Just off the Eclipse--will answer questions

[suzzek]

Thanks for your info' date=' [b']sparkle.[/b] You can also post indvidual pictures right in the thread by copying and pasting that one link(the one at the bottom of each picture) right in the thread. So if you are talking about something in particular and want to show a picture you can.

Like this:

 

Beautiful picture! This is of the Martini bar, where we had a wonderful time on two evenings. I'm loving the reviews by Sparkle, and reliving our experiences when we were on board in January for the eastern Caribbean cruise. There were so many things to do on the ship and so much delicious food to try...we must go back again next year. DO NOT miss the fabulous brunch in MDR. I believe it was on Monday (Sparkle also mentioned it) it was amazing! We had most of our evening meals in the MDR and were very pleased with the service and the food. One of our table partners had been on many cruises so she really knew how to have an excellent dining experience. She said (and I later heard others say it too) the the lamb is excellent, so I'm surprised that some did not enjoy it in Blu. Next time I cruise, I will be sure to have lamb. I also heard you can get lamb in the Ocean View Cafe and it is also wonderful. We dined in Qusine one evening and absolutely loved all the clever presentations and the quality of food.

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned--I attended 3 cooking shows while on board and really enjoyed them. Also, I missed the tour of the kitchens, etc. and regret that. We were first time cruisers, so it took us several days to really figure things out. Next time we will be very savvy!:D

[sparkle56]

I'm so happy to have others adding in their information and insights. For instance, I did not attend the cooking shows but would have loved to so it's really nice to have our reviews "dovetailing."

 

And thank you, Suzzek, for confirming that picture is of the Martini Bar--I thought it was the Molecular Bar and was leading people astray. Not the first time I've been such a leader.

 

As for the lamb, I may try it again on the off chance that the night I had it, returned it, and many others returned it, is an indication it just wasn't good quality. We saw someone else order the lamb shank and he just raved about it.

 

Qsine gets good reviews, no doubt about it. But we find we just can't eat that much so it probably isn't an option for us. When we had to turn the beautiful cheese tray presentation down in Murano, that is an indication that we might not be able to handle the many (I've heard 19) courses in Qsine.

 

I will post about Puerto Costa Maya shortly. . .

[suzzek]

I'm so happy to have others adding in their information and insights. For instance, I did not attend the cooking shows but would have loved to so it's really nice to have our reviews "dovetailing."

 

And thank you, Suzzek, for confirming that picture is of the Martini Bar--I thought it was the Molecular Bar and was leading people astray. Not the first time I've been such a leader.

 

As for the lamb, I may try it again on the off chance that the night I had it, returned it, and many others returned it, is an indication it just wasn't good quality. We saw someone else order the lamb shank and he just raved about it.

 

Qsine gets good reviews, no doubt about it. But we find we just can't eat that much so it probably isn't an option for us. When we had to turn the beautiful cheese tray presentation down in Murano, that is an indication that we might not be able to handle the many (I've heard 19) courses in Qsine.

 

I will post about Puerto Costa Maya shortly. . .

 

It's fun to hear about everybody's experiences, and compare notes. Sparkle, I will be keeping up with your review, even though yours was in the western Caribbean, the ship was the same one, and that makes it fun to read for me.

As for Qusine, yes, I think you could eat that many courses if you wanted to, but we surely didn't. We ate until we were stuffed, and we had lots of seafood, in the form of appetizers so that we could sample all the different selections. Loved the sushi lollipops!

To be honest, the only thing that I thought was not up to snuff was the lobster bisque in MDR. To me, it had a tinny undertone to it. I don't care for most canned soups...otherwise, everything was superb!

[gayoung]

We both had the Lamb chops when they were the salad entree. it was with a rocket salad with a balsamic reduction...Actually in our opinion was one of the best meals we had at Blu.

 

We had dinner at Qsine....Great concept....needed better execution, the best part of the meal was the salad dressing...Really exceptional...I can elaborate on our experience, but in general we thought portions were too large, wait staff too chatty, food needs to be taken up a level. I had heard somewhere there was the idea of having a Qsine or "Qsine like" restaurant in Vegas, and I do not believe it would last long as they have designed it right now.

