bumbletigger

We went to BrickHaus too. The food was good and service was excellent. The place is small but has a good amount of TV's. We stayed at Sheraton Old San Juan, which is right by the port. There is a Chicago Burger Company there. The food was Surprisingly good despite the poor reviews. They also have TV's and really good happy hour specials during sporting events.

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Thank you everyone for your input. I like to book a hotel that I can "live" with then try Priceline. This way if Priceline does not work out, I have a doable backup.

The explanations are perfect. Normally when traveling to a big city, we try to stay in Downtown, since that is where most of the actions is. I was just overwhelmed with the prices and the choices of locations.

If any one has anything else to add, it is greatly appreciated.

DH and I will be taking our first Alaskan Cruise next summer. We need help finding a good hotel in Vancouver, BC, so we can get in a few days early and explore.

We are looking for the following things in a hotel...

1. Reasonable price (I know they are more expensive than average in VBC)

2. Close to the port and or attractions (We do not mind having to take a taxi from the airport or to the port, but would like to avoid it while we are checking out the city)

3. Near the train/subway/public transportation (We have not problem taking it to get around)

4.Room has private bathroom

5. Name brand chain or local hotel with good reviews (clean and not shady)

6. In a nice area where we can walk to places, attractions, and dinner.

I was researching today, and became a little overwhelmed. Any advice is appreciated, especially from those who live there or frequent the area.

Taxis are super easy. Just follow the signs from baggage claim area. There will be someone standing there with a clip board to direct you. Enjoy your cruise.

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I can wait to hear about your adventures. I will be doing this route next June.

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I was on Jewel in June and Oasis in 2011. I had a regular power strip in my carry on both times and never had a problem. We left it on the desk to plug in our phones, iPads, and camera chargers.

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I was on Jewel in June, and I am a big diet dr pepper fan. The freestyle machine has mr pibb and diet mr pibb. I was pleasantly surprise how good the mr pibb tasted. It was not dr pepper, but pretty darn close. If your friend must have dr pepper, he will need to bring his own.

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It may be possible for a second lounger but it would be really tight and a chair and or the table would have to go. The balcony is standard depth on the left and longer on the right. The lounger was on the right and would not fit on the left.

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Yes. The Jewel has 2 located in the Windjammer.

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We had 9576 on Jewel in June. I loved the balcony as it is bigger than some of the others. You will have 2 chairs, a table, and a lounger. Here is a pic taken from the balcony. Let me know if you have any other questions. looking towards front of ship. It was more difficult to see towards back since it is at the start of the hump

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Lava flow!!

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Yes. Mine was in my checked luggage in my toiletries bag. No problem getting it on.

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I was on Jewel in June. Early seating at 6. The dining rooms all close at 7:30 to prep for muster since all staff are involved. Then muster at 8. Late was moved to 8:45, but most people went straight to dinner after muster. We ate in Chops and there were only 5 tables while we were there after muster.

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I would also recommend heading to the ship first. You can check in, drop your bags, and head back out. There were taxis everywhere. You should not have an issue finding you one to take you to OSJ and back to the pier.

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When we took a cab from the airport to OSJ it was 25 minutes, but we hit some nasty traffic as we entered OSJ.

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No camo!! It is the law and they take it very seriously. A gentleman ahead of me was turned back because he had a small amount if camo on a belt. Khaki was never mentioned.

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We were in the Caribbean in June. We did not see one mosquito. This situation is like many others, the media has hyped it up. Of course there is a chance, but it is not as bad as they make you believe it is. We even spoke to many locals while we were in st Maartin, st Lucia, st kitts, and Barbados. They are not even slightly concerned. In my opinion canceling your cruise is extreme.

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I was on Jewel in June. Chops is $30 p/p and Portofino's is $20 p/p. There was a discount offered if you booked 2 or more time 15% for 2 times, 20% for 3 times, 25% for 4, etc.

We ate at chops twice and it was amazing both nights.

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Bummer...waiting sucks. Fingers are still crossed for you!!

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Glad the interview went well!! Make sure you come back and let us know that you did get the job.

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I do not recall seeing any shuttle type services. Taxis were easy to find, and with the zone pricing, you know what you are paying upfront. I would just plan on taking a taxi.

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My DH and I did what you were planning in June. The pan am pier is in an industrial area, so there are not many hotels that close. We stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan. Below is a pic of the Jewel from our Balcony at the Sheraton. Old San Juan is a nice area to stay. Neat things to see and restaurants are super close. Cab from airport to hotel was $25 (4 bags), and was $18 from hotel to port. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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We were in 9676 and we had an old tube tv.

The ship is in great condition. I would not hesitate to book Jewel again.

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If the game starts at noon, you can watch the game at a bar in San Juan, then board after the game. Even though it is a "big" game, sports are limited on the ship. It all depends how important the game is to you. If you board the ship, you are taking a chance to not see it.

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In your room there is no fee. I travel with a corkscrew, so I just asked for a wine glass.

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