franl24fan

Hi franl24fan - I'm flying in on 9/22 and also solo on Anthem (my first solo cruise). I'm wondering if you were able to confirm a shuttle can be booked separately at Embassy - without booking their park/sail package? I called several weeks ago and was told there wasn't an option to book it separately. I've since read in a thread somewhere that you can book one for $20 when you check in. Others reported calling and receiving the same info that I was given but found when they arrived you could book it separately. Some were told no such shuttle existed.

 

I try to stay at Hilton properties for the points, and I'm torn between the DoubleTree or Embassy both at EWR. DoubleTree is much cheaper, and I've considered taking an Uber to port...... maybe a back up plan..???? I'm leaning toward Embassy as there are a few choices available within walking distance for dinner vs. the DoubleTree is only the hotel restaurant. Looking at google maps, there is an outlet mall about .4 a mile walking through the parking lots behind Embassy. Mostly fast food choices there. I saw a Ruby Tuesday's and an Ihop located beside Embassy for an easy stroll.

I thought the Embassy having the free breakfast (hopefully with some gluten free options) and the 24 hour pantry in the lobby would make it easier for me. My flight gets in at 6PM, so all I want to do is get to the hotel, fix something light to eat, then go to bed. As to the port shuttle, I am going on the info that you can sign up at check in. I'm sure someone who is going to do that on a cruise before ours will be kind enough to come back and post an update on this thread. Shame the hotel can't train their staff to provide correct info. Back up option would be to come down to the lobby and try to share a cab or Uber to the port with someone.

If you decide to stay at the Embassy perhaps we can email each other directly and share info. This will be my 26th RCI cruise, most as a solo, or a solo with a group of friends.I originally was supposed to be on Sept 9th cruise, pushed it back 2 weeks to finish up some medical treatments.

Does anyone know what time the RCI post cruise shore excursion tour of NYC drops off at Newark Airport? The notes say your flight needs to depart later than 3:30PM (mine is SW at 3:45PM), so I am guessing they drop off at 1PM or so. It's a 4 hour tour, so I assume the tour gets priority getting off ship, say 8:30. Thanks

In one of the threads, there was a mention of a shuttle (one way only) from Bayonne to Newark Int'l. For those that have used the service, where do you pick it up and approximate cost. Thanks.

I've read on here there is shared shuttle area outside of cruise terminal for $20 per person. Just walk out and get on, folks said it was easy and efficient.

We're at the ES in August. I had an e mail 'conversation' with the manager about 6 months ago and he said you don't have to pre book the shuttle, just tell them on the front desk when you check in that you want to be on it! The Jersey Gradens Mall is a 5 minute walk away across the car park (have a look on Google Earth...its immediately east of the ES).

 

Thanks Simon for info. I am now working on flights. Non stops home after cruise on Southwest (lowest price) are limited, only 3:45 PM is possible so I think I'll do the ship excursion NYC tour with airport drop off, better than sitting around terminal. With mall available I'm going to try and fly in by 1pm, drop bags if room not ready. Next project is Bermuda plans.

Booked the embassy for $183 total with tax. Having breakfast included and their pantry plus micro and fridge are pluses. Will email them about port transfer , no info online and no one is answering at front desk. Is the transfer definitely available??

Says there is a mall nearby, walkable?

Been to Vancouver, Portland and Seattle areas several times, love it out there. Cruise tour had good and bad parts , price usually very high. I jumped on an RCI computer pricing glitch one weekend when it didn't double price for a solo😀 . For 2 or more folks it would be better to do your own tour.

I'm also a senior solo cruiser.

 

I'd look at Embassy Suites in Elizabeth for 9/22. They have a good senior/AARP rate for that date plus a microwave, refrigerator, and coffeemaker. You can buy a $20 port transfer from them for the following morning.

Thanks I'll look at it. I have some Hilton honors points.

See you just did Alaska, was it b2b or cruise tour? In 2015 I did the cruise tour before southbound radiance. Finally got to Denali, awesome.

