Droop

Does anyone have any comments or reviews for cabins 8096 and 8098 on the Pride of America? Also if there are any for the solo studios? We are planning a cruise with some of our family members and I wanted to know if there are any reviews. I've looked on some of the threads but I've not found any.

My hubbys Aunt is also possibly going with us and we were wondering about the studios.

Anything would be welcomed. :)

I was wondering if anyone had any comments/reviews on balcony cabins 8096 and 8096? It will be our first cruise on Norwegian and it's the only one out of Hawaii for a 7 day cruise.

I'm planning it in Jan 2018 for my BIL and SIL and I want to make sure that I have the right cabins. I usually pick cabins where there is no common areas above or below us. I also want to make sure that they are not obstructed. Any comments would be appreciated. We usually sail on Royal and Celebrity so I'm a little nervous about Norwegian. Any comments would be appreciated. :)

We have only experienced the smoke smell a couple of times on a R/C cruise but like others have stated I would not worry about it. Sometimes it's difficult to tell where it's coming from.

On a positive note congrats on finishing your treatment. Try not to worry about the smell issue and enjoy your cruise.

I agree with littlelulu with the Alaska airline. We use the same card but we only have it for just one of us which gives us a companion fair. The Annual fee on it is $75 but it more than pays for itself when the fairs are high. I'm not pitching the credit card but it does work well for us. You would have to find out where they are flying out of. I don't think they fly out of Johnson city but you can check for the others. If not I wish you well with finding a good rate. Like lulu we are from WA state as well but the price to fly to Hawaii still is pretty high depending on when you want to fly.

Sorry I've not gotten back to you I've been really busy this weekend.

I agree with getting out and about during the sights. As I've mentioned before we had a balcony on both Alaskan cruises (which is the way to go on that trip), but you should absolutely get out on deck. The different views are breathtaking.

When we had an corner aft on a Celebrity ship it was wonderful. The only complaint I had was that someone was smoking a cigar on their balcony and you could smell it from time to time. Celebrity does not allow smoking on the balcony. I hope that is ok to mention this on this thread. At one time I did find a cigar butt on our balcony. That was just a small complaint but I would book the cabin again. Has there been a problem with cigar and cigarette smoke on the aft? Every now and again you could smell the BBQ from the crews personal area which was WONDERFUL.

Getting back to the balcony. As mentioned before I usually don't book cabins with the common areas above or below. Has anyone had an issue with these? Has there also been a problem with vibrations? I'm aware that you will hear the waves (which is white noise to me) and possibly the anchor going down when you reach the port so I can expect that.

You all have been wonderful with your responses. I welcome anything.

I guess I should have mentioned that we have been on 2 Alaskan cruises...one on Celebrity and the other Princess. We were in balcony cabins both times but not the aft.

We were able to experience the Aft corner cabin on Royal Caribbean and loved it. We were also on a Aft cabin on Princess (Caribbean). We did not like the Princess ship due to the vent which smelled like garbage the entire time. We will not be sailing Princess anymore. We paid for a balcony but it ended up being an outside cabin due to spending all the time in the cabin.

That's why I'm asking if there were any concerns/suggestions. We are always concerned about what are below and above us due to noise etc. I usually don't get a cabin that has the pool or lounge above or below us as an example.

I agree....the only way to see Alaska is from the balcony. But I would like to give it a shot from the aft cabin. I like the covered aspect of the balcony because of the possible rain and the additional privacy. We were really lucky on our cruises to Alaska because it didn't rain so that was not a concern....but most people know who have been up there...it can change really fast.

Re:The corner afts are fabulous. I would not get one in the middle ever again. exhaust filled our cabin.

So is there a concern for exhaust on the Westerdam?

Ruth and Lizze thanks for the tips. I could see that it would cut off the view to a point....and the benefit of being protected. :D

Thanks for the tips I love all of the info. If anyone else has anything please let me know.

I was wondering if anyone has been in one of the aft cabins on the Westerdam? I've read some of the threads that have talked about the corner afts but I was wondering about the others.

Are there any issues with vents/noise/vibrations? Is there a preference? We have never sailed on HAL and were wondering. We are looking at possibly booking an Alaskan cruise in July and were wondering. Any comments...good or bad?

Thanks in advance! :D

We were on the sister ship Vision in Dec/Jan in the corner aft cabin 7652 and we didn't notice any vibration. The only thing we noticed a couple of times was a little creaking noise from the where the curtain or door area. You didn't hear it all the time but it happened a couple of times. Sometimes I think it's the way the door is shut or maybe just the fact that the ship is getting older. I would not hesitate to go on the aft part of the ship.

