MITSUGIRLY has a JEWEL of a time on my 1st RC cruise in years!

[Dina7]

I have read several of your NCL reviews and have enjoyed every one of them, especially all the details & great pictures! Looking forward to the rest of this one :)

[chipis]

Welcome back, Mitsugirly!... Really excited here to read about your latest adventures... it looks like it's gonna be a bumpy ride this time around :eek:

Following... and impatiently waiting for the next installment :)

[sandyzag]

Was Olympus Tough TG-2 a typo? I bought an TG-5 because I loved your pics!!!

Following along for sure!

[AKR2011]

Welcome back! It's always great to see another one of your reviews!

[Ralphinsc]

Yay! In on the first page for a mitsugirly review! Was just in OSJ a couple of weeks ago myself! (cruise stop, not embarkation)

[mitsugirly]

I’m really looking forward to your review. I did my first cruise on Jewel of the Seas, and I’ve always thought she could use a few more mermaids!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thanks and the Jewel OTS definitely got another mermaid.

 

 

This made me chuckle as I pop over to the Carnival and NCL boards when I think it’s about time for a Mitsugirly review!

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Haha, I know right. Surprise!!!

 

 

 

I'm checking in for another Mitsugirly review! Can't wait to hear about your adventures on this cruise!

 

Sakari, congratulations on completing your Master PADI Seal certification!

 

Kim, you're going to have a decision to make about getting your own certification soon - if you haven't already made that decision. Sakari will be ready for her next step soon! I'll stick around here and see what you have to say when you get to that part of this review.

 

Hiya Nancy. Glad you found me here. I'm so of her completing it. She would have had it done about 3 months earlier but they lost their instructor to a "better job" and it took awhile to replace him. We still miss him. They have made such a big deal of her completing it that they have given her things the last 3 classes: scuba diving water bottle, certificates, candy, a pin and now we are just waiting on her dive card in the mail.

 

 

 

keep it up !!

 

Will do. More coming right up.

 

 

 

Following....this should be awesome.

 

I'm currently involved in a "reading challenge" but sadly, your review, not being a physical book or available on Kindle, isn't eligible. Oh, well. It'll still be fun.

 

Aww, well they should redo the reading rules. :D

 

I love your reviews...looking forward to the next installment!

 

Why thank you and glad you're here.

 

 

 

Kim, I've been watching for your review to come up as I've been anxious to know how you liked the Jewel and RC after these many years of cruising Carnival and NCL. Will hopefully see more later on today when I check in from work (shh, don't rat me out LOL!).

 

Glad to have you here and shhh, me no telly on you.

 

 

So excited for your review. I've mentioned on other reviews, how much I love yours, and how we've gone to certain beaches because of you (and always great advice!). It's lovely too seeing Sakari grow up over your reviews. You have a lovely family. Looking forward to hearing how you liked Jewel and hearing your 'adventure'.

 

So glad that the other reviews have been helpful. That's the number 1 reason I do them. She has definitely grown since that first cruise at 3 years old. Thanks so much for your comments.

 

 

I am leaving for Florida today to board the Navigator. I will leave my book at home.......this is way better reading!

Thank you Kim! and Sakari and your DH!

 

Arzeena, I hope you have a WONDERFUL time. LOL on leaving the book at home. I'm not sure how much I'll get done, but I'll try my best to keep you occupied.

 

 

I have read several of your NCL reviews and have enjoyed every one of them, especially all the details & great pictures! Looking forward to the rest of this one

 

Thank you. I appreciate that and hopefully you'll like this one as well.

 

 

Welcome back, Mitsugirly!... Really excited here to read about your latest adventures... it looks like it's gonna be a bumpy ride this time around

Following... and impatiently waiting for the next installment

 

Thanks! Good to be back. Yep, it has definitely started out a bumpy ride but that's ok. We just roll with the punches.

 

 

Was Olympus Tough TG-2 a typo? I bought an TG-5 because I loved your pics!!!

Following along for sure!

 

Oh my, did I gype TG-2? I have a TG-4. Whoops! That means some of my other reviews are wrong then because I just copied and pasted that portion. :')

 

 

Welcome back! It's always great to see another one of your reviews!

 

Thank you and glad you're here.

 

 

Yay! In on the first page for a mitsugirly review! Was just in OSJ a couple of weeks ago myself! (cruise stop, not embarkation)

 

I hope you had a wonderful time in OSJ. It's a beautiful place for sure!

[Flip flop lady]

Kim, I'm so excited!! I've checked every morning for your review. I'm cruising from San Juan in June on Carnival and I cannot wait to see what beaches you chose, so I can cheat and not do the homework and just copy you!!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[mitsugirly]

So here we are at the hotel...

 

 

 

Instead of having an entrance and lobby in the front, on the main road, they have a gift shop.

 

 

The roads are brick and bumpy (which looks cool...until you have to attempt to roll your luggage down it). On the right is Da House and that door you see is where you enter the building.

 

 

I forgot to mention, the airport broke one of my "main" wheels on my luggage (by main I mean the one you need in order to pull it by the handle and it roll instead of the others where you push it) and the wheel was pushed up all the way into the luggage. This made it very hard to push on these roads...on anywhere else as a matter of fact.

 

 

 

Viewing from the other direction (yes, it's also on a hill). The doors here with the steps leading up is the entrance to the stairs.

 

 

 

 

[TracyESQ]

Your pictures from the airplane are amazing. I can't believe how clear you got them.

[AggieGirl09]

Woohoo!!! Looking forward to another one of your fabulous reviews!! :D

 

Callie

[mitsugirly]

Looking up at the stairs and our adventure started.

