Jump to content

BoozinCroozin

Members
  • Posts

    2,154
  • Joined

Everything posted by BoozinCroozin

  1. Advanced could not have been better. It is not as straight forward where to go based on the information provided. But still super simple after asking one of the port security people. Basically, you get off the ship and walk all the way to the right (facing land). Directly across the street is like a dirt parking lot. They are right there with others. Just ask any of them and they will point you to the right person. As for driving around, it was super easy. The GPS made a world of difference. We went to Playa Piskado and another beach nearby after. Playa Piskado: Get there are EARLY as possible. Once tour groups are there, the water is so cloudy with sand kicked up everywhere. It was incredible. I think we saw about 2 dozen turtles. Klein Beach was great as well. We spent about 2 hours there After that, we drove around a little bit heading back to port. This was our early leave port day and we did everything we had wanted to. We wound up dropping the car off at 1PM and no one was there. We called on the phone they gave. He said to lock the door and just drop the key off at the port security house right across the street. Super simple experience. I would highly recommend him to anyone.
  2. The roads in and out of the port area are all blocked off. It was hours of delays. Some people got out of their rides and lugged their luggage a mile or more on foot to get to port. If the marathon is the weekend you are going, I would make sure you are 100% inside the marathon route and ports. Too many road closures and too much traffic in the only way to port. As you can see below, everything is blocked off where that 12, 13, 14, 25, 26 are. Every single route to the port is pretty much blocked off. 1 or 2 vehicles getting through every few minutes. You want to be right around what looks to be Bayside and you would want to be there around 4AM if not earlier. So hotels like Yve, Yotel, Holiday Inn, Intercontinental would be KING. Otherwise, wake up 2-3AM, get a ride to Bayside and relax with all your stuff there. Anyone west of those orange lines is in for a rude awakening. You want a hotel between the START and FINISH markers on this map and east of 12/13.
  3. We just got back a week ago. Too busy to get to anything. We took the morning tour on Woodwind. Other than walking to the gate, then having to back track and walk around the block, it was easy to locate them. The crew were incredible. There is a reason they are always rated very highly and do no advertising. They assist with everything every step of the way. I am a very good swimmer and snorkeler. I decided not to take my gear for this one because theirs is so highly rated. I am glad I didn't because their gear was perfect for me. We only did 2 stops because of the rules with park. They were both great stops, simply drifting along and floating the reef walls. So much to see. The only minor thing I didn't expect was a lack of coral color. There were only a few different colors, but that is no big deal. I was hoping for bright red and orange, flaring purples etc. It is just not that type of reef which is OK. Incredible still. The drinks were amazing, the food was great, the atmosphere great. I have to give kuddos to Dee and her team. Somehow my glasses case fell out of my bag. I get migraines without them. I got Dee on WhatsApp, she contacted the Capt on the boat. Because others were on it and they were busy, they couldn't find them on a quick look. When they boat got back and people off, told her what they were in. She walked in, grabbed them, and handed to me. Saved me 4-5 days of headaches and a pending $1,000 for the new pair. If you want a great 4-hour catamaran and snorkel adventure, do not hesitate to book with Woodwind.
  4. We had a good rate to rent a Freedom Jeep for the day from Top Drive. We had to meet at Manchebo Beach Resort (~$15 each way by taxi, so add that in). We are first off the ship somehow, get the resort, and Top Drive isn't even there yet (just before 8AM). They get there only to tell us our Jeep is not there and it will be another hour. That makes me even more mad because we can only sit there and do nothing. 9AM rolls around and they tell us the Jeep we have is broken down and they don't have one. Eventually, they get us the Jeep about 30 minute later with just a tailgate that wouldn't open. We finally get on our way to Tres Trapi and pass it 2x, but get there. Enjoyed snorkeling there for a bit then head out on our way to the lighthouse. The engine light comes on. We have no easy way to contact them, check the oil level and all is good. Checked temp and it is good. There were several others with Top Drive jeeps and we head on the rough side of the island to see the sights. Boy is it a long, rocky, fun drive on that side. A ton dusty, so if you have sinus issues cover up. It was a lot of fun seeing that side and getting to the Gold Mill and Secret Pool. We had lunch at the food truck. 3 meals and drinks was $40. You can't beat that at all. We make our way back into paved roads working our way down to Baby Beach. People say this is a great beach and area. I guess so, but not really much different than anywhere else. Because of the number of people the water was cloudy from kicked up sand. You have to walk a long ways to get shoulder deep water. The little snorkel area in the rocks is pretty fun and clear. Best to wear water shoes, walk to one end of it, let the current take you back to the main part of the water. Lots of fish and if you search you can see eels, sea snakes, etc. This was my favorite part. We made the long drive back to turn the car in. That was pretty uneventful. We get back to the ship, clean up, and then head back to the port area to meet a group to do Scorpion Shots. Unfortunately, they only had Small shirts left so most of us backed out. Still a fun time. I think taking the Jeep was a one-time thing for us. Not that there was an issue, just our style is more "we did it, it was great, and not something we would do again". As for Top Drive, you have to decide on that for yourself. The price was right. If we didn't have to wait 90 minutes, it would have been fine. I would probably use them again if we were going to rent a Jeep. I would just make sure with them they have it.
