FLSteve11

If my memory is correct, thought I saw Hairspray on Allure in April 2011.

Yes I'm pretty sure that's right, with Chicago on Oasis. I believe it was a shortened one from the broadway version at 90 minutes

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It's times like this I wish the US would invest money into underground wires like they do in other countries. If they just did it in places like Florida then people wouldn't have to worry about power lines coming down. You go to some countries and there isn't a single power line in sight. I mean if Fios can do underground fiber optic cables in so many areas why can't the electricity companies get Florida in a better place to avoid these awful outages?

There are some places in Florida that have the utility lines buried underground. It's usually in the newer developments though. I live in Weston (Ft Lauderdale suburb) and ours are. We never really lost power or cable (it went out for 2 minutes Sunday evening), so there are benefits to it. But the city itself is mostly a new development (built mainly in late 90s) so it was done that way from the beginning.

The star represents my house and the line represents the forecast.

 

 

Sent from Middle Earth.

I'm in Weston. My house is right by that circled F in south Florida. Ick! Going to be a loooong weekend!

I'm in Davie just on the border with Weston (other side of Indian Trace). I am definitely not doing my shutters, I have a guy who does it. We have a lot of large windows (12ft tall) and it's a big chore. Waiting until later in the week before I pull the trigger on that decision. Not fun at all. House isn't that old and it's almost unbelievable they wouldn't have built it with impact windows, ugh!!!

 

We had some pretty good flooding the last storms that came through what, a few months ago. Tennis courts were completely submerged. So I get a little nervous but I have never seen water get anywhere close to the houses. Stay in touch if you need any help.

I'll have to look at that as well. The only really big windows we have are the 2 sliding glass doors. But still it's a lot of windows. We're relatively new to the house, so haven't put them on this one yet. That's why I figured to start early as well, giving the foot a break. Gout is awful, seems like it's no big deal but it can hurt! (Probably a carry-over from 2 weeks in Alaska in July).

We fortunately did not flood much during the last big storm, though there were a few puddles in the road that took a day or so to go away. I know Davie & SW Ranches had a lot more flooding. I'm in the Ridges, so in the southern portion down near Griffin Rd, so saw the flooding there.

Hopefully with the storm still almost a week away, it will change before it gets here.

We will ride out Irma at home, like every other hurricane. I'll have to have someone put my shutters up if it will, in fact, hit us. That's one heck of a project but oh well. South Florida isn't anywhere near as prone as New Orleans or Houston to flooding, so I'm not terribly worried. Plenty of water, fuel, generators, food, etc. etc. More of an inconvenience than anything.

 

I hope RCI is better prepared this time around to cancel cruises out of South Florida and give travelers plenty of notice. I think around Thursday will be decision time. Let's see.

Where in FLL are you? I'm in Weston, and we're in the same boat as you. Unfortunately just came down with gout, so putting shutters up is going to be a chore, might need to find someone as well (especially as our house as 2 floors). Agreed, at least we're not prone to flooding, and we're not in a flooding zone (though I do have flood insurance anyway, it's cheap enough not to have it while in Florida). We could end up with 10 people and 4 dogs at our house though, as my inlaws (parents and sister w/kids) are on Marco, near the water. At least we're 15+ miles inland.

So after 10+ Cruises and Stalking this site I am motivated to make a post ;-) This is a great resource to learn everything there is to know!

 

We flying into Miami on 9/8 going out on the Norwegian "Booze Cruise" Sky for our 10 year Anniversary. It's a short 3 day affair. The itinerary is pretty much in ground zero of the current path of Irma (Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay). At this point we are just waiting and seeing what happens. I hope Norwegian is responsible and considers all the factors. IE, Impact of Embarkation Port, can people get home if Miami is impacted,etc, etc. What I have done to sort of prepare is book a Hotel Stay inland in preparation we might be stuck for a while. However if Irma slams Florida I think we are going to stay home and forgo the flight, etc. The bottom line is folks, this is what life hands us and you have to be willing to take a loss without insurance and plan accordingly. I see a lot of frustration here and can relate but what control do we have in the end?

 

Hope everyones' trip pans out ok!

We were on the Sky doing the 3-night Bahamas cruise when Sandy went through the Bahamas (before it devastated the NY area). We sailed and went out into the channel and rode it out for that Saturday in 30+ foot seas. Fortunately it was quickly through there and not quite a strong as Irma. Empties I've ever seen a dining room or casino (and only real time my daughter was seasick). So be prepared.

It's puzzling. They should have enough for AT LEAST 3-4 days, but honestly I think I have been told a week of emergency supplies. It's not a quick or easy sail up and down the Mississippi so they must not have the provisions they think they need if they have to stay at sea for several days.

 

 

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With the forecasts changing, or at least some making it seems the storm might still be in the area through Wednesday, they might need the extra provisions (particularly the ones due on Saturday).

As a passenger, I would much rather be riding up a nice, smooth river then bobbing around in what is probably a rather choppy gulf, at the least.

How do you expect them to get into Galveston? And if they do how will they get back out of Galveston as I am sure uber, taxis and transportation business will be limited at best. They should stay out to see until Galveston port reopens on Tues or Wed. If not opened by then they will need to re access situation.

