Ny Alesund

In a few months, I am booked on a cruise with RCL that is stopping in Labadee on the north coast of Haiti. In my research, the "private island" is not actually an island and is actually a private resort on the mainland about 6 miles away from Cap Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti. I would be very interested in visiting this city to get about a better idea of what the nation is like culturally. However, there are no shore excursions whatsoever that leave the walled off resort area and I have not been able to find any information on this site or elsewhere with recommendations on how to get to town from the port. Has anyone ever been to this port of call and left the resort during their stopover? If so, what is the best way to get to town? Does security give you any problem with trying to get in/out of the gate? Also do you need to have your passport stamped/go through customs? Any input would be very helpful. 

I believe there may be some confusion with what I have asked based on the responses. I am not talking about bringing alcohol on board for consumption during the duration of the cruise. Rather I am inquiring about alcohol that I may want to buy while ashore at a port of call (barbados, st. lucia, antigua, ect). I know they will confiscate the alcohol to hold for the remainder of the cruise. What I am asking is whether or not there is a limit to how strong the rum proof can be to even be allowed on the ship.

As the title suggests, is there a limit as to how high the content can be for alcohol that you buy offshore and want to bring back on board? For instance, airlines prevent you from buying alcohol that is in excess of 70% for safety reasons (fire hazard). I wanted to see if anyone knows whether cruise lines have such a policy to avoid the potential for confiscation on my next voyage.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I always assumed it was some sort of symbol of respect. I had no idea it was required by law in some jurisdictions. Thanks

Has anyone ever noticed that when you are on ship and sail to another country, shortly before arriving in port, an employee will raise the flag of whatever nation you are sailing into (usually on either the bow or stern)? I have noticed this on many cruises I have been on, but have been unable to find an answer online. Note, what I am asking about is not in relation to the "flags of convenience" which many ships fly representing their ports of registry.

Almost forgot to mention yet another similarity.......if you go to an Atlantic City resort, you are literally right next to the ocean too.

I don't really think this is what you are saying, but I often get that 'cruise ship' feeling when I spend a few days at a casino resort. There is something about standing on the upper level of Mohegan Sun in CT that reminds me of looking over the rail out to sea on a cruise. And just like on a cruise, I rarely leave my casino resort unless it's for a short excursion. Getting up for breakfast in a nice restaurant, followed by laying by the pool, a quick lunch and some afternoon gambling, then a beautiful dinner followed by gambling and a show. I follow the same itinerary whether at the Palazzo in Vegas or on a ship at sea.

 

When I cruise without a casino, I truly feel a bit lost as it is a large part of my cruising experience.

No quite the contrary. This is exactly what I am trying to say. I feel like going to a casino resort like Mohegan Sun or foxwoods feels very similar to being on a cruise and vice-versa for all the reasons you pointed out. It just seems so obvious but is something that most people do not realize. Most of my family members love to cruise but do not care to try visiting a casino resort when I invite them to come with me.

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO Ny Alesund: Going on a cruise ship is not the same as going to a casino resort. First, cruising came about as a means of travel to get from point A to point B. Even after WWll there was no airline that made money bringing passengers from place to place. Airlines didn't start to overtake cruise ships until the mid '60's. In fact back on those days you had to dress for dinner. There weren't that many things to do on a ship. In the '60's cruise ships had to change or go out of business all together. My wife, who went on some cruises in the '70's informs me that the casinos on a ship were not that large. Many of the games they have in a casino today they didn't have. Not every line had a casino on board a ship. When casinos became popular then the cruise lines made them larger in response to demand. Not if we build it they will come. Also, when you pay your fare for the cruise you get many things included, (meals, shows, movies). You go to a casino resort you get your room. Meals you get on your own, want to see a show, not included.

Your assertion that a cruise ship would not exist without a casino is false. Viking line does not have a casino. Nor does any company that does river cruising. And neither does Disney Cruise Line.

I understand that some cruise ships do not have casinos. However, it seems that such vessels are in the minority and have much higher fares (i.e. Disney) in part a result of this. When I go to a casino, I typically get most if not everything comped (rooms, meals, shows, drinks, etc). I know not every patron gets this, but this is part of the reason why I have noticed a similarity. Even on cruise ships many passengers are there (comped) because of an offer extended to them by a land based casino. While I would not argue the fact that many cruise ships (historically) existed for transportation purposes, it seems like many cruises that have become popular (i.e. trips to the Caribbean from US ports) have passengers who are not too interested in the ports of call and are more interested in what there is to do on board. This is especially prevalent on some of the larger ships that RCL and Norwegian have recently built.

