Rebooked for August!

[FiremedicMike151]

Our cruise of Jacksonville was cancelled and we hemmed and hawed about whether we were going to re-book for this year or wait until next Spring.  We had a tragedy in the family and decided we really needed to get away so I pulled the trigger today!  We'll be sailing out of Orlando, headed to Amber Cove and Grand Turk, I've never been to either place.  I love the small boats with Serenity off the back, so I'm looking forward to Elation.

 

 

Side note - this is a happy thread.  If there is any inkling inside of you to reply with "you're crazy" or "covid this" or "social distancing", please do us all a favor and find a different thread to crap on 😄

 

 

[ninjacat123]

Sorry about your recent tragedy.  When is your cruise?  In Grand Turk, we always head to Jack's Shack.  We grab a table there, relax, watch a volleyball game if it's happening and splash around in the ocean. Yummy jerk chicken and there is Topher the goldendoodle who likes to dig in the sand.

Amber Cove, we have hung out at the pool at port.  Hike up the hill a bit and there is a pavilion that serves drinks and has a great view!  Have a great cruise!!

[FiremedicMike151]

10 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

Sorry about your recent tragedy.  When is your cruise?  In Grand Turk, we always head to Jack's Shack.  We grab a table there, relax, watch a volleyball game if it's happening and splash around in the ocean. Yummy jerk chicken and there is Topher the goldendoodle who likes to dig in the sand.

Amber Cove, we have hung out at the pool at port.  Hike up the hill a bit and there is a pavilion that serves drinks and has a great view!  Have a great cruise!!

 

Excellent intel!  Cruise is 8/17..

 

I think we're going to do the cabana at Grand Turk, the view doesn't thrill me but having our own shady spot does.. 

 

We weren't sure what to do in Amber Cove.. 

 

[steveweese]

Good luck and make sure to send us a trip report  It will really help those of us waiting on our future cruises.  

[Tjcalley]

Exciting! I love Amber Cove and Grand Turk!  Do you have any excursions planned yet ?

[ZoeyVictoria]

13 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

Sorry about your recent tragedy.  When is your cruise?  In Grand Turk, we always head to Jack's Shack.  We grab a table there, relax, watch a volleyball game if it's happening and splash around in the ocean. Yummy jerk chicken and there is Topher the goldendoodle who likes to dig in the sand.

Amber Cove, we have hung out at the pool at port.  Hike up the hill a bit and there is a pavilion that serves drinks and has a great view!  Have a great cruise!!

I am optimistic about cruising, but still sharing the news that, sadly, Topher died a few months ago 😢

[ninjacat123]

1 minute ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

 

Excellent intel!  Cruise is 8/17..

 

I think we're going to do the cabana at Grand Turk, the view doesn't thrill me but having our own shady spot does.. 

 

We weren't sure what to do in Amber Cove.. 

 

DH and I did an excursion through Carnival in Amber Cove on another cruise. We rode a bus to a small town (about 30-40 min) walked to the beach then took a dinghy to get on a catamaran.  Getting on the catamaran was a bit squirrelly. We motored down the coast to two different snorkeling sites, which were awesome!  Tons of fish! Lots of rum punch! And lunch was served as well.  Great day if that's something you are into. I think it was this excursion:

https://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/amber-cove/deluxe-catamaran-sail--snorkel-w-lunch--drinks-445048

[ninjacat123]

5 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I am optimistic about cruising, but still sharing the news that, sadly, Topher died a few months ago 😢

Oh, that's too bad.  Topher didn't seem that old but maybe it was a medical issue.  RIP Topher😥

[ZoeyVictoria]

4 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

Oh, that's too bad.  Topher didn't seem that old but maybe it was a medical issue.  RIP Topher😥

We are going there in September - hopefully - as well as Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove, on the Magic, and it won’t be quite the same without him.   We have had four cruises canceled already and two in August that we are almost expecting  to be cancelled, but I feel like the Magic is going to be the magic cruise that actually sails!

[LHARTWICK]

Sorry for your family tragedy.  So glad you booked your cruise and wish you a wonderful and restful time!  Also, I loved your side note -  made me laugh!  The only thing most of us here are CRAZY about is cruising.  I sure hope cruising survives all of this.  I just can't imagine never cruising again.  My husband and I absolutely love it - it's our passion!  (I'll probably be called crazy for THAT statement!)  We've not been to Amber Cove, but we do love Grand Turk.  Prayers for you and your family and happy sailing! 🥰

[firefly333]

I've never heard of amber cove so I guess I'm out of it. I'm not sailing until oct 4th but tempted to book something out of Galveston, even a 5 day, I want to vacation so bad. I'm post due.

 

I do have the perfect day at coco cay booked feb 7th. Seems to be all women signing up, saying me too, me too. 

 

I'm so ready for carnival to get started. I'd even take a chair hog thread about now.

[Saint Greg]

10 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I've never heard of amber cove so I guess I'm out of it. I'm not sailing until oct 4th but tempted to book something out of Galveston, even a 5 day, I want to vacation so bad. I'm post due.

 

I do have the perfect day at coco cay booked feb 7th. Seems to be all women signing up, saying me too, me too. 

 

I'm so ready for carnival to get started. I'd even take a chair hog thread about now.

