Hlitner

As one who has been traveling/cruising for the past year, we have oft suggested that folks need to use some out of the box thinking when dealing with some of the current travel challenges. From Detroit to MIA is expensive although one could try to find a reasonable deal on Spirit. Another option is to jump in your car, drive about 4 hours to Chicago, do a park/fly deal and fly out of Midway (or ORD) to Miami on Southwest! It sounds crazy to drive 4+ hours, but the savings (not to mention non-stop flight) might make it a good move. We have an upcoming cruise where we need to get to Buenos Aires and we decided to drive over 4 hours (to JFK) so we could get a reasonably priced flight that was non-stop. These days, non-stop flight are a good hedge against lost luggage and missed connections. Living in the northeast with many airports within a few hours drive, we always evaluate options from all the possible airports and also look hard at Southwest (a favorite domestic airline). Keep in mind that some airlines like Southwest and Spirit may not show-up in many online booking engines. Hank

I assume the drivers prefer a single drop point since it saves them time and trouble, To be very honest, I have never used one of those "federale taxis" that are inside the port. The last time we were on a ship that stopped at PV, our entire table (8 persons) elected DW and I to be their tour guides we know the town. We walked our entire group out of the port and took them on one of the local buses (about 50 cent fare) since we thought they would enjoy that local experience as opposed to being crammed into a taxi. We did bring them back to the port in two taxis :). Hank

So we could have fun talking about Opus One. It is a fine wine (originally a collaboration betcannween Robert Mondavi and the Rothchilds). I think it is sae to say that Robert Mondavi (a great wine maker) wanted to produce an American wine in the Bordeaux tradition. The fine bordeaux's are great wines, but many Americans have cultivated a taste for lots of fruit whereas the Bordeaux style has lots of style without the fruitiness that we expect from most California Cabs. I have friends that truly dislike the French style of dry wines, but we think that is because their palate is so used to the fruitier US style that they cannot adjust. My problem with Opus One is that if I want to drink a French Bordeaux and I can get many excellent bordeaux's for a fraction of the cost of Opus One. And if want a California style red, there are many excellent California (not to mention Oregon and Washington) wines for a fraction of the cost. To me that leaves Opus One as a novelty. If somebody wants to buy me a glass (or bottle) I will be very happy, but you will not see me buying Opus One. Hank

The taxis inside the port (federal franchise) do charge per person. Where you are dropped is between you and the driver. If heading into town, the Rosita Hotel is at the Northern end of the Malecon (so you can simply walk south (along the water) and cover most of centro and the old town). If you want to be dropped closer to the mid point you could ask to be dropped near the Cathedral (should be the same price as the Rosita). As to getting back you si"mply find a taxi (they are all around town at taxi stands and you can also wave them down) but keep in mind that everything is negotiable. The drivers know the cruise port, Walmart (we actually have two), etc. Not sure of the current prices (they have increased) but you should expect to pay 150-200 Pesos to get to the port (that is per taxi...not per person). If the driver wants more than 200, and you are not in a hurry, just smile and say "no gracias" and look for a better deal :). Just keep in mind that the difference between 150 and 200 pesos is about $2.50 in US Dollars. I will tell you a secret. When a local taxi quotes me a fare that is a bit too high I sometimes smile and pay it...but do not give the driver a tip. If a driver quotes me the correct (or lower) price I smile and later give him a good tip :). In PV I like to reward honesty. The truth is that these folks work hard and do not make a lot of money. As a part time resident we are happy to support the local economy but just do not appreciate being ripped off. Hank

I watched them build that new terminal (for two years) as I did my daily walk. I managed to get inside (and have also visited the nearby Plaza Magico). The improvements you cite are pretty accurate and we say, that is all good. The fact that you want a miserable port facility (actually no port facility) to make you feel like you are in some third world country is just not going to sell with me. From my perspective I salute the authorities for making needed improvements. The next time you cruise I suggest you find a 100 year old cruise ship with leaks, no A/C, no stabilizers, etc. so you can happily say you were on an old ship? Does that make sense? Oh, and if you decide to ever fly from the USA to Europe you might look for a DC7 so you can experience a real airplane. Hank

