Live from VOS 10/21/05

[catmommy]

Hi All,

 

I don't know if anyone has posted from VOS yet but I thought I would say hi to everyone!

 

Having a blast here! We went around Alpha and had a great stop at Labadee. Met many nice folks at the M&M.

 

Accessible cabin for MIL working out great so far. Everyone has been so nice and everything I was worried about crowds/slow/crowded elevators has not come to pass.

 

We are just about to cast off from Labadee.

 

Tomorrow Ocho Rios!

 

Any questions? Not sure if I will be able to answer now or when we get back. The internet is kind of slow and I have limited minutes left on my package. :( Besides I'm on a cruise, why am I playing on the computer? :)

 

Calm seas,

Caroline

[LuvMyVette]

Hi

Thanks for the update. DH/I was wondering where VOS was going to go due to the Wilma and Alpha.

We'll be getting on the ship for Bermuda on Sunday.:)

Is Captain Pettersen back yet? He's been on vacation and should be returning very soon. Just curious since we had him on our July VOS cruise.

Is Becky Thomson (CD) back from her vacation? She was our CD for our July VOS cruise as well.

Many thanks and have a wonderful cruise!

[JamashP]

Thanks too for the update. We are on the next 9-day departing 11/4. Any hurricane damage to any of the islands you're visiting? Any recommended tours?

 

Enjoy!

 

Scott

[catmommy]

Hi

 

Thanks for the update. DH/I was wondering where VOS was going to go due to the Wilma and Alpha.

 

We'll be getting on the ship for Bermuda on Sunday.:)

 

Is Captain Pettersen back yet? He's been on vacation and should be returning very soon. Just curious since we had him on our July VOS cruise.

 

Is Becky Thomson (CD) back from her vacation? She was our CD for our July VOS cruise as well.

 

Many thanks and have a wonderful cruise!

 

No problem from Alpha; we passed her during the night. It did delay us getting to Labadee by about a half hour. The weather in Labadee was clear and hot but since we had chairs under a nice tree no problem.

 

Drank coco locos and watched the waves. No jelly fish that DH saw but he did see lots of sea urchins. He moved away from them quick.

 

Captain is Erik Tengleson (sp?) and CD is Allan Brooks.

 

Ocho Rios had no excusions planned; just walked through Island Village shopping area. Did do any excusions because MIL is with us and thought she might get too tired or get too hot. Day started nice but then got a bit of rain. Passed fairly quickly but did cool things off a bit.

 

Tomorrow George Town Grand Cayman!

 

Calm seas,

 

Caroline

[catmommy]

Thanks too for the update. We are on the next 9-day departing 11/4. Any hurricane damage to any of the islands you're visiting? Any recommended tours?

 

Enjoy!

 

Scott

 

So far have only stopped at Labadee and Ocho Rios. No damage that I saw.

 

First tour is Soto's for Stingray City in Grand Cayman tomorrow. I will let you all know how that works out.

 

So far ship seems to be in pretty good condition; some ratty carpet and chairs but considering she has 3000 people every week or so she is in good shape.

 

Most folks seem to be having a good time, at least from what I have heard.

 

More later!

Caroline

[39august]

Caroline-Have you been advised what will be the port of call, if any, instead of Cozumel?

[LuvMyVette]

Hi Caroline:

 

Thanks for the information.. it's greatly appreciated.

Due to Wilma hitting Cozumel, you may have more ships in Grand Cayman. When we were in GC in July, Emily was near Mexico so the ships changed course and stopped at GC. There were seven ships in port that day and getting back on the tender to the ship in the afternoon was a nightmare. It took an hour from the beginning of the line until we reached the ship. There were people all over the place, you didn't know what line to get in since there were no signs, it was hot as anything, etc. If you're going to be going into GC and there are more than three ships, make sure you get to the tender early! GC can't handle seven ships in ports and there wasn't enough tenders for everyone. The areas that the tenders were in were shared with a few ships.

Have a great time in GC and enjoy Stingray City. Swimming with the rays are awesome and make sure you have an underwater camera with you for pictures. It's priceless.

Have a fantastic cruise!

[LuvMyVette]

double post again.. boards are slow this afternoon.. sorry.

[catmommy]

So just after I posted yesterday. We got word that the tender port in Grand Cayman has been damaged, by Wilma, and we cannot tender there.

 

We are now going to Nassau instead and then on to Freeport as scheduled.

 

I didn't really get a chance to talk to folks about how they felt about the change but one person I talked to was really P!$$ED.

 

But if the port is closed, it is closed. I don't know anything that Royal can do about it. At least we are a getting a replacement port. (Actually I am loving seas days so even an extra sea day would have been fine with me.)

 

And of course I have heard some talk of the "C: word -- compenstation. Come on folks they don't have to and they are doing there best.

 

Am I a bit disappointed? Yes, this cruise is for my MIL and since she is a bit frail it may be her last one. I wanted her to see the Stingrays. But the trip so far has been a once in a lifetime event anyway so it doesn't ruin our trip.

 

I just have to see what folks on the boards have to say about Nassau.

 

More later if I get the chance!