 

Sparkle...In regard to iLounge...This is the location of the "computer lounge" on all Solstice class ships. I did not mind it's location, like the 2 deck library, and the Earth station, all are located in the atrium only they are stacked one on top of each other. I did a self imposed moratorium on email and almost anything computer related so even though I bought 60 minutes of time I only used 20....

[SWLinPHX]

In regard to iLounge...This is the location of the "computer lounge" on all Solstice class ships. I did not mind it's location, like the 2 deck library, and the Earth station, all are located in the atrium only they are stacked one on top of each other. I did a self imposed moratorium on email and almost anything computer related so even though I bought 60 minutes of time I only used 20....

 

I really wanted to get another Apple fan's opinion of the all-new iLounge (first of its kind at sea), or anyone's for that matter on if and how it differed or if they liked it better than the standard ones on other ships. Solstice got retro-fitted and Eclipse had one from the start, but we missed the boat as Equinox's will be converted to the iLounge later this year. I had to use the Internet; I had credit card bills to pay and two businesses to manage. It is the fact that I am able to work away from home via Internet, cell and fax that I am able to take longer cruises, so I don't mind. I purchased 230 min. + a bonus 25 w/coupon that cost us nothing since we had $100 onboard credit. However, things got sticky and at the end I had to pay an extra $50 (about 2 hours) out-of-pocket to finish up some work (it is painfully slow Internet to begin with).

 

 

Like SWLinPHX, I, too, am an Apple loyalist (and passionate about it), owning a MacBook, an iMac (which is where I post the reviews from), and an iPod (red, engraved with "All We Are Saying is Give Peace a Chance.") I do not have an iPhone because we couldn't use them here in ND.

 

I was truly hoping to add iPad to the collection but they did not have them. Now that I see they are working on an iPad 2 I will probably wait in the hopes it has a USB port.

 

The new iPads will have the front and rear-facing cameras for FaceTime videoconferencing too don't forget. Also, as a Verizon customer who held out for them to get the iPhone for years, I may pass on the iPhone 4 and wait for iPhone 5 (possibly this summer when Apple has always introduced new iPhone models) as it will most likely be able to utilize Verizon's new 4G LTE technology, with super fast data speeds even without WiFi and simultaneous data and voice capability.

[sparkle56]

SWLinPHX: So the new iPads WILL have USB ports as well as the front and rear facing cameras?

 

Verizon here just started offering iPhone service, and iPhones. My Droid is less than a year old so I have to wait for the upgrade but plan to do so next year.

 

When I called to tell Verizon I would be out of the country they suggested I sign up for a "media something or other" because even if the smart phones are turned off they continually update and that costs (I think)$2.49 a minute. By purchasing the media something or other I avoided that and they pro-rated the monthly charge just for one week.

 

Puerto Costa Maya coming up. . .

[d1cso4]

Hello Sparkle56,

i enjoyed reading your review on the eclipse..we are going on november 26 2011..we also had booked aqua class cabin 1576..i was wondering did you purchase any drink packages, also how far in advance did you book blu,murano, etc..and did you get to try qsine ?

Thanks, roger

[sparkle56]

Hi, Roger,

 

We were actually in 1546 but both cabins are starboard side.

 

I looked at drink packages but knew, because the itinerary actually is pretty port intensive, that it would be difficult to get our money's worth out of the Premium package, and probably difficult for the one right under that. When you are onshore you're going to buy beverages there.

 

We do like our beverages--at cocktail time, bloody mary's in the a.m., wine with dinner, etc. But I think I calculated that DH would have to drink 12 drinks a day to make it worthwhile. And you have to pay separately for each person.

 

I bought the soda card and made good use of it.

 

There is usually someplace offering free champagne--it isn't the best, but it is bubbly. And the Captain's Party offers all manner of refreshments. You also get either champagne or mimosas at embarkation, if you are AquaClass there will be a bottle of champagne chilling in your cabin, and the Captain's welcome party has several drink options that you can choose from.

 

Wines by the glass, and recommended by the sommelier, ran between $10 and $12.

 

Before moving on to your next question about the specialty restaurants, the talk about wine triggered another thought I would like to share.

