Westerdam December 5 itinerary

[anngie]

We just checked the HAL website and it has changed back to the original itinerary. I called HAL customer service to make sure. We are really disappointed.:( We were looking forward to being in Key West for a whole day for my birthday and docking at Mallory Square. We are going back to Montego Bay now instead of Ocho Rios. I'm glad that for the people of Grand Cayman that they are recovering now from the hurricane but would not have minded missing the port. The only good thing is that we spend a lot more time in Cozumel.:)

[gooselace]

Yes, I was also looking forward to Key West, plus I'm wondering how the change in Jamaica will affect the rafting trip I've already paid for. If we have to take a bus to Ocho Rios, that won't leave much time for anything else - no Jamaican coffee or rum, I guess.

Anngie, I don't recall seeing you on the HAL Roll Call for 12/5 Westerdam, but I'm hoping to be able to meet you and the other four or five who post there.

[anngie]

I just posted this information on the roll call board to you. I have not posted there in quite a while. We will be looking forward to seeing you onboard. We are in cabin 8063. I hope you have a wonderful time. I wondered what you would do when you already have an excursion booked. Will you change to a new excursion this week?

[Little Feet]

Anngie: Thank you for the information. I was going to mail my holiday cards from Key West.....so I am very glad that you had this news before we left for the cruise.

[anngie]

Well, it was a little disconcerting. We just decided to get everything together this afternoon and dh said we should go to HAL website to make sure everything was the same. I thought it was a mistake at first. We have a longtime good TA but she did not know that it had changed.

[super_grover]

I just think this is interesting because I am sure that there are those on the same cruise who were upset that the iteinerary had been changed in the first place! Just goes to show that everyone has a different view point :)

[gooselace]

I just posted this information on the roll call board to you. I have not posted there in quite a while. We will be looking forward to seeing you onboard. We are in cabin 8063. I hope you have a wonderful time. I wondered what you would do when you already have an excursion booked. Will you change to a new excursion this week?
Went to the HAL website and, after signing in, received a message saying it was too late to book excursions (10 days prior). Wonder when the latest change was posted. Now I suppose there will be a waitlist for any desirable Grand Cayman excursions. Have no desire to go to Hell and back.

[elmorejj]

Gooselace, at Mo Bay there are quite a few shops at the pier including a good duty free rum shop. I bought a bottle of estate Appleton for my son there and it was less than $10, in a nice presentation tin. Also there are several shops selling Blue Mountain coffee and other coffees and spices. The prices were pretty good....jean :cool:

[anngie]

Jean, thank you for posting those things about the shopping in MoBay. It might be a good place to pick up some Christmas presents.
I had an interesting conversation this afternoon with Janice, a Hal customer service rep. She told me that a lot of people had told her that they really did not want to go to Grand Cayman anymore. We have been there several times. I really do not like to tender in to ports and we have been on several tours of the island already. We always found the shops to be too expensive. I guess we will spend the day on our balcony and enjoy the scenery.

[vitamarion]

I'm just happy we will be able to spend our full time in Cozumel. Actually as long as I am on a cruise I'm happy.:)

Marion

[vitamarion]

Anngie, So sorry about your Birthday plans. You were so looking forward to Key West. Funny your Birthday is the last day of the cruise and mine is the first day.:)

I guess the snorkel people are happy about Grand Caymon. The last time we stopped in Grand Cayman we found a cigar shop in the very back of a small center across from where we tenderd in. They had a small coffee bar and served the best Cuban coffee. The couple who owned the place were very friendly. He kept telling us to relax and take our time and not to be in such a hurry
.
Hope they are still there.

Marion

[anngie]

We can usually find something good in any port except for Nassau. I really would be happy never to go back to the Bahamas. I asked the question of where we would dock in Cozumel now and the customer service rep was not sure. I think I will send an e-mail question today.
I would think that the dockage in Key West would have cost a lot more than tendering to Grand Cayman. We look forward to staying late in Cozumel. I hope that the deck barbeque will be scheduled for that night. One of our fondest memories on a cruise was eating late at night on the deck while being docked at Cozumel's downtown pier. It was a balmy beautiful night.

[elmorejj]

anngie, check out cruiseclues.com you might be able to find out where you are docking in Coz at that site. I prefer docking down town too....jean :cool:

[anngie]

Thanks, Jean. I guess I will have to wait a couple of days. It only has the November schedule. There is a lot of other good information on Cruiseclues though.

[Little Feet]

Vitamarion:
It is so amusing that you should mention cuban coffee! It is my favorite...and you can buy bags of it to take home. I like to think of it as "Rocket Fuel". It is the finest coffee I have ever had and keep several bags in my freezer. One time I brougt a carry on home full of the stuff. I usually look for it in Nassau, but have also found it in Grand Cayman and Aruba. Check for it in places that carry cigars....some have and some don't. I get "Cubita" brand.

[vitamarion]

Thanks Little Feet. I will have my fill of cuban and jamaca blue mountain coffee. I may bring an extra piece of luggage.:) Or I could trade shoe space for extra space for coffee beens.

Marion

[Little Feet]

This is a warning....once you have a "taste" for cuban coffee you will not want any other kind. It is far superior to Blue Mountain or Kona...or any other coffee I have tried. Tasty stuff!

[gooselace]

Thanks Little Feet. I will have my fill of cuban and jamaca blue mountain coffee. I may bring an extra piece of luggage.:) Or I could trade shoe space for extra space for coffee beens.

Marion
Oh Boy, if it's really high octane, I'm going to have to bring old shoes so I can abandon them to make room for Cuban coffee. BTW, I hope it's not illegal to bring it into the US.

[vitamarion]

Yes your right Little Feet. It is the best.
Marion

[lknick]

There is nothing magical about Cafe Cubana as to the beans. They are finely ground Jamaican beans brewed in an expresso machine. See: http://www.ineedcoffee.com/99/08/cubano/

If anyone tells you different, you've just bought the Brooklyn Bridge.

[anngie]

Why is it illegal to bring Cuban cigars into the US and not illegal to bring coffee?

[lknick]

Per http://www.endtheembargo.com/faqs.html “Importing coffee from Cuba is against federal law.“

Also from the same site, “the beans in 'End the Embargo Coffee' are grown by Mexican, Guatemalan, and Nicaraguan farmer cooperatives.”

[Little Feet]

I have always listed it on my customs form and no one has ever questioned or confiscated it. As long as I declare it and the customs official lets me keep it....I assumed that I am allowed to have it. I don't buy "End the Embargo" brand coffee....I buy "Cubita" and it is from Cuba. Sorry to have "perked" up so much judgement.....I only stated to another poster that it is indeed great coffee, that I have brought it back....and from where.

[anngie]

Little Feet, I hope that I can find some Cubito coffee on our forthcoming cruise. I would like to buy some and bring it back to some of our Savannah coffee hound friends for a Christmas present. I did bring some back to them from Costa Rica but they would love some Cuban coffee. :)