Michael P

Get there early and enjoy the ship. Don't eat breakfast...go for a brunch today on the ship. Without FTTF, your room may not be ready so head to the Lido and find a good table/booth. Have someone stay with your bags while you take turns going to the buffet. Then take your carry-ons and grab a seat on deck with a good view and watch the people arrive. Or go late. Either way, short lines. I just prefer waiting on the ship over waiting off the ship.

Exactly!

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So sorry to hear about your situation. It hurts to know you could have gotten something for a lower price. This opens up the age old issue of whether or not to use a TA. The problem with using a TA is that it removes the person from the process, and the cruiser may not be aware of what type of fare is being booked. That's why I always, always do my own research and book my own cruises. In this example, if Early Saver had been booked, then there would not be much of an issue here. Since you have no real options because of your family size, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd only get annoyed if I kept seeing prices dropping without my being able to do anything about it. It's done, just go, and have a great, great cruise!

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I have extended family in JA, and since childhood I have been there at least 100 times. While I'm no expert on the island, I do know my way around pretty well. Of just the places named, I would agree with everyone else and say Negril. When my grandparents were alive they had a huge ranch that was about 30 min's away by bicycle (in Green Island), and I can remember granddad and I riding all over Negril. Sometimes we would go by horseback through the country, and that was always amazing. Back then it was quiet, and undeveloped. The amazing beach was just a beach, with no mega, all-inclusive resorts. You could often have huge stretches of it all to yourself. We're not talking that long ago either, I'm going back only about two decades, or so. While things have changed quite a bit, it's still beautiful. But if you really want a taste of the island, you have to go to other areas that are far from the resorts. MoBay is good for many because it's very convenient and close to the airport. Again, you're only going to get a very quick snapshot of the island. Ocho is nice, if you can get away from the cruise ship crowds. I'm a little sad about Dunns River, and what it has become, because I can remember as a child when we visited the island, that it was so very different. It was so quiet and so very tranquil. But, I was very happy when I was able to bring my new wife there for the first time, and I enjoyed how much she loved Dunns River. Kingston, well Kingston is nothing but a war zone. It's where the cowboys run wild, and laws are pretty much up for interpretation based on how much money you're willing to spend (trust me on this one, as I have an uncle who is a judge there). Kingston is just an economic, social and political mess. If you ever get a chance to go beyond the four places listed, I would encourage you to do so. The best parts of the island are untouched by commercialism, and far more beautiful than the typical places accessible via cruise ships. Get out and explore, meet real Jamaicans, sample amazing food at a fraction of the price you pay at the four places listed, and take in some really mind blowing scenery.

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Thanks for your responds. I would love to visit Negril. I didn't know they didn't have a cruise port there.

Thank the Lord that there's no cruise port in the Negril, and I hope and pray there never is. It totally ruined Ocho, and would do the same to Negril.

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The Tokyo portion of your question is a lot more difficult. Tokyo is large and you can find great restaurants in the most unlikely of places. You don't have to go to a "big-name" restaurant for great food. In fact, in Japan, so much is based on hype, it really is. I have gone to many moderately priced sushi places in Tokyo, for example, which were as good, or better, than the absolute highest rated sushi places. Don't always believe the hype , that's all I'm saying. In terms of other dishes, you can have great meals at everyday izukyu places that are often far superior to self proclaiming "high-end" places. Honestly, we have probably been to almost every high-end restaurant in Tokyo, but our most enjoyable meals have been very basic izukya places. It's a lot of fun to order many different small dishes, and we have a blast doing so.

So much of it will also depend on what area you're talking about. Will you be mostly in Shibuya, or perhaps Shinagawa? Maybe you'll be in Ginza, Akihabara, or Omotesando? As another poster stated, it will also depend on what type of food you're looking for. If you're a hard core unagi or anago lover, like myself, there are some areas that are better than others.As a general rule, many of the best restaurants are located very close to major eki's (densha/ train stations). That's especially true for soba, udon, or ramen houses.

