LoriSan

We will be flying into Orlando and spending a few days, then plan to rent a car to drive to Port Everglades for our cruise.  Suggestions for a car company close to the port, that has a shuttle to take us to the port?

Southwest is currently $106 pp (x3). I'd save $160 on the Enterprise rental and a few hours drive, not counting the additional shuttle cost to the seaport. Does Southwest seem to drop much lower?

Why not fly from Dallas to Houston and then take a shuttle to Galveston?

I hadn't considered that. Not a bad idea. Thanks

We are flying into Dallas a few days early, then driving a rental to Galveston on Sat for Sunday cruise. I see that Enterprise is the only car rental company available on the island, and is charging a drop fee for the one way rental. I prefer Alamo, but would use anyone that's not going to gouge me. I do not need to stay right at the port the night before, but would like to be relatively close.

How far away would I have to stay to be able to conveniently use a different rental car company? Preferably close enough that it's convenient on Sunday to return the car and get to the port.

Suggestions?

Very soft but the bamboo sheets we bought lasted less than a year before they had holes in them and tipped in several places

Cariloha sheets have lifetime warranty. Just call them and they will replace them.

DH and I love to snorkel, although we've only done a few times. We did the stingrays before and they kind of freaked us both out. We will also have our 12 year old son, who has never snorkeled and is not overly adventurous. We did get him a full face mask and plan to try it out in the tub beforehand. :p

Suggestions of which tour might be best for us or where we can go? Also need somewhere to rent the rest of the gear.

I'd love to know this too

need some guidance. Sailing on the Vista on April 16, after a few days in Orlando. We are planning to drive to Miami the day before and stay overnight. The rental car needs to be returned at the Miami airport. Here are my options...

1- keeping the rental car overnight at the yet-unbooked hotel in Miami, and returning it to the airport on the day of embarkation, and take a taxi to the port OR

2- return the rental car at the Miami airport on Sat, find a way to the hotel Sat, then a way to the port on Sunday. (hopefully, yet-unbooked hotel has a shuttle for air/sea port, or both. Also hopefully, yet-unbooked hotel is near dining and such).

It will be myself, hubby and my 12 year old son, and we have FTTF and love to board early, so I'd like to get to the port ASAP.

Driving in the day before the cruise in a rental which will need to be returned at the Miami airport. Suggestions of a clean, reasonable hotel with things (food) close by?

You probably booked on the last day of the cruise.

No, actually I booked on that Tuesday. The cruise was 8 days, Sat-Sun.

The OBC shows up in your booking info when you 'print' your documents.

It wasn't there. Even the woman on the phone had no record of it. That's when I had to make the argument that they could tell by my cruise history and the date that it had been booked that I was onboard.

Thank so much for sharing this. I have never booked a cruise while on a cruise but I was considering doing this on an upcoming trip. Out of curiosity, when you book this way how much control do you have over choosing your exact stateroom?

You can usually choose any available cabin that you want. I just wasn't prepared, so I let him choose for me.

By the way, I will say that I have booked onboard several times and never had a problem like this before. Long lines, yes, but no problems.

I usually specifically wait to book onboard, so I can get the OBC for my next trip. I booked while onboard the Sunshine last Aug for a sailing on the Pride for this July.

1- the lines to speak with the Future Cruise Specialist are always soooo long

2- I got NO paperwork that the trip had been booked. Nothing. No Friends and Family Certificates, nothing. It was supposed to be delivered to my cabin, and I got nothing. The only way I knew it had been booked was that I could see that the deposit had been charged to my card.

3- The "specialist" and I had talked about the fact that ultimately, the trip would be for me, hubby and my son, but that I was going to just book hubby and myself now, and I'd add my son later, so I didn't have to pay a huge deposit. We talked about this for a while. We agreed that he would choose my cabin for me, since he knew what I wanted.

When I finally went to add my son to the booking yesterday, it turns out that he booked us in a cabin that is limit 2 occupants! Grrrrr. So, I had to choose another cabin. Thank God I didn't wait any longer to add my son, as the cruise is pretty full already.

4- $100 OBC for booking onboard? Also nowhere to be seen. I had to make the argument that the cruise was originally booked on a day that I was onboard, so I should have the credit.

It was eventually resolved, but what a PITA, from someone who is supposed to be the "specialist".

Please bring back the future cruise certificates!!

If I booked DH in an inside cabin with my stepson, and myself in a balcony with my 10 year old son, could I buy cheers for myself , then switch hubby into the balcony with myself and my son? Without having to buy cheers for him?

26% tax and gratuity? Holy cow! I guess you are still expected to tip on the drinks too?

I used cavetubing dot bz also. The cavetubing part was awesome (and no, no strangers feet in your face). Just be warned that the jungle hike to get to the caves is no joke. Most of the people on the tour with us seemed to be ok, but it was quite a challenge for this fat girl with bad knees.

I gave up my steakhouse reservation to use the money towards the internet plan, so I can talk to my son. First time away without him!

Has anyone been successful? If I pay $100 or whatever the cost is, and it doesn't work, I'll be angry!

I did hear back from the company, and was told that your items are put in the van before the hike. Thanks to everyone that answered.

Another question...

everything that I read said to have thick-soled shoes for the hike. Do you wear those in the water also?

I'm told that your personal items are locked in a van, but at what point does that happen?

I know that the trip includes a hike through the jungle. I wear a knee brace every day and would want to wear it on the hike, but I would not want it to get wet. I sent an email and asked the question, and he responded that I could carry it on my lap while in the tube. I will not do that, as I would not want to risk getting it wet.

Do you lock up your personal items before the hike and that is your last opportunity to secure your personal stuff? Or do they collect them and lock them up after the hike (before you float away on the tubes) and they transport to the end, where you collect them after the tube?

Are you able to use the FaceBook messaging feature? Planning a trip on the Sunshine next month and hoping to use it to keep in touch with my son. Will that work, or does it limit you to posts and pics?

I eat that every morning too. I've never found granola on the buffet, but instead use chopped walnuts with the banana yogurt. Delish!

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Yes! It's wonderful. Fruity and crisp. I drank it all week long.

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Awesome. Thank you so much. So the outdoor restaurant is ON the Melia property right? Or do you have to go next door?

It's right there at the Melia

Ok, I have to ask since everyone keeps talking about a "snack bar"...you guys are meaning like real food right? Because to me a "snack" bar would be like chips and candy. I definitely won't want a snack, I'll want an actual meal...yes hamburgers and fries or whatever. :D You guys just have me wondering since the word "snack" is used and then Starbucks is mentioned. Isn't Starbucks coffee? Or do they have sandwiches too? (You can tell I'm not a coffee drinker and have never been there). :p

It is an outdoor restaurant. Pizza, burgers, salads, chicken strips, etc. The Starbucks is inside the hotel.

As an FYI, the Starbucks does not accept the Starbucks card. I walked up there with my phone and no cash with plans to pay through my Starbucks app and discovered that they don't take it.

I'm waiting to disembark the Pride right now and the bushwhacker is Kahlua, baileys, amaretto and vodka, blended with ice and ice cream base. I might of had a few.

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app