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First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises. It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book the cruise Thank You soooooo much Eve |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Personally, we prefer the Celebrity cruises.... as far as the ships go. On the other hand, we have taken a Celebrity cruise similar to the route in your number 3 example, and having done that, I tend to think that the stops on your number 2 example look more interesting. Ed |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
All of those are good. Depending on your budget, I'd get a balcony or oceanview if you can. Nothing like having coffee or a nightcap while watching the ocean go by. For me 10 nights is too long and this is after 8 cruises. It sure is fun but the richness and cost get to you after a little bit. Lots of people like longer but that's just my opinion. Regardless of the ports, for the most part you can always find something to do. Snorkeling on excursions can get expensive so we usually pick beaches with snorkeling available, hang out for a while, and then hit town for some shopping. Look at port times also, even though there may be a lot of ports on an itinerary, the time in ports may limit your options. Personally I hate sea days, there's lots you can find to do on the ship but I prefer to check out the local culture and stop for a beer here and there while walking about. A lot of the same stuff is available on the ship on port days so you don't have to get off if you don't want to. If you think you'll like good full port days then also check out Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan or Crown princess. If you have to fly it's about the same price as flying to Miami. Make sure you check out message boards like www.cruisecritic.com and www.cruisemates.com for reviews and stuff also. It'll make your head spin reading all that stuff but once you decide what you really want to do then it'll be easy to narrow it down to the cruise that fits your taste. wrote in message oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises. It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book the cruise Thank You soooooo much Eve |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
wrote in message
oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? If you have never cruised before, I'd do seven nights to be sure you are not miserable for ten. Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Royal Caribbean owns both lines, but there is a big difference. Just as Carnival has the "fun ships", Royal Caribbean is the more active ship, with fun and games at the pool, and certainly easier to get bar service. And although I haven't been on either line in over a decade, being that I am an oldtimer who prefers the laid back ambience of Holland America, back in the day Celebrity food was far superior to RCL. Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? It depends. After 20 cruises I like the outside, but since it is your honeymoon, you may either spend or not spend a lot of quality time in your cabin. Decide how much actual physical space you need. what we should know about additional charges? Just about everything is extra. Be prepared. Have a wonderful life, and spend your honeymoon living that life. -- DG in Cherry Hill, NJ |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
My suggestion... Voyager. Hands down.
My reasons: I've been on about 14 Celebrity sailings and about 10 Royal Caribbean sailings, so I have a decent perspective. Celebrity is my favorite line, but for me, for very specific reasons. And the 2 lines are rather different. But the first place to start is the ships. Zenith is an old, small ship without any balcony cabins. She's nice for an itinerary like Bermuda, when a small ship is important to get into the tight channels. But in the Caribbean, you want BIG, BOLD, SPLASHY. And NEW. Radiance is a pretty class of ship, but NOTHING compared to Voyager class. If you pick Royal Caribbean, do the Voyager, or one of her sister ships. If you look at Celebrity, the advantages it has over Royal Caribbean are the better food and more relaxing type experience. More elegant. More chic. More pampering. But you didn't mention any of those. And the Zenith is the worst of the Celebrity ships. Royal Caribbean's advantages over Celebrity are the more dramatic looking ships, the non stop activities, ice skating rink, Johnny Rockets burger place, etc. It's more into action. Disco open till the wee hours of the morning. Hot casinos. Just a more "happening" type cruise experience. If you really decided that you wanted the pampering and better food of Celebrity, than go with one of the newer ships instead. Otherwise, go with Voyager, or one of her sister ships Explorer, Adventure, Mariner, Navigator. Or even the newer Freedom. That way the ship is the destination. --Tom wrote in message oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises. It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book the cruise Thank You soooooo much Eve |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
