Liz

My favorite shop in STM is:

Oro Diamanté

Fine Jewelers of Distinction

62 B Front Street,

St. Maarten, N.A

http://www.oro-diamante.com

Tel: 1 (721) 543 0342 or 543 0343

U.S. #: 917 464 5704 or 213 596 0853

Raju is the owner and he has a terrific selection and great prices. Great customer service. As in other Caribbean ports, many shops are not "approved" by the cruiselines, meaning they don't have to pay a commission to the shopping "experts". Be sure to consider purchasing loose stones too, as they are duty-free if purchased in most (if not all) ports.

Liz

There's no PA system in the waiting area, so Azamara reps were walking around looking for passengers, to tell them good or bad news about their cabins. That probably contributed to the atmosphere. I have not looked at any other threads yet so this may be duplicate information. My sister and her dh were in their suite shortly before 6pm Eastern time. Boarding was chaotic (her words, not mine!).

Liz

Update: departure is delayed until 6-7pm. Contractors are still working and the ship has to be cleaned when they finish because there's lots of dust and dirt. Some cabins are not ready. No word yet on if/when they will be ready!

Liz

My sister just contacted me, boarding is delayed until at least 5pm. They are providing lunch for the passengers who are in the waiting area.

Liz

My favorite cruise was in October, 2000. Sailing from Piraeus through the eastern Med. I had not even considered the safety aspect of the itinerary but it was a "different time", pre-9/11. We were diverted from Ashdod due to unrest in the area. The alternate port was Limassol, Cyprus, which turned out to be a lovely place with wonderful people welcoming us to their home. When we arrived in Port Said and boarded our excursion buses we were told to limit conversations with the young man in the front seat. He was our security guard and was armed to the teeth under his tailor-made suit, as was our bus driver. We also had armed escort vehicles to keep an eye on us - and they were amazing when one of our buses in the convoy became separated from the group on return to the ship,late at night. At the end of the trip we were told of the horrible bombing that took place on the USS Cole. Security at the Athens airport was very tight, and we had to fill out "next of kin" forms for the airline - a first for me. A bit of reality check for this naive traveler! Especially poignant for me, since all of these things took place within a nine or ten day cruise.

All of that said - I guess it's safe to say that terrorist activity has been going on for a while. Perhaps we (or I, at least) blew it off because it affected things around me, but not me directly. With our 24-hour news cycle in a post-9//1 world we are more aware of actions than we were before - possibly due to it being a slow news day, who knows?

My question: what do you do, plan to do or suggest to do to "stay safe" and "use common sense"? I don't walk around wearing an American flag to draw attention to myself, but try to be inconspicuous when I travel anywhere, not just in Europe. I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas, especially for first-time cruisers.

Liz

We left this morning for our Danube river cruise. I am sitting in Paris waiting for my connection to Nuremberg. We had a comfortable, uneventful flight. No one here seems nervous or worried. It is a normal travel day. Have a great day everyone.:):):):)

Keep us posted on water levels, if possible. Most importantly - enjoy your cruise!

Liz

I am scheduled to go on a travel agent fam tour next month, my first river cruise. I'm not sure if I will go, but am also interested in other people's thoughts and decisions. I don't want the terrorists to win, but does my common sense override my bravery, or vice versa?

Liz

Check with DOTS Transportation. Our family used them for years between DeLand and MCO. I'm not sure if they go to PC but might be worth a phone call.

Liz

I booked this cruise last week for $1066.20 (includes port charges and taxes). I'll be in an obstructed ov--inside cabins were $100 less. I just booked my flights using Princess Air so I'm getting excited about the cruise. Next I'll take a look at my roll call.

 

Originally I was looking at Alaska cruises from mid May through June. Solo pricing was from $1,500-$2,500 on the few cruises I checked out sailing from Vancouver. I was very happy to find the Pacific Coastal cruise even through its earlier then I wanted to travel.

 

I love looking at everybody's deals. Someday I hope to do one of these TA type cruises.

 

Faith

Come join the roll call, Faith - it's a bit slow but a few folks are planning independent excursions to the vineyards. It should be great fun!

Liz

I decided at the last minute to cruise the Western Med, solo. Total spur of the moment decision made on a Sunday night and booked Monday morning. A few days later the word got out in the office that I was going on the cruise. A coworker, who just happened to be a real bully, found out and started the "ooh, can I go with you?" chorus. We'll have so much fun, I've always wanted to go to Rome, it will be cheaper for you, blah blah blah. When she finally shut up for a few seconds I looked at her and said "Suzanne, people usually go on vacation with people they like. You don't like me. Why would I go on vacation with you?"

