mchelle77

We've been to St Thomas once before but did an excursion to St John to snorkel. This upcoming trip, Cruise TT says there will be a total of SEVEN ships at the island. I don't think I want to just do a random, open beach, so can anyone recommend either an excursion or a resort that limits the amount of guests?

12 hours ago, RD29P5 said:

That's been pretty much my experience on Carnival. 

This. Considering the OP says their preferred line is Carnival (who refers to themselves as "the party ship"!!) combined with the OP only posted 3 times on these boards ... suspect, at best. Maybe that's just the cynic in me.

My last (previous and final!) cruise on Carnival I had a guy completely blitzed, falling off the stool in the piano bar - but that's not why I won't sail with them anymore. The fact that the waitress continued to serve when I pointed out that he was getting touchy with female bar patrons is a good reason. Better was when security yelled at me to not tell them how to do their job (because I suggested they keep an eye on him after groping my friend) and to not ruin people's cruises with my accusations (!!) is are good reasons though. 

Drunk people though? You see them EVERYwhere. Grown-ups overindulging are not the cruise line's fault.

We're docked from 4pm to 10pm, so we really would love a beachfront restaurant with a view of the sunset - any recommendations?

I would personally want to ask them when they were there, if they were outside, and if so, for how long. I don't want to say they are being deceptive, but for someone who spent a good 5+ hours there, it was DEFINITELY noticeable. Not constant, but consistent.

Thank you for your input on the Hilton British Colonial. We have it booked for our Dec 15th cruise. Was it really that bad with construction noise? We want to snorkel and chill on the beach and at the pool.

I'm struggling to be fair here ... full disclosure, I'm very sensitive to noise and once I hear something I can't stop hearing it. I wonder if I had stayed at the beach area if it would have been less intense? But I was just getting to the pool at that point and when it started, I just stood there not knowing what to do. Others were looking over there too, so it wasn't just me. I asked a lifeguard about it and he said it is every day. I told the guard that they may have to start serving earlier if it kept up. (OH .. they do not start serving food or drinks until later, depending on ... I'm not sure. We got there at 10:15am or so, was told 11am by the desk staff, then noon by the waitress, then saw a waitress delivering drinks at 11:30am, so .. )

Anyway, when it continued, I actually went in to see what the deal was. The gentleman I spoke to didn't seem too bothered by it (easy when you're paid to be there, and inside where you can barely hear it!) I asked if it was all day, and he said "Not all day ... only until about 5pm" ... I said that was all day for me. I said it would have been nice to be told about this because I doubt I would have paid that money to be here relaxing if I knew I couldn't, and suggested he let any day pass people know in the future. He just smiled and said "OK, thank you" ... I have video of it, but not sure how (if) I could share it. It was literally a few hours later (and a few drinks later) before I was able to joke to others there "Try pretending it's a really bad steel drum band!"

Oh, and the tables were disgusting. I have pics - dirty and HAIR all over them. I might be able to post tomorrow from my phone, where I have my pics.

Sounds like a good time! We also like Ryan. He was in Margaritaville when we were on. He was super bored so we drank there a bit and kept him company.

 

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Ryan was the OTHER bartender, he was OK ... it was his colleague that we loved. And I DID get his name, but had a few and can't remember :)

I was on the ship that week (for the second time, first was last October to Bermuda) and had some observations/reviews:

I tried SO many drinks on this trip, but mostly leaned on my favorites (Dale, Mr Worldwide, Eastern Legacy, Mojitos, good old beer) for the majority of the time. The waiter at Maltings was so much fun (there were two, it's the one with the different name ... I think it begins with a B, and the other was Ryan.) The outdoor area at Maltings kinda made me wish I were still a smoker LOL Such a festive place. But those bar stools are TINY! I'm not the smallest person, but not the biggest either, and I don't know how anyone sits comfortably - especially without a place to put your feet under the bar to balance you.

Cirque show (saw only portion last time due to waves) was good - I was so tipsy and tired from that first day on board that I was falling asleep at the end - not because of the show! LOL

There was a medflight situation on that first full day - you could see what was going on watching the "view" channel ... my husband and I kept thinking of that person, and still wonder if they are OK.

My first time having a spa pass, and I was glad we did the spa balcony on this trip. Cold leaving NY in November, that first day was no better, and then it was cool and raining in Port C. We went almost every day. That pool with the jets was a godsend for my injured ankle (happened pre-trip) Got a lot of reading done there.

Margaritaville breakfast was a new find, and an excellent alternative to the buffet! We ate there 4 times it was so tranquil in comparison. And the view/open air environment is a big plus.

