CruiseDreamer28

Thanks everyone! We decided to go with the oceanview. We're on the main deck now, no longer under the pool or fitness center. :-) That was a good tip!! I'm sure we would be happy no matter where our cabin is, just being on board is the important part, but I do think we will enjoy the daylight. Now, is it too early to start packing... ;-)

It's $49 pp total, so a hundred bucks. Thanks for the input, you make some really good points. We're leaning towards the oceanview, I think we'll go for it!

We've been offered a deal on upgrades for our upcoming HAL Zuiderdam cruise. We're booked as a GUAR MM and have been offered an upgrade to an oceanview for $49pp or to a Verandah for $179pp. I've only sailed in inside cabins and have never felt like I was missing out. The ships are beautiful and there's so much to do, I can't imagine wanting to sit in my cabin. Am I missing out? What would you recommend/not recommend about upgrading?

Great suggestions everyone. Thanks!! Keep them coming 😁

I've read the Gurnsey book I agree, it's good. We must like the same books. I'll check out the others. Thanks!

I love anything Mitch Albom

I'm starting with Tuesdays With Morrie. Looks like something I'm going to like. Thanks!

If you like Grisham, you might enjoy a legal mystery series by Paul Levine about a college football star/NFL washout turned lawyer called Jake Lassiter. The first book is called 'To Speak for the Dead.' It has some humor, interesting characters and nothing over the top twisted or graphic (but not cozy or romancey either). TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD (Jake Lassiter Legal Thrillers Book 1) - Kindle edition by Paul Levine. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003SHDUD6/ref=cm_cr_srp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

Good call! I think I'm going to like these!

There are two books by Hans Mateboer a retired HAL captain. Light reading and lots of interesting "inside" stories of life on a cruise ship. Not sure if they are available electronically, however.

I'm not able to find these. Do you know the titles?

I'm trying to load my Kindle for an upcoming Caribbean/Panama cruise. I read pretty quickly so I'm hoping to find at least 20 or so new books. I mostly enjoy light, not too intense material, no thrillers or graphic murder stories. Please don't make me cry ;)

John Grisham is my fave, I've read them all. I just finished Beautiful Exiles by Meg Waite Clayton - so good! I highly recommend it, especially is you're an Ernest Hemingway fan.

Thanks RachaelBelle! It's good to know that you've had success with a scooter and I appreciate the encouragement! I hope you also have a fabulous cruise (I should say cruises. Lucky!)

We will be in Puerto Limon from 8:30am to 4 in the afternoon on a Thursday. Does anyone have any tips on the best thing(s) to see and do there? We prefer to be independent or at least semi-independent, we do not enjoy the large, crowded tours. Thanks!

Great advice, poolreader! Thanks so much. I was thinking a walker might be a good idea. I've been eyeing the ones with a seat since it can be hard for me to stand for extended periods of time. It's good to know I'm not the only one.

I'm hoping that someone with some experience in this area can help me. I have a connective tissue disorder that causes a great deal of pain and difficulty getting around, but only sometimes. Sometimes I can get around without any assistance but other times I wear braces on my ankles and/or knees and use a cane or crutches. With normal activity, I can get by most days by taping and using small, discreet braces. However, with the amount of activity on a cruise, I expect that I will need more.

Here's my concern - I am in my 40s and don't "look" disabled. If I'm walking around on my own just fine one day and the next day I request assistance, am I going to run into problems? Are wheelchairs/walkers/crutches available to rent onboard (HAL) or should I bring my own just in case? Should I be prepared and have a note from my doctor ready to go?

I just read through a post about how frustrated folks are with "able bodied" passengers taking up the accessible cabins. I will be in a regular cabin, but have to say that reading that post scared me a little!

Hubby and I will be in Curacao from 8am to 11pm on a Sunday. We definitely want to rent a car and have read many great suggestions for car rental agencies and snorkeling beaches. I have a couple of concerns: first, I have knee and ankle problems and need easy snorkeling beaches. For reference, we snorkel in Maui often. I don't use flippers and I do fine, but do stay near to shore. It sounds like snorkeling here is pretty rough. Can anyone comment on that?

Second, for the same reason I can't do too much walking. I'm in my 40s and otherwise healthy, but have to chose my activities carefully. More bang for the buck, so to speak. Can anyone suggest walks or easy hikes that are worth the effort? If there are sights to be seen from the car, that's great too. I don't want to miss out on life or skimp on our vacation because of my limitations but I do need to plan ahead.

We are renting a car. That way we can stop where we want for as long as we want. Also less than the cost of a tour.

We're interested in renting a car also, but not sure where to go. Any tips?

When you say it's just outside the gate, are you saying that it's a walk-up kind of deal or do you reserve in advance?

Is parking a consideration in either location?

My hubby and I have a house in Maui and have driven to Hana many, many times. I can say that for us, it's always exhausting and always takes more time than you think it's going to. Don't get me wrong, it's worth it, it's just that you can't (or shouldn't in my opinion) schedule too tightly. Every inch of it is gorgeous and we find something new every time. We tend to skip most of the spots listed in the guidebooks as they are crowded and it can be really hard, and dangerous, to park. I would opt to spend more time exploring and Skip Mama's, but I'm sure you will find others who disagree. I just feel like you can have a nice meal with a lovely view in many places, but there's only one Road to Hana.

You could ride the Tri-Rail train for about $5 each from MIA to FLL and then taxi/Uber ($15/$10) to your ship.:D

Question about the train. Have you done it? We kind of like that idea because, if it's anything like the train in Seattle, it would be a nice way to see a bit of scenery along the way as opposed to traveling the interstate. Do you have any idea how far we would have to walk to catch the train? Is it right at the airport?

Great info, just what we needed to know. I feel much better about booking this way knowing that others have been successful and that I have several options. Thanks so much!

This question has probably been answered before, but I looked and couldn't find the answer...

We are looking at a cruise out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale in October. Flights from Seattle are significantly less expensive and non-stop if we fly in to Miami rather than Fort Lauderdale. We would have plenty of time (about 8 hours) between the flight landing and needing to be at the terminal. It appears to be a reasonable distance between the two. Can anyone help us figure out how we would get from the airport to the terminal? Are there shuttles? taxi? Uber? rental car? Appreciate the help!

I would add the Polynesian Cultural Center and Hanauma Bay for snorkeling.

I highly recommend spending as much time as possible. You can't really see and do everything in one day. We paid about $20 (I can't remember exact amount) to have a tour guide. While I'm normally a fan of independent touring, in this case it was well worth the cost. They know how to get you to as many exhibits as possible in a day. Enjoy!