Bloomin Onion

You know of anything closer to Bayside Marketplace? It would be more convenient for us to start and end the tour at Bayside vs in Miami Beach so we can head straight to the airport at the end. 

Thanks for the response. That is good to know especially about weekends as it will be on a Sunday (specifically next Sunday when we come back from Oasis of the Seas) especially cause Bayside looks nice from online and all the guide books. 

Our flight home isn't until 10:30 PM so we do have full day in Miami. Hope to visit the Art Deco district, Vizcaya and if there's time to get food at Versailles in Little Havana. 

Have any of y'all been on the Dragon's Breath zip line in Labadee? I've only been zip lining once and its was a tiny 100 foot zip line at a local fair, not anything like this. 

Does it feel like a roller coaster? I've read you are supposed to take off your glasses and wear closed shoes but in some of the YouTube videos people are wearing sunglasses. I wear glasses and its easier to keep them on to enjoy the view. Can you control how fast you go or is it a set speed based on the equipment and gravity? 

Is it true that the launch point is outside the secure fenced in area of Labadee and requires you going out side the gate? 

My family and I are considering taking the Metromover and Metrorail to the airport from Bayside Marketplace on our debarkation day. It seems to be much cheaper than even an Uber or taxi. 

Has anyone here experienced mass transit in Miami? Is it more like Washington DC where its used by the general public, or more like Baltimore or Atlanta where the trains are only used by people who can't afford a car and there are a lot of unsavory characters, crime concerns, etc etc? I don't know of any bad areas of Miami aside from Little Haiti, does the train go through any rough parts of town on the way to the airport?  We are also of a different ethnic background than most of the city's population, will this be a problem like with some other cities mass transit systems (ie Baltimore, Atlanta.....) 

We'll be cruising on Oasis of the Seas from Miami this Sunday to next Sunday. Our return flight out of Miami isn't till 10 PM at night on Sunday and we want to spend the day in Miami and Miami Beach sightseeing, All of our luggage is carry on. Does Royal Caribbean offer a service to transport our luggage to the airport so we can pick it up at the airport later? I know they have an offer for luggage storage plus the hop on hop on Miami tour but that is $149 a person. We can buy our own hop on hop off tour tickets for $40 a person and take the metro or Uber to the airport. So we don't need it combined with the tour, plus that package ends too early at 3 PM and we want to do more sightseeing. 

Are there private companies around Bayside Marketplace that do luggage storage that any of y'all have experiences with that are reliable? 

Cruising out of New Orleans tomorrow on the Norwegian Breakaway and the Google maps directions are very different than the ones on the NCL website. The NCL website says to take Tchipotoulas Street to Henderson Street to Port of New Orleans Place. The second set of directions says to first go past the Carnival terminal at Erato Street. Would this mean heavy delays if there is also a Carnival ships in port? Are the Google maps directions (Chase Street to Convention Center Blvd) involve roads that might be blocked?  

Thanks for all the response y'all. 

We're deciding mainly between a 7 day cruise on Oasis that leaves Miami and goes to Labadee, St. Thomas, San Juan, and CocoCay vs a 9 day cruise on Grandeur of the Seas which goes from Miami to the Dominican Republic, San Juan, CocoCay, St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. Maarten. Its my understanding St. Croix is less touristy (and everyone I know who've visited there was there for work at the oil refinery) and not sure how special Puerto Plata is, if the two extra days on the ship can be better spent visiting the Miami Beach and Everglades National Park. 

Grandeur would be the second smallest ship we've been on (smaller than its sister the Enchantment of the Seas) and it has fewer restaurant selections and doesn't have the large water slides and zip lining on board. But the itinerary does seem a big more appealing since it includes TWO of the Virgin Islands (we had initially wanted to fly there and get a resort but that would be much more expensive) and St Maarten seems interesting (though Labadee as a private destinations sounds good too.) So the Grandeur cruise would be on a smaller ship but more days and more ports. If we go on Oasis, since there are large water slides on board I'll probably not pay extra on CocoCay for the amusement park section. Both CocoCay and Labadee look very appealing. 

So far I've been on the Carnival Ectasy back in 2000 from Miami to the Bahamas, that ship is small compared to all the rest but that was my first cruise but I was impressed. Also been on the Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore to Bermuda, then the Explorer of the Seas from Seattle to Alaska and Norwegian Getaway from New Orleans to Cozumel, Jamaica and Grand Cayman. 

RCI ships seem better than Norwegian in that there are more places to relax and enjoy the ocean, Norwegian has more food selections but the restaurants take up a lot of space on the ships, also with Norwegian you have to pay to use the sauna and hot tub in the gym area while at least with Explorer of the Seas I didn't have to and they had a nice indoor hot tub. 