 

You are allowed to take 2 bottles of wine per cabin onboard when you embark. No beer. No liquor. I had one bottle of wine and one bottle of Bloody Mary mix in my carry on. I had to explain. I actually do like virgin Bloody Marys and will frequently order that when I fly.

 

Anyway, there is a table right after you go through security and if you have more than you are supposed to, or the wrong kind of stuff, they will take it from you, tag it, and you can pick it up at disembarkation. Trust me, they had MANY bottles of wine (people were taking more than 2 per cabin) and many bottles of liquor and quite a few six packs of beer.

 

Okay, specialty restaurants. I booked these directly with my cruise person (we booked through Celebrity) and did it early. I booked all three, based on what I thought were formal nights. You pay for them when you book, they do not go on your account at the end of your cruise.

 

About a week before the cruise I realized that Qsine was going to be just too much food at the end of our sailing. Qsine is notorious for lots of interesting food and a 3+ hour dining experience. So I called and canceled. Then when we got onboard and saw the place, I rebooked (for the same time we previously had--reservations were not difficult to get).

 

As the week went on, we decided to cancel Tuscan Grille AND Qsine. Easy to do. You just call the number from the button on your phone.

 

Next time, we will try at least one of the above two in addition to a repeat performance at Murano.

[d1cso4]

Thanks Sparkle,

MY wife will be glad to hear of the wine..she is a big wine drinker and i enjoy a glass of sparkling wine every once in while. i am also thinking of the non alcoholic drink package.so guess book early ! when it gets closer i will check with my agent..i have to try qsine cause i am just a gadget freak i pad and eating !..i guess try murano ..think its the french /med rest ? ..well thanks again !

[Tucker in Texas]

I just got off the Eclipse February 19. I am going to write a review but with Sparkle's review being so current and accurate, I think mine will be more of a comparison of Royal Caribbean vs. Celebrity since that question comes up frequently. We are Diamond on Royal Caribbean so we were Elite on Celebrity although we have only cruised Celebrity three times. Just off the top, Celebrity's perks for Elite are better than Royal Caribbean's for Diamond in my estimation.

 

I had only two "complaints." One is the live music was very loud so it was hard to carry on a conversation. The other is that the mirror in the bathroom could not be angled so you could check the back of your head. Easily solved by taking a hand mirror which I will do on our spring Constellation cruise.

 

When all I can find to "complain" about are those two very minor things, then you know it has to be a good cruise. Of course, there is no such thing as a bad cruise, some are just better than others.

 

As for disembarkation, we rolled ourselves off as we had an 11:30 flight and wanted to "beat the crowd" through customs. Our itinerary was the opposite of Sparkle's so we didn't encounter the hold up by going through Honduras which by the way happens on the Voyager of the Seas, too. We processed out about as fast as we could walk. We got off around 7:15 and caught a cab to the airport and was checked in and at our gate by 8:15 or so. Interestingly, we did not encounter a long wait for an elevator to get down to the gangway because they were crowded with everyone trying to use them with luggage which has happened in the past. They had separate exits for US citizens and International ones.

 

Tucker in Texas

[sparkle56]

Okay, back to the review. We haven't been on a lot of cruises but we have seen a good part of the Caribbean, east, west, and south, as well as the Mediterranean.

 

When we look at itineraries now, there is comfort in the familiarity of frequently visited ports, but we also try to book at least a couple of new ones just to expand our horizons. And so when we were deciding between the eastern Caribbean (all known ports) or the western one, it was Puerto Costa Maya and Roatan that were the deciding factors.

 

Puerto Costa Maya, as you probably know, is a fairly new port that was identified because of its reasonably close proximity to several ruins sites.

 

It is in Mexico, of course, and that can be scary. An RC crew member was murdered in Cozumel the week of our cruise. And when we did the Mexican Riviera a couple of years ago two of our tablemates were held up at gunpoint, on a ship's shore excursion, by banditos--their passports, wallets, jewelry, money, and cameras were taken. So we knew we wanted to be very cautious while in port.

 

As I posted earlier, we decided against the long drive to the ruins--we've seen a lot of ruins and imho the best ones were in Ephesus where they have unearthed a city, with buildings and rooms and artwork intact. I digress.

