HealthyTouch101

Yes, I finally got through, turning everything off and Chrome chat, however, the phone number is still phooey. So it goes. 

The phone number under Help for the website now takes me to a Press Company---NOT HAL. And the chat feature does not work at all for me, even in an open browser with no security engaged. My personal cruise consultant does not answer her phone and she does not reply to emails. So frustrated trying to book today.

I recommend La Cueva Del Mar in Old San Juan. You can see menus and more on their Facebook page--their website link doesn't seem to work. Inexpensive, including drinks. Terrific empanadillas and tacos. Absolutely delicious local beer and their own sangria. Try the Mahi tacos, the beef jerky empanadillas and the shrimp tacos. Even with a 25% tip, we had a great snack/drinks for two for $25-ish. 

Calle Recinto Sur 305, San Juan Phone: 787.725-8700

Just off a cruise with Holland America where they offer a Cruise with a Cause series, one of which is Artisan Papermaking. This is an immersive experience with a women's co-op that you join as a worker for several hours. No meal provided for lunch, but water and a small snack. You learn the recycling process and all about their enterprise, including their budgets, from start to finish. You get an opportunity to purchase paper products include tablets and beads. Be sure to take bug spray as there are mosquitoes, etc. I also recommend a good breakfast before leaving the ship. From what the women said, only Holland America offers this tour. It cost about $60 each and lasted about 5 hours, including travel time down narrow streets/through the city. Highly recommended, but please note---you will help with the papermaking tasks (tearing recycled paper, washing the slurry, pressing it to dry, and more).

It is free to use the substantial pool facilities and we enjoyed that experience very much. 

Just got back from a visit to Amber Cove. This was our first time there. We went straight there for a pool day. Found 2 loungers easily and the pool was clean and well-cared for. There are waiters that travel around and will deliver drinks, as well as a swim-up-bar.

There is a separate pool that small children can use, but many were in the larger pool with adults. Neither was an issue. Easy slopes or steps into the water. Built in benches and even loungers in the water. Clean bathrooms available. There are two waterslides for all ages. Many lifeguards and also supervision of the slides. 

We had no regrets choosing a pool day there. Be sure to bring sunscreen!

Okay, I bet it is overwhelmed with the cruise sales.

I will try again tomorrow. Thank you. I would hate for anything not to go through and to be denied boarding. If nothing changes in the next few days, I will call them again.

Today I have tried repeatedly to complete the online check-in process. I have called RCi once and was told I would have to wait until I am at the pier, which is 2 weeks away.

1. I was unable to sign the cruise contract for me.

2. Website would not accept my credit card payment and it would not let me pay for my spouse (because it kept changing her entry of "none" for onboard account entry and changing it to cash).

3. Website would not let me sign my cruise contract and shows my online check in as incomplete in onboard account AND re: signed contract. I tried to edit her entries to include signing for me and that did not work either.

I logged out, cleared cookies and logged back in and still no joy. No edits kept and still cannot edit it now.

Do I need to worry? I am on hold AGAIN for help with check-in. 6 other cruises on another line and I never had an issue with online check-in. Not a great start for our first cruise with RCI. We are looking forward to a great time-we can have fun anywhere, but if this is a reflection of organizational processes, I don't look forward to a speedy embarkation.

Thanks, Merion Mom. I think we may consider that. I will miss ordering a bottle of Seagram's and ginger ale to have in the room. We like a drink before dinner while we dress, so I guess we will have to remember to pick one up on the way to the cabin.

If it's a late night snack you're craving, I have to concur with an earlier poster who recommended the Windjammer -- my wife and I *always* go there just before they close for the evening and take a sample of the cheese they put out. That plus a glass of Port, while enjoying the balcony is better than any narcotic to get to sleep.

 

Just our Two Quid.

 

Michael

Does that mean one of our bottles of wine can be port? I would LOVE that. I am on RCI for the first time and usually order bottle service from HAL and cannot do that on RCI, but would love to bring port, as an alternative.

We only travel with carry-on luggage. Even if we check it on a flight, it meets the criteria. Easy enough to pack for 12 days. Haven't tested it for more.

We then carry it onto the ship, which is little issue. We leave it in the room and go have lunch. Then we unpack. When we leave, we have it all with us, so no looking for luggage, which is not that hard, to be honest. We just like keeping it simple.

Even with a carry-on, approved size and not overstuffed, I have clothes leftover that I do not even get to wear. This is going down 2 days early to Florida, a 7 day cruise and an extra day at the end. I roll my clothes tightly and I can get a lot in a bag. I also take at least 2 pair of shoes besides the ones I am wearing (the bulkiest usually).

If it feels tedious to you, don't do it. For us, tedious is lugging big luggage.

I must concur that it was more like a remoulade than a thousand island or Big Mac sauce. Not spicy to me and the chunks in it were not celery, that I could tell, but more like a finely diced red pepper and maybe onion--not a relish, either. Definitely mayo based and remoulade has some stone ground mustard in it, but this wasn't showing visible mustard seeds to me, so I would guess a milder mustard. That's how I would rebuild it.

