beachbum6264

Thanks for taking us along! I'm looking forward to watching your daughter enjoy the thrill of a cruise! Is this her first one? I love watching things through the eyes of children - guess that's why I was a teacher.

I lived in Nassau when I was a kid, one year we would go swim on Christmas, the next it was too cold - so you can't really tell. I live in SW Florida now, some days we beach, some days we don't. But some tourists from far northern areas will swim when we think it's too cold!

My BFF gets car sick very easily but takes Bonine (not drowsy at all) at night and ginger root 3 times a day. She starts the ginger root a few days before the cruise starts. She's cruised with me 3 times so far and has never been sick at all, and we've had some rough seas. It's all in the prevention, once you're sick it's hard to treat.

I had the patch prior to surgery once and it made me so dizzy and light headed I had to take it off.

We've cruised many times during hurricane season, we always leave home with a "we're gonna have fun" attitude. As long as they don't run out of tequila I'm good. We've had itineraries changed from Eastern Caribbean to Western Caribbean, Western changed to Eastern, ports cancelled, ports changed, port days changed, and a 7 day cruise turned into a 9 day thanks to Hurricane Francis closing the port of Tampa (we got an extra day in Cozumel and an extra day at sea). I am always amazed at the people on board who are irate and going to sue Carnival (or whatever cruise line) because we're not going where we thought we were going.

Can I ask what the UAP is that you think makes people 'drunken obnoxious'?

 

Maybe you are one of those always unhappy people that others often see on vacation and you assume everyone is drunk because they are laughing and having a good time. We have ALL seen those crabby people.

 

Lighten up and chill dude; maybe have a nice cocktail! (heehee):)

Oh those crabby people just HATE it when I'm smiling and blowing kisses at them as they glare at me. LOL! Half the time I've not even had a drink, I just enjoy life. Add a few drinks and I really enjoy it!

We've cruised many times in August (check my sig - all the August dates were the last week) - we've had everything from seas smooth as glass to following Hurricane Frances back into Tampa. Mostly it's been calm tho. Calm, sunny, hot and humid. My kind of weather! We haven't been rained out, maybe a short shower in the late afternoon once or twice. One great thing about a cruise and hurricanes - if there's a hurricane where you're supposed to go they can take you somewhere else. With a land vacation you'll just have to cancel.

I'm not too picky about what others wear in the MDR, but PLEASE Carnival, Please don't let men in there with wife beaters on. Please. I lose my appetite looking at some random guy's back hair and hairy armpits while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner. Stop them at the door, make them go back and put on a t-shirt at least. I don't care if they have shorts and flip-flops on, they'll be under the table. But keep those wife beaters out of there.

We went to Paradise Beach several times, both before and after they built the pool. It got too popular and they had too many chairs crammed into the same amount of beach space. Chairs are right up next to each other, you can't walk between them - no space at all. We started going to Nachi Cocoum - love it. Only 100 people per day, your own palapa and your own waiter (Carlos is the best!). Hardly any rocks in the water (Paradise Beach is full of them) - the pool at Nachi is not as nice as Paradise, but we're there for the beach. Great food and drink at Nachi, a much more relaxing day for me. Not much to do for kids, tho, ours are all adults and out of the nest.

Another fan of Jack's Shack here. Look for the free shot of rum coupon online, my favorite is the coconut rum, it's very tasty! They were very friendly and the service was great when we were there, no complaints. Loved being away from the crowds.

Remember, just because the ship is smaller doesn't always mean there won't be crowds. I've been on some smaller ships (Holiday anyone??) and smaller ship means smaller areas which equal crowded areas. Lines can be longer in the buffet because the dining options are fewer on a smaller ship. Pool areas are smaller = more crowded. The Dream seemed less crowded to me because there was more space for people to spread out.

Does the choice of ports enter into your decision at all?

We've been to Maya Key in Roatan 3 times - the snorkeling there is amazing. There is a drop-off where the water turns from turquoise to cobalt, one of the most beautiful sights I've seen snorkeling. Lunch is included (you need to book through the ship), some of the best fish ever.