  5. You could go to the hotel website to see pictures. In either case you will pay for a room with the view.
  6. 6 of one half dozen of another. Double Tree is right on Biscayne Bay. You won't go wrong with either.
  7. Easy to combat this. Get off before those busses have to wait to fill up, passengers lollygagging off the ship looking for their luggage. All this while you self-assist off, get an Uber for just yourself by 8AM and at the airport by 8:45AM. Then about 10AM all those busses start to show up and you are already at your gate waiting.
  8. A lot may depend on time in each port. Aruba you can go to Eagle, Arashi, or Baby beach for the day. You can rent a jeep and tour on your own. Bonaire books golf carts out 6+ months in advance and gone quickly. Woodwind can fill up quickly as well. If you are looking for either of those, book well in advance. For Curacao, we are renting a car from Advance. Plan to had to Playa Grande and Grote Knipp.
  9. We have an 11AM out of FLL cruise from Miami. Tons of people that have been able to make it. But, the only ones you hear from are those that missed it. These are the people that had Carnival take their bags, get a late debark time, spend an hour looking for their bag, etc. If you take your own bags, get in the front of the self-assist line (or have FTTF or D/P/S), have a passport and TSA Precheck, you will be fine.
  10. Game 4 of NBA playoffs, 3 ships in port, Summer break, typical weekend.
  11. Vista is on delay coming in due to medical emergency.
  12. Here is how to get promos for gambling. Take your entire trip cost including Cheers package. Lets assume a 7-day cruise that is $4,000 in total. That is about $600/day. Go to the casino for 3-hours each day, pump a minimum of $600/day through the casino. After that week, you will start to get some offers for about 15%-20% off, maybe some onboard credit or free play. If you want better than that, pump $1500/day for the 7-days. Then you will start to see DOU everywhere, free room, etc.
  13. You don't have to take NCL's flight. You can always book your own and pay for it. That is up to you. By taking the NCL offer, you leave it to them to choose airline, flight times, and airports. It will be about $50-$75 for an Uber each way.
  14. We are on that in June. We have a Jeep rented. We plan to return it by 7PM, taxi back to the port area, and visit things right around there or just get back on the ship. Since no drinks while driving in a foreign country, I will probably just head back on about 8PM, shower, and have a fun evening. There is a show that night at 9:15, but nothing else really scheduled. It will be casino, club, and bar night.
  15. It really depends on you and car reliability. If it were me, I would get up at 3AM (normally am anyway), hop in the car, and get down there the morning of. Pick up breakfast on the way, relax in the car, and head to the ship.
  16. Its doable but depends on when debarkation starts really. To do it safely, you need to do self assist (take your luggage with you), obviously use passport since it is Toronto, and if there is a TSA precheck equivalent for Canadians that can be used in the US, that helps as well. Either way, you should still be fine getting to the airport about 8:15. But, anything can happen and delay getting off the ship.
  17. If a person was assaulted the way you state, they would have been in the brig or the entire family confined to their cabin with security. The entire family disembarked at the next port. This would be all over the news.
  18. Very easy. Don't let the "never before 1PM" people sway you. Just do self assist on debarkation and you will be ok.
  19. Depending on where you are staying, if a Flannigan's is anywhere close, I would go there first. Hometown favorite, knew the original owners, you will get what you pay for (if you want grouper, you will get grouper not tilapia).
  20. You are going to get a lot of differing advice. You have to decide what your family is willing to do and can live with the consequences. The net is if the cruise ports and debarks as scheduled, you can do self-assist with passport and literally walk to a taxi or Uber by 7:45 and be on the road. Many many people on Celebration make it to FLL by 8:15-8:30AM. The only thing you really have to worry about is something that would delay getting to port (affects almost everyone anyway) or there is a medical emergency. 99% of the time, even an 11AM flight is easily made. It is whether you can manage standby for that 1%.
  21. I am cruising over Father's Day. There is so much going on that day for the cruise. As a father, I wouldn't want a spa day and want to have fun partying with family and others. A nice relaxing Sea Day, a few cocktails with nice weather, slot pull, pub crawl, elegant night, and 80s Rock n Glow. I think that is a pretty awesome Father's Day for that cruise.
  22. We have to take a cab to and from to get to Machebo Resort to get the jeep. It adds about $10 each way. The other benefit is the rent a cooler for the day for $5. This will let us take drinks from the ship with us to load the cooler.
  23. Personally, I wouldn't. Baby Beach is a good 35-45 minutes if you go there. That eats up 25% of your time alone. Head out to the the north side to the gold mine is 35-45 minutes. I was seriously debating keeping our rental from 9am-5PM. But when I contact them, they said I have it the entire day because they are closed after about 1PM. Just have to drop the keys off and have the tank filled where we got it at.
×
×
  • Create New...