Bankshot

Good Morning; We have been compted a Classic Beverage Package for our next cruise on the Summit. We are Captain's Club members and buy very few drinks outside Happy Hour. Since we don't sign a charge slip in the Captain's Club we always tip the servers with cash. Does the Beverage Package price include any gratuity or should we plan on tipping in other Bars around the ship?

St. Kitts makes some of the best vanilla flavored Rum in the Islands. The shop we like is to the right of the Port shopping complex. You can get a bargain by buying two bottles.

CHILL! Relax it's a vacation not a jail sentence. Maybe half the people on board will be first time cruisers trying to do the right thing. Just be yourself and follow the crowd. If you happen to get in the wrong line, do something silly or stupid who cares? Just laugh it off because you're probably not going to see these people ever again. Something we always do to enhance our enjoyment is make friends with the crew. These crew members are from all over the world and most have boring, repetitious jobs. Waiters, servers, bartenders and room stewards enjoy being recognized. Ask their names, where they're from and they will be eager to describe their families, their country and their ambitions.

I predict this will be the first of many enjoyable cruises in your future. As far as the heartburn, don't eat late and go to bed too soon. (Also try Prilosec) Wash your hands thoroughly and sanitize often, especially after the buffet and restroom breaks. Be sure to carry your own personal hand sanitizer.

I think it's better to arrive the night before, stay at a hotel and take their shuttle to the port after the free breakfast the next day. Find one that will let you park on their lot free for the duration of your cruise. It will probably cost less than the $20/day parking at the port. Try booking through, "Park Sleep Fly .com"

Experiencing heart failure on an RCCL cruise I was taken off the ship to a clinic in Falmouth Jamaica. From there I was taken to a brand new hospital in Mobay.

They wanted $5,000 up front until my travel insurance could be verified. The next day they wanted another $8,000 which maxed out our credit cards. My insurance was later confirmed but when I checked out four days later there was "no one in accounting" to reimburse us. We got the $13,000 back two weeks after we returned to the States. In addition to this, the 14 mile ambulance trip billed $2400, the Med-Flight back to Ft. Lauderdale was $17,000. Throw in three nights in Broward County Hospital, reimbursement for cancellation of two additional cruises we would not be able to take and you can see just what a value trip insurance can be. We use Travel Safe bought from The Insurance Store and have been very well satisfied.

BTW, after implanting a Pacemaker including two other procedures I'm back on the high seas again in May. See you in Alaska.

We've only had one occasion with impolite people and fortunately it was a one time experience at lunch. We were seated at a table already occupied by two other couples. We introduced ourselves and they continued their conversation never acknowledging we had arrived. After lunch I told them, "Its been a pleasure NOT meeting you"!

I think you'll have plenty of water on board especially if the captain tries again to impress someone and sails too close to shore. Be sure to learn to swim.

We like Fairfield Inn on Griffin Rd., Dania Beach. Great breakfast and you can leave your car free for up to 21 days. $10 p/p shuttle to Port.

We have frequently stayed at the Fairfield Inn on Griffin Rd. Dania Beach, Florida. We usually drive over the day before the cruise, stay one night and get to leave our car there free for up to 21 days. The next day we enjoy a complimentary full breakfast and a $10 p/p shuttle to Port Everglades. Upon return we take a taxi for about $25 + tip. There are good restaurants nearby too.

Have Fun.

You're right about T/As and getting the best price. we usually book an ocean view cabin also. We've done four T/As, love them and always spend a few days extra relaxing and touring the city. Our first was West to East leaving Ft. Lauderdale and sailing to Barcelona. Bummer. You start off with 6 days at sea and lose an hour each day. By the sixth day you are having dinner at 1:00pm body time. Also if you try booking now for an April or May cruise you probably will not get a suitable cabin at this late date. You're retired, relax and book a Fall trip from Barcelona back to the states. You will gain an hour each day after the first week and that can be used to extend Happy Hour. You can get a good rate at the Hotel Continental although it has some quirks that can be overlooked because it has free wine and beer and food 24 hours a day. Oh, free ice cream too. If that fails to float your boat try Ramblas Hotel on La Ramblas. Try to book seventh floor or above on the rear of the building. Great Views!

We consider anything under $100 per night for an oceanview room to be a bargain. I think you can use this amount and feel like you are getting your moneys worth.

Try to avoid hurricane season and take candied ginger. Generally she won't know the ship is underway most of the time. Tell her to relax and enjoy her first of many cruises.

