When is an overnight stay NOT an overnight stay?

[Megabear2]

3 hours ago, Gizmo19 said:

the Buffet that night  😄.

Miami looks like a sea of terminals and a massive Highway alongside  - so I think its a question of finding other guests who have sailed into Miami before and getting their view / recommendation (its our first sail into Miami as well).

You should dock at the Carnival terminals, either D or E.  The port is actually in Biscayne Bay and the highways you refer to are links to the bridges to the "bars" which form the basically recovered land which developed over the years to Miami Beach (Art Deco District/Collins Avenue).  I've only ever arrived/departed Miami on MSC or RC but the terminals are all very modern and accessible.  The ones I've used are busy and well organised. As this isn't I believe your first US port there shouldn't be any problems with security which is a relief.

 

The nearest centres to the port are Bayside Marketplace - about a 25 minute walk or taxi or bus.  This is quite a busy modern area offering restaurants and shopping. Brickell is nearby with high end shopping and more upmarket restaurants. If intending to dine at anything other than the more chain like restaurants it is best to book online as higher end dining is difficult to access without reservations, particularly in peak times.

 

Downtown Miami can be found slightly further on. It's very colourful, still under renovation and some may be put off by that. It does however offer lots of history and if you are seeking things other than sun and sand offers a huge variety.  The Perez Art museum, Observation Deck at the Miami Tower and the ferris wheel are good to visit, as is Bayside Park.

 

These are the nearest things to the port.  You can also go to Key Biscayne fairly easily- the free Miami tram will take you most places.

 

Miami City centre is distinct from Miami Beach, two totally different animals. Miami Beach and South Beach (SoBe) is best reached by a taxi or the trolley if you're more adventurous. There is a long beach promenade lying behind the hotels directly next to the beach.  Some areas have open grass areas where you can see people exercising to be the body beautiful.  On the other side of the hotels the main strip along the road allows you to walk on a pavement where there are lots of bars.  There are some art deco hotels and buildings along here but if you wish to see the main art deco area move one street behind to Collins Avenue where the bulk of the surviving buildings from the era can be found.  Lincoln Road lies between Miami Beach and SoBe and offers a broad open air shopping mall designed with art deco buildings.  Personally I find it a bit over rated and the cafes/bars expensive but it is an interesting experience - very popular for breakfast with the worse the wear revellers from the nightclubs!

 

As I said, my experience with the port is limited to other terminals so apart from saying the accessibility is very good I cannot comment.  Most of my Miami trips are land based accompanied by my friends who now live in Palm Beach having relocated there from Miami as they now find it too busy.  

 

Not knowing when/if you've visited before I would say in the past 10 years or so it has exploded into a typical US mega city and the Cuban influence in particular makes it exceptionally different. The Spanish language is very predominant in certain areas which can come as a surprise.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Megabear2

[carlanthony24]

4 hours ago, kruzseeka said:

That information is excellent and, can I assume available for any sailing?

I may have read the posts but can't see which sites you're using - or are you not allowed to post them? 

I'd be very grateful if you can especially since the Northern Lights info from earlier posts has certainly given me food for thought - I'd been labouring under a misapprehension with regard to those timings. 

 

Yeah can’t say the site since it also sells cruises. Just give me cruise date and ship and I can post for you.

Edited December 10, 2023 by carlanthony24

[kruzseeka]

1 hour ago, carlanthony24 said:

Yeah can’t say the site since it also sells cruises. Just give me cruise date and ship and I can post for you.

Thank you that's very kind of you.  It's J408 9th June 24.

Predominantly Iceland - could of course change given the current situation although it's gone a bit quiet on that score. 

I believe we have two full days in Reykjavik (had thought of going to the Blue Pool on one day - but my plans are nothing compared with the poor folk living in the area and the implications of waiting for a potentially devastating event!) 

 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, carlanthony24 said:

Yeah can’t say the site since it also sells cruises. Just give me cruise date and ship and I can post for you.

