mom2mybugs

We loved the dolphin experience in Cozumel and they did talk alot about dolphin care, etc. It seemed humane but I have to say I didn't investigate a ton. Jane

Ok...so i had a grasp on which were the better Downtown hotels, and @Matt helped with that. However when asked my 15 year old said she'd rather spend the pre-cruise day at the beach so i assume we should look at south beach hotels. They all kinda seem great online. Anyone have any personal opinions? Jane

So glad you booked Jane!!! Have a wonderful trip ?. Jane

I could wait but we are going the end of march and I'm assuming it will be packed! If we get a better free seat, then we can just give up the shells and be no worse off than if we used them. Jane

The shade us what concerns me. My husband hates the sun and is all about the shade. I just don't think I can chance the lucking out on free chairs in the shade. Can we have the chairs in adrenaline beach and walk over to Columbus cove to swim? I'm really not having a good grasp on how big labadee is! I will definitely take the point about beach shoes being a must. Jane

I'm seconding this post. Sharla has been amazing. She consistently checks on sales, alerts me to important deadlines and when we had a family emergency and had to race home from Paris, she handled all the airline changes. She gets back to me promptly by email when I have questions. I'm nothing but thrilled! Jane

We loved cruising adventure out of San Juan. It was my husband's first cruise and exploring Sam Juan the couple days before the cruise was amazing. Loved El Morro and old San Juan. We did cruise before the hurricane damage but I would definitely go back and looking forward to having San Juan as a port stop in March on allure. Jane

I wish I'd added my other 2 kids to our Europe trip this summer. We didn't know what their job situations would be and now it looks like they could have come, but we are in the ultra spacious family that we booked a year ago and to change now would be insane. Jane

I got an email today and managed to book for my March allure at $49/day. It saved us about $100 down from $56/day. Somehow 7 days seems ok in the Caribbean but there is just no way I am going to buy for our 12 day Greek/med cruise. We have 4 sea days and I already told my husband that I'm not counting drinks those days! We would likely lose money on him for 12 days and at least 3 days we will be off the ship all day (Rome, Florence and Athens). I know the post cruise bill drill just kill me though. Jane

I got some really great deals on my excursions for the Mediterranean next summer. I didn't look at the drink prices though because 12 days is just too expensive to pre-buy at any price. I wish I had decided we were definitely going on spring break allure though... Because I really would rather not pay $56 a day and I bet there were at least slight deals on that. Jane

I am finding that cruises in my house get booked as soon as I suffer through the first really cold winter spell. Suddenly the need to have warm while in a deck chair becomes more important than the budget!!! I was all set to cancel the 2019 spring break trip and the cold started killing me....I found the plane tickets lol! Jane

Thanks guys! This was hugely helpful @love to cruise and @JLMoran!! And I also just finally figured out how to tag people!!!!!! Yeah!!! Jane

Hi! So my husband and I pre-cruised in san juan and were able to have plenty of time to walk around. We will be in as a cruise stop for the first time after the hurricane damage and with time constraints. We are only there from 7-2, so I'm thinking we only have from 730ish to 1pm (I would have to be back way before sailaway because i panic lol). We want to see el morro and walk around old san juan and maybe eat a quick bite. Is this something we can do on our own without doing a boat tour. They have one, but it's only 2.5 hours, and $49 per person. It would work, but if we are talking a cab right to el morro arriving at 9, an hour at the fort, and then walk to old san juan. Is that walk doable...i know you can walk to cristabel and thats only about 20 mins, but i don't remember where old san juan is in relationship to the fort. I also have no idea where the cruise port is in relationship to el morro and old san juan....are all of these doable by taxi/walking at a reasonable price? I just can't see doing it on our own for 3 people would be as much as $150 (the cost of 3 tours) and we'd have more time. Jane

