snyniew

I have a pair of Teva's that I wore. Work well and have used them often and they look just like sandals so can wear them for everyday use as well.

4 minutes ago, iancal said:

If you are staying on or around 17th or the beach and there are two of you don't bother paying for a shuttle. Grab a cab.   The cost difference is insignificant.  

Uber or Lyft is better. We paid $7.31 for 3 of us from the hotel on 17th Street to the Pier when using Uber

On 1/9/2019 at 11:52 AM, Jbrattoncruise said:

any other beach options in Costa Maya?  I waited too long and Maya Chan is all booked for when we are going to be there.  boooo

Tropicante is good in Costa Maya. You can e-mail to reserve chairs (they are free) and then they come to you all day long and bring you what ever you order. My nieces and I went last March and I expected our bill to be about $100 or more based on what we ordered but was very surprised when they totaled it up that it was only $40. They got a nice big tip.

If sailing out of the UK or Europe the drinking age on Celebrity is 18 so you won't have to sign anything for him to drink. If you were sailing out of a US port it goes by US law and would be 21 with no exceptions even though it does say a waiver can be signed. They don't do waivers. 

12 hours ago, K12Guy said:

The staterooms being added are on the port (left) side of the ship, opposite the existing staterooms, with the conference rooms still between. The new staterooms will be seven and will be numbered 3115 to 3127. At least according to the plans the Atlantacruiser shared with us.

 

Well I'll be on a few weeks after it's completed and staying in one of those rooms so I'll see for myself how things have changed or stayed the same.

Love those cabins, they are very quiet. Actually have one booked there for April of this year. However with the Edgefication happening this year not sure what to expect. I believe they are adding inside cabins where the conference room is (but I could be wrong). Currently the windows are larger that most of the oceanview rooms on the ship. Not sure what it will be like after Feb.

I found out too after purchasing one and not realizing it was charged since I was used to the free On Demand ones (however it was like 2 in the morning w/ a few drinks under the belt). And they are only good for 48 hours so you're in trouble if you don't finish it in that time.

Guess going forward you'll just have to download some to your computer/Ipad/Tablet for in room viewing.

We recently stayed at Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale 17th Street Convention Center. Price was average but we were able to get a room with 2 double beds and a pull out sofa so not sure how many people you have but the pull out sofa may cut the rooms from 3 to 2. 

22 hours ago, champagne123 said:

 

I also prefer Celebrity, but if you re-read the OP'S question, they want to party somewhat.   Celebrity does not fit that bill IMO.  

I've done Celebrity numerous times and there is a party if you want to find it. Not as crazy or busy as some other lines but usually a crowd up dancing after 10 pm. Also the Martini bar can be pretty busy at times. I'm 45 and have been on 9 Celebrity cruises and have even taken my nieces ages 18-22 and they enjoy the line as well. 

7 minutes ago, sarvis said:

Good morning,

I have not posted in a long time, however I do read and learn a lot from this board.

American Airlines just change our flight home from San Juan. They put us on a flight that leaves at 11:56 am. The ship docks arrives at 8 am. This is the best flight available. The next flight available is 2:28 and gets home at 10 PM. I would appreciate some advice.

 

Thank you, 

Sandy

You should be fine. I've taken my time getting off the ship and still arrived at the airport and thru security before 10:30 am However when I was there over a week ago the port agents went on strike and caused a delay with disembarktion. That being said the strike was over before 11 am. So things can happen but under normal circumstances 11:56 am is very doable. Just remember to go thru the agricultural check before getting in line to check your bags w/ your airlines.

I usually cruise solo and have no issues doing so. I don't book a solo cabin as my preferred line doesn't have any. I've looked into them but would rather pay for an oceanview or even get a good deal on a balcony that a small solo room that is an interior and really not much less than paying double.

Once you decide on your cruise go to the rollcall and sign up. You'll be able to meet people before cruising and join excursions if you'd like. I choose the traditional dining option so there are other people at the table. Just be open and willing to talk to people. I've never felt alone or excluded on any of the cruises I've done solo. 

It's all what you want to make of it.

14 hours ago, Pushkin said:

Classic non-alcoholic drink package includes sodas, coffees, bottled water (no frozen nonalcoholic drinks).

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I've asked for the waiver form twice now when sailing with my niece who was under 21. The resounding answer when sailing out of the US (even Puerto Rico where the legal age is 18) was NO! However if I was to get a drink and hand it to my niece they didn't blink an eye. Or at dinner she would drink from my wine glass and they just kept refilling it. The last night in March the Sommelier did fill up the glass she slid in front of him along with mine.

What we did for her was since I had the drink package we just brought on board the 2 bottles of wine she wanted and she took a glass to the dining room with her at night. She looks old enough so no one questioned her. Obviously you take the risk by doing so but I never had an issue. However my niece was always with me and stayed in control and never sloppy drunk.

