jean87510

On 3/12/2024 at 8:34 PM, back to the islands said:

Thank you all! Have any of you ever snorkeled at Mahahual? I have considered either snorkeling from Hayhu Beach Club or going out with Dr. Dive by boat. The video I've seen looked ok, but not anything special. Do you get to see eagle rays from any of these ports? I have gotten to see them twice only and once they were so deep you couldn't see the spots.The other time I could've touched it, but it was before I bought myself a decent underwater camera. Sometimes I sure wish I was certified to dive, but I'm not. Otherwise, I think I'll just plan to stay on the ship and my husband would love that! Thanks so much! 

Yes.  I have been at both.  We have used Pepe Dive for a 1 hour trip out to a decent reef at Mahahual.  Also have been out to reef in Hayhu.  It is a bit of a swim and I don't really recommend for novice snorkelers or unsteady swimmers.  Once you get out there its pretty good.  Not Bonaire but not cruiselines private islands.

We hiked Ketchikan on our own and plan to do so again.  I saw the size of the group while we were hiking and if you like to hike, you may not like a long casual stroll with multiple stops.  Then again, you might.  

In Skagway, we rented e bikes and loved it.  We did hike after we were done with bikes for a couple of miles and enjoyed that as well.

On 3/6/2024 at 11:36 AM, caroleleblanc said:

Hi there. We are doing an Alaska cruise in September and stopping in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. Has anyone booked excursions on their own that they would recommend? We like to bike and hike and we would also like to do a train ride, at least 1 way. We typically try to avoid the cruise line excursions because of the high cost and large number of people. TYIA.

Juneau we are actually renting e bikes upcoming.  We did go to Mendenhall on our own (lots of videos on YouTube on this) and had fun

Skagway - We rented e bikes and had a terrific day (May 2022).  Upcoming we are renting a e car from same place.

Ketchikan - easiest place to get around.  Took bus out to totems then hiked from the school down to the port.  Then walked around.  Easy, inexpensive day.  Do NOT pay for any hiking tour especially if you hike normally as they are very slow and have people who do not hike normally if you get my meaning.

5 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Because it's part of the conversation, we both quoted the same post and you seemed to be in agreement with the person we both quoted.

 

But if I misunderstood, I'll edit my post and remove the quoted post, if time allows.

👍

17 minutes ago, link99 said:

In the letter I received it referenced booking new excursions for coco cay. Guess what there are none listed. Sure Anathem has them all booked up anyway. They still reference Haiti.

They probably haven't added them yet.  We have had similar situations with ports changed last minute, added last minute...etc...  

10 hours ago, Jasukkie said:

I'd take the opposite approach. Sleep in, enjoy the ship, head out after lunch. Enough people will be heading back by then. Be among the last back on board. It's at its best right before closing, so peaceful.

That's what we plan on doing.  Gym, tan, no laundry, and pool.  Then T Shirt time.

1 minute ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

I never said that Royal would never suspend Labadee stops. I merely pointed out that there have been Do Not Travel Advisories in the past as well to Haiti and Royal never suspended stopping there because of said advisory. 

 

I also pointed out the financial ramifications to the local Haitians that rely on tourist dollars from cruise passengers if Royal stopped going to Labadee.

 

I will still stand by my position that Labadee/Cruise ships in port are not in danger of being attacked by the civil unrest. 

 

Royal had to make a business decision in this matter and as others have pointed out, it may have to do with insurance and the growing negative PR and pushes from the more nervous, uninformed cruisers out there.

The POSTS have disappeared.  Not the posters.  

9 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I was actually just editing my response to direct it to you, not the OP, regarding whether or not you were inquiring about RCCL or MSC.

 

We have been cruising out of the ports I indicated for 32 years. We, too, have had better experiences (Symphony in 2019 as example) with the POM.  But there was a similar situation with another RCCL cruise and then this most recent Oasis NYE that was as I described.  And disembarking delays not withstanding, the traffic into the loop was terrible and the sidewalk crowds and taxi lines were very deep.  Maybe just an off day, but not one I wish to repeat anytime soon. 

I gave my feedback and experience.  I prefer early.  Others don't.

1 minute ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

Who said Royal would never temporarily suspend Labadee as a Port-of-Call?

