Jump to content

maggie cruises

Members
  • Posts

    1,509
  • Joined

Posts posted by maggie cruises

  1. Address what?

     

     

     

    Ok I'll bite..

     

    Address the rioting in port au prince...that I've read has recently spread to cap Haitian (which is closer to labadee)....which from what I have read from reputable news sources...is being caused by extremely high fuel prices....set by the government..which I have also read has been corrected .....by the government ....

     

     

    Fortunately...I have also read that the the high school volunteer groups from the USA have mostly been able to get out....with the remaining teens due out today[emoji106]but there are still others trapped and the American embassy has requested US Marine security be brought in for them

     

     

    My point is that I saw this thread...read every single post btw....then when I realized something serious was happening in Haiti....as I am scheduled to visit labadee...I went to reputable news sources...to get accurate..imho....reports.

     

    As for my stop at labadee which is not until next April...I will probably get off the ship there to swim...I will also thanks to cruise critic ...know the way to get to Columbus Cove ...that bypasses most of the aggressiveness of the vendors. I also know pax seem to like labadee very much but the possibility of coco cay or Nassau as an alternate is possible

     

    I would love key west also but it seems remote considering I'm doing an ABC islands cruise.

     

    Just sayin...I get what I can from cruise critic but know when to get info elsewhere.

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  2. Not sure I understand, in one hand you are saying they donated tons. Then they offer an excursion that many have asked for (an organized way to feel they are helping, whether they are actually a help out not) and you feel they are somehow insulting the people there.

     

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Forums mobile app

     

     

     

    The excursion is what I'm complaining about not donating $$$ . Especially if rccl is taking any profit from the excursion. That profit belongs to the people of San Juan imho

     

    It's a warm and fuzzy ....profitable..imho...attempt to capitalize on the suffering in San Juan by rccl and at the same time play up to the

     

    many guilt ridden pax these days that they will fall for it but if rccl wants to run an excursion where pax can ACTUALLY help out then it should be a free bus ride and first come first serve. Then the pax can spend hours reading books and planting trees and spend some money eating in the la perla district. 2 or 3 crew members can accompany the bus and all rccl would be donating is the cost of the bus as the crew members should already be on the clock and not required to use their free time. Please no comments that the crew should be working on the ship at that time. It's not a major problem.

     

     

    This excursion is right out of a Twilight Zone episode as far as I'm concerned. Rccl setting it up so the well heeled pax can "view" the down trodden. And make a profit at the same time.

     

     

     

    However....the reality probably goes more like this.....someone in San Juan came up with the bright idea that they could run tours to this district because they know pax will fall for it...and at the same time perhaps make a profit that would hopefully help rebuild the area as well as support the tour operator. They need to market it as a "goodwill" "volunteer" type of excursion for obvious reasons...mostly marketing reasons of course

     

    Great marketing...which I am not against at all as a capitalist...

     

    Just don't try to kid me by saying it's anything more than that.

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  3. I think is terrible that the cruiseline is offering an excursion to the "shanty town" and it's colorful history.

     

    How insulting to the San Juan community and how patronizing to the cruisers.

     

    Rccl could just as easily say we are donating x number of $$$ every time we port in San Juan to rebuild the community in addition to our docking fees etc. of course they would just tack on $10 per head and we would be none the wiser but then again the pax wouldn't have bragging rites back home about lending a hand

     

    From what I read all the cruiselines donated loads of $$$$ since the hurricanes so for the cruiseline to offer an excursion like this seems patronizing and a money grab

     

    Pax are in effect donating to San Juan by taking a cruise from there...booking a hotel...eating in restaurants...taking a taxi...

     

    Paying to plant a tree and take a pity tour bus ride through a drug infested shantytown is just a profit making excursion

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  4. This is not a fee. You can have it removed from your bill on board. Just go go to guest services on day 1. You do not need to pay pre cruise. You can tip who you want and how much you want. Gratuity is given for service provided and should never be mandatory. PS. If you buy a drink the tip is automatically added in. Same for spa service. We carry cash and tip as we go as we may not have the same waiters every night in the dining room. Many like to pre pay and then never give more to waiters or stateroom attendant. Some let it go onto sea pass and give extra - or not. But there are always those envelopes in your statroom along with the disembarkation luggage tags. This is an ongoing discussion on these boards.

     

     

     

    Can you have it removed after day 1? Is it necessary to do it on day 1 or could I just do it on say day 5 or 6 when I notice no line at guest services?

     

    I prefer the old way of tipping directly and certainly would tip our waiters and room steward sufficiently and more

     

    I'm just anti auto grats ....on principle...and I do not believe in tipping for "other services" as listed in the breakdown of tips...again on principle

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  5. Why is it you feel rcci should pay for the passenger's transportation? They are already donating plenty.

