larkwind

I do a clean up snorkel at labadee,water is fairly clear and calm and just to get in the water I pick up trash left in the water,I have found all kinds of stuff.

Great idea! Thanks for the service idea!

Labadee snorkeling isn't really snorkeling per se but our 15yo son and I (both certified divers) enjoyed floating along looking at the life in the lagoon (on the ship side; one w the cabanas.) Out by the divider ropes we spent quite awhile following well camouflaged little fish just getting their next meal or defending their tiny territories. It's not spectacular colors or pretty coral, but interesting and relaxing. Bring your own stuff and relax. Definitely enjoy snorkeling in Cozumel!

The coaster is great fun and once is only enough to figure it out and enjoy the view. Subsequent times are for speed, timing and getting a good look at details.

We were there March17th and were told all day passes were sold out so they were limiting on island sales to two rides ($25 + $10 = all day price, lol). He did say something about coming back...but I couldn't really understand his accented English so don't know if that would have involved getting another wristband for free... or paying $10 again. He put two single ride bands on our wrists and they cut each off as we loaded.

We were on the completely full Navigator, only ship in port. Spring break, lots of kids.

We ended up under a palm tree while ds14 snorkeled around the outer edges of Nellie's Beach--not spectacular but some coral specimens to examine and fish to watch in the grass. He (a 4 sport athlete and certified diver) thought Labadee was his nicest day! Enjoy!

We were on the starboard aft corner...regular E1 (kinda tight with 3; agree with the small closet assessment) and lovely balcony. The soot on the last sea day managed to sprinkle itself all over our drying snorkel gear and a couple of shirts. It shook off easily but we couldn't go out there w/o tracking it back inside. Betty had it washed off by the time we returned an hour later. It's super hard to scrub off feet!

Advanced Flowrider: I did see one time (maybe one other?) reserved for advanced. And there was a best of the guests "showtime" and a staff demonstration on the last afternoon. They had it open multiple hours each day.

This was the first cruise we have not used the solarium as our hangout--it was packed and noisy. I did go up at 7am one morning and enjoyed the peace with a cup of coffee. But we had a gorgeous balcony with lounge chairs, so we used that all week.

We did notice a lot of shaking the last night. Just went to sleep. Only noticed the sewer smell in the bathroom, most always but not overwhelming.

We like this size ship--not too big, not too small. Those aft corner balconies are dreamy and the family ov across the bow are super cool, too (had one once on deck 8, felt like a skinny 3 room suite).

Grand Cayman--2 tank dive: nice visibility and lots to see. Couldn't go down below 60ft bc our son is only jr ow certified so we didn't do the west wall, but other dive groups did. Afternoon on ship relaxing.

Jamaica--Reggae Hill excursion. Long bus ride, lots to see, pleasant place, had to move to keep in shade (they need some strategically placed palapas, the river was nice and cool (the description said falls to wade up but they've changed places so no falls--14yo was bummed), food was superb and plentiful. Port area shopping was nice, no hassles.

Labadee-- tried to buy the all day coaster pass but they were "sold out" and limiting to two rides (same all day price). So buy online if you really want multiple rides-- it's fun! Eventually settled at Nellie's Beach under a palm tree. DS and I snorkeled awhile and he continued, making a big circle around the edges and out to the ropes. Some coral by the cabanas and a few fish to watch in the grasses. He enjoyed it. Very pleasant day.

Overall a nice cruise but too short. I'd try to snag that room on a long transition cruise bc of the balcony!

Sea days--spent watching ds climb and play basketball (btw very good teen sports activities planned); watched NCAA bball tourney games up in quiet Boleros overlooking the crowded lido pools.

MDR and WJ food and service was up to RCCL's usual standards. DH discovered he liked the vegetable curry (mostly garbanzo beans) so I'm on a quest to find that/similar recipe.

Embarkation--no hurry, group 18, wish we had Global Entry to avoid the "disney" line for customs...lots of curves to keep you moving even though the line is crazy long. All went smoothly and were at the airport by 9:15am. Taxi $11/person.

