cruzin4us

This is exactly the info I was looking for! Thanks for all your quick responses!

Thanks for the response Kazu!

If you put cash or charge to your onboard account, don't they take 3% (I think I read this somewhere??). That's why I was considering purchasing the chips.

If they don't charge the 3%, then I would just go ahead and purchase more onboard credit. Maybe I'm wrong on this....hope you can offer some advice on this.

Thanks again!

Do any of you know how this works? I can purchase in advance, increments of $10's in casino chips. Do they deliver them to the room or are they left on account until I need to withdraw or use them?

Is this a pain, or is it better just to take cold hard cash and not deal with advance purchasing?

Shoes: I have had knee replacement surgey, a broken leg, broken foot and I DREAD the formal nights because I can't find any formal shoes that fit me well enough. Heels are out of the question (that's how I broke my foot) and to wear flats with a glittery gown just doesn't cut it in my opinion.

We have come to the conclusion that my DH will wear a dress shirt with a tie (ties don't take up much space in the luggage) and I will wear a long dress with flat sandals (not flip flops).

Please don't be so harsh on those that don't dress up to your standards, sometimes some of us have ailments that just prevent us from dressing to the 9's even though we would like to. I'm not going to the Lido deck to eat on Gala nights, and I'm not staying in my room. I will not dress shabbily, but I definitely won't be wearing high heels and a tight sequined dress.....not happening.

Please just worry about yourselves and not about others. Everyone has an opinion on this, and frankly no body is right or wrong.....just different views.

If your are a wine drinker or a Tequila drinker, the elite is a better deal.. I like Tequila and don't think Jose Cuervo is tequila, but that is all that is covered by the SBP. So in order to save $, I'm drinking gin :)

My mom can walk around fairly good with a walker, but she is limited on how far she can trek. Is the Uber pick up in Port Everglades relatively close and easy to get to after disembarking from the ship?

Our airlines changed our flight departure and now we are stuck with nothing to do until early evening. We were thinking about taking an Uber into Fort Lauderdale and have lunch and kill some time before our flight.

Currently we are signed up with HAL's shuttle service to the airport, but nothing would make me happier than to spend 10 hours outside the airport if possible.

Thanks for your help :)

Rather than start a new thread about the beverage package, I thought someone might answer this easily on this thread. How do you keep track of how many beverages you've used per day (SBP)? I plan on getting extra water at the end of the night to make my "15" allowed drinks. Can you simply ask the bartender where you stand for the day or do I need to keep a mental list going?

I like the Hampton Inn on Pacific Highway but it can be hard to get. For my next SD cruise I'm booked at the new Hilton Garden Inn on Pacific Highway just a little ways from the Hampton and right next to Little Italy.

 

Roz

 

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I second this.....I'm not sure how far in advance you are arriving in SD, but you can take the trolley to the Gaslamp district as well as Old Town. Little Italy is fun to browse thru as well. My suggestion is find any hotel/motel that is located next to a trolley stop and that way you have lots of fun options to visit.

We are also sailing out of SD on the same cruise. I've wondered the same questions you are asking. I did notice however that the roll call seems to have a LOT of people only doing the Vancouver to SD portion of the cruise. So, my guess is 1/2 the people will be getting off the ship in SD.

I've had no problem booking any of the Specialty Dining and I was able to get a Retreat Cabana for the entire cruise. I have not tried to get the Thermal Pass. I, like you thought it was only available when I got onboard.

48 days and counting :)

Ketchikan: We walked up the street along a fairly small and very steep creek. The salmon were swimming upstream to spawn (at the hatchery) and it was AMAZING just to watch them swim upstream and jump over the rocks. One of my favorite non-excursion things I've ever done.

If you keep walking up the path along the creek you will see totem poles and there is a hatchery that offers a tour for a small fee if I remember correctly.

Been in the cabanas on Noordam, Eurodam, N. Amsterdam and Koningsdam. None have USB power outlets. IIRC, only KDAM has (standard) power outlets in the cabanas.

thank you CruiserBruce :)

Does anyone know if they have USB charging outlets in the retreat cabins? Specifically the Family retreat.

