bobnsofi

My recent Carnival experience has been just "ok" internet speed, I recall Carnival offers 2 speed plans, fast and faster, as I recall on Carnival Panorama in the past few months, faster was just ok. MSC Grandioso last week had amazing internet speed. Regal Princess this week has been horrible (Princess offers only a single speed plan, which has been very slow on 2 different Princess ships in the past 4 months). As I recall Carnival plans for 7 day cruises run about $100 and $130 for the fast and faster. I also recall purchasing prior to sailing had 20% +/- cost savings benefits. I purchased the Faster, and it was just ok, far slower than we are accustom to in USA households (MSC was amazing, comparable to USA household speed). 

The one time I cruised Norwegian, I was unable to walk up to a restaurant and request that I join a large table with my fellow cruisers that enjoy sharing a meal. My experience is, I can walk up to a ships restaurant on Many cruise lines and ask to join a large table, The restaurant hostess will typically refer to it as a "table to share".  This is an easy way to meet a variety of passengers. The only other time that I cruised Norwegian, They did not allow this. Carnival, Princess, and Holland all allow and promote this.  I'm Referring to the typical restaurant aboard ship, the multi course meal restaurants, that are free of charge, Not the specialty restaurants that include an extra fee.

 Will Norwegian allow me to walk up to one of the regular restaurants, with regular waiters and waiters that are serving multi course meals, and allow me to join a table of Other passengers. ??? a "table to share" ???

OK, I called NCL and confirmed that there is no policy of seating small requesting parties together (if they request, and many MANY cruisers do request this, on other lines).

On NCL, by policy, NCL will turn you down.

The NCL rep did say that the NCLTeppanyaki restaurant does (by default) serve to large tables only, so everyone can enjoy the Benihana style chef, at the table experience. So if you do choose NCL Teppanyaki, and are in a small party, you will dine at the same table, as some of your other fellow cruiser diners.

Thanks for all your tips, as selecting the main dining at rush hour, may be the way to go, for us, cast of characters entertained folk, to get to know as many fellow passengers as possible. 

I think having an early-n-cruise chit chat with the Maître D on this topic, couldn't hurt either.

Think we will give it a try, cause it's been several years since we NCL'd

Cya aboard... and maybe, just maybe... get to chit chat with ya

Hi All, 

We were thinking of cruising on the GEM next season, and we typically avoid Norwegian,

due to a Norwegian dining policy, that jibes with one of our favorite reasons to cruise.

We enjoy the main dining room for every meal.

We enjoy sharing a large table with others on the cruise, other cruisers that we have not met prior.

Our typical protocol is to show up for breakfast and lunch at the main dining room, during regular service hours.

We approach the main dining room and ask to share a large table, with others.

We have had wonderful experiences doing this on many other cruise lines, but not Norwegian.

The few times I have tried this on Norwegian, we were turned down. Small table for the 2 of us, no exceptions.

Does Norwegian still have this policy of not seating cruisers in group dining tables?

!!! If so, no GEM for us !!!

Also dinner, 

No large table dining with our ship mates?

Only a small table for the two of us?

Not happening for us if this is still the Norwegian rule

Cabo, Medano Beach,

advise.... take your time browsing about the vendors (jet skis are randomly located water front), sign nothing, leave no deposit, pay cash upfront for a single hour

Oops, Oops, Oops

El Cid has several resorts, the small El Cid Marina resort is different from the giant El Cid El Morro Beach resort. The El Cid Marina is a much smaller resort that fronts the small artificial harbor entrance. The ocean beach area of this marina club is accessed by a very short water taxi ride, and this area of ocean beach has very little vendor or nearby eatery activity.. This small marina resort is typically very quiet, thus would be preferred by the cruiser seeking an extremely solitary experience. The ocean beach area of this marina resort often hosts the cruise ship beach tours, catering to the "cruise tour only" beach privacy and safety experience. Because of cruise tour security, the Marina resort would very likely limit access to this beach area to registered hotel guests (or wrist banded day use guests).

Alternately, the El Cid El Morro Beach is a giant beach front resort, and the resort suggested for cruise passengers seeking an affordable "pay as you go" interesting welcoming resort experience with plenty to see and do.

Because of the likely cruise ship tour at the El Cid Marina beach area, it is not suggested that you select the El Cid Marina for an independent affordable day use experience. There are dozens of fine quiet resorts that would provide a similar quiet experience without the cruise tour "stay away" security issue. It would even seem that the El Cid Marina would not allow a $70 paying day use visitor to enjoy the cruise passenger assigned beach area seating, as the cruise line frowns on cruise passengers "sneaking in" joining a higher paying tour experience, thus your assigned beach area seating would likely be away from the cruise passengers. But if ya really got your sights set on trying to join in a cruise tour beach day experience, pay the $70 and go for it.

bottom line, better to visit the giant El Cid El Morro Beach resort and not mess with trying (and likely failing) to join your cruise line beach day tour at the El Cid Marina resort.

