frawls

Island Buddy - Duncan will customize the day to do whatever you want. We have used him 2x already and plan on using him again when we return.

http://www.islandbuddy.net/

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Cruise leaves Feb 19th - thank you!

I just did a quick search on a hotel website and there are plenty of good deals to be had in NY in February.

Ink 48, a Kimpton Hotel is literally a block from the cruise terminal has rooms starting less than $250. It is located in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and there are a lot of restaurants and bars if that is your thing. You also wouldn't be too far from the theaters if you wanted to catch a show.

I agree with the person that suggested the Conrad, it is one of my favorite places to stay in NYC. If you are driving it is easy to get to as it is just off the West Side Highway, which is called West Street at that point. It is also showing less than $250 for the night of the 18th. Great restaurants nearby there as well. Not much in the way of nightlife though.

I agree with Spencer Ambrose. We did the land, sea and beach adventure in February. Spencer and his daughter were great! But I am not sure you can do both the volcano and the mud baths. Go to his website and email him, he is very responsive. The below is from my review of the tour.

Spencer has a couple of options for the day we choose the land, sea and beach adventure for $105 per person. Spencer met us right at the cruise terminal and once we were all together we boarded a speed boat and we were off to Soufriere. The roads in St. Lucia are very windy and it normal takes over an hour to get to Soufriere from Castries but by boat we were there in about 25 minutes. When we got off the speed boat there were two vans - one for people going to the mud baths and one for people going to the volcano. The great thing about using Spencer is you get to the sites before the crowds that are taking the buses.

After the mud baths we visited a waterfall and got to go into the pool of water and get up close to the waterfall for some pictures.

After the waterfall we drove near a banana plantation and learned about banana's, which is St. Lucia's #1 export. Then it was lunch time, we stopped at a quaint little restaurant and had a buffet lunch that included chicken, fish, rice and peas and numerous other sides and of course come hot sauce. The food was very good.

After lunch we got back on the van for a very short ride back to the village where we boarded the speed boat for another quick ride over to Sugar Beach. Sugar beach is set between the two Pitons and it is very nice. We spent about 90 - 120 minutes at the beach.

After the beach it was back on the speed boat for a tour by sea. The ride back to the cruise terminal was slower than the ride going. All in all it was a great day. If you have never experience the island of St. Lucia and want to take as many things as possible in one day, then I highly recommend Spencer Ambrose tours. Being we have been to the island before we felt it was a bit rushed to get everything crammed into one day but it really does showcase everything the island has to offer.

I sailed a similar itinerary on the Gem a couple of years ago. It was a 10 day cruise and we only had a half day in the afternoon/evening in San Juan and went to the DR instead of Tortola. No complaints at all. In fact, we are

heading out on the Gem for the upcoming New Year's cruise and will be happy to report back.

We enjoy the beach so we won't be doing any excursions through NCL except for Tortola because it is such a short time in port.

If you have any specific questions I will be happy to try and answer.

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The railway company has a website just Google White Pass railway they should have the info. It will probably depend on how many ships are in port.

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I would agree with Aureole. I would also add DB Bistro on 44th St. into the mix and if you are willing to hop in a taxi to 59th St. then I would highly recommend Marea.

Hi minimee,

If you are going to be on the Gem, I will be on that cruise as well. The week between Christmas and New Year is always an expensive week for NYC. Some of the NYC hotels have bigger rooms and you can fit 4 people in them. Even big hotel rooms in NYC are small compared to other parts of the country. But you are in NY and shouldn't be spending much time in your room. I just did a quick search on a travel site and a hotel in a central location will probably run you at least $300 a night plus taxes.

There was one place called Cambria hotel and suites on 28th street in the Chelsea Section of Manhattan that currently has a two queen beds room for $223. Don't know much about the hotel as it is new but that is a really good price for that particular week in Manhattan. It is not near any of the sites but there are subways near by.

I live local so I can not help you with the parking but I can say parking anywhere in NYC will be expensive. I have read on other boards that the cruise terminal parking has a coupon for Gem passengers. ICON parking is one of the largest operators of parking garages in NYC and they often offer coupons on their website. So that might be worth looking into as well.