My wife bought purple paisley luggage from a website with luggage in their name and that vendor is a real pro. She read lots of reviews of many different brands and tried out department store luggage before making a purchase. These pieces are well made and very light so she can maximize the contents. Also, the paisley print makes it easy to spot in the cruise terminal. Our favorite hotel has thick carpeting in the corridors and spinners do not like that so she has to pull the large case behind her as though it is not a spinner. But it's a breeze on a smooth surface. We are not fans of hard-side luggage because it opens like a book....both sides are the same depth. When spread open it consumes a lot of space, plus you are pulling one heavy side up to open this luggage. She took one cruise with the hard-side luggage and gave it away.

Uninformed and harsh?

 

Why? Because I didn't wrap the answer in a warm unicorn and playful puppy blanket?

Others seemed to agree that the seas can be very hazardous and rough.

You are correct. The sea can often become angry and hazardous but most experienced captains know to steer clear of those conditions. She was not asking for therapy, just reasonable advice.

Check out transatlantic repositioning trips. We sailed RCCL from Barcelona to Lauderdale, 14 night, outside room for just $41pp/night.

Most of the time you won't know the ship is underway. Smooth sailing applies here especially to the Bahamas. After this cruise you'll understand just what tremendous seas are needed to adversely affect a 100+ ton ship. If you want to be concerned about something just ask yourself how this steel ship is able to float like a bar of Ivory soap? HA! Have a fun trip and many more after that.

Do plan to spend a few days in Barcelona. You can stay in the heart of activity along Las Ramblaus at Hotel Continental or at the Las Ramblaus. Like mentioned, hop on hop off is great and don't miss the Market. Also always travel insured. I just had a $28,000 insured health /evacuation experience in Jamaica. Have fun.

To avoid the crowds in St Thomas grab a cab to Red Hook and take the ferry to St. John. This in one of the most beautiful, serene islands in the area. Rent a car and tour on your own or hop on a tour bus. Don't miss Trunk Bay.

Don't worry about rough seas. We've done four TA's and NEVER had a rough sea. What is more important is the direction of your TA. If you cross from the U.S. heading East you lose an hour each day. After the sixth day at sea you are having dinner at around 1:00pm body time and it doesn't get any better. Leaving from Barcelona heading west expands each day by an hour for the final six or seven days at sea. You can expand happy hour each day if you want.

I predict this captain will never be placed in command of a ship again. Poor judgment and incompetence has no place on a ship at sea. The Cape Hatteras area is generally in heavy sea conditions because the cold North Atlantic water meets the warm Gulfstream head on. Any additional turbulence magnifies these conditions.

Alaska and Panama Canal cruises are expensive. You will get more for your $$ by finding a "Repositioning Cruise" where the ship is changing venue. We've done four fourteen day transatlantic cruises. Three were from Barcelona and one from England. Our best price equaled $41/night for each of us. We usually book an outside cabin which is much less expensive than a balcony. We don't recommend inside rooms. You visit some really neat ports in Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands and the Azores. Airfare can be discounted to around $500 by using the Choice Air program offered by RCCL and Celebrity. You will have seven days at sea on the final leg of your repositioning trip but the ship increases the daily activity schedule to accommodate it. They also book people who give interesting lectures during sea days. Some were retired FBI Agent, a U.S. Ambassador and college professors. There are also repositioning cruises leaving from Quebec City heading to Florida and from Vancouver going south. Have fun researching.

Today's ships have access to the very latest weather instrumentation available. This storm should have been avoided. The ship could have easily navigated around it by taking an Easterly course. The captain's poor judgment needs to be investigated.

Oops! Make that $11,000 spent in the Jamaican hospital and the rest was charged back home. After two surgeries, three procedures, including a pacemaker, all's well. Thanks.

We had third party insurance with Travel Guard. Correction---The total cost for stays at three hospitals was over $100,000. $11,000 for Jamaica and the rest was charged back home. All is well now.

Absolutely- Always buy insurance. We recently had to leave the ship in Falmouth, Jamaica due to heart failure. After five days in a sub-par hospital I was Medi-vaced to Broward Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale. The flight was $17,000 and the hosp. cost exceeded $100,000. We always travel heavily insured and this time it really paid off. BTW, RCCL went far out of their way to make sure I was being taken care of. They are now aware of the poor treatment their guests receive from this location.