Mexican Riviera cruises port mid week (slow time for resorts), thus almost all are extremely welcoming to the drink ordering (followed by a generous tipping) typical cruiser. The El Cid El Morro Beach is one of the most friendly and welcoming. Sure, if you walk up with a wad of cash to the front desk, they will kindly accept as much as possible.

Suggest you pay the $8 one way fare on a delightful open air pulmonia taxi, walk right in like you own the palce, select a seating location of your liking, spend $20 on cool drinks and tips, take a walk on the beach and purchase a $2 shrimp taco from a nearby kind vendor, have a delightful experience, or pay $70 pp for a marginal all you can eat/drink experience with a "feel included" wrist band and have a lesser experience.

In the most unlikely event that a very unusual aggressive El Cid El Morro Beach employee suggests you pay a day use fee, respond with this statement => "My family church is thinking of buying a time share in Mazatlan, and they asked us to visit the resorts... I like this one, but if we are not welcome to try this resort out, we will leave ".

Family. Church and welcoming are Mexican life's definition, thus => end of very unusual aggressive El Cid El Morro Beach employee experience.

Talk softly, act politely, give respect, tip generously with newer crisp $1 bills = win in Mexico.

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Just go, they welcome cruisers with open arms, walk right in, pay as you go, no need for an expensive day pass, have a great ride there and back in an open air pulmonia taxi

Cabo water taxis are independent folks with boats, thus you will have no worries finding one

PV has a lively cruise pier scene with cantina

easiest, most cost & time efficient, Walmart PV, 10 minute walk from cruise ship

Interesting. something new... the dolphin pool is small, very popular, and right near the cruise pier. The ships tour usually sells out, as it is a big hit with passengers. And, like yourself, many many folks have asked this Q here before, with always the same not happening. Perhaps Carnival and Caboadventures are not getting along as well as they used to, so congratulations, have fun, saving $ having booked directly

PV => extreme canopy

extremely nice and easy marina stroll (all the way around), a $3 water taxi would be faster (Breathless is right across the channel entry from the cruise pier)... You will be lucky to find a $ 3.00 water taxi there. We were told $2.00 then on the way over we were told we had t pay

$ 3.00 dock fee ant then they wanted to charge us more to get off at the Marina. We did not pay the last amount because we told them we had a tour at the marina. WE WALKED BACK.

"Extremely nice" was in reference to the walk, the walk (marina stroll) is extremely nice. Breathless is a new resort Marina front. The most beautiful ambiance for most cruisers... is the bay view (not marina view), which includes the cruise ship, and an assortment of other interesting sights. The water taxi's are relatively affordable. The Mexican people are very kind, but will ask high prices. A kind cruiser smile with a calm tone (replying with a low $ counter offer) will reward the patient cruiser with amazing deals. There is a 10 peso government dock fee (usually paid with $1) good for a departure and return trip (keep the small receipt). Have Fun!

No, Cruise line books entire dolphin arena on port day. No one dolphins, but cruise passengers, on port day

La Paz, Whale Shark tour or Tecolote Beach, skip La Paz town center

2 things, Cabo is a deep water port in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thus the normal high seas (rough ocean conditions) are normal. Snorkel in Cabo in boring (not interesting sea life to observe). Best to check weather (sea) conditions on the day prior to arriving, and book last minute by email or with the cruise line

Barceló Karmina, expensive

Las Hadas, less expensive (Movie "10", Dudley Moore, Bo Derek)

Playa la Audiencia, FREE! (our choice)

Google each for contact, info and pics

extremely nice and easy marina stroll (all the way around), a $3 water taxi would be faster (Breathless is right across the channel entry from the cruise pier)

Walmart in Cabo would have a pharmacy, and is in a nice shopping center... taxi, as it is too far to walk. Plan B, Pharmacies are everywhere, ask anyone local in Cabo. Acapulco, no pharmacies within reasonable walking distance from cruise pier

water taxi, $2-$3 per person, plus $1 per person for city pier fee, save pier fee receipt for pier fee return trip (or pay the $1 again)

Los Muertos Beach, $8 cab ride,

or $6 cab ride to Malecon and then epic stroll to Los Muertos Beach,1/2 mile south

way to much beautiful in PV, to sit isolated in a resort

lovely spot on small artificial bay front location, no vendors, a relatively classy bay front resort pool area with rather classy quiet guests (El Cid El Morro would be more noisy kids running around)

we would do El Cid El Morro, no vendors within the large FREE resort (pay as you go), and lots of guests in this giant resort (marina resort is far smaller)

wheeled walker should be fine

yes, problem, best to grab a whale watching tour on shore, plenty of vendors

Also, Cabo is a deep, Deep, DEEP water port, this means the ocean can be extremely rough. As you arrive you can research CURRENT ocean conditions.

Cabo calm ocean is lovely,

Cabo rough ocean can be life threatening. death defying, survival memories for a lifetime

extremely warm in June/July, dry desert heat,

we would think... enjoying a beautiful pool and air conditioning in Cabo

browsing about would be best done at morning and evening,

La Paz is dull in nice winter weather,

no way La Paz in summer for us