sunsetbeachgal

Do you have young children? If so, the Dreamworks experience on the Freedom is great..character breakfasts, photo ops, etc. I do not think the Independence has this...

Will the USS Iowa's new permanent home be within a walking distance of where Princess ships are berthed? We have an October California Coastal cruise and I'm sure DH would like to tour the Iowa, either on embarkation or debarkation day.

Thanks!

We've stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites before, and will be there again in Dec. First, check the prices separately and pick which is best.

 

As far as what is within walking distance, this is exactly why we book there. Directly across the street is a strip mall with a Winn Dixie (they have wine and beer), a place to get your nails done and a Bealls Outlet. i always check there to get a new bathing suit and whatever other goodies I can find at great prices.

 

Across the street is also a CVS and a Walgreens and an IHop. Next door is Ron Jon's store, Starbucks and a restaurant. About 2 blocks up is an Italian restaurant, and in the other direction a couple of more restaurants. Without a car,it is perfect, and only about 10 minutes form the port

We stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites and were very pleased and would recommend. As mentioned, location is within a short walk of many businesses which we liked even though we had a car.

The frozen Mojito is probably the best drink I have ever ordered...I love mojitos and the flavors of the mint were so good in this drink...YUM :D

Parking at the pier is so easy ' date=' is it worth a problem ????[/quote']

 

I should have done this...!!! You get what you pay for!!

As I reported on another port Canaveral parking thread, we also had a bad experience with Park N' Cruise...the parking lot is stone and gravel (not paved), cars are parked so close together that it is hard to get out, and we had a two foot long crack in our windshield when we picked our car up. We were parked right in front of a fence So perhaps something fell on the car? We'll never know but I do know that it cost me $285 for a new windshield...normally we cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale and always use the off site lots there and have never had a whisper of a problem. if we cruise out of Port Canaveral again, will use the covered garage on site. you get what you pay for...

Wow...since you asked I will say that we would absolutely never never never fly in the same day that the cruise leaves...way too risky if your flight is delayed or cancelled as you have Absolutely no wiggle room built in...assume since your wedding is the day prior that you cAnt fly out the night before? I hope you have made plans for private transfer service to get from Orlando to Port Canaveral...this will be the quickest way and then you are dropped off right at the ship..good luck!

Park-n-cruise is 6.95 now - still quite a bargain compared to the port. :)

We used Park N Cruise for our 7 day cruise last week on Freedom of the Seas...service and shuttle bus was excellent except when we picked up our car the windshield had a 2 foot long crack in it...still waiting to hear back from them (Im sure they take no responsibility...). Windsheild will be replaced tomorrow and will ask the window glass person if they can tell if it was broken due to something falling on it or just age? I know this can happen anywhere, but all I know is that the windsheild was fine when we left and cracked when we returned. I always park off site when we cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale--Park N Cruise as said was friendly and inexpensive, but it is a stone/gravel lot (not paved!!), outside parking, etc.

It isn't a bargain for us since the windsheld will cost $285 and my insurance deductible is higher than that...oh well...

This is such helpful thread...thank you wineaux...

A couple of questions, if I may:

We are flying in and out of San Diego and renting cars both pre and post cruise...Hertz says to use the Lomita location as that is the one that provides the shuttle to the pier...how far is Lomita from the San Pedro cruise terminal (for Princess)?

We are staying in Anaheim post cruise...approx how long is the drive (it will be on a Saturday for traffic purposes, if that matters)

Thanks!

Havent sailed on Royal Caribbean in five years, and have one upcoming so will make my own comparison as well, since we have done many Princess in the meantime. I liked our RCCL cruise five years ago, some things better than Princess, and some not as well, but the loyalty program pulled us back to Princess. All I can say is that Princess seems to be a better fit for us. This upcoming cruise on the Freedom is with extended family with small children and so far there seem to be alot for them to do.

wow...great thread! Thanks in advance for all of the help!

We are taking a fall California Coastal cruise on the Sapphire Princess. Upon disembarking we will be going over to Disneyland for a few days. I am trying to decide whether to use taxis or rent a car. First of all, any idea of how much it would be in a taxi from LAX to San Pedro, and then a ballpark idea of how much a taxi might cost to get from San Pedro cruise terminal to Anahelm? Or would private transportation be a better option for the two of us?

thanks again!

