Anyone been on 7 day S. Carribean from San Juan?

[Vanessa L]

 

I will say this though, it was a fantastic, yet exhausting cruise. We had a port every day. I believe they pulled St. Kitts from the itinerary.

 

I believe they pulled Dominica as we are headed to St. Kitts in 5 days via the Victory.

[shortstuf1255]

Hi All I just got off the Victory last Sunday( Oct2). We loved the cruise!!!! I had a 1A with portholes on the starboard side. I didn't really noticed what the views were in each port. This is a very port intensive cruise and like others have said not much time was spent in the room.

I agree with a previous poster that Cosol Tours was one of the best we have been on and would do it again. His blue van with drinks on is the best!!

Theford Grey in St Kitts is also a very good tour.

Bernards Tour in St Martin is the best too.

Hope you have a great cruise

[beerman2]

lgerrish

 

Are you on the April 1st sailing? Thought I had seen 1 post on the Roll Call.

 

We booked priceline pre-cruise and got the Intercontinental.

[agc291]

They did change take out Dominca but there is one week in December where they add it back to make this an 8 day and then the next week St. Kitts is removed to make it a 6 day so that they can get back on the 7 day schedule.

[MagSeven1413]

It's a beautiful cruise out of San Juan. Between Princess and Carnival, that is easily my favorite cruise choice. Not only do I love Old San Juan, the ship goes south where the temps stay nice and hot (which is wonderful when you cruise from PA in late October or November!). We have been on both sides of the ship and I honestly don't remember being upset with where the ship docked at any time.

[panamatiger]

I'm going on this itinerary in 80 some days. I'm pretty excited :) Can anyone give me recommendations for the SJU airport? We're coming in a day early and leaving a day later, do you think it'll be as busy as a regular cruise day? We won't be arriving to SJU until 9pm, is that going to be a problem considering anything?

Just a reminder-post cruise-dont forget to go to the Agriculture Check in line first when flying out of San Juan. You need that Agriculture sticker before getting in the regular airline line. Monday's at SJU are calmer than Sunday afternoons. Your coming in a day earlier albeit 9 pm. I would let the hotel know you're going to be a late arrival.

[Vanessa L]

Just a reminder-post cruise-dont forget to go to the Agriculture Check in line first when flying out of San Juan. You need that Agriculture sticker before getting in the regular airline line. Monday's at SJU are calmer than Sunday afternoons. Your coming in a day earlier albeit 9 pm. I would let the hotel know you're going to be a late arrival.

 

I read that about Mondays so have booked return airfare for Monday AM rather than Sunday PM. Not about post cruise stress!! :eek: Don't need it. Don't want it.

[UNCBlue4Us]

Just a reminder-post cruise-dont forget to go to the Agriculture Check in line first when flying out of San Juan. You need that Agriculture sticker before getting in the regular airline line. Monday's at SJU are calmer than Sunday afternoons. Your coming in a day earlier albeit 9 pm. I would let the hotel know you're going to be a late arrival.

 

We were on the 2:30 p.m. flight San Juan to Atlanta yesterday. The USDA agriculture inspection is mandatory, prior to the normal airline check-in and TSA checkpoints. USDA is located at the front of the airport, to the left (as you enter) of the main information counter.

 

Avoid lunch in the San Juan airport. Very limited selection, expensive even for airport "cuisine", and close to inedible.

 

We loved every aspect of our Carnival Victory cruise!

[jfelano]

Now I would like to know what are the best in this itinerary for snorkeling.

 

Oh and also looking for an inexpensive place to stay a night before and after the cruise. Maybe 3 star hotel, not in a bad part of town. I don't mind taking a cab a few miles. $100 or less hopefully.

[howard6933]

Now I would like to know what are the best in this itinerary for snorkeling.

 

Oh and also looking for an inexpensive place to stay a night before and after the cruise. Maybe 3 star hotel, not in a bad part of town. I don't mind taking a cab a few miles. $100 or less hopefully.

 

If you're a gambler, give Priceline a shot at finding you a hotel. You didn't mention what time of the year you're cruising, so take that into consideration if it's the high season in Puerto Rico. If you go on the internet to www:biddingfortravel.com you can get an idea of what people are getting in the way of hotel prices, etc. A couple of years ago we got a 4 star hotel in the off season for $79.00. Check it out and maybe you'll get as good deal.

Lots of luck. ;)

[mimil]

in barbaosa try thriller tour . he has a speed boat, swim with the turtles and ship wreck. granddaghter loved it. i had a bad knee did not leave the boat. still had a great time.

 

mimi texas

[NCTribeFan]

The cruise is San Juan-St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Maarten.

 

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me whats the best side of the ship for balcony. I know usually boats dock on the left side of the ship.

 

Thanks

 

I'm guessing close to 3,000 people sail every week! :p

 

Makes no difference.

 

Personally, I wouldn't spring for a balcon on a port-intensive itinerary like this. I save my money for a balcony when there are several sea days so I can sit out there and relax.

 

I had a 4J, so just used the not-so-secret deck out front to watch us pull into and out of port every day. And I got it at a 4a rate, so it was VERY much cheaper than a balcony.

[NCTribeFan]

Now I would like to know what are the best in this itinerary for snorkeling.

 

Oh and also looking for an inexpensive place to stay a night before and after the cruise. Maybe 3 star hotel, not in a bad part of town. I don't mind taking a cab a few miles. $100 or less hopefully.

 

I did research for MONTHS before my Victory cruise.

 

There is a ton of information on the Puerto Rico board. They are very, very helpful. But bear in mind that the same questions are asked over and over and over again, so just go do a little reading first.

 

Then, visit the various Port-of-Call boards for each island.

 

We did all independent excursions, and since all were new-to-us ports except St Thomas, we basically did some type of island tour every day. Some had a beach stop.

 

My favorite was Dominica, although they were all good.

 

It was a fantastic cruise. Since I knew it would be exhausting, we went a day early (I absolutely LOVE old San Juan), and stayed a couple of extra days after.

 

You can do an advanced search for thread with "victory review" in the title (be sure to select 'thread titles only') and select the Carnival board only.

 

Someone recently started a thread that had links to all the recent Victory review threads.

[jfelano]

Like I said, I've already spent time in San Juan, but I booked a hotel online and it was horrible, just asking for anyone's input on a decent place to stay.

Plus it was over 10 yrs ago, I'm sure a lot has changed.

 

My cruise is on April 15, so I am doing research MONTHS in advance.

 

I do plan on doing a excursion EVERY day. But as an avid snorkeler and certified diver, I'm not going to book a snorkel trip every day, but rather I would like to pick maybe 3 out of the 6 ports where the best snorkeling is and spend the other 3 doing land excursions and shopping.

[jfelano]

It's BARBADOS not Barbaosa.

[kentuckyluckyguy]

My only issue with San Juan is that it costs me more to fly into and out of there than the cruise does! Otherwise, I'd love it. I've sailed into there once (on the Celebration) and simply loved it. I think I'd have to fly in a day or two early and then leave the day after the cruise as well. Just makes the whole travel thing so much easier when you aren't rushing to get thru somewhere.

[NCTribeFan]

I don't shop in ports, and I'm not a swimmer, so don't snorkel. The beaches we went to in Antigua and Barbados were good swimming beaches, so maybe they wouldn't be so good for snorkeling.

 

I believe there is also a separate board for snorkel/dive questions. Someone there could probably give you a good recommendation for the various islands.

 

The San Juan board has a "stuck" thread about how to bid on Priceline. I used it for the first time with their help and got exactly the hotel I wanted for post-cruise (Marriott Stellaris), but messed up for my pre-night, but it turned out to be fine.

 

Just trying to help. I find reading reviews and seeing what people thought of their excursions very helpful, but I like to read on the POC boards about all the independent tour operators. I tend to not always pick the most popular, but those who have good reviews.

[jfelano]

Kentucky Lucky Guy, how do you put in your past cruises under your name like that??

[momof3cruisers]

Antigua has very nice snorkeling. The best in our opinion is on the opposite side of the island from St John's

[agc291]

I don't shop in ports, and I'm not a swimmer, so don't snorkel. The beaches we went to in Antigua and Barbados were good swimming beaches, so maybe they wouldn't be so good for snorkeling.

 

I believe there is also a separate board for snorkel/dive questions. Someone there could probably give you a good recommendation for the various islands.

 

The San Juan board has a "stuck" thread about how to bid on Priceline. I used it for the first time with their help and got exactly the hotel I wanted for post-cruise (Marriott Stellaris), but messed up for my pre-night, but it turned out to be fine.

 

Just trying to help. I find reading reviews and seeing what people thought of their excursions very helpful, but I like to read on the POC boards about all the independent tour operators. I tend to not always pick the most popular, but those who have good reviews.

 

Antigua has very nice snorkeling. The best in our opinion is on the opposite side of the island from St John's

 

Just in case anyone is planning on booking this cruise in the future...

 

Antiqua is not on this itinerary, I believe this was the day they now do in St. Maarten.

Dominica has also been dropped for a sea day.

[iceleven]

There are inexpensive ferries from St. Thomas over to St. John which is well-known for great snorkeling. Do your research for St. John and see what you might come up with.

[BenjiRodney]

Airfare from Charleston WV to San Juan with taxes on USAirways was 435 this year, we bought the tickets in January.

[mommyto2girls]

Now I would like to know what are the best in this itinerary for snorkeling.

 

Oh and also looking for an inexpensive place to stay a night before and after the cruise. Maybe 3 star hotel, not in a bad part of town. I don't mind taking a cab a few miles. $100 or less hopefully.

 

We are doing this cruise in January and bid (for our first time ever) on priceline 4* Resort San Juan and got the Intercontinental for $107 we are very pleased with that price. We got it for 1 night pre cruise and 2 nights post cruise. We figured we needed to rest after this itinerary.