     

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Forums mobile app

     

     

     

    I agree you may have a point there

     

    No big deal if the pax pays their own transport on the rccl excursion bus ....but....let's just hope that rccl is charging exactly what the cost of the bus is....with zero markup

     

     

    My point is that we cant be sure there is no profit margin for the ship on this "quasi-volunteer" excursion

     

     

    There should be no reason for any markup at all for rccl considering the nature of this excursion. Rccl can donate their overhead related to this excursion.

     

     

    And yes I know that volunteer organizations use donations to pay salaries and overhead etc...but rccl can and should make an exception in this case and every penny a pax puts out for this excursion should go to San Juan

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  6. All I can tell you is the locals have nothing but praise for RCI. Every cab driver, shop owner, bartender, etc. couldn't say anything but good things. They have helped the folks tremendously unless you have been there I would not criticize them.

     

     

     

    I would hope the taxis shop owners bartenders etc are praising rccl

     

    Rccl brings pax and money to San Juan

     

    I want to know why rccl is charging for this excursion

     

    They could certainly spring for the cost of the busses for the pax and not pass that cost on to the pax as that would help the economy too

     

     

    It's a money grab by rccl to make their pax feel good

     

    Book an pre cruise night and eat in a restaurant that helps the economy not a guilt ridden excursion that only shows the locals how the rich folks travel and makes the pax feel good about themselves

     

    However as I posted previously the 13 yo will have an interesting college essay should he choose.

     

     

    And btw...I passed on a cruise this year that visited devastated islands and opted for functional islands

     

    Why? Because I'm fortunate enough to travel often. I also know that I cannot make a difference by visiting a devastated island other than to see their living conditions (which my meager donation will not change) and have a less than enjoyable experience...I rarely spend much money on any island anyway...functional or not.

     

    My contribution to this world has been to live honestly and raise well education contributing members to society. To not break the law. To not drink and drive To not smoke and rake up medical bills for my insurance company. To know right from wrong and to not believe everything I hear see or read as I can gather my own data thank you.

     

    I also could not afford to donate significant money to any cause so I leave that to those that want to.

     

    Also I would not hurt a fly.

     

    I have zero guilt as I have nothing to be guilty for

     

    I don't need warm and fuzzy as I'm not a snowflake...nor are my kids.

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  7. I could see doing something like this if I knew Royal was taking no profit from the proceeds. As long as the money paid all goes towards the local area, it might be interesting.

     

     

     

    Yes it's obvious the rccl is taking a cut

     

    Imho if I were the op and wanted my 13 yo to see the devastation I guess I could stomach this excursion...simply because I would not venture there on my own ..and would pay to be with a group and have transportation...but I would not kid myself to think I was actually giving back and I might actually be embarrassed to be in an area like this and attempting to be altruistic when it's obvious I'm coming from a cruiseship.

     

    Just by booking a cruise out of San Juan...flying in a day or 2 earlier...eating in restaurants...taking taxis...you are in fact helping their economy

     

     

    To the op....if you child has aspirations of going to college...and you do in fact wind up taking this "give back" excursion....then have him commit to memory the entire experience and then revisit it when he writes a college admission essay

     

    Colleges like this stuff...but trust me...leave out the tidbit that he did this while on a Caribbean cruise ok

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  8. Can someone please tell me more about the volunteer excursion in San Juan? I have it booked for me and my 13yo but want to be sure we’ll really do something worthwhile. (Someone said it would be better to just spend money locally, so I’m second guessing)

     

     

     

    I think rccl should be able to provide every single answer to your questions. In detail too

     

    If they can't...well I'd be 2nd guessing it too

     

     

    My take on this is that rccl has gotten inquiries from pax as to how they the pax could help out....and since rccl wants to sell excursions especially to pax that require the conformity of them...they came up with something

     

    Since you are skeptical...as well you should be...I'd demand complete answers

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  9. If you check the ports of call area, you might get more answers as well.

    I think I read a similar question about volunteering to help in the past and a lot of people recommended checking if there was any cleanup efforts being done through local church groups.

     

     

     

    I'd prefer this over getting rccl involved

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  10. Thanks. Yes, I’m paying $92 to RC to “Give back to the La Perla Community”.

     

     

     

    What exactly will you be doing on this give back excursion?

     

    Is the entire $92 going to the community?

     

    Sorry to be so skeptical but my thinking is that rccl could easily pay for your transport etc to get to wherever it is they are taking you

     

    What does the $92 cover anyway?

    And what would you be doing to give back to the community?

     

    Wouldn't it just be better to find a reputable charity domiciled in San Juan and just donate?

