whataboutport

On my Dec 2014 cruise, there was an outbreak of norovirus early in the sailing. They were able to track down the original source, saw that they lied on the medical condition form, and kicked them off the cruise at the second port stop.

How did they find the source?

Makes perfect sense, and I wish I knew that before we were there. We would have walked down to the end and laid our towels down. That way we would have been farther from the nude side of the beach as well.

I agree, go to the doctor to see if she really does have the flu or if she's just getting a cold. If it's just a cold I would say do it. If it's the flu, she is going to be miserable and I'm sorry. I once threw up on the red eye on the way to FLL due to food poisoning. My dad filled out the medical card, I am certain he put NO for everything bc he was not going to risk me not getting to board.

Check out the Pirates Museum!

I love pirates and their history but I didn't think the Pirates Museum was worth the price of admission. If there was some discount (perhaps I just didn't know) it would have been better. But for $12 each per adult I think it was a little underwhelming. We were done in about half an hour. The first room was pretty cool, but the rest of the museum was mostly small dioramas and only a small room of actual artifacts which I miss there was more of. I think it's better for kids and not adults who actually are interested in real pirate history.

Just know that if you are interested in going to Atlantis, find out what tour or what part of the property you want to see or do. You will need to pay for admission to set foot onto the Atlantis resort unless you want to go in the casino. I have read on here but don't know for sure, if your ship is docked there late or overnight, if you go to Atlantis in the late afternoon or evening there isn't any workers there to stop you from going on their property without an admission ticket.

The water may still be a bit cool for snorkeling during late March, but I'm sure much better than when I went in Feb. I don't know if there are good snorkeling spots there, so hopefully others chime in on that.

Just some more about Orient. If you want to just lay a towel down...just find an empty patch of sand (plenty towards the left side of the beach) and put down your towel! Like other beaches on the island it is a public place and nobody forces you to rent a chair. In fact, if you are a good negotiator you might be able to get chairs at a big discount or free if you plan on eating lunch and buying drinks from that same vendor.

 

But the reason we do not normally recommend Orient for really little ones is that the water can be a bit rough for small children. Hence our recommendation to take the little ones to Le Galion....which is the same beach used by many islanders with kids...and part of that same beach is sometimes used by island school groups (this section is to the far left and does not interfere with other visitors). Most days the water at Le Galion is as calm as a kiddie pool (even when other beaches have large waves) and there is a very large shallow water area near the shore...rather then the quick drop-off found at many other beaches.

 

Hank

Thanks for that info. I have never read that on here before. I thought all of Orient beach was owned by the businesses that it backed up to.

I agree with the others. Maho is a very tiny beach, with a rocky entry on the side by the bar. The bar is the only place you will find shade. No trees on the beach. You can rent a beach chair and umbrella if there are any left. Maho is a must do, once in your life, but after you see a few jets come in, it's all the same. Too loud for kids that age.

Another popular beach on St Maartin is Orient beach. Let it be known that it is on the French side, so French sunbathing, women are topless. At the far end of the beach (to the right if you are looking out to the ocean) is a full nude beach. I knew Orient was on the French side and did not think their French sunbathing would bother me, but it really did. Also the vendors on the beach are very pushy. If you don't buy anything from them they give you nasty looks and say something in their native tongue. Although I don't understand them, it's obvious what they are saying. You will also have to rent chairs here. You cannot just lay your towel down on the sand.

I just checked, and I wrote that the eggs were strange, hash browns were ok but usually didn't show up warm, and fruit was very sour at times. But enjoyed the sausage and roasted tomato.

Did you have a problem with RS on Allure? I only ask because I've never had a problem with hot breakfast on RCI.

 

As for HAL, in your 30s, you'll be the babies on board. Trust me....I'm 40 even I am a youngster on those ships. ;)

You know I"ll have to go back in my review and refresh my own memory. I just remember we did multiple RS at night on Allure. Everything was outstanding! The food on Allure was much better than on Celebrity Equinox. X's RS was pretty dismal as far as included choices.

Even on Equinox we were the babies on board. We saw maybe one other couple that was about our age, and they were European. Everyone else was about 50s-60s. But the atmosphere onboard was more festive and party like. Martini bar was packed every night. Everyone dressed to the nines. I actually prefer Princess, a little more quiet without being like a retirement home (which is what I have heard about HAL).

Well....that's MORE than enough time to spend in Nassau! Most of your shipmates probably won't even be leaving the ship at that port.

Actually both times I've been there, the majority of the pax got off the ship.

If it is their first time in Nassau there is plenty to do! I find that many experienced cruisers do not like the Bahamas as it is "cruising for noobs" and not even part of the Caribbean. I say I have to somewhat agree, but the first two times I was there we had plenty to do, the locals aren't as pushy as many claim (they are much worse in St Maartin and Jamaica IMO), and dock times from noon to 8pm is actually perfect!

