EscaladeHybrid

If depends how old is your child, my 2 year old would be pushed over for sure. a 6 year old probably not. towards the end of the day waves were harder, but nothing crazy if you float on the waves.

Yes, sorry forgot to mention because mentioned it in my other post. Yes, Publix had the milk, Aisle 2 near cereal section. I bought so much that brought it home with me. It is of paramount importance to have it when in ports. It was a breeze, Baby enjoyed the cruise!!!! She had her favourite spots to visit and come back every day and was thrilled about the whole experience. Even flights were a breeze!!! She just played with all the new toys that I bought non stop!!!! It was great!! Thank you so much to all for your advices!!!

Hi guys, I am back and happy to report that I did buy some diamonds The experience wasn’t great. I tried to visit a couple of shops where I felt that I was cheated all the time. 1k earrings, he takes out the calculator and tells me $5K. I didn’t see any deals at all and it was basically waste of my beach time. Thanks God that before coming I emailed back and force with Vince from Royal Jewellers and came to his shop where he showed me what we have discussed before and gave me good price right away without calculator’s BS and without wasting my time on haggling. I hate the experience to be honest. Why each diamond doesn’t have price tag on it with it’s characteristics, instead you have to ask about everything. Didn’t like it at all, if didn’t talk with Vince before, probably wouldn’t buy anything at all….

Hi guys, I am back and happy to report about my experience at Sonesta. This is fantastic hotel!!! While there are better hotels out there, the location of this hotel cannot be beat!!! It has those primate bros for quick meal plus Publix is within walking distance where you can buy fried chicken, Champaign for the beach, anything you want really. I really enjoyed my stay and there is nothing bad that I can say about this hotel!!! Highly recommend!!!

Hi guys, I am back and happy to report that at the end I did decide to visit Orient beach and I am so happy that I did!!! This is the exact ideal beach for me and my toddler. There were waves but not a big deal. My toddler was riding the waves with daddy. My toddler doesn’t have any interest in water and it was actually the only beach that she liked because of waves. The beach was nice and wide, the amount of people didn’t bother me at all because it was huge beach so lots of room to spread out. Saw 1 or 2 nudes, not a big deal. Highly recommend, this beach was the highlight of our trip!!! And I am so glad that we chose it at the end!!!! Thank you all for your input!!!

Hi guys, I am back and happy to report that we have no problem whatsoever with our my time dining. We had reservations and also sometimes didn’t observe them but just showed up any time we wanted and always were seated right away, never ever waited for anything. Did a variety of dining anywhere between 5.00 pm and 9.30 pm. It’s possible to see all shows and eat in the restaurants every single day, just do a bit of planning and everything will be good! Enjoy!!

Hi guys, I am back and I am happy to report that I did find that non-refrigerated milk. It was at Publix Aisle 2 along with cereal products so it’s all good. I bought a lot of supply and even brought some with me home to have it because it’s so convenience, it was indispensable item for my trip.

Hi guys, I’m back and we visited Sapphire beach. Very nice beach, beautiful, a little bit too small for my liking, but very nice, picturesque with beautiful setting in the background, the sand is a bit rocky and the snorkeling wasn’t that great! I did see a few corals and that’s about it…. So a bit disappointed. I know people will say here you have to know where to snorkel, but really you have no time in the world to explore the entire beach from the left to the right…. I thought that there will be abundance of colorful fish but it wasn’t. but overall beach was nice and I’m glad that I visited it!

Hi guys, I returned back and happy to report that indeed there was plenty of milk on the ship. The room attendant was bringing ice every evening and we keep it cold that way. It is imperative to bring with you some shelf milk that doesn’t need refrigeration because you will definitely need it while going to the beach.

In regards to taxis and child car seats, both times we were approached by private drivers that took us without car seat. I mean we still used it because we already had it but I asked and they said that wouldn’t care much. However, regular taxi won’t take you without car seat because they will get fine. I didn’t use UBER because didn’t have time for it. Drivers just approach you and you agree to go with them because this is the easiest and fastest way!

