Peggyd.73

My friend and I are cruising on serenade of seas this spring and trying to finalize our St Petersburg excursion.    I've been stuck in analysis paralysis 😞  

Hoping this group can help us pick!

Option 1 - Alla tours  - includes tours of hermitage and church of spilled blood plus a guided tour of the Peterhoff gardens and a metro ride

Option 2- TJ Travel -  includes hermitage tour, 'stroll' through peterhoff gardens and an hour at Catherine Palace (which adds 2 hours of drive time)

Option 3- Private tour - visit Catherine's Palace, Peterhoff gardens,  Spilt blood, peter and paul cathedral, hydrofoil tour boat (miss hermitage)

The other advantage of Alla tours is that we'll get a discount on a tour in stockholm.  All companies have good reviews in  Trip Advisor.

I imagine all the tours will be wonderful... but we have to pick one and soon!  

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Looking for input from anyone that has done Ricky's island tours or taken one of the other mini-bus tours. I've searched online for pictures of the vehicles and seating w/o any luck. Trying to understand if these are big passenger vans in which some must clamber over seats to get into back or more of a real bus w/ single aisle accessible to all seats.

Also - if I have family that will be joining the tour that have mobility constraints, would they still be able to enjoy most of the tour?

Thanks!

I'm cruising on celebrity later this month for the first time after several cruises with Royal Caribbean.

I've searched Celebrity's site and these boards but I haven't been able to find anything. Does purchasing one of the non-alcoholic package include an insulated coke cup like on Royal?

If not, I'll pack one of my own as I like big icy pops all day long!

thanks!

I'll be interested in what you experience as we are cruising in late October from San Juan and would like to do valet - but celebrity's site says:

Available in select departure ports only (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Seattle, Washington; San Diego, California; and Seward, Alaska) with select airlines only

I've seen some other sites that say it is available and you mentioned that customer service also says yes, so hope you will report back on your experience!

I'm tempted to try carry on only for our 5 day but airline liquid rule is a blocker for me. Must have spray and lotion spf 70 + face sunscreen and don't want to mess with finding drug store when arrive in Tampa.

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Quick Cozumel question for all of you.

Trying to decide on beach day and would like some opinions. My friend Kelli's preference is Few kids, booze close by and posh loungers. I would add shade options ( pale irish skin). Have never done AI but open to it.

Was considering Nachi but looks like they just have plastic chairs (no cushions) and no umbrellas. Can u get cushions? How hard is it to find a hut?

Other beaches we Should try?

Thanks!!

A friend and I just booked Brilliance of Seas on RCCL on April 11 - returning Thurs April 16. We are trying to decide on best option for getting home...

two choices...

1. Early walk off with our luggage + cab to airport for a 11am flight

2. Normal departure with either luggage valet or checking bags at port and playing tourist somewhere in Tampa with a flight departing at 3pm

My friend prefers option 1 (my friend HATES sitting at the airport) while I lean towards option 2 -- figure I would ask the experts on here for some advice.

If you recommend the later flight, how would you spend the day?

thanks!

499 pp for large inside (deck 6 if that matters) for dec oasis

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Website is correct. We have used them several times for both large and small groups. Sounds like a typo although I am surprised that part of response isn't a standard paragraph.

 

If you are traveling any distance I would go for the larger vehicle if you have more than 3 people.

 

Obviously write and confirm.

Thanks for confirming!

When I opened up my email to send a response, I actually had a follow up note from Tour Plaza:

"I was going through my day's work and noticed that I misinformed you earlier today, I apologize for the mix up.. Our Hiring a driver for the day tour prices are per vehicle, not per person"

so looks like its per vehicle for sure!

Any suggestions on stops to make during the tour?

I'm very confused on the pricing...

Website says the following:

Cost of the tour on a Car for up to 4 persons is usd$107.00 for the first 3 hours tour + usd$25.00 for each additional hour.

Cost of the tour on a Van for up to 9 persons is usd$195.00 for the first 3 hours tour + usd$40.00 for each additional hour, these prices are per vehicle not per person.

But I just contacted company about possibly adding more people to the tour and options to shift to van. In their response, the email says something different:

Tour by van (for up to 9 passengers): $195.00 USD for the first 3 hours of tour + $40.00 USD per each additional hour.

*Please note that this price is PER PERSON, not per vehicle and does not include park admission fees, food or beverages etc.

for those that have used this company -- which is correct? Website or email?

THANKS!

You are right. Each sea pass card can have its own credit card.

Of course, if you or dh buy stuff for dd on your sea pass card (drinks), then you'll have to square up on those charges at end of trip.

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My friend and I are cruising on Freedom next week and will be renting a car the day before. While not my first cruise, this will be my first time dealing with a rental car return.

Is it acceptable to drop off large luggage with porters and then leave port to return car? I'm thinking it would be easier to do this and not have to deal with multiple transfers of the big bags -- but I don't want to run into any issues with security guards.

I also thought of leaving my friend at port and returning car on my own - would that be a better option?

thanks for your help!

I'm also cruising out of port canaveral soon - and renting a car for the first time to drive over from mco night before.

For those that have done the rental car (we are using budget), how long does it typically take to drop off car and get back to port?

Also - what time do you recommend dropping off party w bags? I like to board early but don't want to leave my friends there too early while I return car!

Thanks!!

