August Fascination Cruise - Questions

[1stTIMECRUZER]

Thanks for all of the great help you all provide. I know it will make our first experience cruising in August much more enjoyable. I have a few questions I'm hoping for help with.

 

1) Our departure time is 4 pm. When do you expect we'll be able to board?

2) Will there be food available immediately or should be eat lunch elsewhere?

3) What would you use for transportation to and from the Miami airport? This is not included in our trip. Cost? Has anyone had good/bad luck with a specific limo service. Is a cab the best?

4) One of our ports is Calica (originally was to be Cozumel). What do you recommend for an excursion. If a beach, which one and prices?

5) Do you use the Bonine/meclazine and ginger root in combination or just one or the other? Thanks

[1stTIMECRUZER]

Regarding #3, I forgot to mention we will be cruising out of the Port of Miami. Thanks!:rolleyes:

[ArizonaTracie]

Have fun on your first cruise..you will end up addicted like the rest of us!!!

 

From Miami airport to the port, it's just as easy to catch a cab. You should be able to board the ship between 11:00 and noon, this has been my experience anyway. Food will be available immediately, the Lido buffet will be in full force when you get on the ship. I have never been to Calica, so I can't help you there and I have never had to use anything for sea sickness myself, but a friend of mine got seasick and the ships nurse gave her meclizine and it worked wonders.

[Cotton]

1) Our departure time is 4 pm. When do you expect we'll be able to board?

 

I'm always at the pier around 11, on board around noon.

 

2) Will there be food available immediately or should be eat lunch elsewhere?

 

The buffet on Lido Deck will be out and ready for you!

 

4) One of our ports is Calica (originally was to be Cozumel). What do you recommend for an excursion. If a beach, which one and prices?

 

Don't be shocked when you dock at Calica!:D It's nothing but a huge working rock quarry, with a very few vendors and many, many cabs and busses to whisk you away. Cab ride into the 'town' of Playa del Carmen is $10 per cab, and holds up to 4ppl. Lots of shopping and nice restaurants available there. There's also a public beach, and it's nice, just past a small park area.

 

5) Do you use the Bonine/meclazine and ginger root in combination or just one or the other?

 

I take Bonine chewables. Never tried ginger.

 

Enjoy your first cruise - it probably won't be your last!;)

[veryhotred]

Thanks for all of the great help you all provide. I know it will make our first experience cruising in August much more enjoyable. I have a few questions I'm hoping for help with.

 

1) Our departure time is 4 pm. When do you expect we'll be able to board?

2) Will there be food available immediately or should be eat lunch elsewhere?

3) What would you use for transportation to and from the Miami airport? This is not included in our trip. Cost? Has anyone had good/bad luck with a specific limo service. Is a cab the best?

4) One of our ports is Calica (originally was to be Cozumel). What do you recommend for an excursion. If a beach, which one and prices?

5) Do you use the Bonine/meclazine and ginger root in combination or just one or the other? Thanks

 

The Fascination was our first cruise too!! :D We took the three day to Nassau though but we had a blast!! We also departed at 4pm. We arrived at the pier around 12:30 and TONS of people were already on board. We checked in and walked right on, no lines no waiting, no problem. Lunch was ready, hamburgers and hot dogs, and you could also order grilled chicken breasts, etc. It's a huge deck party!!! :cool: I did not take any motion sickness meds even though I HAVE to when I fly. I did take dramamine with me just in case though but the ship was smooth the whole way and we never felt a thing and slept like babies. :p As far as transportation to the airport we had a friend take us to the pier and going back there were tons of cabs and shuttles waiting outside the terminal that were more than willing to take you to the airport, just ask them how much they will charge before you climb in. We flew in/out of FLL and it cost us $40 for us both so Miami will be cheaper as it is closer. Have a great time!!!

[seashell36]

On our cruise last year (same departure time) we arrived at the pier at around 10am. Friends had told us how bad traffic was in Tampa, but we didn't have any problems. We were onboard the ship by 11:15 I think, and eating lunch about 15 minutes after that.

We both took Bonine. Never had a moment of nausea. I've never taken Ginger, so not sure about in combo w/Bonine.

You will love cruising! But, watch out it is addictive!!:D

[seamama1]

Thanks for all of the great help you all provide. I know it will make our first experience cruising in August much more enjoyable. I have a few questions I'm hoping for help with.

 

1) Our departure time is 4 pm. When do you expect we'll be able to board?

2) Will there be food available immediately or should be eat lunch elsewhere?

3) What would you use for transportation to and from the Miami airport? This is not included in our trip. Cost? Has anyone had good/bad luck with a specific limo service. Is a cab the best?

4) One of our ports is Calica (originally was to be Cozumel). What do you recommend for an excursion. If a beach, which one and prices?

5) Do you use the Bonine/meclazine and ginger root in combination or just one or the other? Thanks

 

What is your travel date? I am taking darling grandson in August on the 4-nighter? Can't tell you much about Calica - they have a nice public beach, some decent shops downtown and a coupla restaurants.....short taxi ride from ship to Playa del Carmen.... No matter though, you are going to love the Fascination! This is my third time on her and she is a lovely ship.....:p

[1stTIMECRUZER]

Thanks everyone for the great tips! Our departure date is 7/31/06 and it's the 4 night cruise. We can't wait! :D

[serene56]

I guess you got your airfare already?? next time check flights out of Fort Lauderdale. (FLL) we saved 130pp by flying there and renting a limo to miami.