Are you talking about trinity reservations? I have stayed at the Ramada but not the Crowne Plaza. I would rate it as a 3* hotel and I would not hesitate to stay there again. The problem with reviews at EWR is that a lot of folks post reviews when their travel plans are interrupted and they end up in a hotel that is not prepared to receive them at the last minute. Newark is not a vacation destination.

 

Please provide more details - Exact date you need a room. Hotel budget. Number of people and bed size. Flight arrival time (do you need to eat dinner?)

 

 

In checking the Hilton I see that they are now offering a package with round trip port transportation. That is a new offering. However you don't need the return transportation so you should look at other options.

Thanks Carol. I'm flying in Sept 22, solo senior lady, price below $200 for room and port transfer . Clean, quiet, and no hassle transfer. Room with a microwave and coffee pot would be good, I need gluten free so I'd bring my own food. Haven't decided on flights, will want to land by 6pm.

I am considering using the reservation company for the night before my cruise. However the two hotels they use in Elizabeth have widely different reviews from very good to awful. I don't need parking just the port transfer (one way, I am doing a ship excursion NYC tour with airport drop off).

Should I look for other options, the Hilton Airport has a package. Thanks

What type of dining are you signed up for, traditional 5:30/8:00 or my time. I used to do my time, until needing a gluten free diet made set time easier. I'd go to the check in area and line up near folks of my age, no kids:), then ask for a large shared table. Often that group would get along great and we'd end up together each night.

Being solo you can stay to yourself, or be more outgoing and join in activities. In the windjammer I would ask to share large tables, most folks are friendly, if not that's their problem. In the casino women playing slot machines love to chat. I've done at least 15 cruises as a solo and always had a great time. Be flexible and don't take unfriendly people personally.

I had done the main attractions a few times. Found a really unique and fun place called Miniature World, around the corner from the hotel. Over 80 dioramas and an incredible room full of doll houses. The detail is unbelievable. They allow photos without flash. I spent almost 2 hours. Not very expensive. I liked the RC museum, but do research to see what is currently on exhibit, otherwise it can be expensive for limited exhibits.

I use a fire tablet and to access the Royal Caribbean web site I have to select "enter private browsing mode". Then I can see searches and prices. In other threads others have had the same solution.

I retired at 60, been traveling for 9 wonderful years. My challenge has been paying the single surcharge, many cruises cost me double the per person rate. When they finally started giving me the extra points I finally reached diamond plus, and by the end of this year I will have 340 points where the surcharge drops to 150%.

I've found that booking as soon as an itinerary opens up is usually the lowest price. That may be 18 months out. Almost all of my cruises have been inside cabins, I find lots of places on ship to sit outside or by a window. I can't stress enough that it is essential to check prices for a ship or itinerary you are considering often before booking. RCI plays lots of pricing games aimed at newbies. You'll see lots of discussion on here about this. Know what is a normal price, don't be suckered. I also convert price to a per day and use that as a guideline for what I will pay. Be flexible on dates, avoid peak times.

Once you know what a going rate is for the cruise you want, then be ready to jump on a real bargain. Don't hesitate, put down a deposit, assuming it is before final payment, you can change later. Sometimes when I add air fare or hotels the total price is not a good value so I switch to another cruise.

Be prepared with a cruise pot of funds. When the cruise market is down several cruise deals may be great, take advantage. I did a lot of cruises in 2009.

Only you can know your financial status. I would add that doing as much travelling as soon as you retire is worth sacrificing on other expenses. I'm so glad I did that since this year health issues are keeping me home. You never know when either of you will face a health crisis. I cringe when I hear someone say they'll travel in a few years. Even without a major health issue travel becomes harder each year.

Hope that helps. After retirement you can financially do whatever is a priority.

I use park port Canaveral, which is part of Radisson at the port. They have a very efficient operation, about 10 minutes to port. I find it to best for those of us with priority debarkation, they are there at 7:30. I also like that luggage goes into trailer leaving more room in bus. Many hotels near the port offer stay and park packages.