We sailed on the Grand In 1999 and I remember the Painted Desert...they also served lunch and it was delicious (and my husband says that I never forget a good meal!) I remember that they used to have evening entertainment in there as well

We were on the Ocean Princess last Sept and also called at Itea. The ship docks in a small town...first of all we walked around-there were a few shops with the usual souvenirs, coffee shops, etc. A nice setting right on the water, but really not much there. We had booked the ships tour to Delphi and we really enjoyed it. It was about a 30-40 minute bus ride to get there, followed by a walking tour and then some free time. We love ruins, and the setting up in the mountains is gorgeous. There is a short amount of time afterwards for the little town of Delphi, which has lots of shops and we enjoyed it. Our tour also did the museum, which is small but excellent. I would highly recommend it---wish we would have had more time there.

I am not sure if/how it could easily be done independently. Not too many ships call at Itea (and only smaller ones) and I don't remember seeing taxis or tour services at the dock. As said, we were very pleased with our ships tour and would recommend except that we would have liked more time everywhere, which is usually my biggest complaint about ships tours. If you like ruins, the setting of Delphi is not to be missed, and other than Delphi I am not sure what else there is to do/see at Itea.

Our Sidi Bou Said and Carthage tour last year also did not have time at the end when you returned to the ship for shopping in the little area of shops right by the ship, or for riding the camels. If your daughter has her heart set on riding the camels, then I would make sure that you will have enough time if you also want to take a tour.

Our tour last Sept. on Princess was called Ancient Carthage & Sidi Bou Said. It was a half day tour. OUr ship only had a shalf day stop at La Goulette.

I am SOOOO glad that ships are again calling at Tunisia---we visited there in September and took a wonderful and informative ships tour of Carthage, Sidi Bou Said, and also visited the aquaducts mentioned above and the US Cemetery. Their economy is so dependent on tourism, and I am sure that many Tunisians are hurting due to cancellations, so makes me feel good that they are "back in business". Our friends enjoyed their camel ride too, so glad they are back as well!

We loved our stop at Argostoli last September-we opted to do a ship's tour as we priced doing a private tour, but since our ship called on Argostoli on a Sunday the private company we contacted had a pretty substantial Sunday surcharge (forgot their name, but the one you mention sounds familiar). It is a beautiful island-just be aware that it is VERY hilly and mountainous-if you are not comfortable driving on these type of roads with switchbacks, you might want to do a private tour or ships tour.

Very good-we enjoyed it very much. Not the widest selection, but what they had was very good and we just love sitting in Vines (or at the International Cafe')!

The jewelry store has some lovely things-I bought a nice Citrine necklace on board during one of the sales. You will love the Crown-she is a beauty!

On the Crown the sushi at Vines was very good...it was available around the lunch and dinner hours and was complimentary-you didn't have to buy a glass of wine! They didn't have a huge variety-tuna, salmon and California roll, seaweed salad, etc. We enjoyed it pretty much every day-and no, it in no way was like the sushi they serve up at the Horizon Court!

Oh...just re-read my post...the ships "aren't the greatest for runner"...they are great for everything else!!;)

DH is a runner, and unfortunately these ships aren't the greatest. The promanade deck is too narrow and the upper jogging area is very small. But, lots of treadmills in the workout room, and with a lovely view!!

If you have never been to Olympia, as other said it is a must-do. We did that on our first trip, on the second that stopped in katakalon we were looking for something different so went on a ship's tour to a winery (can'r remember name). Lots of tasting :) some great nibbles and a nice tour. We then bought wine to bring back on the ship and enjoy for the rest of the cruise on the balcony each evening!

In my opinion the food on Princess International Cafe' (I can only speak for the Emerald Princess) is far superior to the the foods at the cafe' on the Mariner of the Seas (the only one I can speak to). The pastries on Princess are better and fresh-baked, and at lunch the sandwiches, light salads and quiches are excellent. I seem to remember RCI had pizza at that cafe' but the fresh-baked pizza at the pizzaria on Princess I felt was again far superior.

Not exactly hidden, but our favorite place is the International Cafe'. Great coffee, wonderful morning pastries and great light lunch foods. A nice place to sit and read or people-watch and never feels crowded. If you are a pool/sun person, the forward pool just outside the Lotus spa is adults only and the sunning areas on the decks above it (outside the Sanctuary) are usually not as crowded or loud as the other pools.