Firstin87

On 6/1/2021 at 10:46 AM, bigdsf said:

I'm booked out of sf on the Ruby Princess nov 27,2021  they had unreal pricing a month ago.ships will not be full

We were happy with the price we paid, too.  Looking forward to not having to deal with flying, either, as SF is our local port.  I wonder if Gov. Newsom will announce any information relating to cruise ships in Calif. when he is supposed to reopen the state on June 15.  I'll allow myself to get excited when I hear something from the government that ships are allowed in their states.

We were in Ensenada a couple years ago and my husband bought me a lovely pair of fire opal earrings.  I'd like to go back someday to get a matching necklace.  Hoping to see some jewelry stores on this cruise - lol.

Kevin - With the great itinerary you have through the Panama Canal, you and your wife can certainly call it a 25 and 26 year celebration.  Hope you had a nice anniversary and could maybe go out to dinner or something.

CruiserKenn - Hawaii is gorgeous.  You'll have a great time!  Looks like your cruise is a couple before ours, so we'll both get the newly cleaned ship.

Thank you, everyone.  We booked it and are going to be cautiously optimistic.  We are so upset about our Panama Canal in Nov. on NCL being cancelled since it was our fourth attempt at that cruise since 2018 and we book well in advance.  Being so late, we thought we were good to go, but no.

My husband looked up Ruby's dry dock dates and I see why CalLovesCruisingToo would be nervous.  The way things have been this past year plus, you don't feel confidant about anything.  I hope you get to go and have a wonderful time!

KTB - congratulations on 25 years!  Looks like a nice itinerary.

Thanks for your opinion.  With Gov. Newsom saying the state will open more fully June 15 and the relaxed CDC guidelines for both the country and the cruise industry (for vaccinated crews and passengers), I don't expect California to be the problem.  Fingers crossed for both of us!

Hi,

My husband and I have mostly cruised with NCL, but now bounce between that line and Princess.  Like other cruise lines, NCL just cancelled a number of cruises for the next few months.  One of them was our fourth attempt at a Panama Canal cruise in Nov. and we are, of course, very disappointed. 

In deciding what to do for our Fall vacation (our first vacation since the Fall of 2019), we found a 10 day Mexican Riviera on the Ruby round-trip from San Francisco late Nov. to early Dec.  We understand it's a challenge for lines to get ships fully staffed and ready to go, and no one can predict the future.   On another thread, I saw the cancellation letter Princess sent to many of you and the latest date I recall seeing was August 21, so we're thinking that late Nov. might be more of a sure thing.   I'm wondering for those of you who are more experienced Princess cruisers, do you think that is the last batch of cruises Princess will cancel?  What is your opinion of how confidant we can be that this cruise will sail, assuming California allows cruises by then (its our home state and we don't expect any issues from the state government about that)? 

Thanks for your opinions and out sympathies to those of you who also had upcoming cruises cancelled.  We're all sooo looking forward to getting back onboard!

Cyndy

Hi Gregandamy,

We are going to Astoria in March and would like to look into the private tour you did.  I found their website, but it does not have pricing information.  Would you mind telling me how much it cost for the all day tour? 

Thanks,

Cyndy

Firstin87

We made our third trip on POA last Sept. and found they had the same type of shows as on every other NCL ship - a comedian, a production show (which, if I recall correctly, did two shows), and a magician.  They've also got the usual entertainment in one of the bars (piano player).

There is a bit less to do onboard during the day.  As Armac noted, most passengers treat the ship as a floating hotel.

Great way to see hawaii and we have loved all three of our POA cruises.

Hi,

We are booked on POA''a cruise on Sept. 28.  When we did this cruise in 2017, Toby Beau performed and we really enjoyed him.  We looked online and found that he is in "Honolulu, HI" from mid-Sept. for a couple months.  By any chance, does anyone know if he is performing on POA?

