sprinkles

Ps. I forgot to mention the $200 we spent was for the four of us, including tons of tequila.  I was hesitant to even post this as we love our quiet little piece of paradise.  But felt the need to pay it forward.  Too many great tips from CC through the years, I just don’t post very often anymore as usually someone has already answered.  It’s just so easy folks, the people who took the tour from the dock only had a few hours there.  We spent the entire day there.  Again happy cruising everybody.

Just got off our cruise last Sunday.  I always do Stone Island on our own.  We had a lot of new cruisers on our sailing and only two people were brave enough to join us (and had the time of their life).  First of all, honestly if you know your left from your right and can walk briskly for 10 minutes on a flat surface, you can find the ferry easily.  

Get off ship and take the shuttle through container area to the shops where many people are drinking and shopping.  Just keep walking through, ignore everyone offering you tours, taxis.  Anyone telling you, that it is too far to walk.

Get outside of the gate, you will see a block curving wall to your LEFT, just follow it (there will still be taxis asking you where you are going, just ignore them).  Honestly 10 minute walk by the wall.  It dead ends at a street, look up and you will see a sign (not new and neon, old paint that says stone island ferry).

Cross the street and walk down the uneven dirt road (you will start to see water. ). Pass the free roaming chickens .  You will see a small salmon colored shack (probably with some people just hanging around drinking). Go up to window, wait patiently for woman to end her phone call.  Pay $2 us pp for your round trip ticket (friend has pesos and I believe she paid 90 pesos).  Get your tiny tickets, walk to the right of shack and down the gangway to small dock at bottom.  When a boat pulls up, get in it. Expect to do it on your own (no one will be standing there trying to help you like on the ship tenders).

Short ride across water.  When you get out walk up short hill.  You can walk the beach which is long.  About halfway down you will see busier restaurants (tours go there)

OR you can jump in the back of a waiting truck (bed converted with benches and covered ) ask how much to Letys (should be $1 apiece).  There were other people in our truck who got out at the first stop (bear in mind that they are driving on a dirt road behind the restaurants you can,t see the beach during the ride).  We started to get out and our driver thankfully said no (as this was the stop in the middle of the beach).  When he stopped next time it was for us.  Directly between Lety,s and Carmelitas (which is actually where I always go. 

Ruben at Carmelitas is awesome and can set up massages (1 hour $30 us, hubby did this). (Atv 30 min for $20 friend and I did it).  Basically whatever you want ask them (I’m sure letys does the same.   Buckets of beer $1 apiece, awesome food.  Shad, sun loungers whatever.  I think we spent $200 (with generous tips) for all the above plus a bannaba boat ride steak nachos , shrimp tacos etc.

of note here, when the truck driver dropped us off , we told him to pick us back up at 5:30 pm (all aboard was 6:30 pm).  He was there early and Ruben knew what time we had to leave.  We walked onto the ship at 6:03 pm.

If you didn’t get or appreciate my humor, then you probably need to take an excursion.  If you “get it” then go on your own,  either way you will have a great time.  Question is how adventurous are you and how much do you want for your money.  Two ship friends who didn’t want to wait for us (as we waited for all who were invited ). Left on their own and then paid $30 apiece for a tour at the dock).

Hope this is helpful.  I found my way the first time years ago with detailed instructions from  CC.  We had such a great time and enjoying retirement we are doing it again in two weeks ,  Happy sailing everybody.

Hi ll, hoping someone can answer quick as leaving next week (booked last minute).  Manzanillo is new to me, am I wrong or are the "nice" beaches far from the ship?  Any suggestions, normally a do it yourselfer, but considering taking the ship tour out to the countryside.  Also if there are any awesome all inclusives close to the ship with a nice beach, wouldn't balk at that.  Thanks!

Around 15 years ago, on a small Princess Ship (I’ll withhold the names to protect the guilty, lol). I went to the Maitre D’ to ask for a different table (stuffy boring table mates ), He smiled and said, I have a great table for you.

