AuntieBon

I used them before and had a great time. The miscommunication was the fault of both of us but when he emailed the cancellation to everyone before telling the group leader (me!) it was hard to get people to sign up again.

I hope you have as much fun as I did in St. Thomas.

I ended up using Godfrey. I tried to set up a private tour group with Sunny Liston and due to a miscommunication it was cancelled by them & no one wanted to book with them again after that.

We did enjoy a great tour with Godfrey!

Just curious if someone has done both Sunny Liston and Godfrey Tours and can comment about the pros and cons of both tours.

Try flatrateforhire - got great pricing for all our transportation needs and you're the only ones in the car so no stopping for other pass.

 

The # is 206-242-8800

We used them for our July 29th 2014 cruise and they worked out great! They picked up a few minutes early, quick ride to the pier and then they picked me up at the end of the cruise. I was off earlier than planned and I called them & they were able to accommodate me. One thing to make sure to ask is what the car number is when they are picking you up at the pier. There are several cars from them at the pier and it was a little confusing.

I'm staying on International Blvd before my cruise and just starting to research transportation from hotel to pier.

Thank you for the feedback on this hotel and the shuttle. How far is the hotel from Pier 91 for Carnival?

I am arriving on 7/26 at 10am but my cruise doesn't leave until the 29th. Was thinking about doing AirBnB but have no clue what area I should be looking at for a rental. I will be there solo for 2 days with friends arriving on the 28th. Not planning on renting a car so public transit would be a necessity.

I did look at hotels in the Marriott chain but they didn't have anything available for the nights I need. Is something going on during that period that would book all the hotels?

VD at Sea = Venereal Disease at Sea...? Teehee! :D

Valentine's Day at Sea.

We miss you, Jim! Hope everything is okay up in Canadaland. :)

Hey Jim!! Where did you go?

We spent a couple of hours in the Piano Bar and although I thought I heard the Whistle blow a few times I never did get back onboard the Booze Train that night.

 

We thoroughly enjoy the Piano Bars and the Piano Bar Entertainers; some more than others, and Brennan was a genuinely nice kid who was just starting out on his 1st Contract with Carnival so he was definitely still getting his bearings as far as becoming a PBE on the Ships. He was very open to requests and suggestions and after Tammi told him that ‘this was the 8th Cruise for Dee and I since January of ’08’ he definitely made a point of asking for some advice from us which we gave him after qualifying the fact that we were by no means "Experts". He asked us if ‘we had heard of a Ron Pass?’ and we said “Ron had been the PBE on 2 of our Cruises and that we were in the PB every night the 2nd Cruise” and after hearing that he asked us ‘what he was like’. We enjoyed our time with him and since we were essentially the only ones in there with the exception of the 2 guys in the White Suits who kept coming in to talk to Allison and Tammi we were able to run the gammit on requests; if he knew it he sang it for us. He had learned a few songs that Tammi, Dee and Allison had requested the night before that he didn’t know and played them for them this night.

 

One reason I think the Piano Bar did not see a lot of traffic, and something we also noticed on our 2 Carnival Spirit Cruises, is the location of the Piano Bar on the ‘Spirit’ Class Ships; it is most definitely hidden with many Cruisers never even knowing its exact location.

 

Note: When I look at the current Piano Bar Entertainer Schedule I don’t see Brennan listed anywhere.

 

We headed back to the Casino after the Piano Bar closed , played for about a ½ hour before deciding to call it a night, heading up to the Cabin, ensuring it was our Cabin Door that we were putting our S&S Card into and once inside we were greeted by our 4th Towel Animal.

 

 

We had a busy and long day planned the next day in Aruba where as a Group “WE BROUGHT CRAZY BACK”

I'm one of those that never found the piano bar. Crazy who you calling crazy?:p

I've been reading along laughing to myself as I remember the days on this cruise. :D:p

I was laughing out loud reading it. Unfortunately I was at the office and started getting weird looks so I had to stop reading.:o

Jim, Your review is getting Karen really psyched for next year. She's the really partier in my family. :D

this is great!! loving reliving the cruise!!! Wedding was one of the best highlights!!!

