Plant

I found this hotel, Ft. Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port Hotel, at 1800 S. Federal Highway (formerly Comfort Suites). It has a very good rating and very reasonable rates, with a free shuttle from the airport and a paid shuttle to the port. We usually stay at La Quinta, Hollywood, Florida, but their rating's have gone down :(. Any opinions pro or con would be appreciated. Thanks,

We like the La Quinta, Hollywood, Florida, for a pre-cruise stay. They have a shuttle from FLL to the hotel and a low cost shuttle from the hotel to the cruise ship. Breakfast is included. It's also within walking distance of a huge shopping center with restaurant's and other shops. The per night cost is very reasonable (about $130-150).

We just booked the Mantra 2 Bond Street, seems like its a good location. Closer than Meriton Apts. They have 1 and 2 bedroom apts. And some include Breakfast, but still have a kitchen, washer/Dryer since we will be there 5 days ahead of cruise.

Just checked this out and it's waaaayyy out of our price range! Did you find a deal somewhere?

I'm still leaning toward the Meriton on Pitt.

Thanks! I've looked at the TFE site and see some possibilities. Since we're going to be in Sydney for 5 or 6 days I was thinking a serviced apartment, with a fridge, microwave and laundry would be very nice. We enjoy eating out, but not for every meal! I still may book the Meriton and just use cab's to get where we want to go. The room's in the in the Rocks area are so high and we'd have to eat out every meal.

Sometimes I think it would be better to book at the last minute and not have so much time to make a decision about where to stay:).

A Quarter Pounder with Cheese and a small fry. (I know, "everyone" hates McD's, but how do they keep making more $$ from those who hate them???

Is the Meriton Pitt Street close enough to the Rocks that an old lady with a cane can walk there easily? This is what I've been looking at for a 4-5 day stay before our cruise.

Are there plenty of places to sit down at the Taronga Zoo? I use a cane and need to sit frequently.

About the price of food-really how expensive is it? If I wanted to buy a burger, fries and a drink how much would it cost (approximately)?

Thanks!

We've taken MANY Princess transfers from the ship to an airport and have never missed a flight. We find the price to be reasonable and the transfer to be on time.

Many thanks to you all! I think we've decided on a Meriton property, just not sure which one yet.

Am I the only one who find's the Carnival website hard to navigate? We're booking a cruise with friend's and want to book another week either before or after, and I can't seem to get those cruise's to come up???

Do I need to hire an 8 year old to help me?? :)?

Thanks.

Here's another idea! We're member's of the Carlson Hotels. The Raddison, Darling Harbour is a possibility. What do you know about this hotel? Would it be better than the Ibis (where we stayed last visit)?

Thanks!

Animal wise, there are all the usual suspects, plus of couhttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/editor/italic.gifrse the local residents, kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian tigers, platypus, snakes and spiders etc. Don't forget to ask the zoo keepers where the drop bear enclosure (frequently moved) is!

Thanks to all! HA! Thanks to Search I'm not falling for the "Drop Bear"!

We do look forward to seeing the animal's that are native to Australia and are not found in the US.

I guess we'll just tell our age (and show ID) when we buy any ticket's. If they don't accept it, no problem.

Thanks to you all!

We're sure we want to visit the Zaronga Zoo while we're in Sydney. Their web-site offer's many discount's for Aussie Pensioner's, but I can't find that we, as US Senior's, would get a discounted price? Has anyone from the US gotten this discount? Or do you know how to get this discount?? Thanks!

I can't answer your question absolutely, but in every closet we've had you can lift one end of the closet rod and add or remove hangers. Obviously, this has to be done before you hang anything :)! Sometimes you have to "whack" it to get one end to "let loose" :0.

We have no problem with service only in the morning as long as we can get fresh ice in the afternoon. We probably stay in our cabin more than most people, so we need ice in the PM.

Many years ago, the only time we pre-tipped the Room Steward, we had the worst service we've ever had.

On the first day we ask for a top sheet if there's not one, two extra pillow's, and ice every afternoon. We don't need turn down service or towel's changed every day. Every other day is fine.

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I do remember researching the Opal Card for transportation. I guess I'll compare the Holiday Inn and the Rendezvous. I'll also check out the Meriton on Pitt. Street. I haven't looked today, but last week the bookings weren't available yet for April for any hotel. I like to plan early :)!

Y'all have been so helpful! Thanks!

It can be a bit hard to tell as in Australia what you call a bar (where you buy a beer) and what you call a hotel (that provides accomodation) are both called hotels.

