Jother

First time cruising fro the Brooklyn Cruise port, and I need your advice please.

Three questions:

1.  What’s the best airport to fly into and out of for the Meriviglia?  I’ll be coming from Dallas.

2.  Best way to get from airport to the ship in Brooklyn?  I’m traveling solo.

3.  Anyone have a recommendation for a hotel near the port if I come in a day early?I really want to try out the ship but I don’t have a clue about the logistics, since I’ve never sailed out of Brooklyn before.

Thanks all!  

I am sailing on the Seascape Sunday and MSC does NOT have the emergency phone number(s) for the Seascape posted on its "Ship Phone Numbers" web page.

Do any of my fellow MSC passengers know where I can find the emergency ship contact number (s) for the Seascape to leave with my family?   

I called MSC Customer Service and they said simply to have my family contact them and they'd get a message to me - - but they are not open 24/7.  What if they need to get a message to me at a time when they aren't open.  MSC, clearly, needs to do a lot of improving of their website!

Thanks for any help you can provide me.  "joth"

Check this out from the Seabourn website:

Perhaps they should update their website . . . VERY MISLEADING under the circumstances!

Hi all - 

I'm sailing out of Miami November 21 and December 23 and would like to arrive the evening before from Dallas.  I am looking for a nice, safe hotel that will pick me up at MIA and take me to the port the following morning.  So far, all I have found is a new Comfort Suite at MIA - that provides transfers from the airport and to the port - which is fine at $111 per night.  

I'm just wondering if any of you great cruisers might have other suggestions for overnight pre-cruise stays that include airport pickup and service to Port of Miami the following day.

Thanks in advance - - and I hope all are safe and well!  j

I am a party of one arriving at SAN and needing a transfer to the Crystal Symphony departing from the Cruise Terminal in San Diego.  From what I can tell, this is about a 6 mile journey.  Crystal wants $42 to transfer by bus one-way, which seems a bit high for so short a distance.

I don't know whether or not Uber operates in San Diego, so I would appreciate any guidance you might be willing to offer about the best way to get from the airport to the ship in San Diego on December 21.

Thanks in advance.  Jothie

Yesterday, I saw a chart some wonderful cruiser put together that listed the balcony sizes of all the Norwegian BLISS CAT B1 aft balcony cabins, by deck.  

Of course, today I can't find the post and I'd really like to have it for a reference.

If anyone could point me in the direction where I could find the balcony sizes for each of the B1 cabins on The Bliss, I'd be tremendously grateful.  Thanks in advance.

On NCL's website, it states the category H4 cabins' balcony sizes range from 42-127 sq. ft.   The deck plan of the NCL Joy does not indicate the various sizes of the balconies on the H4 cabins (located on decks 17 & 18).  Would anyone have any idea which H4 category cabins (2 bedroom Haven) have the large balconies - or how I could go about finding out?  Thanks in advance.  Sailing September 28 to Alaska.

I'm sailing on the Seaside for the first time in June and really excited about trying it out.

The ship is offering Nassau excursions to Balmoral Island, Pearl Island or the Blue Lagoon. I've been to the Blue Lagoon and loved it, but I'd like to try something "new" if either Pearl Island or Balmoral Island are recommended. I'm traveling solo and an avid snorkeler.

Can anyone help me out with their opinions of either place?

Thanks in advance.

:confused:And Happy Cruising! Joth:confused::confused:

I'm sailing on the Norwegian Sun June 18-22 and we will only be in Havana one full day and an overnight - - we are leaving at 6am the next morning. All we will have time for is one day and evening of experiencing Cuba, sadly.

Wanting to make the most of our time to see as much Cuba as possible, would any of you who have recently "done" the NCL Cuba sailings be willing to suggest what excursions you like and which ones you would NOT recommend.

It's my understanding we now HAVE to book any tours of Cuba through NCL - - if I'm misunderstanding, please let me know.

Without any knowledge whatsoever of Cuba, these look to be the best of the offerings on the NCL website - but I'd rather hear what's best from those of you who have been there! Thanks SO MUCH!

Evening: An evening stroll in Colonial Havana

Daytime: all are offered at 9:30a and 2:30p)

THE OLD COLONIAL HAVANA

ULTIMATE HIGHLIGHTS OF HAVANA - OLD & NEW

THE LIFE OF HEMINGWAY IN HAVANA

I am scheduled to sail to Cuba on NCL Sun June 22, 2018. I have read their website info about Cuba about 100 times and it states they will issue you the required Visa and charge your cabin $75, which is fine. My question is: How do I go about applying for the visa? Is that done prior to sailing, while on board, or WHAT? Their info page doesn't specify, which is asinine. Thanks in advance! Jother

I'm looking for suggestions of an easy way to kill the day in Orlando when I come off the NCL EPIC on Nov. 25 (Saturday after Thanksgiving).

The ship offers two excursions ending in drop-off at MCO - - but I've already been to the Space Center and the swamp boat ride/transfer is too short.