 

Amber Cove is Carnival's port in the Dominican Republic. Everything you ever wanted to know about Amber Cove:

 

https://saintgregtravel.com/amber-cove-cruise-port/

 

 

[TNcruising02]

Sorry to hear about the family tragedy.  It always helps to focus on something positive and a booked cruise is exciting.  I've been to Amber Cove and Grand Turk several times.  I'm sure you will have a lot of fun!  Even though the port is not close to the airport, we've always found flying into Orlando and cruising out of Port Canaveral to be easy.

[ninjacat123]

6 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Amber Cove is Carnival's port in the Dominican Republic. Everything you ever wanted to know about Amber Cove:

 

https://saintgregtravel.com/amber-cove-cruise-port/

The bar I mentioned in a pavilion is the Sky Bar that you can see in Saint Greg's review. 🙂

 

 

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

  We'll be sailing out of Orlando, headed to Amber Cove and Grand Turk, I've never been to either place. 😄

If you are spending the night in Port Canaveral, go to Rikki Tikki Tavern at the end of the pier.  Great view, good drinks and nibbles and you feel like you are already on vacation!

Edited May 28, 2020 by ninjacat123
adding picture

[ninjacat123]

@FiremedicMike151I'm so glad you booked your cruise!  I have been having such a great time thinking of places you all can go. Thx for posting!!👍😁

[Saint Greg]

15 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

If you are spending the night in Port Canaveral, go to Rikki Tikki Tavern at the end of the pier.  Great view, good drinks and nibbles and you feel like you are already on vacation!

 

I like the looks of that. I'm memory banking that one for my Mardi Gras cruise next year.

[ninjacat123]

Just now, Saint Greg said:

 

I like the looks of that. I'm memory banking that one for my Mardi Gras cruise next year.

It's a little difficult to get there. The entrance to the end of the pier isn't obvious.  You walk through an entrance of  a restaurant, then jig-jag and exit onto the rest of the pier.  Ask one of the restaurant workers for directions, which I did the first time. There may be a $2/person charge to access the end of the pier but Rikki Tikki Tavern applies it to your bill. There has been live music when we have been there.👍

[Saint Greg]

Just now, ninjacat123 said:

It's a little difficult to get there. The entrance to the end of the pier isn't obvious.  You walk through an entrance of  a restaurant, then jig-jag and exit onto the rest of the pier.  Ask one of the restaurant workers for directions, which I did the first time. There may be a $2/person charge to access the end of the pier but Rikki Tikki Tavern applies it to your bill. There has been live music when we have been there.👍

 

Difficult to get to is good. That means it's also difficult for other people to get to.

[FiremedicMike151]

1 hour ago, ninjacat123 said:

If you are spending the night in Port Canaveral, go to Rikki Tikki Tavern at the end of the pier.  Great view, good drinks and nibbles and you feel like you are already on vacation!

looks awesome!  Sadly we’ll be driving from up north, will probably stop in Savannah on the way and drive to port in the morning..

[ninjacat123]

17 minutes ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

looks awesome!  Sadly we’ll be driving from up north, will probably stop in Savannah on the way and drive to port in the morning..

If you're in Savannah for dinner, one choice that is ultra casual, tasty and reasonable is Vinnie Van Go Go vinnievangogo.com. Great pizza! You can sit in the square with a glass of wine.  It's legal!

If you have more time and want a more sit down dinner, Huey's on the River hueysontheriver.net is tasty (get the beignets for dessert) or go there for breakfast, if you have the time. I've never been to The Olde Pink House, heard it's great and kinda fancy.  Need reservations. 

theoldepinkhouserestaurant.com 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by ninjacat123

[DGP1111]

5 hours ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

 . . . headed to Amber Cove and Grand Turk, I've never been to either place.  I love the small boats with Serenity off the back, so I'm looking forward to Elation . . . 

 

 

 

Here's hoping all your plans for a much-needed cruise vacation come together in all the right ways.

 

If you are still researching things to do/excursions for those stops . . . please give a look-see at one for your Amber Cove day.  It's offered directly by Carnival:

La Casa En la Playa - A Select Retreat

I've done that one twice, and thoroughly enjoyed both experiences . . . and would easily schedule it again.

 

Happy cruisin' !!!

.

 

 

[ladylyn915]

On 5/28/2020 at 3:18 PM, FiremedicMike151 said:

 

Excellent intel!  Cruise is 8/17..

 

I think we're going to do the cabana at Grand Turk, the view doesn't thrill me but having our own shady spot does.. 

 

We weren't sure what to do in Amber Cove.. 

 

I'm so sorry for your family tragedy and very glad you will be cruising on a couple of months.  We have been to Margaritaville in Grand Turk a number of times and the cabanas are awesome!  Little air-conditioned hut like structures with a porch with your own personal attendant!  Loungers are right out front.  It makes for a wonderful day!  Pool is lovely as well.  If you are beach people, its a short walk, but we love the pool. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

[nunuc2000]

Sadly it appears that Grand Turk port is now closed through the end of August... but hopefully Carnival will substitute it with something nice 🙂

[FiremedicMike151]

9 minutes ago, nunuc2000 said:

Sadly it appears that Grand Turk port is now closed through the end of August... but hopefully Carnival will substitute it with something nice 🙂

Where’d you read that?