Mum2Mercury

Yes, that one is the poster child for "use the ship's excursion". It's an all-day tour that requires multiple forms of transportation (ferry and bus) in a country where I don't speak the language. A few other excursions fit this bill too -- many of them in Cozumel, as many excursions cross over to the mainland. But they are the exception, not the rule. No, that's not nice of them -- it's how private tour operators operate! Being smaller, they have to provide superior service and work harder for their customers. Ask a private tour operator, and you'll probably receive. Ask a ship's tour guide, and you'll get a blank stare.

This'll be our first time sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. We'll be driving, so we're quite flexible. When we go out of Port Canaveral, we stay in Titusville, which is about 30 minutes from the port -- that's not much to drive the last morning, and the price difference is significant. We'd like to stay somewhere inexpensive -- we're comfortable with something simple, clean and convenient. Breakfast provided by the hotel would be welcome but not necessary. We're just two adults -- arriving late, then boarding the cruise the next day. No special needs. Any suggestions? What about options for parking? We usually park at the port, but Port Everglades charges a maximum of $20/day -- what do they mean by maximum? We drive a Honda -- might they charge us less than the maximum? Ideas about where we might (safely) park for less than $240?

Thoughts: - Is there really any difference between the Pool Bar and Lime & Coconut, or are we just talking about a new name /face lift? - I hate these Cabanas. They take away space from an already small pool area. - I'd trade Johnny Rockets for Playmakers! I never see anyone in Johnny Rockets, so I think it'd be a bigger money-maker for the cruise line. Yes, the distance is very short. While I agree with you in spirit, I don't think the free steam room /sauna get much traffic.

You're welcome! Here's the video that "walked us through" -- at least, I think it's the same one I used to prep -- having done the trip, this is EXACTLY what we saw! Note: I just saw another poster who says two chairs and an umbrella are now $50 -- and that poster's been to Eagle Beach more recently than I have, so the price has probably increased. I'm thinking of buying myself one of those beach clamshells that fold up to about the size of a camping chair.

Take the city bus -- yes, seriously, the city bus. The bus stop is maybe two blocks away from the dock and cost something like $5 for the two of us. It dropped us right at the beach. Return trip was just as easy. I watched a You Tube video that literally "walked us through" the whole transportation process -- it's been a couple years, so I can't remember all the details, but that video should be pretty easy to find again. Eagle Beach is just as beautiful as everyone says. Definitely worth the trip. No fee to enter but two chairs and an umbrella were $35. If you want to pick up some beer or other drinks to take to the beach, there's a convenience store to the left of the dock.

Random thoughts: - Returning 1 hour before sail-away is a little too close for my comfort level. I plan to set foot on the gangway (not start heading back to the ship) a full two hours before sail-away. - Where will your excursion end? That is, sometimes you meet /are returned to a shopping center or another public place -- other times you meet /are returned to the actual dock. This makes a difference in how quickly you'll be able to get back on the ship. - I suggest you email the excursion provider and ask your questions. This is their job, and they get people back in time -- but you'll feel better if you know their plans. - Do they offer another excursion that's a little shorter? Sometimes they do. - You're right to go with a private tour -- the quality difference is huge -- but it makes you responsible for the details.

Now that's easy to believe. Yes, they have a pretty secure system that can run just on cabin numbers. Here's a story: We were on Cocoa Cay, and I was fumbling around for my ID. The bartender said, "Just tell me your cabin number." He typed it in and said, "Are you sure?" He turned the laptop towards me, and I saw a picture of a black man -- I am a white woman. Before I could even formulate a thought, he said, "Wait -- what ship are you on?" Liberty and Independence were both in port that day, and he assumed Liberty /the wrong ship. He put the number in for Independence, and my picture popped up. We both laughed. So, yeah, ideally you hand over your Ship ID, but they CAN sell you a drink (safely) with just your cabin number. I forgot about that.

On Royal, yes.

Agree with the above: - Have never been offered a welcome drink on Royal. - If you have the drink package, it's up to you to show them your Ship ID (or, if it's really early, your boarding pass) to let them know you have pre-paid. Otherwise, how can they know? - Here's how you can tell if you're being charged: They'll give you a receipt to sign every time you make a purchase. If you have a drink package, the receipt should say $0. They can't sneak in a charge later -- how would they know who you are?

