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jpkriseddie

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Posts posted by jpkriseddie

    JFK EWR to Manhattan

    in East Coast Departures

    Posted

    Did this last year but spent 3 overnights in the area before the cruise. From EWR you can catch a bus and it will bring you to Port Autority in Manhattan. Easy ride but might get stuck in some bad traffic. It looks like this is normal for NYC so just be patient:) as far as hotel in Manhattan everything was very expensive so we staid in New Jersey Super 8 and in the morning of the cruise we took a taxi. I believe we paid 50$ or even less.

     

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    gratuities on Norwegian cruise line

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    Well service charge is splited between all people who work on booard. Obviously you can tip your waiter or butler but you can not tip the people who wash your clothes or cook your food or make sure of your security on board. So we pay services charge but we reduce it. Around 5 $ p. day for our son and 8 for adult plus we tip our Butler and sometimes the splash academy people

     

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    Norwegian Epic European Cruise

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    We had a cruise on the Epic ***** 2015 from Barcelona was the best cruise ever plus the crew was amazing. Booked again for 2018. Our Stuart had a biiiiiig tip doing his job so professional. The people in the Splash got extra tip also for amazing work with our son and the waiters were so nice. We even keep in contact with one of the guys every now and then via email. Too bad you had bad experience

     

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    Entourage Dalies for NCL Escape needed

    in Family Cruises

    Posted · Edited by jpkriseddie
    Entourage dalies Escape NCL

    Hello everyone, we are booked for 14.10 Escape from Miami and our family friends have a 14 yeat old and it will be his first cruise. So does anyone have the dalies so i can show him so he has an idea about what are all the fun things he can do while on board?:)

     

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    Very extensive 9/11 Spirit Review

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    COZUMEL, MEXICO

    DOLPHIN SWIM AT CHANKANAAB

     

     

     

    We booked our dolphin encounter (had to do the encounter because of our little one and at her age, that’s all she was allowed to do) months in advance. They require full payment at the time of booking. If you book more than 30 days (I think), then you are offered a discount. Woo hoo. I’m all for saving money.

     

    When we first arrived here, we checked in. They told us to enjoy our day and come back at 1:20 for our 1:30pm swim. So off we went to Chankanaab for activities (as reported above).

     

    When we returned (1:15pm) and went to sign in, they informed us that our excursion had actually started at 1pm and we were late. Um, they told me to be there at 1:20. ??? But it was ok, they just told us to catch up to them standing there on the dock being briefed on what was about to happen.

     

    They provide free lockers; just insert stuff, key is already in them and you lock it and take the key with you.

     

    WARNING…the wooden deck IS VERY VERY HOT! It was burning our feet (those of us that did not wear water shoes…which happen to be me and my daughter). They fitted us for our life vest and then took family by family to have their pictures taken on a chair nearby. I was busy running back and forth to any spot of shade I could stand on. Did I mention just how burning hot the deck was??? Ugh.

     

    Finally they briefed us on the particular dolphin we would be working with. Her name was Foxy. She has had 5 babies since she has been with them, 1 that was in the tank with her at the time. He was not trained yet so we were instructed to try to resist touching him (even though he was trying like crazy to get our attention and swimming right up to us and setting there hoping for a little loving lol).

     

    The trainer had the Foxy do several things on her own, swimming by us so that we could touch her back and then her belly. So neat and rubbery. Hehe Then they went back and forth letting everyone take turns getting to “kiss” her, then she would in turn “kiss” us. Then we would shake hands/flippers, then hold our left hand (to my husband “no, your other left hand” LOL) and she would come up out of the water and touch it with her nose. My daughter squealed with laugher the entire time and couldn’t stop smiling. What a treat. I knew she was going to love this and worth every penny we spent!

     

    dolphin-3-M.jpg

     

    Then Foxy did several tricks, waving to us and she went by, zoomed by us so fast splashing us, then a few jumps high in the air. She “talked” to us by her little blow hole squealing. Smiled at us showing us her teeth. A lot of neat little things.

     

    dolphin-M.jpg

     

    We spent about an hour in there with her and then they informed us that our “tour” was not over yet. Um what? They paraded us around all the tanks of dolphins and over to the manatee tank. Wow, really? They were letting us do the manatee as well? GREAT! I was kicking myself at this point because half way through the dolphin encounter, my battery died. GACK! So, when I found out there was more, I RAN to the lockers to get my other battery. By the time I got back, they were already in the water and I had missed it, but did manage to get some pictures of my husband and daughter in there with them, but just none of her feeding the manatee.

     

    IMG5862-M.jpg

     

    We went back to see the pictures on their computer screen. The people that are at the desk doing the pictures and putting together the disc are not the photographers. The photographers are out there just snapping pictures and then it is brought to the desk for you to view. ALL OF THE PHOTOS the photographer took are on the computer of the entire group. They are not using just one disk for each family or anything.