Thank you I did that already. Did search and it showed me Whole Foods, printed map how to get to that store while in FLL. Also considering Horizon brand that ppl say will be sold in Publix which I can walk to from my hotel while in FLL.... So I guess I am set to go. Nothing in certain of course because none of the store would confirm that they have it because people that I talked to have no idea what I am talking about and clearly have no idea what their stores sell which as I was told here a common problem in Florida. :)

I see, thanks for letting me know. Are they allowed to deliver us to the port?

Thank you for letting me know. I did go ahead and registered a week or so ago and was surprised that it allowed me to estimate a trip in FLL..... Thanks for the code I will definitely use it. Since we will be arriving midnight, I will not be chancing it on the luck, so I guess I must take a seat with me. If uber won't be available, then I will be stuck in the airport because I even called GOVAN or whatever it's called and they told me to bring a seat and it was a commercial van so it looks like it does apply to all public transportation. well except bus probably not ....

Also I am reading that in order to get to Little Bay you need to take a water taxi. So is it water taxi from the cruise dock or regular ground taxi? Again it will be 4 of us plus 1 toddler, looking for faster and more economical way....

Yea, i will be visiting St.Maartin for a short period of time, just one day and want to do some diamond shopping as well so I don't think that it will worth time renting a car. Great Beach is out of question, thank you so much for letting me know about it. I youtubed both Le Galion and Little Bay and am not crazy about that. Is Orient a bad beach? I liked it on youtube but oh all those crowds of people. Who have been please let me know, is it really as bad as it looks? Is that beach loud and obnoxious??

Yea, I am really torn here and cannot make the decision. I youtubed: Le Galion and Secret Harbour and both just do not look nice to me. Kinda small beaches, nothing spectacular about them.... Now I am thinking, maybe I will do all my snorkeling in St.Thomas and will come to Orient in St.Thomas.... I like Orient, it's wide and long but when I see all those crowds of people with 3 rows with chairs it doesn't look appealing at all....I'm kinda stuck and not sure what to do. Maybe I should just stuck to the beach that is closest to the port: Big Bay Beach or whatever it's called?

Yea, you are so right about Canadian dollar being at its lowest point. When I take the price, I have to convert it into Canadian which becomes even more.... I know but still it would be nice to return back with some nice stone, even a little one, that way when I look at it, it will remind me of my first vacation with the baby! I simply don't want to buy any jewelry locally for that matter. I like to have something that reminds me of good times. you know what I mean?

So far he offered me the following: colour H-I, clarify SI1, 1 carat =$1,595, 0.75 c = $750 and 0.5 c = $499. I compared prices with bluenile.com and it gives me for the same characteristics 1c = 2,300CAD, 0.75=1,400 CAD, 0.5=950CAD.

So I guess prices are not bad. It looks like the bigger the diamond, the more of a deal you get. I don't want to spend that much and maybe will rethink about diamond studs in favour of some pattern diamonds earrings, with some design which will probably be impossible to put a comparison because it will consist of little diamonds vs a solid stone....

Geez!!! what do you want from me more?!?! I told you that since I started this thread I bought additional car seat and my baby rides now in seat. She was in seat before from time to time, sometimes it's hard to keep her there when she is crying and fighting, so I was sometimes taking it freely and would take her out to show her around but NOT ANYMORE!!! She is in her convertible seat now where she faces the front, not the back of the car and it became much easier!!!

Regarding milk, following advise I started diluting it with water and this is what she drinks but still wants milk even though it's diluted, she won't take just water just yet. Also, I find it when I dilute, she started waking up in the middle of the night more often because she hungry not to bringing her milk vs. diluted milk right now!!! Stop saying that I don't follow advise. I am very appreciative of all advice and most people are really nice and thank you so much to each of you for your time. It has been really helpful to hear your thoughts!!!

Thank you so much all for your suggestions. There are some great points. I will think about it and will consult with my husband. For now I am thinking to still bring my jogging stroller, once I return back I will report back whether it was a pain or not. Thanks also in regards to car seat advise, if I take the small one, it will really be a breeze for me because it fits on top of my jogging stroller so we won't need to carry it in our hands..... I am hoping cabi won't be checking and pointing to us that it's too small for us and refusing taking us. It's just 5 mile drive so it's ridiculous to worry about it so much but who knows. I would hate to be in the situation to be stuck at the airport in the middle of the night, this is when we arrive.

Mine it says on the website 24" so I guess I should be good?....