 

 

 

And looking down...

 

 

This is the lobby and front desk area.

 

 

 

There are little rooms off to the side of the lobby. I guess this is like a gathering room for people.

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Notice the doors open...no a/c in the lobby area.

 

 

 

When you look online, you'll see people in these little area's off to the side "enjoying" their time at Da House. I did notice a room that had some games on a table to play. However, in 85 degree weather and no a/c, I can't imagine sitting there for any period of time to play them.

 

 

See the games on the desk?

 

 

These areas are also open up above and go all the way to the roof with skylights. While it's very pretty, it also creates more heat coming in from the sun.

 

 

 

 

I guess maybe if you want to grab a bite to eat and sit down here for dinner?

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

This was right across from our room. The hubby waited here while I "did my thing" (took pictures).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the busted window/skylight area? They must have had some damage from the hurricane.

 

 

 

The weird thing was, it was a piece of plastic and drywall thrown over it, which anyone knows that when drywall gets wet...

 

I imagine that's what is drooping down from the plastic...just an accident waiting to happen when it falls 4 floors down to that sitting area across from our room. Hopefully there won't be anyone there sitting when it happens.

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

This is our room: 206 Marta Perez

 

 

Now I'm just going to say this now...these pictures look A LOT nicer than in person. I'm just putting this out there right now!

 

 

The mattress sat on wood, without a box spring, and was very hard and uncomfortable.

 

 

The room is in an L shape and Sakari's "room" was off to the side.

 

 

 

Both "rooms" had a window/door that could be opened.

 

 

Except one of the doors in Sakari's area couldn't open because it drug on the tile in the room.

[ellie1145]

Always love your reviews and the pre-cruise detail. I love that your reviews are long! Many thanks for taking the time to do them.

 

You must be very proud of Sakari and her swimming and diving skills!

She really is a little mermaid.

 

I'm sure the answer is somewhere but HOW do you insert photos into your review as I'd love to try to do one but adding photos has defeated me so far?

[mitsugirly]

Or just the window portion could be opened.

 

 

 

There wasn't a balcony, just a railing and this is looking down.

 

 

These tables and umbrellas belong to the restaurant directly across from the hotel.

 

 

Ok, on to the bathroom. The shower was super small. It looks bigger in the picture...maybe because I'm using a fish eye lens. But hey, I need to get use to this because I'm about to have a small ship room shower right?

 

 

Here is the door to the bathroom. For everyone's viewing pleasure...no matter what you do!

 

 

 

[Rogueperson]

I've been a fan of your many reviews. You, among other people are inspiring me to do my own live thread when I'm on the Grandeur of the Seas in 2 weeks. Your pictures and comments allow me to experience a cruise while waiting for mine. We all need to pass that time in between :D

[TimeToGetNauti]

Oh boy. I hope your cruise goes better than the first day off. My husband would have been cursing the whole way. Have a great cruise.

[MrsPhoenix91]

As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for your detailed reviews!

PR is on our list of places to cruise to within the next 5 years. Now I know what hotel to always avoid!

[mitsugirly]

Now let's get into the nitty gritty of this room...

 

I have never stayed in a "Spanish" type place but usually love the architectural buildings and Spanish tile work but...

 

Here we are talking some very old and broken tiles around the room and dips and uneven floors. It's hard to tell in the picture but this dip in the floor messed with me several times when I walked across it and forgot it was there. LOL

 

 

 

Again, not sure if this place had issues from the hurricane or not...looks like they had done some mudding/drywall and never repainted it.

 

There was this VERY small desk. It's like kid size. I assumed it was like most fancy regular hotels that have a "work station" type desk for your computer. I felt like a kid when I sat down with my knees touching the top. However, after sitting down and pulling out the computer to do a bit of homework...I discovered there wasn't a plug anywhere in site. So much for that!

 

 

Now look at this floor. At first I thought it was extremely dirty with mud. But after getting a closer look, it's actually the tile that is messed up.

 

Then after taking even a closer look at my bare feet at this point, it was actually dirty as well and needed a good cleaning. Yuck. Back on the socks went.

 

 

Taking a closer look at the room now that I'm a little disgusted with the floor, I look up (the ceiling are EXTREMELY high) and see the vents. Is that mold growing around them???

 

 

My husband is now giving me this look like I really picked a winner this time around. Hey, it's only for 1 night. We will live with it.

[mitsugirly]

Ok, time to head out to see some patients.

 

I'll return shortly...believe it or not, there's more to this story. :eek:

[JohninDC]

Great start! Love your reviews! :D

 

Keep it coming! :cool:

[graphicguy]

Love it so far. Things are bound to be looking up from the hotel stay, I’m certain! Thanks!

 

Like you, I’ve schelpped my DSLR with me on cruises, and am thinking I don’t want to anymore.

 

I noticed you said you have an Olympus TG2 and use it a lot. I’m looking at a TG5. Would you upgrade your TG2 given the chance?

[deladane]

OMG Kim, that hotel is ridiculous! I remember looking into possibly staying there for my 2012 cruise, but opted for Hotel Milano instead. I can't believe no one mentioned that there is not and elevator and you have to climb a million stairs (and cobblestone streets!) in their review of Da House. I'll bet they see a drop in people booking their hotel (and possibly a rise in cancellations) after everyone reads your review haha Great start so far (as always!), and I look forward to reading the rest!

[lifes-a-beach]

Very nice Kim! We’re aboard Vision OTS right now and we’re laughing that your sweet daughter is nearly 10. Time flies for sure. That hotel looks like the buildings in Cartagena. Kind of rotting in place.