Dawn...thank you so much! This was hugely helpful. I think i probably will just go ahead and get two but even with that it is way cheaper than the beach bed. I'm excited to book them...i have only had a chance to go to cococay and that got weathered out so we didn't tender! Can't wait...its cold in chicago lol! Thanks again ? Jane

i had no idea about this! Thanks ? Jane

So I went back into more detail but i'm not sure i'm reading everything right. I'm looking at the bogo...am i right there are no restrictions? I'm reading it that I could technically do 150 and izumi hibachi. Is it remotely likely i would be able to book those restaurants on the ship? Would I be eating at 10 or 4? Because 40 total for those two restaurants intstead of 90 is amazing! Also, am I right that the ultimate dining doesn't restrict those two restaurants? It's only 168 (24/night)...unless i do bogo, i'd be booking 90 for 150 and hibachi anyway, so 78 for 5 other nights of dining seems really good if again, we can eat that much! I would love opinions on samba grill. Is it just way too much food, or worth doing? Also, can I pick only a couple people in the room to do ultimate dining? My 16 year old is a vegetarian and I'm hesitant to pay for all this stuff. Is it possible to book her for just a couple nights "ala carte single meal pricing" and somehow have her sit with our reservation for ultimate dining? Does that make sense? She would do sabor and hibachi, but not the others.... One last question...do the 2 and 3 night pkgs require you eat on day 1 or 2? So if so, you couldn't combine it with bogo right? Because if you could combine, that might make sense. Ugh...hope all this makes sense ! Thanks for any advice...I know that i've had great opinions on the food fatigue thing, and i'm just have indecisiveness! Jane

Hi everyone... Wondering what to do on Labadee. Bungalow is out because of the price (I'd rather get a drink pkg) but we are comparing the beach lounger for 2 (we would need two because we have 3 people...$90) and the beach bed. I have a few questions: 1. do the beach loungers (that look like clam shells) include chairs or are you just laying inside them? And can more than 2 people access the area if you only pay for 2 (ie...if the teen is gone most of the day, can we tag team the chairs). If they come with chairs, can I pull them out into the sun? Also, which beach are these on, because I cant figure that out. 2. the beach bed is $175 and on adrenaline beach. How is that beach? Can you get to bar service and other areas easily ? In terms of the bed, can you fit more than 2 people if we are sitting up etc..(ie like above can we tag team it and access the area for 3 people if we get one bed)? 3. Finally, are there just lounge chairs available everywhere? Do you pay for them and are they gettable? And what beaches are they at? I've tried looking at the maps, but I'm confused lol. I've tried searching, but alot of the info I think i can find here is embedded in other discussions about bungalows, etc. If one of you experts can help me, that would totally rock and save me a bunch of time ? Jane

This takes a little of the overwhelming out of it. Thanks! Jane

I'm used to Disney trips and cruises ..I tend to be type a plan everything for Disney, not as much on the cruise. But I've been waiting forever to get on one of the Oasis class... So I might be both and conflicted lol. Jane

This is great! Thank you!

Yes we were off the Monday after Thanksgiving. Northwest suburbs got hammered. My husband teaches South though and his district was open...I got stuck shoveling the snow! Jane

Thanks as usual for the great advice. I will definitely book the shows first. Now I have to figure out if the teen wants to come with us (book early shows) or doesn't care (book late). Decisions lol.... Jane

I keep telling myself I will get on a river cruise someday and it will be worth the wait...grrr. I just know I want to try all the food, but I will get tired if spending so much time eating. And I will definitely book shows first asap! Jane

I have the app but my trip isn't in yet. I am so thrilled to have the texting. I'm really excited to try Oasis class for the first time, though much will be wasted on me if I spend as much time on Deck in my chair as I usually do!!! I'm sure I will think of much to ask you!!! Jane

Thank you for that info! That is very good to know! I always fly a day early but we have no choice but to fly home the last day... And they cheap flight was the last one of the night. I'm very worried about that but figure we will hope for the best! Jane