Those folks likely had a few miserable hours, but now have a lifetime of stories to tell. Glad to hear that it all worked out. Hank

In Mexico, where we live part of the year, you can by excellent vanilla (beans or extract) or real crap which may use coumarin (which comes from tonka beans) which is actually not approved for sale in the USA (I believe coumarin is banned by the FDA for safety reasons). So how do you know what you are buyihg in Mexico? Beats me...and I live there :). I assume you are fine buying a store like Walmart but you must be careful when buying from our smaller shops. In Puerto Vallarta I do know of an excellent small shop that specializes in vanilla and he only sells high quality beans and extracts. On the other hand, watch cooking shows on the Food Network or the Cooking Network and what kind of vanilla do they use? Generally, from Madascar. As a part time resident of Mexico I love most things, Mexico, and happily eat out and drink out nearly every day of the winter. But when it comes to buying certain products (such as vanilla) I am not sure if simply believing the label is a good idea. Labels area simply paper printed on a printer and just because it says something does not make is so! In Mexico, we would suggest sticking to major stores (such as Walmart, Costco, etc.) or knowing with whom you deal. Hank

DW and I actually prefer cabins forward of the forward elevators. Having cruised extensively for about 50 years we are well aware of the stability offered by more central cabins (especially on lower decks) and the popularity of aft cabins (which we strongly dislike). Most cruisers do not like forward cabins because they will have more movement if in rough waters. So why do we like cabins up near the bow? Consider that the main engines of any ship are arrayed around mid-ship. On some ships, living over the engines can result is some annoying vibration but most modern ships have done a good job isolating engine noise and vibration. The center of the ship is where you will have the most foot traffic (in the corridors) and you will generally pay the highest prices. Some folks love the aft cabins, but these can suffer from a "shimmy" due to their location near the props. vibration from the props and cavitation, and possible soot on the balconies (which can ruin swim wear and clothes. Meanwhile, forward of the forward elevators you have much less foot traffic since most of the eating venues are aft. There are also very few major mechanical systems on the forward quarter of the ship (with the exception of the bow thrusters) so we generally find the forward cabins very quiet except when the thrusters are in use. Keep in mind that thrusters are only used when entering ports/docking and debarking. Up front you might also hear the anchor chain if the ship is dropping or raising its anchor, but that does not generally happen during sleep time. Hank

Opus One was a decent buy when you could get if for about $100. At current prices we think it is vastly overpriced. There are numerous CA wines that many would rate superior (especially if doing a blind tasting) such as some of the Caymus and Jordon offerings. But much of the wine game is perception and brand name. So much of the fun for oenophiles is arguing about wines :). Hank

The answer to the OP's question is "it depends." And folks should understand that many times when in a foreign land, you will often not have an opportunity to shop for providers. As an example, about two weeks ago DW hurt her ankle while docked in Cozumel and the ship's physician, working with the ship's local agent, got us an immediate appointment with an Orthopedic Physician at a local hospital. As is typical of emergencies and urgent care you will often have little say in the matter unless you want to deal with delays and making your own arrangements (which can be difficult if there are language differences). In our case we paid the hospital/physician nearly $1200 (which should be reimbursed by GeoBlue). As to the GeoBlue provider network, it is never guaranteed. During our recent appointment in Cozumel (which was at a major hospital) they would only have accepted direct assignment (which means you would not need to pay) if admitted to the hospital for over 24 hours. Otherwise, they expected immediate payment (by the patient) before leaving the hospital. In Puerto Vallarta (where we live part of the year) our preferred hospital is not part of the GeoBlue network although there are other local hospitals (and some physicians) in their network. But you can never be sure if they will "accept assignment" until you actually need the service. Americans need to understand that all the rules change once you leave the USA. GeoBlue certainly tries to maintain a decent provider network, but that can be a very elusive goal. We have long advised folks that when in foreign lands you should expect, as a general rule, to pay your medical bills (to both physician and hospital) and later seek reimbursement. Having a decent credit limit on one or more credit cards is very helpful :).

