Bojeanne

I am struggling with this same issue. Looking for a beach that is decent, safe, and not a long drive from the ship. I saw an extremely bad review of Bamboo Beach Club on YouTube, so I've knocked that one off my list. Don't know anything about the other two. I am down to walking to the public beach that is near the cruise ship terminal, just to take a dip in the water. I've considered RIU Reggae or Jewel Paradise for day passes (go to Resort for a Day for info), but at $119 pp not sure they are worth the investment. I've also become wary of being a half hour drive from the ship on a very unsafe island. Sorry to be a downer on this, but I am also curious to hear if other cruisers have had a good experience finding a beach for a day in Ocho Rios.

Thanks, all. Yes, reading the Patters would be great.

Check out Resort for a Day -- they have lots of options

Check out resortforaday.com (Resort for a Day) - they have lots of options for Ocho Rios.

Does anyone know when the full program of a cruise is published on the Medallion app? Trying to make dinner reservations and wondering what time the shows are, and what they will be. Thanks in advance for any insight on this. 

Thanks, Snaxmuppet, but the problem is that when booking through the Medallion app you can't ask questions or leave comments.

If I book a table for 6 people at a specialty restaurant, how can I get the charge to be split among 3 cabins? Looks like if I make the booking I get charged the entire amount. I don't want to be collecting cash from my family for their share. Has anyone figured out a solution to this problem? Thanks for any advice.

I've paid for my cruise and went to the Medallion app to make dinner reservations at the 2 informal dining venues on Caribbean Princess. I only have the options of making Main Dining or Specialty Dining reservations (Crown Grill & Sabatini) -- but not the informal dining venues, Planks and Steamers. I called Princess and was told I could only make those reservations once onboard. Has anyone figured out how to make those reservations prior to embarkation? This is important because I have Princess Plus, which includes 2 informal dinners and I want to be sure I can get in to those restaurants -- there are 6 of us. Any comments on this would be most appreciated.

Can anyone tell me what the turnaround time is for laundry?  Hope it is same or next day. 

Also, has anyone heard of local laundry services in the ports in Germany? Laundromats or pickup and delivery? Am I hoping for too much?

thanks for any info.

Viator offers an excursion that takes you to Seven Mile Beach Resort. (This is not the Seven Mile Beach Resort and Club) Has anyone been there or heard about it? There's a website but no phone number. They say the excursion includes the ability to rent chairs and umbrellas. 

My other alternative is to go to the Public Beach and rent chair/umbrellas there.

One other choice I found was through Resort for a Day, which sells a day pass to the Holiday Inn Resort on the north shore. The price is $70, including a $35 credit for food and drink. That beach is rocky and they say they do not recommend swimming off the beach, but they have a long pier that you can jump off of to swim and snorkel. Not an ideal beach day -- but has anyone done this?

Would appreciate any recommendations on this. Thank you!

Thanks for great advice, everyone. Much appreciated.

Is it difficult to book the Sanctuary for sea days? I've read that the line starts forming immediately after embarkation. Has anyone cruised lately on Caribbean Princess (or any ship, really) and tried to book the Sanctuary? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

If anyone has cruised Princess lately, could you take a minute to answer a few questions about the drinks package included in Princess Plus? We drink lots of bottled water. Can we order large quantities through room service, say 6 or 10 bottles at a time? A coffee drinker in my group wants to be certain that espresso and cappuccino are included. Also, Prosecco. Finally, will we be able to self-serve at the buffet, or are the ships still doing waiter-serve? Thanks in advance for any info.

Forgive me if this is a repetitive question, but I could not find it in the forum. If one person in the cabin buys a drinks package, what is to stop him/her from ordering a drink for a companion? It this done completely on the honor system or is there some other method for snagging a rule-breaker?

We are 6 people cruising together. If we reserve a table for dinner, will we be able to ask that it be a table for 6 and not 8 or 10?

Is it possible for a person to share my wifi by using their iPhone hotspot? Has anyone done this or tried it? 

Thanks to all for some great info. Very much appreciated. B.

Thinking of a spring cruise to Bermuda. Any preference on Grandeur of the Seas vs. Adventure of the Seas? We like quieter, but food is more important. No kids with us. Thanks for any insight. 

What is with the non-refundable deposits? Do these go away when the sail date gets closer or are they the new standard? Thinking of a Bermuda cruise in May 2020, but afraid of losing $500. 

Yes, the begging for 10s is annoying, but fearing that my cabin attendant may be held in chains below decks if he gets a poor score, I will probably give him the 9 he deserves. But then I am not a very demanding passenger, so his job with me and my husband was relatively easy. I think the cruise line encourages them to beg for high scores so that Celebrity can then brag off about the high consumer scores they get. We -- and the crew -- are indeed being manipulated, and it is below the dignity of good workers to be put in this position, doing the hacking for father Celebrity.

Will be in Naples in September. Trip to Pompeii in the morning brings us back to port by 12:30. So I figure we have about 4 to 4 1/2 hours in Naples in the afternoon. We'll be beat, so plan is for pizza and finding a nice breezy spot with a view for a few hours. Anyone have any suggestions for where we might find such a spot? Would appreciate any suggestions.:)

To All, I'm sailing on the September 11 Mediterranean cruise on the Eclipse, and was greatly surprised by the way my shipmates are sharing private excursions in different ports. I signed up for a few of those excursions, and posted one myself (post #712 - excursion to Ronda & Mijas from Malaga). If you are on the September 11 sailing, or any other sailing, I recommend you check out your roll call. Lots of good stuff there.

Thanks, Eurocruiser. Appreciate the advice.

I'm thinking of taking a half-day tour from port of Naples to Pompeii in the morning, which will get me back to the port around noon. I'd like to see Sorrento in the afternoon, but afraid of missing the ferry back to the ship on time. Can anyone suggest a good way to spend the half day in Naples that would be relaxing and scenic? Parks or quiet neighborhoods, maybe? Or can I get a taxi to Sorrento and back? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Thanks, everybody, for these wonderful suggestions. I appreciate your help.