 

So we had no plans and no shore excursions in PCM. As you pull into port, the dock is functional but not fancy like some of the other ports. It is very long and it has a "t" formation off of it. From our starboard cabin we could see the dock, and a bit of shoreline, which looked very scrubby--I would compare that view to some of the terrain around Las Vegas or Arizona.

 

Because we had no shore excursions we decided to go to the Oceanview Cafe for breakfast. From there we could see the other side and it looked like a very humble little group of buildings, nothing pretty or touristy. Just kind of plain. It began to look like our time in PCM would be short. A few minutes in to check it out, and then back on the ship.

 

The walk on the dock is VERY long. There is a tram that takes people back and forth but we are walkers.

 

Well, that was one very nice area, with many shops--and, lucky me! one guy was offering me--just me!!--99% off of everything. Of course the first thing you see is Diamonds International. But there are relatively clean restrooms, the place seems clean overall, lots of tourist shops selling Mexican stuff that is made in China and some that is not. Vanilla. Tequila. Kahlua.

 

In the center of all of this is a very pretty swimming pool with lots of lounge chairs around it, and bars/restaurants encircling it. You can book excursions, you can eat and drink, you can shop--they are doing a nice job here. For those who want to stay onboard and grab the perfect deck chair you might consider just walking off the ship and enjoying that pool on land for a while.

 

We did some wandering and found a Duty Free shop just beyond a "military" check point. Some people were returning from that area and I don't know what had happened to them but they were frantic and they were looking for help--wild guess here is that their pockets got picked. We decided against going into that area.

 

But this was also the taxi/van area and for $2 each we could catch a van to Mahajual. Enough other people were getting on this van and it seemed to be legit so we paid the $4 plus tip, which the guy really appreciated. It's a short drive to Mahajual and we saw some people from our ship using a golf cart to get there. I WOULD SO NOT DO THIS. It's rugged out there, nothing but bushes and desert and all I could think of was they were really being risky.

 

The town of Mahajual is just one of complete abject poverty. If you don't like seeing the real world, just stay back there by the pool. We've seen this in many islands and try to use the experience to be grateful for what we have.

 

The driver dropped us off, told us where to find the taxis back, and off we went to the little beachside road (sand) where there are the usual shops. You can sit on the beach but someone will come and tell you that sitting there is FREE but you know they want you to buy a beer or something. We kept walking. There is a nice view of the ship from this walk.

 

I bought a yin/yang necklace. The seller lit a Bic to it to show me it wasn't plastic--I'm guessing it also wasn't, as he claimed, bone and black coral. $5.

 

We looked at a "pink coral" and "sterling silver" bracelet. $45. Hard sell big time. We finally gave in, purchasing it for $20, and running away from that shop as fast as we could.

 

We took a taxi back ($5) and ended up in the scary place where the military checkpoint was. I bought vanilla at the Duty Free shop. I had a hard time convincing the salesgirl that I WANTED one clear vanilla and one regular vanilla, not two regulars.

 

We stopped at a true silver shop and the guy there confirmed the pink coral/sterling bracelet was a fake, although it was sterling plated. I noticed he was careful not to be too critical of whoever had sold it to us--it may have been a relative or friend back there in Mahajual. We looked at necklaces and DH bought me a real coral pendant to match the fake bracelet.

 

DH was tired and wanted to go back to the ship but I had seen some things that needed reconsidering. Specifically I got two Mayan calendar necklaces for my stepson and stepdaughter, both of whom happen to be from Colombia. And I got myself a titanium ring. Still haven't owned up to that purchase.

 

By this time, the Oasis of the Seas had arrived in port and OMG how many zillions of people fit on that thing? All of a sudden the previously pleasant shopping area/pool area/bars and restaurants were just this mob of people--many Japanese and Chinese tour groups travel the Oasis apparently. The Oasis docks at the "t" I mentioned so if you are starboard and you are on your Eclipse balcony you look right into the front of it.

