Question about what to do before Dawn embarkation in April

[jlacy1987]

I posted this question in the Florida departures section, but no one was helpful. They kept saying to sleep in, have breakfast, and head to the port. They couldn't seem to understand that NCL doesn't want us there before 1PM. So I'm bringing it back here for you folks to help me.

 

Assuming the Dawn embarkation issue IS NOT fixed by April 20th, would it be worth making a trip to the Lowry Park Zoo Sunday morning to pass some time before getting to the port at 1PM? I love zoos and have no desire to sit in our hotel room for hours twiddling our thumbs until it's time to head to the port. More than likely we'll be up at the crack of dawn from excitement.

 

How are the hotels with free shuttle services handling this delay? Most hotels have a check-out time of 10 AM. Would it be possible for us to check out that morning, head to the zoo, and then come back and park and catch the hotel shuttle to the port?

 

Obviously this is a moot point if NCL gets the embarkation issue fixed by then. But I want to at least have a plan in place in case the best case scenario doesn't happen.

 

Thanks!

[Barb Nahoumi]

We were picked up at the hotel by NCL's shuttle bus last April. Our cruise was the repo back to Boston, and everything boarded on time.

[polySeraph]

The aquarium is right next door to the cruise terminal. My DH has told me that a new museum has opened up within walking distance of Channelside. (If I can get more info I'll post it.) If you are a little more adventurous, you could catch the trolley to Ybor City, walk around the historic area, and have an early lunch at the Columbia Restaurant (a national historic landmark) before returning either via trolley or cab.

 

All of the above assume that you can find a place to stash your luggage. Even though I've lived in the Tampa area for years, I've never cruised from the Port of Tampa (Go figure!) so I'm not really knowledgeable about the port itself. Perhaps someone else could help with luggage suggestions.

[jlacy1987]

We were picked up at the hotel by NCL's shuttle bus last April. Our cruise was the repo back to Boston, and everything boarded on time.

 

That hasn't been the case recently, unfortunately.

[jlacy1987]

The aquarium is right next door to the cruise terminal. My DH has told me that a new museum has opened up within walking distance of Channelside. (If I can get more info I'll post it.) If you are a little more adventurous, you could catch the trolley to Ybor City, walk around the historic area, and have an early lunch at the Columbia Restaurant (a national historic landmark) before returning either via trolley or cab.

 

All of the above assume that you can find a place to stash your luggage. Even though I've lived in the Tampa area for years, I've never cruised from the Port of Tampa (Go figure!) so I'm not really knowledgeable about the port itself. Perhaps someone else could help with luggage suggestions.

 

Is the Aquarium more fun than the zoo? I've heard mixed reviews about the Aquarium. We are both bringing wheeled carry-on luggage and a backpack, so if we can't find anywhere to store our luggage, we'll just bring it along since we pack light.

[polySeraph]

Is the Aquarium more fun than the zoo? I've heard mixed reviews about the Aquarium. We are both bringing wheeled carry-on luggage and a backpack, so if we can't find anywhere to store our luggage, we'll just bring it along since we pack light.

 

The Aquarium is very well done. The problem is that on the weekends when the cruise ships are in port, the Aquarium can become quite crowded. I've never been to the Lowry Park Zoo.

[jlacy1987]

The Aquarium is very well done. The problem is that on the weekends when the cruise ships are in port, the Aquarium can become quite crowded. I've never been to the Lowry Park Zoo.

 

Do you think it would be crowded that morning considering that people would be busy embarking and disembarking the other cruise ships in port that that time?

[Bonnie&Jim]

We went to the aquarium after getting off the Star last year. Truly enjoyed it.

 

Bonnie

[polySeraph]

Do you think it would be crowded that morning considering that people would be busy embarking and disembarking the other cruise ships in port that that time?