Funny you should mention the "golden age" because we still seek out those kinds of cruises. We have been mostly impressed by our cruises on Seabourn which, at the moment, would be among our favorite lines. MSC's Yacht Club (just back last week) continues to attract us since we consider it the best "value" in the cruise world. The service in the Yacht Club rivals or beats anything we had experienced in the "golden age" although the cuisine is not quite up to our standard. We are excited about the new Explora Journeys Line (an unknown at this point) because it has the right "pedigree" fulfilling a dream a Madam Aponte to launch a luxury product. Their ship within a ship Yacht Club certainly lays the foundation for a potentially good product, 900 passenger ships are a terrific size, and MSC has the deep pockets necessary to start a new line in this lousy economy. So, what has happened to the cruise industry? At one time (go back to the 50s, 60s) the industry targeted well to do folks who traveled with large steamer trunks, dressed up for every dinner, wore formal wear on formal nights, etc. It was an exciting time when cruising was very special. I still remember my parents (in the early 60s) driving 3 hours to a "cruise specialist" agency in NYC to have a meeting for the purpose of choosing the appropriate cabin on Home Lines. We then went through a long period where everything became one class, folks learned how to quickly book cruises online, formal wear started to give way to "wife beater" shirts, backwards ball caps, and the "me me me" culture. But alas, some folks started to realize that if they were going to pay $1000 per person day they should not expect the same level of service and cuisine as another passenger on the same ship who was paying $100 per person day. What a concept! Some folks actually demanded more for their money than a few more square feet in their cabin (HAL seemed to be among the last to realize this fact). Cunard, MSC, NCL, and now Celebrity have suddenly discovered that if you give folks more you can charge them more. I think we are in the early stages of a new cruise world. Folks can now make their own decision on the level or service, cuisine, etc. they want and find the appropriate product. If you want to cruise to Antarctica you can do it in on a pretty bare bones exploration ship, or you can now opt for one of the ultra luxury expedition ships. If you do not like fighting for a deck chair you can choose a cruise line (or ship within a ship) where there are always plenty of deck loungers for everyone! Want very good cuisine you can either choose a line that emphasizes food (i.e. Oceania) or pay for the top alternative restaurants on many other ships. The "one size fits all" model of the 70s now longer works for most of the lines. One can take their entire family on lines like Disney and RCI where there are lots of amenties for all, while others can opt for the laid back classy atmosphere of lines like Silverseas, Regent, Seabourn, and Scenic. The luxury lines have been around for some time, but there has been a lot of recent expansion and many new options. Hank

A few years ago, we recall being on a cruise (not sure if it was HAL or Celebrity) where they did park some of the chairs/scooters in an alcove at the end of the corridor (completely out of the way of any foot traffic). But if you were able to get your cabin steward/stewardess to take the chair away, you might find it difficult to get it delivered when you need it (the staff on ships are a bit thin/overworked and not always on-call). We are in a new era when some cruise lines do not even service cabins twice a day! Like most cruisers/travelers this all means one has to assess the situation once you get aboard and find the best solution for that particular ship/cruise. I know this sounds so darn obvious, but it we have long been amazed at how many folks are unwilling or unable to adapt to current situations. Just came off a cruise where we heard a guy "whining" that the bacon was not like the bacon he used to get on that same line (I think it was actually better). The man actually "demanded" the "old kind of bacon." Hank

Regarding the YC, we think it is so much more than the food/wine (which are certainly decent). On our recent Seashore cruise we went out an about (outside the YC) to check-out all the entertainment and quickly realized that, for our taste, the best entertainment were all rotating through the YC's Top Sail Lounge. We found ourselves spending much of the evening time in Top Sail enjoying the music along with amazing service. When we went to the other lounges (outside the YC) the service was not nearly as good. What has surprised us on our YC cruises is that the Top Sail is never crowded. Obviously, a majority of the YC patrons are either in their cabins or elsewhere on the ship. For us, relaxing in the laid-back YC atmosphere, not having to deal with queues, interacting with the friendly YC staff, etc. is all part of the overall experience. We thought the food, on the Seashore, was the best we have had on our several MSC YC cruises. We did think that the meats were decent quality, but were not overly impressed with the fish. On the other hand, the lobster tail in the YC was perfectly prepared (broiled) which is unusual on cruise ships where the oft undersized warm water (i.e. tasteless) tails are overcooked in oversalted water. I am not a fan of tails (I prefer eating a whole Maine lobster) but the one I had on the Seashore was among the best I have had on any cruise ship. One interesting tidbit is that they served the tails without any drawn butter on the side. When we asked our waiter to please bring us some butter he quickly responded that butter had already been added (but he did fulfill our wish and quickly returned with a small bowl of melted butter). Hank