In Belize we've done a reef snorkel where they pick you up right from the ship. One we did had rum punch and a beach break after the snorkel time. We liked that one so much we did it again the next trip to Belize! Let's just say they were not stingy with the punch (or the rum in there!) In fact, I think the guys running the excursion must have thought DH and I hadn't had quite enough punch last time because they gave us a full bottle to take back on the ship with us!! Let's just say we had a very good time on that one!

Like others have said, it depends. A 3 or 4 day Caribbean cruise during Spring Break? Any cruise is going to be a booze cruise no matter what line you're on. A 10 or 12 day cruise in the fall on Carnival is going to have a totally different type of passenger. You never know who is going to be in the cabin next to you, it's the luck of the draw. The worst most obnoxious drunks I ever saw on a cruise were on a Royal Caribbean ship. I've never seen any of the drunken behavior that people think Carnival is "famous" for on any of the cruises I've been on.

That being said, a cruise is what you make it, so go with a great attitude and you'll have a great cruise. Enjoy!

We got home yesterday from spending Christmas in DC with our youngest DD, did laundry, spent today gathering all those little things we take when we cruise and packing. We will be in the car early tomorrow morning headed toward Ft. Lauderdale (we live in Tennessee). One suitcase for the trip down, 2 for the ship, 1 for the couple of weeks in SW Florida scouting our future home! I'm tired of packing - but it is worth it. I hope I can sleep tonight....

Thank you! We are driving home to Middle Tennessee from a Christmas visit with our dd in DC. A day to wash clothes, a day to pack, then we are in the car again, this time headed SOUTH!!! We are looking forward to our first HAL cruise, and loving our retirement more every day :D

My dh uses a CPAP also. Before the first cruise he took it on he asked his doctor about using the tap water on board. Dr. said that the filter system on cruise ships makes the tap water as safe as distilled for the CPAP. He's used it on 5 or 6 cruises, not a problem.

Lesson Learned: Never place insulated plastic mugs in the dishwasher! Of course, you aren't the only one to learn the hard way! :)

This was a metal one! Who knew water would get inside it? Oh well, gives me a great reason to buy one on board!! :D

I'm going to hold out and not buy a new one until we are on the Noordam. I'm sure I'll be able to find SOMETHING that will work for me :D

Thanks for all the responses. Counting days....

Will I be able to buy a HAL insulated mug (the kind with a handle) on board the Noordam? I have meds I have to take first thing in the morning, so looking for a new one that will keep ice all night. I had a great one, but it came out of the dishwasher this morning with water inside the sides :mad:.

Nassau, San Juan, and St. Thomas have Harley stores. I don't think Grand Turk has one, but I have been known to be wrong!

Hope I can watch... in just 3 short weeks I'll be on board! Dh and I can hardly wait for our 1st HAL cruise. Retirement is wonderful :D

The Culinary Operations Manager on the Zuiderdam, Ron, gave me the menus for all of the 7-day cruises for this Caribbean season. I have scanned them and you will find them at this link.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=309

 

There are two series of menus that will alternate so you will see both on your B2B.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Thanks for those - but now I'm hungry!

Wondering about a 10 day/11 day B2B? Would these be the first 7 days on each leg? What about the other days? DH (who hates technology, btw) has been studying those menus, I think food is one of his reasons to cruise!

I got 2 calls in 2 days, from the same PVP. After the 2nd call I just told him that I always book with a local TA and please don't call me again. Never had another call.

Thanks for such quick answers! DH is a little less stressed now :D

We sail on Jan. 6 - the date of the BCS National Championship Game (War Eagle!). So he NEEDS to know (emphasis: his :D) where on board the Noordam will they have a big screen TV that will show the game? Is there anything close to a sports bar? He's getting stressed!

Thanks!

Thank you all so much - just the kind of information I was looking for. Statendam has the vote so far! The 2 cruises are just a month apart and close in price, both from FLL to San Diego Since I don't fly (bad experience), it's a great way to get from Florida to close to our DD and family in Oregon! Rent a car, drive up to Oregon, then drive home. Sounds like a plan to me :D

We are thinking about a Panama Canal cruise in early 2015. There are 2 cruises available on HAL, on either Statendam or Veendam. Any thoughts on which you like better, and why? Or which you would not sail, and why? Thanks in advance for your help.