ckrcjr

We have sailed Alaska twice - once in an inside and once in an oceanview. Have booked our 3rd cruise to Alaska for 2017 and booked an oceanview again. IMHO a balcony is not worth the extra cost as you really need to be out and about to see everything Alaska has to offer. I would rather spend the extra money on excursions once you are there.

Everyone has different thoughts and requirements to make their cruise very special and we all have to do what works best for us. When we sail the Caribbean, we will always book a balcony (preferably aft facting) as we love to sit out and have breakfast - or drinks, while watching a beautiful sunrise/sunset or just the wake of the ship. But for Alaska, an inside or oceanview is perfect!

Whatever they choose, they will have a wonderful trip of a lifetime!

Last year we were on the Royal Princess and docked in Crown Bay. Because we had been to St. Thomas so many times and had done all the "tourist" things, we decided to check out Water Island. The water taxi was right there and it only took a few minutes to get to Water Island. Once we got there, there was a man who offered rides up the hill and to the beach and it was great. Honeymoon Beach is very pretty although I think it has been "discovered" by the tours now as there were some party boats who pulled in for awhile. A few beach bars there - we bought a drink so we were able to use the beach chairs for free at the bar (can't remember the name) where we were.

We loved Water Island - very peaceful and beautiful. Easy to get to and we would go back in a heart beat. My husband bought me a bracelet from a lady who was making them on the beach - and it is a daily reminder of our few hours there.

Check it out- you will love it!

We stayed here before our Princess cruise on 3/6/16. Loved the hotel - staff was very friendly and our room was great. We had an intercoastal view and there was a huge yacht docked in front which took away a lot of the view, but on the other hand it was fun to see it and watch the crew working. We still had a great view.

We walked to Total Wine and Publix and got sandwiches and brought them back at ate by the pool - it was great. We took a taxi to the ship the next morning and it was very quick and easy.

There were 2 couples in our group and we are going to book this hotel for our cruise next year! We previously had stayed at the Riverside but enjoyed the Hilton more - we took the water taxi up to Las Olas and down to the beach.

Great hotel!

We were on this cruise as well and it was awesome! We ate all of our meals in the buffet or the Crown Grille and have no complaints at all. The service and food were all top notch. The crew were all incredible and so friendly - loved the entertainment as well. We are sailing again on the Regal next March and cannot wait!

We loved Simone too. Did you see the Marriage game show? So funny!

We did - it was so funny! Loved it. We went to many of the game shows and they were truly entertaining and so fun. Great to see so much audience participation! Everyone in our group truly loved the Regal! She is a gorgeous ship and the crew was first rate. Every one of them was so friendly - it was such a great cruise. Can't wait to go back!!

We were on this cruise as well and thought it was fantastic! Our room (aft facing balcony B738) was ready when we boarded and we loved the cabin. Everything about the cruise was wonderful - and we will be sailing the Regal again next March as well.

Martyn was hysterical and we loved Simone as well. We were travelling with friends and we all enjoyed the entertainment - great selection!

Love reading your "Live"....we were on the Coral last March for a partial Panama Canal and loved it. Such a great experience and it is so fun reliving it through your live reports!!!

GO PANTHERS!! The Cardiac Cats gave us quite a scare but they came through when it mattered!! So glad you were able to see part of the game as well - such a magical season!

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and I look forward to your wonderful posts. Deepest sympathies to you and your family on the loss of your mother. She is most definitely enjoying this very special time with you!

Cindy

We will try to book a balcony every chance we get, however, if there is a big price difference we will book an inside. We sailed on the Coral last March for the partial Panama Canal and booked an inside due to the price difference. We did not regret it for one second because you need to move around the ship as it goes through the locks. The aft areas of the Coral on certain decks are almost like a private balcony - we loved it!!! Save the money and put it towards excursions!!

Whatever you choose, you will have a fantastic cruise!

I have also received this message - on CC as well as on a few other sights. Did not click on anything but shut down computer and restarted - no problems. While at work this morning, I decided to call the number to see what it was all about as I believe it is some sort of scam. When I asked the gentleman who answered the phone what was going on and he asked me what error I received - when I pressed him for more info, he hung up.

Sounds like another scam that is out there.

Definitely a vote for Liberty Tours and Ricardo!! We used them in March and had a private tour for our group. Ricardo was very responsive, called and made sure he included everything we wanted to do. He was prompt - stopped along the way to the Blue Hole and purchased some local snacks for everyone. He is very informative and lots of fun. We went to Scotchies for lunch - which was also included in the prices.

Ricardo was fantastic and will work with you to include what you would like to do and how long you want to be there! We had a great day with Ricardo - and we stopped to buy coffee, and spices on the way back - and also bought Rum Cream -oooooo soooo good!

You will not regret booking with Ricardo! Absolutely fantastic!

What type of tour was Marelvy Pena? Is there a website? Thanks.

http://tourincartagena.com/

oops - sorry - I forgot to include that. She was outstanding and so informative and truly made the day for us!

