jwjax Posted September 26, 2008 #1 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Since Jax has only one ship, the Fascination, I thought it might make it easier for folks to find all the info in one place. I have seen a lot of repeat posts on the same thing, and the reason is probably that the Jax threads end up past page 15 or more, since the other ports have many ships in each. Here is one link that may help to get things started. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=11250847 Here is the link to All Things Fascination which also has a lot of the same info found in other threads. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=826275 Hopefully this will help out. jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted September 26, 2008 Author #2 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Here is one link that may help to get things started. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=11250847 jw:cool: Well, This link quit working. :mad: It was a search result that actually worked, so I was hoping it would stick around. Any-hoo search for Jacksonville in this thread and when search is working, you'll get a lot of good info:rolleyes: jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseapril Posted September 26, 2008 #3 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Hope you don't mind a possible repeat question- can you mention a few of the hotels which are closest to the JAX pier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted September 26, 2008 Author #4 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Hope you don't mind a possible repeat question- can you mention a few of the hotels which are closest to the JAX pier? No problem about the repeat, that is why I started this thread, to help consolidate the Jax Port and Fascination info in one place. The Holiday Inn Express Blount Island, is 1/2 mile from the port. The only other closer hotels, are at the airport or to the south (about 15 miles) in the southside area off 9A or Southside Blvd, or downtown. Here is one link for Hilton hotels, I will try to locate some others and add them to this thread over the next few days. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=820589&highlight=jacksonville jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecruisin Posted September 26, 2008 #5 Share Posted September 26, 2008 We just made reservations for the new Microtel at JAX airport. It has great reviews on tripadvisor. Offers many discounts(50yr old and up, government and AAA ) We're paying $61.10 per night and offers free parking while on the cruise and a shuttle to and from the pier for $6pp each way. Includes free cont. breakfast and has a pool and was told if you don't have a car, there are many places to eat within walking distance. I'll write a review next month after our cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beloum Posted September 27, 2008 #6 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Does anyone know the approximate cost of a taxi from JAX airport to the cruise terminal? On our Fascination cruise in Dec we will be driving in, but our DD will be flying in and will need a cab. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted September 27, 2008 Author #7 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Does anyone know the approximate cost of a taxi from JAX airport to the cruise terminal? On our Fascination cruise in Dec we will be driving in, but our DD will be flying in and will need a cab. Thanks Here's a link to another thread, where it appears to be around $25, but it is probably a bit more now. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=793105&highlight=jacksonville+taxi Hopefully the recent 9/20 cruisers will post some updated info soon on this link. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16424299#post16424299 jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseapril Posted September 27, 2008 #8 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Another question- how far is the Amtrak station from the JAX pier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KroozFoolz Posted September 28, 2008 #9 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Another question- how far is the Amtrak station from the JAX pier? Total Estimated Time: 19 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 14.25 miles http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Station/Station_Page&code=JAX 3570 Clifford Lane Jacksonville, FL 32209 http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1a=3570+Clifford+Lane&1z=32209&2c=Jacksonville&2s=FL&2a=%5B9000-9279%5D+August+Dr&2z=32226&2y=US&2l=30.3948&2g=-81.56505&2v=STREET Another helpful website for Jacksonville cruisers is the one for the Jaxport Cruise Terminal: http://www.jaxport.com/sea/cruise.cfm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted September 28, 2008 Author #10 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Here are a few more links to threads with hotel info on them. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=791872&highlight=jacksonville+hotel http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=827215&highlight=jacksonville+hotel http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=845324&highlight=jacksonville+hotel http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=666449&highlight=jacksonville+hotel http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=658964&highlight=jacksonville+hotel http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=626452&highlight=jacksonville+hotel http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=619946&highlight=jacksonville+hotel jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KroozFoolz Posted September 28, 2008 #11 Share Posted September 28, 2008 We just made reservations for the new Microtel at JAX airport. It has great reviews on tripadvisor. Offers many discounts(50yr old and up, government and AAA ) We're paying $61.10 per night and offers free parking while on the cruise and a shuttle to and from the pier for $6pp each way. Includes free cont. breakfast and has a pool and was told if you don't have a car, there are many places to eat within walking distance. I'll write a review next month after our cruise. Thanks for posting this! Looking forward to your review of the motel and the shuttle service as well as the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhcw Posted September 29, 2008 #12 Share Posted September 29, 2008 JW, thanks for starting this thread, already lots of good info on here. Also bluecruisin, thanks for the heads up on the Microtel, I'm going to check it out. We currently have reservations at the HI at Blount Island. I will do a review with pictures when we return, but we don't sail until the end of November:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseapril Posted September 29, 2008 #13 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Hi jbh! Thanks Krooz for the Amtrak info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted October 2, 2008 Author #14 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Here is the link to the first review I have seen on the Fascination since it started sailing out of Jax.:) http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=851547 There is also one posted in the review section, off of the main board at this link. The person was not impressed apparently with the overall experience.:rolleyes: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=47253 jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecruisin Posted October 2, 2008 #15 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Thanks for posting the link to the review. I'm choosing to disregard it. The tone of the review invalidates the comments for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooth2099 Posted October 3, 2008 #16 Share Posted October 3, 2008 We are sailing in November and flying in 2 days early. Currently, we have a room in Kingsland at the Comfort Inn Suites. We were planning to go to the Okeefenokee swamp one day, and Savannah the next for some Carriage Rides and Haunted Pub tours. Is Kingsland a decent place to hang out in? Anything in the area that we should absolutely "not" miss? Thanks, JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseawaits Posted October 4, 2008 #17 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Getting a bit worried. Sailing the Fascination on 10/09/08. Looking forward to a quick getaway with my DH. Didn't have the greatest summer...mostly spent time recuperating from major surgery. We really need some special time together. Thought the Fascination out of JAX would attract a more sedate crowd. When it sailed out of Miami, it had a bit of the "party boat" reputation. Nothing wrong with that, I sailed on her out of Miami once, and had a wonderful time. Just not up to real party-hearty atmosphere this time around. Not expecting, nor would want, it to be like a nursing home, just a little more tame. Anyone sailed her out of JAX with a report? From the recent review, I get the impression she's still a party girl!!!! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseapril Posted October 4, 2008 #18 Share Posted October 4, 2008 cruiseawaits- Have a great cruise and let us know if you find some quiet places to relax. The Tara Library on the Fascination must be like the Mark Twain Library on the Elation. That was a relaxing place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted October 7, 2008 Author #19 Share Posted October 7, 2008 We are sailing in November and flying in 2 days early. Currently, we have a room in Kingsland at the Comfort Inn Suites. We were planning to go to the Okeefenokee swamp one day, and Savannah the next for some Carriage Rides and Haunted Pub tours. Is Kingsland a decent place to hang out in? Anything in the area that we should absolutely "not" miss? Thanks, JB I would say Cumberland Island would be a good choice. I found this link to the city's visitor website. http://www.kingslandgeorgia.com/index.asp?nid=45 jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted October 9, 2008 Author #20 Share Posted October 9, 2008 In case you have been reading and hearing horror stories about embarkation and debarkation at JaxPort, this is the response I received around noon today from the Director of Cruise Operations at JaxPort. Yes, we had significant issues with the first couple of turns on the Carnival Fascination. The original sailing was challenged with; first a late ship; it arrived more that 2 hours later than normal, then the computers on the ship would not talk to the reservation computers in the terminal. I have no clue as to why this happened. Carnival has been operating out of this terminal for more that 4 years and nothing at the terminal had changed. It took the ship until 3:00pm to straighten out the communications issue but by that time it was too late, the damage had been done and the back up was out of control. The second turn was not much better, again because of a late ship. We had debark continuing on top of embark and again the problems mounted. I am at the terminal right now. The ship arrived on time, the computers work, the traffic is under control, everything is working well and the passengers are happy. I think everything is straightened out and it should be smooth sailing from here on. Thanks for your comments !!! Anthony F. Orsini Senior Director, Cruise Operations Jacksonville Port Authority I think we'll hear some more feedback from recent cruisers to see if they have indeed worked out the bugs....:confused: jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEEZALAR Posted October 10, 2008 #21 Share Posted October 10, 2008 jw, do you know if they take credit cards to pay for parking at the port? My dh isn't sure if she should hang onto cash for that. Thanks Trisha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted October 10, 2008 Author #22 Share Posted October 10, 2008 jw, do you know if they take credit cards to pay for parking at the port? My dh isn't sure if she should hang onto cash for that. Thanks Trisha JAXPORT Cruise Terminal 9810 August Drive Jacksonville, FL 32226 GPS coordinates: N30 degrees, 24.500' W081 degrees, 34.650' The terminal will open to embarking passengers at 10:30 a.m. Parking Information Parking is $15 per day per passenger vehicle ($60 for a 4-day cruise and $75 for a 5-day cruise), and $25 per day for oversized recreational vehicles ($100 for a 4-day cruise and $125 for a 5-day cruise). An oversized recreational vehicle is any vehicle that takes up more than one regular sized parking space. Cash or major credit cards are accepted. The parking lot is well lighted, fenced and patrolled by JAXPORT security 24 hours per day. The lot is located adjacent to the terminal building, requiring only a short walk. No reservations are required for parking. For more information here is the link to the JaxPort Cruise Terminal web page http://jaxport.com/sea/cruise.cfm jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwjax Posted October 14, 2008 Author #23 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I read in another thread that the taxi service companies here are not allowed to respond to port calls from area hotels until 11:00am on the day of the sailing. I know I have always liked to get the ports by 11:00, so if you are taking a taxi keep this in mind. jw:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseapril Posted October 14, 2008 #24 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Thanks for the taxi info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseawaits Posted October 15, 2008 #25 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Just returned from the Fascination's Oct. 9th sailing. Called for a taxi at 10 AM from local Hampton Inn. Taxi arrived within 5 minutes and we were at the port by 10:30 AM. VIP check-in and on board by 11 AM. Very smooth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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