New Cruiser, Many ?'s

[CatFan00]

I hate to ask these questions, but I have looked up atleast 12 pages on here, and didnt see the answer (although its probably here), so I will ask.
Which side of the ship is best for sunrises and sunsets? I saw someone ask if it was worth the money to upgrade to a 'S' suite. Is it worth $600 per person to go from A to S? What is the best level/position of a cabin to lay out in the sun on your deck? Is the Eastern Caribbean cruise better for a first-timer than the Western? I am leaning that way for now. And I know anytime is a good time to cruise, but is November a good month for a first-timer? This is enough for now, thanks for the help, I'm sure I will need tons later. ;)

[sail7seas]

Hi CatFan....Welcome Aboard.


You did not say how many days the cruise you are considering is. If it is 7 days, only you know if it is worth it to you to pay $86 more per day to be in an "S". For us, without question, we would book the "S". We love it. The cabin is almost double in size and the verandah is very much larger. Just my opinion and only you know how much it is worth to you.

Whether you are port or starboard, you will have "sun" time on your veranda either going or coming. If the sun is on the port side of the ship going south, it will be on the other side when going north.

November is a glorious time to cruise the Caribbean. We have cruised many times between October and December and have always loved it. Last Thanksgiving we were on Maasdam for b-to-b's and had fabulous weather for two weeks. It is the very tail end of Hurricane Season and the chance of a major storm that late if very small although there was one last year. Captain diverted the course slightly and we were fine.

[CatFan00]

Thanks for the reply. It is a 7 day cruise. I know this may sound funny, but my main hesitation in upgrading to the 'S' suite, is never being able to afford it again. I would rather move up the ladder as opposed to down.
A new question, do you need a Passport for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise?

[stillfrantic]

I was surprised to read on the HAL website that they required valid passports for all cruises except Alaska, New ngland, Canada and maybe Mexico. For those, the documentation said a certified BC was necessary, for all others, a passport. I know other cruise lines do not require a passport for E Carib. cruises, so they have gone a step further in documentation.

We got our passports in less than 2 weeks, and we did not order them as rush. Ours were renewals, and we got new ones for the children. Times ranged from a week to just under 2. Very fast.

[CatFan00]

I must say the two things that interest me most about the S Suite is the whirlpool bathtub and the priority service for disembarkation. Is the bathtub in the S category that ($$) much better than the 'A'? I guess it comes down to about a $1300 difference total for two people. If I went with A, I would use much of the 'saved' money on spa treatments during the week. Any comments?

[ASM]

You will have priority disembarkation if you book a shore excursion in FLL. We were in an SS and were off by 9:00. They're pretty good at getting pax off anyway. I loved the SS but can't speak for the S as yet!

[CatFan00]

Did you find that you used the whirlpool bathtub or not really at all?

[ASM]

I used the whirlpool once just because it was there. I did love the shower stall though. The size of the bathroom and the cabin itself were great. This was an SS, not an S cabin but it had everything we needed and more.

BTW, I recommend passports for any cruise. Makes life simpler. Also, I cruised the western first and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[sail7seas]

I like the tub okay and use it because it is there. But it is not fabulous and would not be a motivator for me to book an "S". The tub is barely large enough for an average size person. It is everything else about the "S" we love and the tub is very incidental.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

In all the years that we have been in suites, I only used the whirlpool once and husband never used the tub or whirlpool. We both just use the shower.

You never mentioned which ship you were thinking about sailing on. Or did I miss something?

Anyway - we book suites because we love the extra room and the larger verandahs on the non-Vista ships, the Neptune Lounge, the dressing room, much larger cabin, free laundry, etc.

Need we say more?

As far as passports are concerned - you really should get one - they are good for ten years. An embossed birth certificate is acceptable to get on the ship. A photo ID driver's license is all you need to get on and off the ship in port.

Once you have been in suite you will never want to cruise any other way.

AH - the suite life.

:)

[jazzsea]

The tub in the deluxe suite on an "S" class ship is larger than the tub in the mini suites. I'm big on aromatherapy and love to soak in the tub with bath salts and bubbles.

On one cruise I soaked in the tub and eventually turned on the jets. Within seconds there were bubbles everywhere. As I fumbled for the turn off button the bathroom filled with bubbles. It was like the scene from a Doris Day film! DH returned from Half Moon Cay in time to help me clean up the mess. (Not something I would dream of leaving for the room steward.)

Long story short. Use bath salts, not bubble bath. Common sense, right?

We love the extra room in a deluxe suite. The other perks are great, too, particularly on a longer cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) jazzsea

Love it! I remember those old Doris Day movies.

I would have loved to have seen your bathroom.

:D

[jazzsea]

I was so surprised.... red faced, too. DH tried to keep a straight face while helping me clean the bathroom. Every now and then he reminds me of the occasion.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) jazzsea

Too bad he didn't take a picture of the bathroom. That would really have been something to talk about at home.

:D

[sail7seas]

Maybe others did a similar thing as the last year or so I notice that HAL has stopped supplying bath gel which they always had in the "S" bathrooms.