We have done dozens of TAs and some TPs on multiple cruise lines including HAL. HAL does have a daily schedule of activities, but pales in comparison to many other lines. For most folks that is fine since they can usually find enough to keep them busy (if they want to be busy). But just understand that HAL is not an activity-oriented cruise line. I recall on HAL crossing where we had an excellent Cruise Director, an Assistant Cruise Director and a couple of other folks who helped the CD on a part time basis. We just got off the MSC Seashore (Yacht Club) where the Cruise Director introducted her cruise director staff of 18 (yes, eighteen) souls. The CD/entertainment department was huge and well run. With that kind of staff the CD was able to schedule in amazing array of activities, but we did talk to some veterans of RCI and Carnival who thought that even MSC had fewer activities than they expected based on those other two lines. HAL is somewhat unique when we compare it to other lines. It sometimes seems that the only thing the CD Staff do on HAL is host Trivia and Bingo! On all of our longer HAL cruises there has been at least 1 lecturer and the lectures are generally well attended. If I were to have any complaint about the lecturers, there does seem to be a tendency of HAL to use the same lecturers again and again! If you get unlucky and get a lecturer that you have already heard, and he/she simply repeats similar lectures, that can be a real bummer (this has happened to us on two cruises). On the other hand, the best two onboard lecturers we have heard at sea were both on HAL cruises (Dr. Alan Wright and Danny Catt). Hank

This is not even an issue for debate. There are international safety rules (SOLAS) that dictate much of what must be done (at a minimum) to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. One requirement is that items such as wheelchairs/scooters cannot be stored in the corridors since they are a constant hazard to the fast egress of folks in an emergency and an even bigger obstacle if, God forbid, there is a corridor with smoke obscuring the view (crawl along the floor and follow the floor-level emergency lighting). Bottom line is that folks who have equipment need to make sure they book a cabin of sufficient size to handle their chair or scooter! It is their responsibility since the cruise line cannot know the individual requirements of each soul aboard! One other thought. Ships do sometimes have real emergencies when folks need to change locations in a hurry! While every ship has procedures to help folks with mobility limitations, the best plans can easily fail in a real emergency! Folks need to be prepared to help themselves! If I were relying on a chair or scooter, I would certainly want it in a location where I have immediate access.... which means inside my cabin/suite! Hank

Just off the Seashore (Yacht Club) where we thought the included wines were so-so and drinkable! At most meals we were offered a small wine list and there were usually 2 or 3 reds, 2 or 3 whites, and a Rose. There were mediocre US offereings (such as Robert Mondavi Private Selection), the mediocre Clos de Bois, some mediocre Malbecs from Argentina, etc. Ironically, we were never offered a decent Italian Red on a line with its roots in Italy! There were some decent wines for sale (at very inflated prices) for the few folks that preferred to spend their money (or OBC) on some better offerings. DW and I have cruised on many lines including a few of the luxury (or ultra luxury) lines that also include wines. The included offerings on those lines was really not much better than the stuff on MSC although they did have a more diverse selection. On Seabourn, we could (and did) order excellent wines from the expansive wine list, but the cost of those items would often be in the $100 - $300 (bottle) range. By the way, we agree with another poster in that we would not consider cruising on MSC outside the YC. We enjoy the entire YC Experience and still think it offers one of the best values in the cruise world. If folks think they can pay about $400 per person day, and be served $100 wines, they are very naive about cost controls. Even on lines where you might pay $1000 per person/day, the wines are generally not exciting. Hank