Oh really?!Oh I am so disappointed! Well, I have kinda light-weight graco stroller with small whee;s, but it is so crappy. Baby never sits in there so there is no point in taking it at all..... Oh then I don't know what to do. My baby is not one of those where she sits that you ride her around and show her everything. She won't sit for a minute, she wanna get out, touch everything, walk around! So I even don't know whether there is a need to take it in the first place.... I thought if I take then I am going to take jogging stroller because it goes to the beach, it's wide and comfy and she may sleep there while on the beach so this was the only reason why I was thinking to bring it.... But in reality maybe I don't even need it. Like for example, why would you need a stroller to use aboard the ship?? Let's say we wake up in the morning, go to breakfast, she will sit there in a high chair, then we go hangout by the pool if that's the sea day. The baby will walk with us and will play in her inflatable pool with her toys, or she will go explore the ship with her daddy, in no way she would want to sit in the stroller. if it's not sea day, we would go to the port, I thought at this point it will be handy because while on the beach, she would sleep there.... And that's the only reason really. But who knows maybe that stroller will be more of a pain than a convenience. In the evening, again restaurant the baby is sitting in high chair, theaters/shows, the baby is sitting on the lap..... So do please let me know what do you think. I either have to refuse idea taking it at all with us or if taking then only jogging stroller for the comfort and it's so much easier to push, I hate regular strollers, I always want to throw it away when I use it after my jogging stroller with easier maneuvering....

Thank you so much for taking the time and giving me your advice. I really appreciate and you summarize it with all the good points! I totally agree with everything. On the car seat, I do keep her in the car seat, since I started this thread, now the toddler has 2 seats: the older bucket one and the new convertible one. She is just hitting 20 pounds so technically she can still be in the infant car seat. Now when I am driving I put her in the convertible car seat, but I am thinking for the travel, it will be so so so much easier if I can take that infant seat, it’s so much smaller and clicks on top of my stroller vs. dragging the convertible seat around. I will basically need it only for a short taxi ride, 5 miles and it’s such a waste to drag it with me for that purpose so I was thinking maybe I will still take my infant car seat but my worry is that the taxi driver will look at it and refuse us to take it in it saying that this baby is too old for this seat…. What do you think? Can they refuse taking us telling us that this seat is too small for the baby. As I said she is hitting the mark……

Milk, I should be all good, will be non-refrigerated once and will follow your advice with cooler and ice.

With stroller, I havae really big jogging stroller with big wheel, it’s heavy and huge but it’s very convenient, it will ride on the sand, it has ton of room where I can load it with stuff. My baby doesn’t sit in stroller much so umbrella would be useless. I would take jogging stroller to the beach to have her sleep in there while on the beach and at the same time it has room to load our stuff inside. I mean at the end of the day, I won’t carry stroller per se, it will be checked at the gate, and then once out, I will load it with stuff and hopefully baby will sit in it for a bit…. Why are you against big stroller? I think it’s so convenient to have, even around the ship. Again I put load it with my bag, milk, toys and all that and we would ride around in it. If staying at the pool deck, I would park it beside our lounge chairs, unless it’s not allowed. What’s the use of umbrella stroller…..

Again maybe I am wrong, it’s all in my imagination and only my thoughts because I never traveler with the baby and never travelled with that stroller and car seat…..Chime in

Read the link, woman!!!;):p

 

 

 

Now, you better come back and tell us that they had the milk, your child loved it and you had a wonderful cruise!:D

Haha, totally!!! I will report back upon my return!!! Thank you guys a lot!!!

I just called and find out and am posting here for others to know so the formal night is on 2nd and 6th day of the cruise and the parade is on the 1rst day of cruise, two times in the afternoon, and in the evening. So will schedule my activities around that.

OMG!!! It worked!!! I changed the store at the top to 2501 Sunrise at Galeria because this is the one closest and it still gave me my product!!! Says Aisle 2. OMG, I am so happy!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!!! Does it mean that it's in stock and it's all good? Or they do not reflect inventory online?

Ok, I am looking right now and filtered to put Horizon and Organic Valley and it doesn't have small containers. All are 0.5 gallons as the person on the phone said.... Did you see 8 oz box in Isle 2 at Galleria Publix there? I'm sorry for being maybe too annoying.... :(