 

It began to sprinkle. But, wait! I have those lovely Celebrity umbrellas--the golf sized one and the regular sized ones. Oops. Forgot to pack those because when we got off the ship it was sunny and hot. The sprinkles turned to an all out rain. And that deck is even longer than you can imagine if it is pouring. So I walked (I've always wondered if you get less wet if you walk than if you run) at a good pace. By the time I got to the ship, everything was soaked--shoes, socks, shorts, top, hat, purse.

 

Normally when you get back to the ship they have cold beverages, and cold, wet towels for you to use on your face. I was hoping for some sheet sized towels. Nope. But someone made a comment and word went out quickly that towels needed to be brought. I don't know how that all worked out.

 

I liked Puerto Costa Maya. I am glad we did not go on the tour to see the ruins. I would not go to Mahajual again although it was fun once. Next time I think I would just want to go into "town", sit at a little restaurant and have drinks, chips, and salsa--or have my swimsuit so I can hang out by the pool.

 

Next: My favorite port--Roatan!

[suzzek]

Hi, Roger,

 

We were actually in 1546 but both cabins are starboard side.

 

I looked at drink packages but knew, because the itinerary actually is pretty port intensive, that it would be difficult to get our money's worth out of the Premium package, and probably difficult for the one right under that. When you are onshore you're going to buy beverages there.

 

We do like our beverages--at cocktail time, bloody mary's in the a.m., wine with dinner, etc. But I think I calculated that DH would have to drink 12 drinks a day to make it worthwhile. And you have to pay separately for each person.

 

 

There is usually someplace offering free champagne--it isn't the best, but it is bubbly. And the Captain's Party offers all manner of refreshments. You also get either champagne or mimosas at embarkation, if you are AquaClass there will be a bottle of champagne chilling in your cabin, and the Captain's welcome party has several drink options that you can choose from.

 

Wines by the glass, and recommended by the sommelier, ran between $10 and $12.

 

Before moving on to your next question about the specialty restaurants, the talk about wine triggered another thought I would like to share.

 

You are allowed to take 2 bottles of wine per cabin onboard when you embark. No beer. No liquor. I had one bottle of wine and one bottle of Bloody Mary mix in my carry on. I had to explain. I actually do like virgin Bloody Marys and will frequently order that when I fly.

 

Anyway, there is a table right after you go through security and if you have more than you are supposed to, or the wrong kind of stuff, they will take it from you, tag it, and you can pick it up at disembarkation. Trust me, they had MANY bottles of wine (people were taking more than 2 per cabin) and many bottles of liquor and quite a few six packs of beer.

 

Okay, specialty restaurants. I booked these directly with my cruise person (we booked through Celebrity) and did it early. I booked all three, based on what I thought were formal nights. You pay for them when you book, they do not go on your account at the end of your cruise.

 

About a week before the cruise I realized that Qsine was going to be just too much food at the end of our sailing. Qsine is notorious for lots of interesting food and a 3+ hour dining experience. So I called and canceled. Then when we got onboard and saw the place, I rebooked (for the same time we previously had--reservations were not difficult to get).

 

As the week went on, we decided to cancel Tuscan Grille AND Qsine. Easy to do. You just call the number from the button on your phone.

 

Next time, we will try at least one of the above two in addition to a repeat performance at Murano.

 

 

So I just want to chime in on this discussion...We were in 1099 and thought it was perfect! We had everything Blu had except the slippers and daily appetizers.. and of course the private dining (Blu) We could have had the appetizers if we would have been there to "receive" them during certain hours, but we didn't want to commit to that. We had champaign in our room the day we arrived and fresh fruit every morning, plus the pillow menu, altho I don't remember choosing. It was just great as it was presented.

We like our cocktails, too. I chose the premium pkg b/c I knew I wanted to try some of the more expensive martinis and specialty drinks. I chose the lesser pkg. For DH b/c I know he is a beer guy with wine at dinner...oh, my bad, DH upgraded the very first day so he could try all the fun drinks, too! Turned out to be a good decision b/c we had no worries about what might show up at the end of the cruise. I'm talking $$ here :)

Sparkle, I'm with you...I like a virgin BM on the plane, but that costs nothing.

We brought two bottles of very good wine on board, but next time maybe not..no worries, but we will buy the premium drink package again. Hey! We're on vacation! Loved just flashing out my card any time for a Bloody Mary or whatever!