We started crusiing in the mid-70s and have seen many cruise amenties/traditions come and go. The Midnight Buffets (more often opened at 11:30) were amazing (on Sitmar they had them every night) but an absolute waste of food. Chocolate Buffets only existed on a few cruise lines and I suspect will continue to be an activity on a few lines (perhaps with an extra fee). But I want to focus on the Muster Drill, as a long time frequent cruiser and ex first responder. Emergencies do happen on ships and a big emergency that involves mustering is a very serious and dangerous event. Just ask those who were on the near ill-fated Viking Sky cruise in 2019. We had family on that cruise (off of Norway) and they found themselves at their indoor lounge muster station with sea water up to their ankles (for a few minutes). Our two family members were ultimately winched off the deck, at 3am, by the Norwegian Coast guard. Fortunately the ship was eventually able to regain power and avoid a disasterous grounding/sinking. Imagine such an emergency on a ship with 10,000 persons (the newest RCI ship will carry close to that number). Those of us with experience in emergency operations know about panic and the related dangers. The best way to prevent panic and ensure orderly operations is practice, practice, practice. Cruise ship crews drill several times a week, but even they would benefit from more drilling (where would they get the time?). Passengers were traditionally asked to drill one time (more on very long cruises) and these drills generally took no more than an hour out of their embarkation day. Those drills were important, not just for the passengers, but also for the crew who gained needed experience dealing with the masses. So now, the sad lessons of the past seem to have been forgotten and muster drills have hit new lows. On our recent MSC Seashore cruise (over 4000 passengers) the passengers were not even issued any life jackets. None! There are no life jackets in the cabin nor are they to be seen anywhere around the ship. They are stored at the various muster stations (hidden out of sight). In a real emergency the crew would be expected to quickly issue over 4000 life jackets to folks, many of whom would not know which side is up! If the emergency involved smoke (a major problem on ships) there would likely be panic, the use of alternative muster stations (with the passengers not having a clue), etc. The safety systems on modern ships are amazing, but they are not perfect and cannot stop humans from panicking. I will admit that having spent far more than 1300 days on cruise ships, this recent Seashore cruise was the first time I had strong doubts/concerns about the mustering system. It is totally dependent on the crew (most of whom are not mariners) doing the right thing and much of the crew (on MSC and other lines) are relatively new to cruising with minimal training. COVID caused many of the experienced crew members to move off to new ventures and it will be years until the cruise lines can achieve a similar level of experience among their new members. In simple terms I think the new procedures (or lack thereof) are a terrible accident waiting to happen. And it will happen because emergencies always occur! It is just a matter of time. And when a major disaster does happen there will be the usual post investigations, professionals will shake their heads, SOLAS will again be modified, etc. And we will again wonder how we ignore the basic tenant that history tends to repeat itself. Hank

I have no clue about ACL not having cruised with that line. But in your situation, we would immediately call our credit card company (the one you used to charge the cruise), texplain the situation, and ask to have the cruise payments put into "dispute." Tell your credit card company that continue to make a best effort to resolve the situation with the cruise line but need to file the dispute in order to be on record and to stop the clock (there are time limits to when you can file disputes). Hank

Some love Monte Carlo and others (including DW and me) see it as a place to avoid. We love this region of France (have vacationed there many times) but never go to Monte Carlo unless we have no choice. But getting there from Cannes is very easy as the regional TER train spans the coast. So you would get on the train and pass through Antibes and Nice (among other places) before you finally arrive at Monte Carlo. Just keep in mind that the station in Monte Carlo i s some distance from many of the most popular tourist attractions (i.e. Palace, Casino, etc) so you should do some pre cruise homework if you want to use the local buses...or otherwise, plan on paying somewhat more money for a taxi (taxis in France and Monte Carlo are expensive. Hank

Honfleur is a relatively small village. Once you find a way to get to the town (usually via taxi or a bus) those who are able to walk a couple of miles can explore nearly then entire town. There are some downtown streets that have their share of shops, a few larger stores, etc. Our favorite area is across the road from the main downtown area where you find the small harbor area which is lined with cafe/restaurants and some shops. DW and I love wk around this entire area (this will take no more than 30 min) and read the menus (usually posted on chalk boards) of each of the restaurants. If it is a nice day, we love to have a long lunch outdoors (most of the places have both indoor and outdoor dining) where we soak up the atmosphere, enjoy the small harbor view and people watching, as we enjoy good French food/wine. The best Moules Frites (mussels and fries) we have ever enjoyed was at one of these places. The best description of Honfleur (especially this small area around the harbor) is charming. My hint" for eating lunch in France is to look at each restaurants posted "menu" or "formula" which is their special of the day. These "menus" will generally represent a very good value when compared to simply ordering off the regular/full menu. Sometimes the "menu" will even include a 1/2 Carafe of house wine. For folks that are not wine snobs, the house wines (usually served by the glass, half carafe, or full carafe is usually very drinkable wine at an excellent price. Cafes/restaurants often buy these wines by the barrel from which they fill the carafe or sometimes an open/cleaned wine bottle. The French take their wine very seriously, and it would be rare for a cafe to have a bad house wine! Hank