12 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Dear @Bloomin Onion.  The question is one that can only be answered subjectively.   Too big for you might be just right for others.  Too big in ship size?  Or number of passengers (or too crowded)?  If you have sailed other ships and cruise lines, which ones fit your needs best?  

I mean mainly in the number of passengers. My main concern is it will take much longer to get on and off the ship at the various ports of call and on embarkation day, like for example the difference between leaving a high school football game and leaving an NFL game. 

I'm exploring cruise options for next year and several of the places we really want to visit including St. Thomas are on Oasis of the Seas or Harmony of the Seas, the largest class of ships not just within Royal Caribbean but in general. The marketing is proud of how big they are and how much they offer. But I'm curious if any of y'all think they're TOO big. Specifically does it take longer than usual to embark and disembark especially at the ports of call? Does the check in process take a lot longer, the lines within the ship for restaurants, stores, etc? The largest ships we've been on previously are Explorer of the Seas and the Norwegian Getaway. 

Also I noticed from the pictures a lot of the rooms have balconies overlooking the "Main Street" open area in the middle of the ship courtyard style. Is the soundproofing in these rooms really good enough where the noise from outside doesn't enter the rooms? 

So what exactly is the best spot on Seven Mile Beach to just go swimming and enjoy the beach? Is the observation tower worth a trip? 

We will be stopping for a day in Ocho Rios and we definitely want to visit Dunn's River Falls and Mystic Mountain, and there's an excursion through Norwegian that includes both. It about $160 a person with no senior discounts. Would it be cheaper and more practical to do these two attractions ourselves by finding a taxi or Uber? 

If we go to Mystic Mountain and Dunn's River and buy our own tickets at the gate, is there usually a long line? And how much money will we be saving by doing it ourselves? Not sure about taxi prices in Ocho Rios. 

One of the stops in our upcoming cruise is Grand Cayman which is completely a tender port. This is going to be our first experience having to be tendered to shore. IS the tendering process usually very time consuming, especially since we are on a large ship, the Norwegian Getaway which has nearly 4000 people? Is it accurate that if we sign up for a shore excursion, we will be among the first tenders departing the ship? 

Cools replies, I wonder if the water is going to be warm enough to swim in at the Falls, I hear the ocean is still warm year round. 

So we've booked the sailing that goes to Ocho Rios on the Norwegian Getaway out of New Orleans for Jan 26. 

WOuld I also be correct in assuming Ocho Rios has less crime problems, since its a smaller city? 

Also I'm a big James Bond fan and I know Ian Fleming's former home is now the Goldeneye Resort, is it open to visitors who are not staying there, and are there other locations associated with James Bond and Ian Fleming in the area? Ironically I know the next 007 film is coming out in April which would be after the cruise and they're filming part of it in Jamaica, perhaps to pay homage to the series beginnings. 

They will probably enjoy either a guided or self guided tour of the Quarter and the Garden District, the Quarter has that European/Caribbean feel while the Garden District has a classic Deep South vibe, both with their own charms. I highly recommend taking the St. Charles Avenue streetcar as far as Aubodon Park. If its raining, I'd definitely recommend the Aquarium (one of the best in the nation) and the WW2 Museum. The WW2 museum can easily take an entire day or 2 to see the whole thing. The Aquarium usually takes about 2 hours though more if you see the 3D films. 

Some hotels may help book swamp tours and plantation tours in the surrounding area as well. I personally would recommend Cajun Pride swamp tours in LaPlace (though you are not very likely to see gators when the weather is cold like right now). Houmas House Plantation is amazing with extensive gardens and excellent restaurants and truly evokes the grace and gentility of the antebellum South, even if the surrounding area is a mix of suburban and industrial. While not all the things inside the big house are original, the point was to make you experience it as it was in the glamor days, vs some other plantations where all the furniture is original and the house isn't as well kept but its based on personal taste. San Francisco Plantation is overrated, Oak Alley is heavily advertised and the outside is beautiful but the house tour is very short and only takes you to the first floor. 

We're trying to decide on a 7 night Western Caribbean cruise this year and the Carnival cruises out of New Orleans all stop at Montego Bay while Norwegian stops at Ocho Rios. I was wondering if any of y'all have any experience with one or both ports of call. We are more into nature, beaches, tropical landscapes,, waterfalls etc than urban stuff (I hear Cozumel is better for shopping anyway). If we're already going to Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman in the same cruise, is Doctors Cove Beach still worth it or would a stop in Ocho Rios close to Dunn's River Falls make more sense? Also anyone have any experience visiting the James Bond locations near Ocho Rios? I also see stuff mentioned about visiting plantations in Jamaica and which stop has better plantations. Being from Louisiana we have many beautiful plantations right here and we also found the ones in South Carolina very charming and beautiful, are the ones in Jamaica of a similar style and scale? Is a Caribbean plantation different from one in the US? 

