mccdavid

We will be on the Serenade sailing Feb. 14, 2015 for a B/B my question is we are staying at the RAMADA INN in METARIE, LA. the day before we sail

 

Csn anyone tell me if it is close to N.O. or the PORT??

 

Thank you for any info.

 

George35

Metairie is something like a 20 minute drive as I recall.

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OMG i have just paid $5505.52 cents in your currency for 2 weeks on P/O Britannia Inside cabin for 1.1.2016

which just includes myself and wife but then again i do have too fly too Barbados lol:D

Our cruise was just 5 days, and it was on Carnival which is generally the cheapest cruise line from what i understand. And if i remember correctly, our cruise started before the Christmas rate began that year.

$5500 for 2 weeks plus flight sounds like a pretty good deal actually. Barbados is a long way from anywhere.

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I was wondering if anyone had any info on what nights are formal ? You think by now that I would remember this, but at this point it escapes me..

On another thread i read that for the 7 day cruises formal nights are usually the 2nd and 6th nights. The RC website says there will also be a "smart casual" (jacket and tie) night.

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We also went on the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville, FL on our first cruise a few years ago. We drove there from Birmingham, AL and it wasn't a bad drive at all. The port was easy to navigate and we were boarded within an hour of arrival. It reminder me of a regional airport.

Me, my wife, and our 2 kids paid something like $1750 for an ocean view room during Christmas break. I seem to recall that the rates were less than half that in January and February.

The kids were 10 & 12 at the time. That ship doesn't have all of the amenities as some of the newer ones, but the kids enjoyed their respective activities (they were in different age groups) all the same.

The cruise lines are good at making you want to spend more money, but it's entirely possible to have a good trip without alcohol, soft drinks, excursions, etc. We did it.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

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I'm interested in hearing how the sailing goes, a group that I travel with will being the same route in dec. I have never been on a radiance class, and have been looking for pictures, but most of them are from before the refit.

I'll write a review during my trip and post it when we get home. I intended to spend a good amount of time exploring the ship. I'm not much of one for lounging.

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You'll find lots of information on ports in the various forums. You might also want to check out North American Homeports - Gulf Coast Departures. I posted a review of New Orleans there which I hope you find informative.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1615754

Wow! Amazingly detailed review. Well done, sir!

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Looks like you are sailing on the Nov 22 itinerary. Keep in mind that is the first stateside cruise the same day the ship arrives after the Transatlantic. There may be a learning curve for the crew getting used to a new embarkation port and it sometimes means additional inspections are required. I also get the impression that there can be substantial crew turnover. The point is, there may be a few hiccups including short delays. Nothing too serious, just keep an open mind and keep smiling.

Great tip! I just learned yesterday that my cruise immediately followed a Transatlantic sailing. It didn't occur to me that it might cause delays. That's cool though. I've been through customs at ATL. Everything is downhill from there :D

We did this exact cruise/itinerary in March. It was outstanding! Here is the link to my review. I'll be happy to answer any specific questions you might have:)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=252590

Very well done review. Thank you!

I am going on the 7 night western Caribbean cruise on this ship from New Orleans in November. This will be our first RCI cruise and only our second cruise ever. I (41) will be traveling with my wife (44), our children (15 y/o girl and 13 y/o boy), and my mother (68).

Our ports are Falmouth, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Caymans, and Cozumel. We are scheduled to be at each port for about 8 hours. This will be the first time any of us have been to any of these destinations.

I would be grateful if anyone can give me any information about this ship or any of the ports. I'm particularly interested in information about safety at these destinations. Jamaica and Cozumel both seem to have somewhat dubious reputations. When we travel we usually like to explore by foot but I'm a bit nervous about doing that in these places.

I would also appreciate recommendations of shore excursions. The RCI website has what i consider minimal information about them. The girls definitely want to hang out at the beach. My son and I prefer more active excursions, but nothing involving snorkeling or diving. I'm terrified of fish!

All information is welcome. Thank you in advance for your help.

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