Your precruise checkout dives minitrip sounds great. Our son (14yo) did his checkout dives last year in Hawaii via a landbased vacation. This year as a jr ow diver he could go diving w us in Gr Cayman off the Navigator. They broke the group into three smaller dive groups and ours went toward the beach/away from the wall so we never went below 60 ft. The other two divers in our group were inexperienced as well, so no one minded missing the wall (dh and I were happy to trade the wall for the chance to dive w our youngest!) If RC won't bend the 12yo rule, contact a dive training shop and arrange a nonship dive...they'll get you back in good time. Enjoy!

Cabins are the same (E1-E1; D1- D1; etc). Balcony sizes definitely smaller on hump.

The biggest surprise to me was the psychological difference when watching the water flow. Aft it flows OUT and AWAY but has interesting wake patterns to explore visually. On the side it flows PAST continually, rhythmically.

I loved our spacious corner aft (minus the soot) but found myself enjoying the soothing flow past a window in the solarium early one morning and realized how much I enjoyed that, too.

Just off Navigator this morning. Survey in my inbox when we reached home this evening. I read they send it if you have furnished an email address to RCCL. Check spam/junk mail is a great idea. Do mention names!

The port is alongside the shopping area/convention area. The satellite Cafe DuMonde is in the shopping area and you can step outside on the boardwalk with your coffee and beignets and see the back of the ship. That said, I'm not sure how long the walk is from one to the other via walkways and gates, escalators and halls, etc. But it's not far.

This Cafe DuMonde had all the same food as the original, it's just more of a long counter in the mall idea than the original tent idea... Lots of windows and seats overlooking the river (and the cruise ship). It was hard to sit there and not be going on a cruise! But the beignets made it a little easier :rolleyes:

We had a rental booked on a Sun to get to the port and called Cornerstone Elite for the next Sun for return to the airport. They seemed so competent on the phone and a reasonable price (SUV $100 + tip for 4 of us each way) that we decided to skip the rental hassle and have them do both ways. They were in touch the night before to arrange pick up procedure, monitored the flight time and were there with water to drink on the way. Smartly dressed driver, super clean Suburban, easy, easy, easy. And we arranged it all on the Friday before we left on Sun.

They also monitored the ship arrival (I also texted them our timeframe as we learned it) and were there waiting when we cleared customs.

All in all, we highly recommend the private car pick up idea no matter which company you choose. So easy.

We sailed the Jewel in early Jan06 in E1 cabins 8088/8086 I can't remember which is closer to the elevators so my numbers may be mixed up but... the more forward of the two (8086?) has a better view to the front of the ship, and, in my 4 balcony cruising experience, a nice shape for enjoying the cruise. It's not as long (ie, not as many sqare feet) as the other balcony.

We had our older kids (17, 19, 22) in the 8088 w/long balcony and DH and I and littlest (4) were in the 8086. The older kids had a pull down bunk above the two beds and enjoyed the long balcony. We had a futon-like foldout sofabed for the extra bed. Little guy wants a bunk on the next cruise--this would save floor space, too.

Both balconies are completely covered, so no sunbathing. The 8088 is quite private! Our 4yo could slip under the partition between balconies to join his siblings (with permission of course). He probably couldn't do that this year since he's grown. Glass under the railings makes a nice view. Railings are over 4ft high--you'd have to try to get over them.

Wind wasn't a big problem on either balcony and both rooms were amazingly quiet considering the amount of sound coming up in the atrium. When I opened the door one night, I couldn't believe how loud it was outside while inside the cabin we could hardly hear it at all.

Overall, we thought the cabin was a bit small for three people. But that's a matter of preference--plenty of closet space, luggage hiding space, and drawers. Inroom safe was goodsized, too.

I'd pick the forward of the hump cabin over the center of the hump cabin becasuse of the view from the balcony. Either way--Enjoy!

Reminds me of working in a hospital--"Mr. Gallagher please go to (and a location)" meant fire. No need to panic people needlessly.