crewsweeper

Go to your right out of the Dufry shop. Less crowded. Or you can go left and walk up to Jack's Shack. That's the only place I know that open but there were other places at one time that closed during COVID and may be coming back. Check your cruise line excursions for beach break excursions. There's a couple of spots up around the south end of Cockburntown where cruise sponsored excursions go and there's limited access. Also Bohio Resort, north of town will allow cruisers to access their beach if they are not full with staying guests. But that's first come first serve, although you might contact them to see if they have availability.

Not true. With UDP, on the first day when you embark, you can get anytime you want on any day you want, so long as it's available and most are early, but maybe less so later on. Plus you can change to another day or time later on.

Yes the 2 new Omicron variants are much more easily p[assed between people, regardless of vaccines, past COVID or masks. The original COVID 19 had a RO value of 3.3 meaning 1 person could pass it to 3 others. The Omicron 5 variant has an RO value of 18.6, similar to measles. So 1 person can pass to 18-19 others. Doesn't take long to get lots of infections. And current vaccines and boosters are not as effective versus Omicron plus previously infected COVIDs have had their "immunity reduced significantly.

It could make sense that NCL would change times in the Eastern or Western Caribbean if sailing out of the East Coast US during daylight savings time when many of the island and ports aren't on daylight savings and thus could a 2 hour difference could be confusing. But I've never had a time change during a cruise on either CCL or RCCL.

Unless the cat pic is via TikTok and captioned "I'm A Dog" they probably won't notice. 😁

The new variants of Omicron appear to take an average of 5 days but sometimes as long as 2 weeks for symptoms to show up. Getting a negative test 1-2 days prior to cruising isn't a guarantee there's no COVID on board. Very contagious 2-3 days after symptoms appear and likely before. Masks do not protect. Studies have shown that there's little difference between mask mandates and non masking in terms of catching COVID in crowded situations. Cleaning doesn't work against COVID like it does against NORO. Hand washing will help if you sneeze, but not against someone breathing near you. Current vaccines and prior COVID immunity are not as effective against variants. IMO, if you have severe conditions that affect your body's immunity you may not wish to cruise. Otherwise, you need to take responsibility for yourself and traveling pertner to help avoid situations where you might be exposed to COVID.

If you are using Infinity Bay as the source for your pass, ask them. If you are using another vendor, like Discover Roatan or Viator, they will tell you where to meet and who to look for. But unless things have changed "over the hill is just a big parking lot, no booths.

Van taxis can hold 8-10 people. $34per van each way to Mr Sanchos from International or Puerta Maya piers. so $136 RT for your group. $7.50 pp.

If by exploring you mean just walking around the port area and the small town just outside, there's Pizza Papi about 200 meters down the main road from the gate. There is another restaurant on one of the side streets but only open for dinner. IMO the places inside the port have overpriced mediocre food. But catch a taxi and head to the malecon in Mahahual and you'll find any number of places along the beach that serve food. If you want a table vs eating on the beach, La Chilangloesne, Maramao, Restaurant Sulmar, Maybe Nacional Beach Club's hotel restaurant or Malecon 21 (albeit service has dropped since COVID) are places to look into.

Any place in any of these ports that caters directly to tourists and cruisers will have ice from filtered water and use filtered water to wash all veggies. So enjoy your visits.

I think you still have to be quarantined if testing positive and given Paxlovid. Similar to vaccines, the drug reduces the severity of the virus but may help shorten the contagious time. Not for everybody with COVID.

I believe in the Family Harbor Deluxe cabins beds are by the balcony. But FH Ocean Views the bath is by the outside wall and bed in the middle with bunks on door side.

Infinity Bay

He won't be disappointed with Blue Waters!!!

Yes, should have been $8 . Maybe $10 with tip. Again, this is why a person should never venture out in a foreign port with large bills. Even in the States, taxi drivers grouse over having to give change.

No most Caribbean islands are open. Just some schedules were already set before reopenings. Love sea days, more the merrier!!

Cheapest and most reliable is to use IB's transportation, for which you'll need to walk over the hill outside the shopping compound to catch. Fastest but most expensive is to hire one of the taxis that can pick up inside the port. Caveat is these taxis don't wait and may not come back for you when you are ready to leave. "private drivers" are typically associated with independent companies providing tours to various island sights ( Rony's and Victor Bodden for example) so may or may not work exclusively for you at a reasonable rate. But do contact several and see. Added: for these drivers you still have to walk over the hill to meet them, but they will drop you off inside the cruise port on return.

Always bring small bills to any port, nothing over a $10. Mostly $1s and $5s. How many people in your taxi?

So pay for shakes and get a free pie. Skip the burgers and fries.

It should not be that difficult for any cruise line to set up ship cards for a single drink package. Already limit you to 15 drinks a day and you have to wait 5 minutes before ordering another. Honestly think they would make more $ off drink packages by allowing 1 person in a cabin to buy as that throws oout many who would otherwise participate.

Curious as to which other cruise lines allow single purchases of drink packages. I know on Royal it has to be both.

Temperature checks were the knee-jerk response to monitoring COVID before tests became available. Failed to prove effective and although some original COVID sufferers had high flu like temperatures, there was little correlation between body temperature and COVID . Plus easily faked if you did have a temperature.

I would think Chill Island would be more crowded overall as it's closer to pier. But it does have Chill Grill which is the largest place to grab a bite on the island. South Beach only has access to one of the 3 Snack Shacks.

Maybe Florida can enforce their new noise abatement law on cruise ships.🤔

I.AM. OLD. I. WEAR. AIDS. AND. IT. IS STILL. TOO. LOUD.😦