bren61

Just curious what the cab fare is to Vigie from the port so we know what to expect and don't get ripped off. There are just 2 of us.

I just sent an email to Beach Limerz to give us all more clarity on the Paygo option, so when I get a reply I will share it with you all.

Which is nicer, Valley Church Beach or Beach Limerz?

Another thing that would be good to know is the price of their drinks and food.

This is encouraging news for our 1/20 Getaway cruise🙂

Why all the changes to itineraries? What is going on?

Wishing you a wonderful cruise!! 

My husband and I are on the Jan 20th sailing for 12 night Southern Caribbean cruise and are a little concerned about lack of entertainment being only 3 shows for the 12 nights. If you get a chance, can you see if they are working on getting new entertainment on board anytime soon. I also heard the comedians, magicians, etc were not that good. We love to play cards & can have our own entertainment to occupy some of our time, but we love the shows, etc and that is a big factor in our cruising, so hoping that they will have something to replace Syd Norman or they get  new decent comedy or side shows.

We love the longer cruises & itinerary NCL offers, but prefer RCL's entertainment much more, we seem to flip flop between the 2 lines. 

I have to have liquid Hazelnut CoffeeMate creamer in my coffee every morning. Am I allowed to carry my bottle of unopened creamer onboard with me to use during the cruise? 

Are there coffee makers or Keurigs in the Inside cabins?

Does NCL provide everyone with luggage tags or do we have to print our own? We booked with a TA so not sure if that makes a difference.

How is the entertainment now on the Getaway? We were on it several years ago and thought it was lacking as far as the amount of theater shows, especially for 12-14 night cruises. We've seen Burn the Floor & Million Dollar Quartet, & although they were great, I am hoping they will offer something new to the entertainment schedule.

Thank you all for input, we have been to Cagneys before, so I think we will try Ocean Blue & Le Bistro this cruise.

We have 2 nights of dining in a Specialty Restaurant and have it narrowed down to 3: Cagneys, Ocean Blue & LeBistro.

Where do you recommend of the 3 & what is your favorite dish? 

14 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

Cafe Manolin is probably the closest, on Calle San Justo.  With El Campeon just up the street a block.  And if you like garlic, Ajo Del Pais is just around the corner on Calle San Francisco.

 

Up along the street that runs past the forts  (Norzagary?) and Calle San Sebastian is Palmas El Rincon and the bar La Verguenza , known for its rum punch, music and views.

In your opinion of all the places you listed, which one has the best shrimp monfono or at least the closest in taste to the one at Punta de Vista? BTW, we do love garlic!

We have always went to Punta de Vista on the rooftop of Hotel Milano, but sadly see that it is permanently closed. Any recommendations of where to go that has excellent Shrimp Monfongos comparable to Punta de Vista that is walkable from the port?

On 10/14/2022 at 9:11 AM, SRF said:

There is a SIMPLE answer.

 

Book another cruise.

 

DUH......

 

😄

 

I'm sure I will at some point, but our next is on NCL. We flip flop between the 2, depending on the itinerary.

20 hours ago, pattycake08 said:

Bren 61, I'm goin on the Anthem in 2 weeks, I will ask when I board and will let you know either way what they say.

That's awesome pattycake08, thank you!

Thank you all for your replies. One of the workers actually brought out the container in a large container to show me, but I didn't have my phone with me at the time to take a picture, so I do know that they don't make their own. Hopefully someone that goes on a cruise can find out, if not, no biggie, I just thought maybe someone knew or asked before. Thanks again!

Just off of the Adventure & loved the ranch dressing in the MDR, does anyone know the brand they use & where it can be ordered from? I asked in the Windjammer the day before we left and I wrote it down, but am unable to find what I wrote it on. I thought it was something like Caribbean International Ranch Dressing, but can't find anything online, so I must have the name wrong. Anyone with an upcoming cruise if you don't mind asking your waiter in the MDR if they can find out, I would appreciate it.

We are leaving on our Canada/NE cruise out of Bayonne, NJ on the Adventure this Thursday 9/29/22. We won't be arriving in Canada until October 4th, I wonder why is RCL has not contacted us to let us know. Maybe it is because we set sail before Oct 1st? We are scheduled to do our OnPoint testing at midnight tonight, but it would have been nice if we didn't have to do it. Our ArriveCan is finished and printed out, now just to pass the covid test.

13 hours ago, alexgtp said:

lobster 🦞 tail night I'm MDR. Bold move...after having Maine Lobster in Maine 😂😂.

So how was the MDR compared to your Maine Lobster & where did you go on your port stop?

28 minutes ago, alexgtp said:

Had a great excursion this AM. Saw the lighthouses in area via boat excursion. Did not realize the military history of this area much more impressive than the light houses.. 😂.

 

Has lunch at The Porthole (EECC recommend) Maine lobster was delicious, chowda amazing, Maine craft beer on point. 

Do they still have the $34.95 twin lobster special? How was it? We were debating between here or Gilberts Chowder House.

6 hours ago, meadowlander said:

 

If you exit bus 3 in the morning at North Ridge or Sand Beach you can transfer to bus 4 to visit Jordan Pond first. Then use bus 4 back to Sand Beach to view what you want and use bus 3 back to VG. Once you leave Sand Beach on bus 3 be it in the morning or afternoon, you will return to the VG with no opportunity to transfer to any other bus.