Not everyone will want to go back to Galveston. Anyone who flew there will want to go straight home, not go to Galveston and then head to the airport. They'll need to make flight change arrangements from another location if they did that.

We are booked on the Conquest October 14th, I checked on ports.cruisett.com to see how many other ships would be in each of the 4 ports we were stopping in. It looks like only Grand Turk will have a boat other than us in port. I have never been on a cruise that didn't have other boats in the ports, is the link I went to outdated and is there a better place to get this information? Or are we really going to get lucky and have islands to ourselves this trip?

I think you find this more now with the large increase of private island/beach port stops on itineraries. Amber Cove, Harvest Caye, Labadee, Roatan, all the private islands, etc. Many of these are made to be a private stop and only handle one or two ships. You see itineraries now where there are 2-3 stops are at these kinds of places.

I think Bob is talking about using two of the existing ones to load if there are issues with the new terminal. Once finished, the new terminal won't have any issues loading an Oasis ship

 

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Ahhhhh, got it. Thanks. Much like NCL does with the Escape in Miami now (using both terminals B & C)

Maybe they figure worst case they can use two terminals in a row, like they do in Barcelona.

I believe that the old and new terminals will be at opposite ends of that stretch of terminals ships use in Miami (or did I read that map wrong), and not next to each other

Isn't Mariner going out of Miami on Friday and Monday, Symphony and Allure get Saturday and Sunday.

 

Mariner doesn't really need the new terminal, but I'm guessing she will leave from there.

 

I wonder what kind of parking they will be adding.

 

Will Icon be getting Allures old spot in PE? Don't they have to add CNG/LNG facilities for that,?

 

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I think Mariner is taking over for Enchantment sometime like May/June doing the 3/4. (I don't remember the exact dates, but it's around then).

From what I remember reading, they are going to add something like a 1000 parking spot garage along with the terminal. It needs it, parking there has been getting tighter as the ships got bigger. Plus NCL is also building a brand new terminal as well.

And we need a mid size ship again in PC....we have the largest...and the smallest. Wish we had something in between that did longer cruises. With MJ starting up her Cuba runs in 2019, I am holding out hope we could get a Vision or Radiance class in. Brand new terminal...lots of room...bring it on RCI!! :)

That might be tougher with them also building a brand new terminal in Miami as well.

And they were dirt cheap

 

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And they're dirt cheap again when they don't do the Cuba run. You can sail 5-night cruises on Empress of the Seas for $249 if you want on the itineraries that don't go to Cuba (look at Feb 3 and 26th next year). There are a bunch of cheap Empress cruises out there that don't have Cuba as a port stop

We did experience the galley tour with the tastings on the Triumph. We were told it was something new that they were trying and/or cruise was the first time that they had done it. I think this was in April. BTW it was our 25th milestone.

 

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I've been seeing quite a few galley tour offers on ships in the past few years. We had one on Princess last month for example. Seemed like they were offering it up to just about everyone. It might be a low-cost way to make an impression on people (it just costs the time for someone to guide you through).

I'd say probably not? We saw quite a few diamond-level cards around the ship. I've still got to spend almost 100 more days at sea to be at that level! :o We actually tried to figure out a common denominator while we waited in a group - we had folks on their first cruise, 6th cruise, a diamond, and everything in between. Great guess though! :)

It still might be it. On Oasis of the Seas, we got a similar letter, for Diamonds and up. We got to go out on the helipad in front while sailing out of Nassau. Others might have gotten the letter and just not gone.

I have been here a while and this is what I believe to be the first comparison on toilet flushing....I did laugh out loud.

 

 

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I wonder if they could finally answer that joke question they put at the end of most cruises.... is it salt water or fresh? :)

From personal experience, I wouldn't combine a cruise with a Disney vacation. We did it a few years back, and although we had an enjoyable time, it was an exhausting vacation which we won't do again. The days at the Disney parks are long, specially if you're trying to squeeze in as many attractions as possible in 3 days. And on the day when you switch gears from a Disney vacation to a cruise vacation it is a wasted day when all you have time for is to eat breakfast, check out of the hotel, and transfer to Port Canaveral in time for the cruise. Don't get me wrong, you'll still have fun (we did), but it was one of those vacations where we came home exhausted.

 

About cruise length: my very personal opinion is that short cruises are for those who are either a) limited by their vacation time or b) limited by their budget. If you have the ability to take a 7 night cruise, by all means do so. Part of the cruise experience is easing into the laid back, relaxing mood that the ocean provides, and sometimes it takes a day or two to get in "cruise mode". If you take a short 3-4 night cruise, by the time you get in "cruise mode" your cruise will be almost over.

 

With all of that said, when selecting an itinerary, look at ports of calls closely. Do your research and read as much as you can. Each port has something different and they vary from wonderful to mediocre. Freeport (and very often Nassau) are usually at the bottom of the list for many cruisers. If you were planning on flying down to Florida for a short cruise combined with a Disney vacation, consider flying down for a longer cruise on a newer ship to much more appealing ports of call.

