Grannycb

I need an inexpensive fitness tracker that I don't have to sync in order to change the time. I will be on a very long cruise and will not be connected by internet most of the time. I want to manually set the time. My fitbit had fits last cruise. I only care about the time and the number of steps. Any suggestions?

DH and I have been using the Ozeri 4x3 Sport Activity Trackers. Drop them in a pocket and they record your steps, time, and milage. Been using them for several years and they haven't failed. Amazon has them for less than $20.

We were told one person didn't leave the ship as directed. They needed to get the count to zero. No one could board until he left the ship.

Anyone know why Indy isn't boarding yet?

Thanks for answers. Does Independence have Freestyle machines?

Is the soda package only associated with freestyle machines? Are sodas in cans available?

Love seeing your beautiful pictures! Which restaurants are open for lunch on embarkation day? Thanks in advance.

We were on the Woodwind sailing near the Bay Bridge last night. We saw the Pride sail under the bridge at about 7 or a little after. It was a beautiful night for sailing, there was a beautiful sunset, and there was a full moon. Those all should make up for a little delay.

The State Department has a free program for registering your travel with the nearest US Embassies and Consulates. We've done this in the past with trips to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It might make you and your families feel a little better about traveling.

The link is:

https://step.state.gov/step/

We are just off Grandeur after her 10 day Caribbean cruise. The weather wasn't all that great coming up the coast, windy and lots of rocking, not to mention cold. It snowed on the way back to Baltimore.

Have you checked the average weather in the Bahamas for Feb? It's a little too cool by my standards.

Yes, Eastern Caribbean from Florida would be more comfortable. There is no cold water to sail through. Temps in the Caribbean were in the upper 80's during our trip. It was perfect for swimming, snorkeling, etc.

We received the same email for Grandeur.

Most doctors are happy to write a letter saying she is diabetic and will be bringing supplies. I've never had to use my letter, but it's good to have if there's any question.

Best advise I can provide is to bring more supplies than she expects to use. Keep half in her carry on and half in yours. I learned the hard way to split my supplies when all of my supplies went missing in Rome.

Is there a scale that works on Grandeur? If yes, is the scale available for use while in port? I want to keep my weight in check while vacationing.

Somewhere on CC I read there is a water taxi to better beaches. I can't find that post now. Does anyone have more info on this? Where do we catch it? What time does the water taxi start it's runs? Is the beach along it's route better?

There hasn't been a mosquito problem when we visited Labadee in the past. That said, we are taking repellant with Deet this time.

Alaska and the Holy Lands were my favorites.

How is the internet on Grandeur? Booking an internet package before sailing cost $20 per day. What is it if we wait until getting on the ship?

There's no way we will be dug out before Wednesday. Sure glad we are on the cruise that leaves on Feb. 3 instead of this one. We are about 30 minutes from the port.

Radio - Safe travels home to you and your fellow passengers.

Radio, Was the ship cold when in Baltimore? Is there heat in the cabins and public areas? We were cold the first and last days on the Pride.

Radio - Love reading your reviews! FYI, we can see the casino and progress map, but the others are icons only.

It's been a while since we've sailed on RCCI. How are the M&G gatherings lately? Have they changed much?

I wasn't looking forward to seeing Cats again. We had seen it on Broadway and on television. Surprise! The Oasis had the most enjoyable performance we'd seen. As other have said, do a little research before going. It will make the show more enjoyable.

I'd vote for booking now rather than waiting. Your OBC goes down quickly when you figure in gratuities for four people.

One tour that was offered privately as well as onboard was the LuLu at Bar Harbor. We booked it privately and saved. If interested see what Trip Advisor has to say about it.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60709-d645876-Reviews-Lulu_Lobster_Boat-Bar_Harbor_Mount_Desert_Island_Maine.html

There is a good seafood restaurant on the corner across the street from the LuLu. It might be worth looking into if you enjoy seafood.

We also had time to take the trolley before our LuLu Lobster Boat trip. That was booked at the port, not in advance. You need to be quick at getting off the ship to do this one. Again, here is a link to Trip Advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60709-d1093485-Reviews-Oli_s_Trolley_Acadia_National_Park_Tour-Bar_Harbor_Mount_Desert_Island_Maine.html

IMHO, travel insurance is a must. I broke bones in my foot a few days before our 10 day cruise and wasn't allowed to travel. We contacted our travel agent and travel insurance company. Royal Caribbean refunded our shore excursions, taxes, and port fees immediately. Insurance sent a check within two weeks. We have used various insurance companies found at insuremytrip.com with equal success. Don't hesitate to call the brokers to ask questions.

It's important to find an insurance company that covers pre-existing condition. We normally buy insurance at time of booking. This last time we waited until final payment. Shop around for pricing and coverage. Be an informed consumer.

Congratulations

Not having a plan hasn't worked out well for us. We have traveled extensively but still make mistakes. One of the worse was picking a tour offered at the pier. It was inexpensive and went to places that interested us. Wish we had researched the company before leaving home. We ended up stranded alongside a remote country road with a herd of goats as our companions. It makes for a humorous story now but wasn't funny at the time. Other times, we ended up feeling like we missed doing fun things by not having a plan. Hearing about all the fun things other people did at dinner made us realize what we'd missed. If you want beach time, do research on how to get to the best beaches, check for places nearby that offer food and beverages, research how to get back to the ship, and make sure you are in a safe area.

If you want to wander around the port, research best restaurants, places of interest, free internet locations, and anything else that might appeal to you. You don't have to have a set plan but should have a general understanding of what is available, what it will cost, and how much time you need to head back to the ship. A short time in port followed by pool time on the ship can be lots of fun.

Hope you have a wonderful time.

Our ship sailed 8 days ago. Broken bones a few days before sailing prevented us from going. Thank goodness for trip insurance. We booked the same itinerary leaving in 75 days.

This was posted to the 11/11/15 Roll Call for Grandeur. The link will take you directly to the post. It's about someone who is heartbroken about their lost camera.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48268101&postcount=1004

I wanted to add that a few years ago we had our camera returned by another passenger. I really appreciated the help.