I use the same site, but I have never seen specific times on P&O cruises. However your printout looks slightly different to the ones I see, I wonder if there is more than one way to access the data?

 

[carlanthony24]

1 hour ago, kruzseeka said:

Thank you that's very kind of you.  It's J408 9th June 24.

Predominantly Iceland - could of course change given the current situation although it's gone a bit quiet on that score. 

I believe we have two full days in Reykjavik (had thought of going to the Blue Pool on one day - but my plans are nothing compared with the poor folk living in the area and the implications of waiting for a potentially devastating event!) 

 

 

The other site is showing the exact same has well.

Edited December 10, 2023 by carlanthony24

[carlanthony24]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I use the same site, but I have never seen specific times on P&O cruises. However your printout looks slightly different to the ones I see, I wonder if there is more than one way to access the data?

 

Not that I know of I use the .com one 

[Malcolm142]

To carlanthony24

Could you please access the port times time for our next cruise.

P&O R403N to Norway 12th March 2024 to 28th

This has three ports with overnights but the dates overlap?

Thanks

[carlanthony24]

39 minutes ago, Malcolm142 said:

To carlanthony24

Could you please access the port times time for our next cruise.

P&O R403N to Norway 12th March 2024 to 28th

This has three ports with overnights but the dates overlap?

Thanks

The other site I use did not show the cruise.

[kruzseeka]

3 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

 

The other site is showing the exact same has well.

That's great.  Thank you so much!

[Selbourne]

18 minutes ago, kruzseeka said:

That's great.  Thank you so much!

That’s a really great itinerary, with plenty of opportunities to see the lights in port 👍

[Slugsta]

@carlanthony24 Would you mind terribly pulling up the times in Port for Aurora R406, April 2024, please? Or give a hint as to where it can be found.

[carlanthony24]

8 minutes ago, Slugsta said:

@carlanthony24 Would you mind terribly pulling up the times in Port for Aurora R406, April 2024, please? Or give a hint as to where it can be found.

The one site a presenter called Derek Marks is part of the company. The main site I use though starts with sea. Second part is something you can do with a printer to load documents onto a computer. Both sites show same timings.

[yorkshirephil]

6 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I use the same site, but I have never seen specific times on P&O cruises. However your printout looks slightly different to the ones I see, I wonder if there is more than one way to access the data?

 

I find this site is better for actual times, strangely our Iona cruise for 2025 is not there yet mine for 2026 on Aurora is

 

 

[carlanthony24]

Yeah same site shows for next year but not 2025 other site shows for 2025 though.

[devonuk]

12 hours ago, Fionboard said:

The Aurora NL cruise in March had two nights in Tromso and Alta. Same next year. Have booked it again as I enjoyed it so much. 

Looks like you do have 2 full overnights on this one 👍

[Selbourne]

On 12/10/2023 at 12:42 PM, Megabear2 said:

You should dock at the Carnival terminals, either D or E.  The port is actually in Biscayne Bay and the highways you refer to are links to the bridges to the "bars" which form the basically recovered land which developed over the years to Miami Beach (Art Deco District/Collins Avenue).  I've only ever arrived/departed Miami on MSC or RC but the terminals are all very modern and accessible.  The ones I've used are busy and well organised. As this isn't I believe your first US port there shouldn't be any problems with security which is a relief.

 

The nearest centres to the port are Bayside Marketplace - about a 25 minute walk or taxi or bus.  This is quite a busy modern area offering restaurants and shopping. Brickell is nearby with high end shopping and more upmarket restaurants. If intending to dine at anything other than the more chain like restaurants it is best to book online as higher end dining is difficult to access without reservations, particularly in peak times.

 

Downtown Miami can be found slightly further on. It's very colourful, still under renovation and some may be put off by that. It does however offer lots of history and if you are seeking things other than sun and sand offers a huge variety.  The Perez Art museum, Observation Deck at the Miami Tower and the ferris wheel are good to visit, as is Bayside Park.