Some folks put info in their cruise critic profile that is detailed enough to allow a scammer to track you down. For example, using last name and city. Same thing on Facebook. Many of us put future cruises in our cc signature, another reason to be careful of listing identity info. And roll calls often create lists of folks with complete personal info, many without creating a closed group.

Sometimes scammers will get public records and use that. For example, as a Navy veteran, a phishing scam sent me an email supposedly from Navy Federal CU, where many Navy folks have accounts.

If you use the internet you will get hacked. All you can do is be vigilant.

My wife and I are d+ and were on harmony for a b2b beginning feb 18 and ending on March 4. There was d+, suites and pinnacle seating every night on both weeks in the theatre. It was the 2 and 3rd row of the center balcony and they opened it to others with 10 min left before the show.

 

As an aside, I was amazed at how many folks after being told row 2 and 3 were reserved would go down to midway in row one and climb over the seats to get to row 2 and 3 even after being told it was reserved. Only one time in the two weeks we were there did the rccl staff make them move. It's the new world my friends, very sad. I must admit it was amusing to see grandma climbing over the seats to follow her family up to the reserved section.

 

 

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I was also on Harmony Feb 18. I was able to enter the reserved area as a Diamond Plus. I too was amazed at the number of people climbing over seats. The problem with row 1 and row 2 was that the glass in front of section blocked view for shorter folks. I had reservations for shows in theater and sat in back row of balcony, where there are chairs. Problem there was that people came in all during show and stood in back talking so loud you couldn't hear show. Children were also allowed to sit in the aisles, running up and down. Ship crew has given up on enforcement.

I will have 340 points by the end of 2017. So I have been eagerly looking at 2018 cruises as they open up.

Snap, the itineraries are just the same old ports, almost no repositioning or cruises more than 12 days, except for TAs. Was really disappointed that some unique cruises offered in 2017 were changed to fewer days and same old ports. As of now I see nothing worth booking in 2018.

So, for me as a solo I finally reach 340 points, but all those cruises also means there are nothing new for me, except for new ships going to the same old ports. Oh well, I do have land options for my travel.

The NE/Canada itineraries are disappointing: didn't see any sailings that stopped in Newport or Rockland. Definitely just the more usual suspects. :(

I don't have access to those itineraries yet. Was hoping Oct 2018 would have the same longer cruise as this year, with stops in Newfoundland, Newport etc. Will be super disappointed if not. I wanted to sail out of Quebec. Did the snowbird migration last year but have done the usual ports a few times. So far I've seen no 2018 cruise that interests me. Figures, I finally reach 340 points and Royal only has the same old cruises. Guess I'll see what celebrity has.

Agree with above. Radisson does great job on shuttles. I only use the parking since I live close enough to drive down. Some of the hotels use shared shuttles which means multiple stops. Radisson is there as soon as ship starts debark. I have priority getting off so I am usually in my car and heading home by 8:45.

I was on the Harmony last month and the head waiter and chef were outstanding. They would take my pre-order but if nothing was appealing they would ask what I would like and prepare it. Mystery deserts were fun, no flour chocolate cake was a hit. I had a harder time in WJ. There was a separate small island of GF but it was usually naturally GF items. I could not get GF versions of pancakes, fries, pasta. It worked out OK because the meals at dinner were so filling. I spoke with the Food Services Director and suggested they have a handout saying what venues had specific GF items rather than my having to ask at each location and not always get the right answer. Be sure to bring along your own GF snack bars, cookies, or crackers in unopened packages. This is where having the special needs on reservation is important, they won't confiscate them.

Just off Harmony. I had to go GF about a month ago. Yes have it put on your reservation but most importantly ask for your head waiter on the first night. It will be easiest if you have traditional seating, with same table and staff. The normal menu will have items marked GF, such as steak, chicken ,.seafood. Each night the head waiter will bring you the next night menu and help you select items. My head waiter was amazing, he worked with the chef to prepare GF substitutes for French fries and pasta. They would go to other venues and bring me GF items. I felt they truly cared. I gave my head waiter an extra tip and named him in my survey.