 

 

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I think they said they're doing the cruise first, and then WDW afterwards. So it's not as bad in terms of the day and getting on the ship, and worrying about being tired there. Plus hopefully you can rest up at home afterwards. We've done Disney many times (living in South Florida) and it is tiring when trying to pile things in. But for 3 days and going home it shouldn't be bad. At least it shouldn't be super hot though in January (it could even be cold, it gets cold in Orlando sometimes since it's inland and doesn't get the temperate weather the coast gets).

I definitely agree a 7 night is better then a 4 night for a cruise. You get more of the "cruise feel". Plus the 3/4 nighters tend to get more drinkers. I just wouldn't take a sailing in January from Baltimore over a shorter cruise in Florida and WDW.

Out of curiosity, how do Travel Agency group bookings work with suites and NR deposits? If they are blocking a bunch of rooms, are they being exempted from the penalties if they get released back to RCL if they're unsold? Or do they generally not do group bookings of suites (and choose not to do NR pricing on the rest)?

It seems on some cruises the availability problem is from many rooms being blocked off by agencies, rather then individual people booking multiple rooms.

I am trying to make a decision about our January cruise. I am currently booked with my family on a 4 day cruise out of Port Canaveral on the Liberty going to Nassau and Princess Cays, in an ocean view room. We are from NY and originally planned to fly down a day before the cruise, and then spend 3 days at WDW after the cruise before flying home. However I am now looking at the cruises and see a 7 day out of Baltimore on the Pride that goes to Princess Cays, Nassau and Freeport that has ocean view and balcony rooms available. :confused:

Disregarding expense entirely, I am looking for some outsider opinions. Would you rather sail 4 days or 7 days, on the Pride or the Liberty, out of Baltimore or Port Canaveral?

I know that nobody can make this decision for us but this is our first ever cruise so we have no idea what to expect or what our preferences would be. Thanks everybody!

If you've never been to WDW then I would pick the 4 days cruising and then 3 there. January isn't as crowded, and it's not blistering hot, so you will enjoy it more. I love cruising, but WDW is another experience entirely.

Also, sailing the Pride out of Baltimore in January it will be cold the first and last day, so you're not going to enjoy the outdoor areas. Not to mention the chance of a nor-easter making it a rocky sailing.

Not our experience. All too often people get turned away due to lack of seating.

 

They should move the late night shows to main lounge so everyone who wants to see the show can get in.

 

They do not because they "want an intimate experience for the comedian with their crowd". Do not understand doing this while not allowing paying customers to get in.

I've found pretty big lines trying to do Carnival's comedy shows as well. They're popular (because they're generally good), and the venues are not that large. I have found if you don't mind standing in the back, you can get in if you show up just a few minutes after the show starts and just walk in. I've found the same with most comedy clubs on lines. Occasionally it's so packed you don't want to though, if you're stuck right by the door and others keep coming in/out.

""I'd rank Carnival only one step above HAL with the main shows"

You mean HAL has the worst shows? What about Costa and MSC shows?

Haven't done Costa, but the MSC Divina shows were rather good. Granted this is their "Americanized" ship so it's not the same entertainment as you would get on their other ones. I will assume Seaside will generally be the same quality.

In my opinion, Howl at the Moon on NCL cannot be compared to Carnival's piano bar, or any other cruise lines' piano bar. At Howl at the Moon (at least, this is the way it is on Escape), you sit on hard wood chairs that are lined up in rows facing the stage. It's set up to be more of a show than a piano lounge.

 

I agree with the entertainment bit though. The shows on Escape blew away what I saw on Carnival. In fact, I'd rank Carnival only one step above HAL with the main shows.

It was setup the same way on the Epic and Breakaway as it was on Escape. It is more like an interactive show, but I also found it more entertaining then a standard piano bar on other lines. There is a big party atmosphere to it (it's also generally rather packed, so that might be part of it). I think it's having the 2 pianos, plus sometimes a guitar/drummer thrown in that gives it more variety.

Agreed, I think NCL mega-ships probably have the second best main shows after RCL's mega-ships.

Great review, looking forward to reading the rest of it. You have to just love aft wrap balconies (though man, they need to paint that door or something :) ) We've only gotten it a couple of times on our cruises, as we book fairly late most times. You can't beat the views from there. That one was nice and long too.

Haven't sailed the Sunshine, but I don't like the theatre setup either. We do like the shows on ships generally, so we would use it quite a bit. It's small too for that size of a ship. Carnival shows are generally mediocre, but they're certainly entertaining enough for us to see them. The Serenity on the other hand always looks fantastic on the Sunshine when I see it. They did a great job with that part of the ship.

On a side note, is there a reason you drive all the way up to the GWB and back down in Manhattan, instead of just going through the Hudson tunnel? I always found that much easier for going into the city from the south (I grew up on Staten Island).

I love baseball as well, so fun reading up on your extra link.

It's already happened, very rare, but it has happened.With RCI, it's unlikely to be intentional, more due to their IT system.

It's happened on Celebrity if you read their boards. Princess has it where they send "Move over" offers to get you to switch ships

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