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son3cruisers

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  • Location
    Canada
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Disney
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Caribbean

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  1. We just got home from Rhapspdy cruise out of Colon. We had to use our translator app for our transfers at the airport. No one spoke any English, not the driver or the rep waiting at the airport. Not even the other passengers boarding the bus with us. The bus was an hour late and communicating that to us was a challenge. Not sure we could have made it through the week without the app. Onboard, Spanish was always first, then the English translation. Our stateroom host spoke enough that we could communicate our needs/wants but her English was limited. Our fabulous waiter ( Victor ) tried his best as well but our close table mates were all Spanish. We met a few English speaking guests, but often found ourselves saying “English” when we ordered drinks from the bar, or coffee, even shore excursions. It was a wonderful cruise overall, and I would also say there were lots of first time cruisers onboard. The menus in the main dining room ( paper ones on leather holder) were often passed to us inSpanish, but we figured out you could pull the paper out and flip it around. Im not sure you will have the same experience sailing out of San Juan. We have taken many Southern Caribbean cruises starting from San Juan and never encountered a language barrier like this recent cruise out of Colon. The ports are always so beautiful when you sail out of San Juan!
  2. I wanted to come back and post that YES the $400 extra port fee was returned to my stateroom account as credit on day 6 of our 7 day cruise. I did email CS before sailing ( nothing they could do on their end they said- need to ask onboard) Onboard also said nothing they could do - if it was to be refunded it would be done shoreside and could possibly show up as stateroom credit or a refund to my credit card. So, mixed messages for sure. The CS agent onboard wrote down my room number and also entered it into the computer which makes me think that only those who asked for the refund were given a refund. I met another couple who did not realize their port fee was reduced, had not asked and it wasn’t posted on their account - at least not on the cruise.
  3. Just won an upgrade today - 12 days out from sailing- from an inside cabin to a balcony. Bid one notch over the lowest bid. There were about 16-18 balconies open for a few months . Oceanview cabins have been sold out for over a month. The cabin I won was NOT showing as available so I guess someone else was upgraded to a suite and I got their cabin. Still many other open balconies left.
  4. That’s disappointing for sure. Many on this sailing cancelled and rebooked a different sailing. We unfortunately had booked flights and any other cruise that week was double the price ( we are limited to our vacation days and this was the only week we were able to go) .Still looking forward to getting away somewhere warm. Disappointing as well to hear Royal decides if or when they will credit money on a case per case basis.
  5. Interesting. Did these changes in itinerary happen before you sailed? We’re you given advanced notice Or during your sailing? Maybe because a change from port to port to can happen anytime during a sailing they didn’t want to refund? Because it can go up or decrease, I get that. But going through the canal is a big change in fee. Over $400. I have taken a screen shot of the reduced price on the new current sailing and will send another email, I guess. Not sure what else I can do.
  6. We sail on the “ enhanced” Southern Caribbean cruise in a few weeks. This was the Panama sailing including Costa Rica that was cancelled and changed to Aruba/ Curaçao. Royal referred to it as an “ enhanced” change. Our port fees for the original sailing was $634 ( Can ) for two passengers. Now that we are not going through the Panama Canal I emailed Royal before final payment and asked when we would see a reduction in the port fee since we are no longer passing through the canal. Their response was “ if you are eligible it would be on your credit card before sailing or as stateroom credit. “ I just did a mock booking and the current port fees for the new sailing is $205 ( Can). That’s a big difference. For those of you that have ever received a reduction in port fees maybe due to a change in itinerary, did you receive it as stateroom credit? If it was a credit on your credit card when did it appear? I feel like the port fee should have been adjusted before final payment but Royal wasn’t budging. And if I don’t see any credit at all, any advice as to next steps?
  7. https://www.resortpass.com/hotels/eagle-aruba-resort-casino
  8. That’s what we just did. We booked Eagle Aruba resort and casino. Reviews looked good. Wondering why it hasn’t been mentioned yet by experienced cruisers to Aruba? This is our second time in Aruba , first time using a day pass.
  9. Just booked TOURS-BY-LOCALS who has no problem picking up from the port. Thanks again for you suggestions.
  10. Could be. When I questioned why on their site, under reviews it states that they offer transfers to Colon the reply I received was .. Amber Moon Panama Taxi Servi mixed message for sure if they are offering it to some . I’m sailing in March, so maybe that could be why? You might want to have a back up plan!!
  11. Interesting. Here is the response I received just now.
  12. Thanks for your suggestion. We’ve contacted 2 companies that offer excursions from Panama for $99 each, but when I request a pick up in COLON its $200 more. Panama on Wheels and Panama your way. So $400 for a 3 to 4 hour city tour for 2 is out of our budget. We might just do the same and use the Lounge.
  13. Just wait about an hour to rebook. This happened to us. Sometimes, it just takes a while to process. Also, log out of your account while you wait.
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