Next night we were seated at the Staff Captains table, who was traveling with his (much older) wife. It was a ton of fun, service and special treats were off the charts (on the nights they came). The six of us “normies” were even invited to the bridge while sailing into a small port. The Staff Captain was a huge flirt, it did not take long to figure out that we got that table because I was the youngest female passenger on board lol!

Also they tend to have large denominations. At the end of my transatlantic, I was selling some small bills to friends, as the ship only sold them large bills. I always order from my bank beforehand AND ask for smaller denominations

Or it could be at 8:00pm at night, like it was in 2004 when the old Royal Princess came out of dry dock. I’m laughing over a funny old memory, but it wasn’t that funny at the time (anyone around here from that sailing (Katisdale?).

Not trying to hyjack thread, but it was “something”. Princess would not tell us much more then, the ship was going to be a “little late”, lol. They shuttled everyone to town and encouraged us to take tours. We filled up the few hotel lobbies, things were ok until the free food and wine ran out. I can remember sitting on the floor in a hotel lobby and seeing the ship slowly sailing in, then the crush to get on the ship. I can only imagine the same scenerario with a Grand Class ship.

Happy sailing everybody!

Just ask for one. :o

We did, many times. Took it up the chain and spoke to the Staff Captain about the deplorable conditions, who wandered into the area. Which did finally get us service, at least to clean them. But no, we were never given more ashtrays and there were MANY complaints during the cruise about the area.

Thanks again Jamiski, I'd say the Grand probably is still the best aft area. They still have the nice cushioned chairs, but just only willing to put one ashtray out per table if lucky. So no sitting back relaxing with your coffee , unless you brought an extra paper cup to make your own.

I'm also interested in the Regal and Royal smoking areas. Thanks all

Thanks Jamiski. Did they have coffee service in the mornings by the trade winds bar? What kind of tables (round plastic ) and how many? If I go, going with family (other smokers) and we like to play cards and dice games. Just wondering about the conditions up there. The aft area on the Grand was appalling, very few ashtrays (almost always overflowing). Place was so packed there were times that people had to stand. They had also removed some of the tables from my previous cruise. Just really tired of not knowing what to expect anymore. Thanks

Can anyone please tell me the "current" smoking areas on Ruby please? Other then the speakeasy cigar lounge. Was not happy on recent Grand Princess that they had taken away the smoking area by the Sea Breeze Bar (told the reason was because of proximity to the kids zone). We had booked mid ship and were always making the trek to the aft. Looking at the Ruby, the kids zone is aft, so am I guessing right that there is no COVERED with seating smoking area at the aft (not interested in the promenade stand up smoking area). Thanks, just trying to figure out where to book cabin or if I even want to go.

I never had any problems before my last cruise in May. I kept having to get new cards, even after I made sure to keep it away from my iPad or anywhere near it for that matter. I still had problems and finally bought a lanyard after about five replacements (I never wore one before as didn't want to look like a cruise snob, lol). Got better with lanyard, but I think I did still need one more replacement. Whatever, I'm all for the lanyard now, made things much easier all around, especially in the casino, lol!

Tammy

Just saw your 2nd post... Tesoro is at Audiencia... have fun

Thanks, Just decided to make it easy on ourselves and I think DD will have fun at the resort, new experience for her.

We have three other beach days on the trip in other ports. But thank you. You,lol probably be helping others though, seemed to be interest in this topic.

Happy Sailing Everybody,

Tammy

Thanks for the heads up Alaska. I spent yesterday organizing my Feb 3rd cruise. I just went ahead and pepaid gratuities. Not trying to be cheap, I always tip room steward and others extra, don't mind the increase in the future. But like someone else said $40 bucks is $40 bucks.

Thanks again.

Happy sailing everybody!

Tammy

On some ships it is available at the bar that is forward just outside of the buffet near the pool.

Thank You!

Tammy

Sorry, guess I could have posted more like a question. But since there seems to be other people interested in this topic. Got my email from the Karmina Palace all in Spanish giving me directions how to pay for the deposit for massages.

So after all the hassle and two phone calls to Mexico. DD and I decided to book the tour to Tesoro Resort for the day at $89 with Princess and will call tomorrow to see about getting massage appointments.

