Capt_BJ

due to the length of the transit from the sea buoy to the pier they regularly begin in the wee hours .... The distance is about 35 nautical miles of restricted channels. In order to ensure they are at the pier by 6am (to begin off load at 7am) they need to begin the transit around 2am (4 hours travel time is typical as mentioned above) ....

my picture has an arrow pointing at the existing garage .....

there's a couple of different companies providing 'hop on hop off' type bus tours .... they cover slightly different sets of attractions so I'd check those out, https://www.bigbustours.com/en/miami/miami-bus-tours?utm_source=GMB-miami+&utm_medium=GMB&utm_campaign=miami-GMB-website The Miami trolley system is FREE and goes to many of the same places but there won't be 'narration' so you are on your own to know where to go .... https://www.miami.gov/Transportation-Roadways/Trolley-Information/Get-Trolley-Information-Schedules-and-Maps If never been to Miami b4 Cuban is what ya want. Versailles is the place with the name but just a few doors down is La Carretta which is where 'locals' go. IMO better food and lower prices! https://www.versaillesrestaurant.com/ https://www.lacarreta.com/ <you want Calle Ocho location> >>>>>>>>>>>> p.s. Miami and Miami Beach are two completely different cities and tours typically do ONE or the OTHER and not both .... each has its own vibe and places to see , , ,

concur this will be the ball park. IME most dive ops will try to get it two trips - two tank dives - each day ... there will be some variables wrt the 'transit time' to/from the site but they will typically set a 'maximum' bottom time regardless of your actual air status (you may not be close to 'empty') to stay on schedule. Here's the shop schedule for our favorite shop taking small groups into Pennekamp Park Depending on the port you may be able to have flexibility for a shorter 'trip' by just doing a shore dive or two. This is what we typically do in Cayman ... just heading down to Eden Rock or Sunset House and doing shore dives. For new divers this can actually provide a better (shallower) profile versus a 'wall dive'

there will be signs ..... follow the signs ... and folks to help ... ask if needed. being dropped is very common . .

IME MOST snorkeling excursions offered by a cruise offer equipment and a short 'lesson' for newbies .... of your three stops I'd say CAYMAN would be your best choice <but do NOT take a snork' trip to the Kittiwake ship wreck as this will be DEEP water and NOT a good place for a newbie> A trip with stingray city and a second snork' stop is probably a great fit for you. Coz is second choice but shore snorkeling would be better for you as the currents of a boat trip can be significant here. And Nassau is last choice as frankly there ain't much great snorkeling in Nassau area. BTW I started diving in 1973 and lived in south Florida for a good part of 1978 - til now and worked on ships for a good part of that time in the islands. I've been to each of these places dozens of times and 'dove em' .... not to mention cruises over 60 ... most to the Carib as well. Enjoy

I've found that often G MAPS has more current imagery then does EARTH ..

weird that they used T-3 .....

ANTHEM does port calls at Canaveral 1200 - 2000 on Tuesdays ... at RCCL's regular terminal T-1 Port cam shows them here this WED morning 0700 11/8 and at terminal 3, usually a CARNIVAL spot, and T-1 is empty ..... waz up?

Every ship departing the port sails past Grills (except Royal Caribbean which is just beyond Grills). Not Carnival when using newly redone T-3

We were on Saturn in July and running speed test showed: 1) we were on starlink (I'd spotted the MANY antenna already) and the bandwidth was POOR to be nice. SPEEDTEST typically showed under 10 mbps downloads .....WAY UNDER .....

https://www.turtle.ky/

it IS walkable there is a footpath on the bridge to the port However I wouldn't do it ..... take a taxi or UBER .... I've been there MANY times and worked in the port for years .... I would not walk it ....

1) which terminal? 2) makes some of those off-site places look even better don't it?

yes ... DON'T parking in PE is a nightmare ...... on our ODY' cruise last Nov when near by lots were full I asked a parking/traffic person where to go and got a shrug ..... strongly suggest an alternate plan . . .

I thing you mean Seafood Atlantic and there's no 'tower' on the current menu .... https://seafoodatlantic.net/restaurant/

VO uses more than one hotel. We stayed at Fosshótel Reykjavík, there were a bunch of folks heading to VO to board when we got to the hotel. About 1.6 miles southwest of the cruise terminal and roughly half way from terminal to town .... The International Airport is a 30 mile drive from the cruise terminal.

our July VO cruise ended in Reyk' we stayed a couple of days and did the 'Golden Circle' on our own ..... I recommend you at least check out this option cuz at the cost of some time on the computer we saved quite a few dollars for the same experience as the 'extension'. We ended up in one of the hotels Viking uses .... and the GC tour is offered by literally a dozen providers with minor variations. We were in a 'small group' tour of a dozen people; picked up nd returned to the front door of the hotel. We typically book our own air as well, and as I said we ended in Iceland and returned to the US but in general we've found direct flights to Bergen from pretty much anywhere outside EU are few ... bergen is nt a very big airport. We've begun a VO cruise in Bergen and gone once for a land based visit. Traveling from orlando we've flown direct to Oslo then used the train to Bergen, and more recently few MCO to Paris connecting to Bergen by air. One cruise ended in Bergen and we few to US from Oslo using the opportunity to make the side trip Bergen - Flam over night - Flam railway - then Oslo by rail

Thanks Don. I have been wondering about Viking - don't know much about them though. What's the big differences when compared to the mass markets lines? Obviously, they are more expensive but what is included etc.? Funny ... I was about to recommend you take a look at VIKING ...... they have become our 'choice' after cruising a BUNCH of lines since the mid 80's (see signature). what is included - beer and wine at dinner and lunch and the full 'drink package' is $25 per person per day <last RCCL cruise it was $75> - specialty restaurants at no extra charge - all veranda cabins on Ocean ships . . . - one 'included' excursion in every port .... - WiFi / Internet access - spa facilities (pools / snow room / sauna) <ocean> - depending on your room category - restock of in-room fridge with snacks/soft drinks/ and maybe even booze (category) I'd suggest you check out VIKING and check out BOTH ocean and RIVER. We did a river first ... now two oceans and are booked for another river ......

a lil more info ..... port has announced another garage is being built at T-10 so the surface parking areas are 'in flux' ....

marinetraffic.com when in range of participating stations OR you pay for full access (satellite reporting)

I can't remember a time when I saw more than 6 folks in the pool on VIKING average day ......

Last year we got in a cab and asked the driver to take us to an excellent yet reasonable Cuban restaurant that's a plan I have often recommended to Miami visitors. The best Cuban food is usually at mom and pop places and they are ALL OVER Miami <even downtown> Consider asking the front desk staff of the hotel if concerned a taxi might take you for a ride .... <where do THEY go to eat> This way works better if using Uber/Lyft vs taxi ....... that said does THIS look familiar: several locations around Miami and one just under 4 miles from Bayside in Little Havana. This was a popular place with Miami folks (vs tourists) when I lived in Miami . . . IOW here the locals eat ..... The fancier place down the street at the Little Hav' location is "Versallies .... the worlds most famous Cuban ...." ugh, food is better at La C" IMO and you don't pay for the hype!!!!