Help with Drinks, Food and general questions please!

[Mouselingsmum]

Hi. We have booked a five night cruise in August on Majesty of the seas departing from Tampa. I have a few questions, if anyone can help?

 

Drinks questions:

We are a party if 2 adults and 2 children travelling from the UK and I am trying to get my head around the drink package options. The premium drinks package seems to be $60 a day at the moment including the gratuity charge and I’m trying to work out if it’s worth us doing. I’d drink coke and beer during the day and then gin and tonic or a couple of cocktails on an evening. (My husband should get full value from his!) there is a limit of $12 per drink, would this cover the price of cocktails? How does the accounting side of it work? Can for example, my husband go to a bar and order both drinks on his card or do I have to go up myself for mine? Also if I was ordering sodas for myself and then we order sodas for the kids during the day, how do they know which are mine and included in the pre-paid package and which ones are the kids that need paying for? (Assuming that we don’t book soda packages for the kids)

 

Food questions:

I notice there is a Johnny rockets and italian onboard. Is the food there included in the price and are they open at night or just during the day? Do we need to make reservations for them.

We wanted To choose the anytime dining plan but were told by our travel agent that I could only pick 6 or 8pm. I have since been on my cruise planner and there is an option to book anytime dining in a daily basis. I can choice a time between 6 and 645 and after 8pm. How does this work and can we request a table for 4 on some nights? Also what time are the two shows usually, so we can plan meal times to make sure we see one every night.

 

Tampa port

We are flying into US a week before the cruise and will be arriving into Tampa from the Orlando area. Can anyone tell me the best place to park at/near the port? We are thinking about staying over the night before. Do any nearby hotels offer a stay and park option? Any other general advice for Tampa port?

 

Ports of call

This cruise visits Cozumel and costa Maya. Is there any must see things to do in either port? We would quite like to see some Mayan ruins but don’t want anything with a very long drive with having the kids with us. If we just wanted to get off and head to the beach for a few hours, is that an option?

 

Sorry my first post is so longwinded. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Clarea]

The $12 limit would cover virtually all cocktails. There may be a few cocktails made with super premium spirits that are a few dollars more, but in those cases, you would only pay the difference.

 

Your husband can get two drinks if he presents two cards with drink packages. You can only get one drink at a time per card.

 

Johnny Rockets is extra cost $8 per person, includes soda, no reservations. Sorrento's is a no extra cost pizza slice venue, just walk up, also no reservations.

 

For park and stay options in Tampa, it's best to consult the Florida Departures forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495

[cb at sea]

If you buy a soda for someone without a package, they get a can of soda and you'll be charged. If you're on a package that includes soda, it's "fountain" soda (from the gun at a bar). If you both have a package, hubby can get 2 drinks, but he'll need YOUR card to get your drink.

 

On your ship, Johnny Rockets is only open for lunch/dinner, and there is a charge. No reservations accepted....sort of a "fast food" thing.

 

For MTD, if you want to eat at 7 pm (like everyone else), you'll have to wait until you're onboard to book that time. It's never available in advance. MTD folks are seated only with their own party, just like in any restaurant.

 

Can't help with Tampa...

 

Get a guidebook on your ports! Yes...most places have beaches that are easy to DIY. A guidebook will tell you all about all the beaches, transportation, food/drink, shopping, etc... Libraries have guidebooks, if you don't want to buy one.

[2nsmom]

We will sailing on Majesty in June. I just booked my hotel this morning. We will get a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel (though I always tip $10-20). I looked up what the cab/taxi fare should be from hotel to port the next day and it should be around $24 (plus tip). Our hotel includes free breakfast and seems to be near stores and such (for last minute items I forget to pack) :o)

Here's hotel I just booked: Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa Airport Avion Park Westshore

[sardam]

We stayed at the Tahitian Inn, in Tampa and my kids enjoyed the pool. No free breakfast, but they do have a free shuttle to the port and airport. We dropped off our rental car at the airport, called and they picked us up. We spent the night at the hotel, and then had a nice shuttle to port in the morning. They have diy laundry facilities so I did a load of our items for a couple dollars since we had spent the previous three days at Legoland, etc.

 

In Costa Maya there is a large pool right in port, with loungers all around it that my kids enjoyed for a while. The port there I like better than some. It has the same shops as everywhere else, but there are a few cute photo ops with an old truck, a (fake) crocodile, the rain dance show that takes an hour or so, and there are dolphins right in port. You can swim with and feed them for a fee (approx. $30/each to feed, pet, and they print a free picture, price goes up from there if you want to swim with them, etc.) or you can just watch from the side.

In Cozumel my kids loved the Everyone Loves Rays excursion. It has an educational component first and then you feed and hold the rays in knee deep water before going into a larger fenced area to snorkel with them and a shark :) Of course it isn't a dangerous one, but my boys (6 and 8) were excited to say they swam with a shark. There is also a water trampoline, parrots, iguanas, and hermit crab races. You stay as long as you like and get a free taxi back to the ship, but it is close by, you can see the ship from there.

If you want to see ruins, and not drive too far that is best in Costa Maya, but still 45mins on the bus I think it was. It was a great excursion though, and we saw howler monkeys in the trees too.

[SilkySal]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!!:D If you would like to join the discussions with your fellow cruisers going on the Majesty of the Seas the same week as you, click on the link below, find your specific cruise week, and join in the discussion!!:cool: There should be plenty of cruisers there who can answer most of your questions and/or concerns. Get to know your fellow cruisers!! Cheers and happy cruising!!:*

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=265

[Mouselingsmum]

Thanks everyone. Very helpful.

[paper1122]

I would assume you are renting a car. I would suggest turning in the car before boarding the ship so you don't have to pay for parking. There are lots of hotel options. I suggest using Priceline express deals to get a great rate.