However, cruise is beginning of February so I will keep check of this thread. So please if anyone has any opinions about the Tesoro Resort, (through cruise ship, seems like a lot of money for short day) I would love to hear them. DD and I could always cancel, save money and just go to the beach.

Thanks,

Tammy

Hi All,

I have never been to Manzanillo and everything I'm finding is old information. Cruising with adult daughter in February and trying to figure out the best thing to do for a fun girls beach vacation.

First of all, what should I expect current taxi fares to be from ship to:

Barceló Karmina Palace, vs

Taxi from ship to Playa Miramar at Miramar Beach

Also would Playa Miramar still be the place to go to?

I currently have reservations for massages for us at Barceló Karmina Palace (took a phone call) and will have to pre-pay. Then when we get there we will also have to pay 850 pesos for a wristband to property to use pools beach, have drinks and food. We do not HAVE to buy a wristband, they will let us in and we can buy food and drinks on CC or with pesos, but we cannot step foot into the pool without a wristband or go on the beach for that matter. Also they were very kind in telling me that the old posts are wrong about going through the security gate to get to Las Hadas. They said the guards are getting really difficult and they tell guests to take a taxi to get over there. Also, Barceló has contracted with Carnival for the day to bring cruise passengers there.

Now, Princess does have a contract to bring you to and from Tesoro Resort for $89 and we could get massages there as well. I'f I'm guessing right that the current cab fares would be around $20 one way, we would save $40 going to Karmina Palace and probably have a little more time there since our ship docks at 7:00, we could probably beat the cruisers.

Anyone have any comments on Karmina Palace vs going to Tesoro.

Or anyone have any comments on just going to the beach? I'm thinking if we just go to the beach we would ask our Taxi driver to take us on a "little tour" then onto the beach (thoughts on that price)? Any and all suggestions appreciated, just want Daughter (30 yrs old) to have a nice day, it is all old hat to me, but new for her.

Thanks,

Tammy

Can you do that?

Yes, DH and I are not really drinkers and usually swap out the booze for more soda and water and then just get the soda n more package and buy new coffee cards. But last year we took a short cruise and decided we would never use it all so swapped out the entire free mini bar. They came and took everything and left us two coffee cards.

I still have leftover stamps on coffee cards from my last cruise when I cruised solo. The only difference is on future cruises, they will take a stamp for even regular coffee or tea. Bottom line is they don,t expire.

But back to what I was wondering, with this AIBP, am I hearing people correctly that they will give you a can of soda and not open it? Also anyone know about the fresh OJ, where can you get it other then the MDR?

Thanks,

Tammy

Ps if you,re wondering why I would even get the AIBP if I'm not really a drinker, I didn,t say I didn't like wine or margaritas, lol. Plus cruising with adult Daughter who is getting it, so if I,m going to apparently be hanging out at the bars this time with her - "when in Rome"

This will be the first time for me getting this package (usually just get the soda n more). I,m sure I missed it, but where CAN you get fresh squeezed OJ, other then the MDR? Can you get it at the buffet?

This will be fun either way just me and adult Daughter hitting the bars for a 10 night Mexico, I,m not 20 anymore lol. But we both think it will be fun to try new things, I,ve never had a mojito, cosmopolitan or even a martini for that matter!

Another question just came to mind with the recent posts about bringing water and soda cans back to the room. I will already have a free mini bar set-up, in that case should I just switch it in for two coffee cards for the future? I,m kind of thinking this AIBP may be a one-time thing. Or if any of you have done this, was it just not worth the hassle of bringing stuff back to the room, when you had it there to begin with - thoughts?

Thanks,

Tammy

I was next door to Ruth in P325 (different cruise).

Tammy

Our Caribbean Plaza deck was noisy but a similar cabin on the Grand was one of the quietest but smallest cabins we've ever had at sea.

 

The only problem is that it's difficult to choose within a modest budget and specific cabin listings,

 

Ruth

I agree, I have always loved this section on the Grand, what I experienced on the Caribbean Princess in May was out of this world (or like this thread describes, noise to wake the dead). There is something wrong on this particular ship, period. Like I said on the previous page I thought of this thread many times, while I was crossing the Atlantic filming in my cabin at 3:00 am just to prove to my family how insane the "noise" was, all the while wishing I had listened to the OP.

