colesc15

Then you really have no option other than fly in on Saturday and back on Monday if you want lower airfare.

I'll probably just end up paying the little extra to go home Sunday unfortunately

I normally couldn't, but I got a grand suite for less than what we paid for a balcony on the allure last year so I couldn't pass it up.

The first rule of low airfares is you have to be flexible. You just can't have it all your way and get the lowest fare.

 

It appears you want to return on Sunday, the day flights are in highest demand and as a result the fares are the highest. If you instead return on Monday I'm seeing fares as low as $545 on Delta from Chicago. If you return on Tuesday then it drops to $475.

 

I'm sitting in San Juan as I type this because I stayed over one night after my cruise to get a better airfare.

 

Maybe if you think outside the box you could piece meal it together. Try pricing roundtrip flights to FLL on Delta and then rountrip from FLL to SJU on Southwest. I would suggest you consider staying one night in Ft Lauderdale and then flying to San Juan the day of the cruise for two reasons; The first is most hotels in San Juan require a two night minimum stay on the weekends pre-cruise and your ship doesn't leave until 8:30 PM. Many here will pooh-pooh that because they are applying their Chicago/New Jersey/Kansas City mindset that everyone must fly in a day early. Well, once you're down in Ft Lauderdale you're already in the Caribbean.

 

Are you locked into that week? If you go one week earlier or one week later you can reduce your costs on about every aspect of the trip.

Yes I have to go this week. I have a hotel booked in San Juan already for one night for a good pric. I have a great deal on a grand suite for this cruise as well

you want to sell the voucher??? Then you can fly any airline.....let me know pm me

I don't think I would be able to.. My name is on both the $400 vouchers

In the past, when I've flown to Florida in March, typically plane ticket prices came downend kof October. For those who have gone to San Juan in March, when did you typically see a decrease in prices?

This may be an odd suggestion, but check the first/business class fare. If you are stuck with that kind of prices for economy, then adding some for a better seat may be worth it?

 

Other than that, we are used to the high prices and inconvienent itineraries we get going to Puerto Rico- once we had a daily direct flight, then just weekends, then just weekends during holidays.... now it's a tight connection through Atlanta.

 

With the flight length, we do spend the money on first class. It's one of the flights we've found that the delta price isn't as much as most think it is.

First class is like $2800 a person... Lol

Anyone else?

Try booking flights with Delta to and from airports were Jetblue and Southwest and even Airtran have outgoing flights to SJU. That way you can take advantage of your vouchers and maybe getting a good deal with the other airline. But you'll have to book separate instead of connecting in order for this to work. Either way, like they said, it's Spring Break and a LOT of people want to fly into PR so I think no matter what, you'll be having some out-of-pocket expense. How much would depend on how you book. Good Luck!!

I'm hoping not an insane amount out of pocket :)

I know you would prefer delta but take a look at Southwest Airlines

If I chose anything other than Delta, I would be throwing a free $800 out the window though..

I have a cruise booked middle of March.. Right now, every flight I've found, even driving 3 hours away for an airport, are around $700 a person.. For those who have gone to SJU around mid-March, when have you experienced the best prices? I have a decent area of airports I can fly from.. I'd prefer Green bay WI, Milwaukke WI, or Chicago.. I REALLY need the airfare to be with Delta because I have $800 in vouchers that expire in March..

How did you get the pics of Trunk Bay without the trees? Were you sitting in the back or were you on a different taxi altogether?

We must have been on a different taxi.. About the only time we weren't on the same bus lol

We were on the same bus? bc John (I think?) brought us to La Playa and said the rest of the group was already there, and handed us off to Sexy. When it was time to leave Orient, us late comers were told to board the bus last bc the original people needed to sit in their seats first. We were the Asian couple with tattoos in our mid 30s. I had on sunglasses all the time and with bangs and bf has a ponytail but with the sides of his head shaved. He has both his lower sleeves tattooed. I can't imagine Sexy doing more than one tour per day? Esp if we were on the same sailing.

 

I would love to see the pics of Trunk with out the trees. You said you also did the coastal tour, were you on a different safari taxi than us? We were on the first one off the ferry after the coastal tour.