I bought 3 liters of different flavored vodka on the ship the last day for $10.00each (DH said, what the heck, we don't even drink vodka!" I told him...well, we could start...) And stressed about how I would pack it in the suitcase. I belong to a wine club and they ship in Styrofoam, so I used that same packaging that I brought my wine in to transport the vodka back home.

Everything made it home without a spill...so in the future, I will bring my Styrofoam, but maybe not the wine...the bottom line is...what can you ditch so you can bring home fun stuff from the cruise/ports?:D

[wanderlust402]

Could you please scan and post the "Celebrity Today" programs from this cruise?

[SWLinPHX]

Could you please scan and post the "Celebrity Today" programs from this cruise?

 

I'm sure the Celebrity Today schedules are extremely similar on all Celebrity Solstice class ships.

[gayoung]

Just wanted to add a bit to your review of Costa Maya...

 

This was a region that I had attempted to go to 10 years ago just after they had opened up the pier, but due to the strong currents that run in the area the ship I was on did not dock. So I was excited to return. The entire region is different because it is in reality a mangrove swamp. You need to travel 30-40 miles inland before your encounter land. The land we see is part of an old coral reef and there is little soil in the region. Most of the people work in the tourism industry either in the general area of the cruise ships or they travel the 200-250 miles to the area from Cozumel to Cancun. You can also still see what Hurricane Dean did about 4-5 years ago.

 

David and I took a Native Choice tour to Chacchoben and then lunch with a modern Mayan family. This was one of the 2 highlights of our entire cruise(the other spending the day at Sante Spa in Roatan)..There were only 8 people in our group, which made for an intimate tour. The guide was very knowledgable and there was great talks the Mayans now and then but also the area. The family we met were very gracious to open up there entire house and outer buildings to us to wander and ask questions. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

 

When we returned the Oasis had arrived and the entire compound area was very busy at that point. We really just picked up a few t-shirts and headed back to the ship.

[sparkle56]

That's really interesting info, gayoung! We were originally going to go to Chacchoben but with a ship's excursion. The thought of so many people on a bus and a blah di blah di blah narrative when we got there just was not what we wanted. Plus the safety issue. And maybe the guide would have been really great but I think you and David had a much better experience than we would have.

 

When you were with the family did they speak English?

 

The mangrove swamp is also something I was clueless about--it just looked like scrub brush.

 

I should have clarified. Roatan is not my favorite port ever--it was my favorite port on this cruise. And we had a lousy shore x which I will talk about next time. My favorite ports are: Venice, Mykonos, and Istanbul.

 

But I have a critically ill cat who became that way when we were gone--so there may be minimal posting for a while. He has a 50/50 chance of surviving and I am heartbroken. My daughter is a veterinarian (in Hong Kong) and she's telling me things look pretty grim just from what she knows of the situation.

 

So, Roatan soon. . .

[April Jewel]

 

I should have clarified. Roatan is not my favorite port ever--it was my favorite port on this cruise. And we had a lousy shore x which I will talk about next time. My favorite ports are: Venice, Mykonos, and Istanbul.

 

But I have a critically ill cat who became that way when we were gone--so there may be minimal posting for a while. He has a 50/50 chance of surviving and I am heartbroken. My daughter is a veterinarian (in Hong Kong) and she's telling me things look pretty grim just from what she knows of the situation.

 

So, Roatan soon. . .

 

Firstly can I thank you again for your wonderful review - just over a week before we sail and your review is really whetting my appetite.

 

I do hope your cat makes a full recovery - what a worry for you.

 

By the way you mention your favourite ports - have you ever visited Santorini?

[KellyGA]

What do you recommend doing on St. Kitts? You mentioned that you had been there before. Would you recommend just getting a taxi and doing a tour of the island since less than a ship's tour? (We love zip lining in Costa Rica and noticed that is an activity but it won't give us a sense for what St. Kitts is all about. We're not into scuba diving and we'll be going to beaches in St. Maarten and PR.) Any suggestions are very welcome. We'll be on the Eclipse on March 12. Thanks!!!