We were in Cartagena this past March and used Marelvy Pena and she was outstanding!!! She books up very early and she always answered my emails promptly and was so friendly. We had a large group and she gave everyone a poster, which her husband had painted for the celebration in Cartagena a few years ago.

I would highly recommend Marelvy! We had an incredible day with her!

We did the partial transit on the Coral last month and we had perfect weather every day! Typically we book balcony cabins, but on this cruise we booked an inside cabin, due to the cost, and were very unsure of our choice - however, it turned out to be great. So little time is spent in the cabin and when you are going through the canal the best place to be is out and about the ship - forward, aft, etc.

We were on Emerald Deck - E717, and loved the location. Only a few steps to the aft which felt like a private balcony since there were rarely any people out there.

The cruise was one of our all time favorites. Had great excursions in every port and loved all the coffees we brought home - along with rum cream from Jamaica!!!

You will love the cruise!!

We had this cabin on our Panama Canal cruise a few weeks ago and absolutely loved the cabin and location! There is zero noise from the Laundromat - we never heard any noise at all. There is a cabin next door (E719) however the space in between must be storage or something but it was also totally quiet.

The cabin is a great location and only a short walk to the atrium - we would have no hesitation in booking this cabin again on the Coral.

We loved the location as we could walk to the back deck and it was like having our own private balcony - minus any loungers. We loved being out there as rarely did anyone else come out there. Deck 10 also has the rear viewing - along with loungers and it is also a great place to watch sail aways.

You will love the cruise - it was one of our favorites!!!

We just got off the Coral Princess on 3/21 and have not yet received a survey either. Looking forward to receiving it as we have many great things to say - maybe it will arrive next week.

We were in Aruba on March 13 and did the tour with Trikes Aruba and it was incredible! Our group had all 5 of the trikes and we had the best time ever! The guides are very patient in showing you how to drive and each driver takes a test drive before you leave. Two in our group were not confident of driving on their own, so two guides drove them - it was amazing!

This was truly one of the best excursions we have ever done. Trikes Aruba is wonderful to work with and so much fun. Would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Aruba!

You will love it!

we were supposed to be on the usual 6 in 1 with Your Lucky Tours in 2 weeks. See my other posting with information from the owner, but the short versions is, the Wildlife Sanctuary has been forced to close because their land is being expropriated.

We used Eduardo on March 17 and he was great. Because the Wildlife Sanctuary has been closed, we went to Jaguar Rescue Center. It is a longer ride, but a great place to visit. Eduardo provided a great service and tour - and was very prompt and helpful. We stopped at a banana plantation on the way back to the canal ride. During the canal ride Eduardo and the boat guide were able to point out sloths, monkeys, snakes, crocodile, many species of birds - it was fantastic.

I would not hesitate to recommend Eduardo! You will have a great time - just be prepared for a longer ride to Jaguar.

Cindy

On a cruise we were on, the casino manager was contacted and very involved. He helped select which machine should be used and was there during the slot pull. He gave out free bingo cards (one game only) to all the participants.

 

 

 

As far as how winnings were divided, since everyone put in the same amount of money the $$ at the end were divided by the number of participants and everyone received an equal share rounded down to the nearest dollar to avoid having to make change for every one. What was left over from the rounddown was given to the participant who had made the pull which won the most money.

 

Example:

20 players each putting in $10.

Money when it is over $245.00

Each player receives 245/20 rounded down ($12.25 rounded down to $12).

Player with the best pull also receives the remaining $5

Thank you! That is exactly what I needed to know. Can't wait to do this!!

Cindy

I didn't contact the casino manager before the slot pull. We met at the casino on the first sea day at 2:00 pm, and with 27 people, it took us about 1 1/2 hours, and we each had 8 turns/pulls for $21/person. I had a spread sheet with everyones name on it, and space to record winnings for each pull. You have to be really organized, and keep tabs on the order, so that everyone gets their allotted turns. I had to call out the people as their turns came up, because people don't pay attention to whose up next. Good luck and have fun!

Thank you Ida. I am definitely on the right track. How did you distribute the winnings?

I appreciate your info. Looking forward to ours next week!

Cindy

Day 3 - Sea Day

 

Up at 9:00, headed off to the Horizon Court for my bagels, lox and cream cheese, what a treat, I sure was a happy camper. Darryl went to get his assortment, and we sat with an interesting couple from Utah. Half the fun of the trip is meeting and talking with people from all over the country. Everyone is so friendly and talkative, and of course Darryl (I call him Chatty Kathy), encourages everyone to talk, and he loves telling stories and has people in awe all the time!

 

After bkfst, it was time to park my pale skinned body in the sun to get bronzed. The only seats available was on the 17th deck, one deck over the pool. It was very windy, and things were flying every which way, but nevertheless very sunny and relaxing. D went galavanting around the ship with his camera, he usually takes over 3,000 pictures on our trips, whatever, at least he's happy doing it, and it costs nothing with the digital camera's.