Just as an educated guess - Disney Wonder, the 3 night cruises DCL currently does (which the Dream took over from the Wonder) go to Castaway Cay and Nassau.

Yep, I checked out the Shipmate app and was able deduct that based on the fact that that was the only itinerary listed out of Port Canaveral for 3 day trips. In fact, I was able to figure out just about every itinerary I had listed (with the exception of 2 cruises on ships that no longer exist) by using this app.

Something interesting that I have noticed is how similar the overall experience of going on a cruise ship is to visiting a casino resort. Obviously excluding the clear similarity in that both have legalized gaming, it seems like cruise ships really on the same sensory overload techniques that make most large-scale casino resorts successful (buffets/numerous dining options, live entertainment, nightclubs, bars, foreign staff, flashy design). Also interesting is how the casino is always at the literal center of any ship I have ever been on. It almost seems like cruising evolved because of casino gambling. I would almost go so far as to say that it seems like the modern cruise ship would not exist without the casino. Has anyone else (especially those who gamble frequently) made these same observations on their trips?

Checking the Shipmate application.....

 

1. Norwegian Sky out of NY to Bermuda' date=' 7 days, 2000

 

List only goes back to 2008....

 

2. Disney Wonder 3 night out of port canaveral, 2001

 

85 cruses in 2001

 

3. Carnival (Imagination?) 7 nights out of New Orleans (departed 9/22/2002)

 

Actually September 23rd....

 

Day 1 - Miami

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Cozumel, Mexico

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Miami

 

4. Norwegian Dawn 7 night out of NY date between 2003-2004

 

97 cruises in 2004, 50 cruises in 2005

 

5. Carnival celebration 5 nights out of jacksonville 11/20/2004

 

Carnival Celebration exited service as of 2008.

 

7. Norwegian (sea?) 7nights out of Houston 4/16/2005

 

The NCL Sea was in service until 2005, then sold.

 

8. Crown Princess 9 night Caribbean departed from NY (sep 2006)

 

Multiple 9 night cruises for both east and west carribean

 

9. Norwegian dawn 7 nights out of NY (6/23/2007)

 

Day 1 - New York, New York

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Nassau, Bahamas

Day 4 - Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), Bahamas

Day 5 - At Sea

Day 6 - King's Wharf, Bermuda

Day 7 - At Seas

Day 8 - New York, New York

 

10. Royal Caribbean explorer of the seas 9 nights from NY or Bayonne, NJ (summer 2009)

 

Do you have a more specific date? I'm looking at a 9 Night Bermuda & Caribbean (Cape Liberty) roundtrip from July 23, 2009

 

Day 1 - Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - King's Wharf, Bermuda

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Phillipsburg, St. Maarten

Day 6 - Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

Day 7 - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Day 8-9 - At Sea

Day 10 - Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey[/quote']

 

 

Hey thanks for your help. I'll check this app out myself and see if there is anything else I can find.

 

I think number 3 may have actually been Carnival Inspiration, and number 10 was probably august

 

To answer some other posters, I have already checked the cruise line loyalty sites and I was only able to get the departure dates (but no ports of call)

So, I have been cruising for the greater part of 20 years now, and for the most part I have kept accurate records of my travels. However for a few cruises that I took early on, I am not entirely certain which ports we visited. While I would really like this information, I have searched online for websites that might have archived it to no avail. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how this information can be obtained?

In case there is no way to verify it online, I have included a list of the cruises in question with as much information that I could recall about each sailing. (in case by some chance anyone happens to have taken any of these trips as well)

1. Norwegian Sky out of NY to Bermuda, 7 days, 2000

2. Disney Wonder 3 night out of port canaveral, 2001

3. Carnival (Imagination?) 7 nights out of New Orleans (departed 9/22/2002)

4. Norwegian Dawn 7 night out of NY date between 2003-2004

5. Carnival celebration 5 nights out of jacksonville 11/20/2004

7. Norwegian (sea?) 7nights out of Houston 4/16/2005

8. Crown Princess 9 night Caribbean departed from NY (sep 2006)

9. Norwegian dawn 7 nights out of NY (6/23/2007)

10. Royal Caribbean explorer of the seas 9 nights from NY or Bayonne, NJ (summer 2009)