I'm signed up for a dog sledding excursion on the Mendenhall Glacier next month. I'm curious what kind of gear/clothes is provided by the tour operators. If I don't have to, I don't want to pack boots, a heavy jacket, gloves, winter hat, etc into my luggage. That would require that I buy a new suitcase AND have to check my bags at the airport which is always an annoyance.

Is it like a ski resort where you can pay to rent jackets, boots, etc? I've also seen pictures of dog sledding visitors wearing short sleeves. Are the summer temperatures on the glacier actually above freezing sometimes?

I'm also considering this service. Is it one of those where they stop at multiple hotels before heading to the port? We'll also be staying at a SeaTac area hotel for 2 nights before our Alaska cruise this August on Royal Caribbean. Is it a long journey because of possible multiple stops?

We're deciding between this shuttle service vs Uber vs the cruise line's own transportation.

I'll be cruising to Alaska and Canada on the Explorer of the Seas in August and know there's no indoor pool open to everyone but does anyone know if there is one in the adults only solarium section? I do find it interesting that some of the ships sailing to Mexico and the Caribbean have indoor pools but the Alaska one doesn't since it still gets chilly at night.

Does the solarium on this ship have a retractable roof that can provide climate control? Some of us are considering being in the solarium when we go into Glacier Bay as it probably has some of the best views.

Yes we plan on taking the Seattle Express shuttle and chose the Comfort Suites by the airport because it provides transportation from the airport and Seattle Express also stops there and we can pick up a rental car from the airport.

We are probably going to look into buying Space Needle tickets in advance. I've also heard the Columbia Center mentinoed as having a higher observation deck but we are more fascinated by the Space Needle because of its unique architecture.

Any good tours to Mt Rainier or Olympic that would help bypass the lines? If we drive a rental my dad does have the senior pass that gets the entire car in for free.

We're leaning toward independent sightseeing then with the gardens but is there a particularly good hop on hop off kind of tour that takes you from downtown to the gardens where we can spend as much time as we want to in each stop? Also how much time should we plan for the BC Parliament buildings. I do happen to be a fan of grand classical architecture and do want to see the inside of the Empress too. Would love to compare it to other classical old hotels like the Plaza in NYC and the Monteleone in New Orleans.

Lastly if we want to get food in Victoria besides tea, I know this sounds dumb but what are some classic Canadian dishes to try? Wikipedia's article on Canadian cuisine and Google haven't been too helpful besides mentioning poutine which is specifically Quebec. Are there any unique regional foods that British Columbia is famous for or typical Canadian dishes that differ significantly from American food?

Thanks for the reply and the amazing pictures! We'll be in Seattle on a Tuesday - Thursday, probably doing the city on Wednesday and Mt. Rainier on Thursday and board the ship on Friday. Our flights land in the evening on Tuesday so we're just going to go to the hotel by the airport and relax.

How much of the Olympic NP shoreline would be visible on a ship sailing out of Puget Sound?

Thanks for all the replies so far! I looked more carefully at the excursion info and the excursion's tea is at the gardens, not the Empress.

If we don't do the tea at the Empress, are we still allowed to go into the building and see the lobby/architecture? Also how long should we plan to be at the gardens to see it in detail, and how much time should we budget for seeing downtown Victoria?

I've specifically wondering if you've been on one of the dog sledding excursions? IN some of the pictures on the RCL site they show people wearing short sleeves while dog sledding while in other pictures the people are dressed in jackets?

My dog sledding excursion will be on the Mendenhall Glacier. Is it such that it actually gets significantly above freezing even on top of the glacier in the summer or should I pack like I'm going skiing. Because this would determine whether I need to check my luggage and perhaps whether I need to buy a new suitcase.

Our family will be cruising out of Seattle this August and we've given ourselves 2 full days before the cruise to go sightseeing in the area. One day we plan on seeing downtown Seattle, the waterfront, Seattle Center and the Space Needle and the second day we're deciding between Mt Rainier vs Olympic National Parks.

More people I've talked to have said Mt. Rainier has better scenery and is closer to our hotel (by the airport) and also that when we're on board the ship we'll be sailing by Olympic anyway but others claims Olympic is more worth seeing. So far we plan on renting a car to see either one but are there good tours that pick people up from the airport area that goes to either national park?

Typically what kind of wait is there for the Space Needle? Is it a place like the Washington Monument or the Gateway Arch where you may have to wait an hour to get in if you don't already have tickets? How far ahead should we buy tickets, and what about dinner reservations in the restaurant? We are deciding between eating dinner in the Space Needle or going to Ivar's.

Do the fishmongers in Pike Place Market constantly perform their "show" the entire time the market is open or is it just at certain times of the day?

Lastly, what's the consensus on tipping in Washington State now given the new $15 minimum wage that servers make? I've also heard differing things ranging from how 10% is now a good tip in Washington and Oregon vs how tipping standards are still the same as back home?