Oh, no! Here's the real link -- I tested it! https://www.amazon.com/JZCreater-Handheld-Portable-Rechargeable-Operated/dp/B0BZ4RG1Q8?pd_rd_w=dRyxV&content-id=amzn1.sym.9ec5f664-613b-401e-9792-8deef5f0b786&pf_rd_p=9ec5f664-613b-401e-9792-8deef5f0b786&pf_rd_r=7REKMF8WDCNVYPJTCAN6&pd_rd_wg=xQMkf&pd_rd_r=6199f152-6e49-487a-a3b5-895883e29d66&pd_rd_i=B0BZ4RG1Q8&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_nped_pd_hp_d_atf_rp_2_t

Yes, I've never understood the people who put effort into pretending they're locals. It's a goal that's bound to fail. Maybe. You never know who you might encounter on a cruise. For example, a couple years ago I ran into a relative in the terminal! Neither of us knew the other would be sailing on that ship.

Yes, of course you'll want your toiletries for Embarkation morning, but I see several options: - Plan to abandon your toiletries. Pack your old make up that needs replacing anyway, and throw it away at the end of the trip. Likewise, pack your old toothbrush /get a new one for home. Pack sample-sized products that you'll use up on the cruise. - Minimize your liquids so you can keep your toiletries in your carry-on bag for the plane. Pack a shampoo /conditioner bar, downsize your liquids into tiny things like contact lens containers. - Once you're reunited with your suitcase, transfer your toiletries back to the checked bag.

Yeah, I don't think this means anything -- people can work from home now, and some people are night owls. I don't think it means he was working 'round the clock.

Happened to me once. A day later, the same room popped up again. Why? Dunno.

That's probably why they left them. Ours are nothing special, and they're few in number -- but we do enjoy them. They keep our paperwork and ball caps up off the table. Agree in considering want vs. need. Most of the things suggested on this thread are wants. I recently found a small thing that I'm going to take on my upcoming cruise. I know I'll enjoy it: A small handheld fan. I bought it for my classroom, and I use it every single day. It has 5 speeds, will sit flat on the desk or hang over the edge of my computer. I know I'll use it in the car when I'm hot /my husband's not and at night (at home we have a fan at the foot of our bed). Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/buyagain/ref=pd_hp_d_atf_rp_2?ie=UTF8&ats=eyJleHBsaWNpdENhbmRpZGF0ZXMiOiJCMEJaNFJHMVE4IiwiY3VzdG9tZXJJZCI6IkEyOFEwVk9FNExISVo2In0%3D&pd_rd_w=QUxSd&content-id=amzn1.sym.847e5829-7b9f-4dac-b414-6765cc1ef5a7&pf_rd_p=847e5829-7b9f-4dac-b414-6765cc1ef5a7&pf_rd_r=FVSYEAW53M6B0HZE9EA6&pd_rd_wg=mimXu&pd_rd_r=027af126-38fc-4352-91d8-79e08e6eda77

We've mostly been lucky with cruise-weather, but last fall that luck ran out: We had so much rain the second half of our week. Thoughts: - I'd be lying if I said the weather didn't impact our enjoyment, but it was still a great week! - You have to look the positive. One of my favorite memories of that cruise is sitting by the window in the Windjammer watching a storm out over the ocean -- it was a beautiful thing, and we stayed longer than our meal watching it. - Though I'm a light packer, I suggest you bring an extra pair of everyday shoes. Coming back from Cozumel, we got soaking wet -- our shoes needed about a day to dry out. - We wished we'd brought some of those disposable ponchos mentioned above by another poster. - We always bring a ball cap to wear off the ship. In light rain I can keep going (happily!) if I can keep the rain off my face and eyeglasses.

