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About CntPAcruiser

  • Rank
    Cool Cruiser

About Me

  • Location
    Harrisburg area
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Royal Caribbean
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Only been to Caribbean so far, but enjoy it

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  1. Someone who had been on Navigator recently replied to my query on a different thread and confirmed there weren't proper locker rooms. It's been so long since I've been on Oasis/Allure, I can't remember what the fitness center restrooms/locker areas are like, but I didn't think they had showers either.
  2. It has now been confirmed that there are no locker rooms in new the Navigator fitness center. There are restrooms, but no showers.
  3. I remember our excitement at reaching platinum. It seems a small thing now, but at the time we were still quite new to cruising, and it meant more. And if anyone pooh-poohs, remember that like most things in life, there's little point in comparing your situation to that of others, since there will always be those who are "ahead of" or "behind" you. Just enjoy where YOU are!
  4. One of the yet unanswered questions about the Navigator refurb with regard to the fitness center was, does it now have any locker rooms with restrooms/showers? Could you please let us know what those facilities, if any, are like?
  5. Woodwind offers shorty wetsuits for those who get cold in the water. My husband is in that category and very much appreciated the loan of one! (I wouldn't think there would be a great difference in water temp from morning to afternoon.)
  6. There is this thread about a beach area and a separate private beach close to the port: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2650230-beach-close-to-cruise-port/ It also may be possible to contact Dee and Ulf and ask if there is a beach area you can use prior to your excursion on the property where they dock. The last time we went out with them, we had to walk through a resort to get to that dock, but I don't know if they are still using the same one.
  7. My first inclination was to say that there is shopping and sometimes an artists' market within walking distance from where the ship will be docked, but it doesn't sound like that will work for your son. The meeting place for Woodwind is also very close to where the ship docks, so it isn't like there's a stop along the way. If you can't find a brief activity or attraction in port for that 2.5-hour block of time before sailing, perhaps it might be best to take advantage of the relatively empty ship and find an on-board activity with your son. We have sailed with Woodwind twice, and they are very pleasant, friendly, and accommodating. The sailing portion heading out and back may be a little "slow" for an adrenaline junkie, unless just being out on the water and seeing the surroundings will be enough distraction. Presumably you have communicated any special needs to Dee and Ulf, and I have no doubt they will do their best for you. Enjoy!
  8. The general range we've paid for most of the privately arranged excursions/tours we've done in the Caribbean over the last several years has been between $55 and $100 per person. (Obviously there are many more expensive tours that can be booked, but we've looked for good values.) Depending on the type of tour, size of group, and level of service, we've added a tip of maybe $5 or $10 per person for a driver/tour guide/person who assists with snorkeling, etc. I don't think that's getting too expensive. Other travelers we've been with have tipped even more; we might be on the low end. We often tour with small operators who are in business for themselves. Like most activities where tipping is expected, such as dining out in the U.S., one has to factor in the tip as part of the expense. We figure that five bucks means a lot more to many of those earning a living in tourism on these islands than it does to us. If we couldn't afford it, we wouldn't go, on a cruise or a particular excursion.
  9. The only consistent fleetwide policy I've seen is that the ships sail in water.
  10. One of the bigger differences between lines that might be important for a longer cruise is that Royal has no self-service laundry facilities. Paid laundry service is available. Sometimes a "fill a bag" special is offered later in the week. You are permitted to bring two 750 ml bottles of wine per cabin occupied by adults, but no other alcohol. If you buy alcohol in port, you leave it with security until the last night of the cruise. Pool towels are available on the pool deck at towel stations, and lost/not returned towels incur a $25 charge. It is a good idea to check your account before the last night of the cruise (and on the last night) to make sure you are not being charged for anything incorrectly. Many people report finding an unwarranted towel charge on their account on embarkation day and having to have the charge removed. Explorer currently has a nice fitness center with men's and women's locker rooms that have sauna/steam room facilities and full-size showers. These are free for all guests and offer an alternative to sharing the rather small stateroom bathroom, especially when getting ready for dinner.
  11. So true! When Oasis came out, we booked before accurate information was available about the locker rooms and steam/sauna facilities, and were disappointed to find out there were only paid (and not that great of) facilities. Since that trend continued for new builds, we avoided them for the most part and were happy to stick with earlier ships that had these available. Now that they are removing excellent facilities that were formerly complimentary amenities for all guests even on the older ships in favor of more and more revenue, we will eventually also be reevaluating our future cruise plans as we run out of the ships we like.
  12. Unfortunately, the deck plans don't seem to get updated until after they have done something, many times, so they can't necessarily be counted on to be accurate as to future actual facilities on board a particular ship. That said, I hope you are right and that they will not be destroying Explorer's nice locker room and fitness center facilities.
  13. I recall seeing reported elsewhere that she does not have steam room or sauna facilities.
  14. I find myself split on these two itineraries, though leaning toward Cozumel/Mahogony Bay/Belize. The main reason is that I've been to Grand Cayman twice, it is a tender port, expensive, and there is little there that interests me. But if you wanted to go to Jamaica, Ocho Rios is a better port than, for example, Falmouth.
  15. Regarding Jewel, you can refer to the spreadsheet found elsewhere on this board regarding free sauna/steam facilities. For Explorer, it may depend on when your sailing is. Explorer is going in for a refurbishment in early 2020, and it is yet unknown whether they will be leaving the current complimentary (and excellent) facilities as they are, or if they will be ripping them out and not replacing them with anything comparable, as they have done with Navigator, a sister ship to Explorer.
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