Mitsugirlys FASCINATION with San Juan-review & pictorial

[Arzeena]

Kim

 

Is Sakari's name of Indian or Norwegian origin? Its a very unusual and sweet name.

[KatEnz]

Yay another review (subscribing)!

 

I recently stumbled upon your NCL Getaway review. We will be on the Getaway the week of Nov 13 and it’s our first NCL cruise in about 7 years. We traveled RCL in 2009 and Carnival during the swine flu epidemic (forget what year). After that we did a lot of land traveling. Anyways, after reading the first page of your review, I was hooked and turned into a Mitsygurly fan. I ended up reading all your other reviews in a week. They were all so informative and entertaining. Plus, Sakari is adorable!

 

I’m so glad to see you made it to Puerto Rico again. My mother’s side of the family lives in PR and I lived there for about four years when I was a teenager. I haven’t visited in over 10 years and your posts made me a little nostalgic. Just yesterday a family friend was at San Juan port and posted a picture eating a local treat and I told hubby that the next time we cruise there, I was going to eat my way around San Juan, ha. I was disappointed to see how expensive it was to eat at those resorts. We usually eat really well when we visit and for cheap.

 

Next time you visit and have time, check out Manati. There is a beach there that hubby and love called Mar Chiquita. It was so beautiful the last time we visited. There is also Guanica and Culebra. Depending on your time, you can even take a ferry to Vieques, the beaches there are gorgeous.

 

If you loved Puerto Rico as much as you did, I think you would love Costa Rica. The wildlife, the beaches, the snorkeling, the food and the people. It’s beautiful there. There are many all inclusive resorts you can take a look at if you decide to take a break from cruising later on.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[keeponcruising]

Loving your review as usual. Thanks for the close up of your new tattoo. I was wondering if it was there in other reviews and I missed it. Now I know it is new. It is real cute. How bad did it hurt?

[aztekpm]

Enjoying the review and well I did it! Cancelled my April NCL Pearl cruise and booked out of SJU thru RCI to the ABC's.

 

A little more expensive than Carnival's Southern, but for the ABC's a really good price in comparison!

 

Oh BTW ... I blame you LOL :p

Edited September 9, 2016 by aztekpm

[mitsugirly]

Loving your review like always! Can't wait for more!!!!:)

 

Thank you!

 

Yup, they have a couple 8 day sailings but none to the south, she does the East and West only, as far as St Kitts :)

 

 

Oh ok. Thanks. :)

[mitsugirly]

Just went to Secret Harbor. Very nice beach.

 

Would like to hear more. ;)

 

Kim

 

Is Sakari's name of Indian or Norwegian origin? Its a very unusual and sweet name.

 

Indian. It means sweet like sugar. :)

[mitsugirly]

ay another review (subscribing)!

 

I recently stumbled upon your NCL Getaway review. We will be on the Getaway the week of Nov 13 and it’s our first NCL cruise in about 7 years. We traveled RCL in 2009 and Carnival during the swine flu epidemic (forget what year). After that we did a lot of land traveling. Anyways, after reading the first page of your review, I was hooked and turned into a Mitsygurly fan. I ended up reading all your other reviews in a week. They were all so informative and entertaining. Plus, Sakari is adorable!

 

I’m so glad to see you made it to Puerto Rico again. My mother’s side of the family lives in PR and I lived there for about four years when I was a teenager. I haven’t visited in over 10 years and your posts made me a little nostalgic. Just yesterday a family friend was at San Juan port and posted a picture eating a local treat and I told hubby that the next time we cruise there, I was going to eat my way around San Juan, ha. I was disappointed to see how expensive it was to eat at those resorts. We usually eat really well when we visit and for cheap.

 

Next time you visit and have time, check out Manati. There is a beach there that hubby and love called Mar Chiquita. It was so beautiful the last time we visited. There is also Guanica and Culebra. Depending on your time, you can even take a ferry to Vieques, the beaches there are gorgeous.

 

If you loved Puerto Rico as much as you did, I think you would love Costa Rica. The wildlife, the beaches, the snorkeling, the food and the people. It’s beautiful there. There are many all inclusive resorts you can take a look at if you decide to take a break from cruising later on.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

 

Wow! You were able to read all of my reviews in only a week? :eek: I don't even know if I could do that unless I didn't eat and sleep. :D Thanks so much for enjoying them enough to read them all. I really appreciate it.

