kimmimom

12 hours ago, sunnyv said:

We are using SAS Transport Service.  $15/person

https://www.ridesas.com/html/returningcustomers.php

Used them in Sept.  If you are in group of 5 (or 6, can't remember which) or more, it is $13/person.  Nice shuttle busses. 

On 11/7/2022 at 8:09 PM, Katems75 said:

What is SAS?

Transportation service.  If you have 6+(maybe it is 5+) in your group, $13 each.  Less than that, $15/person

1 hour ago, Elaine5715 said:

Do the water taxi if you can.  Wonderful view of the houses and yachts with a heap of history.  

trying to find an airbnb for 6 of us to stay at versus hotel in april

We did this for the first time in Sept.  We flew into FLL (much cheaper for us).  We stayed at Tru by FLL and that was free shuttle to hotel.  We arranged SAS transportation for Sat morning to get to the Miami port ($15/person).  We used SAS to return to FLL after the cruise (also $15/person).  Going again in April, but going 2 days ahead so trying to allow more touristy time.

If you want a private boat tour in Bonaire, use https://www.saltytoursbonaire.com/.   We had a group of 8 (it allows 10, but that might be tight) and it was a blast!  We even asked if he would come to Curacao the next day to take us out again 🤣  We walked to the meeting spot, took maybe 10 minutes.  We were able to bring alcohol on the boat and he had a big cooler and ice to keep it cool.  He provided water bottles.  We had a 4-hour tour for $390.  He took us where we wanted to go based on his suggestions.  We snorkeled in a couple different places and we also did some tubing.  Great day!  Would definitely do it again!

are there specific beaches that are super nice to stop our golf cart at?

Really stupid questions:  Do the cabins have hair dryers, shampoo and body wash?  We have sailed RC once(1990) and Carnival like 19 times so I am clueless what to expect on this line.

Nay. Way too rocky. We did dolphins and stingrays and walking on the rocks was awful. Then we had beach time and I stubbed my toes several times walking into sand-colored rocks.... Boat ride there and back were best part!

Bring water shoes. This beach is terribly rocky! I would not go back. We did stingrays and dolphins and it was fun, but the rocks were horrible . Pictures are very expensive as well!

They still have the staggered early boarding but it's first come first serve. They only allow a certain number of people to select each time slot. So I'm guessing all the early slots are taken for that particular cruise. As Platinum you should have no issues though.

Our sailing just literally opened up staggered sign in today and 1 pm is the first. I highly doubt all the early slots got filled that fast. When I sailed PC in April, the times were available for quite a while before I saw them and I still got earliest slot. (I am platinum so doesn't really matter to me)

I became platinum a cruise or two before my husband. He was able to go with me on Sunshine to platinum party with no problem. We went on Elation last week (we are both platinum now) and they did not even look for invitations honestly. Worst they can say is "no"

Been cruising for 20 years and the only time I'm aware of where the cruise lines 'Cancelled" a cruise is if there was a natural disaster or a terrorist attack.

 

The cruise you're talking about, someone chartered the entire ship. Therefore those people who had booked a cruise on that ship are offered different things, Sail on a different ship, Sail on a different date, etc.

 

Now, you're right in that they could care less about your seperately purchased airline ticket. That's not their problem nor should it be. You can change the ticket, you can cancel the ticket and maybe get future credit. That's all on you. Insurance might cover. Nobody twisted anybodies arm and made somebody buy the cheapest non refundable ticket. That was a choice the consumer made.

 

And Yes,,, all cruise lines will charter out a ship. That's BIG money right there.

We were booked on Glory back in 2006. Several months before they contacted us and told us Glory would go into dry dock and not sail our date. They allowed us to change dates and stay on Glory or pick a different ship on the same date, which we did. I have sailed something like 17 times (can't ever remember-lol) and that was the only time it happened.

I hear what you guys are saying, but I figured it (hopefully) can't get any worse than it already was. I went ahead and booked it hoping for a really good location. I'm going to look at it from the glass half full perspective. I was going to keep it a secret from my husband, but I couldn't and as soon as he got home from work, I told him and he is so excited and shocked at how cheap the upgrade is. Only 39 more days to go!!! We seriously can't wait!

It is vacation, so I wouldn't worry about it. You will be sailing away on your honeymoon! I have done several guarantees and they have all been fine!

was Charleston. Never had it happen in PC or Jax.