 

 

This sounds like it might work for us.

5 hours ago, meadowlander said:

Adventure's tender ticket process was much more organized than in May. There was 1 distribution at 6 pm the night prior to Bar Harbor and another distribution the morning of arrival in Bar Harbor.

 

The 6 pm distribution was at Studio B on deck 3. 4 employees were present to maintain organization. Doors to Studio B opened about 5:45 and those on line, moved inside, maintaining their spot. Note the distribution time conflicts with early seating dinner.

 

Tickets are numbered as opposed to having a set time. I and 1 other specifically asked the time of the 1st tender. An approximate time of 8 to 8:15 am was given. We were told tender ticket #1 did not have to board the first tender, it was good on all later tenders. No one could board a tender prior to the tender number they possessed.

 

Tender 1 boarding process began between 8:35-8:40(20-40 minutes behind the approximate time given). Unlike in May when it took more than 50 minutes from tender number called to setting foot on Bar Harbor, we were in Bar Harbor by 9:10.A left on Main Street led directly to the Village Green. A right on Firefly Lane will take you to the IE boarding area which is opposite the firehouse.

 

2 employees were present at the boarding location along with an electronic board posting upcoming departure times. No one asked to see my NPS pass or anyone else's. Sit on the left side of the bus for a better view.

 

I asked the driver of the 9:30 bus what would be an easy hiking trail for your husband, he said Jordan Pond area or the Carriage Roads within the park. I had planned on starting at Sand Beach and walking to Otter Cliff. Based on the drivers recommendation, I started at Otter Point which is the last stop on bus 3 before returning to the Village Green.

 

The only section of the Ocean Path trail I walked was from Otter Point to Otter Cliff and despite using a cane, it was challenging at a few points. When I eventually found the trail at Otter Cliff to Sand Beach, I found the walk down to the trail too daunting. It had rained earlier that morning impacting footing. If it had not rained, I would have made the same decision.

 

What I discovered was alongside the two lanes for vehicles was a solid firmly packed walkway akin to a sidewalk. At some points I did have to walk in the road but the walkway existed for the nearly total majority of the walk back to Sand Beach. It took me over 2 hours.

 

The drivers recommendation to start at Otter Point benefited in that when the 30 seat IE bus arrived at Sand Beach and despite no one getting off at Sand Beach, there were many seats available. Two stops post Sand Beach, 29 of the 30 seats were taken. No one attempted to board at any later stops.

 

What I noticed the two times I was at the Sand Beach stop is that bus 4 had arrived prior to bus 3 and was waiting for bus 3 should any passengers want to transfer from bus 3 to bus 4. This has to be intentional. There are rest room facilities at Sand Beach.

 

You may decide to take bus 3 from VG to Sand Beach and then choose between transferring to bus 4 to go to Jordan Pond, should be a seamless transfer. Or you could walk Ocean Path at Sand Beach, return to the bus stop and wait for the next bus 4 to arrive to access Jordan Pond.

 

While I was walking that walkway, alongside the 2 lane road, I noticed a very easy section which allowed for good views. It is a 5-10 minute walk at most from the start point to the next parking lot or side road that you could flag bus 3 to stop. Do check with the driver that he will stop at both locations.

 

You would exit bus 3 (do not know if bus 4 travels that same road) at Gorham Mountain Trailhead. Cross the two lanes and go right on the walkway. Google maps shows the next parking lot, though I do not know the name. This is where you would reboard bus 3. A very easy short walk with nice panoramic views.

 

Check with the driver that he will stop at both points as they are not listed as stops but it appears safe to do so, as their web site states. The only other consideration is would there be seats available at the point you get back on bus 3. Due to the rain on Labor Day the park was not as crowded as expected. On your port day, if it is crowded, it may impact deciding to stop at Gorham Mountain Trailhead, check with the driver.

 

You could take bus 6 from VG to Jordan Pond then bus 4 to Sand Beach to explore or transfer to bus 3 but bus 6 has a limited schedule making bus 3 & 4 the better option.

So is Otter Cliffs before or after Sand Beach? Are you able to tell me what order I need to do our stops at? Bus 3 from Village Green to Otter Cliffs, Otter Point, Sand Beach, Thunder Hole (not sure what order I need to do them in), then Bus 4 to Jordon Pond, Bubble Pond, then (Visitor Center if we have time). From VC I think we have to take Bus #1 back to VG. How long do you think this will take us if we don't do the 2 hour hike that you took?

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

Yes, that will be fine. 

Ok, thanks. I just wasn't sure since it says right on the package that it isn't FDA cleared or approved.

3 hours ago, FlyOverGirl said:

I’m on Adventure now (Sept 1 - 10 Canada) and Marvin is the cruise director.

Well...your thoughts, is he a fun CD?

We are scheduled to have our test through OnPoint, will the BinaxNow Self Antigen test from Walmart be accepted from Royal? I know the government tests can be proctored, just wasn't sure about the otc tests.

On 8/31/2022 at 2:53 PM, SandG said:

We are currently on the Adventure OTS and the Cruise Director is Lauren Armstrong from Newcastle, England.

Is Marvin Wilson still coming on 9/29? We will be on that cruise. I am not familiar with either Lauren or Marvin, anyone know how they are?