Please Critique My Itinerary

[bankerbabe]

Hi all!

 

I think that I have finalized our itinerary precruise in Miami, but would love your input. We are a family of four: Mom and Dad, later 30s plus 10 year old daughter and 15 year old son.

 

So, here it is:

 

We fly into West Palm Beach airport, arriving at around midnight. That's OK, we're from Oregon and it'll "only" feel like 9:00. :rolleyes: We'll pick up our rental car - a minivan actually - and drive down to the Marriott Villas at Doral. Yes, we'll be getting in VERY late, but we can handle it. I hope.

 

Next morning we'll sleep in a bit, and then head out to Coopertown Airboats (about a 25 minute drive) to ride around on an airboat. On our way back, we'll swing by a grocery store down the street and pick up some food for our hotel room, sodas for the cruise, and other things that we didn't pack like sunscreen and shampoo. Dinner this night will be a Brazillian Steakhouse, probably Texas de Brazil.

 

At around 10:30 that night we'll pick up another family of four at the airport, they are staying with us in our 2 bedroom villa.

 

Saturday morning: breakfast in South Beach while the party animals are all sleeping. That way we can wander around a little bit without the crowds of spring break. We'll spend the afternoon around the pool at our hotel drinking drinks with little umbrellas. Dinner this night will be at Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine in Doral (already mapped it out). We can hit one of the malls for any clothing that we have forgotten. Prior to going to bed, I will wash any and all laundry in our room's washer and dryer.

 

Sunday morning: cook up a simple breakfast in room and head to the Port of Miami. The two dads will drop us moms off at the port with the kids and luggage while they head back to the airport to return the rental car and then catch the shuttle back to the port. I've printed off separate boarding passes for everyone, so we don't have to wait for the dads to board the ship. I'll also get notarized letters from the dads saying that we moms can board the ship without them - just in case they give us any grief at check in for only having one parent present.

 

 

So - any suggestions or thoughts? Thanks!! :D

[BlueHerons]

Sounds like a plan to me!

 

Make sure you purchase sunblock.

 

Call the hotel twice that day to make sure they do not give away your room. Call and talk to the day shift and have them mark your reservation.

 

Call again and speak with the night shift and let them know you will not arrive until after midnight.

 

Even though you have a 'guaranteed' reservations, it is industry standard to overbook knowing that you'll have a certain number of cancellations.

 

By calling and harrassing the front desk, they will not give away your room.

[Karen_N]

I thought your entire party had to be there for the ship check in. Not sure, so others may be able to provide a more accurate answer.

 

Sounds like a fun pre-cruise itinerary.

[oncruisecontrol]

Sounds like a plan to me!

 

Make sure you purchase sunblock.

 

Call the hotel twice that day to make sure they do not give away your room. Call and talk to the day shift and have them mark your reservation.

 

Call again and speak with the night shift and let them know you will not arrive until after midnight.

 

Even though you have a 'guaranteed' reservations, it is industry standard to overbook knowing that you'll have a certain number of cancellations.

 

By calling and harrassing the front desk, they will not give away your room.

 

Agree. Agree. Agree. I'd also get the name of the person with whom I spoke each time.

[bankerbabe]

Agree. Agree. Agree. I'd also get the name of the person with whom I spoke each time.

I agree also - sage advice to call the hotel multiple times to make sure.

 

We do have it noted on our reservation that we will be arriving very, very late already but it couldn't hurt to make a phone call or three.

 

Since my husband is Platinum Elite with Marriott, we also get emails in advance of any stay checking to see if there's anything else that we need, confirming our room choices, and check in times. I'll definitely use it too. (One time I used this service to have cookies and milk waiting in our hotel room for the kids - they thought that was "the bomb".)