Kroozen

I'll be sailing to Bermuda on Friday, and I just have a few questions...

1. What is the best way to get to the Swizzle Inn from St. George? Is there a bus route near by? If so, should I go back to St. George afterward and take a ferry back to the Dockyard, or is it easier to go into Hamilton and catch the ferry there? I'm not too interested in the sites of Hamilton, so if I went there, it would just be to catch the ferry.

2. I didn't make it to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse last time I was there, and I would like to check it out. What's the best way to get there? On the first day, I plan on just staying in the Dockyard area since we don't dock until 3pm. On the 2nd day, I would like to go to St. George, Alexandria's Battery & Swizzle Inn. On the 3rd day, I'd like to go to Horseshoe bay, and maybe walk the beach path. The ship leaves at 6pm, so I'd like to be back to the ship no later than 4pm. What day should I go to the lighthouse?

3. Has anyone gone to the night time party/festival at Snorkel Park? I'm considering going there on the first day, but I'm not sure if it'll be worth it.

THANKS! I can't wait to be back in Bermuda!

Did you happen to notice if Giovanni's table was open on embarkation day? I don't like the crowds in the Windjammer, and I am hoping to avoid it on that first day.

The Spirit is my favorite ship. Definitely check out the bridge viewing area by going down the spiral staircase in Galaxy of the Stars lounge. The Bier Garten on the top deck is a great place for a drink during sail away.

Like other people have said, the only thing you need cash for on board is for extra tips and the casino. Everything else will get charged to your on board account. If you plan on setting up a cash account, you'll need cash for that. I usually bring about $500-$750 in cash for a week long cruise, but I've always come home with money.

We remember what those years were like. Good luck to you~

Thanks. And I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I'm certainly not. :-)

Hello,

I know what a TON of student loan debt feels like...My partner and I are both 2nd year resident physicians, and we've accumulated about 500k in student loan/residency debt between the 2 of us. We can't afford a suite at this point in life, but we hope that we'll one day be able to. At this point, I'm happy that I can even set foot on a cruise ship. As you can see by my signature, I haven't cruised in about 3 1/2 years because between finishing medical school and starting my residency, I just couldn't afford it. Now that I'm making a little more money, I'm hoping to go on at least 1 cruise a year. Will I be in a suite right away? Nope.

I sailed out of Boston on NCL's Spirit in late August. We had perfect weather the whole time and the sea was smooth as glass. I've had much worse conditions in the Caribbean.

Oceanview cabins are nice, but the windows/portholes are useless once it's dark...you won't be able to see anything. Personally, I'd take an inside over an oceanview, unless the OV is cheaper. I get the best sleep on cruises because an inside cabin is pitch black, and I like the slight rocking motion of the ship. I usually sleep with the bathroom light on, and I crack the door a little bit so I can see if I have to get up in the middle of the night. As for a balcony, they are nice, but not worth the money for me. I prefer to be up on deck anyway.

I've had both balconies and insides. I don't feel like I get enough use of a balcony to make it worth while. The one time I do miss it is in the morning...it's nice to be able to sit outside without having to go up on deck. However, I don't miss it enough to justify the extra cost.

Yes, on RCCL, cruises that are 5 days or less will have one formal night. 7 - 9 nights will have 2, and 10 + will have at least 3.

Some people care, some people don't...Whatever floats your boat!

Thanks for posting this! Although I'm not considering a drink package, it was nice to get a preview of the drinks!

To the OP: I think only you can decide if the package will be worth it for you. I've heard many people say it was a great deal and they saved a lot of money, while other people said they were not able to drink enough to make it worth the money. If you figure, rough ball park estimate, the average price for a drink is $8.50 (some are more, some are less). So, if the drink package is $65/day, you'd have to drink around 8 drinks per day to get your money's worth. (There are cheaper packages than that...that's just an example on how to figure it out.) I used to get the soda package which was like $7.50/day. I used to drink a lot of soda, so it was worth it for me. But now, I limit myself to one Diet Coke/Pepsi per day, so it's no longer worth it for me.

