere and off the ship do things with them. Also I always found it easy to make friends onboard. Always ask to share table at dinner.

But of course there are no repeaters on cruise ships and the FCC has no juristiction outside US territory and waters. So FCC approved only means in the US. Use of GMRS at sea would have to be approved by the Captain. The rules would vary in foriegn ports.