The Drama

  • Thread starter Thread starter honeybound
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The Dummies series of books are pretty good. (Honeybound, I am not suggesting you are a dummy. :-) ). There is one called Cruise Vacations for Dummies.

Here is the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...002-0928538-7928847?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

There are some other good books too. What's not covered in the books, you can find on the internet or on this forum.

As for working on a ship, if the pay wasn't so low, I would love it. But in my case, it would be a cross between Love Boat and a John Waters movie. LOL.

Have fun planning your cruise! You will be an old salt before you know it!
 
HA! I'm not fibbing, I'm just being discrete lol! I have never been on a cruise so I want to make the most out of "all" of it! Not to mention it is my honeymoon :) The balcony is no exception! But the old lady story...well thats kind of akward. I just can't wait to see the ship. I can not explain to you just how excited I am....if I could skip the wedding and go now I would. If something ever came up and we cancelled our wedding is it hard to change names on the tickets...or do you just lose out on the money for one of the passengers?
 
If the "groom" can't attend, the regulations of the cruise line require you to invite Rob. . . . .
 
Oh my, I hope the wedding never has to be cancelled. I believe RCI allows cancellation without penalty up to 70 days prior to the sailing. The cancellation policies are on the website. You might consider the cruise care insurance, which would defray the costs of cancellation. In the unlikely event you need to change a passenger name, that can be done for a fee, if I am not mistaken.

And don't worry about nosey old ladies on the balcony. They need something to talk about to their girlfriends when they get home! ;-)
 
I'm sure I won't have to change his plans..well at least today I'm sure! :) If those nosey old ladies "sail" home and tell there friends what they saw instead of running to their husbands or significant others then someone is not performing up to par LOL, and my balcony experience isn't what I had hoped for!!
 
I feel like I'm eavesdropping!!! :)

Congrats on your upcoming wedding, and your first cruise too. I just wanted to say about the skating rink that you can bring your own skates, and I would suggest it. They have skates that you can use, but they also have times when people with their own skates can go. It is a lot quieter in there and gives you more room.
 
Along with everything else that was said, make sure you get trip insurance. The minor cost of this is nothing like having to eat the entire cost of the trip. Also, I would like to repeat from above. IF possible travel the day before, it is so much more relaxing than worrying about every little thing (weather, taxi,parking, connections,weather,airlines,weather,etc)

Also, remember ROLL with the PUNCHES, it's a vacation have FUN.
Drink a frozen thingy for us.
 
Hannah,

First, congrats on your new job as a pool deck attendant. I told you it wouldn't be long before they hired you!

It occurs to me that you never said which ship you're traveling on. Since it is out of Miami, it apparently must be either Explorer or Radiance. Can you share which it is, so we can offer you some information about the ports you'll be visiting?

Ted
 
Welcome Honeymoonbound & pre congrats. You will have the best honeymoon of your life. You have picked a very good cruise line to go with, Me & my family will also be cruising on this ship with you, Everything that Ted has said is absolutely correct. You definetly should get insurance. This also helps that if you plane is delayed & you miss the ship they will get you to the next port of call. Are you getting married before you get on the ship or on the ship. There is also a another good web site to get information on cruises. Its called cruisecritic.com. They have a message board for roll calls. You can register for your ship & sailing date. Once they have 25 people in the party they have a organized party they put together a meeting place & send you a invitation to your room. They serve fancy hordorves & drinks(not alchol) you have to pay for that at the bar. This is their way of having the people meet that have been talking online so they can put the faces together to the names on the boards. There is alot of information & tips also information about the different ports that you will visiting. Well if i think of anything else i will be back. Enjoy your cruise & honeymoon. Ill see you onboard the explorer of the seas 11-6-05
 
Ted I will be on the Explorer of the Sea's. I guess the insurance is very important! I already have a flight booked for the day of....but it is a 6am, I sure hope I dont have any issues. The day before is my wedding and its not possible to fly out that night.
 
Hannah,

Taking the first flight out to Miami is a good thing. I don't know what time it puts you in Miami, but leaving yourself (and the airlines) spare time is essential. The insurance is good for a number of things:

-- covers your cancellation in case of health problems, getting you a full refund
-- covers the cost of transportation to the ship in the event your flight is delayed and you
have to fly to the first port of call to catch-up with it
-- covers some incidental expenses if your luggage is delayed and doesn't get to Miami with
you
-- covers the cost of flying home in case a medical emergency occurs during your cruise
that cannot be treated on the ship

Some people buy the insurance (me, for example), and otherss gamble that nothing will happen. Most
often, nothing happens and those that did not buy the insurance win. But, in the rare case that something does happen, those who purchased the insurance avoid a very, very large bill. If for example the groom gets feet so cold that it turns into pneumonia, you'd get a full refund on cancelling. So, consider the insurance carefully.