[1stTIMECRUZER]

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep it in mind. This time we are flying on FF miles that I earn through traveling on business. Since we want to end our trip in Orlando, we are flying in and out of there. However, the first city we will actually vacation in this trip is Ft Lauterdale so we are driving there from Orlando. It's all kind of long and complicated. Because we'll have a rental car coming out of Ft Lauterdale and want to return it before the cruise, we are going to the Miami airport to do that and we'll pick one back up there upon our return. That's the only way I could figure out to do it.:o

[TrinaLC]

Fascination tip: At the aft end of the Lido buffet dining (I forget what it is called), there are two doors on each side that lead to small outdoor dining balcony - very private, and on the first few days you'll probabably have them almost to yourselves! One door is by the pizza station, and the other by the bar.

 

And speaking of pizza, it is wonderfuL! Try the mushroom goat cheese one. They'll often have to make it for you, but worth the wait.

 

I'd get to the port around 10:30. You may wait 45 minutes to an hour but it is in a seated area and you will be among the first to board.

[1stTIMECRUZER]

We'll check that out. Thanks for the tip on the earlier arrival time too. We are sooooo excited!!! If anyone else has tips on the Fascination, we welcome them. :D :D :D

[racegrrl]

I guess you got your airfare already?? next time check flights out of Fort Lauderdale. (FLL) we saved 130pp by flying there and renting a limo to miami.

 

Serene - we are thinking about doing this - flying into FLL from Chicago (SWA) and were wondering about getting over to Miami. Was it expensive? Is it a very long trip? Never been that far south in Florida, so we weren't sure. Thanks.

[serene56]

Serene - we are thinking about doing this - flying into FLL from Chicago (SWA) and were wondering about getting over to Miami. Was it expensive? Is it a very long trip? Never been that far south in Florida, so we weren't sure. Thanks.

 

Beth- there is a lot of factors to consider when flying into one airport for a cruise out of the other.

Main biggie== how much do you save?

Its a 45 minute drive from one to the other- (depends on traffic and the time you arrive)

How many in your party? we were a party of 6 adults with 12 pcs of luggage plus 6 carry-ons. We rented a stretch limo- (awesome and it was white and clean) total cost per person was 33.00 which included a tip for a round trip.

 

if there is only 2 people- of course you wont neet nothing that large- a town car will serve its purpose for 2.

 

If your savings is only a few dollars-- plus add transportation round trip and you saved nothing---pay the extra and fly into your cruise port.

Since we saved a total of 133 by flying into FLL for a cruise out of Mia we still saved $100 pp after renting a limo so it was do-able.

[racegrrl]

To OP, sorry to hijack your thread . . .

 

Serene, four of us cruising/flying, two of us have free flights on SWA, so it's kinda hard to find something cheaper than that! LOL. However, that doesn't mean we can't save those free flights and milk out another vacation - - wink wink. ;)

 

We are tenatively planning the ultimate trip - cruise Monday - Friday, NASCAR race at Homestead on Sunday. Parents going for first cruise AND race . . . :D We will end up renting a car after the cruise for sure. So, limo cost $200, seems reasonable for a limo, but a town car would probably work. Is it much of a drive from FLL to port area?

[serene56]

We rented a van for last February after the Liberty- SInce we were staying overnight in Miami. It wasnt much at all- I drove but have no sense of direction so of course I needed a map.

If you head to the hotel board there will be some there that live that that can help you with directions

[megldh]

hey... we're on the same ship!

[sweetcincy]

Hi: we just got back a week ago, we were on the Fascination. We got up graded to upper deck with a window, which makes a big difference in your room. We loved it. The food was always there just waiting for you. Staff, very friendly and always there if you needed a cocktail, which was fine with us. The ships ride was smooth. Our excursion, we booked our own on key west, we did the island tour, and reserved it through the Gallion, (Jet Ski Key West) which is by mallory square, where the conch train transports you from the boat. So, that was convenient. We enjoyed the ski key west island tour (2 hours), my husband and I rode a jet ski together, fantastic. When you call for a reservation, mention $10 off coupon on their website, they'll give it to you. Great jet ski guide was tony, really a fantastic experience. In calica, we took the beach break excursion. We did meet a great couple from New York, and talked with them, that was alot of fun. But, the beach itself is run down, we were disappointed with carnival, and felt they should have checked this one out. It just was too many people, we were told by the guide that we were lucky, we would get chairs, the next group coming in, no beach chairs. But, we did have fun. Afterwards, my husband and I asked the couple across from our seats on the bus, if they would want to split a taxi going back to the boat, they said yes, so we were dropped off at Playa Del Carmen, Saw Carlos and Charlies, and Senior Frogs and some shops, But, wish we had more time to explore that area, seems more to do, and I heard better public beach there also. But, I have to recommend, we took the South Beach Art Deco Miami Tour after our cruise ended, and our guide, I can't remember his name, he was from argentina originally. The best tour guide, so many interesting facts, and talked the whole way, he was just fascinating. That tour was the best, worth every penny, I recall saying to myself, this is a bargain. We both enjoyed this tour immensely. Enjoy your journey, we certainly did. But, a quick note, other passengers told us they did the zip line, cave snorkle, bike tour. That their tour guide told them that carnival had overbooked their excursion, and they said it wasn't pleasant at all, very rushed, they said, because they had to get all the people through everything, and they were disappointed. Our ship was full, it said that by the ships pursers area. So, that might explain the overbooking to full excursions. But, on the boat, you would have never imagined it to be full to capacity, because, we just felt so comfortable, plenty of space, plenty of deck chairs, and not big lines for lido deck for food, it was fun, and the best comfy mattress, you enjoy, and happy sailing!!!:D