I believe people your age would love Voyager. The price of a 7 night balcony
is very reasonable next month. So much on the ship to keep you active and entertained. True the food isn't that wonderful but you can live on it.We cruised on Voyager and weren't happy though we did enjoy the ice skating. We love to cruise and Celebrity is our 1st choice. We are old folks and that probably had a lot to do with it. We are about to take Celebrity Constellation, after that cross the bridge and NCL . January we will cruise with the Zenith, one of our favorite ships (our 6th Zenith cruise) Then B2B RCCL Enchantment, ONLY because our favorite shipboard entertainer is on it. Whatever you choose, if you like it you will probably be hooked on cruising. wrote in message oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises. It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book the cruise Thank You soooooo much Eve |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
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First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
wrote in message oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises. It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book the cruise Thank You soooooo much Eve I would pick #2, mainly bcs I like those ports, but I do hope to do the #3 cruise at some point. I like Celebrity & did a 10 day one before. It was a good cruise, but I prefer the 7 day. I also went on the 10 day cruise in December.....I was late 30s and was one of the youngest on the ship. We had several passengers die during that cruise which has never happened before. Celebrity is a nice line, a bit more upscale overall, but the ship is not as big or up-to-date as the other lines. So basically it just boils down to personal choice, but given your age and that you've never cruised before, I would pick #2 (I just do not like Jamacia). |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
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First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Ed wrote:
Personally, we prefer the Celebrity cruises.... as far as the ships go. On the other hand, we have taken a Celebrity cruise similar to the route in your number 3 example, and having done that, I tend to think that the stops on your number 2 example look more interesting. If I were picking by ports, which I do, I'd prefer the Radiance of the Seas itinerary. I don't know anything about the ships. El Moro (fort and lighthouse) make San Juan the most dramatic entrance of any harbor in the Caribbean There were people at the end of the dock offering a city tour for $10 (way cheaper than the boat tour). There is another fort (San Cristobal) to visit in addition to El Moro, or you can take a ferry over to the Bacardi factory. Charlotte Amalie - there are several places to go to the beach for snorkeling (Coki Beach which is next to Coral World, or over to St. John), and that is where a lot of people go shopping. St. John is mostly National Park, and there are a lot of hiking trails. St. Martin has a very nice zoo type of place, and also Orient Beach is clothing optional. Cozumel and Roatan are mostly known (by me anyway) as places to scuba dive. |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Tom K wrote: If you look at Celebrity, the advantages it has over Royal Caribbean are the better food and more relaxing type experience. More elegant. More chic. More pampering. Tom, This past year I've done a crossing on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas and Alaska on Celebrity's Mercury. This was my re-introduction to both lines after 10 and 7 years respectively. The two products - at least on these two similarly sized and vintaged ships - are, IMHO, completely indistinguishable down to the china and flatware used in the dining room. Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
ZombyWoof wrote:
I've been to Haiti and there is a real good reason people risk their lives at sea trying to get here. Labadee is RCI's private enclave in a remote corner of Haiti. It's mainly tropical beaches surrounded by mountains. Most people have no idea they are even in Haiti when they stop at Labadee. Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
In article , ZombyWoof
wrote: I've been to Haiti and there is a real good reason people risk their lives at sea trying to get here. Not something you want to see while on a romantic getaway, pretty much samething can be said about the poverty of Jamaica as well. Labadee is RCI's "private island" (okay it is not an island) but it is a walled off from Haiti so don't see anything of Haiti except for a craft market. It is a beach day with beautiful beaches and scenery and a BBQ supplied by RCI. -- Charles |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Hi Eve, I would suggest Royal C. over Celebrity. Many reasons but