 

Oh also wanted to say, we were the ones late back on the bus from Marigot, and I was carrying that huge coconut. So were you on that bus?

Lol yes, yes, we were on the same bus's for Bernards and I remember you guys getting on the bus at Marigot and same coastal tour taxi and on the way back dropping the extra people off at the Mariott in St Thomas :)

Where have you been looking? At which hotel? Both Villa Herencia and Hotel Casablanca have availability.

I found the new Best Western that isn't even open yet seems to have pretty good pricing right now.. I have that booked as a backup plan incase I can't get a good deal on Priceline.

Not only was I on the same sailing as you, but we also did the same exact two excursions. In St Thomas we did the coastal tour, which I also thought in the beginning would go all the way around the island. We also did Bernards Tour in St Maarten. We also had the timing messed up, so when we arrived, they told us we were an hour late and the tour already left, but they would take us and meet up with the tour at the sea urchin place. We stopped at the Iguana farm for about 3 minutes and hurried to the ocean. Once we met up with Sexy and the group, we were only at that point for a few minutes too. I did enjoy the tour over all though and I felt it was a great value for how cheap it was.

We also got hasseled by the guy in front of Seraphina's and kept asking for money, but this being our 5th cruise, I knew to just keep on walking and ignore them if they don't take no.. We told him no and he kept asking as we walked away, no biggie. We went and ate in Seraphina's and it was some of the BEST food ever. We ordered a sandwhich type thing with pepperoni, and a few desserts and they were all delicious! We had no idea what we were ordering at the time, or how much, but it was great. I loved Maho beach and got some pretty good shots of the planes coming in.

All in all, we loved Bernards Tour.. Other than the time mix up which I felt could have been specified better, it was a good day and I loved St Maarten. The nude beach and topless beach didn't bother us, we just kind of laughed a little whenever we saw something not so pleasant (without them seeing of course).

It's odd seeing all your pictures and knowing we were probably like right next to you on both excursions. I have a few pretty good pictures of Trunk Bay from up on the hill if you want any of them (Without any trees blocking the view or anything)

Hi Victoria - Great Review of the cruise and Disney! You are an incredible travel writer!! A few questions:

What were some of the "stories" you heard regarding scooter rentals in Nassau? DH and I are thinking of doing this if/when we do the Majesty in September. We both ride street and dirt bikes and consider ourselves very experienced but curious of the comment you made. Is this regarding the company/people you rent them from or something else? Again, thanks for the entertaining and informative review! :)

Have you ever been to some of these islands? If you haven't, and plan on going to one, you'll instantly see what she means by stories of people on scooters. The drivers of tour buses/commuters on these islands, by American standers, are risk-takers and drive extremely fast for road conditions and traffic. You're pretty much a sitting duck on scooters for many tour buses who are roaring by you or coming right at you.. I'm assuming this is what she meant by it :)

Okay, before I move on from the Aquapark, I do have a few videos to share -

 

Cruise Day 2: Coco Cay Aquapark

Cruise Day 2: Meredith Attempts the "Balance Beam(?)"

Cruise Day 2: Rachel Slides

Cruise Day 2: Rachel Slides Down the Rock Wall

Loving your review! Me being from the north, the southern accent sticks out big time in your videos! :D

What to do what to do..

The room I have now is deck 11, 11558.. With the bed by the closest.. I was looking on their website, and I could get on deck 10, 10548, which would have the bed by the balcony.. The deck 11 one which I have is a little closer to the elevator, and up one more deck obviously.. Would I be doing a good thing in switching to that cabin, a little farther down the hall and 1 deck down? I'd have to call my travel agent and go through all of that to get it changed.. And the price on the royal website is a little bit more expensive than when I booked so I'm not sure if I'd have to pay the difference even though its in the same category.. Opinions? Should I change or keep it since the location is a little better?

11558 is paired with 11560.

Pretend you are standing in the hallway in front of both. 11558 would be on your LEFT.

11558 has the bed next to the closet.

Is that bad or will it be a problem? It's only two of us in the room.

Cabin 11558 on Allure.. Bed by the balcony or closet? I can't figure it out. Lol.

Cambrian suites. Booked in it for a second time for next year. It's newer and really nice. All the rooms are suites

Graham Seymour by a mile