bobroo

Just the voices in my head, but it would make perfect sense that Star of the Seas is home ported in Asia. The move of Ovation reflects this. Spectrum remains in Asia permanently.

I think you misheard and he actually said “A new ship with eight waterslides, each slide weighing 130,000 tons” That’s much more on point for Royal.

I completely understand why your friends do not want to change plans and that is because it is going to cost money. They have a valid argument. On the other hand, you are selling the great city of Barcelona short. You are missing out on tapas bars, bicycle rides, drinking red wine well into the morning, Las Ramblas, Picasso, prosciutto, Catalonia v. Spain, the best street art in the world, but above all else.....Antoni Gaudi. IMO, it's not the cruise you are chancing to miss or your bags that don't arrive because Lufthansa screws you; it's the missed opportunity of spending time in Barcelona.

WOW! SAN and the cruise port are as close as FLL is to Port Everglades. Only 3 miles! San Diego is a great town! It would make a really good port stop for future Navigator and Quantum sailings out of San Pedro if anyone at Royal Caribbean Way is reading this.

I believe we are going to be seeing the exploits of Captain Viz, Pixel, and the the rest of The Effectors for more sequels than there are Spiderman or Star Trek movies. I think this is part of the reason why Nick Weir left.

Allow me to clear some misconceptions about the Port of Seward and paint a better picture for those who might be going there in the future. For reference, most here have probably have been to Miami, Ft Lauderdale, or Galveston........well, Seward is 180 degrees from those. As opposite as you can get. For example, the Miami terminal is a $225m dollar building, Seward is a pole barn. Miami has a large glorious propeller sculpture as you ascend the escalator, Seward has a mural painted by local students done in poster paint. I'd say these artists were 8-10 years old (they would be about 25 or 30 today if my math is correct). Miami has banners and splashy video screens, Seward has posters announcing the upcoming community craft fair next weekend. (yeah, I think that weekend it will be both craft fair and cruise terminal at the same time). Miami has cops, and security, and squad cars with flashing lights, and whistles, and loading zones, and designated areas for pedestrians, busses, and Uber drivers. And don't you dare unload in an undefined area! No double parking! You'll use the crosswalk when I signal you! Seward.....There are no cops. There is no security. There are no traffic cones. There is no Border Patrol. No TSA, No Customs Agents. (in a very strange quirk, if you boarded in Vancouver-- you already went through US customs in Vancouver just before you boarded the ship--yeah, it's really weird! As if US Customs needed one more bizarre, weird, or down right WTH? head scratching procedure. There are some folks to help you with what ever you might need, they are real Alaskans. Perhaps the first real year round Alaskan residents you'll meet on your vacation. Some might be wearing a safety vest, some not; but they still stand out. They'll be the ones wearing about three layers of flannel, some really big boots, a lot of facial hair, and at least one thing that has Carhart on it. Feel free to interrupt them; they are the nicest, most genuine people you'll have come across in a long time. They like to talk. So if you are wondering How am I supposed to find my 3rd party excursion? What about my bags? I need to make my flight! I'm concerned about being late to my fishing charter! I want to get there before it turns into a zoo! I want to get a GOOD rental car. Take three deep breaths and I promise everything will turn out just fine. Nobody is going to be left behind. You'll find your bus no problem, you'll have only had 3 or 4 possible choices. Car service to a hotel or resort? You'll find your guy. There are about 8 or 10 booths for the biggest 3rd party tour operators, their signs are easy to see. Concerned it will be mayhem or a sea of humanity??? No, what you'll find in Seward is passengers who get off the boat, make their way across the loading area, get into the terminal and retrieve their bags. Some will congregate in the terminal by the coffee concession and some will wait outside getting another look at the surrounding mountains. But nobody behaves anyway they shouldn't. People aren't rude. They are not anxious to get someplace. They won't put themselves above others. Everyone just gets along. One final thing. Be sure to check out the free lending library! It's on a book cart over by the bathrooms. 'Cause if there is one thing that symbolizes Seward, it's the generosity and honor system of the free book exchange. You'll never see that in Bayonne.

It is only in Port Canaveral where you'll have this required cab/Uber/Lift issue to do a S2S. There is no way in hell you are going to walk it between terminals, BTW. For this reason I would be looking to do a S2S at any other port. Something else: if you go through with this at Port Canaveral, please be aware of the disappointment on your drivers face when they find out you only want a $10 ride and not a profitable long haul to Orlando. Personally I would be very apologetic and tip at least $20-$30 on top of the fare for wasting their time.

Geez, I guess they didn't care for my zipline idea.

It really depends on what port you are sailing from. Some are very strict, some are a free-for-all.

I hope you and your family have a great trip Jane! I'm not sure which I want to give you a hug more for, this sailing out of San Juan or the way you you spent extra time exploring Ft Lauderdale on your last one. IMO, you are approaching Royal Caribbean and cruising in general--exactly correct.

Try: San Juan Cruise Port Terminal I got this to work on a mock Uber booking on my PC. I have to admit this was difficult!

Once the guys get back from fixing Radiance in Vancouver; this is going to be the first thing on their workbench--promise!

Scuba diving is always worth it. Combining scuba with cruising is an excellent way to really see the country you are visiting. Both on land and underwater. I've probably dove every Royal scuba excursion except for those in Australia and have dove with way more shops independently. Diving on an excursion or choosing your own diving provider is not always a clear choice. There are many reasons why going one way will be better than going the another. It all begins with a blank spreadsheet, your ships itinerary and estimated arrival and departure times and a bunch of computer time. So, it's not going to be a one size fits all answer. What ports are you going to? What is your diving level? Which ports might you be curious about?

When those super competitive chair hogs figure out that each seat cost $1,465, I bet they fly in a day early just to stake their claim.

I've heard from diverted Labadee passengers that they have not received any additional port fees, taxes, or expenses because their sailing stopped in someplace other than Haiti.