Breakfast and lunch not as good. I had to limit myself to eggs. bacon, yogurt. There were no gf pancakes. Sorrentos had gf pizza but it tasted awful.The cafe had gf sandwiches if you ask. The windjammer had one small gf dessert section.

You need to know what you can eat and how sensitive you are. Other than dinner you will not have many choices, I really missed the food on previous cruises. But I was able to eat with my friends at dinner.

Been on all, just got off Harmony.

Harmony is the best IMHO. In every question you asked HOS was superb. Service was best I've had, even on smaller ships. Cabins large, decor modern. Shows unique and great. Yes there are crowds, especially for elevators, but not unbearable. I am booked on Oasis for Thanksgiving and I will feel a little let down.

I do mine online. In the comments box I put my reservation number, cabin number and my Crown & Anchor number. Be sure to print your confirmation email and bring it with you. The OBC may take a few days to show up in your onboard account.

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Can't advise on family friendly. But do recommend doing the pre cruise . The days on cruise tour are very long. Bags out by 6am, usually not at hotel for night until 9pm, meals not included and prices are very high, usually $10 for lunch sandwich, dinners can easily run $20. Hotels do not include breakfast, a poor continental breakfast at lodge in Seward was $12.95. Meal times were usually late, lunch @ 1pm, and you only have hour, dinner 6:30 or later. And it was difficult to find or have time to pick up snacks.

The folks I've talked to said that with children they would not do a cruise tour but instead rent a car. There is a lot of bus time on cruise tours which most children find boring. In Denali the best tour into the park is 9 hours long on a school bus. If you are going to rent a vehicle and go on your own be sure to make hotel reservations way in advance. The nice inns/lodges are almost completely booked by cruise lines. Near Denali I counted 50 tour buses in the lot, dinner was on our own but only the lodge could be walked to and a hamburger was $15 (no fries), got there at 6:30, hour wait for table.

The prices for cruise tours are very expensive and IMHO way overpriced. You pay top dollar for a hotel room you will be in for limited time, meals not included, few excursions are included and the optional ones are very expensive, and you need to tip the driver and tour guide. My biggest complaint that I put on the survey was that the schedule provided in the description was not even close to reality- free afternoon in Anchorage became arrive at 5pm, and this was common every day.

Don't get me wrong, do a pre cruise , but for 2 adults and a child the price will be very high with little flexibility. When the tour buses fill the lots you can't see much, come a day later on your own and see what you want.

I am a senior solo cruiser and because of a great deal that popped up for only a few hours I was satisfied with the cruise tour price, but not the actual schedule that was so different from brochure. I also took the advice from cruise critic posters and went up a few days early to be sure to see some things not included on the tour.

Hope that helps. Alaska is fantastic.

You will see a tall sign where Park and Go on your left as you approach the end of 595. When you come down off 595 at the stop light make a U turn onto Eller Dr. Follow Eller to Parking. It is much better marked now than a few years ago.

Your description makes it seem doable. I will give it a try, get there around 10am so I'll have time to get lost 😀

Heading eastbound Rt 595 actually dumps right into Eller drive. Just before you enter the port there's a traffic light. This is where you make a left and another quick left going back to ParkNGo. You can see the BIG sign for ParkNGo from Rt 595. When leaving ParkNGo , you just exit their driveway (stop light) and take the ramp for Rt 595 going westbound.

 

Don't go past the traffic light after leaving 595 since it goes into the port & it's a headache to turn around.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5VQTjV0cL0WME5QeVc1a0JILXc/view?usp=sharing

 

This link is my crude attempt for directions. The red trail leads into ParkNGo & the green train is an exit route back to 595.

I thought there was no longer an exit for Eller Dr. My friends said 595 goes over Eller now. The park n go directions say to get off 595 go under it etc.