houstoncruisers2001

i think ANY balcony beats just an ocean view room. I also think the drink package is worth it if both people are above average drinkers.

We were on Oasis twice and there was live music in Dazzles every night until 1-ish, if i remember correctly. We danced in there all 7 nights after the show.

Solarium is awesome, but it's sometimes hard to find a chair let alone two chairs.

Never tried a "pay" restaurant on Oasis, but have on other ships. Check out the main dining room menu in advance and pick a night where the food doesn't appeal to you and try a speciality place.

Weatherman182......Doing the same thing for my wife in November on Navigator. Curious to see if you can keep it secret until reaching the cabin. Please let me know if it works, thanks.

Sea Grape Beach is public and not that far from port. They have a snack shack, but it's not cheap, but what is on Grand Cayman?

We're did the "bus" thing our first time there, but now we just catch a cab in port. It's only a couple bucks more or so.

They'll drop you off right in town on the way back. Plenty of shops.

We've done both, stayed on and gotten off.

We enjoy being anchored so far off the coast of Belize. It feels like a sea day without the motion of the ocean or a ship full of people. Very peaceful.

I guess i'm one of those who really don't care who the cruise director is. I've had good ones and some that you wonder just where the heck they are hiding because you never see them. Just my opinion, but I don't think a CD makes or breaks a cruise, but i understand the value of having a good one to enhance a cruise experience.

Do the better ships have the better cruise directors? it sort of seems that way to me.

Any feedback from the seafood shack??

It was alright for a change of pace. Nothing super special. If you are in the shack and if your kid wants Johnny Rocket's they'll come over and take the order or vice versa.

Worst port ever - Progresso, Mexico.

We enjoyed ourselves as we always do but certainly weren't WOW'ed.

 

Personally I'm not sure I like the upgrades. I loved the old Radiance class. We have had great cruises on the Radiance and the Jewel. DH has always preferred a ship with a Royal Promenade and I think this trip may make it hard for me to get him on anything less than a Voyager class in the future.

Totally agree with not being "WOWed" on every cruise and it's usually when we are on Carnival.

As a DH, I agree with your DH, Voyager class or above for me. Hopefully, Quantum class in the near future.

A few years ago while in Daytona Beach a guy riding in an elevator with me said I was the whitest guy he'd seen in Florida. I wanted to crawl in a hole.

THAT WAS IT!!!!! NEVER EVER AGAIN!!!!

Now, we base tan before every cruise or Mexico trip we take without fail. I'm 56 and she's 62, we see plenty of "older folks" at our tanning place.

Done Oasis twice. First time we got on about 11:15am, the second time it was closer to 1pm because disembarking was running late. When we got off the following week, disembarking was way behind schedule once again.

I'd say the higher the rates, the more likely it will be spring break.

We done spring break twice with our grandkids once out of Ft. Lauderdale and once out of Galveston. It's not the madness or the craziness you think. Sure there are more kids, but like others have said it's the same way over the summer or during Christmas.

After a matter of fact, we're doing spring break this year too and were both 60-ish.

It's probably a bad week for those who have to attend high school graduations. I know i have one to attend on May 31st for a grandson.

Or I could just get divorced and go on a cheap cruise.:eek:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1554&src=tocc

I know somebody(not me) who did #11 and they got left at the dock.

Gulf Coast Limo, based in Houston might be able to help you out.

I would say.....don't sweat the small stuff. Cruises, like other forms of vacations have glitches. It might be the weather, it might be rude people, it might be a delay in boarding the ship or slow dining room service. Just go with the flow.

I'd also say...put away your cell phone, don't connect to the internet and barely turn on your cabin TV. The world will still be there when you get back.

To me it's sad to see a Mexican restaurant on any ship sailing from Galveston. We Texans are very particular about our Mexican food. We all have our favorites which no other restaurant can compare. When sailing I want food I can't/wouldn't get at home. Oh well...

I'd agree with this. Also, why pay for it on the ship when you can get in Cozumel during the cruise.

Our family of 12 went to the Sunset Beach Resort last week.

 

Neither I nor the rest of my traveling party would go back to this place again.

I've been to Sunset Beach Resort twice. Though definitely not a five star resort and looking a tad on the run down side, I think it serves it's purpose. First time I went there it was only $40 so I was fine with that. Now, I know it's 30 bucks higher and looking worse for wear. I would absolutely never stay there. but for a few hours of drinking and hanging out it was fine. It's very close to the ship which is a big plus in Jamaica. I haven't had any problem with either a line at the front gate or rude employees either time I was there. The pools were good enough, buffet was similar to the ship's buffet and the drinks were ok. With limited choices, I'd have no problem going back, but I can see why others would prefer not to.

Amazing! That is someone I would LOVE to meet!

The kid in the chair looks like a celebrity.

I just bought Cruise Confidential by Brian Bruns (An american cruise ship employee)

I'm almost finished with this book. I will NEVER look at the crew the same way again. It's a light read and I found it very entertaining and "colorful".

I'm about to cruise the Conquest, one of the ships Brian Bruns worked on and I enjoyed reading about the ship as well as some of the ports I have been too.

this is one of our favorite areas of Mexico.

.

I've mentioned on another thread that this was my least favorite port. That being said, it's like saying Old Milwaukee is my least favorite beer.....but if someone offered me an Old Milwaukee I'd still drink it. On a future cruise if I find myself in Progreso I now know what to expect and I will plan accordingly. I think part of the problem stems from the fact that we don't do enough research on a particular port and we get caught somewhat off guard.

For example, on our first time to Roatan we had a so-so time, but on our second trip we had the BEST time.

I thought it was $500, but don't quote me on it.