 

I can't imagine living in PR for several years and not being able to get back and visit. The place is just amazing! I'd have to find an excuse to go back yearly just to visit relatives. :D I will definitely put the Manati on my list as well as the beaches that you mentioned. Thank you for this information. (I just looked this up and that beach is beautiful and the way it's in a circle shape is pretty darn neat!) When I looked up Guanica, I found a neat beach that also said "gilligans island" All of these places are the opposite direction from where we were so that would be neat to explore the other side.

 

Isn't Costa Rico where they filmed Jurassic Park? I would love to go there as well.

[mairinmaureen]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awww, man! I was hoping the Labyrinth would be like the one in The Shining.

Edited September 9, 2016 by mairinmaureen

[mitsugirly]

Loving your review as usual. Thanks for the close up of your new tattoo. I was wondering if it was there in other reviews and I missed it. Now I know it is new. It is real cute. How bad did it hurt?

 

Nope. Kendra opened up a new tattoo shop (like she needs more businesses, already has 2 others, and I ended up getting this tat. She found it and we decided to both get it...on the foot...yeeouch! I have always heard that was the worse place to get it. It was painful, but I have a very high tolerance for pain, so I did well. Kendra, not so well. She was a baby about it and I didn't let her live it down. However, it did take mine FOREVER to heal. My foot was swollen to the point that I couldn't even put a shoe on for 2 weeks. Hers was perfect within 3 days. I have poor circulation so...a part of getting old I guess. LOL We have 2 mother-daughter matching tats so far and looking for a third. :D

 

Enjoying the review and well I did it! Cancelled my April NCL Pearl cruise and booked out of SJU thru RCI to the ABC's.

 

A little more expensive than Carnival's Southern, but for the ABC's a really good price in comparison!

 

Oh BTW ... I blame you LOL :p

 

 

:eek: Oh no you don't. You can't blame me for the added expense to the ABC's :p Only the SJ part. :) But I just have to say...lucky you!

[mitsugirly]

Awww, man! I was hoping the Labyrinth would be like the one in The Shining.

:eek: :D

[JKirkN]

Now I thought that I read to sit on the left side of the plane to see the forts when coming in. But maybe I was wrong. I did not see any forts but was able to catch the beaches and hotels and I'm sure where we would be staying that last day of our "mini-land" vacation was somewhere in that mixture below.

 

 

 

 

I'm just coming into this review now, so someone might have already mentioned this...but you DID see the forts on the left side...

 

[mitsugirly]

DAY 3-SEA DAY

 

 

 

 

 

We had signed up for the Dr Seuss breakfast (as we do every time) and Sakari always looks forward to it. We had signed up on the first day of the cruise. They called us the night before to confirm our reservations. Sigh...that means on our only sea day, we would still have to get up early in the morning for this even that Sakari wanted to go to. Man the sacrifices we make for our children.

 

I set my alarm for 7:45am. When it went off, I turned it off and laid there staring into the black space in front of me. Do I really want to do this? I could just pretend that I didn't hear the alarm. The alarm didn't go off for some reason. I mean an 8 year old will believe anything right? Sigh. Ok, enough of that talk...I went ahead and rolled out of bed and figured why should today be any different than the rest of the cruise. Right? Late to bed, early to rise it is then.

 

We headed down to the MDR and was first in line. Were we at the wrong MDR? Is it the wrong time and I could have slept in? Finally people started to come and I felt at ease. I guess I was just punctual. Believe it or not, Kendra made it there too.

 

 

 

 

 

They signed us in and showed us to our table. Let the fun begin!

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Immediately we started with the water issue.

 

We told our waiter that we didn't want water. He came around several times...and then did this anyhow.

 

 

The hubby wanted coffee or he's not pleasant in the mornings. When his water was filled, he took the glass and set it across the table where no one was sitting. He had already ask for coffee several times with none being brought back to him. Once again, the waiter came by, gave him another glass and poured more water. At this point he was getting very upset. He finally spoke up and told him

 

I did not want water the first time you asked.

I did not want water the second time you asked.

I did not want water when you filled my glass anyhow

and I certainly don't want it again he said with a high brow.

 

I do not want water here

I do not want water there

I do not want water here nor there

I do not want it anywhere!