 

These are the nearest things to the port.  You can also go to Key Biscayne fairly easily- the free Miami tram will take you most places.

 

Miami City centre is distinct from Miami Beach, two totally different animals. Miami Beach and South Beach (SoBe) is best reached by a taxi or the trolley if you're more adventurous. There is a long beach promenade lying behind the hotels directly next to the beach.  Some areas have open grass areas where you can see people exercising to be the body beautiful.  On the other side of the hotels the main strip along the road allows you to walk on a pavement where there are lots of bars.  There are some art deco hotels and buildings along here but if you wish to see the main art deco area move one street behind to Collins Avenue where the bulk of the surviving buildings from the era can be found.  Lincoln Road lies between Miami Beach and SoBe and offers a broad open air shopping mall designed with art deco buildings.  Personally I find it a bit over rated and the cafes/bars expensive but it is an interesting experience - very popular for breakfast with the worse the wear revellers from the nightclubs!

 

As I said, my experience with the port is limited to other terminals so apart from saying the accessibility is very good I cannot comment.  Most of my Miami trips are land based accompanied by my friends who now live in Palm Beach having relocated there from Miami as they now find it too busy.  

 

Not knowing when/if you've visited before I would say in the past 10 years or so it has exploded into a typical US mega city and the Cuban influence in particular makes it exceptionally different. The Spanish language is very predominant in certain areas which can come as a surprise.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Brilliant info MB. Many thanks. Do you (or anyone else) happen to know if P&O provide a shuttle bus in Miami (or Port Canaveral for that matter) and, if so, where they drop you?

[Megabear2]

43 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Brilliant info MB. Many thanks. Do you (or anyone else) happen to know if P&O provide a shuttle bus in Miami (or Port Canaveral for that matter) and, if so, where they drop you?

Sorry Selbourne, I've only ever arrived/departed with RC and MSC.  With RC we took a bus out of the terminal to Fort Lauderdale which was free. MSC used to use Terminal F which I believe is now under Carnival having been adapted for their new megaships and I recall it being fairly easy to get from there to Downtown.  I do not recall any bus from there - the port being so busy and huge has transport connections of its own.  

 

You should by definition be nearer to the exit to Bayside.  The link below may help, I think it's been updated to reflect the new terminals of recent years, I last went in December 2020 although I'm there over Christmas but you’ll have sailed by the time I'm back.  I'll try to scan the situation- we are on Celebrity so in a total different port area.

 

If it was me, I'd go to the SoBo area in the morning if you want to see it and then to see the Art Deco district, museum etc, possibly have an early lunch and then head back to the Bayside.  The Beach is huge, and the walk by it quite stimulating.  I assume you wouldn't want to go and sit on it though and a lot of it is taken by private areas for the big hotels when it becomes Miami Beach.  It is by no means cheap either, lovely to look at.  Path does however offer nice views of some of the older art Deco hotels which are mainly now renovated- when I first started going there in 1988 they were wrecks being pulled down. 

 

Bayside is relatively near the ship and if Lady Selbourne needs a rest it is ideal for coming back out later.

 

 

https://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/directions-transportation.asp

 

https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/transportation/trolley/customer-rights/#:~:text=Accessibility%3A,provided to all Trolley passengers.

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Megabear2

[Selbourne]

40 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

If it was me, I'd go to the SoBo area in the morning if you want to see it and then to see the Art Deco district, museum etc, possibly have an early lunch and then head back to the Bayside.

Thanks. Yes, it’s our plan to do South Beach, Miami Beach and the Art Deco district. Promenade walks are always good for wheelchairs. Presume me might need to get a cab both ways. Hopefully a ‘Dad Bod’ will be a welcome change to all the body obsessives that frequent the area? 😂 

 

I wasn’t aware that there was anything worth seeing near where we are berthed, so a wander after lunch might be just the ticket.