Thanks,

Cyndy

Firstin87

Hi,

We are booked on our second Princess cruise in March, going from San Francisco to Victoria and Vancouver.  One of our perks is a "cruise night coupon book".  We've never heard of that and I cannot find anything about it on this forum.  Does anyone know what that is?

Thank you,

Cyndy

54 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

I went to Havana with my sister on RCI in February.  Absolutely loved our tour through Blexie Tours.  Our guide Raoul was knowledgeable and very accommodating.  It was only the two of us so we could linger where we wanted and moved along when we didn't.  I was amazed at the architecture and of course the vehicles.  We were taken in a '55 Plymouth out to Fuesterlandia and to the International hotel that was built by the mob.  We unfortunately did not go back out in the evening since we were exhausted.  So on that note, I  would have loved a couple of days there.  The only other negative point is immigration, no one seemed particularly pleased we were there and the currency exchange.  There is a 13% charge to convert money both into CUC and back into USD, so you have to calculate closely what you think you will spend while there.  American credit cards are not accepted. 

 

One other thing I find annoying is that all of the cruise lines are charging premium $$ for the Cuba cruises and are using their ships that are ready to go to drydock for refurbishment.  They know we will pay it !   I do however definitely want to go back with my husband in the near future while it is still available.

My husband and I went to Cuba on NCL's Sun last Oct. (2018) and I agree with everything above about Raul and Tours by Blexie.  It's a great way to see Havana and Raul was an absolutely wonderful guide!  Highly recommend doing a private tour through Blexie as you get the most bang for your buck.

To us, Cuba was a "one and done" port.  As Dar and Bob (and I'm sure others whom I haven't read yet) have noted, the architecture and cars are big attractions.  Cuba is not like other cruise ports as the "only" thing to do is tour Havana.  The question is how you want to do it - through a cruise ship excursion or a private tour?

Our experience with the Cuban people's response to Americans differed from what Dar and Bob noted.  We did not feel unwelcome in any way.  We, too, did not go out in the evening because we were tired, but we never felt unsafe or had any problems. We were with Raul the entire day, too.

I'm sure you'll enjoy Cuba.  It is a very interesting country and I suggest doing a bit of historical research before your trip as you'll get more from the experience if you have a general understanding the Cuba's history.

Cyndy

Firstin87

Excellent plan.  If NCL has an excursion that meets your needs and budget, it will make the planning a lot easier.  You're smart to research and plan so early.  With so much to do in so little time on Grand Cayman, it's not a port to "wing it".

Hope you have a great trip!  Be sure to post how it goes.

On your way to Capt. Marvin's (who I think is a relative of Jackie's, by the way), you'll drive along Seven Mile Beach, probably past the Governor's House, and other unique buildings.  Some sites are just "drive by"s.

The tender ride from the ship is very quick.  If you've got priority tendering, you'll be on the island in just a few minutes.  Even if you're in line to tender, the ride is short and the crew keeps the people and tenders moving.

I suggest having an idea in advance what souvenirs you want to bring back to minimize your time shopping around.

NCL should be posting shore excursions for Feb. in about August, so be sure to check their site in case there is the perfect excursion for your group.  One perk to doing through the ship is that you are guaranteed to return on time.  Although, having just done two NCL sponsored shore excursions on our cruise (Jamaica and Cozumel; we had a lot of OBC and a shore ex credit), I discovered that they tend to depart at least an hour earlier than advertised on their site.  They both returned at the time noted on the website, so you got more time than advertised.  Just keep it in mind as you plan the few hours you have on Grand Cayman.

On 4/25/2019 at 7:59 AM, bookbabe said:

@Buck1949  There are tons of Stingray City tours, the best ones will be booked up in advance, but there are almost always some available at the port day-of unless it's a heavy day for ships or a major holiday.

 

A land-based tour operator or private driver will not do a Stingray City tour themselves, since that has to be done by boat and not car.

