elainemasey

Husband works Bj's in Mass.. You can get a nonmember pass but you pay 15% more.

February school vacation would be my guess.

Not sure what you are asking. It is a bit early for foliage in Boston. We are just now seeing random trees starting to turn. If you are heading North you may get more color. Typically peak foliage time for Boston is in early October, around Columbus weekend.

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It's been a few years, but on our Caribbean cruise we left our passports at guest services and picked up after the last port. They were all stamped.

On the Baltic cruise 3 years ago, there was an announcement that customs for ( some port and nationality, don't remember) would be in a lounge. We popped in and the agent was more than happy to stamp our passports.

If you leave them at Guest Services..... Remember to pick them up!

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It's been 4 years but I don't think US citizens can get a visa at the port for SPB. If you wanted to go on your own you needed to apply for a visa several months ahead of time and I think it was around $300 or $400. We did a private tour with Alla. They took care of the visa and put together a tour just for us.

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It is not foggy in Boston now. In fact the Boston Pops concert is going on now outside on the Esplanade and the fireworks will follow.

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As others have said... Make him go the 1st night.... That is really important. Check your roll call. We arranged with other families to meet in a lounge after the lifeboat drill with the thought that there would be familiar faces for the kids when they walked in to their respective clubs. The 3 teen boys, wanting no part of hanging around with their parents at this meeting, quickly took off to explore. My 6'4 16 yr old had a blast and still talks.... Facebooks..... Snapchats... Etc with a few of the kids he met... 2 years ago!!!

Also, set some rules. No one in your cabin, don't go in other cabins etc... What ever is appropriate for your family. I found the program VERY loosely run.

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We always bring back some shells from the beach. I have also been known to take a baggie of sand with me as well. We also pack snack bars, peanut butter crackers etc.

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We always take some granola/ protein type bars with us. Or those peanut butter/cheese crackers. Just to hold us over until we are back on the ship.

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On our Baltic and Caribbean cruises we left our passports at the customer service desk and asked to have them stamped at each port. We picked them up the last night. Just don't forget! I am sure others would say this was not a safe thing to do, I guess I am one who always assumes the best in people.

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I would look at Royal Caribbean. Avoid school vacation weeks, Christmas.

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For those of you traveling with shy kids. We joined our sailings discussions group. In talking to others traveling with kids we decided on our own meeting in a lounge just after the life boat drill. This gave the kids a chance to meet and hopefully a familiar face when they got to the kids club. Also, make sure they go the 1st night. There will be many kids on their own and forming their new shipboard friends.

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We sailed the Baltic 3 years go and had very smooth seas every day but 1.

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Big country singer. Also won Donald Trumps Celebrity Apprentice.

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You can watch from the top of the 17 th street bridge. There is no boardwalk on the beach to the jetty. The closest beach hotel to the jetty is the Lago Mar. I think you could watch from the pool area. I was told that the walk way along the harbor belongs to the core of engineers and should be public and there are a couple of benches along it. Just have not figured out how to get there without crossing over someone's property.

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What's with the white truck?

Parents had a condo by the port and spent many sail a ways on the rocks waving. Loved it and the ships horns and the condo people with their own horns and bells.

I know in Massachusetts the kids are off presidents week. New Hampshire runs the week after us. Don't know about other states.

If it's spring break week I would avoid Carnival.

Been a long time... Band aids w/Cartoon characters, antibiotic cream, children's Tylenol, children's cold meds in case, sun tan lotion, aloe in case.

But February is break for all the younger kids. Middle school and high school.

To those who are concerned about their 13-15 yr olds in a teen club with 17/18 yr olds. The kids don't just lock themselves in the teen club for 7 days. They can meet older teens and older men at the Lido, by the pool or any number of other places. What about teaching your kids how to handle a situation, not to go off alone with anyone... On a ship or any place else, teaching your morals and values and trusting your kids. In my experience they tend to travel in packs... Wouldn't that be a good way to learn to talk to boys and get some social experience for when they are 18 they know how to behave and interact

In the end... The teen club on RCCL Jewel Baltic cruise was not all that great... Just a dark room with bar/ dance floor and couches. He met very nice 15-17 yr olds that he had a lot more in common with than if he were in the "appropriate" group. If I knew then what I was told after, I would have had WAY more concerns with the teen counselor than the older kids he hung out with. Maybe the cruise lines need to have some sort of buffer for kids who are just off the age range. Let the parent decide based on kids personality/ maturity if the should move up.

We had similar problem on RCCL a few years ago with DS in reverse. He was just off the teen age group but I thought the group he would have been in would be too young for him. We spoke to teen counselor at embarkation and he told DS he could join the teen club but any sign of trouble he would be demoted. It didn't hurt that DS looked much older and was 6'3 at the time so no one else knew he was under club age. He had a blast and you will too! They did go to teen area a bit but mostly just met up there and then took off to wherever. It didn't seem to be a big deal.

Portland is ok.... No big deal in my opinion. It's pretty but don't think there is a lot to do. We tend to just walk around and eat. Never been to Bar Harbor, but that would get my vote.

Cunard Countess 2 weeks out of San Juan.

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