 

That would depend on the ships in port and whether there were a lot of families travelling. When we were there (on a Saturday morning) it seemed as though there were a lot of families in the museum. Your embarkation date (4/20) comes towards the end of our spring break tourist season (which runs from the last week of Feb through the middle of April), so it's possible that the aquarium would be pleasantly full rather than wall-to-wall people.

 

What I would recommend is that you contact the museum and ask them how busy they are when the cruise ships are in port and when most people show up. Click here to go to the Aquarium's website. Also be sure to ask whether they have a room where you can store your luggage. (I think I remember reading about that somewhere; hopefully others will correct me if I'm wrong.) I think I also read that the Aquarium participates in the AZA reciprocal program so if you are a member of your local zoo, be sure to ask about that.

[polySeraph]

Just for completeness, here are couple more links:

 

Tampa Bay History Center. I haven't been there yet - so I have not idea whether it's any good or not - but it's within walking distance of the pier and the museum café is the Columbia Café, one of the "children" of the historic Columbia Restaurant.

 

The Ybor City Museum provides information on a very interesting and little known period of Florida History. Also in Ybor City is The Columbia Restaurant. Both are easily reached via the trolley.

 

There's also a Splitsville in the Channelside complex for all the bowlers in the group.

Edited December 17, 2013 by polySeraph

[VideoTech]

You can also request "late check out" from the hotel. How much extra time they'll give you depends on how busy they are, and perhaps on your status with that hotel chain. Sometimes an extra hour, sometimes more.

 

If you have to be out of your rooms, you could just check your luggage with the bell captain, do what you'd like, and then return to pick up your luggage and get over to the port. But granted, that adds some extra time you've got to allow for.

[fergusonvt]

Some of the questions you have are hotel specific so you should ask them at time of booking or if you have already booked one with a shuttle you should probably call.

[angel54321]

Is the Aquarium more fun than the zoo? I've heard mixed reviews about the Aquarium. We are both bringing wheeled carry-on luggage and a backpack, so if we can't find anywhere to store our luggage, we'll just bring it along since we pack light.

 

I took my 8 year old to the Tampa aquarium on a day trip. We really enjoyed it, but I thought it was rather small.... The only other aquarium I've been to however is the New England Aquarium. I had a groupon for the aquarium.... Had I paid full price for our admission I think I would have been disappointed.... But we had fun together, learned some things... Touched some sting rays...

 

I've never been to the zoo you mentioned, so can't help you here.....

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Sailing 3/23/14 on the Norwegian Dawn

[legion3]

Cruise passengers get a discount at the aquarium, the aquarium has a room where you can store your carry on luggage, just ask at the customer service desk.

We dropped off our checked luggage first at the port then ventured over.

 

The aquarium is not all that crowded on sunday morning however, it is small and really you could see all of it in and hour or two. You can also eat there but it is high priced.

 

The columbia cafe in the history museum is a better eatery but the museum is less interesting imo. Its right across the street from channelside.

 

The lowry park zoo is a nice zoo but is a bit of a drive from the port, far enough that you need to make sure of your time. Its large enough to eat up much more time but small enough to not take all day.

 

Unless the cruise your on is one of the cozumel specials, then likely you will not need to show up after 1 for boarding. However, delays could still be had, better walking around the aquarium than standing in the hot sun.

[legion3]

I will say this although not ehat you asked.

 

If I had shown up at 1 like NCL had requested I would have been in a long line in the sun for 2-3 hours.

 

Showing up at 11:45 we joined already forming lines and were in the first 100 on the ship, we still had to wait, but were shaded or inside waiting.

 

Hopefully by April all of the issues will be history but for our cruise I didn't care what time NCL wanted us there as they don't run the port and I have had enough experience to know the port would botch long lines not flowing. Tampa's port works if its flowing but can quickly grind to a halt if any issues pop up.

 

And many cruise passengers will not follow ncl's edicts, us included, so lines begin forming long before 1. Its inevitable and Tampa port will not really control the lines until your upstairs waiting. So it can be a cluster and mess before you go up. Add still departing guests and its a people soup.