She was speechless and our boss almost choked from laughing so hard. And it never came up again.

It was great.

Liz

If you booked through a travel agent - Costco included - call them ASAP and let THEM find out what's going on. That's one reason you "hire" a travel agent - to make your life easier and your trip more enjoyable. The NCL staff may tell you to contact your TA if you call the hotline number, anyway. Hopefully you have travel insurance; if so, read your policy thoroughly as soon as possible so you know your rights under the terms of the policy when you speak with your TA or NCL. Read your cruise contract and the terms & conditions (usually found via link at the very bottom of the cruiseline's homepage). If you don't have insurance, stay cool and calm when speaking to NCL - no guarantees that you'll get any special treatment but this staff will be dealing with (potentially) 4000 disappointed cruisers and might be more helpful if they're speaking to a friendlier person. I've been in this position twice (once with insurance, once without), so my comments are based on personal experiences. Your results may be different, but good luck to all.

Liz

I'm loyal to Royal, as they say, but as a solo cruiser I'm also driven by price. (I'm not here to debate the single supplement argument, by the way.). I was intrigued by an Explorer OTS European itinerary and priced it last week. A promenade cabin was $2652, oceanview category I $3066 and balcony D3 $3438. I decided to book it over the weekend, hoping that the BOGOHO sale would be replaced by something that would reduce the rate for a solo traveler. Here are the new "sale" rates, with my Crown & Anchor rate in parentheses: promenade $3448 ($3218); oceanview $3606 with $600 OBC ($3365.87); balcony $4488.87 with $1000 OBC ($4175.87). Even with a port-intensive itinerary, I would have a hard time spending $600 in a week, let alone $1000. Someone may have mentioned it already, but it think this may be RCI's way to direct passengers back to ship-sponsored shore excursions, among other things. With independent tour operators offering better values, I would not be surprised if the operators used by RCI were putting a bit of a squeeze on the cruiseline. Needless to say, I am looking at other options. Could I reserve a cabin and hope rates go down before final payment? Sure, but I don't want to tie-up my money. JMHO.

Liz

I really enjoyed Breakaway. I booked a studio cabin (last minute and great rate) and attended several of the evening solo gatherings. Jovan was the staff member who hosted the group and he is terrific. The evening get-togethers are very informal and attendees were all ages, from 19 to 70+. There is a bartender - I can't remember his name right now but he is very nice and pours a "healthy" adult beverage 😉😉😉! There's a white board in the lounge where people can sign up to meet for dinner, shows, etc. Jovian made reservations for a group of us to attend the Cirque show one evening - I don't know if he pulled some strings, but we had great seats!

I usually travel solo and usually don't attend the solo gatherings, but I'm off on Getaway next weekend and plan to attend. It's a great way to meet people and a nice way to ease into the evening's activities. Enjoy!

Liz

If I were you don't eat dinner at the Atlantis...very pricy and it's ok...ask the locals where to eat. There is a restaurant on the bay side, seafood, above or next to a dive shop that was fantastic! Sorry can't remember the name.

 

 

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Was it The Poop Deck? It's across the bridge from Atlantis, on the Nassau side, and overlooks the marina.

Liz

I (unfortunately!) have had to file claims with USAA's provider, TravelInsured, and they were positive experiences. When you purchase your insurance through USAA's website, they waive an application or processing fee, which has usually been about $30 for me.

The first claim I filed was for medical care for me and it was paid within two weeks or so. The second claim was a cancellation when my mother was hospitalized a few days before my scheduled departure, and they paid everything within a week. As a previous poster said, just save all of your receipts.

They are very helpful and have a separate department that works with USAA members, probably because of the special needs of active duty personnel.

They are great to work with - I highly recommend them!

Liz

Lowry Park Zoo is highly-rated and very family friendly, and is within the city of Tampa. There is a Legoland about an hour east of Tampa, just off I-4, and Tampa has a very nice children's museum. You can't go wrong with the gulf coast beaches, they are the best. As a former Floridian, I'm partial to Venice, which is just south of Sarasota (about 1-1/4 hours due south, off I-75.

I'm not sure of all of these are age-appropriate for your little ones but might be helpful for other CC'ers. 😊

Liz

I have never used them but Google "Florida cruise connection". They have pickups in Hillsborough and Pinellas. I used to see their buses on the road all the time. Since they pick up at McDonalds, Dennys, etc it is doubtful you could leave your car, you'd have to be dropped off or take a cab.

Liz

On Breakaway there are two doors to the lounge. One is from the "general" hallway (no access restrictions) and it's the one that was propped open for the daily gathering. The other door is inside the "studio hallway", which is a secured area for studio guests.