I'm not into shopping but I do like pools, beaches, etc.

If you have any suggestions, I'd be very appreciative.

Happy sailing! "jother"

Thanks again for all the great information. I decided to go ahead and spring for the WindStar transfers round trip at $69 each way.

I'm just fine with having very tight security anywhere and anytime! This world is getting crazier by the day - - and though no amount of security can keep us 100% safe, I'm all for doing anything that might deter the bad guys out there!

Safe travels, my fellow cruisers!

Kera kraut (206) 733 2963. She's awesome!

Thanks SO much! I've put Kera in my Windstar contacts page!

Thanks so much! I REALLY appreciate the input as I've never sailed out of Costa Rica.

Hi my fellow Windstar lovers. I'm treating myself to the March 11 Costa Rica sailing on the Star Breeze and need some guidance regarding transfers between the SJO airport and the ship in Puerto Caldera.

It's my understanding it is a fairly long transfer and I am a solo traveler. So I'm wondering if buying the transfer from Windstar is my best option - - or if there is something reliable that might be less pricy (though I don't even know the price of the Windstar transfers - I suspect they will be high).

Also, does anyone know how long the transfer is between the airport and the Star Breeze? I'm trying to figure out air schedules.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated! Happy and Health New Year one and all! "jothie"

As a veteran of more than 50 big-ship cruises, I just returned from a week on the Wind Surf and now I am totally enamored with the small-ship experience.

I booked the cruise directly through Wind Surf and did not feel I received good service from the agent with whom I worked.

If any of you Windstar fans out there have an agent at Windstar you feel gives you good service, would you please send over her/his name and any contact info you might have (email/phone, etc.)? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance - - and have a Happy, Healthy, peaceful and FUN New Year! "Joth"

Question about excursions out of Nassau.

I am sailing on the Norwegian Escape March 11 and I am interesting in some really good snorkeling that day. I don't especially care for the excursions offered through NCL, so I was hoping one of my fellow cruisers might have a suggestion for me.

Has anyone done a snorkeling excursion with either Flying Cloud or Seahorse Sailing out of Nassau? Just wondering if anyone has a preference.

Thanks in advance one and all!

Thanks so much for your reply and great suggestion!

I have sent a photo of my leg to my doctor and she is calling in a prescription for a topical lotion to apply twice a day. It is a strong cortisone lotion so, hopefully, that will help! If the itching doesn't subside in another day (it's been one week today since I got the bites), she will add a regimen of Prednisone pills.

Thanks again! Judye

Thanks so much for your info! Do you have any suggestions for what to do, other than the recommended calamine lotion and benadryl, for the itching? It's making me want to claw my skin off!

Maya Key is my favorite place to snorkel in that region! I love the place and always spend wonderful days there.

Last week, November 23, I was at Maya Key for the day and I was, for the first time, devoured by sand fleas/flies. My legs, arms and back were affected and I am MISERABLE! I have huge whelps that seem to be getting worse, rather than better -- and the itching is TORTURE!

PLEASE follow the other posters' advice and take repellant and USE IT! I didn't and I'm paying a huge price for it now!

Thanks so much! Sounds Perfect!

It's so easy to get a taxi from the ship to SXM airport and it's only a few minutes. If you leave the ship at 7:30-am you will be at the airport by 7:45 or 8 which is 2 hours before your flight so this is very doable.

 

Why not relax, find a place to store your luggage and leave the ship later, have lunch or go to the beach and then catch a later flight?

Thanks so much!

If I go with the much cheaper 3pm departure, is there a place nearby where I can have a few hours on the beach and then catch a cab to the airport easily? I'm going to have about 5 hours to kill and I hate to spend it just sitting in the airport.

Hi All - - I'm getting ready for my first cruise on Wind Surf and my first sailing out of St. Martin - - of course I have a few questions I'm hoping you more Windstar experienced folks can help me with.

1. What it the best way to purchase transfers to/from SXM airport to Wind Surf on arrival and departure days?

2. Is it totally safe to book a 10am departure from SXM, or would it be better to book a 3p departure (which, actually, is half the price but doesn't get me into Dallas until after 10pm)? If you "vote" for the 3p departure, you you have any suggestions how I can kill time between when I have to disembark and arrive at the airport for the departure. I just hate the thought of having to hang out in the SXM airport for SEVEN hours! But, if that's what I am better off doing - - I'll just load up on books or iPad movies and do it!

Thanks as Always! Joth!

I can't thank you enough for your input and opinions. As someone who has always sailed on the big ships, you have really helped me "prepare" for the total difference of these small vessels.

I'm still "shopping" for the best rate for December and am facing the total sticker shock of airfares from Dallas to St. Maartin (Wind Surf) and Barbados (Royal Clipper) - both are over $1000! That, in addition to the solo rate for an outside cabin, and I could almost afford TWO cruises on a "regular" cruise in balcony cabins. But I really want to try one of the sailing ships.

Again, thank for all the great info! Happy cruising to you! "joth"