When we are hosting visitors in Tokyo, there are however, a few places that we sometimes take them too.

Gonpachi, in Roppongi:

Every American visitor that we have brought there has loved it. It's a good general introduction to Japanese food, without being too hard-core. I have to admit that I love this place, even if the seasonings are toned down to satisfy American taste. It's also not an intimate restaurant, so be prepared for a rather noisy and boisterous environment. Worth going to, though.

Sukiyabashi Jiro in Roppongi Hills:

In spite of what I said in the above concerning big-name restaurants or chefs, this is one sushi house that I love. We have brought many visitors from the States to this place, and everyone has raved about it. I am a hard-core sushi fanatic, and I can guarantee you an amazing experience at this place. It ranks as one of my favorites, for sure.

66 Dining, Roppongi Hill:

This is a really cool casual dining place that has great food with an edgy (for Japan), feel to it. The place is decorated with sexually explicit displays, that are actually quite funny. If you are a bit rigid though, you may not appreciate the humor, but if you do, you'll be rewarded with some amazing food.

Sushi-Dai in the Tsukiji Fish Market area. The sushi here is good, very good. It would rank in the top 10 to 15 best sushi places that I've been to, globally. If you do the fishmarket thing, this is probably a place that you should check out for lunch.

As I write this I can see the utter futility in trying to identify places, as there are just too many. You could walk down the street in any major area and potentially have one of the finest meals you've ever had. I think perhaps the best idea is to really just walk around and explore. If you're staying in Shibuya, for example, it's a lot of fun to try and decide which place to go to. Your choices will just be amazing.

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Oh, this is a juicy question! You are very lucky to be going to both HK and Tokyo, as they are great foodie destinations. I have lived in both Hong Kong, and Japan, (I've also lived in Singapore and Kolkata, India), and know HK and Tokyo very, very well. In fact, we still maintain an apartment in Wan Chai in Hong Kong. My wife is Japanese, and we also continue to maintain a place in Japan also. Although we live in NYC, we're often in both places simply to have fun with the food. With the background being set, let's get into it. I'll suggest a few of our favorite places.

Hong Kong

Hutong in TST, Kowloon side.

Very elegant, very upscale, with dishes that will knock your socks off. Added to that an amazing view, particularly for the light show at 8 PM, and this is a no-brainer. I specifically recommend the stir fried oysters with leaks, and also the spicy rice dish, which is amazing.

Ana Gura on D'Aguilar St., in Central.

This is probably the best tempura house in Hong Kong, in my opinion. I know you'll be in Tokyo anyway, but this place is worth the visit. Totally chic, excellent food presentation, and the bottom line is that the dishes are awesome. The location is also good. As an added recommendation I would say after dinner, go for coffee at Molly Brown which is around the corner on Stanley Street.

Ozone, Ritz Carlton, Kowloon side.

I'm not a bar person, but this place is different. This is totally elegant, extremely upscale. Being on the 118th floor affords some stunning views. Seriously stunning. What's nice about this place is that even without the views, this is a foodie destinations in itself. As a New Yorker from Manhattan, I do not impress easily, but this place is impressive. The last time we were there we had crispy calamari, tandori chicken, Hokkaido scallops, and a few other dishes. Without exaggeration, this was one of the best assortment of dishes I've ever had in Hong Kong. Major recommendation: After dining here you need to hit the Chocolate Library for dessert. It's located in the same Ritz Carlton, on 103rd floor. This is complete indulgence, make no mistake. You could also do Hutang and then the Chocolate Library. We have done that order several times in the past That is an amazing Saturday night out, although be prepared to spend a couple hundred dollars, easily.