 

The only posts I recall seeing is that a marauding gang of 4,000 escaped prisoners would never pillage and plunder Labadee.  And so far, that hasn't happened. A little too early for the "I told you so" crowd to start crowing. You might want to wait until Royal announces that Labadee will be permanently shut down, should that ever happen.

 

why are you quoting my post?

59 minutes ago, AandBmom said:

I find it fascinating that this post has so few replies. What happened to all the individuals that were saying this would never happen just two days ago?

Some have disappeared.

1 minute ago, leaveitallbehind said:

While the new terminal is under construction, I believe MSC Divina currently uses terminal C, which is in the older section of the pier. The traffic flow has, in our experience, always been easier in that section and IMO would provide a different experience than that indicated in my response regarding RCCL's terminal at the end of the pier.  And as the OP is asking regarding RCCL, your experience may not translate to theirs.

I have done the same with the Symphony.  

What a shock!!  🤷  A few of us saw this one coming.

1 hour ago, 0penWater said:

@jean87510  

 

Can you tell me more about your experience from Port of Miami to FLL? We are doing this in a few weeks.

 

Ship docks in Port of Miami at 6:30 AM & we fly out of FLL at 12:15 pm. 

 

Self-assist bags / Carry-on & plan to Uber direct to FLL.

 

How much of a rush was it to make your 10 AM flight out of FLL? 

We were lucky to be in Yacht Club on the MSC Divina so we had an escort to the gangway and bypassed everyone.  

No rush at all.  We had our uber quickly and got there fast.  We have Global entry and Miami port has the facial recognition with the passports so we flew through that part.

When we got to FLL, it was pretty quick even though we had to check 4 bags as we flew on Avelo Airlines and we weren't sure where they were in FLL.  

I believe we were sitting waiting for our plane around 830am at the gate?  We left ship about 7am.

3 hours ago, Annicruise2014 said:

We always get afternoon flights home. Take an excursion that takes us to the airport, so we don't carry around our luggage all day.

 

We are thinking of taking a cruise in May, last minute decision for us. But may need to be home early and the last day.

 

What are some stories or experiences, good and bad, taking our own luggage off, getting a taxi to the airport and making it for an early flight. And how early have you made your flight out? 9:30 am, 10:30 am?

 

I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY A BAD IDEA. But I wanted to get some ACTUAL experiences of people doing this.

Thank you in advance for your stories.

Made a 850am flight.  Made a number of 10am flights.  Made a 10 am FLL flight in January when disembarked in Miami.  But that's us.  We also have GE, self disembark, suites, and either taxi or pre-arrange lyft or uber.  And don't have any physical limitations.  Or excessive bags.

23 minutes ago, lorif said:

Hi, I'm wondering if I will be able to bring my phone into the spa area as I use it as my e-reader.

Anyone know?  Thanks

yes

15 minutes ago, Tolkmit said:

 

This is a complete non-sequitur to my post. You want to go on a cruise but not go to Haiti, aka ignore the situation and have fun; but you are criticizing other people who want to go on a cruise and still go to Haiti, aka ignore the situation and have fun. It's completely hypocritical.

 

If your concern is safety, in the year of sailing to Labadee since the gangs took over most of Port-Au-Prince, there have been no safety issues.

If your concern is taking cruises while supporting Haitians, the ships stopping at Labadee and letting passengers spend at the local vendors is the best option.

If your concern is just doing what is best for Haitians, don't book a cruise at all, just donate to a charity for the island.

I suggest you may want to read recent reports on what is happening there now.  It is hardly safe.

I would like to respond more to this situation on what I think will definitely happen in respect to the US in the next few months and to current residents, and foreign workers but know my post will be deleted.  All I can say is it is definitely an ugly situation there and although Labadee is far, I sincerely hope Royal cancels cruises there until situation gets better.  This is only my opinion after reading and watching.

2 hours ago, bestcee said:

You do realize that these same threats exist at college in the US? Many schools have private police dept, and don't always work with the local police. It's bad public relations for college sexual violence information to get out to the public. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men will be sexually assaulted at college on average. I'm pretty sure Labadee hasn't reached those numbers. 

Is there reports of cannibalism on US college campuses?  

