Adventure B2B Trip & Ultimate Beach Review 4/16/16 - 4/30/16 (photo bomb)!!!

[grod316]

Absolutely loved your review and a B2B is most definitely on my bucket list! All of the beaches you visited are definitely swoon worthy!

 

If you're ever in OSJ again, there's two gentleman who hand roll cigars, one is usually at the plaza by Starbucks (he wore a white fedora back in 2010 and 2013) and the other one, an older gentleman is usually situated at a plaza by the ferry to Catano (Bacardi Factory). There's also a fantastic hand rolled cigar shop called Don Collins. The gentleman in there gives fantastic recommendations.

Edited June 7, 2016 by grod316

[AZAficionado]

Absolutely loved your review and a B2B is most definitely on my bucket list! All of the beaches you visited are definitely swoon worthy!

 

If you're ever in OSJ again, there's two gentleman who hand roll cigars, one is usually at the plaza by Starbucks (he wore a white fedora back in 2010 and 2013) and the other one, an older gentleman is usually situated at a plaza by the ferry to Catano (Bacardi Factory). There's also a fantastic hand rolled cigar shop called Don Collins. The gentleman in there gives fantastic recommendations.

Thank you so much!! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D

 

It just so happens that I will be in OSJ next March. Thanks for the great tips. I will check those out. :cool:

[mikmouse]

This request is to TWCRICKET - Can you please scan a copy of the duty free flyer and the name of the duty free store? Can you take a pic of the following items and also the prices of the following items in the duty free store: Ginger Ale, water, soda, and juices. I would greatly appreciate it so much. The information will determine if I need to buy before we arrive at the pier. Thank you so much in advance.

 

 

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I'm reading through everything, and I am enjoying your photos and tips so much! I cruise AOS once before, so I didn't know enough ahead of time. We're sailing again next March, and I'm taking notes from your fine report. Especially about the Duty Free shop before security. We will certainly get something from there rather than the crazy high prices from the little shop across from our hotel. Thanks so much again, I am really enjoying your report.

[AZAficionado]

I'm reading through everything, and I am enjoying your photos and tips so much! I cruise AOS once before, so I didn't know enough ahead of time. We're sailing again next March, and I'm taking notes from your fine report. Especially about the Duty Free shop before security. We will certainly get something from there rather than the crazy high prices from the little shop across from our hotel. Thanks so much again, I am really enjoying your report.

You are most welcome and I'm happy you found some good info!! :)

[mikmouse]

Yay! A fellow cruiser. I know who you are. :D Thank you for the compliment. And I'm glad you enjoyed reading it.

 

I'll have to check out Mullet Bay next year when we're back in St. Maarten. It sounds like my kind of beach. Our taxi driver in St. Maarten told us Dawn Beach was where all the locals used to go when he was a kid.

 

While I do like a great beach, I only did the "beach contest" to give the review something different. ;)

 

I'll be sad to see the cigar lounge go. But I can see a few good reasons to convert it into something else. Just the fire risk alone is reason enough.

 

I hope to run into you again on a future cruise, as well. :)

 

 

Are you going to be on the March 18, 2017 cruise? If so, that's what we're on and we'd love to meet you sometime.

[marcus85204]

My wife and I were in Charlotte Amalie last summer and also found many shops and restaurants closed during the day. And of the ones that were open, many closed down for the day at 3 PM. We were told that some stores only open when a ship is in port.

[AZAficionado]

Are you going to be on the March 18, 2017 cruise? If so, that's what we're on and we'd love to meet you sometime.

That's the plan, right now. :) We'll see when March rolls around.

[AZAficionado]

My wife and I were in Charlotte Amalie last summer and also found many shops and restaurants closed during the day. And of the ones that were open, many closed down for the day at 3 PM. We were told that some stores only open when a ship is in port.

Yea. According to the bartender at Senor Frogs, the USVI's become quite dead unless there is lots of tourism and even then *everything* is closed by 8:00 pm (food, gas, whatever). Understandable given a small population that relies very heavily on having a few Oasis-class ships in port at once.

 

The two other times I went to St. Thomas, everything was open until at least 3 PM. But that was on Freedom and Allure. Both times there were two other big ships in port.

[MikeBayAreaCa]

As I have said before a great review. My wife and I will have the premium package on my upcoming cruise, two weeks from tomorrow, and was curious about how easy, difficult etc, it is to get drinks on the main dining room.