We were on this tour through Royal Caribbean in Dec. It was pretty much the same tour. As for the boat ride we really didn't see a whole lot of wildlife. We made a couple of stops to look at some of the the birds (one of the small birds that was pointed out (the smallest falcon) seemed almost suspiciously staged. It looked like it was not even real. (It's just my thought though). If you don't go on a smaller boat very often you may enjoy it.

On the way back we took what they called the express route (which means no stops).

The food IMHO was ok...nothing to call home about...the family/people who prepare it were wonderful. You can see that they are very proud of their work.

The ruins themselves were the highlight of the excursion. There is so much history there. Make sure you drink enough fluids during this excursion. It was very warm when we were there. Surprisingly I bought a bottle of coke for $2 which I thought was pretty cheap.

If you have kids you will probably enjoy this tour. You will see/hear the howler monkeys as well as others things. Have a great trip.

I would not book that time. It causes way too much stress (worry during the whole cruise...if you made the right decision). I would book a later flt.....but then again...that's my opinion. :D

We were just in Roatan on a NYE cruise and went to the

Gumbalimba Preservation Park - RT53

We were surprised by how lush and clean the drive was up there. It was a nice park with the monkey's etc but I probably would not go again. It's one of those things that you say "been there done that" afterwards.

But the thing with Roatan...and any country for that matter..it's all about the "Situational awareness". You have to use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. It's like that anywhere in the US as well. True...the state dept had their alerts, but me personally I would book strictly from the ship which is safer. The only bad thing about that is that you are limited which kind of bites. I'm glad you had a great time.

We just returned from a NYE cruise on the Vision. We had a corner aft balcony. There were times when we could smell someone smoking a cigar....and we actually found a cigar butt on our balcony. Cigar smell is the worst. I know the lady next door to us didn't smoke so that was not a problem. I didn't bother reporting it because I know that the crew already have enough on their plate to be bothered by people that could not follow the rules. If it had been persistent then I would have reported it.

But one of the things I did notice on the Vision was that there seem to be a lot more smoking areas in the pool area (on both sides). So each time you walked by you would have to smell it. We usually didn't sit out near the pool but if you did that would be a negative. (not to derail the subject of smoking on the balcony).

Re:We just cruised with Captain Marek and I agree - he was amazing - I have never cruised with such an accessible captain - he was in the Centrum most nights, singing and dancing - then out at the pool deck playing volleyball with the guests and even getting hosed down during a "Splash Party" - Plus he personally said goodbye as we left the ship.

Have to add that Elvis, the Activities Director (? I think that was his title) was also incredible. Great energy from the whole crew, but the Captain and Elvis really made every day special.

I have to agree with Wendy (FunkyMum)....it was wonderful to met you and your family. Everything you stated was spot on. The other gentleman who worked with Elvis was hilarious as well. Elvis and him worked well together.

It was very refreshing to have Capt Marek personally say good bye to us as we left. We have never seen this before. On a serious note though he was an OUTSTANDING Capt. that made excellent decisions when coming into the port when the waves were choppy as well as any other time during the cruise. It's also kind of funny how he handles people that were late getting back to the ship. He lets everyone on the ship know (from his announcements) that so and so was running late due to last minute shopping. It's funny but it also lets the people know that you need to be on the ship when you are suppose to. BRAVO! As for the crew...it's wonderful that he had other crew members (room attendants etc.) participate in a cultural show that was put on by them personally. IMHO I thought this was wonderful because this gave the other employees a chance to shine....not that they already do a wonderful job.

Rubrick good to see you on the thread. I agree with everything you said.

Hey everyone! We ended up booking the excursion in Belize on the

Lamanai and The New River Safari - BE62

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/destinations/shoreExcursions/subGateWayByPort/search.do?LocationCode=BZE&pager.offset=20#rIwvDwOuDt3EjFfA.99

Which is you get on a bus for about 1 1/2 hrs which takes you to a place where you get on a boat for another hour....which takes you to the Mayan ruins which we thought was pretty good. You got the chance to walk up some of the ruins. From there you did just the reverse of what you had done except you had lunch once you got back from the boat ride....then shortly after you got back on the bus. We had booked the Costa Maya ruins that we had discussed earlier but decided to cancel it. We really didn't feel like sitting in another bus for another hour.

We were happy that we were able to get out and walk around the ruins. The boat ride itself was ok...but there were only a 3 stops that they made along the way to show the ecological aspect of the river. The bus ride was on the long side and bumpy at times. The guides themselves were great too.

Make sure that you hydrate when you go.

I have a question about the Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya. I realize they are a sacred area but I was wondering if you could walk up the steps. Please don't be offended but I was just curious. From what I could see (searching the web) you could probably go up a couple of steps (for picture purposes), but I've not seen any others. Any ideas where they would be if there are any?

Any helpful comments would be greatly appreciated.