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I just returned from the Explorer cruise Feb 9th to Feb 16th out of Bayonne and had quite a few problems with getting gluten free alternatives. I just want to make sure that you are aware of the problems I had and take your own food aboard.

 

Sorry to hear you had trouble. My niece (9 years old) has celiac and I understand how sick even a trace amount can make you. I have forwarded several conversations on eating GF on cruises to my sister as I would love for her family to have the chance at a cruise -- but your story is very concerning.

One thing I noticed in my recent cruise -- lots of opportunity for cross contamination in the WJ -- from moved utensils to misunderstandings on what is in / with food (bacon stored in warmer on bread for example). I would think you should always ask for your own versions of dishes -- just to minimize the risk.

On a side note -went with my sister and her family to Disney last year and was VERY impressed with how they handled the GF diet -- both at the resort and park restaurants. A week in the parks and my niece didn't have any trouble. Perhaps RCI can hire away some of their team!!

I've cruised with friends four times and never had a problem with beds not being separated as requested (hopefully I'm not jinxing myself!!)

Just checked my upcoming reservation and under preferences and requests it says:

Room Arrangement: Apart/Both Apart

I take both my Kindle (Paperwhite) and iPad (full size) on vacations. I use the Kindle to read at pool, beach, etc and keep the iPad for movies and games during travel days.

In addition to the sun glare issues mentioned by others, I would also not feel comfortable leaving the iPad on chairs when going into pool / ocean...or on table at WJ.

A group of people from my roll call are considering a tour with Marva Shaw.

I emailed her with a list of possible stops (from researching on this board!) and she responded with the following:

Six hour trip with the following highlights:

* Falmouth tour

* dunns river falls

* fern gully

* lunch at a local place

I'd be interested in any other suggestions people have for other stops!

My next cruise is the first one in which I will have an On Board Credit (small amount from travel agent plus RCI open booking reservation).

I've looked on my reservation (on rci.com) but don't see any mention of either OBC. Is there anyway to confirm that the funds have been accurately applied short of calling TA or RCI?

thanks!!

I'll echo caution about sailing on Independence in December. I sailed on dec 7 eight night cruise and ship had very large population of seniors - many of them very cranky seniors!

I asked my table mates about odd demographic (ship, time of year, what?) and they said rcl does group sales to retirement communities for weeks between thanksgiving and Christmas cruises.

I think frozen virgin drinks are included with the Royal Replenish package

We loved that Port. We went on a Royal Caribbean sponsored tour up to an organic coffee and pineapple plantation. They suppy to all the hotels, restaurants and resorts. The are a million types of pineapple and you get to taste them all. I had one I loved to death and you can't get in in US.... I miss it. Amazing, located up in the cloud rain forest, at an elevation whee they are growing Blue Mountain beans, tyou actually see the coffee plants, they make local food for lunch, see the farmers tending the fruit and the trees. Get an informational lecture for 1/2 hour. Van drove through a waterfall on the way there, get to see lots of local sites. The people in the mountains are poor, but very honest, safe and friendly. The most beautiful place I have ever seen , I did not want to leave. They have blue mountain coffee for you to drink, and ginger drink made from pineapple rinds, it is so good. On First trip to FalmouthI have also called Oh, I can' t say another name of a tour guide on here can I, Some one let me know, if it is legal?? This tour was personalized they took us into the mountains and we saw real life and real people, children going to school, and allspice trees and birds it was amazing. It is so beautiful and such amazing nice people outside the cities. Stopped for lunch at a jerk place, saw everything. They will customize for you, we were only 2 people. Please let me know if can say the name of the tour guide.

I'd be interested in knowing who you toured with on private tour. I would like customized tour but didn't think it would be available for just two people!

In terms of forum rules, I think you can give name but not website.

Thanks!

After my sister got stuck in North Dakota an extra full week while visiting her in-laws this year, my DH and I suggested we all go on a cruise this year. I quickly noticed rated the first two weeks of Dec were noticeably cheaper. We prob cannot book until end of June early July as we need to wait to see if any ladies are pregnant before then. When do you normally book, and when do you notice the best deals?? No urgency on room selection. We're not picky on rooms, and prob wouldn't mind if we were spread out a little bit. :)

 

Thanks! Perfect timing with your post!

One word of caution - I went on an 8 night cruise on Independence of the Seas out of Ft Lauderdale the 2nd week of Dec (Dec 7-15) and it was FULL of senior citizens (I have never seen so many walkers, scooters, etc).

When I mentioned this demographic to table mates at dinner (we were lucky enough to have late dinner -- apparently the early dinner was wall to wall people!), they said that the cruise line offers package deals to the senior citizen communities in FL on the cruises between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Never been on allure, but it is my understanding that if you take bottle of wine out of cabin, you will have to pay corkage fee...even if bottle is already open.

You can get glasses from room steward and take glasses out without a charge.

Did you reserve show times before your cruise?

A friend who has cruised on Freedom before (couple of years ago) did so but when we went on sister ship (independence) in December there was no option to pre-reserve. I'm not seeing an updated show schedule on rcl.com for FOS, so wondering if they still offer / recommend pre-cruise reservations.

thanks!

I saw some people on my last cruise that had a strap around their coke cups that they used to carry their cups on a lanyard. While I don't like the idea of the lanyard, I would like to use some type of strap so I can attach the cup to my pool bag.

Any tips on the strap from those that have used one?