 

I would like to do my own wine pairing at dinner and have a different glass of wine for each course. I know that will probably be easier in Giovanni's but wonder if it is feasible in the main dining room. We have had the wine package on our previous cruises but usually used one bottle for the entire meal regardless of the the courses.

 

It would be nice to plan out the meal ahead of time and what we would like to each and what glass of wine to have.

 

I am hoping that the package will give us some flexibility.

[twcricket]

As I have said before a great review. My wife and I will have the premium package on my upcoming cruise, two weeks from tomorrow, and was curious about how easy, difficult etc, it is to get drinks on the main dining room.

 

I would like to do my own wine pairing at dinner and have a different glass of wine for each course. I know that will probably be easier in Giovanni's but wonder if it is feasible in the main dining room. We have had the wine package on our previous cruises but usually used one bottle for the entire meal regardless of the the courses.

 

It would be nice to plan out the meal ahead of time and what we would like to each and what glass of wine to have.

 

I am hoping that the package will give us some flexibility.

 

It depends on how good your bar waiter or assistant waiter is. We never saw the bar waiter except for our end of meal Bailey's. Our assistant waiter took care of all of our wine orders. if they are good, you can probably tell him your wine selections up front at the begining of the meal and tell him which ones you want with each course. Depending how busy he/she is, it may or may not happen. It is alot to ask when you are not their only table. We usually stuck with one type of wine with dinner unless the wine just didn't pair well at all. We had GREAT waiters.

[MikeBayAreaCa]

Everyone on the ship works their tails off, at least that has been our experience. If it is going to be too much then we will not put any more on them.

[AZAficionado]

As I have said before a great review. My wife and I will have the premium package on my upcoming cruise, two weeks from tomorrow, and was curious about how easy, difficult etc, it is to get drinks on the main dining room.

 

I would like to do my own wine pairing at dinner and have a different glass of wine for each course. I know that will probably be easier in Giovanni's but wonder if it is feasible in the main dining room. We have had the wine package on our previous cruises but usually used one bottle for the entire meal regardless of the the courses.

 

It would be nice to plan out the meal ahead of time and what we would like to each and what glass of wine to have.

 

I am hoping that the package will give us some flexibility.

I'm glad you enjoyed!! :)

 

The drink service in the MDR was quite good and I think you can easily do a glass of wine with each course. It will probably help to let the bar waiter know that, so he can plan accordingly.

[AZAficionado]

It depends on how good your bar waiter or assistant waiter is. We never saw the bar waiter except for our end of meal Bailey's. Our assistant waiter took care of all of our wine orders. if they are good, you can probably tell him your wine selections up front at the begining of the meal and tell him which ones you want with each course. Depending how busy he/she is, it may or may not happen. It is alot to ask when you are not their only table. We usually stuck with one type of wine with dinner unless the wine just didn't pair well at all. We had GREAT waiters.

On all of my cruises, I've never had a problem getting a drink in the MDR. Sometimes it wasn't the bar waiter taking the order, but that shouldn't matter. You can place a drink order with any of the wait staff and they will make it happen. Place an order with the head waiter and watch the amazing service you'll receive. ;)

 

I have gotten slow service when ordering drinks that required the bar waiter to go to a bar outside the MDR (like the champagne bar). But there is nothing anyone can do about that.

 

I have seen that the staff does best when they can anticipate. I've sat at dinner with people who always had the same drink. Many times, it was already at the table or arrived shortly after they sat down without them placing an order. By the same token, I've seen people at other tables have trouble when they impulsively order drinks after the food arrives - go figure. :rolleyes:

[AZAficionado]

Everyone on the ship works their tails off, at least that has been our experience. If it is going to be too much then we will not put any more on them.

It is not too much for them. I've done exactly what you're planning (glass with each course), but it was several years before there was a package. From what I've experienced since then, I think the package has greatly improved wine by the glass service, since they are seeing more of it.

 

I wouldn't hang everything on the bar waiter. We had the same MDR table both weeks, with different wait staff each week. I didn't see the bar waiter until week 2. The wait staff handled all the drink orders during week 1. However, with week 2, the bar waiter came by before each course. Despite the difference, I saw identical service. I'm guessing they have some kind of schedule/rotation where some wait staff are "covering" for the bar waiter. That sounds bad, but I don't mean it that way.

 

Bottom line - go forward with your plan. Let the staff in on it and you'll get a 150 Central Park experience (sort of). :cool: