cruiseri

We arrive very early in the AM on a flight from BOS, perhaps a short nap in the airport and then a nice breakfast somewhere in San Juan before boarding.  We will have wheels.  Any suggestions?

Thanks

SAS

On 8/16/2019 at 10:58 AM, ipeeinthepool said:

Don't get involved with the Celebrity Tours in St Petersburg.  There are several good tour companies, SPB, Alla, TJ, that offer very good tours with small groups that are cheaper than Celebrity.  Go to your Roll call and there may already be some people there organizing the groups.  If you mention Cruise Critic with any of these companies and they'll likely give you a discount.  We used SPB and they were excellent.  The buses were 15 -18 people and we often seemed to get cuts in most attractions and seldom waited in lines.  Several times we walked past Celebrity tours waiting in lines.  We also used SPB in a couple of other cities.  Enjoy the trip.

We used SPB couldn't be more satisfied and the price was way better.  Go to their web site and make a reservation.

SAS

On 9/22/2019 at 12:20 PM, Jim_Iain said:

 

You will love Providence.   One of the highlights of the port are the Mansion and their tour.   The ship offers tours but it is really an easy walk (about a mile to The Breakers).  

You are not going to Providence, it's about a 45 min ride away from Newport.  The mansions mentioned in the post are in Newport.  Or take the public bus from the pier to the Breakers. 

Took me about 5 weeks after I submitted a claim to get a reply from AON rep.

SAS

How do I add this offer to my AMEX account? About to make reservation on Princess and would love to get the $150 bonus. Not sure if I got the offer or not, don't remember how to check.

Help please.

SAS

I suggest you to take a tour from local companies.

They are are much less expensive that the ones offered by the cruise lines and it is really a completely different experience.

We had a 6 hours tour divided in 3 hours around Havana in a convertible car and 3 hours walking in Old Havana with an english speaking guide and it was absolutely amazing!

Do you have a name or two of local companies that provide such tours, exactly what I am looking for. How do you pay for the tour?

SAS

Does anyone know if you have to pay to use the exercise bikes or other equipment in the gym on the ship?

I am recovering from a total knee replacement

Bikes as well as other equipment are free in the gym. That said many treadmills but just a few bikes. You'll be competing with my DW (recent total knee replacement) for a bike.:):):)

SAS

Is there a new dress code for Blu Dining Room? Someone told me they read where gentlemen must wear long sleeve shirts. Anyone have any additional information.

SAS

All of the major hotel chains have numerous properties in the Fort Lauderdale area. My wife and I cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale every February and have found the area by the 17th St. Causeway perfect for our pre-cruise stay. Close to the airport and next to Port Everglades, this area boasts a great variety of restaurants, shopping, drug stores, etc. A quick cab ride over the causeway and your at beautiful Ft. Lauderdale beach. Hotel chains include, Hilton, Embassy Suites, Renaissance, Holiday Inn Express, Four Points by Sheraton, and many more. Make sure to make your room reservation early as these like most hotels in the area fill quickly during peak season.

 

Islandfan

We've done the same each Feb. Also inlcude the Hyatt Place which is next door to the Embassy Suites. Short cab ride (5 minutes) from there to the ship, and much cheaper than the hotel arranged (fee) shuttle. Many restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Make a reservation at your choice of hotel and then keep checking back as prices WILL fall if occupancy rate doesn't plan out to what the hotel expected. Most if not all have a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel (again maybe 5-6 minutes away). You could also check out the chain motels along Griffin Road, however not many restaurants within walking distance.

Submitted my expiring passport and my wife's via priority mail on May 6th, I got mine back in maybe 8 days; my wife received hers about 4 weeks later. Who knows why????

SAS

Do note that on days that a ship is in town, i.e. tendering to Periotti (sic) Park, the police do not allow stopping on America's Cup Ave, so the advise on meeting at the Gateway Center is a good idea. As your friend's get off the tender they should turn left and walk one block past the traffic light and the Marriott to the red brick bldg which is the Gateway Center.

Hope this help. I live in Newport.

SAS

Exactly correct..similar to the use of slots. Your OBC is sent to your sea pass "personal banker" at the machines. If you win, you win.

Confused--Could you explain in a little more detail, not sure what is a "personal banker". Can you put your OBCN onto your casino account, and then cash out what remains in your casino account after you're done gambling for the day/cruise?

TIA

SAS

So as you can see by my posts I'm about to book a celebrity cruise and want to make sure I cover all my bases.

 

I intend on booking the upgrade where it's premium drinks, $300 obc per room, free wifi 2 people, and tips included for 2.

 

A few questions around this.

 

 

2) obc I've read can be used for most things on the cruise but casino. So I'll get $300 obc??

 

Let's say I have $300 in OBC (which I assume appear as a credit against my ship account) If I go to the casino and put $200 on my casino account, which will result in a $200 charge on my cruise account, then I gamble, as a result of that night's action in the casino I have a loss of $150. Can I then ask the casino cashier to cash me out, i.e. hand me the resultant $50 remaining on my casino account in cash?

TIA

SAS

We arrive in Newport at 7am on a Sunday, I realize we have to tender. If we decide to take the bus to The Breakers, do an early tour, walk the Cliff Walk to Rough Point, possibly do the servants tour at the Elms, where is there a place for lunch? We won't spend a ton of time seeing the mansions but taking into consideration, lines, walking on the Cliff Walk and seeing two mansions, I feel like it will be at least 2 or 3 before we are finished. Am I overestimating? Is there somewhere to grab a snack?