In Jersey you can look for hotels in Jersey City, where you can take the PATH train into NYC, again I am not sure about parking. You can also look for hotels in Secaucus - East Rutherford area. Some of these hotels have shuttles that will take you to the train station to go in and out of the city. Check with the hotel if you can park there while you are away. There is parking at New Jersey Trainsit's train station in Secaucus but that will still cost you on average $29 per day.

I have not stayed at either hotel but I would agree that the beach is calmer at Isla Verde although if you stay in Condado you can walk to the end of the strip and there is a very calm lagoon by the Hilton. As for restaurants, I think you will find a good amount in either area. Although, I think Isla Verde's restaurants are more geared for tourists (Ruth's Chris, BLT Steak, Chili's and fast food) although you do have Metropol and Platos for more local flavor.

I like Condado for the proximity to Old San Juan to go out at night but we stayed at the InterContinental in Isla Verde this past February and would not hesitate staying in Isla Verde.

So basically, I am of no help at all....lol

I love San Juan - it has got everything you need - history, culture, beaches, shopping. Great people and great food. DW and I are thinking of actually spending a long weekend there this fall even though our upcoming cruise stops there.

This February we used Island Buddy, http://www.islandbuddy.net/

They will take you around the island in Jeep Wranglers and will customize the day just for you. Duncan the owner is great. The snorkeling was awesome and we were able to feed the fish right from our hands. It was a really cool experience.

We hit a couple of snorkeling spots and then he took us to this restaurant/bar/ private beach that you can only access via off-roading or by boat. It was a great day. On the way back to the ship we stop at some lookouts. I just contacted Duncan about our upcoming cruise and we are looking forward to another great day.

Here are some pictures from our day. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showp...4&postcount=16

This February we used Island Buddy, http://www.islandbuddy.net/

They will take you around the island in Jeep Wranglers and will customize the day just for you. Duncan the owner is great.

This past February, we used them and hit a couple of snorkeling spots and then he took us to this restaurant/bar/ private beach that you can only access via off-roading or by boat. It was a great day. On the way back to the ship we stop at some lookouts. I just contacted Duncan about our upcoming cruise and we are talking about doing something on St. John this time around.

Here are some pictures from our day. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=49392724&postcount=16

You can take a taxi to Divi Little Bay which is close to the port. No day pass is needed but they do offer umbrellas and beach chairs and there was a restaurant and restrooms close to the beach. When we were there in February it wasn't crowded at all and we really enjoyed our day. We are planning to return this January when we are docked in St. Martin.

I don't remember the prices but I am sure if you search the St. Martin forum for Divi you will find more information.

I'm on same sailing. Have done this itinerary numerous time on the Gem. Never on NYE though !

We are looking forward to it and thought it would be a fun thing to do for NYE. We live in NJ so sailing out of NYC is really convienent.

Hi Meg,

It really depends on the type of weather that is going on throughout the entire Eastern coast. My wife and I did that cruise 3 years ago in February and we are doing it again for New Years this year. Last time we did it, the first day at sea was a little chilly but by the second day it was nice and warm. I don't remember if it was warm enough that I would go swimming but people were certainly in the pools.

Enjoy your cruise.

A couple idea of drinks instead of beer and most frozen drinks.

Tito's Vodka with club soda and extra lemons or limes (depending on your preference).

Mojitos - most mojitos contain simple syrup (liquid sugar) however you can ask your bartender to make it with less simple syrup. It is a little tart this way but you get used to it.

If you are craving a frozen drink, ask for a frozen mojito (again with less simple syrup). This is a great alternative to most frozen drinks plus you will be walking around with a cool looking frozen green drink and everyone will ask you what you are having.

All of these are included in the classic beverage package!

DW and I sailed on the Solstice, round trip from Seattle, the last week in August last year and the weather was perfect. The week before us, the rain storms were so bad that a number of ships had to cancel visits to certain ports. So, as others have said the weather is unpredictable.

We missed Tracy Arm due to a medical emergency so I can not comment on that but we did the sea plane excursion over the Juneau Ice Field and that was an amazing!

Even though we really enjoyed the trip and the Solstice - the next time we visit Alaska we will do a one way trip so we can spend more time in Alaska. It is truly an amazing place.

There is a link to a photo review in my signature line.

What ever you decide have a great time!

Are the hairdryers built into the wall or separate? I like the separate ones because you can direct the heat and the others blow your hair wild. I prefer not having to take mine. Thanks.