11 hours ago, back to the islands said:

 

 I love snorkeling and do it every chance I get. I was looking at going out with Cozumel H2O since they were highly rated. I think I'm spoiled. Hubby took me to the South Pacific last year and the coral and fish were so amazing and close! I have never seen anything like it & am dying to get back before I'm too old! I also loved the Virgin Islands, around the Grenadines, Grand Cayman, Bonaire, and Hawaii. Several islands have disappointed me due to dead coral and lack of wildlife. Even some places on my favorite St. John aren't as good as they once were.My faves are Watermelon Cay and North Hauler there. Am I going to be disappointed with a snorkeling tour to the northern reefs? We would visit 4 of these:  Paradise shallow,Villa Blanca, Casitas, Little Wrecks, Palomita, Cantarel. I love to take pics so shallow is always better. We will also be going to Caye Caulkner and West Bay Beach to snorkel. I am also considering going out on a boat in Mahahual. My husband has told me to temper my expectations and he would really like to stay on the ship more. I would just like to see either great coral or abundant fish/sea critters, preferably both! I would enjoy any snorkeling, but he says I see the same fish, "Fred," everywhere I go! Ha! Some unusual creatures would be great, too. Sorry this is so long, but I'm struggling with deciding. Lucky problem to have! Thanks so much!

As someone who has been to all of the spots you have for snorkeling including Waterlemon Cay (don't see people post THAT spot often!) and who is getting ready to go on an Australia to Tahiti cruise, I can say the areas you are going to are of course not as good as Klein Bonaire or the Grenadines!  But they are not CocoCay snorkeling either.  Probably in the middle if that makes sense.  A lot of the spots from shore in Cozumel are not what they used to be.  Places off shore are definitely better but not spectacular.

17 hours ago, cruisegal40 said:

Thank you to those of you who have chimed in.  I feel sometimes the reviews can be skewed on those that will write what they DO NOT like. Now what was good.  Just wondering about her because not a lot of infor or threads.  Thanks for the suggestion Biker. I put her full name in the search and only 15 threads came up. I will try your way.

I did a review on the Indy back in August that was a 3 day from port canaveral. 

On 3/5/2024 at 9:23 AM, MommaBear55 said:

I'm curious how your son thinks that they will all get passports and money to buy flights. 

not needed apparently.....

Years ago we ran into a similar situation.  My younger daughter had a fall which resulted in a concussion plus a cranial hemorrhage 3 weeks before our cruise.  She was cleared by the specialists to go on the cruise.  They strongly discouraged any water slides or active activities (basketball or soccer) and explained to her why.  She was 10 at the time.  She was not happy on the cruise as her brothers were having fun on the slides but I reminded her about how bad she felt when the accident happened and the hospital stay and I told her it's better safe than sorry.  We still had a lot of fun but there was no way my husband and I were going to risk anything just so she could go on a slide. 

2 hours ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Those 'rubber boats' were scary at first then I found my balance...some of the ports have names I haven't heard before...not the 'same old, same old'.  I think I could conduct tours on most of those we visit...😊.  Your cruise sounds lovely...enjoy!

Yep, beats the Nassau, CocoCay itinerary definitely!  

We decided recently to just pick active cruises based on itinerary moving forward (Alaska, French Polynesian/Australia, the ABCs, and unique places once my husband finally retires).  

1 hour ago, Lastdance said:

So, what is your definition of “active,” as in 60-70 and active?  Are these people who can walk without assistance, or use the gym, or other cardio/weight experiences?  Just curious how people define active in their minds.  Which ships/itineraries have more active clientele?  Would you count Celebrity to be more active than Oceania?  Is the active factor important, or just something one deals with on a cruise?

Active is your definition in my mind.  

6 hours ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I've looked at Emerald but I thought they were small ship European river cruises?  Do they sail in the Caribbean or have larger ships?

Yes.  I think it's new to Caribbean.  Only has 2 yachts.  Our trip will visit Anegada, Anguilla, St Bart, Saba, Virgin Gorda, Norman Islands, Jost Van dyke.  Leaves from Saint Martin.  It doesn't dock.  They anchor offshore.  It's perfect for us as we just like active stuff, don't gamble, don't go to shows.  They take you on the rubber boats to shore.

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I will have to take a look.  To be honest I had never heard of them.   Their ships remind me of Ponant.   Will have to explore them more.

It looks like a good fit for us as most of the guests are active 50-60 yr olds.  Price was better than Celebrity AQ and Royal suite class at the same time.  Only negative I see is no shows as it's a Yacht.