It was good but not one i am straining to recreate, which is something I admit to doing with many foods. I often mix up a fast dipping sauce using some combo of mayo, bbq, spicy chili crisps, relish, mustard, hot sauce, etc. and am fine with variations.

Have fun trying it out at home.

On HAL you can get free sea-calm tablets at the front desk. My partner takes one dose before dinner every evening and it helps while we pick up speed to the next port.

Here's one I emailed to myself and used via my phone until I picked one up locally:

http://www.fla-keys.com/pdf/kwaa.pdf

Lagerhead's looks like a doublewide trailer about 20 feet from the beach with two rows of beach chairs/loungers. The space is about 20 yards wide with paved road to the right and a small pier and to the left a fence at a hotel property. There is a buoy-line about 12 feet into the water to limit the swim space. It is small and you see a sliver of ocean. We weren't that impressed with it and decided not to hang there at all--we like walking a beach and had no idea it was so tiny when we were referred there. Different expectations. Just wanted to mention that in case you were looking for more than a beach chair in the sun with drinks.

I always like reading reviews of all kinds and forgot to thank you for posting here.

One thing I noticed, on my first time on the Eurodam, was that I didn't care for the artwork. Most of it seemed like prints/copies or miniature ships. A few dramatic pieces like on the 11th floor by elevators -an original oil painting (I think that was where it was) and the items in the Silk Den, the large wooden carvings on the way to the Crow's Nest and the whimsical dioramas we passed on our way to the Queen's Lounge (I think). I just never felt I needed to explore every inch like I did on the Westerdam. A small thing, but I love the artifacts on the ships.

I was on the same time as summersigh. I very much enjoyed the Adagio Duo classical music and the one night at the BB Kings show. I loved the thermo-spa to relax physically and get away from the noise/crowds.

I am so sorry your back was such an issue VTCruiser! I have significant arthritis and injuries and recently saw a specialist for injections in my spine that have changed my life. Up until this, I used massage, stretching and exercise to keep my back/hip/leg numbness in line for decades. I have to say that the injections, as a last resort, literally saved my life, as I am very young--just 50 ;) and managing the pain has helped immensely. Perhaps you can find someone to help you find the care you need.

Just off the Eurodam which was $249 for 7 days for two. 2 years ago it was $199 on the NA for 7 days.

It has gone up, but is still worth it to us. We go as much as twice a day, as it is open until 10 PM and is a great end of the evening event. I have gone in the afternoon to get out of the sun and the crowds and the noise and rested on a lounger in the hydro-pool area just to read, mostly alone there.

We probably spend a total of 8-12 hours each in there over the course of the week, which makes the cost worth it to us. The warm meditation room is as lovely as the heated ceramic loungers.

Also, they offer 4 scrubs (salt/sugar) to use as part of your spa experience as part of the package. ask when you sign up to see if that is still the case and how to collect them.

We find it easiest to go to the spa early on embarkation (just after lunch and unpacking) and walk into the spa hydropool area and sign up without a tour, etc. They will then mark both cards for use at that time. So, it helps to have both people together. Takes 2 minutes.

We arrived late (!) for the 11 AM one...we thought it was 11:45 and we both rushed to the room, me after I walked all around the 11th deck, the 9th floor, the spa, etc. and changed quickly to arrive in time (10 minutes late). We ordered only the appetizer because we had that late breakfast. The waiter checked with us again and tried to bring us a dessert anyway, which we politely declined. It did not seem an issue.

Side note: We enjoyed the conversation with our tablemates so much. They were siblings from Newton, Iowa, home of the Maytag cheese I adore. It was offered on the ship, too and I loved hearing the stories of their working there when they were teens. I have really enjoyed meeting people on the ship and I am NOT a people-person in general. Maybe vacation lets me cut loose a little.

I apologize for the confusion!

I meant for the special Mariner's lunch with the captain's toast and the handing out of tiles. I changed for that. We went for the tiles ;)

The spa has advertising sheets in each room and specials that vary every day.

The thermal spa for 2 all week last week was $249

A deluxe pedicure with tip was $80

A tip to toe special was $157, including a scalp massage, a pedicure and several other things.

Massages were somewhere around $125 or so.

It depends on the manager's discretion and the ship, I think. If they don't sell enough thermalspa passes, they sell it as a day pass add-on sometimes.

@Tripper10 I bought it about one month out from the cruise. It was simply convenient. I knew what we would definitely spend (the tips, Tamarind, our thermal spa subscription) so got enough to cover that stuff at a minimum.

I never carry a balance on a credit card, so before or after really doesn't matter, except that I shot a check out to the credit card company and it was paid for before we even got on the ship.

Sadly 19 dead and three apprehended. More news here:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/18/africa/tunisia-parliament-evacuated/

No confirmation re: cruisers

Also, you can purchase OBC before the cruise so you can use that to budget your expenses. I bought several hundred dollars ahead of time via HAL site and any excess was simply credited to my credit card. No large bill after the cruise and everything processed promptly.