Rick Ell

10 hours ago, suzyed said:

I hope not.  I have no desire for "anytime dining" and I actually like the late dining time now that it is 7:15.  5:30 was too early.

 

This is what I was afraid of. Someone else said it perfectly, they've traded the unpopular 8:30 late dining for an unpopular 5:00 early dining. Last two cruises, many early diners have changed to the "7:15" late dining and its now packed. The early dining has been so full for so many years I wonder if the cruise lines had extra help for that shift and I now wonder if they've shifted that help to late dining. 

Also, things like Afternoon Tea have been moved earlier accordingly which actually did have an impact on how many times I could attend. I feel like they've moved dining times earlier but haven't moved activities after dining. My wife and I still just went back to our room and stayed-in for the night. They did do an ice carving demonstration at night (9:00 which was nearly impossible to get to). 

We have done 5 Princess Cruises, all late dining. Last cruise we were supposed to have 7:15pm dining but the ship ignored that entirely. This past cruise, they did a sort-of compromise of 7:30. The problem is that I believe MANY people have opted into the late dining which used to be empty. So instead of better service and out earlier, the first night was 7:45pm start and 9:00pm+ (with NO desert) finish. This change has had a massive negative effect on my cruise experience thanks to everyone changing to late dining. 

Whenever you leave from Florida, be it Eastern or Western, you always seem to have to change your clocks to match local time of the next port. Typically the time is changed the night prior to arriving at the port. What bugs me, is that when you lose an hour during your cruise, the cruise ships seem to give it back during the last sleep before disembarkation. I get that it gives them an extra hour of working time, but wouldn't it be neat to get that hour back while you're awake to enjoy it? They don't suggest to return to Florida time when they cross the timeline, they return time during the wee morning hours of disembarkation.

A little research here would be beneficial.

 

First, the very common recommendation to check out sunny.org...a list of all hotels in the Ft Lauderdale area, with their amenities.

 

Second, we have NO IDEA what "break the bank" means to you. Prices are what they are, the beach hotels are more expensive, and the time of the year matters a heck of a lot. When are you going???

 

Your questions are hugely vague. Perhaps some research can narrow them down to something far more manageable.

Bruce, at first I was annoyed with your reply. Others have given me suggestions without any extra help. Then I thought it over and replied with the information you were looking for, being very diplomatic. But I just saw another post you made for someone else asking for help and your reply was essentially "look it up online" Stop boasting that you've made 30,000 posts if you only post to suggest people look stuff up online.

Joe, good suggestions, I'll take them into consideration.

Thanks for the reply Bruce, let me see if I can narrow things down, though I was hoping for some vague concepts, not specific hotels. If I stayed near Sawgrass mills mall, it looks like it would be a $40+ taxi ride from the airport to the mall area, and then from the mall area to the port another $40+. Compared to a $5 ride from SE 17th street, this is enough to reconsider. I was hoping someone could offer some experience to see if that option was worth it, or if there was a shuttle or public transport I didn't know about.

I've stayed at (2) hotels on SE17th street, paying an average of at least $250. The hotels were acceptable but each was under construction so nothing special. I'm hoping for other recommendations of other areas to stay and walk around, I've seen the Dania beach are highlighted, the Marina mile has many hotels etc etc.

I'll be looking at the Sunny.org site as well, but it can't give me reports of real-life experience that I was hoping to get from the forum.

Oops sorry thanks

My wife and I want will be in Ft. Lauderdale the day/night before our cruise. We've done a few hotels RIGHT next to the port but have exhausted our options at the beach. I'm looking for suggestions of where to stay where I will find a nice hotel, a nearby attraction and something that won't break the bank to get to the cruise/airport.

We did go to an outlet mall on a disembarkation excursion which could be an option but I can't think of a way to get to the port other than an expensive taxi.

Any thoughts or Suggestions would be appreciated.

My wife and I want will be in Ft. Lauderdale the day/night before our cruise. We've done a few hotels RIGHT next to the port but have exhausted our options at the beach. I'm looking for suggestions of where to stay where I will find a nice hotel, a nearby attraction and something that won't break the bank to get to the cruise/airport.

We did go to an outlet mall on a disembarkation excursion which could be an option but I can't think of a way to get to the port other than an expensive taxi.

Any thoughts or Suggestions would be appreciated.