Florissouri

GO TO HELL!

 

Then send all your exes postcards say, "Wish you were here!"

What I meant was, will the NCL ship be leaving US waters within 24 hours of your Carnival ship arrival?

 

Almost all cruise ships make a beeline for international waters as fast as possible so they can open their casino even if their next port is Key West.

We were on Freedom last week. The main dining room service was incredibly slow. Is this normal now? The first night I thought we might make the 7:30 pm comedy show--not even close--I think we met at the dining room at 6:30PM. Next night- we went earlier to dinner-about 6 and could not make the 8:30 comedy show. Some of the group were so pissed they did not return to the MDR. We spent nearly 3 hours doing dinner on multiple evenings. Waaay too slow. Next cruise I will make it clear we don't want to sit in the dining room for the evening...........................We shall see what, if anything; happens. We were Your Time diners and Platinum.

 

I was on your cruise and the 5 day sailing before that. I've spent half my life in restaurant management and I thought service was very slow as well...on both cruises. On the 1st cruise we sat at Melvin's table and he and his team were excruciatingly slow. I think the kitchen got caught with their pants down by running out of lobster, but I noticed Melvin doing piddling and diddling things when he should have been attending to his diners. It made me appreciate the buffet a lot more.

Using the Promo Code: H O M E D L (without the spaces) for your date I'm getting a rate of $116 at the Peters Road LaQuinta in Plantation for a room with two double beds and $108 for two full beds at the 6th Street location just a couple blocks away. The Peters Road hotel is a bit nicer and has easier access from I-595.

 

I'm also getting $103.20 for the Miami Lakes location (Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence) and $111.20 for the Miami Airport East.

You think $349 during hurricane season is really cheap? Obviously you didn't see some of the fares over the last few months.

Budget has a location outside the Eisenhower/17th Street port entrance across the parking lot from the Renaissance Hotel. Walking would be a bad idea, but they have a shuttle as does Dollar and Thrifty.

 

You simply couldn't convince me to use a Carnival PVP because when Carnival screws up, they will not own up to it and honor their promises. At least with Vacations To Go I have someone in my corner outside the food chain that will at least argue my case as opposed to a Carnival employee that has to do what their supervisor tells them.

 

I'm Platinum and recently booked a higher National Cruise Week fare because they were offering a $150 per cabin OBC. I had my TA specifically ask if the full $150 applied to single cabins and the Carnival rep said yes. When I got on board the Freedom, though, they refused to honor the $150 amount and only gave me $75. My VTG TA argued with Carnival to no avail, so he bought $75 in Cruise Cash for me on my second Freedom cruise last week.

 

I sailed 22 days out of 75 on Carnival this fall, but I think it's time I took a break and sail on NCL where they treat their Platinum Guests considerably better.

The bar/pizza parlor area on Lido Deck aft.

Cruise will arrive at 8am, our flight is around 7pm. Where should we go? I planned to go to sawgrass, but renting cost for rent a car is around 200, that's too much. I dont know how much to call a cab from Everglade to sawgrass, and from sawgrass to airport, and how to deal the luggages. Anybody can help? Thanks.

 

Cab fare will be around $75 each way. I'm having a hard time believing a rental is as high as you say unless you're renting a SUV or Premium car.

if your cruise departs at 4:30 how early can you board since most hotels want you out by 11

 

The check out time for most hotels is noon, but most of those will give you a 1:00 or 2:00 check out if you ask for it.

 

I usually show up a couple hours before the posted sailing time when there are no lines.

Construction is slowing traffic at the I-595 entrance, so it would be best to avoid that one. I was picked up curbside Thursday and no one was yelling at anyone.

Thanks everyone. I went with La Quinta. It came to $176.00 after taxes. It looks like a decent place!