What are you actually looking for, Plant?

 

If you give us a price range and some idea of what part of Sydney you'd like to stay in, then we could give you some recommendations.

 

Do you want to be in the downtown area, close to all the sights or would you be happy further away from the city but handy to a train station? Hotels close to Circular Quay tend to be more expensive, at the other end of the downtown area, say near Central Station, they are often a bit cheaper.

Last time we stayed at Ibis, Darling Harbor. It was fine, but we thought we'd try a new area next time. I'm pretty much looking in the Rocks area. So far my interest's are the Holiday Inn, Rocks, and the Rendezvous in the Rocks.

Since we live in a city that doesn't have a subway (train), we're a little bit uncertain about how to "do" the train. I know that those of you who've grown up with the train think that's ridiculous, but that's the way it is :)!

We'll be in Sydney for at least four night's and would like to spend less than $200.00 US per night. That's not set in stone, though. For a clean nice hotel we would pay more. (P.S. Yes, I know I'm asking the impossible!)

No idea sorry, but it's a pub (bar) so likely to be a tad noisy at least Friday and Saturday nights.

Thanks, I'm thinking we'd be happier in a "regular" hotel. I'll keep looking.

What do y'all know about Hotel Harry? I've seen really bad review's and really good review's. Do you need to be a "partier" to stay there, or are there some quiet rooms?? Thanks!

Thanks! We have stayed at the Ibis so maybe that would be a good place to stay again.

I know that it's hard to compare, but the Hampton Inn and the La Quinta Inn are the hotel's that we're comfortable with. I think they'd be rated as 3 or 4 star in the US. They're not fancy, but they are clean! What would be the Aussie equivalent? Thanks SO much!

Hi, I see the Mini suite without balcony (MY) is available for our cruise. This appears to be a larger room with a big bathtub, but without a balcony. Does anyone know if there is a floor to ceiling window? Would this be favourable over the balcony cabin? I can't seem to find pics!

 

Would love your feedback! :D

 

Thanks!

We ended up in one of these forward mini's for part of our last cruise. There is a small double window. You can go out to the front of the ship. The cabin is definitely larger than a regular mini and has more storage and more room. If you're a couple cruising with two or three children, you'll probably love this cabin :)! But, we'll not book this one again :(.

We don't worry about dressing up too much anymore. If you are nicely dressed, (for men a nice pair of slacks and a nice shirt, maybe a tie), (for women, also slacks or a skirt and a sparkly top), you'll be fine. No need for a tux!

Really, as long as you are not in shorts and a T, you'll probably be fine.

If I want the lobster (such as it is)this is how I'll dress and I've never had a problem getting into the dining room.

Thanks for the weather info! I think I'll take two or three pair of jeans and a light jacket along with what I usually pack. If I get cold (not very likely!) I'm sure I can buy something warmer :)!

Celle, off topic but ... I love your John Masefield quote - one of my favourites. :)

 

My late father always used to quote "The sea, the sea, the open sea, the blue, the fresh, the ever free".

Love it! Here's the whole poem:

The Sea

Barry Cornwall (1787–1874)

THE SEA! the sea! the open sea!

The blue, the fresh, the ever free!

Without a mark, without a bound,

It runneth the earth’s wide regions round;

It plays with the clouds; it mocks the skies; 5

Or like a cradled creature lies.

I ’m on the sea! I ’m on the sea!

I am where I would ever be;

With the blue above, and the blue below,

And silence wheresoe’er I go; 10

If a storm should come and awake the deep,

What matter? I shall ride and sleep.

I love, O, how I love to ride

On the fierce, foaming, bursting tide,

When every mad wave drowns the moon 15

Or whistles aloft his tempest tune,

And tells how goeth the world below,

And why the sou’west blasts do blow.

I never was on the dull, tame shore,

But I lov’d the great sea more and more, 20

And backwards flew to her billowy breast,

Like a bird that seeketh its mother’s nest;

And a mother she was, and is, to me;

For I was born on the open sea!

The waves were white, and red the morn, 25

In the noisy hour when I was born;

And the whale it whistled, the porpoise roll’d,

And the dolphins bared their backs of gold;

And never was heard such an outcry wild

As welcom’d to life the ocean-child! 30

I ’ve liv’d since then, in calm and strife,

Full fifty summers, a sailor’s life,

With wealth to spend and a power to range,

But never have sought nor sighed for change;

And Death, whenever he comes to me, 35

Shall come on the wild, unbounded sea!