I came here for coffee, green eggs and ham

I will not drink water Sam I Am!

 

I WANT COFFEE, just like I have asked one time, two times, three times before. I want coffee more.

 

They brought his coffee! All was good in the world again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

We had put in our order with our waiter and the all of a sudden they decided to sit another family at our table. We will name them the screamer family. It took them forever to come back and even take the other families order.

 

Meanwhile I noticed that the food was being brought out. Every single table around us was eating. EVERYONE in the entire place was eating except for 1) Us and 2) a few families that came in late at the same time "our" new table mates did. Now remember...we were the VERY first people into the dining room and the first seated.

 

The characters started coming around. First it was Thing 1 and Thing 2. I have noticed these characters are always overly playful. Their hair is whack and therefore for some reason they like to make the children's hair whack. They always play with Sakari's hair and it ends up sticking straight out and they might as well ask her to substitute for one of them if they become ill.

 

 

 

I played it smart this time! I pulled her hair back and braided it and spit shined it and loaded it with hairspray! HA! I win!

 

 

 

Next up was the Seuss himself. He's running for President you know?

 

 

 

 

Still waiting on that food to arrive. Meanwhile, those around us are finished with their breakfast and are now being served "desert". Sigh.

 

They staff came out singing and dancing. Cute, but this meant no one was serving us and we were still waiting on food.

 

 

The screamer family across from us had 2 children. One particular child kept waving at Sakari and said he knew her from the kids club. This trend would continue the rest of the cruise. We would hear them coming first and then he would appear and wave to Sakari. His little brother...lets just say he needs a muzzle or some corrective action taken. He would scream non-stop. No exaggeration at all. He was a girly screamer. A high pitched screamer! Just to scream. The mother, father and (what I would assume) was the grandmother...did nothing. Nothing at all to stop him, to distract him, to remove him...nuttin! Annoying. These guys give kids a bad name and they are the reason that people on the boards hate traveling around kids and families and they are the people that are asking for adult only cruises...because of families like this. Don't get me wrong. I've been there before. I'm a mother of 4. I get it. But DO SOMETHING!! Distract them, teach them it's not ok. Remove them if you have to. I've went without food plenty of times when I had to remove my child from a restaurant for the comfort of others. Please!!! Geesh! More on this family much later.

 

 

[JKirkN]

Thanks so much.

 

 

Yea biobay just wasn't as I expected. I really thought the glow would be a lot more. It's so hard to describe what we saw, which was really neat, but I definitely expected more. It would have to be pitch black out to really experience it and honestly, that's never going to happen with all the city lights around.

 

I'm so sorry to hear this. :( When we went for the first time in Oct. 2013 it was amazing...just like the pictures... LOTS of them and running our hands through the water got them all stirred up...

 

Shortly after we were there though, there was something that killed most of them off and the bay went dark for a year or so...

 

It finally started coming back to life but then the problem with the sargassum (kind of like seaweed) happened. The tides turned in towards the bay and the sargassum got pushed in...and it took all the oxygen out of the water and killed off most of the dino's again... So when we got there in Sept. 2015, they ended up cancelling our tour because they just weren't there enough to notice yet...

 

They are gradually coming back...but it may be years or decades before they are back the way they used to be.

 

I've heard that the one over on Vieques is still pretty good, but that one is hard to get to...

[mitsugirly]

Finally our food came and we inhaled it because we couldn't wait to leave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yea yea, give me dessert. Hurry. Gulp, Slurp, Guzzle, Swallow. Let's go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Well crap. Sam I Am just arrived. We must stay for pictures with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are done. We are outta here. What an experience!

[shark Fan]

Our arrival time was 12:10...ish.

 

We blindly headed out of the airport, after gathering our rather "loud" luggage so it's easily spotted and looks like something from the drug induced days of the flower child, to try to figure out where the car rental place is.

 

Directly out of the airport terminal you will see the rental area across the traffic picking up passengers. It's time to play frogger and hope for the best.

 

Inside we went and we would find the line to be a little long, with only 2 people working the counter for both Budget and I believe Avis...ALL TOGETHER. Ugh. It was about an hour wait. It was long, we were tired, it felt like the clock wasn't moving this time.

 

I had originally thought I would rent from Charlies, as suggested on here, then I received an email from Southwest stating that if I rented with Budget I would get a discount and earn double points or something like that. So, that's why I ended up renting with Budget.