I finally tried O'Sheehan's wings (I normally don't eat chicken from the bone) but the Jamaican Jerk were SOOO good! Also tried the thai chili, good but not as good.

Also ate at Wasabi again. We got the edamame, the Gyu, a few rolls, all good. The Crispy Rice was my favorite.

Not a fan of the Noodle Bar. They sent my husband to our room to change because he had a sleeveless shirt on, and when I asked why they said they don't allow no sleeves. I pointed to two women who had string tank tops on and they said that rule is for men. I had had a few beverages and said it sounded like gender discrimination and whatever else I said :) But that aside, the food wasn't good. My husband's also was forgotten and was cold by the time it got to him (he's not a picky eater so he didn't care) I got a very plain-tasting noodle bowl (peking chicken and shrimp) and spring rolls (the only that thing was decent to me) My husband said his rice dish was fine with him.

The jogging track on that ship is so frustrating!! Not just because it's so tiny, and the views are limited, but then it goes under the drippy slides (fine for me running in my sneakers, but several people just passing through in flip flops skid on that wet area) .. then the fact that the warning sign is on the floor near Margaritaville? Can I just point out that most kids coming out of the arcade are NOT looking down on the ground and barely acknowledge runners, they're looking at the rock wall. A taller sign may be helpful.

We made it to GSC (yay!) and it was perfect weather. Got chairs in front over by the Barcardi Bar, easy access to the water. I want to rewind to that day. Keep in mind that the vendors on the island take credit card or cash, and NOT your room key ... I knew that from when I was there in 2012, but forgot. Saw a coverup I LOVED but couldn't purchase. (I even had my number memorized and tried to get them to run it with my license also, but they wouldn't :) )

We planned on just walking to Junkanoo in Nassau, but we are HHonors members and had a ton of rewards so wanted to see if we could use them at the British Colonial Hilton for a day pass. We couldn't, but got the pass anyway. $79 each for a pass that includes a $40 food/beverage credit each, plus use of the pool, loungers, snorkel gear, paddleboards, etc. Sounded like a great choice so we went ahead and did it. However, they didn't disclose the construction that was going on next door and was AWFUL. You pay to relax and then get that .. If we had been warned, we wouldn't have stayed. The paddleboards were plastic and cheap, very few people could stay up (I only saw two preteens able too, even in-shape men kept flipping sideways) Snorkels were fine, and the hammocks were cozy, according to my husband. The pool is not heated. Food was AMAZING. Mahi sandwich was my Thanksgiving lunch and I wasn't disappointed at all. Kalik beers were $6.75. The wifi there enabled us to live chat with family back home.

Prime Meridian bar made the best Mr Worldwide drinks.

Had room 14726 and could hear chairs scraping above us. I've never in all my cruises ever heard noise from my stateroom so clearly. I brought earplugs anyway (snoring husband) so I was able to block it out easily.

Our steward, Nancy, was SO nice. First time we saw her, she was down the hall and called out to us by name. I even stated that I was amazed she knew who we were from "way down there"!

I'm trying to remember anything else, but struggling - any questions, feel free to ask!

Be sure to have the French 75 at Le Bistro. Even if the ingredients don’t speak to you, it will be the best tasting lemony fizzy thing ever. Beware, it’s named after an artillery piece. ;p

AGREED. Love that drink.

Rebellious Fish and Dale are the two I get most. I also get the Mojito and the Moscow Mule when I'm in the mood for them.

One thing that stood out for me when comparing NCL to Disney (or even to Carnival) is that Disney is pretty awful when it comes to adult fun. I had a bad feeling on the first night when, while in the 18+ area, one of the cast members accidentally said "hell" and then gasped when it slipped and she said to her coworker "oh geez, I hope I don't get fired" ... maybe she was joking, but it never got better. Hugely disappointed there.

But I did love their sailaway party, and our waiter was awesome. I told him on the first night how much I love coconut and he actually called our room one night when they were serving it to be sure I knew.:)

Wow, never heard of this before. We cruise because my husband won't fly, this would be like his personal nightmare.

Is the Bacardi Bar connected to the UBP? Or are those charges separate/additional?

There is a bar outside of Vibe on the Escape similar to Breakaway

Good news, there is a bar right at the entrance to Vibe

 

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Thank you both! Good to know.

I posted a question a few pages back but it must have gotten lost .. do you know if there's a bar area just outside of Vibe like on Escape? I was on Breakaway before but don't remember being in that area.

On the daily for Day 2, it's showing Cirque as having two different costs for regular and VIP - is that new? I just booked it for our trip next month and paid the $47 or so for each of us so I'm curious.