I asked DW and she said she really didn't use the hair dryer and she did not remember. Sorry.

Debarkation was painless but our flight wasn't leaving until 3:00pm and we were off the ship by 9:00am. Once again, thanks to Cruise Critic we knew we could drop our bags off at Barrachina in Old San Juan and spend the day wandering around. This was a much better way of spending the day than going to the airport and sitting there for hours and hours.

Coki Beach

Secluded Beach at Abi Beach Bar

Drake's Seat

The Summit and NCL's GEM

The harbor

Sticking with our theme of using smaller local tour operators, we discovered Island Buddy. Duncan at Island Buddy offers private tours for up to 9 guests soon he should be able to accommodate up to 12. You travel around the island in Jeep Wranglers and can customize the itinerary to do anything you want. Cost was $99 per person and it was a full day.

His regular itinerary is usually a hike, a snorkel stop and some beach time but since DW has ankle problems we skipped the hike and told Duncan we wanted to avoid the crowds and just have a relaxing day. He delivered. We got off the ship at 9:00 am and he was there waiting for us and he suggested we go to Coki beach for snorkeling before the crowds start to fill up.

Snorkeling at Coki was great! As soon as you put your head in the water there are fish everywhere. Duncan uses dog treats to feed the fish - this works great because unlike bread it takes a really long time for the dog biscuit to get soggy and fall apart. The fish actually will eat the biscuit from your hand - it was a really cool experience. After Cokie we headed to another beach for some more snorkeling but I can't remember the name of it. After that we went off-roading to a place that is only accessible by a dirt trail or by boat - Abi Beach Bar. Abi is built out of old shipping containers and sits right on a secluded beach. Fish tacos and blackened fish sandwich were both very good. The beach itself was very quiet and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. After Abi we stopped at some scenic lookouts and it was time to get back on the ship. I would highly recommend Duncan and Island Buddy if you are looking to experience something new in St. Thomas.

Our last stop was St. Thomas and what a sight to wake up to - a double rainbow.

After going going going all week, we just decided that St. Maarten would be a beach day but with 3 other ships in town that day where can we go to avoid the crowds? Thankfully for Cruise Critic, we decided to go to Divi Little Bay.

Divi Little Bay is just past downtown Phillipsburg, it was about a 10 minute taxi ride and cost $12 each way for 2 of us. Once at the resort, we rented two chairs and an umbrella for $15. There are restrooms and a restaurant.

Lunch at the resort was a little pricey but it was good, we really enjoyed the jerk chicken pizza. It was also very convenient having everything we needed right there.

The water was very nice and it was a very relaxing day.

Here is a shot of the other ships leaving St. Maarten.

All in one snorkel mask

Learning about Sailing

This was one of the highlights of our trips DW and I reserved a private catamaran with Tropical Catamaran Sailing Day Tours. Although pricey for just two, it is not that bad if you have a group of people. For a group of 10, prices start at $137 per person.

When looking on Trip Advisor, you kind of start thinking that all these great reviews are too good to be true. Well you would be wrong. Everything that has been said about James, Sherrill and Cat Tales II on Trip Advisor is absolutely true. There is an old expression that says there are no strangers but just friends you haven't met yet. James and Sherrill make you feel like friends the moment you step on board.

James and Sherrill had arranged for a driver to pick us up at the cruise terminal in St. John and takes us to Jolly Harbor as well as arranged for a return trip to the cruise terminal. It was nice not to have to worry about getting our own transportation and both drivers were very prompt.

Cat Tales is a beautiful catamaran and you can tell James and Sherrill love sailing. It was quite interesting having James explain everything to us. We left Jolly Harbor and sailed out to Cades Reef for some snorkeling, lunch and then just some relaxing time in the water. They have these cool new snorkel masks, where is covers the whole face and the breathing apparatus is built into it so you can breathe through your nose or mouth. I upgraded to the lobster lunch - it was cooked perfectly and served with some great mashed potatoes and a salad. Rum Punch, Buck Fizzes (mimosas) and beer were flowing all day.

James and Sherrill are great hosts and they love what they do and it really shows. We will be doing the same cruise in 2018 and we will be booking some time on Cat Tales II when we are in Antigua.

Be warned - this gets booked up weeks if not months in advanced.