cruising

[jsarno]

Hey guys, I've been on 3 cruises, and in February I'll be taking my 4th cruise. It's going to the western carribean (cozumel, grand cayman, jamaica, and labadee).
My wife and I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary so we decided to upgrade to a suite on the ship. Should be a blast. We'll be on the largest cruise ship in the world. We can surf on the ship, and even ice skate.
Does anyone have any suggestions for excursions at georgetown, grand cayman, or montego bay, Jamaica, or Labadee?
Even if you don't...what kind of cruising experiences have you guys had?

[BDBohnzie]

sounds like good times. i've never sailed the seven seas (the plan is to take my parents next autumn for their 30th anniversary), so I'm of no help...

[onlydarksets]

We've done Royal Caribbean to the Western Caribbean - it's by far the best if you like to actually get off the boat and do stuff.

Cozumel is good for the ruins, I believe, but we just poked around the harbor. In Jamaica, do either the water falls or the rafting. I think Labadee is a private island, or at least a private beach owned by RC. You can do parasailing, but I don't recall much else to do (this was 5 years ago, though).

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

We've done Royal Caribbean to the Western Caribbean - it's by far the best if you like to actually get off the boat and do stuff.

This will be our first cruise on Royal Caribbean, the previous cruises were on Carnival. We encountered so many issues with Carnival, from poor staff, to double billing us (no kidding, and it took 8 months to fix), and deception (sold false art work to us, took 6 months for a refund on that one) and tardy leaving port so we missed our excursion in Nassua. We will never travel Carnival again. They are a party ship (nothing wrong with that) but my wife and I are more into relaxation and entertainment. From friends that have been on RC cruises, they say RC is the best in the biz.

Cozumel is good for the ruins, I believe, but we just poked around the harbor. In Jamaica, do either the water falls or the rafting. I think Labadee is a private island, or at least a private beach owned by RC. You can do parasailing, but I don't recall much else to do (this was 5 years ago, though).

This will be my 3rd time to Cozumel, and they have the swim with the dolphins excursion which was a highlight of my life, not just the vacation. It was GREAT! The dolphins come up to you and kiss you, and shake your hand, then they allow you to grab their fins and will swim you out into the ocean and take you back. It was great. I will try to do the sting ray city, and feed the rays and such.
The rafting sounds good in Jamaica.
Yeah, Labadee is their privately owned island outside of Haiti. I have no clue about it at this point.

So how many cruises have all of you guys been on? What are the highlights?

[onlydarksets]

We've been to the Caribbean on RC 3 times (western twice and eastern once), and on Princess 1 time (western), and then on Holland America to the Mediterranean, which was very cool (Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Italy). RC is light-years better than Carnival, from what I've heard.

BTW, in the Caymans, do Sting Ray City.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

After what happened to the Croc Hunter, I want no part of sting rays.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

I was going to make a Speed 2: Cruise Control joke, but I couldn't think of a good one.

[BDBohnzie]

AMD, you're slacking today. Don't tell me your "work ethic" is sliding over to your usage of time on the warpath.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

We've been to the Caribbean on RC 3 times (western twice and eastern once), and on Princess 1 time (western), and then on Holland America to the Mediterranean, which was very cool (Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Italy). RC is light-years better than Carnival, from what I've heard.

I went to the western twice and eastern once. I loved St. Thomas!
We've thought about a Mediterranean cruise, that sounds great! We also thought about a Hawaiin cruise.

BTW, in the Caymans, do Sting Ray City.

Great idea, thanks! Is that the one where you can feed them and pet them and such?

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

After what happened to the Croc Hunter, I want no part of sting rays.

Well, you can't use that as an example. Steve Irwin was nutts. He played with every living thing good or bad. Every time I watched him I cringed thinking he was going to die on camera.
He also took the wrong approach with the Ray, he swam on top of him like a predator would.
Also, the ray that killed him was about 2-3 times the size of the ones in these ray farms.

Steve Irwin would still be alive today had he not pulled the barb out. Someone just recently got hit in the heart by a ray too, and he lived because he didn't try to pull it out.

The odds of getting attacked by a ray is about the same of being in a plane crash. It's rare.

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Great idea, thanks! Is that the one where you can feed them and pet them and such?

Yep - we (ok, I) did both! My wife wasn't too crazy about them.

[saden1]

Few tips:

1. Don't feel obligated to buy anything from street vendors.
2. If you do, haggle.
3. Learn how to say no with some authority while looking them in the eyes.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by saden1

Few tips:

1. Don't feel obligated to buy anything from street vendors.
2. If you do, haggle.
3. Learn how to say no with some authority while looking them in the eyes.

Definitely haggle!

What cruises have you been on?

Seattle eh? My sister and brother-in-law live in Sammamish (near Bellevue).

[saden1]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Definitely haggle!

What cruises have you been on?

Seattle eh? My sister and brother-in-law live in Sammamish (near Bellevue).

Oh, I have never been on a cruise, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn.



p.s. Before I bought my house I use live in the Eastgate ares of Bellevue (near Lake Sammamish).