 

Thanks!

I am a Newporter, me thinks you're planning too much for one day, however your mileage will depend on your stamina. As someone suggested take a taxi to the Breakers and be there at 9 AM when it opens. Touring the cottage will take 1-1/2 hour or more depending on your interest. Suggest you then walk back north on Cliff Walk (behind the Breakers) to 40 Steps at Narraganset Ave. (About an hour or 3/4 mile, passing Salve Regina Un and several summer mansions.) Exit the Cliff Walk then walk west to Bellevue Ave. The Elms should be in front of you on Bellevue. After touring the Elms (about 1-1/2 hour) grab a taxi or the 67 bus back to the center of town. Many restaurants in the center of town. After lunch walk about the colonial houses in the center of the town. When you get tired the tender boats will be right there in the center of the town.

Did it last summer, during a port stop in Civitevecchia. Actually fairly easy.

There is a bus (forget if they charge) from the ship to the entrance to the port. Then you can walk or take another shuttle bus (maybe 1 Euro) from the port entrance to the train station. Trains leave several times an hour from there to Rome, check the online schedule. There are at least 3 stops in Rome itself. We've been to Rome many times and just wanted to hang out,get a bite to eat, and of course shop about the Spanish Steps. We got off the train at the Vatican Train Station (about 50 minutes for the train trip) and then took a cab from there to the Steps.

Trip home just reversed the procedure.

If you have a slight bit of adventure was fairly easy all the way. Had a wonderful day in Rome.

SAS

We did the same cruise about 2 years ago. We went with SpB tours. No problems. Also joined with their tour of Berlin (made for a long day). In fact it seemed all the tour companies in St Petersburg did the same tours, same stops, etc. Remember if not on a tour (whether ship's or one of the companies already mentioned), you'll need a Visa ($$$). Tour companies are exempted from each person having an individual visa and merely get a collective visa for their whole group. They then email you a copy of the collective visa which you show to immigration control at the St. Petersburg port.

SAS

On a b2b, whether you change rooms depends on how you book it. We always book the same cabin for all segments of the cruise. So we don't change cabins.

 

Immigration depends on where you are turning around. Usually in the US, you do have to go thru immigration. Outside the US, you do not.

Did a B2B this past winter (on the Regal), stayed in the same cabin for both portions of the cruise. On our return to FLL after first portion, all B2B passengers went to the theater to wait until US customs had a zero count (i.e. all departing passengers were off), took maybe 20 minutes, at that point we were "cleared" to go back to our planned activities on board the ship, etc. Those wanting to walk about the port were given a card for re-boarding to skip the line with the new on-coming passengers.

SAS

So as many posters here as noted something changed in the cost (more favorable) and the no. of flights available through EZ-Air, and this change was noticed maybe a year or so ago, begs the question what changed. Perhaps EZ-Air is actually booking flights through a different agent/consolidator/etc.

Anyone have any idea what happened?

SAS

Concerto has a fixed first seating at 5:30 and becomes anytime at 7:00-7:30. Symphony is anytime all evening.:)

To be specific, Concerto opens for anytime dining at 7:45, never before, in fact doors are closed to in-coming diners and only opened again for in-coming diners at 7:45.

SAS

Usually rent a car at the airport and then return to the car rental company's office at/near the port and then take their free shuttle the few blocks to the ship. Among other, Avis and Budget at the Hyatt Hotel at the Intracoastal Bridge on 17th St. National and Thrifty just off A1A near 17th St near the back entrance to the port (Rt 84). Hertz also has an office near the bridge on 17th St. Sixth located on A1A close by the back entrance to the port.

SAS

We are also doing a tour to Berlin with Viktoria's company. At first we weren't going to bother because we have spent time in Berlin several years ago, but her tour is very extensive, so we decided to do it. :)

Be ready for a long day, but well worth it if you haven't been to Berlin lately. Well you can sleep on the bus ride down and same on the way back to ship. Many of the sites in Berlin are seen from the bus window only, but still an exciting day in Berlin. If there is something in particular you'd like to see, merely ask the tour guide, I'm sure they'll accommodate your request if time permits.

Martin, Viktoria's husband runs the tour operations in Berlin, he'll greet you in Berlin.

SAS

Thanks everyone. We are booked on a group tour with Viktoria from SPB. I am sure it will be great.:)

Do make sure you get off the ship as soon as the gangplank is lowered (i.e. be one of the first off the ship) despite Princess telling you ONLY ship-based tours can get off for the first hour or so (just another threat).

The Immigration people don't care whose tour you are taking only that you have necessary tour documents. Line to enter immigration does get long as almost everyone on the ship is getting off and the immigration people do look at your documents. So get there pronto.

Once you leave the immigration area, your SPB rep. will be there with a sign and passenger list directing you to the proper tour bus. And somewhere during your 2-3 day tours, Vika will be there to meet you personally.

SAS

They come in really handy to store laundry and take it to the laundry room. :)

:):):):) Yes, and then throw away prior to disembarking.

They come in really handy to store laundry and take it to the laundry room. :)

:):):):) Yes, and then throw away prior to disembarking.

 

Wink, wink-isn't that usually the case.:):):):):)