thinfool

What you may call a bus load is actually about 20 people or less.  The shuttles are not large busses but more like a hotel shuttle that you would use from the airport to your hotel.

No daisy chain delivery....once you get on a shuttle it is dedicated to taking you directly to your ship.

Arriving at your ship where you wait in line to be checked in will take longer than the ride from the parking lot to the checkin site.

Note" there are some wild but domesticated monkeys that live in the trees next to the parking lot.  Signs that tell you to Don't Feed the Monkees are everywhere. (Florida Wildlife)  For us, as we exit the facility, we have received a nice, cold bottle of water.  Nice touch.

We did all of that in 2004 on a final sailing out of Dover on the HAL Noordam...it was great....however, anyone planning on the rail trip from Flam should know that bookings fill outrageously fast....make them early, like a year out, maybe more.

We used uber in Brooklyn a few years back....worked well, no hassles. I never keep track of fares, my phone pays the bills....LOL

23 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

On a HAL Panama Canal cruise there was a couple seated in comfortable chairs next to a table about ten feet back from the bench which ran along the forward- facing windows.  They tried to insist that, since they were there first, no one should sit anywhere on the bench which might infringe on their desired 120 degree panoramic view.

Ahem...we may have been on that cruise (Nov. 2012) and saw those folks.  Mostly they were ignored and the wife was rather miffed!  

15 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

So your saying I need a cruise husband 😂 

Not to be snarky, but booking a HAL cruise most anywhere....we did South America in 2016, would mean that you could use the bow of the ship...lean over, take photos, take turns with others,  Tis windy, but so is the upper viewing areas, as you found out.

Third or fourth for Park n Go...and to add that you have no need to know which Terminal your ship sails from.  Their shuttle driver will ask which ship, and then take you directly to it.  And they will be there to pick you up when you return.

2 hours ago, dezzy said:

Hi, I have downloaded the new app and trying to make a dinner reservation in the Crown Grill for 4 people from two different cabins. I might be being a bit thick but can’t see any way of linking the reservations- can anyone help?

If one or both couples have  a reservation time that is the same, you can enter the Grill at the same time and be seated together.

Book a hotel with an airport shuttle.

I learned over the last 20 years that a passport is a very expensive investment.  This because it opens the whole world to exploration by any citizen with the time and/or money.  No other form of identification is required unless it would be a Visa to visit the destination.

Anymore, when I bring up a destination I get a question from the chief domestic with whom I live.  What Question?

Does this trip include a rudder?

Oh, and the answer best be 'Yes' if I want to succeed.

On 1/23/2024 at 3:08 PM, Volk9048 said:

We are flying into PBI and staying in downtown Ft Lauderdale I know we can take the brightline train.  Is there any other good options?

You can also take the TriRail train  It actually has a stop that is much closer to the Airport than Brightline.

The TriRail is good.  And there is a free shuttle from the train station to the Airport where you could get a hotel shuttle if yours offers it.

Shipping to your home is still available...IF you opt for the Plus or Premier package.  You could also ask your TA or whomever is handling your booking about it.

Otherwise, picking your medallion up when you are checking in at the pier is now the standard.

4 hours ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

Doing a cruise out of PE with friends in a few weeks. Easier to have a rental car for the day we are there as opposed to ubers.  If I drop my friends at the terminal and then go back to FLL to ditch the rental car, can I grab an uber or taxi from the rental car facility to get back to the port? Or do I have to go back to one of the airport terminals?

The taxi marshalling location is completely outside of the terminals.  We used a taxi back in Dec 23.  As I remember,it is located on the Northeast side of the terminal area.  Signs are there tho it may take some effort to find and understand them.

Please stop breaking things that are not broken.

Pre covid we sailed on the Royal from Quebec City to Ft Lauderdale, the dining room fare was so bad that we opted to eat in the Lido for several nights.  

Same old adage, you get what you pay for....and the food ain't it.

Service otherwise was great!

Except for England which is not a Schengen country anymore.  Brexit took care of that.

The Brightline train has a stellar record with the exception of the previously mentioned human tragedies.  Please don't think ill of me if I comment that their record will improve dramatically once the tragic souls who have determined that 'death by train' is their preferred way to sleep permanently.

This early riser wanders down to the International Cafe in the morning, gets a 'brewed black coffee' then I find a seat in the seating near the IC...never a lot of people there, so it is quiet while the caffeine takes effect.  (Princess)

Troll your way thru the RonJon surf shop in Cocoa Beach.  Get a head start on shopping!

I am married to a professional eye scanner...and if that eye sees something it doesn't like or recognize I seriously have to pay for it.

Boarding time may be as you describe, but sailing time depends on the Tides.  The ship has no need to get to Seymour Narrows and then wait for the tide window to appear.  So sailing time will be what it is.  It has been a long time, but I think our actual sailing time was closer to 5 pm even tho the schedule said 4.

St Barts was mentioned for required passports, Martinique is another port that needs a passport as the island is considered a Department of mainland France.

Park n Go has sold to someone else, this is the site for booking to park at their facility.  https://airportparkingreservations.com/lot_park_n_go_fll?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&msclkid=c4bacb8427a318f95c8cae1db79eb616&utm_campaign=FLL |Geo&utm_term=park n go&utm_content=FLL - Park 'N Go - [E]

Using this allows unlimited time selection as the available times are listed for each 30 minute period of the day or night.

The OP asked about the Sky Princess.  We disembarked on Dec 16 and from our experience only Diet Coke and Diet Sprite were available on the ship.

Happily we had hand carried two 12 paks of Coke Zero onboard with us...it went into the tiny reefer in our room...after an overnight in the fridge, it was nice and cold.  Roaming around the ship, DW was able to make do with the Diet Coke.

Thanks for your very helpful post.  I agree that larger print and some kind of better notice would be helpful.

There are 3rd party insurers that are way better at this than the cruise lines.  It is more like they are the typical insurance agents and want to do their best to limit their liability.  Fine print, indeed.

Clearly you know about better insurance, tis too bad it was not in place for this occurence.

If you have the taxi-vans take you to the TriRail station (commuter rail) at Griffin Road you can ride the rails to the end, which is actually the Miami Airport.  Cost is $5.00 pp on weekends.