 

Within reasonable walking distance into Oakwood Plaza Mall is Red Lobster, Sweet Tomatoes, Sal's Italian Ristorante, TGIFriday's, Dave and Buster's, Wendy's, Hollywood Ale House and the Moonlite Diner. A little farther away is K-Mart where you can get you last minute supplies and even a decent selection of popular wines.

I'm from California and will be coming to Ft. Lauderdale Jan. 3 to cruise on the Princess Ruby. I am meeting a friend who is coming in from Ohio to cruise with me. Hotels for that night are very expensive. We won't have time to enjoy the hotel, we basically just need a safe, decent place to stay and have a good breakfast. We will also probably need a late dinner the night before.

 

I looked up Embassy Suites and Hyatt Place, which seem to be the most popular hotels talked about on this forum as great places to stay. They are already booked for Jan. 3.

 

We just booked this cruise today, so now I'm panicking because we don't have a decent hotel. Help! Please! It's going to be kind of stressful not knowing the area and trying to get from airport to hotel to port. A friend also to me Ft. Lauderdale is not a very nice city and the people that drive taxi's and shuttles are pretty rude.

 

Check LaQuinta FLL Airport using the Promo Code: H O M E D L without the spaces.

 

Also check the Hampton Inn-Plantation since they have both an airport shuttle and a port shuttle.

In doing extensive price checking over the last few weeks I find that, more than a couple of times, ocean view cabins are priced lower than interior cabins on the same cruise. As much as $100 less.

Any ideas as to why this anomaly happens?

 

Simple supply and demand. There's nothing unusual about it. I see it all the time.

Is there any large, open space? My daughter is a gymnast and we would like to find someplace that she can run through her floor routine, no padding required!

 

No...and it's a very bad idea for several reasons...

 

First, the movement of the ship could cause her to land wrong, injure herself and possibly end her gymnastics career.

 

Second, the crew and staff would freak out, absolutely forbid it and rightly so. They don't want the liability of your daughter injuring herself or another passenger.

 

Third, this is ship with thousands of people on it trying to enjoy their cruise and it would be very selfish of your family to impose upon others' space and enjoyment.

Also if anyone has any picture reviews of either of these ports or cruise ships

 

You are way overthinking this. Just pick one of the 7 day cruises and go.

I need some help. I need some cute, not expensive ideas for Christmas stockings on our cruise. There will be 12 adults and (1) 2 year old. I bought mini stockings with everyone's initials on them to hand out on the first night of the cruise. I thought about putting a highlighter, mini post it notes (only need one per cabin) and some mints and a candy cane in it but I'm hoping someone has some creative ideas that I could add. We have 6 cabins and will be on the cruise the week before Christmas. Can't wait! Thanks :)

 

Raspberry Chewable Motion Sickness Tablets from Walgreens.

We leave early in the morning for short drive to Port Canaveral for Dream cruise. I'm excited mostly because it's the first time my husband will be able to cruise with me since 1992, it's only his second cruise, our 37th anniversary. Have been waiting almost a year since booking, talking about it and making plans..... hanging out here to keep current on as much cruise news as possible. Just got home from work and instead of starting the packing ritual what do I do..... come here to check roll call and see if anything new catches my interest.

 

Hmmmm...... something wrong here!! I think I better get my buttocks in gear and start that last load of laundry needed and get packing!!! I'm having a very difficult time today keeping focused and the whole day at work I was giving hubby a blow by blow report of what we were going to be doing 24 hours from now. Well folks .... it's 24 hours till muster drill now, think I'll go now and get started:D

 

Thanks to everyone for sharing this love of cruising, warts and all with us. Look forward to seeing everyone on the blue seas soon!!

 

Get to Platinum and then you can take your dirty clothes on the cruise and let Carnival do your laundry.

Is that promo code good for the March 2014 dates?

 

It's good anytime, anywhere.

I am arriving early am. Ill hang out and wait I don't care. I just thought if some things were within walking of pier I would check it out.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I would suggest you take your time and not arrive at the port before 1:30. I would say pack a bathing suit and towel in your carry-on and head to the beach, but what will you do with your luggage? You could rent a car for a few hours.