mostly being your first cruise Voyager and Radiance class ships are very very smooth. You will hardly ever feel the ship move. The Zenith is a very old ship. Nothing wrong with older ships its just you will enjoy Voyager or Radiance more. If you can swing it get a balcony cabin. Be warned: YOU WILL BE SPOILED AFTER THIS. You will want nothing else in the future. But it is your Honeymoon. Any other cabin you get will be fine. You have nothing else to compare it to so you'll be happy. I've taken 20 cruises and 10 nights is just about the perfect length for a cruise. 1 week flys by and 8 days is nice but 10 is best. I would suggest if you take the 7 or 8 day cruise and you have the time take a few extra days on your return to spend in florida. You will be so happy you did. While your going to enjoy your cruise you will be exhausted when you get off the ship. Being this is your first cruise you will try to do everything thats offered. You will be up early in the morning for your arrival into each port and you will be up late at night (casino, disco, hanging with new friends). The day you get off the ship is also a very early morning so no sleeping in. Trust me....take the extra time to just sleep and relax after your cruise. As far as ships tours I never take them. I always do my own thing. But my comfort level is high because I've been to all the ports many times. The average snorkelling price on a ships tour is between $25-$35 (and up) per person. So you and your new husband will pay between $50-$75 (and up) just for a 3 hour snorkel tour. Where you can do snorkelling yourself for $0 to $10 (taxi) for both of you for example. The ships tours are very expensive but they lead you by the hand. So its really all about your comfort level and expendable money. Extra $$ costs: Tipping, Mixed Drinks (wine & beer packages), Casino, Spa, Bingo, Photos, Ships Stores (Duty Free Shopping), Ships Tours, Extra Charge Dining, Laundry, Room Service Tippin Dollars, Art Auction. It can get pretty expensive if you want to do it all. Have I forgotten anything? Anymore questions just ask. Rick |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
It won't really matter which one you go on. All these ports are overcrowded
when the cruise ships arrive, all sell cheap t-shirts, etc. You won't be able to tell which island you are visiting. Too touristy. G wrote in message oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) We have three types: 1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas - Labadee, Haiti - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel 2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda - Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Martin - Sint Maarten - Nassau, Bahamas 3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises - Zenith - George Town, Grand Cayman - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Colon, Panama - Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras - Cozumel, Mexico We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to spend all day on the beach. Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers?? Is it better to take 7 nights? Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises. It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book the cruise Thank You soooooo much Eve |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
RICK DAVIS wrote: The Zenith is a very old ship. Nothing wrong with older ships its just you will enjoy Voyager or Radiance more. Voyager's construction started roughly only 5 years after Zenith's debut. If Zenith is "very old" then Voyager must be considered "old." just saying... (I agree about the OP probably enjoying Voyager or Radiance more) Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Warren, Zenith is 14.5 years old. I consider that old.
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First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
wrote in message oups.com... We decided to buy our first cruise: place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :) There's no doubt that BIG ships are in flavor. You can't go wrong on a Voyager class ship. I was on a seven nighter on the Mariner of the Seas, a sister ship of the Voyager. Mariner was amazing. As others have said, a ten nighter may attract an older crowd. Seven nights sound perfect, especially since this is your first cruise. As for balcony/window/inside cabin. When I was planning to go on my first cruise (the Mariner of the Seas) I asked if I should get a balcony or not. The best advice I got here was - there is so much to do on these big ships that you don't really spend much time in your cabin, so you probably wont miss a balcony. However, since this was my first cruise I decided to get the balcony. I will say it was nice having the balcony. But we did not spend much time out on it. Since this is your honeymoon and first cruise I was say shoot for the balcony but you really wont miss it if you get a window only room. |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
"Warren" wrote in message ups.com... Tom K wrote: If you look at Celebrity, the advantages it has over Royal Caribbean are the better food and more relaxing type experience. More elegant. More chic. More pampering. Tom, This past year I've done a crossing on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas and Alaska on Celebrity's Mercury. This was my re-introduction to both lines after 10 and 7 years respectively. The two products - at least on these two similarly sized and vintaged ships - are, IMHO, completely indistinguishable down to the china and flatware used in the dining room. Warren Having done Navigator, Jewel and Mariner OTS the past 3 Decembers with the Viking gang, I can honestly say that RCI food is pretty much below my minimum level. Your Legend sailing may be an exception... but to me, RCI food isn't close to Celebrity food, other than the night that Celebrity has the stupid lamb shank. Over that same period that I've gone with the Viking gang, I've done 3 Connie sailings, 4 Zenith sailings and 1 Century sailing. So I think I have a decent point of comparison. I've simply nibbled-without finishing too many RCI dinners over the past 3 years to consider the food up to Celebrity's standards. It gets to the point where I don't even bother asking the waiter for something different... And I won't even bother with RCI's fish of any kind. The hake and congrio fish on Celebrity are excellent. Salmon is lousy (over cooked and bone dry) on both. And the desserts on RCI are so bad. The only good dessert I've had on RCI the past 3 years was the exceptional apple pie that they serve in Johnny Rockets. Now I'm not saying all the Celebrity meals are top notch. They're not. But I get a lot more good meals on Celebrity than on RCI. Though it may help that I know what to pick on Celebrity based on experience. To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food. Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop. They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal. So maybe I'm more fussy. --Tom |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
"Warren" wrote in message ups.com... ZombyWoof wrote: I've been to Haiti and there is a real good reason people risk their lives at sea trying to get here. Labadee is RCI's private enclave in a remote corner of Haiti. It's mainly tropical beaches surrounded by mountains. Most people have no idea they are even in Haiti when they stop at Labadee. If you go to the huts where the locals sell stuff... you quickly realize you're in Haiti. The Jamaican's at Ocho are amateurs compared to the Haitians. --Tom |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
In article , Tom K
wrote: To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food. Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop. They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal. So maybe I'm more fussy. I am one who does not think RCI food is that bad. I think it is getting better. And I think Celebrity food is getting worse. I think the food on both is close. Honestly I was happier with the food on Crown Princess than the food on Zenith or Mariner of the Seas..... -- Charles |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Charles wrote:
In article , Tom K wrote: To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food. Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop. They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal. So maybe I'm more fussy. I am one who does not think RCI food is that bad. I think it is getting better. And I think Celebrity food is getting worse. I think the food on both is close. Honestly I was happier with the food on Crown Princess than the food on Zenith or Mariner of the Seas..... The food on the Zenith a couple of weeks ago was better than I've had on a cruise ship for a long time. However, they fell short with their ice cream. The Mercury in May had the best ice cream ever. I'm still gaining weight just thinking about it. Ermalee |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
"Tom K" wrote in message
... Having done Navigator, Jewel and Mariner OTS the past 3 Decembers with the Viking gang, I can honestly say that RCI food is pretty much below my minimum level. Your Legend sailing may be an exception... but to me, RCI food isn't close to Celebrity food, other than the night that Celebrity has the stupid lamb shank. Over that same period that I've gone with the Viking gang, I've done 3 Connie sailings, 4 Zenith sailings and 1 Century sailing. So I think I have a decent point of comparison. I've simply nibbled-without finishing too many RCI dinners over the past 3 years to consider the food up to Celebrity's standards. It gets to the point where I don't even bother asking the waiter for something different... And I won't even bother with RCI's fish of any kind. The hake and congrio fish on Celebrity are excellent. Salmon is lousy (over cooked and bone dry) on both. And the desserts on RCI are so bad. The only good dessert I've had on RCI the past 3 years was the exceptional apple pie that they serve in Johnny Rockets. Now I'm not saying all the Celebrity meals are top notch. They're not. But I get a lot more good meals on Celebrity than on RCI. Though it may help that I know what to pick on Celebrity based on experience. To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food. Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop. They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal. So maybe I'm more fussy. --Tom Clearly, TK, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and while it has been some time since I have sailed either RCI or Celebrity, there was, as of my last sailing, no comparison in the quality of the food. I always felt that having a pirate attack me with a fake sword while I was dining was an attempt to distract me from the quality of the food. That was RCI. I always felt that having the table captain ask if there was anything special we would like, and having one of our tablemates ask for Seafood Louie, a dish I was not familiar with, and having him provide this marvelous feast at lunch put that line a notch above the rest. That was Celebrity. And we love lamb shank. VBG -- DG in Cherry Hill, NJ |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
In article , Ermalee
wrote: The food on the Zenith a couple of weeks ago was better than I've had on a cruise ship for a long time. However, they fell short with their ice cream. The Mercury in May had the best ice cream ever. I'm still gaining weight just thinking about it. There is something wrong with the ice cream on Zenith. I don't know if it is how they are making it or storing it. But that is recent. Crown Princess had great ice cream. Ten times better, I had some almost every night on the side of my deserts. I only mention Crown Princess because I am going to have a lot of ice cream in three weeks. -- Charles |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Charles wrote: In article , Ermalee wrote: The food on the Zenith a couple of weeks ago was better than I've had on a cruise ship for a long time. However, they fell short with their ice cream. The Mercury in May had the best ice cream ever. I'm still gaining weight just thinking about it. There is something wrong with the ice cream on Zenith. I don't know if it is how they are making it or storing it. But that is recent. Crown Princess had great ice cream. Ten times better, I had some almost every night on the side of my deserts. I only mention Crown Princess because I am going to have a lot of ice cream in three weeks. Charles, would you please do me a favor and check out the hot tub situation on the Crown Princess. I am curious to know if they ever got all of them working.lol sue |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
In article , Sue and Kevin Mullen
wrote: Charles, would you please do me a favor and check out the hot tub situation on the Crown Princess. I am curious to know if they ever got all of them working.lol They got the second one working at the Lotus Pool. I don't recall, was there something wrong with another hot tub somewhere else? -- Charles |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Charles wrote: In article , Sue and Kevin Mullen wrote: Charles, would you please do me a favor and check out the hot tub situation on the Crown Princess. I am curious to know if they ever got all of them working.lol They got the second one working at the Lotus Pool. I don't recall, was there something wrong with another hot tub somewhere else? The aft one was fixed and then broken again. I think it was only the Lotus Pool hot tub and the aft one that had problems. As I am sure you remember us complaining, it was a long walk to find the hot tub not working.lol sue |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
In article , Sue and Kevin Mullen
wrote: The aft one was fixed and then broken again. I think it was only the Lotus Pool hot tub and the aft one that had problems. As I am sure you remember us complaining, it was a long walk to find the hot tub not working.lol After you complained they fixed the one at the Lotus Pool. There are two at the Lotus Pool. The one they fixed had hotter water. I never used the one at the aft. I think there were little kids in that one when I was around there and I avoid hot tubs frequented by toddlers.... -- Charles |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Charles wrote:
In article , Ermalee wrote: The food on the Zenith a couple of weeks ago was better than I've had on a cruise ship for a long time. However, they fell short with their ice cream. The Mercury in May had the best ice cream ever. I'm still gaining weight just thinking about it. There is something wrong with the ice cream on Zenith. I don't know if it is how they are making it or storing it. But that is recent. Crown Princess had great ice cream. Ten times better, I had some almost every night on the side of my deserts. I only mention Crown Princess because I am going to have a lot of ice cream in three weeks. I've always wanted to do one of Sue's annual 'junkets', but I am thankful that I didn't book this one. We are dealing with a case of congestive heart failure at our house. May involve hospital time if there's no improvement this weekend with home care. Dr. is stopping by daily. Ermalee ---also glad we didn't go on the Sleazy; I guess 3 cruises this year is enough :-) |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