     

    If your aim is to show your child the conditions in San Juan and have him donate "elbow grease"....and the rccl excursion has the same aim...then why is there a cost?

     

    Rccl could donate to San Juan by hiring some busses...offering the excursion free to pax until the bus capacity is met...then bringing pax to help with physical labor volunteer efforts

     

    Sorry I'm skeptical. If you'd like to provide details of this excursion I'd love to read about it. I'm sure it's a wonderful thing but then again...

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  11. Are you paying for this volunteer excursion?

     

    If so are you paying the ship?

     

    I would hope that any ship sponsored excursion to volunteer would be free to participate in

     

    Yes I'm skeptical

     

    If I were going to San Juan I might just opt to spend money locally as I would be useless in helping to put up power lines or rebuild homes....

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  12. Thank you, Maggie Cruises. I’m hoping to get that perfect balance of fun and safety!

     

     

     

    Whenever I've cruised with just 2 of my 4 kids they have been just fine together and never bored so never a need to look for others to hang out with

     

    Yours will have a great time but as a mom of 4 daughters please take my advice.....explain to your daughter and her friend that it's not wise to think that everyone else on the ship is worthy of their friendship. The vast majority will be great people of course but there will be some cruisers that are just not nice. Easily and not so easily spotted

     

    I rarely tell my girls this these days because they figured this out years ago on our 1st cruise. Lol

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  13. What security? Do you know how many newer car batteries are stolen (or switched [primarily from rental cars] for old ones) in Manhattan parking lots?

     

     

     

    The pier parking is not exactly a manhattan parking lot in any sense of the word

     

    It is a secure safe locked up lot where no one will go near your car until you return from your cruise

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  14. I was told that I could park in N.J. for half the price. It is safe and cheaper. Then I take the ferry back. I am wondering if it is worth considering.

     

     

     

    I guess it might be for you if you don't mind dragging your stuff from whatever lot you find in Jersey to the ferry to the ship and then back again

     

     

    Btw where did you hear the parking at the port was not safe?

     

    It's convenient

    It's easy to drive to

    It's not like you are driving through midtown manhattan

     

    You pay

    You park

    You take your key with you

    You see your car from the ship decks

     

    The lot is locked until the ship returns

     

    You return you get in your car you drive home

     

    No taxi

    No ferry

     

    Just off you go

     

    I just don't get why anyone would NOT park there

     

    I for one would not leave my key with any lot for more than a few hours...be it Jersey...NYC...or Scarsdale lol

     

     

    To the op....I dont know where you are driving in from but the only reason to leave a car in Jersey imho would be if you are spending a pre cruise night there and the hotel is shuttling you in the next day and allowing you to leave your car there for the week

     

    If you are driving from your home on the morning of the cruise then seriously...just drive to the port and park

     

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  15. I’m taking my 18 year old daughter and a friend on a Bermuda cruise. Any safety and/or entertainment guidelines or ideas for the cruise as well as Bermuda would be appreciated!

     

     

     

    You picked a great ship and destination

     

    I cruise frequently with my older teen and young adult daughters and have cruised out of NYC several times and love it as we live very close to the port

     

    That said...and trust me about this....any cruise out of NYC in the summer will have an interesting demographic on it

     

    Take that as you will but as far as my kids are concerned, they prefer to not party into the wee hours nor do they look to make new friends on the ship

     

    They always have a great time with just our family and each other...rock climbing...going to spice h2o...rope course...shows...deck parties...

     

    My kids have a great time and easily get by without finding a group to hang out with simply because they don't need to. Lol

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  16. Hi I have a short stop in anchorage before heading to a cruise. I would love to get to a grocery store to get some sofa and a bottle of wine to take onboard. Only trouble is I use a mobility scooter. I don’t think I could handle grocery shopping with my luggage etc. Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

     

     

     

    Here's a great suggestion...

     

    Just buy your glass or bottle of wine on the ship

     

    And do the same for your soda

     

    With your mobility issues it's ridiculous to bother doing anything else

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  17. I'd like to reiterate my previous post..and add...

     

    This is NOT an issue at all

     

    Mom and daughter take the sofa bed

     

    Dad and son take the 2 twins

     

     

    I am really dumbfounded that the OP couldn't figure this out without asking here

     

    It's not like there will be any privacy at all for any of them in the first place

     

    So...mom and dad can't sleep apart ?

     

    Come on folks ..while the bedding might not be perfect...it is more than doable

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

  18. I “escalated” this after it happened and received $100 back, which, while not great, was better than nothing. Cruise is over and done, but it won’t happen again.

     

     

     

    Sherri:)

     

     

     

    So you just neglected to mention this in post #10?

     

    You purposely tried to make it sound as though you lost the $100...sheesh

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums

×
×
  • Create New...