Yes, we're in our late 50s /recently retired. I'm very ready to get rid of the house and a lot of the contents; my husband is less ready. We have less than the average person, but we have stuff we haven't touched in years, and it's a weight on our shoulders. That sounds reasonable. I don't think I'd embrace it myself -- but we live in a very moderate climate, and I plan to build a large, comfortable outdoor dining area. It'll be useful to use most of the year, and I can live with that. Plenty of compromises exist. Me too! I strongly prefer to read digital books -- no need to store them, they can't be ruined, they're easy to take when we travel. I love reading -- not collecting books. You can find videos on You Tube about storing your games more efficiently (in plastic bins). I'd love to do it, but my family says that'd RUIN the games. About a decade ago I lost some weight and got rid of 75% of my closet. I LOVE IT. Everything I have fits and fits my lifestyle. Less is easier to care for, easier to find what you want. When I had five years left to teach, I decided I'd never again buy an item of clothing that I couldn't see myself using in retirement. I did have to replace shoes (teachers are hard on shoes), but it was a good choice. My work clothes were heavily used by the time I retired, and it was easy to let them go. If you're having trouble getting rid of things, put them in a box and label them with today's date. One year from now -- if you haven't wanted those things /haven't gone to those boxes -- throw them away without opening them again. You obviously don't need /want them. Wouldn't those favorites be easy to check out of the library, if you find yourself craving a return to that storyline? Remember that with the inter-library loan system, essentially any book that's ever been published can be checked out. Those are sensible: - It's perfectly fair to say, "I want to get rid of clothing never wear and cultivate a smaller wardrobe, but I love all my fancy china and use it enough to justify keeping it." That's thinking through your own priorities. - Agree that decluttering won't solve everything in your life, but a lot of things do hinge upon the comfort of your home -- and decluttering can do that. Maybe you're not at the right time in your life to want this, or maybe you never will want it. A good friend lives in a very large house -- think multiple master suites. She says she'll never get rid of it because 1) she wants her three children to be able to come home for the holidays and have ample space. 2) she wants her three children to be able to move back home, if they ever want /need to do so. She and her husband are spending a lot of money maintaining /heating and cooling /paying taxes on a huge house -- and she admits that the three children are home together frequently for a meal or an afternoon, but they haven't all slept under her roof at the same time in YEARS. In contrast, my 80-year old mother moved into a one-bedroom apartment (attached to my brother's house). The process was hard for her: She had to give away a lot of things she really wanted to keep, and she had to think through what furniture, art, etc. would best serve her in the smaller place. She kept too much and had to do about two more big purges before she reached a comfortable "level". She's been in the apartment about three years now, and she LOVES it. She spends little time cleaning (something she's never loved), and her utility bills are low. She has two of her grandchildren right next door. My brother does all the yard work, and when she travels she doesn't have to be afraid of leaving the house unattended.

If everything goes right, you'll make your flight: - You're one of the first to disembark, and you're through the terminal around 7:15-7:30. - You get a taxi right away, and you're loaded up /headed out by 7:45. - You arrive at the airport at 8:35. - Give yourself an hour to drop off your suitcases, go through TSA, and find your concourse. You'd be "in place" about 9:35, and you could make that 10:30 flight. BUT, LET ANY SMALL THING GO WRONG, AND YOU'RE MISSING THAT FLIGHT. And so many things could happen: The ship could be slow being cleared for passenger-disembarkation, taxis might not be waiting, Customs could "choose you". The worry'd be in the back of my mind the whole cruise. I wouldn't do it -- how often does every detail go perfectly? And you can't control most of those things. I'd schedule something a little later. If you decide to roll the dice, you can do a couple things to up your chances: - Use self-disembarkation; that is, keep your suitcase in your room and carry it off yourself. This means you won't have to wait /search for your luggage once you're through Customs. - Get into the disembarkation line early. We typically get in line about 7:00, but the hard-core gotta-leave firsts start the line about 6:30. Once the line starts moving, it moves fast -- but nothing you can do will make it start moving; they have to wait until the ship's been cleared. - Have your passports, Ship IDs, airplane boarding passes, and Customs forms all at your fingertips and properly prepared. (Don't be one of those people who cause their own problems by not paying close attention to necessary paperwork.) - Pack light so you don't have to check luggage in the airport.

Sounds like someone at Corporate is hitting "cut and paste" without thinking. Remember, too, you're allowed to bring bottled water onboard with you -- and you can certainly buy it cheaper than the delivered-to-the-room price. This is the best answer. I drink a ton of water onboard, all of it cup-by-cup.

