c-leg5

Sounds like things are beginning to improve which would be good.

Good to know it is certainly needed. I wonder why they don’t advertise it - makes no sense?

Thanks, I have been reading up. I assume this is TICO? It certainly seems to cover some of the gaps in the differences. Good to know.

Does this require booking in Canadian$?

Good to know, again not something you hear much about or see widely discussed. Are you referring to Canada, or the US, and would this protect bookings from UK? I am not saying people booking from UK wouldn’t like, or appreciate, the booking flexibility, as @Tin can confirms, I am saying it isn’t as simple as, “one size fits all” and they need to understand what they are doing and the differences and not get carried away in the euphoria. It isn’t as simple as just “booking a cruise with a US agent”. It will work for some and not for others. Obviously, ideally, people would like the advantages from both systems.

How many UK posters do you see on this section of CC that would be reporting their experiences? Whilst it is probably OK for most, let’s not get blasé about it. It’s probably akin to insurance, some people take a risk and some people don’t. You don’t need it ….., until you do. Sometimes timing and circumstances matter. Easy to say from your position selling cruises in US market but like everything else people need to step back and consider if it is right for them. From personal experience there is a bigger picture.

Definitely something to consider but people have to understand and do their research to see if it is good for them personally. Some things look good on the surface but people have to see if it is good for them.

Not as simple as that as you forgo other rights and protection if you go that route. Yes, you have choices but you need to know and understand what you are gaining and losing.

I guess some of the confusion was caused by you saying you were taken to Krazy Lobster or the bar next to it that you cannot remember the name. Bars build their reputation on word of mouth. Krazy Lobster has taken over a vast frontage in Mahahual since cruising resumed perhaps you thought it was another bar (from old signs) when they had actually taken it over? However there are also bars along the malecon that are renowned to be shady, running scams and overcharging so it is courteous to be accurate and not cast vague accusations or misinformation, intentional or not. Also you are now saying there was actually a “$15 charge, or complimentary access with purchase of food or drink”. This is completely understandable and acceptable but different from implying Krazy Lobster charges a fee to use their facilities which in essence is what Pez Quadro was doing. I can well imagine Krazy Lobster may have this policy to prevent people using their tables, chairs, loungers, WiFi and restrooms for free but it is different to charging a “day pass fee” or even an “additional facility fee” for loungers. It is good to know there is a PAYG option at Pez Quadro, even if you did have to pay a siginificant amount for loungers in addition. Here is a link to their website and what they claim to be their beach packages which are expensive even by Mahahual standards. https://www.pezquadrocostamaya.com Cruisers will be pleased to know there may be a PAYG option.

This is the type of conundrum that Galveston needs to address if they hope to attract more out of town cruisers to the new ships they are bringing in. To attract the wider audience of cruisers flying in supporting services need to be available.

I would never buy UDP so haven’t really monitored pricing but I would assume (or at least hope, perhaps naively) that the itinerary and ratio of port days to cruising days is taken into account when determining the price? Also probably ship and number of venues. I can’t imagine it is a set price per day without factoring in some parameters?

They have several pools and a flow rider at Costa Maya port, nearby water park and beach town.

Exactly I am sure the taxi was trying to get a kick back. @DesertSons was unclear about the location which makes it misleading to post on this thread.

Thank you so much that really helps me visualize. I am amazed no one else has mentioned it. Here is the grand master plan that they are supposedly working towards. https://roatantourismbureau.com/port-of-roatan

Glad you enjoyed your day. I am a little confused- I have never heard of Krazy Lobster charging for a day pass it has always been PAYG and it is a long way from the north end. Sounds like the taxi was trying to get you to go somewhere else? Although I am not aware of the north end being busy either (by the lighthouse?) - are you sure you weren’t dropped in the middle? I have never seen Pez Quardro that quiet! You were lucky! It isn’t somewhere I would generally consider quiet with less noise and traffic unless things have changed considerably since Covid. Are you saying $20pp was just for access and loungers with no food and drink credit? It has always been a more expensive location for cruisers. It offers incentives to the cruise staff so is usually lively. Food and drink have been good but we have only used the restaurant as it is generally too loud and busy on the beach and I thought they only sold packages. Good to know you can buy food and drink separately there too. They appear to have new lounge beds from the usual photos. Since this is fundamentally a Krazy Lobster thread you probably should have started a new thread or found an appropriate Pez Quadro thread to update.

They may well have permission to search per the contract I signed but do they have permission to remove without me being present and presenting me with a receipt AT THE TIME. I would have expected it to be in their own interest and it would seem prudent for the guest to be notified and present otherwise it is subject to all kinds of abuse and allegations. I would not expect my luggage to be tampered with and delivered missing objects. If additional objects are removed or damaged in excess of those listed on a receipt it becomes a “he said, she said” scenario. I haven’t read the contract that closely as I am not in the habit of knowingly flaunting the rules but I do think it leaves them open to allegations unnecessarily which they generally try to avoid.

That would be annoying.

Are you saying they accessed your bag without permission, removed an item without you being present AND without issuing a receipt? I thought normal practice was to be called downstairs for you to open your bag and hand over an item.

Surely that would be their choice? I can’t imagine that is the only way to secure a reservation or arrange a time to eat.

That’s fine. I prefer to preempt situations that have the potential to annoy. If you good with taking a phone call each time that’s your choice. You sounded like you would like to take care of it in advance. Since you are contacted in advance in a suite that sounds like the way to do just that.

I thought you could do mock bookings for the days and time you require to gauge that? I think Uber would be more expensive than a shared shuttle but again it depends on day of the week, time of day. My only experience of trying to Uber from IAH at rush hour was a 60+ minute wait.

I agree. I also think if I desired set dining, having random people entering and exiting around me and disrupting the sequence that my waiter was supposed to be following would be detrimental to my experience. It us different when everyone is in a different schedule and that is what you have chosen. I think when 1 or 2 tables out of 8 are different it disrupts the flow.

I think the lack of demand has been self created. When cruising resumed there were a lot of things that “weren’t the same” for various reasons but they have had time to adjust and move on IMO. They had a perfectly good system pre-Covid that had evolved and they had a model that worked. Moving to three dining times addresses some of the problems but not the issue of flexibility. In this day and age doing away with that option is a retrograde step IMO.

I realize that but I am surprised about Blue Reef I thought it was a new build?

Thanks that looks nice! I am surprised no one has mentioned this before.