     

    So, when you go up to the desk, they are looking at all of the pictures and check marking which ones you are in (even if others are in the pictures)...anything that has you in it to offer it to you. They took around 89, I think, of us, some were just us, others were us in a group of people around us...but they offer all. For a group on 3 people (like us) it was $139 for the cd of ALL pictures.

     

    Just thought I'd give a little info on it after our return. I do photography on the side here and there, and I didn't think the quality of the shots were worth $139, so we decided not to purchase them. :)

     

    So, I’ve decided that my husband not only sucks at taking pictures, but also at videos as well. The pictures he got of me on the video did not turn out too well with water spots on it and sun glare. LOL But, we still have the videos and a few pictures I took from the video along with our memories of the dolphin swim. That’s good enough for us.

     

    Definitely had a blast.

     

    Additional pictures: dolphin%204-600x352.jpg

     

    Hi there:) Thank you so much for all the info you have here:) we are thinking to book the Dolphin Encounter also because o4 son is only 5. So how did you get to the area? Did you take a taxi from the crusie port? And is this the same place where NCL take tje groups as well? Price is almost 50%cheaper to book directly with Chankanaab then with NCL. I wonder what is the difference?

     

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    Dalies for the Escape Western Intinerary

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Beautiful resort area. Pool lounge chairs filled up fast. Plenty of chairs on the beach but ones with shade go fast as well. Pool was cool and refreshing, deepest part I saw was 4ft. 75926f33fb2707d49022d9da7ad8c1b6.jpg55696b5472f4f0ebe9224c3b9c18c035.jpg71f38524849d04b3fe2b9c1c3579f5a6.jpgcfc56f37ecc3eb5fd35ac22cd8e24d1d.jpg

     

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    Hi there . thank you so much for the info its great:) quetion : are aldo the pool lounge chairs and umbrelas for a fee or are they free based on availability? We will be with 3 children and i wonder if we will be able to get some chairs and shade with no problem. Is it possible to reserve upfront?

     

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    NYC taxis

    in East Coast Departures

    Posted

    Sooo, back from vacation and the busy looong working days already got me:) anyway i promised to write a review so it might help other people visiting NYC. Flight from Germany was easy, once we arrived at Newark airport got the Express bus to Port Authority and drom there the bus to the Super 8 in North Bergen. Hotel was clean and the people friendly. For the price just perfect. Location just great. Right outside it is Aldi to get drinks and snacks for the room, shopping mall right across the street, Sonic also for hungry people after a very long overseas flight and even Ihop is 5 min walking distance. Behind the hotel is also little playground our son loved it.

    As far as moving around it was easy drive 15 min in the morning to Manhattan and bus is stopping right outside the front door of the hotel. By return they stop a block away but it is also easy 5 min walk. So definitely it was good choice and saved money.

    Thank you all so much for all the tips you gave us:)

    If we cruise again from NYC we will definitely stay in Super 8 again. On the last day we took a taxi from the hotel to the cruise terminal and it was 50 dollars ( not bad at all ).

     

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    NYC taxis

    in East Coast Departures

    Posted

    Your 4 year old rides for free.

     

    When you get back please take the time to post a short review on this forum about your experience with Super-8 and their shuttle to Manhattan. This could be very useful to budget travelers who can't afford Manhattan hotel prices but still want easy access to NY.

    Yes i will definitely write here once we are back from vacation. Hope the choice with Super 8 will be good. Thanks for all the tips people provided me here:)

     

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    NYC taxis

    in East Coast Departures

    Posted

    Yes we are 2 adults and a 4 year old child. So i think the 1st day the places we want to visit are all in walking distance and the 2nd day as well.

    We are staying in North Begen NJ but they have shuttle direct to Port Authority Manhattan so we will just need the metro catd while in Manhattan. 3rd day we just need to get from Port Authority to the cruise terminal but i think this will be easy by bus. Unfortunately the link 138east sent i can not open..maybe because i am overseas ( not sure ) will try again. Our 4 year old should ride for free, correct?

     

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    NYC taxis

    in East Coast Departures

    Posted

    Hello everyone :) so almost time to start our vacation :) just quick question on the locals:) i checked the metro card peices and was wondering will it be worth to buy unlimited metro card for 7 days for 31$ even if we will use it only 3 days or will it be cheaper to buy always single tickets when using the subway in Manhattan exploring and moving from sightseeing to sightseeing. Planned is 1st day to explore only lower Manhattan ( wall street, 9/11 musem, one world center observatory, brooklyn beidge) 2nd day more time for Central park, time square maybe by bad weather children museum) any recommendations are welcome:)

     

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