Here is an image of "prohibited" power strips shown on the HAL safety video in my stateroom. From experience, I know that anything that looks like this will be confiscated by Port Security:

 

Wow, I'm sure glad you posted this....This is what I was considering bringing. I didn't think that was a surge protector, but just a big extension cord :o

We have rented the family retreat cabana (the one that holds 4 people) on our upcoming 16 day Panama cruise. The cost was $899 for the entire cruise which I find to be a bargin. It's cheaper than the booze package we bought :o

Self-service draft beer (i.e. pour your own) is only available on the Koningsdam to date. You swipe your key card, pour the beer, and are charged according to the number of ounces poured.

 

Draft beer served from a bar, where available, would be covered by the Signature Package.

Thank you for the quick response....I was really scratching my head on the "self-service" part. I've never seen that before.

I was reading all the "fine print" before I hit the "buy" button on the SBP and wanted to be sure draft beer wasn't excluded.

In the signature package it states that "self-service draft beer" is excluded. Not wanting to appear too stupid, does this mean regular draft beer out of the tap is excluded? I'm not quite sure what the "self-service" part means? I've never seen a self service draft beer....Self service (to me anyway) means I would be pouring my own beer just as I would self-service at the juice/water dispenser in the Lido Buffet.....Am I missing something here?

Carnival ships have those good by the inch sales - wonder how many people's skin turned green from the "gold"

 

 

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Mine :o:o:o:o:o

San Diego to Long Beach isn't a hop skip and a jump. Probably the cheapest would be to take an Uber. I looked up an fare estimate and it ranges from $138 on up (depending on the car you need and how many are riding). There is no "easy train" or commuter type of option.

We bought the thermal suite pass on our partial canal on Zuiderdam and we used it a lot. The ship is air conditioned, so if you've been indoors for a while, the warmth should be pleasant. We go for the hydropool more than the heated loungers. I wouldn't bother with the thermal suite on the smaller ships that just have a hot tub, but I love that hydropool!

I think you answered my question....what's a few hundred more $'s at this point anyway ;p;p

My DH thinks he's going to be bored after 16 days, so the more I find for him to do the better.

Do you know if you can pay for this upfront or do I need to wait until after I board? Trying to get everything paid for in advance if I can.

Do you think it's a good/smart idea to purchase the Thermal Spa package a Panama Canal cruise? Last time I went thru the canal it was so bloody hot, I couldn't imagine being anywhere hot.

However, the thought of reclining and relaxing in the heated loungers sounds really appealing to me now.....but in 100 degree weather, I'm not so sure?

Thoughts?

Of course you'd be able to use it. The Family Retreat Cabana will be perfect for the 4 of you.

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Thank you! I was hoping that's what someone say :*:*

My parents rented the family retreat cabana. After reading the above posts, am I to understand that we (my DH and myself) would not be able to use the cabana, only my parents would because they booked it?

We purposely decided on the Family cabana because it held 4 people. Please would someone clarify this for me as I'm the one the most wants to use it. My mom booked it at the time she made our advance dinner reservations, never thinking that we wouldn't all be able to use the cabana at the same time......eek

I have come to the conclusion that we will definitely get at least the SBP. Due to the hot weather, I know we will be drinking more of everything, liquor included. My biggest quandry is still whether we should upgrade to the elite. It's all about the tequila with me. If they would just charge me the extra amount that exceeded the ($8-$9) then it would be an easy choice and I would go with the SBP. Unfortunately, HAL doesn't let you do that. From what I understand if it's over the $8-9, then you pay for the entire drink. I just may have to start drinking Tito's ;)

One of my most anticipated things on a cruise is to get a massage. However, for many days before I start formulating my "No Thank You" to the dreaded sales pitch that follows my massage. Last time I prefaced my massage with "please don't try to sell me anything afterwards because I won't buy anything". My thought was she was forewarned and if she started in on the pitch I would reduce her tip. Sounds cruel, but I was upfront and I didn't want to hear any sales pitch after what was a nice massage. I also thought, I could either get 1 massage and buy some product, or I could forego the product and get another massage. This was a no brainer for me ;)

To her credit, she didn't try to "pitch" me anything but she handed me a handwritten list with her suggestions for products. I said thank you, tipped her well and walked out and tossed the list in the trash. That was the best no sales pitch spa service I've ever had on a cruise ship.

How do the rest of you handle the sales pitch?

I would also like to know if there is a common standard on how much one should tip for a spa service. I know there is no standard answer, but it would be helpful to hear what you consider to be a fair/good tip? Let's assume for this discussion you had a great spa service.

Yay, I found it.....by sheer luck I stumbled across it.

It is under "My Reservations" then under "View my Itinerary". I was looking for something that said something like "pre-paid purchases". :cool: