Cruising Caribbean

@euroguy You definitely get to see more when walking a self-guided tour at your own pace! San Juan is a convenient and safe location that has lots of culture and scenery unlike anything we would see in the US. I'm glad you were able to enjoy it and get, what I'm assuming was, decent weather. I have been to San Juan when it was summer time, excessively hot. It was unbearable to do anything outside for more than 30 minutes without being in the water. You went there during a really great time of year. Did you catch great weather the entire time? I agree that I would enjoy Amber Cove and all other towns in a bordering Haiti to feel more secure. I typically avoid going outside the port when traveling with family for that very reason. I have been to the DR and enjoyed my excursion, but I have never explored outside the port on my own. Interesting to read about Grand Turk. It sounds like a bit of sleepy town. I'm always down for a drink and a good beach though. I bet you you could see some beautiful marine life while snorkeling if you went to the right spot. The Carnival Magic itinerary sounds lovely! Have you been on Carnival Magic before? Have you been to any of that itinerary's destinations?

@KeithK This is awesome feedback! Thanks for sharing! You are flexible and understanding; those are great character traits to have. When cruising with a mobility device you must have patience because navigating large crowds in tight spaces can be a challenge! If you have the right mindset, cruising can be great for everyone, especially CCL. @RoadTravelled Thank for this. You are right; CCL is not proposing those that plan to cruise with a mobility device will not be able to cruise. CCL does a really great job at making cruising accessible to all. Booking in advanced to get the best stateroom isn't the end of the world. It can be annoying, but I do it all the time because I need an affordable stateroom with a larger capacity which is very hard to come by. You just have to be a bit flexible while also realizing that what CCL has proposed is pretty reasonable and fair.

@Meredith P CCL is very accessible, as many major cruises lines out there today. I'm assuming this will be your first time cruising with a power wheelchair, but it's very common! Have you contacted the cruise line to ensure it will have the proper accommodations for you upon your arrival? The elevators can feel overwhelming and the hallways are narrow, but I think you will have a pleasurable experience! I recommend going on board with lots of patience and a good attitude. The buffets can have long lines and it can be crowded. I recommending dining in the MDR when possible!

@euroguy Thanks for you awesome port review along with great photos! You never disappoint with your reviews. Which was your favorite cruise stop? It sounds like Amber Cove was your least favorite. Unless you go to a private beach stop or planned excursion, it can be hard to feel comfortable outside of the port. I haven't visited Grand Turk but your review has me wanting to go! What I loved most about San Juan was how safe it felt. It was pretty clean and secure, which made me very confident to explore on my own. It seems you got a mean workout navigating San Juan! Did you stop at any of the beaches while in San Juan?

@Patricia cory I'm pretty sure most of the fleet (if not all) is using Starlink onboard now. Which NCL ship are you considering? @KeithK Thanks for confirming that. Did you uses the service? If so, were you pleased with it? I have heard pretty good things about Starlink and how fast the service is!

@Crsr22 It all depends on the cruise line and where you embark from. What cruise line are you considering? The cruise lines have to oblige with the local rules to some degree. If you embark from an area with a lower drinking age, then the cruise line will likely follow those same standards. @LukeJ I agree. If you are looking for a vacation filled with intoxication at a young age, you may want to book an all-inclusive in Mexico instead.

@Amythest2112 This is a strong and bold comment. Yes I agree that the "scooter crackdown" is called for, but I do think those with scooters shouldn't be welcomed aboard. It's discriminatory for cruise lines to not allow scooters or those with mobility differences to participate in the world of cruising! There should be better rules and regulations to make ships more accommodating, but I don't see the problem with scooters. Maybe those that don't have mobility issues should opt for the stairs more often. It keeps you healthy and strong if you are able! @CaptainHunter Thanks for sharing your perspective here! @jane Ashmore Brown Scooter parks are a great idea. I also think accessible stateroom should be strictly dedicated for those with mobility issues! That's what they are for anyhow!

@euroguy Thanks for this awesome review! The food menu seems to be much improved and the specialty restaurants onboard sound very worthwhile. I'm sad to to hear the MDR service was so so. I felt the same about the MDR service on my last cruise and I think it may be a big ship thing. I'm used to a more personal experience where you make a connection with your waitstaff. I think that approach is more of a small ship feel, but I much prefer it over the robotic, desensitized approach. I'm so pleased that the ship didn't feel overly crowded. It sounds like the ship is properly designed to allow guests to naturally space themselves out, like the multiple pool options. Which pool did you spend the most time in onboard Mardi Gras? How was the crowd onboard the ship? Were you able to meet any nice folks during your itinerary? It's a bummer about the elegant night. That's my favorite night in the MDR and the food is usually the best that evening. Maybe this itinerary had a more casual, buffet-drawn crowd.