[Megabear2]

16 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks. Yes, it’s our plan to do South Beach, Miami Beach and the Art Deco district. Promenade walks are always good for wheelchairs. Presume me might need to get a cab both ways. Hopefully a ‘Dad Bod’ will be a welcome change to all the body obsessives that frequent the area? 😂 

 

I wasn’t aware that there was anything worth seeing near where we are berthed, so a wander after lunch might be just the ticket.

Allowing for traffic  SoBe is about 20 minutes by car, its 5 miles to the end or about 7 to Lincoln. The paved boardwalk starts near Lincoln which is technically Miami Beach and probably if you want to see both a good starting point.  Once you hit Miami Beach proper there are numerous hotels with gates out on to the promenade which narrows and is more rough terrain.   You can't see the street just the hotel rears at this point.

 

I doubt they'll mind the Dad Bod, why not give the free workout a go?  They even have personal trainers on hand for a small fee.  Do watch out for the rollerbladers, some of them haven’t a clue and they verge on inept to downright dangerous.  Or how about a quick try out for beach volleyball or a boxing class?  All on offer.

 

The rescue beach huts are works of art, everyone different colours.  SoBe is great for people watching. I have a soft spot for The News Cafe for that as I was at the opening in 1988.

 

https://newscafesouthbeach.com/

[sogne]

On 12/5/2023 at 2:58 PM, devonuk said:

Just got off the Arcadia (J317) to Norway for 12 days and got on board to find out our ‘overnight’ stays in Tromso and Narvik actually departed at 01:30 with a return to the ship at 01:00. We do not (along with lots of others) consider this to be overnight as per our confirmation which blandly stated an ‘early morning’ departure. Before we put pen to paper to follow on from our on board complaint does anyone have any thoughts or information that would help our cause or dissuade us from continuing to complain?

Ultimately we were required to cut short our private northern lights excursion etc. by several hours. 
Also, was the departure of our Captain post cruise preplanned or was this a sudden change perhaps to do with our loss of power in an horrendous storm which caused the azipods to ‘cut out’ which was all very scary 😦 

 

And he is back on board on16th Feb 24. Don't think u can the weather on him.

[devonuk]

4 hours ago, sogne said:

And he is back on board on16th Feb 24. Don't think u can the weather on him.

Who was?

[devonuk]

Having a bit of time on my hands I’ve looked into the overnight situation on another cruise I’m interested in taking which is the Aurora (R502) which departs Southampton on the 12/3/25. On the 17/3/25 she’s shown on the itinerary as overnight in Tromso. Yet this is not an ACTUAL overnight in my view as she leaves port again in the early hours in order to be in her next port of Alta the same day where she does have an ACTUAL overnight stay. 
So in my opinion it’s seems P&O’s artistic licence prevails. It won’t stop me taking the trip but I’m better placed now to question what an overnight can be determined as. 

[carlanthony24]

2 hours ago, devonuk said:

Having a bit of time on my hands I’ve looked into the overnight situation on another cruise I’m interested in taking which is the Aurora (R502) which departs Southampton on the 12/3/25. On the 17/3/25 she’s shown on the itinerary as overnight in Tromso. Yet this is not an ACTUAL overnight in my view as she leaves port again in the early hours in order to be in her next port of Alta the same day where she does have an ACTUAL overnight stay. 
So in my opinion it’s seems P&O’s artistic licence prevails. It won’t stop me taking the trip but I’m better placed now to question what an overnight can be determined as. 

[devonuk]

2 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

Called P&O and they insist it’s an overnight. Ah well, as stated previously ‘buyer beware’ and I’m sure some passengers will be duped 😬

Thanks again for all of your responses and input, much appreciated 👏

[Goosebear Mum]

Interesting, as dictionary definitions would not agree with p&o’s definition!