Either A Lorcha OR Litoral in Macau. I am mentioning this because you have three days in Hong Kong. It would be a crime for you to be in Hong Kong and not go to Macau. For gambling? No, not at all. You should go to Macau to see a show, specifically the House of the Dancing Water which plays at the City of Dreams. Both DW and I live for the arts, and Broadway and the West End in London are where we can usually be found, if we're not at the Met, Vienna Opera House, or La Scala in Milano. Basically what I'm saying is that we are no strangers to excellent performances. But that having been said, Dancing Water, may possibly be the most amazing show that I have ever seen. It really is an "extravaganza". An excellent Saturday night out would be to depart HK, take the ferry to Macau, have dinner at one of the two restaurants, which are both Portuguese, then hit City of Dreams for the show. I promise you, I promise you, that you will love that evening.

A Little Bit of Soul in HK?

If you looking for something unusual and interesting, I can also strongly recommend Makumba. It's an African restaurant that features live performances. They used to be located off of Hollywood Road, but now they're located in Central. We recently stopped in there a few weeks ago, and the new digs are cool indeed. The music was great, and the food was delicious. At the old location I had gone there maybe five or six times, and was never disappointed. Our last experience at the new location was the same. The food was amazing, and the price, quite reasonable.

A few others worth mentioning:

Spice, Restaurant in TST. A great Indian place, where you must order the spicy crab. Too delicious to even describe!

Slims, Queen Road East. This is one of the best places for ribs in Hong Kong. It's a hole in the wall dive, but once you take your first bite, you won't even care.

Best Pizza: Paisano's on Hollywood Road, or the one next to Wan Chia Station. The best pizza in Hong Kong, hands-down.

Fav causal seafood joint:

Rainbow Seafood Restaurant, Sok Kwu Wan, on Lamma Island

Fav Chinese place: American Restaurant on Lockhart Rd.

RIP to Riquiqui, previously my favorite dessert place in HK.

Tokyo to come next.

Hope this helps.

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Goodness, you are totally normal! When I was at your stage, I have to admit, most parts of my life kind of came to a halt, LOL. I spent most of my time looking at cruise videos, investigating options for excursions, reading everything that I could possibly find, in preparation of the trip. I think that perhaps it's more extreme for the first couple of cruises, or, as was the case with us, it was a part of a honeymoon. In our case, our B2B cruises were part of a five week, 12 country global honeymoon adventure. I would say to enjoy the obsession. Granted, it can be disruptive in the larger life picture, but, how can you blame someone for being completely into what will be a great and amazing adventure! Keep reading, keep scouring the web for information, keep hanging out on forums like CC. It's all good. It's all good...

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There's little doubt that today's cell phones take amazing pictures...considering their size. They're also easy to carry, and you can get a pic off in no time. As some posters stated though, it's all well and good until you need a larger image. On my last cruise I brought my Nikon D3100, which is my backup DSLR camera and ONE lens. I also brought my SeaLife DC 1400 for underwater use, which takes amazing videos and pics. I also brought a small Panasonic video cam, which DW used a lot. I did have my GoPro with me, but I had just gotten it the day before departure, so there was no time to learn how to use it. A proper camera is essential if you want to capture really high quality images, but you really don't need to bring as many options as I did. If I were you, and I was going to the Carribean, I'd bring one good underwater camera. If it's a good underwater camera, it will also be a good land camera. It'll be light weight, easy to use (especially on land), and you'll get the excellent quality that you're looking for. One camera can cover your needs, for sure.

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True...I was looking at the schedule...I will have to stay 2 nights in Miami ...but if think it will be cheaper then having to pay for another flight to Miami...

The precruise did not work as my friend and I plan to go Orlando ...

But from a big ship to a small ship...immediately... I will definitely feel the difference....

 

 

 

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The two night stay is actually good. When we did it, we had only a one night stay in Miami, and felt really rushed, especially when the hotel suite that we had was really great. We really wished we had one more night there. Also, we went from a large ship to a small ship, and we did feel the difference. But, with the second cruise being so much shorter, it was perfectly fine. DW was happy just to see another perspective.

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Is it advisable? Why not? DW and I did just that recently. We took one cruise, and then I surprised her with a second cruise the day we arrived back in Miami. If you've got the time, go for it and enjoy!