I wouldn't suggest using your debit card for your on board account because the cruise line will hold money, during the cruise, and then you will be charged the full amount after the cruise. The hold will eventually come off, but it could take up to 3 weeks, depending on your bank. For example, say you spend $1000 on board for the week -- During the week, you'll have a total of $1000 in holds on your account, so the cruise line knows that the funds are actually available. THEN, on the final morning, your card will be run for the full $1000. So, you're essentially being charged $2000 until the hold is released. I would suggest setting up a cash account if a credit card is not available.

I could be wrong, but I don't think RCCL allows you to purchase OBC ahead of time. I tried to do it for my upcoming sailing, and when I called, the rep said that they don't offer that anymore. It sounded odd to me, so I went online and tried to figure it out, but I couldn't find anything about it, so I'm guessing the rep was correct.

...apparently at the expense of alienating many of their most loyal and repeat customers...that's not a business plan...that's a formula for financial disaster.

 

Saw the interview - it looked mostly like a case of Adam being in denial that there was any problem stemming from the recent decision, and trying to talk himself and anyone else who wanted to listen that this was a great idea.

 

Many loyal customer were not fooled.

Actually, it's not. There's far more money to be made in the Asian market, especially with a brand new ship that will generate MILLIONS of dollars per sailing. From a business standpoint, moving a mega-ship to the Asian market is brilliant. Now, am I disappointed that I won't be able to sail during the first year? YES! However, with the economy the way it is today, they're making the right financial choice.

Royal Caribbean International. Keyword: International. The have to cater to EVERYONE.

I typically book no more than 45 days in advance. I have a very hectic work schedule, and I usually don't know when I can take a vacation until a month and a 1/2 before. I have a bad habit of constantly checking prices, even after I've booked, and I've been pretty lucky because prices seem to rise after I've booked. If for some reason prices go down, I just call and see if I can get a better cabin since they don't refund.

Hello,

I'm cruising out of Baltimore in a few weeks, and I was looking for some restaurant suggests for dinner the night before. I'll be arriving into Baltimore around 7pm on Thursday night. I'm staying at a hotel near BWI, so I prefer to eat at a restaurant near there.

Thanks!

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm going on my 6th cruise in a little over 3 weeks. We are going on a the Grandeur of the Seas for a 7 night cruise to Bermuda, and the wait is killing me. I haven't been on a cruise since 2010, and this is the longest I've gone without being on a cruise since I started cruising. I am a 2rd year emergency medicine resident, and I typically work 65+ hours per week, so this cruise will be a welcome break from my hectic life. When I'm not working or studying, I am on Cruise Critic scouring these boards for the latest information.

Thanks for your review. I'm sailing on Grandeur in a little over 3 weeks, and I CANNOT wait!

Thanks for the review. Looking forward to the rest of it as I am sailing Grandeur in 25 days!

I'm sailing in a little over 3 weeks, and there was just a large price drop on my cruise as well. It didn't drop as much as yours, but I think it was about $150 per person. I tried to see if I could get an upgrade, or some OBC, but alas, nothing. I feel your pain...but, on the bright side...I'm glad I am even able to go on a cruise.

I love sea days...We usually sleep until 8-9. Once we change, we have breakfast, either in the MDR or the buffet. After breakfast, we wander around the ship and relax by the pool. If there's trivia, we'll usually do that. We also like to play cards either in the library, or at the tables by the pool. (If it's not too windy!). I love to sit on the promenade deck and listen to the waves. After dinner, we usually go see a show, and play in the casino for a little bit. I like the hot tubs at night, though it's been my experience that they're not always open late at night.

I took them out to dinner tonight and gave them their cruise tickets. They're thrilled!

I used the rcldining email, and I heard back within 3 days. I noticed when I got the response that my original email had been forwarded to the longer address, and then they were the ones that responded. In the response, they asked if there was anything else they could do for me, and I was tempted to ask for a table by the windows, but since I have 2nd seating at dinner, it'll be dark out anyway.