Also curious about bars - I've read that Escape has a bar just outside of Vibe, is that also the case for Breakaway? I'm hoping to find a Vibe-esque location where I can sun and drink and read without the chaos and maybe a bit of music if it's there. I've been on this ship before (last October) but was with a mob of people - this trip is just my husband and me so going for a different experience.

This whole thing is so strange and annoying. I'm a huge fan of Margaritaville and almost always go when I'm in Orlando. I was on the Breakaway last October and was really excited to try Margaritaville - I'd never been to Uptown so I don't have any attachment to that venue. The place was still a la carte and the items were actually really good. (We got conch fritters, a burger, the nachos and the "hot" margarita - yum, btw) But at $15/pp I'll definitely be passing. They're good, but not THAT good. The highlight was the drink, and if I can still get that at the bar I'm happy.

Anyway, my original point of why it's strange and annoying - the NCL site still says it's a la carte! WHY?

Defiantly a spa pass fan. Just got off the Breakaway and we got our passes with our room ( spa balcony suite). It was very worth it. Our cruise had very little kids on it so the main pools weren't to crowded but the 20-25 yr old crowd was big and often loud for our liking. The spa is a nice quiet place to relax and we never had a problem getting into the hot tub or pool. The only negative is their is no direct sun light. I wish it had some type of small open area to lay. Evening it is somewhere else on the ship.

The locker rooms were also very nice and provided towels and robes so you don't have to bring anything from you room. It also had water available.

 

As far as the room the only real difference is in the bathroom. It was bigger with double sinks and the shower was bigger and had a spa head. It was also always stocked with spa type shampoo,conditioner,body wash, and lotion besides the normal soap thing hanging on the shower wall.

 

I recommend upgrading to the spa cabin if the price is close enough and you can afford it.

Thank you for this! My husband got the pass last cruise and he loved it, so we just upgraded to a spa balcony for our trip next month. Didn't know this about the room - I was hesitant about it only because I love SUN, but my husband made a few great points (leaving from NYC in late November we won't have much at the beginning and end, the steam room will help us with potential hangovers, etc LOL) One other thing I heard is the separate spa access from the spa balconies, but haven't been able to find any pics. Could you share more info on that?

I was starting to obsess about the balcony upgrade so we just canceled our bid and called to book a spa balcony. Paid almost the same if we got our bid and paid for the spa access. (And we weren't even guaranteed the upgrade, so we're VERY happy we made the decision)

We booked with Mr Sanchos for February and will actually be there on my daughter's 13th birthday. All she is looking forward to is "tacos and pinatas" - I KNOW we can get tacos at Mr Sanchos, but does anyone know if they sell pinatas? Even little souvenir ones? Or maybe in the shopping area at the pier?

Can you book and pay in full in advance or just do the deposit and pay the remaining portion upon arrival? Also, does anyone know what forms of payment they take?

I just booked and paid a deposit (it was $5 per person, if I remember correctly?) And I paid with my CC online (forced me to go through Paypal, for some reason) ... says cash and cards accepted at the time of visit, but they don't accept Amex (which was good for me to know because we only use Amex most of the time! I factored that cash in to my packing list.

Just received confirmation of successful upgrade from sail away inside rate to spa balcony room for $100pp for the Getaway transatlantic on Oct 15th. Very excited!

I'm curious, was your invite to bid on a general balcony and you got the spa? Or did the invite include the spa balcony as a separate option?

We upgraded to a spa balcony from an inside cabin twice. It was much more economical and enjoyable. Spa balcony has a few of it's own perks. Totally recommend it!

Can you elaborate? My husband was looking into this and thought it may be cheaper to just buy the pass from the cabin we have.

Subbing to read the rest. My husband and I are also about to go on our first weeklong vacation without our daughter - only ours has been almost 15 years (since our honeymoon) and our daughter is 12 :) She begged to not come with us this time (Thanksgiving week, she wants to be with "family" ... other family, not us LOL )

I've never been to GSC, but I know on my NCL webpage it says cabanas are $599 for large and $550 for small. Its under the excursions on NCL.com. Not sure if price varies by week or something, but it hasn't changed since they became available to preorder.

Sorry, I forgot to subscribe to this so never made it back :)

I'm on the NCL site now and see nothing for GSC shore excursion options that say cabanas ... is it within a certain amount of days that it opens maybe? I'm at 57 days.

The Spa access comes with the Spa cabin no matter how it was booked, outright or with an upgrade. I am not sure however if you can specify bidding on a regular spa balcony. We had originally booked a spa balcony and with the upgrade invite - we could have bid on a mini-suite - but could not designate a Spa Mini.

Thank you for answering my question - I appreciate the definitive answer coming from someone who's experienced it, rather than reading stock FAQs (where I did NOT find my answer!)