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I surprised DW with a 'Just Married' sign which was personalized with our names. She loved it, as did everyone around our cabin. It was great fun, especially when our room was also decorated. I'd recommend it!

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Part of the decision is impacted by your preferred itinerary. Are there ports of call that you prefer more than others? If you've already gone to, say for example, Jamaica, Cozumel, and the Cayman Islands, do you feel like going back? Or, like myself, would you prefer to go to places that you have not visited yet? In terms of the ships themselves, I think it's a win-win situation. Both ships are great, and you'll have a blast on either, no question. If you're 100% fine with either itinerary, and equally satisfied with either ship, then personally I would do the extra day. But again, that's only if all the other factors are equal in your mind. Any preference could easily tip the scale one way or another.

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DW and I recently did a B2B, with the first one utilizing FTTF, and the other without. I planned it that way to give us an opportunity to very quickly compare our feelings. I have to first say that initially I was adamantly against the idea of FTTF. I thought that it made no sense to pay $50 to have them simply do their job efficiently. However, after experiencing FTTF, and then immediately being without it, I must say, that I absolutely loved FTTF. DW, being the cost conscious woman that she is, is not so sold on it, but I can tell you that the next time we cruise, we're definitely doing it. The benefits are fully outlined by my fellow cruisers in their posts, so I'll not touch on that. I'll just say that we really enjoyed faster access to Guest Services, and all the other perks that it provides. My advice to you would be to give it a try. You can then decide if, in future cruises, you'll use it or not.

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Good move! You're going to love it. Especially since the price wasn't bad at all.

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If I were you, I would definitely not cancel the tour. One can always go to a bar, or chill out and listen to reggae music, but if you're already there in Ocho, get out and enjoy it! The tour that you have selected sounds really great, and it will be a much more interesting and a more positive experience than just being at a bar. I think DH is just feeling a little reluctant, but I'm 100% sure, that once he's out there, he's really going to enjoy it.

I've got family roots in Jamaica, and since childhood I have been there, literally, at least 100 times, and Ocho is one of my favorite areas if you can get away from the tourist traps. DW and I recently went to Ocho on a cruise, as part of our global honeymoon, and she really loved it! In closing, I think you ought to drag DH to the excursions, and even if he moans and groans a bit, he'll thank you in the end.

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The EMT shears will be enough for the Carib. I seriously doubt if you'll even need them there, unless you're doing something more involved.

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I can relate to your situation very well, as I am a hard-core diver, while my wife is just now learning to swim. For the sake of unity, and a tranquil and peaceful marriage, don't leave your wife behind, or send her away, unless she specifically wants to do something, or go someplace while you're diving. I almost always bring my wife on the dive boat with me, and she loves it. She loves the excitement, and she has a feeling of being involved, and most importantly, we're together. Over time, she has actually become quite knowledgeable about diving. She can rattle off information about nitriox, trimix. decompression procedures, proper gear configuration, you name it. It's hilarious, as she is the most educated non-diver I've ever seen. So, my advice to you is to encourage her to come. Bring her along, unless she really wants to do other things.

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We're on the Allure with what seems a short stop (7 hours)in Nassau. The ship offers a 5 hour dive excursion there. Is the diving in that area worth it? Usually, we book privately, but in this case, wouldn't want to chance missing the ship at the first port. Thoughts?

Most of my dive experience has been on the GBR in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. I've only done a couple of locations in the Caribbean, with the Bahamas being my favorite by far. I think it's pretty easy to say this place or that place "sucks", but I think if you love to dive, love getting wet, and you haven't done the Bahamas, then you should. In my view, a bad day of diving, where you supposedly don't see much, is better than no day of diving. On our last trip to the Bahamas I did a couple dives in Nassau with Stuart Cove's, and I had an absolute blast. Sure, compared to Sipadan or the Great Barrier Reef, it's not all that, but so what! I was happy to just be in the water (I have over 1000 dives). Don't let a wet blanket discourage you. If you love to dive, then go for it. The experience will be what you make it.

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