 

If what you're looking for is a stingrays/turtle farm combination, there are many operators that offer that combo, including the usual cruise-run excursions.  Try google - https://www.google.com/search?q=cayman+stingray+city+tours+with+turtle+farm&rlz=1C1GGRV_enCA751CA751&oq=cayman+stingray+city+tours+with+turtle+farm&aqs=chrome..69i57.9617j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 - for numerous reviews and suggestions.

 

Hell is a tiny gift shop and rock formation near the turtle farm, so many operators will throw it in as a stop but it's pretty meh.

 

The rum cake store/factory is also pretty meh.  It's a store selling rum cakes with a window into the bakery where you can sometimes see people baking.  There's a couple of stores right at the port that sell rum cakes and that usually give out samples to try, or you can buy them on the ship.

 

I wouldn't necessarily book a private driver to do any of the things you've mentioned.  It's a lot of expense for very little benefit.  Book a Stingray City/Turtle Farm combo tour through one of the operators, get dropped off at Hell or the beach after and then take a taxi back to the port.  Much easier and cheaper.  The private drivers are really more useful and worthwhile if you want an extensive land-based tour that includes other parts of the island like East End.

I'm sorry to reply so late.  Very hectic first week home.

I concur with most of what Bookbabe wrote.  The challenge you have is the stingray excursions.  It will take up most of your time on Grand Cayman, so it comes down to your priorities.  This is definitely an island that would be great to have an overnight at.

Because we had our tour pre-arranged, we did not pay much attention to the specific vendors that were at the port.  The day we were there, five ships were in port, which is not uncommon so keep that in mind as you plan.  I'd definitely pre-book your day or you may end up not being able to do any of the things you want, and certainly not at an affordable price.

To add to Bookbabe's comments - you'll need only about 15 minutes to see Hell.  More time is spent in the gift shop than looking at the cool rock formation as it is not very big.  If you do want something postmarked "Hell" from the post office, they only accept exact change and I'm not sure what the postage is, but I'm sure you can look it up online.

We originally had the Tortuga Rum Cake factory on our list, but ended up skipping it in favor of spending more time at other sites.  I don't think we missed anything.  If you want to buy rum cakes to bring back, they are sold absolutely everywhere.  We bought a six pack of small rum cakes (4 oz. each) for $32.00 (US) made by BlackBeard's (not Tortuga) at a store near the port called, I think, "Premium Souvenirs".  Tortuga's rum cakes are a bit more expensive.

Hopefully you find a good combo tour that works for you.  When do you go?

Cyndy

Firstin87

Hi Mamabearjp,

Our cruise was last week and we did the horseback ride and swim on Wed., April 17.  It was wonderful!  My favorite part was when my horse galloped through the water.  This was my husband's first experience riding a horse and he had a good time.  We can do this again sometime.

Thank you again for all the information you sent.  I used your list when we packed and we had everything we needed.  You sure weren't kidding when you said it takes awhile to get the horses ready.  They are a bit disorganized, though.  They ran out of helmets for everyone and it took awhile to get more.

Thanks again,

Cyndy

Firstin87

We just returned from our cruise to Grand Cayman.  It's a beautiful island with something for everyone, so you're sure to enjoy whatever you decide to do.

My husband and I did a private all day tour through Jackie's Historical Land Tours.  Our driver was Graham and he was very good - pleasant personality, didn't rush you along, and had good suggestions for additional places to see since we had extra time.  For the two of us, 5.5 hrs. it cost $420 (cash only).  Sounds like a lot, but we saw everything at our own pace and the tour was tailored specifically for us.

As you're pricing tours, one thing that you won't realize until you are on Grand Cayman is the price of gas.  It is about $6.00 US per gallon - even worse than what we pay in California.  Also, since it is a British territory, wages are closer to "western wages" than on some other islands.  So when you consider those things, an hourly rate of $40+ makes more sense.

Jackie's Historical Land Tours website - http://jackieshistoricallandtours.com/

Enjoy the trip!