I usually apply a little at a time just in case we don't need them all. So if we have $342 in charges, I would apply $300 and charge the remaining $42, saving the last $100 card for my deposit on the next cruise. ;)

did not have one. Very disappointed since it was a balcony. Wondering if our interior cabins with have one... 6345 and 6349

Just sailed the Sunshine less than a month ago and there was an unstocked mini-fridge in our aft cabin on deck 6.

cabin #?

so much to do, so many food options. No more crowded than any other ship we have sailed on. We did not go to comedy on our sailing so can't comment on that. Love their hand WASHING stations (rather than sanitizers) at the buffet areas. We got seats every time we went to serenity, way bigger than any other serenity we have seen. Didn't get to do or try everything (it was 5 night cruise) so booked for April 7, 2017 with our 3 kids (22, 17, 14).

we sailed out of Charleston March 2014 and I was not impressed. You had to wait in the snake line before you could pay and get in the parking building. Once it was time to board, you snake (on foot) a lot to get on ship. I would sail out of there again, but i much prefer Jax or PC.

I would do 2 in balcony. Loved the sunshine last May and been dying to sail her again, but have to wait until April

I have sailed PC, Tampa, Jax, and Charleston and it was my least favorite. It involves walking LONG, twisted ramps/gangway on and off of the ship so be mindful if you are carrying luggage on/off. Also you can't get into the parking lot/deck/warehouse until a certain time so they line you up outside in the lot and snake people around. We had to sit and wait for quite a while. We got on and off relatively quickly, but it took a bit longer than other ports and the gangway was a long twisted walk that was a line of people so you inched along. Other ports have been literally just walking on the gangway and out with no lines. I have been platinum in Charleston, as well as PC and Jax. If you do the earlier one (we did a 11:20 flight out of Tampa), make sure you have insurance or alternate plans. Sometimes ships dock late or customs has issues or they are there to arrest someone.

There were no guessing games on Sunshine in May. We did cheer for the ships. It was a much more intimate affair with less than 100 people. A lot more mingling with the "upper" staff folks. Food was still so-so. Drinks were quick to be delivered. Can't wait to go next month!

Do people add tips for their "free" drinks for being past guests? Does Carnival automatically credit the server with a 15% tip? I assumed they did, but I don't want to make a mistake.

 

When the free drinks were available in the dining room at brunch, they took our coupons and came back with the drinks. There was nothing to sign, at least on the ships I sailed on. When I sailed on the Sunshine with the free-drink-on-the-last-day-after-5 p.m., I was given the slip to sign with a space for a tip. My kids could not get their free drinks without my S&S because they didn't have charging privileges on their cards.

 

I didn't tip the Shake Spot server anything extra because she was incredibly slow, got the order wrong, and did not believe I was my child's mom because our last names are different. :eek: But do they expect a tip, or does Carnival pay it?

My kids could not get their free drink without their S&S card and they did not have charging privileges

For what it's worth, on our Magic cruise last month, my 19-year old daughter had the exact same ship card we did. In the past, other lines gave minors a different card (maybe a corner missing, or a different color) that made it easy to tell (at the bar) that said person was a minor. I assume my daughter could have bought drinks at a bar with her card.

 

Out of a party of 6, we brought 5 bottles. I don't recall the scanners asking for any ID so we probably could have brought 6. Two of those bottles we had chilled and opened at dinner, but our waiter didn't bother charging us a corkage fee (we tipped him that amount extra anyhow).

 

I'm not sure what each line's exact policy is, but once you're out of the 12-mile limit, the drinking age may drop to 18 on board. They certainly never check IDs in any country I've been to regarding alcohol. I think the US is the only first-world country with the drinking age at 21.

They will not sell to a minor on board. The age on board is 21. My daughter was 20 on one cruise and when they swipe the sign and sail card, it shows the age of the person. If under 21, they won't serve. All ports you go to it is 18 (I think)

First report of day.

 

We made it and we're heading to Pt. Canaveral. Pretty much that's it.no ETAs or more status than that til next report in a few hours.

 

Weather channel says the temps in Miami are going to be a high of 48 & Canaveral is north of that. so even when we get Souther, we're not going to be much warmer.

 

Sigh.

Weather channel shows high of 66, mostly sunny, windy in Cape Canaveral today so not as cold as you were told. Hope you all can enjoy some sun!