@LukeJ I don't think Humphrey Slocombe is sold at any big box retailers, but after doing some research, I think it's a top quality product. Most of the storefront locations for Humphrey Slocombe are in California, Nevada, and Oregon. I also found other "scoop fronts" in other countries outside of the US. At this point I'm trying to become a wholesaler so I can get my hands on the product, but before I know it may be sold at a place near me. The word about Humphrey Slocombe seems to be spreading like wildfire. Maybe it's the next Haagen Daz!

@LukeJ That golf tour packages seem epic, but the prices reflect the quality of the experience. The overall quality of an Azamara cruise is much greater than most other cruise lines. I have been eager to cruise with the line, but I haven't been able to swing the cost yet. I would likely start with a more affordable itinerary initially until I could work up to affording an epic experience like this golf one. I think your wife could totally jump onboard if you incorporate some of the things she adores on the cruise! If she likes the spa experience, give her unlimited time at the spa many to compensate. Your statement about your wife not forgiving you about going away for work made me laugh so hard.

@Captain Dizzy That's a good question! I haven't cruised onboard Nieuw Statendam so i can't confirm it's latest venues, but I would automatically assume that there will certainly be a live band that performs at these locations. When there is live music you can almost guarantee there will be lots of dancing too! Do you have an upcoming cruise onboard Nieuw Statendam? The ship looks lovely!

@Woody14 I think week to ten days is ideal but longer than that could be great too! If you have the flexibility, a 12-16 day cruise could be great, but it's certainly a time commitment. There are more things to consider when you cruise for that long such as parking at the port (which could get expensive) and laundry (which while pile up after a week of cruising). I also think financially, if you are cruising for a month, it could be really cool to opt out of paying for housing that month. Living a month to month lifestyle could be so cool for retirement. I have considered it. I wouldn't want to pay for rent that month if I was cruising the entire time! I have considered living a flexible RV lifestyle amongst intermittent cruising once I retire.

@Woody14 School teachers are awesome, but cruising those times of year are always the most expensive! Spring break cruise prices plus the crowd is just a headache in itself! I pulled my kids out of school and homeschooled them to have more flexibility. Cruising when school is out is just way too expensive for our crew. Thankfully, it sounds like you and your wife are at the tail end of being bound to this schedule. By the time she's retired, I bet you will both have earned some pretty awesome loyalty statuses amongst the rest. The goal of cruising one new destination per itinerary per cruise is such a great idea. My family is getting burnt out of those Caribbean cruises. They are so much fun, but a new destination every now and again would be a great refresh for us! Would you do a world cruise at some point?

@LukeJ I had never heard of Alicante until now! It sounds dreamy and an area I would surely enjoy. What brought you to Alicante? As someone who lives very far from Spain, this location wouldn't have even been on my radar without you exposing it to me. It almost sounds like a little hidden gem! I'm a big market fan, from farmers market to artisan markets, I enjoy them all. There is nothing like shopping locally for goods that were made by the locals themselves! Not only is the shopping experience more enjoyable than big box retailers, but it's such a lovely way to get out with friends or remain active in your local vicinity. I will make sure Alicante makes it to the list of must see spots in Europe.

@Onboard Thanks for this awesome review! You make me want to hop of Sky Princess yesterday. @Futluz2 I appreciate your honesty here. The positive thing is, people clearly love the ship and it's current itineraries due to how crowded it was! The evident downside is the lines and the sharing of space. I'm actually really surprised to read that you preferred the food quality in the buffet over the MDR. I don't hear that often at all! The specialty restaurants onboard should surely shine amongst every other food option! Could you elaborate on the poor MDR experience you had? Was the food quality bad or was it also the service? On my last cruise I found the service to be really slow on the firsts two nights. I figured because of how crowded it was, the dining crew was under prepared and was not able to respond accordingly. By day three, the MDR picked up the pace and the service became much better.

@paulellisparker I have used smart elevators, and I really love them! I haven't seen the wheelchair icon on the cruise lines I have been on. I find them to be more efficient and they make less unnecessary stops. Wheelchairs on elevators, just like strollers, can be difficult because they take alot of space and the elevators get full easily. I wish more people were open to taking the stairs during the day. It would make the elevators more available for those that truly need it. As long as I'm not dressed up for dinner in heels or lugging my young children around, I'm more than willing to take the stairs. It's great exercise anyways!

