kad56

per person. I'm travelling solo, which is why I'm looking for a bus or shared shuttle. I know the cruises offer bus transfers, and a lot of the time private excursions are cheaper than what you can get with the cruise line. But I'm only finding taxi options and the train.

I'm looking for a bus from the cruise port to the airport. The only information I've found is about cabs and shared shuttles. I can use the cruise ship's option, but I'm hoping to find something less expensive.

10 minutes ago, mvh said:

Seriously? It's $5. You can't even play one hand of blackjack for under $10. 

I'm not a big spender. I like to play slots for like 10 min and leave. And I prefer to get freeplay when I can because I always lose. 

I was looking through MSC daily planners, and I noticed $5 freeplay from the casino on one of them. Is this something they regularly offer? I'm about to go on my first MSC cruise, and that looks like a nice fun little freebie.

Based on an earlier thread, it looks like there's an option to request an assigned dining time change once you get on board. There was pretty detailed info on where to do this on the Seashore. Anybody have any experience with this on the Magnifica?

Is there a HOHO bus near the port? Or a shuttle that takes you to the HOHO in Inverness from Invergordon? I can find some information about it online, but the most recent reviews I could find are from 2019, which makes me wonder if this is still a thing.

Thank you! This all makes sense given our route. I wanted it in my notes for my next trip up there :). There's so many things we passed I want to pay more attention to the second time (this area, look for whale when we're close to Aldophus point, Lynn Canal). 

Ok, I did some more googling, and it looks like they stopped operating back in 2022. Victim of the pandemic. I'm thinking I'm going to risk it and go with a scuba excursion after all.

My original plan was to scuba dive (I'm certified), but I'm (1) trying to save money and (2) the timing's really tight and the scuba shops are not totally set up to take cruise ship customers. So I'm looking for a DIY

1 hour ago, aborgman said:

 

This is not true.

 

You'd better have some Spanish, and not mind riding in a van that likely has no AC and nothing but locals - but there is absolutely group transport.

 

Uniper Colectivo's run around the island regularly. You can download their app for routes/schedules.

 

https://unipercozumel.com/en/home/

Thank you! This is golden. I do have some Spanish, and I've gotten around using it visiting Mexico in the past. I'll check it out.

Are threre any shuttles in port at cozumel? I'd like to go to either a quiet beach on the east side, or punta sur. I'm solo so the taxi prices for both are bit steep. What's on offer at the port itself?

I just sailed Vancouver-> Whittier, and we had a brief scenic cruising moment sailing north out of Ketchican where we looked for whales from the aft deck. I think I remember the cruise naturalist said we were sailing through an natural channel called Star Point. I can't find this location on any map, and I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and knows the name of this geographic location that has more whales than usual. FWIW, we left Ketchican around 2pm, hit this channel around 6 pm, and we were sailing towards Juneau....

Awesome, thank you.

oh, ok, so 90 days before departure?

I usually reserve dining times close to sailing, and inevitably I can't get all the time slots I want. How early can I make reservations? I've a cruise booked for next year, and I'd just like to reserve my time when it opens.

48 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

we told somebody in the terminal that we were B2B and showed them the pass and they escorted us around the controlled chaos. 

Nice. I might be able to get in a full port day after all 🙂

19 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Did you book the cruise as two legs, or one long cruise?  If you booked as one and your cruise card is good for the whole cruise, you can just walk off with the first self debark group, and when you return just go through security and use your transit pass/continuing cruiser card to bypass checkin.  EM

I booked it as one cruise and I assumed it work the way you're describing it. But I read somewhere that if the ship leaves the US (which this one will), I'll have to clear customs in Miami on turnaround day. It's the customs line that worries me.

How about Miami? My itinerary says that I'll be in Miami from 7-5 on the changeover day, but I assume debarcation with take much longer, and that'll really cut into my time in port. And I'm all about the ports so the extra lines on the B2B day are disappointing.

... sailing on princess to Alaska from Vancouncer so I posted here.

I pack light and I've always walked on board with all my luggage. I need to drop it off this time since it'll be way too heavy. How that does work? Who do I give it to at the port? In Fort Lauderdale, it's always seemed like there are so many random people in the port, I've never felt comfortable handing my luggage over....

@reedprincess Thank you! You're the cruiser I've been looking for!!! How are the crowds on the ship? Are there delays with embarcation and debarcation at ports like I heard? Are any of the ports particularly challenging? I've docked in Antigua, Fort-De-France, and St. Lucia on other cruises, and I think Fort-De-France is the easiest to navigate, and Antigua and St. Lucia aren't bad, though I prefer walkable place like FDF.

I would use points to get there, so the flights are less of a concern. I'd really love to hear about the onboard experience and the ports.

4 minutes ago, Anastas617 said:

It was, but due to unrest following 10/07 La Goulette was cancelled and replaced with Palma de Mallorca. Marseille port was isolated, though not really far from the city just not somewhere you walk from. Genoa, Palermo and Naples were right at the cities (I took a ship excursion to Pompeii from Naples, so not sure if you can walk right off into the city like at Genoa and Palermo).

It sounds like a really nice itinerary. I have my eye on it. Did you enjoy the ports?

I assume this is the itinerary on the Grandiosa that includes La Goulette, Tunisia. How were the ports? Looking at the itinerary, it seems like the ships docks pretty close to town in alll of the ports. Were any of the a long distance from the port?

42 minutes ago, Fissues said:

I’m doing this cruise. Flights are tough from the states. Something to consider. 

True. I'm looking at tickets simultaneously, and I'll only book it if I can find decent tickets. At this point the options are acceptable for the dates I'm considering. I guess my biggest worry is long delays in getting off the ship at port (I heard on another cruise that it took ~2hrs to disembark at a port stop for other cruisers). I really am interested in the trip for the itinerary, so slow really slow disembarkaction would really affect the trip.

1 hour ago, 8420PR said:

- There will be crowds by the pool and at parties and events, but it in my experience it is always possible to find a quiet area (often with live music - e.g. the sky lounge).

 

Meh... this doesn't seem like a huge issue to me personally. I'll be out exploring the ports.

Thanks for your feeback. I'm booked on my first MSC cruise going out of the US in a month, and this one is really tempting if I my first one goes well.