Ted
 
honeybound Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am going leaving on my first cruise 11/06/05 on
> the Explorer! Its my honeymoon!

Welp you are sure excited and I dont blame you but please try to relax. My wife and I have have litterally cruised with 4 carryons and a case for our scuba gear. :)

In short, you will make the trip, not the clothes, nightlife or other people. Try to look at the fun aspect and stop worrying about things that dont mean very much. Dont forget you can buy anything you forget. :)
 
Hannah,

Check out:

www.belizeexplorer.com

www.travelyucatan.com (both Costa Maya and Cozumel)

www.cayman-islands.com

You will get a fair amount of information about what to expect, etc.

I am a little concerned about your Grand Cayman stop. It got clobbered by hurricane Ivan, and I don't know how much reconstruction has occurred. And, Dennis just went fairly close so I don't know if they've sustained damage again this time. Seven Mile Beach is fantastic if you do get in there.

Unless you are into Mayan ruins, Costa Maya and Cozumel are beach / margarita stops. If the ruins do
appeal, there are some really fantastic ones you can take an excrusion to. They do take all day though, and they are a little pricey. My personal favorite is to take the ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen and go down to Taluum. How they built these huge stone structures aligned with the stars, sun, and moon over 1,000 years ago is fascinating to me.

Belize I can't help you with, never having been there.

Ted
 
Taluum...tell me more about that! That is something I would really enjoy, sounds so interesting. Although my other half wouldn't be much into it...speaking of that are these stops nice places? With all of the stories about young women being out in the carribean and other places away from home and being kidnapped or worse. I'd like to think I'm sort of atttractive (although I have lots of "new" baby weight to lose):) I'm sort of concerned with going off the ship alone. Dont get me wrong...I used to be a police officer...and I'm still going but do think I should be cautious! I'm not about to let my other halfs lack of adventure keep me on the ship when I have never been out of the country...and I won't let some possible weirdo's keep me from experiencing everything either I'm just wondering what you think since you have been to these places.
 
Hi Honeybound!

I take it you plan on leaving your husband behind on some excursions? :-) I have spotted many lone female travelers while doing organized excursions. You really blend in and folks cannot tell if you are alone or not. If you venture out on your own, stay on the beaten path (shopping street, places where there are larger number of folks). You might get approached or cat-called but if you have the New Yorker approach, that won't bother you. Simply ignore them. Never slow your pace to even allow for an encounter. Being a former police officer, I am sure you have encountered much worse. LOL. Your ports of call are pretty safe areas.

The case in Aruba is, sadly, a young girl-- perhaps somewhat naive or distracted by the island paradise-- who was probably seduced by the "charming" boys and either they slipped her a date rape drug, she said no and things got violent or it got out of hand somehow. One does not know how alcohol played into this horrible situation. These situations are extremely rare but young girls are hit on all the time...not only in island countries but all over the world. One must keep their wits about themselves.

Sometimes, I have seen lone female travelers get befriended by mature couples and they take a tour or shop together. Sometimes the woman enjoys a shopping partner that is more enthused than her husband. :-) The husband also appears to be relieved of his duty. (I am not trying to play on stereotypes but I only know a few husbands that might scream "Hot diggity, we are going to the souvenir shops!" LOL). Anyway, keep an eye out for such couples, because being a tour or shopping pal is beneficial to all. :-)

If you enjoy ruins, Tulum is quite picturesque and overlooks the ocean. The cliff to a small beach is dramatic and beautiful. The ruins are not as large as Chichen Itza but they are much closer and easier to get to. Part of Against All Odds was filmed there. When you look at the main pyramid and look to the left, there is a little cave. Beware of spelunking in there because a lot of bats live there (or at least they did when I was there.)

Here are some photos of Tulum:

http://www.differentworld.com/mexico/places/tulum/tulum.htm

Royal Caribbean probably offers a Tulum Express tour, which drops you off in San Miguel in Cozumel. You will probably have an hour to walk around before talking a taxi back to the ship.

I hope this helps. :-)
 
Hannah,

Rob is right, as usual. The stops you have are some of the safer places in the Caribbean. If you take
a ship-sponsored excursion you will be with a group of your shipmates. The one to Taluum, for example, will involve a full busload, along with a tour guide. As long as you stick with the group, you will
have no problems at all.

The ports of Cozumel, Casta Maya, and Georgetown (Grand Cayman) are all very civilized and safe. I
personally wouldn't venture down back alleys or out into the underbrush alone, but as you are going to
find out there will likely be several THOUSAND toursits in town from your ship and others at the same
time as you are there. So, as long as you stick to the "beaten track" and under no circumstances venture out totally alone, you will be fine.