First, what time are your flights? Real question being, just how much time are you trying to kill? Second, why not just pick a hotel next to the airport -- one with a pool /anything else that'd amuse your family, and reserve it yourself? Go straight to the source /cut out the Day Use people. The Everglades probably aren't a great option: Google Maps says it'd be a 38 minute drive ... then a 35 minute to the airport. Include time to get 19 people + their luggage on /off a shuttle (you'd probably do better to rent a couple vans), and you're burning an hour each way. You'd barely have any time to see the huge and wonderful park. You can find some fun things to do in the general port area -- a big park, a Ferris wheel, a Hard Rock Cafe -- but you'd need transportation to these places, and then you'd have to deal with your luggage. Overall, I like the idea of a hotel-for-a-day.

Not for sure, but maybe 6:00ish? It'll probably show up in your app early in the month before your sailing -- like other shows. And for sure it'll be on your Daily Compass.

We sailed (obviously not Icon) last Halloween. Things we saw: - Few children onboard. My guess is that kids didn't want to miss Trick or Treating with friends or school /neighborhood events. - Adults wore costumes to dinner (and after dinner). Some costumes were quite elaborate, while others were thrown-together. - The Windjammer's entrance was decorated quite elaborately. Shops had smaller decorations. - They had a costume parade /contest in the evening. - Kids could Trick or Treat in the shop area. - Some people (us included) had candy on their doors for passers-by. - The movies out by the pool were Halloween-themed. Sorry, I can't remember even a single title, but they weren't hard-core gore.

I don't believe it either -- the original post certainly implied the children were alone while the parents ate dinner, and they passed the concept off as "a tip" for parents.

I've never noticed anyone who seemed to be filming for commercial reasons. Yes, I've watched You Tube videos to help me choose between cabins or how mobility-friendly various shore excursions are -- helps in making up my mind what I want to book. It'd be hypocritical to avail myself of these resources, then denounce anyone filming onboard. Eh, as a writer and language teacher, I'd say use the word appropriate for your audience (for example, I'd choose one set of words to speak to my 3-year old grandson and another set to address you fine CruiseCritic folks. Instead of using simple vs. fancy words, try this: Strive to use stronger verbs and drop half your adjectives. I promise, those two tips will improve your writing. Eh, disagree. Anyone can use the moniker "Influencer" -- it's a title with no requirements, no solid description. But you can't call yourself an MBA unless you have earned a specific degree. Oh, again, as a language teacher, I sometimes have to walk away from the ignorance. Mist instead of midst, your instead of you're -- it goes on and on. These are -- sorry, hate to say literally, but it works here -- lower elementary school words. Disagree. "How often" does matter. If you're inconvenienced /annoyed once or twice on a cruise, I'd chalk it up to occasional bad moments -- people failing to pay attention for a moment, new cruisers not grasping expectations; however, if it happens multiple times every day, something needs to change -- whether that's the cruise line's policies or my own vacation choices, something has to change. For example, we encountered the world's rudest cruiser about a year ago -- I think it was on Explorer. We met him in the terminal, where he pushed ahead of us to get his bags through the x-ray first -- my husband and I just gave each other "a look" and moved on. Had that been the be-all, end all, I wouldn't even remember him. But moments later he was ahead of us in the check in, and he was pretending not to speak English -- not even sure what he gained from that little escapade. Several times on the cruise we ran into him -- bypassing the towel line, pushing people to hurry up in the buffet line, berating the pizza staff for their slowness. After several encounters with the ass (because, well, that's what he is), we were definitely annoyed with his antics. Though we never willingly conversed with him, we learned his name, and still today we jokingly say to one another, "That's rather Collins of you."

Of course you can change rooms -- up, down, or to another room in the same category! Assuming, of course, that the category you want is available. I agree with the above poster, who says your TA probably doesn't want to see his commission go down for a lesser-priced room. The problem: Since you're working with a TA, YOU cannot call and make the change. The TA has to do it for you -- so you're kinda at his mercy. If you're sure you want this change, I'd call and INSIST that the change be made.