To OP, look up the Fish Fry if you want to try local cuisine. They usually don't open till after 1pm and they are on island time, so service is slow. I didn't make it there either time as first time I didn't know about it, second time we left too early (got there too early too, most shops were closed, what a waste of time). Or check out a walking food tour. Our times in port didn't allow for this either.

Or if you are interested in a self guided walking tour, you can google that as well and see many points of interest.

I second the psychological benefit comment. Also on disembarkation day, it is a priceless feeling to watch people scrambling out to catch their 9:15am flight while we purposely assign ourselves to be the last group out as we have plenty of wiggle room for the return flight the next day ... while still envying those other cruisers staying for their B2B 😂

I've only done one hotel (actually it was a crappy motel) stay post cruise. What do you all do after you get off the ship at the last possible moment before you can check into the hotel at 3pm? That one time we even had a friend come pick us up, so we had a place to store our luggage, and drive around, but it just felt like we were wasting time. Most stores and restaurants weren't open yet before 10am.

Sailed on the Oasis in 2010 for Memorial Day. Shawn Johnson (Olympic gymnast & godmother) was onboard with a lot of her friends. I didn't recognize her at first because she was older than when she was competing and put on a little weight.

 

I kept seeing her all over the ship. Finally, she was sitting next to me in the beach pool when I leaned over and asked if she was Shawn Johnson. She quietly said yes. I then asked if I could take a picture with her and she said "no!"

 

I guess she wanted to enjoy vacation without being mobbed by people.

She should have just said no she isn't Shawn Johnson.

It's pretty funny that you take that subject as some lame opportunity to brag about your travels.

I was thinking the same thing.

Noting your cruise history, may I suggest you sail on a Holland America Line ship. They have learned how to deliver a Room Service breakfast to one's stateroom that is still at the proper temperature that one would expect. Only negative that I recall: toasted English Muffins just are not as warm as I would like. (Why? They are in the ordered bread basket and not under the metal plate cover with a metal warming plate underneath.)

I've been thinking about it, but many people telling me not too bc most of the other pax are too old for us. We are in our late 30s. I love the classic look of their ships with brass and teak, but we'll see. I'm more about itinerary and price than cruise line, so it may be in the future.

I love the concept of room service breakfast but in reality, when we get the breakfast delivered, it's a sad cold Egg McMuffin, tiny cup of juice and some tiny fruit pieces. We've ended up using the room service as a wake up call, and eat the room service breakfast as an appetizer of sorts, then go to the buffet. We eat breakfast as our main meal and eat a lot, then smaller for lunch, and usually a snack or bite for dinner (which is why we again prefer the buffet for dinner vs the MDR so we don't have to sit for an hour or so and hardly eat anything). I realize most people have the opposite eating habits of us. I cannot understand how people don't eat breakfast or don't like breakfast foods! Even if I don't eat breakfast right away, like sometimes I wait until noontime for my first meal, my first meal is still my largest of the day.

Oh no....I hope I haven't been forcing him :( For what it's worth, HE picked the 10-night Serenade we just booked last week. He wanted to do either that or a 9-night Navigator.

The last two cruises I casually mentioned to my bf and he asked how much, and then immediately "Book them!" Then come to find out there are many aspects of cruising he does not like. So I'm not really sure if he likes it or not. We even went on two in one year (the last two).

He may very much be going bc he loves you and knows you love cruising, so he puts up with it. But if it's in fact the motion that makes him miserable and not other aspects of cruising, other than the patches and meds, there's not much he can do to NOT be ill. He's not making a fuss or giving attitude bc he doesn't like the cruise (not saying he is making a fuss at all) but it's understandable for someone to be grumpy or not in the best mood bc they are seasick. For people who get motion sick, nothing works, and it's just unavoidable in many cases. I used to get motion sick on everything, and now nothing. I have no idea why.

That's what I thought as well. I think it's dangerous to post here that a copy is ok. People will think a photocopy is a copy. That's what I would think and what I assumed from the post I quoted. I don't have my original BC, but an official one with the raised seal. I don't consider it a copy. Or perhaps the post should have said copy "with raised seal".

My bf is a smoker. I am not. If he wants to smoke, he will go to a designated spot to smoke. Otherwise if he really wants to smoke and not go to the areas, he uses his vape on the balcony. The smell does not linger or stick to clothing and fabric like regular smoke does any more than someone wearing perfume. Actually IMO I think someones strong perfume is much worse than a vape scent.

I would hope that if you smoke on your balcony that the neighbors call security, and I hope security actually comes. Not just the annoyance, but the safety factor. We sailed on RCI when you could still smoke on your balcony, which was not even that long ago. Our cabin steward brought us a special ashtray for outside so the ashes don't blow away. But if the cruiseline now says you can't smoke unless in certain areas, that is what we do.

I've done a couple (three) and I can give you what I find to be the positive and the negative on doing a review.

 

First the positive.

 

1. They are are a great way to relive a great vacation and can be fun.

2. Sometimes you get to know other CC members through a review and hook up on social media and possibly cruise together (we did on our last cruise).

