teacher2cruiser

Thanks for the recommendations! Since you live in the area, do you have any Washington DC advice for tours, seeing everything, and lodging?

Since you will be at an airport-area hotel with your car, I would suggest Pappas in Glen Burnie for your crab cakes. We do love G&M, but once we discovered Pappas (several years ago) we actually preferred them. We lived in the Baltimore area for 45 years and take our crab cakes VERY seriously:D

Thanks for the recommendation!

G&Ms for crab cakes just outside of Baltimore. Highly recommended.

We are doing a park and cruise package with a hotel near the airport, and we already have G&M's on our pre-cruise list. Glad to see others recommending it as well! Love Cruise Critic.

As someone who lives in Maine, trust me, they won't let you get off the boat and NOT eat lobster. :)

I definitely want Baltimore crab cakes, Maine lobster and Boston clam chowder! They are all on my bucket list! Hoping for suggestions of the best place to get them all!

Thanks, y'all. That would definitely be a nice perk!

We were pleasantly surprised when we booked our upcoming RCI cruise on the Grandeur and were given a casino rate with substantial savings. We don't gamble that much, but I was fortunate to have a big win on our last RCI cruise. When they finished with my booking and they asked if there was anything else they could do for me, I jokingly said, "How about free drinks in the casino?" She actually told me she would make a note of it, and for me to contact the host. As I said earlier, I don't gamble that much. Has anyone done this? Does the casino really give free drinks on occasion? Just curious if I really might get a free drink or two. (We don't drink enough to entertain the thought of buying a drink package.)

Be sure to plan on eating at your destinations. New England's food is The Best!!

 

Do some extra research on where you will be and where to eat.

 

Also, you will probably want to do some specialty store shopping. Awesome local country/downtown types of shops with great options for everyone.

Do you have any specific recommendations for places to eat? Thanks!

We have just come of this ship and this itinerary. We did the Freedom Trail in Boston which we book independently $12 per person, a foodie tour in Bar Harbour again booked ourselves $60 each, we hired bikes in Portland and did our own brewery tour, and finished off with a private jeep tour in Halifax which was fantastic, went to out of the way tourist places as well as the titanic grave and Peggy's Cove. Any more info you need let me know.

Did your foodie tour in Bar Harbour include Maine Lobster? Can you give me the name of the tour? Did you book it ahead of time, or did you just find it when you got off the ship? Thanks so much!

DC has HOHO and Old Town Trolley. Check both their websites to see where their stops are and then check for hotels near those stops.

Thank you! That's a starting place!

There are other excursions showing on the RCI site for Boston that aren't showing up for our particular cruise. Are there usually more options once you get on the ship?

Can anyone suggest a nearby suburb / area of Washington where a bus will pick you up at a hotel and provide a tour?

Sure hope someone will help me with this!

There's a Royal Caribbean shore excursion tour out of Boston that goes to Lexington, Concord, and various places in Boston that we are interested in. There's a meal included at the oldest restaurant in Boston. I want to know about the meal - how does that work? Is there a set menu, or do you have options? If it is a set menu, what does it include? Please give any thoughts on this tour that might be helpful.

In addition, are there other tours not offered through RCI that any of you have chosen and enjoyed in Boston or at the other stops on this cruise?

THANKS SO MUCH for any response!

Sure hope someone will help me with this!

There's a Royal Caribbean shore excursion tour out of Boston that goes to Lexington, Concord, and various places in Boston that we are interested in. There's a meal included at the oldest restaurant in Boston. I want to know about the meal - how does that work? Is there a set menu, or do you have options? If it is a set menu, what does it include? Please give any thoughts on this tour that might be helpful.

In addition, are there other tours not offered through RCI that any of you have chosen and enjoyed in Boston or at the other stops on this cruise?

THANKS SO MUCH for any response!

My first cruise, ten years ago, was on the Grandeur, and I am so very excited to be cruising on her again in June. It will be eleven times I've cruised when I board the Grandeur again, but this time will be my first cruise that isn't headed for the Caribbean. I'm beyond excited to see Boston and Maine plus Canada. Please share anything Grandeur and destination related that's positive and adds to my excitement! Love Cruise Critic!

Since we will be cruising out of Baltimore, we are going to take this time to tour Washington DC as well. Can anyone advise me of a hotel with tour departures to make it simple? I know this isn't a cruise question, so I hope this is allowed. ;)

Thank you

That particular hotel is in the Lithicum area.

Does anyone have any recommendations on staying at the Wingate by Wyndham and using their Park and Cruise deal?

We will be driving from Mississippi, and we are looking for a park and cruise package that will shuttle us to the port.

Thanks!

I tried looking this up, but I can't find it. Can someone tell me which side is port side, even or odd on Carnival Fantasy?

There are only rumors for now (check out the Harvest Caye thread). No official information in writing from NCL saying clearly one way or the other. It's not opening for another 3 months, which means they are probably giving themselves 4 months to make their minds up.

It is on the schedule for The Dawn on the Thanksgiving cruise. Is it possible that won't happen?

When traveling to NCL's private island, Harvest Caye, are your drinks included there if you have the ultimate beverage package? Thanks!

In San Juan does the Magic dock in Old San Juan or out in the far off dock?

We docked in Old San Juan.

Thanks for posting, we are on the Magic this Oct:D

Hope your week is as good as ours!

Hi!

 

Searched but couldn't find current laundry info. It has been years since I have been able to cruise, so does Carnival still have the "fill a laundry bag" deal?

If so- cost on the Magic? 7 days Eastern route.

Any idea if of the day or if that could vary?

 

Thank you:)

Carnival offered this in the past, but we just recently sailed on the Magic Eastern Route, and it was not offered. We had planned on using this, but since it wasn't offered, we just made do. I have taken advantage of this in the past.

Thanks for the great review. Did you happen to notice if there were any photo packages available or were the pictures only sold individually? Also what were the prices?

I'm not sure if there were photo packages. We bought our bon voyage picture with a frame on special for a total of $21, and our picture getting off at San Juan with another frame for the same price.

I was sad to hear about the VIP Serenity Lifestyle excursion. I usually am not on to laze about on the beach, but after reading all the reviews on the resort, I decided to book it. I really need a relaxing day and was hoping the reviews were true.

 

Then a few months ago, this excursion was canceled. I heard about it on the ports of call boards. So I was sad, only to find out, they worked out a deal and the excursions were back on.

 

Now I read your review and wonder, was it worth the $80 per person to go?

Could I just stay by the pier and use the $80 for food and drinks?

 

So if you had to pay for the excursion again, would you still go?

We had a good time, and I definitely think attitude makes or breaks any experience. The setting was lovely. Since it was my husband and me ($160 for two), my answer is no, I wouldn't book it again in the future. $160 would have gone a long way towards drinks near the port or on the boat. The lunch wasn't impressive at all to me. I would have enjoyed a Guy's burger, a deli sandwich or Mongolian Wok much better.

If you decide to continue with your reservation, go with a good attitude and enjoy!