 

When it was finally our turn, we were assigned our keys and told to head to the parking garage to find our car.

 

Once we made it out there and found our "parking spot number" assigned to us, we noticed 2 ladies in the car with it running. Ok, did they just assign us a car that was just returned? I stood there not knowing what to do. I questioned the hubby several times about "are you sure that's our car?". We double and triple checked the tag number, the type of car, and the location it was sitting in.

 

When we noticed the lady in the drivers seat put the car in reverse, I was shocked. I immediately banged on the car several times and she stopped and rolled down the window. "Um, you have my car?!?" She said that the worker told her this was her car and she double checked with them. I showed her my paperwork. She pulled back in and got out and started taking her things out of the car. A worker came up and looked at my paperwork and told her "Yes, you have this persons car". Then, they started looking at her paperwork...well guess what...it was HER car too! They had assigned us both to the same car! UGH! At this point I'm getting really agitated, which usually doesn't happen for me but we are all Hangry at this point. Life is never good when we are hangry.

 

Once again, we were stuck waiting in the line outside now to try to get answers and figure out what car was ours while the ladies put their things back in the car and proceeded to leave in my assigned car.

 

They finally managed to assign us another car and we were on our way. We ended up with a Ford Focus and if you are an owner of a Focus, I'm sorry (for you). This had to be the slowest piece of crap I have ever drove before. Seriously. I was the little engine that couldn't in the hills of Puerto Rico. Next time I need to request a car with some power. The size was fine and the gas mileage was AWESOME, but the car...geesh. I think my kids have go-carts that run quicker than that car. Are they all like that?

 

We headed out of the building and onto the road...and had absolutely no idea where we were going. I was trying desperately to get my googlemaps to work and it just wasn't. I ended up pulling over to try to figure out how to get my phone to work and what setting it needed to be on while in PR to work.

 

Once we got the map working, we just wanted to head to the nearest food place we could find...and that said it was Subway. Ok, fine with me!

 

Bought my 17yrd son a ford focus and we love it. For being a person who "makes the best of everything even if it's a bad situation" you sure do complain a lot during your reviews. One can say the same about the "reviews!":rolleyes:

[perfect match]

We have family in town visiting, so I have fallen behind, but I'm here now and all caught up! At least for now.

 

Lindquist Beach was beautiful,, but that lifeguard was totally unacceptable! I know the beach wasn't very crowded, but it only takes one swimmer with a problem and one lifeguard who is not doing his job to turn into a tragedy. I'm hoping he was just having a bad day and he isn't always like that.

 

Your snorkeling pictures were really good. I was surprised to see how many different fish you spotted there. I have to tell you, though, that those fish who look so very different as juveniles than they do as adults or in the terminal phase of their lives drive me crazy! It is going to take me the rest of my life to learn all of them in all,phases of their lives. :eek: Good job with the French Angel! :D

[mitsugirly]

Bought my 17yrd son a ford focus and we love it. For being a person who "makes the best of everything even if it's a bad situation" you sure do complain a lot during your reviews. One can say the same about the "reviews!":rolleyes:

 

LOL, It's all in good fun. There was seriously something wrong with that car. I have drove a focus before. I almost bought one as a daily driver for my job. This one was super slow. It felt like it wouldn't make it up the hills most of the time. It was a piece of crap. It's also totally unacceptable for the car rental place to assign the same car to 2 people. That's not good business and I don't know anyone that would appreciate it. So yea, if the business and service is bad...I'm going to call it like it is.

 

Like I said, I do my reviews all in good fun. Otherwise it would be boring. I add in our experiences and humor with a little bit of sarcasm. If you haven't figured that out yet...I'm sorry. We make light of most things we do and laugh about them as they happen and afterwards. We constantly laughed about our "sports car that couldn't" every time we got in it.

 

Are you one that thinks every review should be "perfect" with no complaints and sugar coat things? Or do you expect them to be terrible so that you can tell them they complain a lot? :rolleyes: I do my reviews the way I see them and I have fun with them. Take it or leave it. :cool:

 

We have family in town visiting, so I have fallen behind, but I'm here now and all caught up! At least for now.

 

Lindquist Beach was beautiful,, but that lifeguard was totally unacceptable! I know the beach wasn't very crowded, but it only takes one swimmer with a problem and one lifeguard who is not doing his job to turn into a tragedy. I'm hoping he was just having a bad day and he isn't always like that.

 

Your snorkeling pictures were really good. I was surprised to see how many different fish you spotted there. I have to tell you, though, that those fish who look so very different as juveniles than they do as adults or in the terminal phase of their lives drive me crazy! It is going to take me the rest of my life to learn all of them in all,phases of their lives. :eek: Good job with the French Angel! :D

 

Yea Lindquist was amazing. Definitely a place I would highly recommend. I was pretty impressed with the snorkeling we did see there. I know if we would have went further out, we would have seen even more. But, I just didn't want to risk it with the kids. Especially B who has just became a swimmer this year. :)

Edited September 9, 2016 by mitsugirly

[mitsugirly]

I'm so sorry to hear this. :( When we went for the first time in Oct. 2013 it was amazing...just like the pictures... LOTS of them and running our hands through the water got them all stirred up...

 

Shortly after we were there though, there was something that killed most of them off and the bay went dark for a year or so...

 

It finally started coming back to life but then the problem with the sargassum (kind of like seaweed) happened. The tides turned in towards the bay and the sargassum got pushed in...and it took all the oxygen out of the water and killed off most of the dino's again... So when we got there in Sept. 2015, they ended up cancelling our tour because they just weren't there enough to notice yet...

 

They are gradually coming back...but it may be years or decades before they are back the way they used to be.

 

I've heard that the one over on Vieques is still pretty good, but that one is hard to get to...

 

Yea, see that's the experience I thought we would have. It's sad that all of that happened. I had read about a hurricane that came and that was part of the problem of them going dark back several years ago. Maybe that's what brought the sargassum in? I hope they recover but I know they were saying that people swimming in there was also part of the problem (but who knows if that's just why they "thought" it might have happened or they actually confirmed that).

 

I have also read that Viegques is brighter and better. Of course our tour guide said they are the same, but then again they are not going to want to get the word out that some other place is better and lose business.

[sunbird21]

Kim, just want you to know I'm still reading-you're keeping me company on flight to Seattle!!!

 

I apologize for any previous hijacking with all of the "other cruise" talk... I'll be quiet for the remainder LOL but just wanted to thank you for keeping me entertained at 30K ft!!!

 

I'm glad you liked Fascination so far- it used to be neon pink in the lobby, looks like they toned it down a bit. Glad they have watermark and Serenity though.

 

St Thomas day looked awesome!! I second trying out St John when you have more port time, but looks like you chose well.

 

Going back to catch up on last days posts now!

 

Stacey

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mabones]

Well Said! Apparently "Shark Fan" is not a "Mitsugirly" fan! I love your writing. We all want to know what works & what doesn't. Keep up the good work. Maybe we'll cross paths someday. BTW Love your tat. I'm looking to get my Mother's "Love Always, Mom" signature tattoo. I just have to decide what to put with it and where to place it.

[mickev99]

I'm surprised you're awake and not passed out on xanax on your flight (I also hate to fly and rely on xanax or ativan).

 

Have a great cruise, I can't wait to hear all about it!!

 

Michelle

 

Kim, just want you to know I'm still reading-you're keeping me company on flight to Seattle!!!

 

I apologize for any previous hijacking with all of the "other cruise" talk... I'll be quiet for the remainder LOL but just wanted to thank you for keeping me entertained at 30K ft!!!

 

I'm glad you liked Fascination so far- it used to be neon pink in the lobby, looks like they toned it down a bit. Glad they have watermark and Serenity though.

 

St Thomas day looked awesome!! I second trying out St John when you have more port time, but looks like you chose well.

 

Going back to catch up on last days posts now!

 

Stacey

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mickev99]

Bought my 17yrd son a ford focus and we love it. For being a person who "makes the best of everything even if it's a bad situation" you sure do complain a lot during your reviews. One can say the same about the "reviews!":rolleyes:

 

Wow, that seems unnecessarily harsh and rude. She tells what happened during her trip, and if crappy things happen, she's going to report it. And some of it is pretty comical (sorry, Mitsugirly, I'm sure it's not all comical at the time it is happening, LOL). But she still manages to have a great time, that's kind of the point.

 

Can't wait for more of the review!!