3. A review can be used as a "journal" so you can go back and look through it from time to time to again, relive your cruise and it can be great documentation.

4. They can be very helpful to others in planning their cruises and many followers will appreciate that and will let you know.

5. They can provide a "cruise fix" to others who don't get to cruise every year but who still go through "cruise withdraw".

 

Now for the negative.

 

1. They can be very, very time consuming (pictures, writing it, etc.).

4. Depending on which picture host site you use, you may end up paying to contribute. My host site charges after you've reached their maximum on the "free storage", which I have exceeded, so it's costing me. I also use another site that is free for storage, and it's also compatible for some with posting here to CC, but for some reason I'm one of the ones it's not working for.

2. There is a lot of playing "catch up" (as mentioned) unless you have a lot of free time on your hands. I had to play a big "catch up" game after my last one since I spent so much time on it. I dug myself into a hole with other responsibilities, to the point where I looked back and wondered if it was even worth it. Probably not.

3. You need to have "tough skin", or as ntara mentioned, it's not for the faint of heart. Two reasons: If you are a first time or newer reviewer, you will not have a following and it will seem like you're putting in a lot of work for nothing. As others have mentioned, some people can be rather harsh with their comments. I've seen some harsh words left on reviews done by some of CC's favorite review writers and I've seen a lot of recent reviews start off with a disclaimer.

 

It sounds like I'm trying to discourage reviews, but I'm really not. So many people start them, then end up not finishing them and leaving us followers hanging. Nothing like following a good review only to have it not finished. But just thought I'd put a "reality check" out there for anyone considering doing one.

This is mainly why I write reviews. I too have a not so good memory, so the reviews help me remember. If I happen to help others that is awesome too. But I agree, I don't have a lot of followers, and sometimes almost seems dumb to continue with lack of interest, but again I do it for myself first of all.

And yes, sometimes the image hosting sites suck. One site was down for quite a few days. The pics on my last two cruises came back, but my first photo review disappeared a couple years ago and never came back. Even the blank icon that shows where a picture used to be is gone!

I have too had rude comments about portions of the review that aren't directly related to the cruise. I even asked if anyone would be interested in my three day post-cruise trip to New Orleans and a few said yes. Then a rude one came by and asked me why I had to do New Orleans. :rolleyes: Well, since the cruise portion was over by that point, he could have just stopped reading! If you guys don't like certain parts of the review, no one is forcing you to read it.

By the time the tugs got to the Triumph she had drifted closer to the US so it would take less time to tow her there, the passengers not having passports did not influence the decision. A better example is the CCL ship that let everyone off in St Marten- the passengers without passports were given a letter from CBP allowing them to fly without passports.

 

Passports are the same cost for everyone now, you no longer pay a reduced fee for a child's passport even though it is only good for 5 years (for those issued when the child is under 16).

 

And finally the DHS regulations specify that a birth certificate may be an original or a copy. I have read of many passengers who had their cruise saved by the faxing of their birth certificate.

Really is this true? Can you provide a link? I'm kind of surprised they would take a copy now.

Maybe they needed an address on the ID?

That is what they told me, in a very rude way. That if I was doing something illegal with the PO box (um first of all, F you for assuming that's what I am going to do...), that they "can stop my car, but can't stop my passport". Not really knowing what authority they have to stop my car, I dunno. I also overhear at this same office where a guy wanted to use his CCW as a second ID and they said no. :rolleyes: And asked if he was law enforcement. Not that that matters, and you don't have to be in law enforcement to have one.

Anyway, I always wondered why passports don't have addresses. I know one can move in the ten years it's valid, but same with DL too. They are good for a long time too and people move.

Shrimp usually comes out better than the lobsters anyway. Every lobster I've had on a cruise ship that was included (not the extra fee ones) have always been tough, dry, and/or powdery.

It can be done. If you are on a budget, there is no choice and you have to make due. We have done it before. When my brother and I were in middle school (I know we weren't full size yet, but almost there!) and my dad and my grandparents we all stayed in one inside cabin. They had to roll in a cot for my dad each night that barely fit between the two beds. My brother and I got the flip down beds from the wall.

Out of all my cruises (6 not THAT many), I've only had my passport for one bc I just happened to have one that was valid. All others I've cruised with just my driver's license and certified birth certificate. Last cruise I thought we would have to get a passport bc we went down to South America, but as long as it's a closed loop cruise and doesn't go into another hemisphere, you're good. We didn't go south of the equator.

Never have cruised or traveled by plane, even domestically, without one. I got my first passport at age 7, 50 years ago.

 

It is the gold standard for ID.

 

Besides, I have no idea where my birth certificate is!

 

Ya' wanna save a few bucks, ya' take your chances!

 

If you can afford a cruise you can afford a passport. Passports are not an area to "cheap out" on.

Except for if you want to open a PO Box at the post office! I tried before with my driver's license and passport and they would not accept my passport as a form of ID! They wanted my car registration!:eek: