Cruise Advice - Page 3

Rooster · 06-08-2006, 02:38 PM

I am leaving for my honeymoon on Satuday and taking a cruise to the Western Caribbean. I have never been on a cruise before and was hoping some Planeteers might have some helpful hints for me. Any advice would be helpful.

BIG_DADDY · 06-08-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

First of they say you can embark around 3:00 don't believe that our ship was boarded by us at 12:00. They have food ready for passengers might as well get started early. Lay out by the pool eat and relax and watch the other say "hey!!! We should have boarded earlier."

I can only tell you about Grand Cayman & Cozumel.

Wife and I loved Grand Caymen when we went on our cruise last year. Great beach water was 4 diferent shades of blue and aqua green. We were there from 8 until 2 ish I believe. Used an out side vendor to go on a snorkle and Stingray tour. Loved it and spent only half of what those on who went through the ship. Plus those who were on the ship where herded on to large boats 50- 75 at a time. Our excursion had 12 people. When through Nativeways if you want to get them after the tender from the boat they will be around the dock along with 15 or 20 other inderpendant companies. Shopping is better here than in Cozumel.

Cozumel was ok did the downtown shopping thing. Make sure you haggle with them and also be prepared to approached by every shop vendor. A simple no thank you usally get them off you but not always. After about 2 hours of shopping we went to one of my favorite places Paradise Beach . Free to enter if you want pay $8 and use their snorkle gear (with $20 deposit, yes you get it back), kayak, trapoline in the ocean, and their climbing iceburg. Have a wait staff to take orders while you lay out on the beach. Hammocks, bar (water is treated so it ok to get ice in the drinks) great resturant (food was awesome), and my wifes favorite they have 2 people who give great massages right on the beach (Dollar or two per minute). Wish we would have spent the 2 extra hours here than shopping downtown. To get there take a taxi at the end of the pier can't miss it tell the driver to Paradise Beach it roughly $10-15 round trip for the 2 of you.

Most of all enjoy yourself and have fun. And remember what goes on the cruise most likely stays on the cruise

Grand Cayman was a madhouse when I went there. 6 ships in port and nobody would sell me any booze.

You are right though the island was beautiful. Wanted beat the crap out of some Jamaicans there but I was seriously outnumbered.

kcfanintitanhell · 06-08-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chagrin

What most people do, who don't want to pay for booze, is fill up a flask, bottle of water (empty obviously) with clear liquor - it rarely gets checked.

If they do check, I must have gotten lucky, because I smuggled on two liter bottles of Smirnoff in one of my bags.
Still had a 650 dollar tab at the end of the cruise.
Find out exactly how much they are charging for their port-of-call excursions-sometimes those can get a little pricey.
BTW-Congratulations.

BIG_DADDY · 06-08-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcfanintitanhell

Find out exactly how much they are charging for their port-of-call excursions-sometimes those can get a little pricey.
BTW-Congratulations.

Sometimes if you just go on the island you get them for half price.

Rooster · 06-08-2006, 03:40 PM

What happens if they do catch you sneaking booze onto the ship? Do they just take it or is there some legal action?

BIG_DADDY · 06-08-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rooster

What happens if they do catch you sneaking booze onto the ship? Do they just take it or is there some legal action?

Take it.

**IA_Chiefs_fan** · 06-08-2006, 04:25 PM

Don't fall over-board or come up missing.

Congrats BTW!

unlurking · 06-08-2006, 05:12 PM

Grand Caymen - Do the stingray tour. Very cool. Get to hang out on a sandbar about 4' under water and play with stingrays with a 5' wingspan. Very cool. The port is mostly shopping and I found boring.

Costa Maya - Take the ruins tour. I did the 4 hour with my son and had a blast. There's not much else to do there, other thang hang out at the overpriced crappy shops there. If you find anything you really want to buy, offer 25%, walk away if they don't come down to 50%, they'll come running after you. When I went, there was nothing but a round walled tourist trap with shops and an outdoor bar in the middle. The bar was cool, but the shops were pretty lame (not into shopping).

BIG_DADDY · 06-08-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlurking

Grand Caymen - Do the stingray tour. Very cool. Get to hang out on a sandbar about 4' under water and play with stingrays with a 5' wingspan. Very cool. The port is mostly shopping and I found boring.

Costa Maya - Take the ruins tour. I did the 4 hour with my son and had a blast. There's not much else to do there, other thang hang out at the overpriced crappy shops there. If you find anything you really want to buy, offer 25%, walk away if they don't come down to 50%, they'll come running after you. When I went, there was nothing but a round walled tourist trap with shops and an outdoor bar in the middle. The bar was cool, but the shops were pretty lame (not into shopping).

Good advise.

KChiefsQT · 06-08-2006, 05:16 PM

Pay attention to the times they say they are departing the ports. Don't get drunk and forget the time. Don't miss the ship and be stranded.

**Rain Man** · 06-08-2006, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rooster

What happens if they do catch you sneaking booze onto the ship? Do they just take it or is there some legal action?

I bet they make you walk the plank.

I always thought cruises were lame when I was younger, but in recent years I've become more interested in giving one a try. My wife is not that interested, but said that she would really like to do a transatlantic crossing on that new one (the Queen Mary II?). I could dig doing something like that.

Rooster · 06-09-2006, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefsQT

Pay attention to the times they say they are departing the ports. Don't get drunk and forget the time. Don't miss the ship and be stranded.

Thanks. How the hell would you get home if you missed the boat? I would be on a raft heading to Florida I guess.

**Bob Dole** · 06-09-2006, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Exactly.

The cigar shop I bought from actually rebanded my Cubans with a band from a Dominican made cigar.....even repackaged them in a Dominican brand box.....

That's customer service.

The really funny part is that they were just putting them back in their original condition.

Idahojim · 06-09-2006, 08:17 AM

I second the motion for the stingray tour, and I'm not a big fan of those tours. It's a lot cheaper to just go into the main town, and you learn a lot on your own.

Also - with Carnival, eat your lunch in the same dining area where you have dinner. The lunch offered on the top deck is little more than a hog trough in my opinion. You'll get much better food and options in the dining area.

Cheers. And have a great time.

06-08-2006, 02:38 PM
Rooster Draft a QB Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: JoCo Casino cash: $9961689	Cruise Advice I am leaving for my honeymoon on Satuday and taking a cruise to the Western Caribbean. I have never been on a cruise before and was hoping some Planeteers might have some helpful hints for me. Any advice would be helpful.
Posts: 5,753

06-08-2006, 03:40 PM	#34
Rooster Draft a QB Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: JoCo Casino cash: $9961689	What happens if they do catch you sneaking booze onto the ship? Do they just take it or is there some legal action? __________________ When Reno Hightower was a prick he was the best damn quarterback in the history of Kern County.
Posts: 5,753

06-08-2006, 04:25 PM	#36
IA_Chiefs_fan Supporter Join Date: Jun 2002 Casino cash: $2329714	Don't fall over-board or come up missing. Congrats BTW!
Posts: 2,033

06-08-2006, 05:12 PM	#37
unlurking MVP Join Date: Aug 2003 Casino cash: $7737309	Grand Caymen - Do the stingray tour. Very cool. Get to hang out on a sandbar about 4' under water and play with stingrays with a 5' wingspan. Very cool. The port is mostly shopping and I found boring. Costa Maya - Take the ruins tour. I did the 4 hour with my son and had a blast. There's not much else to do there, other thang hang out at the overpriced crappy shops there. If you find anything you really want to buy, offer 25%, walk away if they don't come down to 50%, they'll come running after you. When I went, there was nothing but a round walled tourist trap with shops and an outdoor bar in the middle. The bar was cool, but the shops were pretty lame (not into shopping).
Posts: 10,620

06-08-2006, 05:16 PM	#39
KChiefsQT Kara G! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: California Casino cash: $9325122	Pay attention to the times they say they are departing the ports. Don't get drunk and forget the time. Don't miss the ship and be stranded. __________________ ~Just a girl who loves football~
Posts: 4,070

06-09-2006, 08:17 AM	#43
Idahojim Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Nampa, Idaho, USA Casino cash: $9965995	I second the motion for the stingray tour, and I'm not a big fan of those tours. It's a lot cheaper to just go into the main town, and you learn a lot on your own. Also - with Carnival, eat your lunch in the same dining area where you have dinner. The lunch offered on the top deck is little more than a hog trough in my opinion. You'll get much better food and options in the dining area. Cheers. And have a great time.
Posts: 762