[SadieC]

Praying and thinking of you, and your wonderful furry companion, Sparkle. That is quite a worry I'm sure.

Thank-you again for taking the time to brighten our days with your wonderful reviews

[sparkle56]

Our cat is scheduled for surgery tomorrow and is at the hospital (again) so I have a few minutes. "Schroeder" has been ours since he was a kitten that we adopted from the Humane Society and he has always met us at the door after one of our trips with a brief (imagined) greeting, "Oh, hello, you decided to come back, how nice", then he turns and twitches his tail as if to say "You have a lot of kissing up to do."

 

One of our daughters was staying in the house in our absence to watch the house and pets and reports that he stopped eating three days before we returned. He was very, very sick by the time we figured out this wasn't a "statement" but a real problem.

 

So, thank you for your kind thoughts, and prayers (Sadie C). Our pets, now that we have an empty nest, are our kids.

 

A few answers. . .

 

April Jewel: We have not visited Santorini but it's at the top of the list! Have you been? I loved Mykonos because of how picturesque it is when you sail into port and how interesting the little streets are. I should post some photos from there. My husband had quite an adventure trying to mail something from the "yellow box" (think Mamma Mia), there was a Starbucks way back up in the hills (of course), and everything was so colorful. Windmills, water, people, houses, roofs, churches.

 

Kelly: We took a ship's tour in St. Kitts. It was a large, rickety, rough-riding Jeep type vehicle where most people sat sideways. We went to see the Salt pond, and saw monkeys everywhere, and stopped at a beautiful vista where the Caribbean sea is on one side and the Atlantic is on the other. We went to a beach for a few minutes and had a little picnic. Restrooms were in the bushes. We saw a lot of the island. I think your idea about hiring a taxi might actually be better because it would be a nicer ride (probably) and more personal attention. I liked St. Kitts and would want to do something that showed me more of the island, or something different next time. I will try to post some St. Kitts photos, too.

[Illinisue]

Gayoung - we have reservations for Sante with our Eclipse sailing on March 5. Any comments, reviews, suggestions?

 

Kelly G.A. - we highly recommend Thenford Grey.. Amazing man, so honest (I left my wallet accidentally and he came back to give it to me at the dock. The "police" or "security" at the dock had called him, but he had already realized it and came back.) He would not take a tip, even though we tried (and meant it). Great combination of history, reality (poverty), beach and beauty. He'll take your pictures, and be sure you are well hydrated! If you just want a beach, I don't think you could go wrong with the Marriott St. Kitts. It looked stunning, but we did not stop there.

 

Rob & Susan

[iwanabuy]

... we'll be going to beaches in St. Maarten and PR.)

 

Do you have a beach suggestion for PR?

[lv2cruz80]

April-

I was reading this thread because we're leaving on the Eclipse on 3/5 but noticed your question about Santorini.

Our daughter did a term abroad in Athens and when we went to visit, we went to both Santorini and Rhodes. Santorini is the most beautiful island. We didn't cruise so we stayed in one of the hotels built into the cliffs - unbelievable. But I would go back there in a minute. We saw the sunset in Oia and ate dinner there. Beautiful little shops to visit, great people. Went to a small taverna one night. Overall, I know you won't be disappointed if you go. It's one place in the world that I am dying to revisit.

[SWLinPHX]

Rent the 1982 movie "Summer Lovers" to get a full scope of Santorini and see how that movie really put it on the map. After that film was released it became a tourist destination.

[April Jewel]

April-

I was reading this thread because we're leaving on the Eclipse on 3/5 but noticed your question about Santorini.

Our daughter did a term abroad in Athens and when we went to visit, we went to both Santorini and Rhodes. Santorini is the most beautiful island. We didn't cruise so we stayed in one of the hotels built into the cliffs - unbelievable. But I would go back there in a minute. We saw the sunset in Oia and ate dinner there. Beautiful little shops to visit, great people. Went to a small taverna one night. Overall, I know you won't be disappointed if you go. It's one place in the world that I am dying to revisit.

 

Thanks the reason I asked was that we went there on the Summit in 2008 and absolutely loved it. Our dream is to return one day and stay there at least for one night. I can only imagine how glorious it would be at night.