 

He picked me up for lunch and we ate at the Horizon Court again, chicken fingers, that were crispy and delicious with a tangy sauce, a grilled vegie burrito, and a shrimp salad. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. Best cruise food I have eaten so far.

 

We went to the casino to meet up with the CC roll call group for our slot pull that I organized. 27 people showed up and we played for over an hour on the $3.00 slot machine, we didn't win anything, and it only ended up costing us $5/each to play 8 pulls each. It was a lot of fun, try to get someone to organize one for your cruise. We made so much noise, people from around us were joining us to see what was happening. After it was over we went to Club 6 where we held our formal M & G. Only around 20 people attended out of over 50 to were signed up to come, that was disappointing. Martyn Moss the cruise director came to talk with us and had a Q & A. He was very personable and upfront about anything we asked him.

 

On the way back to our cabin, we dropped off at the INternational Café for a grilled meat sandwich, after all it had been at least 3 hours since we last ate. Darryl went to pick up some scones and cookies at the Bistro to have back at our cabin, in case we got hungry again. I must say, we never eat like this at home, thank goodness.

 

Tonight was formal night, after our drink out on the balcony we got dressed in our finery and headed out to the Allegro Dining Room to eat again! Had a lighter meal, fish, which was cooked to perfection and just the right touch!

Couldn't refuse the desserts again, they were decadent and absolutely fantastic, it was a chocolate mocha, thingy. Don't remember what it was called.

 

Went to see Michael Minor, a comedian ventrilloquest. He was absolutely amazing and put on a great, entertaining show. After the show we were zonked, all that eating got us tired out, and tomorrow is St. Thomas, a big tour day to St. John, and hopefully time for jewellery shopping.

Could you tell me if you contacted the casino manager before your slot pull? I am in charge of ours on our upcoming cruise on the Coral Princess and have never done this before - any hints you can give me will be greatly appreciated. So far we have 35 signed up.

Thanks!

Cindy

We are sailing on the Coral Princess on March 10 for the same itinerary. Thank you for taking the time to give such a great review! We are going to the Blue Hole and Scotchies in Jamaica as well and are glad to see you enjoyed it - did you jump? Not sure if we will, but will be glad to experience it nevertheless!!!

Hi' date='

There really is no risk in running one. You are not handling the money; everyone feeds in their own money. You just need to have a calculator in order to divide up the money at the end.

I will forward all the instructions immediately to your email. Have fun.[/size']

Hi Ann,

I just found this thread and would love any info you can send to me as we are considering a slot pull on our Coral Princess cruise next March. Having never done one, I would love any info you can send so I can share with our roll call group. Thank you SO much....my email: ckrcjr@msn.com

Glad your surgery was successful and you are on the mend!

Thanks again!

Cindy

We just went with LibertyToursJamaica last month from Falmouth to the Blue Hole and LOVED it. The water is slightly cold because of the depth of the water, but felt really good to jump into considering the heat and humidity in Jamaica. Ricardo was our tour driver, was promptly awaiting our arrival, had a nice air conditioned van, very informative on the hour drive there and gave us the Royal Treatment! I can't say enough about him. He treated us like family and I have to say we made a friend for life. Prior to our arrival, he was great at responding to our emails, called us a few times to make sure we knew exactly when and where to meet him at the port, what to bring- water shoes- (I would stress are the most important), since it is rocky. Once at the falls, he introduced us to our guides and he also stayed along to help assist our family where needed.

The Blue Hole was so gorgeous none of us wanted to leave. We had our money and valueables locked in Ricardo's van, when it was time to go, we simply went up to get the money to tip the guides. We took a group picture and thanked them for such an incredible day.

Next, we were off to Scotchies for the famous jerk chicken everybody raves about. It was as good as they say- even better. We also had some Red Stripe beer to go with it. I had never had that before, and now it is my favorite! This was the best tour of our vacation and we still can't stop talking and thinking about it. The pictures posted on here are beautiful, but being there to see it in person is like nothing I have ever experienced.

I would use LibertyToursJamaica again on my next cruise to go to the Blue Hole, it truly is a hidden GEM!!

Sounds absolutely perfect! The last time we were in Jamaica we did Dunns River Falls and this time we wanted something different and the reviews for Ricardo and Liberty Tours have been great so...here we go. Just confirmed our reservation with him!! Can't wait!

Cindy

We recently did a tour with Liberty Tours with our teenage sons. Went to the Secret Falls, shopping in Ocho Rios and lunch at Scotchies. Would do it again in a heartbeat. They were outstanding in every single way possible.

We are considering booking with Liberty tours as well and glad to hear you had such a great time. So far they have been great with answering emails and all my questions!! How was the water at the Blue Hole? Cold?

Cindy

Yes, look at the photo in post#8.

 

Where the guy is standing alone on the left.

Thanks so much - not quite sure how I missed that!!