Tantsee

They would be amazing going through the canal.

Thank you for the reply. From what you recall, would there be any kind of forward view of the locks from either the living room or the outside deck above? It is probably a moot point, because the odds of winning are pretty slim based on what I'm willing to bid. However, it is still a lot of money for us, so I want to make an informed decision.

Have you ever cruised the Panama Canal in a Garden Villa on the Star (or Dawn)? We booked the Deluxe Owner's Suite specifically for the "front row seats". We now have the opportunity to bid on an upgrade to the 3-bedroom Garden Villa. While it looks amazing, it doesn't look like there would be much of a view going through the canal because of the suite's midship location. Am I right? Would the view be any better from the suite's upper deck, or is your whole view pretty much blocked by the pool area (i.e. the tiered sunning area)? I am so tempted to bid, but my husband thinks it would be a mistake if we ended up winning. I would love to hear opinions from anyone who has experienced this.

"Grocery Store Joe" was a fan-favorite on both Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise this year. He is adorable and seems to have a pleasant personality, but I don't hold out a lot of hope for his dancing abilities. I am looking forward to watching him. Just hope it's not as cringe-worthy as most of the former Bachelor(ette) contestants! lol

You can book your dining arrangements online with NCL at 120 days out (and I would recommend doing so as soon thereafter as possible, to get the time you want). I just did a mock dinner reservation on my own booking, and I was able to select up to 12 people in my party. When I selected 12, I saw a notation that they may have to put two tables together for parties of 10 or more. So it sounds like you won't have any problem having your entire party essentially at the same table.

"I realize that I can book directly with a resort, or a 3rd party tour company. However, I would like to take advantage of my $50 port credit if possible"

Gotta love how those "perks" lock you into spending more money with NCL. Brilliant marketing gimmick. After the $50 credit, if you're lucky, you'll end up paying as much as if you'd have taken a private excursion.

Isn't that the truth! Fortunately, my math skills are good, so I can compare all options. :D

The resort may be Casa Dorada, which is very nice. You can swim on Medano beach which is where most of the hotels are bars are. You can't swim or get near the water on the pacific side which I doubt the resort for that excursion would be.

Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you! That is helpful to know. :)

I'm not sure which on that is. We booked this one https://cabosanlucascruiseexcursions.com/excursions/cabo-resort-beach-break-day-pass/ and it was the Melia Me. Loved it but you wouldn't be able to use your ship credit. BTW, we did go into the water as it included watersports:)

Thank you. I'll check it out! :cool:

Why can't you go in the water at Cabo?

Apparently there is a strong undertow on a lot of the beaches and swimming is not allowed.

We had 10500 on the Pearl during our panama canal cruise. I specifically booked it for the canal transit because I wanted that view. Which was great.

During the other times however, there was a lot of wind issues. Could had been the weather conditions, how fast we were going etc... but there were times that it was hard to be out there. We were right under the bridge so we had to curtail our lights at night by making sure our curtains were closed.

One other thing I did not like, the door to the balcony was heavy. Not a normal balcony door. It was loud and cumbersome. It took me a couple of days to figure out how to open it without hurting myself.

But the balcony is amazing. We had a canal cruising party out there.

I would not book it again. In fact, we are taking a full transit canal cruise this January and I specifically booked an AFT suite for this one. Not only wanted to be able to use my balcony more but wanted a different view of the locks and canal.

Hope this helps....some people love the forward suites, just not my preference but glad I did it for that cruise.

We were in 9502 on the Pearl and had almost exactly the same opinion. One other thing I noticed was that the view from inside the room wasn't as good as a standard balcony cabin because of the heavy door (it's not glass like other balcony doors). I probably would only book this category again if it was a Panama Canal itinerary. The balcony would provide amazing views while transiting the canal, and the ship is moving so slowly that the wind wouldn't be so bad. We were on a Caribbean itinerary and felt that the balcony was almost useless (for us, anyway).

On the NCL website is says “jump in the surf and play in the waves of the bouyed off swimming area”... “stroll down the sandy stretches of beach”.

 

I am hoping this this is true and I am literally shopping excursion right now!!

 

 

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Thank you. I read that too and was hoping the same as you. My mind is pondering the possibility that NCL just assumes you can "play in the waves", since that's what one normally does at the beach. We don't have great beach opportunities on this Panama Canal itinerary, so I'm hoping for one at Cabo! :cool:

Note: I also posted this in the Mexican Riviera section.

Does anyone know which resort(s) NCL uses for their Exclusive Beach Resort excursion in Cabo? I understand you can't go in the water (or even walk on the beach?) at many of the Cabo beach resorts. I would hate to book the excursion and then find that we can't even go in the ocean! I realize that I can book directly with a resort, or a 3rd party tour company. However, I would like to take advantage of my $50 port credit if possible (and if economically practical).