 

Caroline

[LuvMyVette]

Hi Caroline

So sorry to read that you're not stopping in GC. Due to stopping at another port, I doubt anyone will be compensated.

When we were on VOS in July, due to Hurricane Franklin, we couldn't stop in Freeport and had an extra sea day. No compensation was given. It really didn't matter to us. I would rather be safe at sea and not sick, then risk danger/illness due to rough weather.

Did you go to the ice show, how was it?

Was there a Mardi Gras parade at the Royal Promenade? (We didn't have one in July due to a cast change.)

Thanks for the udpate and enjoy! Can't wait to board the ship on Sunday.

[familycruzer]

Can you check and see how much the daily "virgin" drink specials are without the glass?

[jckvpa0]

I don't get what is going on with this board!!! When I clicked on this thread it said it had nine posts but when the thread pops up there is only three there!!! Now as I am typing this I can scroll down to the bottom of the page & see familycruizer's post!

[matandbri]

Catmommy, What kind of internet package did you get? Can you let me know the cost and some details? We sail in a few weeks and I will be lost if I can't check in with my kids!! Thanks for the info.

[JamashP]

Please let us know how everything went with your alternate port (Nassau). I'm curious on how RCI handled the changes (communication, excursions, etc., ...)

 

Hope you're having a wonderful time!

 

In eight days, it will be us on the Voyager!

 

Scott

[dorothyh]

Please let us know how everything went with your alternate port (Nassau). I'm curious on how RCI handled the changes (communication, excursions, etc., ...)

 

 

I was also on that cruise! We had such a good time. We were disappointed with the change from the Cayman Islands, but certainly understood the situation. If the port isn't open, there isn't much they can do about it!

 

They gave out info on Nassau and shopping available there as well. We also received a letter from the captain saying pretty much, "We are allowed to change the itinerary; we did the best we could and are giving you a full port day, you aren't getting any compensation."

 

We also received a list of excursions available in Nassau, and booked the Nassau stingray tour on Blackbeard's Cay, which was very nice. Not quite Stingray City in the Caymans from what people were saying, but there were a good 30-50 stingrays, and you had a lot of interaction time with them. My 4, 9, and 12 yo all LOVED it. You go in from the beach, and if you don't want to go in the deeper water and snorkel, you can just stay in the very shallow water and they still come up to you. They also had an opportunity for you to feed the stingrays. There was also a regular beach there, and you could go back and forth between the stingray beach and the regular beach.

 

Later on, my 17yo dd and I walked around Nassau and did a little shopping. Overall, we enjoyed our visit there.

[catmommy]

Hi Caroline

 

So sorry to read that you're not stopping in GC. Due to stopping at another port, I doubt anyone will be compensated.

 

When we were on VOS in July, due to Hurricane Franklin, we couldn't stop in Freeport and had an extra sea day. No compensation was given. It really didn't matter to us. I would rather be safe at sea and not sick, then risk danger/illness due to rough weather.

 

Did you go to the ice show, how was it?

 

Was there a Mardi Gras parade at the Royal Promenade? (We didn't have one in July due to a cast change.)

 

Thanks for the udpate and enjoy! Can't wait to board the ship on Sunday.

 

Ice show was great. A really must see.

 

There was a Mardi Gras parade but we didn't see it. We only saw the first parade on the departure day. We watched from the overlook on 9 since promenade was packed.

 

Caroline

[catmommy]

Catmommy, What kind of internet package did you get? Can you let me know the cost and some details? We sail in a few weeks and I will be lost if I can't check in with my kids!! Thanks for the info.

 

I did not have a computer with me so I just used the computers in the Library.

 

Signing up was weird since it first tells you that the cost is .50 cents a minute. But then it gives you the option to get a group of minutes for cheaper.

 

The price list I have says:

 

$25 = 60 minutes

$35 = 90 minutes

$50 = 150 minutes

 

The connections are very slow so much of the time seems wasted.

 

The computers got a lot of use.

 

I also saw several folks using wireless but I did not get to aske them how it was.

 

Caroline

[spoonful]

I was on this one too. Had a great time. I thought the parades were very silly and not worth the effort. I loved every show i saw, espcecially the production and ice shows. I loved the hot tub in the gym as it is usually not crowded. The tiramisu in the Windjammer is amazing. Better than portafinos. Tell your waiter the night before that you want more than one lobster. Our tablemates waited until after theirs were delivered and had to wait until everyone in the section was served before they got seconds while we got our second one as soon as the last bite of the first was gone. Bring an alarm clock and a power strip if traveling with lots of appliances (curling iron, hair dryer, flat iron, iron).

 

I heavily research my ports so we didn't know what to do for our Nassau day and ended up just getting a day pass at an all inclusive resort. For 50 bucks pp we got use of deck chairs and towels, food, alcohol, water sports, and activities like beach volley ball, trampoline and trapeze lessons. RCI had an excursion to the resort but it was 20 bucks cheaper pp to just bus it there and buy a day passon our own. Plus, we spent more time as the RCI excursion is only 4-5 hours. We got there in the morning for breakfast and stayed all day. We were actually pretty late getting back to the ship so one of the front desk fellows gave us a ride, thank god. I would definitely do that again when in a port i am not sure about.