We have "done it all" from budget lines to luxury lines to river cruises (Asia and Europe) but have yet to try an expedition ship. But that will change (with a little luck) when we head to Antarctica later this year. What really excited us about expedition cruising was the recent proliferation of luxury expedition ships (Seeabourn, Silverseas, Ponent, etc). There are now lots of choices, most of which are true budget busters. But nothing ventured (our ship is actually called the Venture) nothing gained :). And I guess we are spending our grandchilen's money :). Speaking of expedition cruising, we have never bought into the idea of "drive by" cruises. You cannot experience the Arctic, Antarctic, Great Barrier Reef, etc. by simply looking out the window of a cruise ship. It would be like passing NYC on a ship and thinking you had seen NYC. Some of these newer expedition ships come with their own submarines, helicopters, etc (you do not even want to think about the cost of those toys). This luxury expedition thing seems to be the hot new trend in cruising. Hank

My issues with both HAL and Celebrity (cut-backs at both lines) goes back several years prior to COVID. Some of what we have heard (from friends and posts here on CC) post COVID are more reason for concern. I believe that most quality companies (which includes HAL) respond to their customers. When customers simply sit back and accept various cut-backs and negative changes the company doubles down with more cut-backs. The old "give em an inch" saying does apply. Those who have cruised on HAL for decades have see it all, but most do not complain. So when HAL replaced the excellent Rosario Strings with various solo/duet folks (generally of lower quality) most said, "OK." When HAL cut-back on the room service breakfast menus, most HAL fans said "OK." When HAL eliminated Production Shows (often with a live band) folks said, "OK" When HAL replaced any evening show with a BBC Documentary, some of the HAL fans said "we like movies." I will not even start to get into the changes in the MDR and Lido but most have noticed negative changes. If the HAL faithful had reacted to cut-backs, complained, made an issue in their evaluations, and posted here on CC (which is monitored by all cruise lines) perhaps the cut-backs would have stopped! Recently there were some posted complaints on the Seabourn board about some declines. Some of the Seabourn "suites" suddenly showed up on a couple of cruises and the complaints have apparently been reduced. I mention this because Keeping one's mouth shut is not always the best way to encourage quality and excellence. We have a long (42 day) HAL cruise next spring which will either reinforce our long-time enjoyment of HAL or put the nail in their coffin (from our point of view). Perhaps we cannot convince HAL to make some improvements, but we always have the ability to vote with our dollars and business. Unlike some fellow HAL fans, we also cruise and enjoy many other lines. Consumers have a choice and perhaps HAL (and some other cruise lines) need to be reminded that it is a competitive industry and once loyal customers try another product it may be difficult to lure them back. Hank

The Tequilia Factory is real :). But, if I want to go to a Tequilia Factory, I would be heading up to near Tequilia where the blue Agave grows as far as the eye can see. Unfortunately, that area is too far for a simple shore excursion. In the immediate region around PV, the drink of Racilla has a more dominate history than Tequilia. Some would say that Racilla is the true native drink to the PV area although others would warn that it tastes somewhat like moonshine (or perhaps lighter fluid). A friend of ours has actually started his own Racilla production and also planted his own blue Agave (they can take around 10 years to be ready for harvest. Tequilia, Racilla and Mezcal are all made from the Agave plant. Hank