7 minutes ago, Ldyandrea said:

 

As an FYI, there was a coupon in my cabin to be used on Embarkation Day for 20% off any of the specialty restaurants.  I used mine for the Qsine restaurant, which was quite good.  Just an idea, since it seems the specialty places aren't terribly booked up on the first day.  Might as well get a discount!  🙂

I was on this cruise and was offered the 20% for Tuscan, I then countered with 30% off and they gave it to me. Sometimes it pays to ask.

1 hour ago, Jlandeen said:

Thank you everyone for the help. How about if I talk some specifics. What about a 7 day leaving anywhere in flordia, alcohol included, any room, single travler. Any dates in Feb 2019. Where should I start lookin for that? Are there cruise lines I should avoid? (Cheaper the better, I’m on a tight budget hence me researching )

If you have a budget the suggestion of contacting a travel agent is a good one. Tell them your budget and what you are looking for. They will go out do the research of what lines/ship/itinerary fit in with your budget and wants. Also find out what the TA may give you in additional perks if you book with them. This community is good for information when you have more specifics but the general question you have is hard for people to answer since there are so many variables you haven't provided.

No one is really answering your question and it's hard due to pricing changes on all cruises each year/ship and season. However I will say I did a 10 day Celebrity cruise last year solo in an Oceanview (so I could get the perks) and received the beverage package, $300 OBC and gratuities paid for by my TA and was just under $2500 so for a 10-14 days you may be looking at ballpark of $2500-$3500 but that is subjective. When you are pricing them out on whatever site you are on just change the number of people to 1 and you'll get more accurate prices (usually the same as 2 but omits the 2nd person taxes and fees).

Try Celebrity. I know there aren't to many kids and they do have theme nights after the late show. I've seen every thing from 60's, 70's, 80's to ABBA nights.

My niece was with me on Celebrity Silhouette in March and had a wonderful experience w/ the Vegan items. The first couple nights she pre-ordered. Then we weren't in the main dining room so she could do that and the chef just created a Chef's special which she loved so much she asked that he continue to do that every night. She also found numerous selections in the buffet or the Mast grill can do a veggie burger if you are willing to wait for them to cook it. I've read on the boards that there may be a dedicated vegan station now in the buffet on Celebrity. All I know is that kid never went hungry the entire cruise.

My first cruise was when I just turned 40. The only good thing that the TA I used at the time suggested was look at Celebrity my friend and I didn't have kids and didn't really want to be around them. I'm now going on my 8th (9th is also booked) cruise with Celebrity. Many will tell you it's for the older crowd but I find it's trending a little bit younger than maybe what it used to. There are many people my age (mid-40's) to a little younger and older. It has a nice relaxed feel all over the ship. Worth checking out.

I was able to go in and book excursions. From past experience I didn't get notification of the 20% off but the prices were changed in the cruise planned to reflect the change. After missing out on that I wrote down the prices on the excursions I was interested in. Today again w/o getting the notification (thank you cruise critic) I looked and the 20% was reflected in the prices.

My niece loved it. Always had gluten free bread for her @ dinner. Allowed her to pre-order each night for the next so if there was something she wanted that wasn’t gluten free they could customize it for her. She hated going back to “the real world “ which for her was poor college student

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Going to Barbados in November for the first time. Any suggestions or tips of what to do?

Calabazas for a catamaran sail. Gina and her crew do an amazing job. Going with them for the 2nd time in December.

I've sailed on the Summit 3 times with my 4th coming up in December going to all the islands you have listed. While I do love the ABC islands that would be the only reason I'd go w/ Freedom of the Seas (not that I've sailed RC - only Celebrity). I'm in my early 40's and like to hang out and have fun at night. I've never had an issue on any of the Celebrity cruises I've been on doing that. The age demographic is trending a little lower from the past. Sure there are some who go to bed early but quite a few who stay up late.

Also, my experience Celebrity is very LGBT friendly. Then throw into that some of the perks they offer such as the beverage package. If you have a good TA they may also add in more. I know mine has better deals right now for Celebrity sailings than RC in their Labor Day sale.

Since you've never been to any of these islands you should love them all no matter what itinerary you choose.

I previously booked a cruise in Europe for the end of 2019. The price is 160.00 more for 2 people, but a better cabin, a premium bev. package and WIFI, I wonder if they will allow me to re-book under this sale? I sent an email out to customer service rep.

My experience in July was I had to cancel and rebook. Based on the perks being offered it made sense for me to do so. However I am going solo so only had to spend $50 to cancel but I got an additional OBC that made up for that and upgraded to the go best which saved me from having to upgrade my bev package and paying for internet so came out ahead.

Regardless of which port they use the Sheraton in Old San Juan is perfect. If they use the port in OSJ you are just across the street. If they use the other one is a quick 10 minute cab ride which is pretty inexpensive. Then you can walk around OSJ the day before when you arrive or before you embark.