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Scheduled to board the Grandeur in seven days.   Just receive another text message from RCCL stating that they have updated their Carona virus protocols for boarding.  Text messages have all stated that a e-mail would be forthcoming with the new directives.  Have yet to receive an e-mail.  Anyone else missing this e-mail???

If anyone has a copy would you please post??

Thanx in advance.

Strongly considering the October 28 day cruise out of LA.  Being on the east coast we will need to get to LA and are considering using the air fare service provided thru Princess.  Having never used this service thru Princess or any other cruise line I have a few questions for any who have used this in the past.......positive or negative comments welcomed.

My biggest concern is that Princess will get us to the first port if the flight is delayed/late and we would not be able to board the ship before it sails.  That is good......but the first port is Hawaii which means that we miss 3 or 4 days at sea and someone will need to provide lodging.  Am I assuming correctly that Princess would cover T&L to Hawaii along with other expenses?

If you have used this service in the past would you use in again in the future?

Other than the arrival guarantee is there any other benefit of using this service?  Asking as Princess does not list SouthWest as a possible carrier and we prefer SouthWest if possible.

Any other information pro or con would be welcomed.

Any pro or con on the 28 day cruise would also be welcomed.  Assume that a four week cruise severely limits any children on the cruise (a plus).  Destinations in the South Pacific are attractive as we would probably never fly directly to Fiji or Tahiti.

Thanx in advance

Priority line/enterance to the terminal is the left side entrance to the terminal.  Right side is for everyone else.

There is no "priority" drop off area.  All drop-offs are dropped off between the luggage carts in front of the terminal.

Shuttle will drive thru two rows of baggage carts.  It will stop to unload you and your luggage.  Luggage will be pit onto/into the carts (ensure your luggage has your tags attached) and you will walk ~50 feet to the terminal.

Priority checkin is usually to the left side of the terminal.  There  will be signage identifying the priority line.

When we sailed last month Carnival changed their check-in process.  At the entrance to the x-ray scanning machines there will be a Carnival employee who will scan your paperwork and verify your passports.  Take your picture and then let you proceed thru security.  

None of the 40 or so stations will have a single human manning them.  Totally deserted.  Kinda wierd for those of us who have been sailing from Baltimore over the years.

Anyway....once in the terminal head to the left hand corner of the room and you will go thru the door and will be seated in an area for suites, handicapped, Platinum and Diamond folks.

Have a safe and enjoyable cruise.

Second the taxi option.  Rate is $50/hour.  You can see as much of the island as you wish and can stop at many locations the "canned" excursions pass by.

As for the busses.......have a back-up plan to get back to the ship.  Just returned last week and there has been little improvement from 2 years ago.  As long as they are running and are stopping to pick up passengers they are a inexpensive solution, but their service can be very spotty. 

Just returned last week.  Have always eaten at the Princess and it is as always a good choice.

We stumbled on LITT (Lost In The Triangle) on Reid street.  A quick walk from the ferry.  Run by two brothers and their sister.

The restaurant is on the second floor and has a staircase that may be challenging for some......but the food is fantastic.  

If you try nothing else.......the fish chowder is a must!

Prices are very reasonable.

Will be cruising to Bermuda in two weeks.  

Normally a Princess or Royal cruiser but out of Baltimore Carnival has a week long cruise with three days in Bermuda. 

Depending on your desired port to sail from and if you are looking for a single destination or multiple that include Bermuda will drive a cruise line selection.  

I would recommend the Hamilton Princess.  We always eat at least one meal at Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant which is located in that hotel.

The hotel is not too far of a walk from the dock where the ferry will disembark.  Walk off the pier to the main road, turn to your left and walk about 300 yards (more or less).  Not too bad of a walk and it is pretty much flat.

Restaurants web site is:   https://www.thehamiltonprincess.com/dining/marcus/

Lunch requires no reservations but dinner may.

Restaurant has a 180 degree view of the ocean and the grounds are impeccably maintained.

Probably can use the ferry to return to the ship.  Taxi will cost $50 per hour.  Rate is set by the government. 

Last year the ticket office did not take credit cards......only cash.  Will be there in two weeks and can update when we return or someone who has been the recently might be able to give an update.

BTW....Marcus's life is quite a read....from his adoption to his rise to a top chief.

Also don't forget to take your parking ticket with you.

When you return you will pay at kiosks on the ground level as you walk up on the garage.

If you leave it in your vehicle you will need to go to your vehicle, retrieve your ticket and return to the kiosks.