As I recall the daily gatherings were promoted in the daily newsletters and are open to all solo travelers. You can always confirm with Guest Services, if needed.

It's a great way to meet dinner companions, and Jovan (the coordinator) arranged for a group of us to attend Jungle Fantasy together, made dinner reservations, etc.

Liz

A studio on Breakaway brought me back to NCL! I was less than impressed with the crew on NCL several years ago and had pretty well written-off the cruiseline, but I decided recently to give them another try, since I have switched careers and become a travel agent. I feel like I can't advise my clients to use a product I would not use myself (the Golden Rule of travel, maybe?). I got a great last-minute deal and really enjoyed the studio and amenities. There is plenty of room, especially since there is really no need to bring formal night clothes on NCL. Of course, there's no sofa to stretch out on to read a book or magazine but there are plenty of nice public places to do so, including the library (which seemed to be a secret on our cruise, it was always empty). There is no fridge in the studio cabin, by the way. The lounge was great; the coffee machine was great for a cappuccino on demand, and there were always muffins, cookies and fresh fruit available (well, until midnight or so). There's also a machine that sells wine by the pour, available 24/7. There is a daily gathering for all singles (5pm, I think) which was a great way to meet other solo cruisers and find dinner companions. Ages ranged from 20-something's to 60-something's. There is a bartender at the gathering if you wish to purchase a beverage and a member of the cruise director's staff attends and coordinates activities as requested. For instance, he arranged for a group to attend the Jungle Fantasy dinner together and it was great fun.

I don't know if I could spend more than a week in a studio but there is so much to see and do on board, and so much outdoor space on the ship, there's really no need to use it beyond sleeping and showering!

I'd do it again, and would have no problem recommending a studio to one of my clients!

Liz

Another vote for Lisa Rego art. I bought one that she has treated so it looks like an original painting on canvas. If I'm not mistaken, you can order a custom-made piece from the Glassworks and carry it home. I'm not sure about the timing so someone else may be able to confirm that. I bought some "Bermuda Roasted Garlic and Rum BBQ Glaze" at the "supply" store (to the right of the Clock Tower shops when the ship is behind you), 8 ounces for $8.75. Fairly tasty and a nice gift for my bro in law who loves to barbeque (and no soy or msg). And the supply store sells Coca Cola products - a nice change for me, since NCL only serves Pepsi. The Lili Bermuda shop in Hamilton has a nice selection of fragrances (they may have a shop in Clock Tower but I'm not sure). Before you leave, check the Goslings website to see if there's a local distributor near your home. For me, it was not worth the risk of breakage to bring it home. There are several liquor stores closeby that sell the products for a dollar or two more than the Bermuda price.

I thought the Bermuda Maritime Museum was worth a visit, if you are interested in history.

Have a great time! I really enjoyed Bermuda.

Liz

yes, Gina, I am on my way home, I'll be home Wednesday night. The hospital got to the bottom of what was ailing my 91 yr old Mom so I have a diagnosis and prognosis so I can come home even though she's not discharged from the hospital yet. She insisted I didn't extend my stay.

Hi Karen, I hope your Mom is doing better. It's always reassuring to get to the bottom of things!

Take care -

Liz

Enjoy the Baltics, it's a lovely part of the world. The only "bad" part about my Baltics cruise last year was that it was on NCL vs. Royal Caribbean!

Is Julie Sherrington still the Guest Services manager? She helped me deal with a family emergency while I was on my Brilliance B2B. Really went above and beyond to assist. I'll be on the transatlantic voyage at the end of the month and would like to bring her a small gift to thank her again for her help.

Thank you for posting - I'm looking forward to your experiences before sailing on one of my favorite ships again.

Liz

Come on over to the roll call - here's a link to the last page: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1819440&page=128

Needless to say, it's a pretty active group! There are several of us arriving on Aug 31; I'm not sure if anyone wants to share a private car service to the port but it might be worth asking. I've opted for the RCI transfer to simplify things after a long travel day and night.

See you on board!

Liz

Loved it! We stopped at a souvenir shop briefly, then a lovely upscale deli/grocery store (not sure of the name). In between the stops, our guide (Alexander) provided commentary and pointed out some of the things we didn't see on that day's tour. The boat tour was terrific - the city looks quite different at night! I would definitely take the tour again, if I return to St. Petersburg.

Liz

To me, Norway is Alaska on steroids - but I think it depends on the actual itinerary and time of year you travel. I believe the fjords in Norway are more dramatic and are narrower than those in Alaska - sometimes it felt like I could almost touch the cliffs as we cruised along!

Liz