Cyndy

Firstin87

Hi mamabearjp,

Thank you for all the details!  I appreciate you taking the time to tell me everything I need to know, and adding the list of things to bring. 

I'm sorry to reply to late.  I've been laid up with the flu and am finally getting caught up on emails, etc.

I envy you getting to ride horses at home.  My husband has never ridden and this looks like a great first experience for him.  I haven't ridden in over 30 years, but its been on my "vacation to do" list for some time.

Thanks again!

Cyndy

Hi Mamabearjp,

Thank you for the info.  I'm thinking about what we need to pack for that day.  Can you change clothes before and after the water portion of the ride?   

Thanks,

Cyndy

Hi,

We are going to Ocho Rios in mid-April on NCL and are considering doing the Horseback Ride & Swim excursion.  Has anyone done that?  Does anyone know what stable it is through - Hooves or Braco Stables?

Thanks for any information.

Cyndy

Thank you, sleepbestonships, for this post. We were just wondering the same thing and I was about to do the math myself, so I appreciate you doing it for me.

Hi,

I posted this question last week, but got no reply as it went far down the forum list quickly. We've done a bit of ship research, and I'm hoping that my more descriptive thread title helps get any information.

We're looking to book a Panama Canal cruise in early 2020 - 15 days from Florida to California similar to one that sails in Jan. 2019 that we had to postpone. NCL is only listing 5 cruises for Jan.-Feb. 2020, on the Gem and the Joy. However, the Sun and Star are not listed as being in use during this time. After doing some ship research, we found that both ships dock in Florida in mid-August 2019 and have nothing planned thereafter. I thought the Sun was just in drydock, so can't imagine it would be out of service again just over a year later.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on with these ships after next August? Or when NCL will post additional Panama Canal cruises for early 2020? I saw on another thread that there are problems with Nicaragua and I'm wondering if NCL is adjusting their itinerary to skip that port and perhaps that is the delay.

Thanks for any info or ideas.

Thanks for posting this thread. We are also using Blexie and have Raul as our guide, and we'd also like to bring something for him and his family. How old is his daughter? Any thoughts on what would be best to bring his wife? We've got some baseball items for him, so that's done.

Thank you for posting your itinerary. I'm just starting to research what we want to see on our Blexie tour with Raul as our guide.

We sailed from NOLA on the Pearl last March and did not have any issues. Embarkation is always hectic - there's only so much that can be done when so many people are in one place at the same time - but we thought the Port of NOLA did a good job. No problem knowing where to go once in the terminal.

I do wish that NCL did a better job of moving the line along to get to security. Seems it would go faster if there was a separate line for people who did not have their luggage with them (we gave ours to the porter outside the terminal). We were in a suite, so had priority embarkation, which went smoothly.

Disembarkation was fine. As you disembark there are people telling you where to go. Typical chaos with finding your luggage in the color-coded sections. Plenty of cabs outside.

If you are staying pre- or post-cruise at a hotel, the Hilton Riverside is at the pier. Easiest place to stay and nice rooms.

We will be sailing from Miami in Oct. and hope it is as smooth a process as we experienced in NOLA.

Enjoy your trip!

We had a 2019 Panama Canal cruise (15 day from Florida to Los Angeles) that we had to cancel and want to rebook for early 2020. NCL is currently only showing 5 cruises for that time period - on the Gem and Joy. The 2019 cruises were listed in spring of 2017 - we booked in May - and we're wondering when they will list additional sailings for the Canal in early 2020. Currently, four "small" ships - Jade, Pearl, Sky, and Sun - are showing as being "available", so we're hoping some of them will be sailing a similar itinerary in 2020 that we had booked for 2019. Does anyone have any idea when additional sailings might be added? Any idea what's going on with those four ships during that time?

Tried calling NCL and they have no information. Figured I'd post here as people often have some inside scoop.

Thank you!

Cyndy