Tammy

Sounds like stabilizers, as far as temp in the cabin imo there is no excuse for not having this work correctly. You know that this is probably an issued for every passenger /every cruise in that cabin. :(

Stabilizers just didn't make sense, like the original poster stated it would only happen in the early morning hours 2, 3 ,4 am? We were on a TA and the stabilizers were out a vast amount of the time. The "noise" never happened during the daytime.

As far as the air cond. I had them out to my cabin constantly, by the 2nd night I was at the purser at 3:00am threatening to go sleep on the couch outside the Princess Theater for some coolness. What made it worse for me was, I have M.S. (heat is really bad for M.S.), by the third day I had to go to ships Doctor to get a wheelchair. Then they finally "magically" fixed my air conditioning AND they did not charge me for the Doctor visit or wheelchair.

Like I said, I'm a cruiser AND a Princess FAN, I still made lemonade out of lemons, just saying this ship and specifically this area has a problem.

Tammy

Just got off the TA, almost booked a rear cabin, but choose mid-forward to be close to Churchills and the outside smoking on 16. Just a heads up, a fellow smoker booked her cabin at the aft, only to find that they took away the aft smoking area (there was a spot on 17 on the side of the ship, two tables completely in the elements and yes the dredded two ashtrays on the wall at the back of the Promenade deck). She spent her time trecking all the way forward to get to the smoking areas. Really wish they would stop changing up these areas. Considering the Grand Princess again, as last year they had a nice smoking area at the back, but would hate to book an aft cabin only to find the space "had been taken away from us".

Tammy

Mississippian,

Just had to come on here and eat my own words from my earlier post. I just got back from my TA (had time in Europe after) in P325, so many times I thought of your post and had wished I had changed cabins. The sounds under my cabin during the middle of the night were insane. None of it made sense, it only happened during the middle of the night and yes usually during tougher weather. I made a video at two am for my family. It was like a rolling sound that would build to a loud crescendo then usually followed by a slam. Ear plugs were no help at all. My next door neighbors talked to me one day about it too, sleep was near impossible. I knew the lady across the hall in the inside from cruisecritic (also where I normally book) and she never heard it (made me wish I had saved the money and booked the inside that I usually book on Plaza deck).

Plus an added bonus was they had terrible issues with getting us any air conditioning for the first few days of the trip, on most of that plaza hallway behind the art gallery. No kidding, it had to be 90 degrees in my cabin for the first two days. I felt bad for my cabin steward having to clean those cabins drenched in sweat. I spent as little time as possible in my cabin. Live and learn, as far as the rest of the complaints about this ship, I didn't see it, had a wonderful cruise, despite the above. Still love Princess, but this ship is ready for drydock.

Tammy

I have several Travelon cross-body bags. I like the ones for traveling that have the theft proof strap and locks for the zippers. I also like that they are washable, so when they get soiled I can just throw them in the washer and hang to dry. Carries everything that I need for vacation and I also use one for every day around town. The newer ones even have pockets with the RIFD pockets to keep your credit cards safe from scammers.

 

Last year I invested in a small Vera Bradley backpack. While not theft-proof by any means, it holds everything I need for a day on an excursion. tTe print also makes it hard to lose or forget. I also like that it is washable.

Thanks for talking about travelon, I had been researching and researching (reading this thread over and over) this post got me looking at them Got my new Travelon anti-theft react tote today (Ebay half-price). I was looking for a shoulder tote that would get me through Europe next month without DH. I got plain black which is a little dull (it does come in colors), but the size is exactly what I wanted - bigger then a big purse. Padded shoulder straps, organization like crazy - water bottle spot on outside. Room for everything, folding cane, umbrella, light jacket or sweater. Locking zippers, etc. Been playing with it and I think it will be perfect (for anyone looking for more of a tote size) - only bad sides that I am seeing beyond it not really being fashionable, it is a little heavy due to all the anti-theft stuff.

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread!

Tammy