With regards to Taluum, you will get there by bus from the seacoast town of Playa del Carmen. The ride takes about an hour, including a stop at a tourist trap where you can sample real Mexican tequilla without a chaser or ice, in the Meican heat. . . . After that you will either pass out or buy more junk than any adult would ever do. Beware!

Taluum itself is right on the ocean, and in a Yucatan jungle of sorts. It was an old, walled city where the Mayans had their religious and ceremonial activities that revolved around the sun, moon, and stars. They may also have performed human sacrifices there. It is beautiful and kind of spooky. At the end of your time there, you will also have a few minutes to go through a group of small shops at the outside of the park. Again, this is another opportunity to buy mostly junk. It is fun though, and they will have a spectacular exhibition of an old Mayan performance of guys swinging down a very tall pole, hanging by their feet, and with zero safety features. . . . You will no doubt want to quit your job and join their troupe.

Ted
 
Talum is so pretty. I will most likely be doing my own thing off of the ship...and he can parasail alone :) . I would much rather swim with dolphins and explore ruins and beaches then float over the ocean. At least my feet will be on the ground...until my flight home! I would love to wander (with a group) into a jungle that sounds great. My brother spent time in Costa Rica and said jungles are amazing. As long as I dont see a snake I'll be happy to be face to face with a wild animal! How many peole sit at your table during dinner is it 8? I wish I could meet someone on here that will be on my cruise. As a former police officer I've dealt with some sleezy people. I have also been trained to deal with them :) . It is sad how some young women get caught up in the "away from home" moment. As far as I know they haven't found that girl. I hope she fell in love with some boy and just took off with him to live in forbidden love...nice thought huh?
 
Talum is so pretty. I will most likely be doing my own thing off of the ship...and he can parasail alone :) . I would much rather swim with dolphins and explore ruins and beaches then float over the ocean. At least my feet will be on the ground...until my flight home! I would love to wander (with a group) into a jungle that sounds great. My brother spent time in Costa Rica and said jungles are amazing. As long as I dont see a snake I'll be happy to be face to face with a wild animal! How many peole sit at your table during dinner is it 8? I wish I could meet someone on here that will be on my cruise. As a former police officer I've dealt with some sleezy people. I have also been trained to deal with them :) . It is sad how some young women get caught up in the "away from home" moment. As far as I know they haven't found that girl. I hope she fell in love with some boy and just took off with him to live in forbidden love...nice thought huh? oh yeah whats underbrush?
 
Your travel agent requested a table size for you when the booking was made, and they requested either
the early or late seating for you at the same time. You can get them to confirm it with you if you were never consulted / informed. And, if either the time or table size are not to your liking, have the TA process a change.

Most of the tables are for 8 people, but there are some larger and some smaller. Some poeple seek out one of the few tables for 2. Personally, my wife and I always like to be seated at a large table, and we have always been blessed with interesting and fun table mates. It might interest you to know that on all but one of the cruises we have taken we had a pair of honeymooners at the table. Many years ago we sat at a table with two sets! We also had a really cute couple once who were celebrating their 60th
wedding anniversary with their first ever cruise. And, in the rare case that you are trapped at a table with the "people from Hell", just request a change from the matrie 'd after the first night. On a cruise out of San Juan one time we were the only couple at the table who didn't speak Spanish, and we made a change. So, it isn't any big deal if it comes to that -- but I bet it will not.

Got your book yet? In case you haven't caught on, I'm going to nag you to death until you get it!

Ted
 
I have second seating but I have no idea what size table. I also called RCCL and they said there were no extras given to honeymooners or special treats. I thought I read somewhere that they had specials or gifts or something. I admit I haven't had the chance to get the book yet....I am so ready to get back to work after staying home with my children since about Oct (all but 2 weeks). I have been job searching for something to suit my kids schedules. Not an easy task. Not to mention my backround is lawenforcement and I'm not wanting to get back into that. Oh yeah I know I mentioned I moved from MA to KY...well I live in the middle of KY and it is 1 & 1/2 hrs to the closest mall :( Maybe they have it at the infamous Wal-Mart. I usualy save Wal-Mart for date night or a special occasion so I can fit in with everyone else around here. Thats awful of me but its true. I will read the book before the end of summer though I promise. I am more the social butterfly then my fiance. He would prefer the table for two and be more comfotable. I wonder do I tell him about the option and make his meal time more enjoyable for him or do I keep it hush hush and meet some fun people and maybe make new friends? Doesn't realy matter I'm going to have a great time no matter what...Unless the ship sinks and there aren't enough life boats...at least there are no iceburgs in the Carr. :)
 

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