Re:Technically prohibited but usually allowed

Bamalady I've heard of people on this thread have had a problem but me personally I've never had a problem. The only reason I carry a case on is they don't have the DR. Pepper product. I've also brought a case of water on with no problem (but we didn't bring them at the same time) Too much luggage and not worth the hassle. There are times I don't even bother with it. But there may be that time where they could refuse it. It may be one of those hit and miss things.

Re:FYI.... out of Galveston, we get Dr. Pepper. Yum ! :D

Does anyone know if they serve DP and Diet DP on Vision of the sea? The hubby also LOVES Dr. Pepper. Otherwise he will bring a case on board.

RE-The Tampa Airport Marriott offers day rooms for as low as $99. Not a great solution but an option nevertheless.

We have a flight that takes off at 6 pm on the 2nd of Jan. My sister in law and husband could pick us up for a little while (they live in Lakeland) but by the time you get there and back I'm thinking it's already time to head back to the airport. It sounds like the day room at the airport might be an option. How do you find out about this option? Do you have to book ahead of time (since it is around New Years)? Are there any discounts?

At first I thought it may be a little pricey but if you consider renting a car etc you may end up paying it anyway. That is of course if there is a place that you want to visit. I know sitting around in a hotel might sound boring but it's better than sitting in the airport. You could go down stairs when it gets closer to flt time and check your luggage then go back up stairs and relax. We have done this at the airport in Orlando when we have stayed overnight at that location and it's wonderful to not worry about getting to the airport. You just have to make sure you get through security when you go back downstairs.

UPDATE; I just called the hotel (I noticed that they were booked for the date wanted) and they stated that they can not book the day room until the day of. They have to find out if there are any rooms available. The rate is based on the day of booking. It could run between $99-$150. So this is an option but you will not know until the day of which makes it hard to plan.

The hubby went on this tour on the Allure a few years back and he found it very interesting. As someone mentioned you can take still pictures. The one area that I believe he mentioned about was that they would not allow you in the engine area (which I can understand for security/safety reasons.

Have a wonderful time!:D

I have to agree with the others. When the luggage is unpacked and the appointments are made is when it begins. The searching for where we are going to be seated is all part of the adventure.

The muster drill is kind of stuck in between the middle of things sometimes because some people from c/c are trying to hook up for the sale away.

It really depends on the person or preference. We are really picky about the cabin location for our cruises so we usually try to book well ahead of time.

One of the problems could depend on if you have to fly to the port to get on the ship. If you wait to get a great deal you run the risk of your airfare shooting up. It gets pretty high during the holidays and the flights (with better flight times) sell out (with a higher price). So you may save money on the cruise but you pay in the airfare.

If you don't have to fly that's even better but you said that you were looking at flying out of Singapore. I wish you well in your decision. Happy Cruising!:)

Glad to hear that all went well with your refund.

I can understand your frustration with getting the issue resolved. I remember an excursion in Key West when we had taken a kayak excursion through a mangrove tree reserve. It was booked through the ship.

The excursion should have been cancelled ahead of time because when we got into the kayaks and headed towards the area...the tide was so low that we ended up having to get out of the kayak (because it constantly was getting stuck). Needless to say it was not an enjoyable excursion. The tour operator should have realized that the tides were low and should have cancelled.

We did fill out the survey on the excursion and explained everything to them about what occurred. There was no reply. At this point I usually tell everyone about the excursion and have it get out by word of mouth.

I think that the owner of the your excursion should have been aware of the possible threat of lightning from a safety perspective and should have cancelled and honored the request from the people who didn't want to participate.

I'm glad that R/C resolved your complaint. I'm so glad that we have Cruise Critic!:D It really gets the word out to everyone!

One reason I don't care for connecting cabins is that you don't have the extra room for another chair where the door would go. It's just a thought. It's just a preference though.

It's great to have when you have someone you know next door though.

That's good to know about the lounge issue. I've always been careful about what's above and below me when booking a cabin and I've only seen a couple of comments about the lounge. Someone else on one of the threads had mentioned about a little bit of noise from the lounge so I hope it's not too much of a problem.

Hoopster and Karen I love and appreciate the comments. CC is wonderful about letting people know the pros/cons of the cabins. The pictures do make a difference. The vibrations for the docking I guess could be our wake up call in case we have an excursion booked. :eek: :p Hopefully it's will not be too bad. It will also let us know when we can look out the window if we want to see something when we dock.

I'm still pretty excited about this cabin. :D

Hoopster thanks so much for the pictures. I've seen some of the others that they have had for that cabin but this is wonderful from some of the different perspectives. Thanks for sharing them for everyone else too. It's always nice to have the visual picture available. So I take it you didn't have any noise issues/concerns around that cabin?

I can't wait for this cruise.