 

It's also a bad idea to fly from up North the same day as your cruise.

I am taking a cruise in the future (March) on HAL, but need to know of a hotel in the Fort Lauderdale area that is moderately priced ($150), has shuttle service to the airport and the pier . I would prefer a free breakfast and would like the hotel to have a good restaurant or be in walking distance of a good restaurant.

 

I have read reviews that have mentioned the Sleep inn and the Hilton as good choices... these reviews have also downplayed the Road Way inn as being on the par with the" Bates Motel "

 

If you are talking about the Hilton-FLL Airport there's nothing (including restaurants) within a reasonable walking distance.

 

Book the LaQuinta-FLL Airport now using the Promo Code: h o m e d l (without the spaces).

Questions, questions, questions!

 

We are cruising the Disney Wonder March 30th. We fly into West Palm Beach the day before and arrive at 2:00. There will be 9-11 of us, 4-6 adults and 5 kids.

 

I'm trying to decide if we should go on down toward Miami for a hotel or just stay closer to WPB. We'd like to stay closer to the port but don't really want to fork out big bucks for hotel rooms. We'll rent a car, and we know it will take about 1.5 hours to get to Miami. I don't want to be too freaked out about the drive on the 30th.

 

Recommendations?

 

If you wonder why WPB if I'm a worrywart, about $100 less per person in airfare is why! ;)

 

Any LaQuinta using the Promo Code: h o m e d l (without the spaces).

[quote name='Skipper Justin']One of my favorite aspects is that NCL has a 24 hour sit down cafe! It is so nice when all the other options are closed, and some other lines charge for room service after awhile. It is nice to have other options than pizza. The Improv shows are great as well.[/quote]

Oh, yeah...I forgot to mention this. The Blue Lagoon is hands down, by far superior to Carnival's crappy pizza for late night dining. You actually have menu choices.

[quote name='mm3386']Hi all! I'm looking for some general info on the ways NCL differs from Carnival and what people have been most surprised with or missed when they have cruised NCL instead of Carnival.

Here is my background: Late twenties, from New England, cruise with my boyfriend, have only ever cruised Carnival (Pride, Miracle, Splendor) and always do your time dining because we enjoy more of an intimate dining experience for 2. My bf and I just took the 11/17 Splendor cruise and left pretty disappointed compared to previous cruises. It wasn't a bad cruise, there were just little things that by the end of the week added up and left us looking for a different experience.

That being said, I am looking at the NCL Breakaway for our next cruise. Can anyone who has cruised both NCL and Carnival tell me what I can expect the same/different? For what it's worth, I was also thinking about trying the Breeze, but with the added airfare the cost would be about the same, and my bf really wants to try another line after the Splendor issues. We have not given up on Carnival, but would like to venture out and expand our horizons a bit more. Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated![/quote]

I haven't sailed on the Breakaway yet, so I don't know if they screwed it up like they did with the Epic (and I hate the Epic).

The Freestyle Dining on NCL is far superior to Your Time Dining on Carnival.

Carnival's cabins are larger, but the decor, design and layout of NCL ships are much better and the ships are much easier to navigate.

I've spent half my life in restaurant management and I think the food is a bit better on NCL, especially the buffets, and they have a much better selection of hot vegetables than does Carnival. Whoever writes the menus at Carnival thinks of hot vegetable as an after-thought. The Great Outdoors on NCL is a fantastic place to have breakfast, lunch and dinner with the exception of the Epic (did I mention I hate the Epic?).

Carnival has more social hosts and activities than does NCL.

Carnival's prices are usually a bit lower.

Just off the Freedom yesterday and received the free drink coupon and a combination plate of sweets and chocolate covered strawberries in the cabin, but I had to ask twice at Guest Services for the cooler/beach bag combo.