@pablo You will need to scan your tumbler through the security scanner. That means you wouldn't be able to walk it through the machine in hand. Usually, cruise lines don't allow you to bring liquids back on the ship. I often have a bottle of water in my bag that I put through the scanner. They usually don't check it and just let it go through. I think the worst that could happen is they toss it. I wouldn't bring an evident bottle of liquor. That is against pretty much all cruise line's policy. You just have to realize, if you plan to sneak, you are taking a risk.

@FJB I haven't done a zip lining excursion there before! I love zip lining so I would certainly give it a try. Does it go through a rainforest? What is the scenery like? I would prefer to book through the excursion desk onboard the cruise ship as well. It's worth the extra money for peace of mind. Do you recall the name of your excursion and which zip line place you went to? @Seaawgs That's awesome! That terrain doesn't sound ideal for a slingshot! Maybe renting a small truck would be best. I completely agree. What is your personal favorite part of the island? What is the history behind Little England? I didn't know that was Barbados' nickname.

@Woody14 I love a good value system! That's something I don't think the United States has, a good value system. I'm one who was born in the United States so I can truly attest to this. I would love to visit that area some day and get to know the Dutch culture. I'm proud to be a very frugal person. I don't think that's the "American" way, but it's just my way! The way I see it it, the more I save the more money I can spend on cruising. That's the highlight of my year for sure. Are you an annual cruiser?

@lucy I'm afraid this is very unlikely. If you were to post content on a ship on behalf of a cruise line, it may be considered. Cruise lines don't typically give cruises away for free. If that was the case many of us would start learning new tricks and traits to earn a free cruise! @FJB That's a good thought! That's also a very noble and rare profession. @LukeJ It would be one holy cruise! We would all become priests if we could get free cruises. Let me know if this is a thing, and if so, sign me up!

@Seaawgs Thai sounds like a very interesting excursion! I would love to get a tour of this history rich area and explore the scenery the next time I stop in Barbados. I haven't been since I was a child, and that was a very long time ago! Bathsheba also sounds really lovely. When you cruise to Barbados, do you rent a car? That's likely the best way to make multiple stops. You could always rent a slingshot! I have yet to do that.

@Woody14 I didn't realize the Dutch way was a cheap one. I may be Dutch in my ancestry then! I would likely splurge on an e-bike if the weather was hot like the Galveston summer is! @LouI just booked my first cruise out of Galveston, and I'm very excited for it! The weather should be nicer that time of year, in February. I would love to stay at the Holiday Inn and utilize this parking lot the night before. Would you be able to share the hotel information with me? I would also like to see if there is shuttle to the port or even the airport. Those are options I would like to figure out beforehand so I'm not left scrambling at the last minute.

@LukeJ I'm not a huge karaoke fan, but I will participate if it's the only entertainment option. If it's a wild bunch of drunks, I'm not interested to join, but I'm fine if the crowd is somewhat decent. There are usually better singing options onboard that don't include amateurs. I love to dance to live music, and karaoke just isn't it for me. Can you imagine dancing to drunken Mariah karaoke? I just want to run away before the song is even over! Guests really seem to get into the karaoke onboard. My last cruise was filled with a karaoke clique, unlike anything I had seen before. They were actually all descent singers thankfully.

@rookiecruiser I would invest in the prepaid arcade package if you still have the opportunity before you embark. Otherwise you can always find an arcade package deal while onboard. This is something that you will likely get your money's worth out of. I also think these waterslides will offer plenty of entertainment for your little ones. The arcade is perfect for a rainy day. They will enjoy the kids club too! There are always lots of fun things to do for the kids through the onboard kids club program. Have they cruised onboard an NCL ship before? https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/arcade-package

@Spencer Your cruise is coming up next month! I haven't been to all of your stops but I have been to St. Thomas, Antigua, and St. Maarten. All of these stops just have amazing beaches. They are transparent and peaceful. The sand is perfect and the scenery is unbeatable. I wouldn't miss some beach time at these ports. I hyperlinked some ideas for excursions for each location. Take a look at those articles to explore the vast amount of options you have! I would take a regular taxi to a secluded beach for a day in Antigua. I did that with my family one year and it was absolutely brilliant. Let me know if you have any other questions. I think you will find some options you will really love after browsing through some of the options in the hyperlinks.