On Anthem as I type this and drinks food and pretty much anything you can haul to any of the pools seems to be permitted.

Check into actually getting a room at the hotel.

You will have a room to relax in and I believe the entire complex is then available to you. Excursion many times limits what you will have access to. As a hotel guest one doesn't have that problem.

Cost may also be less that a booked excursion.

Just returned and it was cash only on the dock also.

Just returned and bus service was acceptable during the non-rush hour time windows but un-acceptable during what we would describe as rush hour.

We took the ferry to Hamilton, walked around and took the bus to the Aquarium. Stayed there until it closed at 5:00. Bus stop back to the bus terminal at Hamilton is right outside the Aquarium. Watched 5 busses heading outbound over the course of 90 minutes but only 1 heading inbound. That bus didn't even hesitate to stop.....just passed us by. Thankfully one bus did stop. Woefully over its human level but the driver stated that if she wasn't stopping to pick up folks then we probably would be standing out there for a few more hours.

Odd thing was that this was the end of her shift and we pulled into the bus depot (lack of a better description) for a replacement driver and there must of been 30 busses just sitting on the lot.

Be prepared if traveling with children as you may be spending some time dealing with the busses.

As for the beaches there are 15 passenger small busses taking folks on a ongoing basis. Believe fare is $7 per pax each way.

Additionally neither the Dock or Hamilton offices that sell the passes were accepting credit cards. Only cash.

Just got off the Pride. Spent three days in Bermuda.

Followed some crew members off on day 1 and they all milled around across from the Bonefish Grill. Bonefish has three signals. One is Bonefish Public and it is free. You need to supply your email address so I guess we will be getting emails from Bonefish in the future. Was supposed to be for only an hour but wife was able to access it all three days.

Just got off the Pride this morning and Ken Byme is managing the dinning facilities and has not lost a bit of his wonderful voice.

Every night he sings a Sinatra song that 'ole Frank would be impressed with.

Was on the Anthem over Thanksgiving. We did four specialty dinning venues. Without a doubt Wonderland was the best experience of the four and would be rated the best of all our experiences in the past. As mentioned previously, please be hungry as the amount of the meat dishes is huge. Also be ready to be wowed with flavors that do not match the textures you have tasted in the past. Liquid lobster and tomato juice to name just two. Will do this venue every cruise if it is a choice.

Chiefs table is a dining experience equal to a high star European restaurant. Multiple courses with a new wine paired to support the course. Was a little disappointed in that the Chief did not accompany each course to explain how the course was chosen and prepared. Probably because of the multiple restaurants instead of a single dining room, suspect that his/her time is in great demand. Not sure if we would do this on our next cruise.

Chops was somewhat disappointing in that the service was sub-par. Had a waiter that was new to the venue and he struggled with two tables of four. Steak was excellent but the experience was not as we expected.

Jamie’s was unique. Not sure what we were expecting but the food was very good. This is another to go to very hungry as the volume of food that is delivered is quite large.

Was speaking to a family of 4 while we were walking up the pier in Nassau two weeks ago. They were going to spend the day at Atlantis. DW told them of her bad experience a few years ago and how the staff of Atlantis herded them to a small area and that small area was pretty much the only area they would have access to.

This family had also experienced the same in the past and they discovered that one can actually reserve a room for ~$275 for a family of four and that provides them access to the entire facility. Cost was pretty much a wash for them as a excursion for 4 was pushing $250. Bonus was a room to wash up and relax if they wanted it. Transportation was negligible to the resort.

Might be a better solution both in what your family has access to vs the cost of a excursion.

Just ensure you are back on the ship before sailing.

Will be on the Anthem over Thanksgiving and have been patiently waiting for some information concerning the shows, which nights they will be presented and most importantly how in the world does on reserve seats for them.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Just off the Grandeur. Medical staff earned their pay this cruise. Reportedly there were two deaths during the cruise. Rumors of up to six passengers were medically removed at various ports. We did divert into Norfolk on Friday to remove a lady who was having respiratory issues. At Labadee a helicopter landed on the pier to remove a person who reportedly was "stung". Also at Labedee there was a Oscar-Oscar-Oscar for a crew member who fell overboard during one of the drills that the ship was having while tied to the dock. One crew-member supposedly received a bad burn on his upper arm. Not sure of the details. And tostart everything off on a good foot.....second night there was a domestic dispute between a couple. She was tazed and spent the remainder of the cruise in the brig and he spent the cruise in his cabin. Quite assuredly copious amounts of some spirits was involved.

Might anyone know who the current cruise director is on the Pride??