Ouch! Improvement of basic infrastructure such as the port, airport,, roads, sidewalks, etc. are generally thought of as a good thing. The "charm" of the city is still in the city (although some of us are not happy with all the new condos). Keep in mind that port is far out in the suburbs (the downtown/Centro area is 3 miles south). But just consider somebody thinking that the port facility at Miami is representative of the city, or the Manhattan cruise terminal on 12th Ave (NYC) changes that city. One might also criticize PV for installing bike lanes, ramps for wheelchairs/scooters, etc. We are also happy to have Sams, Costco, Walmart (2 superstores) and some decent supermarkets. You might not realize that 10s of thousands of Canadian/Americans call the Bay of Bandaras region their home for some or all of the year. We like having access to Sams. Costco, Walmart Superstores, Home Depot, plus many fine Mexican offerings including several new Mexican chain Supermarkets. To us, the infrastructure is important and simply a sign of a community that continues to move ahead. While there is certainly some grumbling about over development, I have never heard a complaint (until this post) about improving the port or other infrastructure (i.e. new sewers. decent fiber optic Internet, bike lanes, sidewalk ramps to handle wheelchairs/scooters. etc. Your comment is strange. I cannot imagine a cruiser complaining about improvements to Port Everglades or the Port of Miami. Strange. When I first started living in PV (17 years ago) we still had some dirt sidewalks near our Condo in the Romantic Zone. Most were quite happy when they finally covered that dirt with concrete. We have also been happy to see some of the very bad uneven sidewalks (where too many tripped, fell, and got hurt) replaced by decent concrete sidewalks/walkways. If some cruisers are unhappy because of local improvements...well I guess they can go to places in the world that have lots of dirt, no improvements, etc. Even the old native village of Yelapa now has electricity and running water! I am sure there are plenty of tourists that preferred Yalapa before it had power, but I do believe that the folks that live in that remote village are happy to have power/water. On the other hand, the Diamonds International store in PV (and many other cruise ports) is there to satisfy cruisers...not locals. What you call a "high end" shopping center was built because there is a demand created by cruise ship passengers. It is the cruise ship passengers who take structured tours to commercial places like Las Caletas, a "Tequila Factory," "Diamonds International," etc. It is the cruise passengers that encourage companies like Diamonds International, Little Switzerland, Tanzanite International, etc. to build ugly places in most cruise ports. When I am out walking early in the morning and see the lights on in the PV Diamonds International, I know there must be some early cruise ship arrivals. No cruise ships? The lights would be off until much later in the morning. The "charm you seek" is still around, but you must leave the port and most commercial environs to "smell the roses." For years we have urged fellow cruisers to skip the structured excursions, do a little pre-cruise homework, and discover some of the local charms. This applies not just to PV, but to ports all over the world. Hank Hank

One persons great beach is another's lousy place. Cruisers tend to go to beaches popular with cruise tours and cruisers. Folks who live/vacation on the same island may avoid places just because they are overrun with cruisers. Take Orient Beach, which is on the French side of St Maarten (St Martin). It is an overly commercial beach often packed with cruisers and quite a few vacationers on the island. But when we rent a condo and stay on St Martin (we used to rent in Grand Case) we completely avoid Orient except, perhaps, on a weekend when there are no ships in the port. We might choose to go to a more remote place such as Happy Bay where one would seldom to never find a cruiser. While Orient Beach might be packed with thousands, on Happy Bay we will usually have fewer than a dozen souls. But we would not "dare" suggest cruisers avoid Orient and we have sometimes gone to that beach on a port day, simply because it was easy to get transportation. When we stay on the island we always have our own car and that is a game changer. As to Barbados there are many choices including some beaches that are relatively close to the port to better beaches on the West Coast (such as on Paynes Bay). Keep in mind that some cruisers prefer commercial beaches with multiple restaurants, beach vendors, and easy access. Others want to go to less crowded/commercial places. So I will tell you a crazy secret. DW and I have been beach lovers all of our lives, spend our winters in a condo located right on a popular Mexican beach, and a fair number of other days of the year on various excellent beaches around the USA and the world. And yet, when on a recent Caribbean cruise (last week) we did not even bother getting off our ship at most of the ports even though we do have favorite beaches in every port. Instead, we stayed aboard on a near empty ship where the ship was likely the best place to be with great service, few folks, etc. When we were young, we used to wonder about the few old folks we noticed did not leave the ship...but now we do understand the wisdom of such behavior :). Hank