Thank you, 1319AGF. We did use Uber last year for a trial run trip from our Miami hotel to the port, so the app is downloaded and I understand the basics. The hotel pick-up was pretty straightforward. After reading all of the very helpful posts here, I'm thinking that a pick-up from the cruise port shouldn't be that bad either. Thanks again, everyone!

Does anyone know which resort(s) NCL uses for their Exclusive Beach Resort excursion in Cabo? I understand you can't go in the water (or even walk on the beach?) at many of the Cabo beach resorts. I would hate to book the excursion and then find that we can't even go in the ocean!

Thank you both for demystifying the process for me. Sounds easy enough -- I think I can do this! lol

Thank you for your response and suggestion. I checked out the Budget on Ocean Blvd, but they don't allow drop-off at a different location, so I guess we're back to LGB.

We are new to Uber/Lyft, so it is somewhat intimidating at this point. I know this is a silly concern, but it is legitimate... how in the heck do you find your driver amongst all the chaos on disembarkation day?!? :o

We will probably end up going that route if I can just figure out the logistics.

We have stayed in a DOS (12502) on the Star (should be the same layout as Dawn), and have booked 12002 for our upcoming Panama Canal cruise. If you get 12502 or 12002, you can't beat the view! It's essentially the same as the captain's view. You have floor-to-ceiling windows the full length of the living room AND the bedroom, plus a view down the side of the ship looking toward the stern. We are happy to give up the balcony for the premium view. It just depends on which you enjoy the most. For us, it's the unobstructed view.

I don't have experience with Nicaragua but the Bliss Panama, Puerto Chiapas became a sea day & Manzanillo changed to Mazatlan

Just curious -- did they announce the port changes before or after you were onboard? My travel insurance has a monetary benefit (I don't recall how much, but not a lot) if a port is changed prior to boarding. We are scheduled for Nicaragua in December.

Hi! I am planning on retiring at the end of the year and I am getting ready to book a B2B on the Escape in January. 28 days at sea! What do you do about:

 

Clothes: I was thinking that I would bring enough for 14 days (except undergarments!) and just wear everything twice. What do you do?

Personally, I try to stretch my wardrobe out even farther than that. I do a lot of mixing and matching. You can get away with one pair of black slacks or skirts for dinner for several days and just change up the tops. Obviously some clothes can't be worn more than a couple of times if you are in a warm climate though.

 

Mail/Bills: What do you do about Bills that may come due while you are gone?

I have all my bills set up on autopay through my bank. I place a temporary hold on the mail and have it delivered the day we return.

 

House: Do you have someone check on your house?

Depends... for 28 days, probably would. This is always a tough one for us. We don't want strangers lurking in our house, and don't have friends close enough to come by.

 

Cabin: Do you want a nicer cabin or more money to spend? 28 days in a small cabin :eek:

My advice will likely be different than some. I say get the "most" cabin you can afford. After cruising in suites, we took a balcony on our last cruise to save a little money. It just wasn't as memorable for us. But unlike many cruisers, we DO spend a lot of time in our cabin.

 

Is there something Im not asking that I should be?:o

Just my two cents worth.

We are planning to rent a car at Long Beach Airport after our Panama Canal cruise, and drive home to Arizona. Which mode of transportation do you prefer to take to get from the port in San Pedro to the airport, and what is the approximate cost (if you remember)? I have been checking options on Google, but I am interested in your personal experience/opinions.

If you know of a better/easier place to rent a car, I would be open to suggestions. I should add that we booked through Budget because they didn't have an extra drop-off fee for a one-way rental. Most of the other rental car companies charge for that.

I'm looking for pictures of the Star's Deluxe Owner's Suite (specifically 12002, but 12502 would work) after the recent dry dock. I've seen many pictures of the upgrade to public spaces on the "other unnamed" website, but didn't find any pictures of the DOS. Not a big deal, but am interested in the new carpet and furniture. Also wondering if the condensation in the windows was fixed.

We have been on both ships. I agree with the other opinions — the Jewel is a little nicer. I particularly liked the buffet arrangement better on the Jewel. And as previously stated, NCL converted the Spinnaker Lounge into four forward-facing Deluxe Owner’s Suites, so they no longer have the viewing area. Not so good for most, but the ULTIMATE for private viewing of the Panama Canal transit if you are fortunate enough to snag one of those suites. We have one booked for this year and I can’t wait! However, if we hadn’t gotten that suite, we probably wouldn’t have chosen the Star for a Panama Canal cruise.

I'm watching the port cam as you sail away. We will be boarding as you disembark next week! Looking forward to your review.

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Thank you all for your comments.

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Looking for opinions from those who have taken this tour, particularly on the Equinox. Did you feel it was worth the $99 price tag? What part did you enjoy the most? How many passengers were on your tour? Anything else noteworthy? Thank you!

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I am also seeing a pretty significant price increase just since yesterday on beverage packages, internet, and shore excursions, for our September 2017 Equinox cruise! Fortunately, I think I have purchased everything I need.

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