It was special but must admit that the "good girl" in me was worried when security popped their head into the chapel. I knew it would be hard to explain to my family why I flew home early :o

I have the same thing on every cruise and hadn't been able to figure out but assumed it was "just me". Weird that others are also having a problem.:confused:

c'mon...as stated previously, I have traveled as a couple ifrom inside to penthouse-have also traveled with disabled mom in handicapped room-... and also as a solo...was THRILLED to not have to pay a single singlement as was the original deal offered by NCL- (very pissed off to have to ALWAYS have to pay for a nonexistent co-traveler).........(BTW, totally GET that NCL has to sell what they can.)..can't you all get that this was a nice deal for a single traveler?Imagine if your significant other couldn't travel..divorce...death...job issues.. and you had to pay the same rate as if they were they there with you...would you go to WAFFLE HOUSE and pay for two simply because you were alone????? would you pay DOUBLE for a spa day because your partner wasn't available?? would you get tickets to a Broadway show and pay for two even if alone???? .........duh

 

as far as not being able to relate to couples--yes I do- every day- in every way-would just kinda like to hang out with others who aren't singing the couples song..every now and then...and if you are ever in this place........you will get it too

Amen!

As I understand it, the studios are meant to be one person, one cabin. That's exactly how the OP used them. Your only gripe, equally unfounded, would be with NCL who had the nerve to discount the cabins in order to fill them.

The difference is that if a solo cruiser cannot get a studio room they will have to pay a single supplement of 200%. The couple cruising together has the run of the ship.

For the solo cruiser it could come down to snagging a studio or not cruising, depending on that individual's financial means. :(

I do have admit that when I was reading that you were a couple with two, solo rooms I did have a bit of a twinge. Yes it's your right but felt a little unfair to those of us who travel alone, by choice or by circumstance.

The 1A on Carnival were the only rooms that Carnival ever discounted and sold at a 150% discount and the ones with the port hole or picture windows were highly sought. Then I started reading that couples were booking these rooms in order to get ocean view for the price of an inside and now they are pricing them at 200% like every other room on the ship.

I looked at the Epic to see what the prices were for the solo traveler but too expensive, at this point, for me but worried that the price will never come down because couples will be taking two rooms, using one as the dressing room and the other as the bedroom.

All I want is a room on the ship :(

Thank you so much for the details. With all the pricing and deposit changes for group cruises on Carnival, I'm going to begin researching other cruise lines and reading your review makes me feel better about this choice.

i so do not agree with the above poster. i am from Boston and love going here for lunch. there are excellent sit down palces for lunch but the real fun is the food court which has freid clams, clam chower among places. lots of vnedors selliung cool stuff. everytime i go back i spend time here.

If you notice I didn't say anything about the market itself just that the stores around Quincy Market have unfortunately gone too "mall like" for me. I do like the food court and the non chain restaurants. After awhile they are all been there done that.

Some interesting and inexpensive things to do: walk the Freedom Trail (or at least part of it) as it takes you around the city and points out places of historical interest. Included on this tour is Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church (one if by land fame), the Old Granary buriel ground where many historical figures are buried including Mother Goose.

Next to the cemetary is the Boston Common, this was originally a cow pasture and is 50 acres of land in the middle of the city. You will be able to see the Statehouse from the Common, just up the hill in what is known as Beacon Hill. On the other side of the Common is the Public Garden and the famous brownstones. Here is where you will find the Bull & Finch pub which was the inspiration for the Cheers television show.

Wear comfortable shoes as there are lots of cobblestone walkways and they are killers if you aren't careful. Lots of uneven stones.

A good resource is CityofBoston.gov

Boston is a very small city and most parts are pretty walkable but according to Google it's a 3 mile walk. If you look at Black Falcon Pier you will see that there really is not much right at the pier, still a working fishing boat pier.

Not sure what you are looking for in terms of Quincy Market? The market itself is mostly chain stores although Fanueil Hall is a huge food court and around the permiter of the market are some street performers.

If you only have one day I would recommend lunch at the No Name restaurant if you want fish and then a quick taxi cab ride to the North End for a cannoli!

If indeed this is a 500 calorie diet, I hope there is a physician on site as this is really low calorie and could have health issues related to it.

Take Care.

I just returned from 3 nights at the Holiday Inn Express, Union & 4th Ave in Brooklyn. Near to Park Slope and in the midst of a resurgence. Close to the R line and lots of cute, restaurants that won't break the bank.

Ok, Roz, I'll bite...What's a PITA???

Not Roz, but Pain In The ***