RICK DAVIS wrote: Warren, Zenith is 14.5 years old. I consider that old. You said "very old" s/s Norway was very old. QE2 is very old. My point was that Zenith isn't that much older than Voyager of the Seas. So if you consider her "very old" then Voyager by your definition is merely "old." Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Tom K wrote: Your Legend sailing may be an exception... but to me, RCI food isn't close to Celebrity food To your palate perhaps. However, the menu on both ships was nearly identical and once again while I enjoyed my meals on Legend of the Seas, I had to send back a couple on Mercury. Sorry, but I have to say that Celebrity's cousine is no great shakes - and slightly less than what I experienced on Legend of the Seas. They even use the same china and flatware. And be careful about suggesting that Mercury isn't as up to snuff within the Celebrity fleet. Otherwise I'll have to remind you about how you react when others say the same regarding Carnival and your opinion of Density. ;-p Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Charles wrote: Honestly I was happier with the food on Crown Princess than the food on Zenith or Mariner of the Seas..... I completely agree, Charles. When I had lunch aboard Crown Princess I said to my partner "this is what the food SHOULD have been on Celebrity!" Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Dick G wrote: it has been some time since I have sailed either RCI or Celebrity, there was, as of my last sailing, no comparison in the quality of the food. And, IMHO, your perception is outdated. There was nothing special about the food or service on Mercury. Your description of the attention to detail by the dining room staff described what I experienced on RCI. Go figure. Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
In article , Ermalee
wrote: I've always wanted to do one of Sue's annual 'junkets', but I am thankful that I didn't book this one. We are dealing with a case of congestive heart failure at our house. May involve hospital time if there's no improvement this weekend with home care. Dr. is stopping by daily. I am sorry to hear that. -- Charles |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Warren wrote: RICK DAVIS wrote: Warren, Zenith is 14.5 years old. I consider that old. You said "very old" s/s Norway was very old. QE2 is very old. s/s Norway is not very old....its extinct. QE2 is very old...agreeed. My point was that Zenith isn't that much older than Voyager of the Seas. So if you consider her "very old" then Voyager by your definition is merely "old." I still consider Voyager new "ish". 5 years in ships life is about the same as dog years. I do admitt that I thought Zenith was older than 14.5 years. I thought about 18+ years. Celibrity also attracts an older crowd than Voyager or Radiance will. Note: every week is different on a ships voyage. There is no way to tell the passenger make up on any given voyage so my age comment may not be accurate either. But Royal C. WILL offer more to do especially for a younger couple. Warren |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
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First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
Charles wrote: In article , Sue and Kevin Mullen wrote: The aft one was fixed and then broken again. I think it was only the Lotus Pool hot tub and the aft one that had problems. As I am sure you remember us complaining, it was a long walk to find the hot tub not working.lol After you complained they fixed the one at the Lotus Pool. There are two at the Lotus Pool. The one they fixed had hotter water. I never used the one at the aft. I think there were little kids in that one when I was around there and I avoid hot tubs frequented by toddlers.... The funny thing is that both the Lotus Pool and aft hot tubs were fixed after we spoke to the pursers desk and the man in charge of that stuff. The Lotus hot tub continued working, but the aft one closed again, don't know what the story was with it. We never saw kids in the aft hot tub, but doesn't mean there weren't any. Since you are up early and got a lounger every day, you were better off in the lotus pool area. sue |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
"Ermalee" wrote in message . .. I've always wanted to do one of Sue's annual 'junkets', but I am thankful that I didn't book this one. We are dealing with a case of congestive heart failure at our house. May involve hospital time if there's no improvement this weekend with home care. Dr. is stopping by daily. Ermalee Sorry to hear that Ermalee. Hope everything works out. --Tom |
First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
The Caribean is mostly palm trees and cloureds1
"ZombyWoof" wrote in message ... On 3 Nov 2006 08:55:14 -0800, "Warren" wrote something wonderfully witty: ZombyWoof wrote: I've been to Haiti and there is a real good reason people risk their lives at sea trying to get here. Labadee is RCI's private enclave in a remote corner of Haiti. It's mainly tropical beaches surrounded by mountains. Most people have no idea they are even in Haiti when they stop at Labadee. Since I've been to the "real" Haiti in the Military I've never had any desire to got to anywhere with Haiti in the name. I'll take your word that they may have created a "Tourists" only enclave somewhere and that all cleaned up it might be quite lovely, but the money generated is only being generated to further corrupt & subjugate the local people so I'll pass. The whole place is corrupt as corrupt can be. -- You can run, but you'll only die tired. ZombyWoof |
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