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No problem. If you're there during the weekend, the Marina area market has a lot of stalls with vanilla and spices. If you like hot sauce, the homemade stuff in handpainted bottles was worth taking all the way across the Atlantic and back home.

Odd, their Facebook page (@sarafinas.sxm) was updated June 7, 2019 and people were saying they were glad to see the bakery open.

Sarafina's bakery in Marigot is amazing for presentation, food quality and even price.

From Olive or Twist on the Independence during open bar. Hot food was pretty standard, but the cold snacks had nice presentation. Melon balls and Prosciutto, shredded veggie wrap. Olives in pesto.

Dodged a bullet there, I have cloven hooves and ate unnoticed in the MDR on formal night.

An update on the operation of Park West Galleries by the New York Times, dated May 28, 2019. Why buy art from a place with a reputation like this? You'd be better off buying excursions, drink/dining packages or gambling. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/business/peter-max-dementia-cruise-ship-auctions.html TL;DR - Think twice before you buy a Peter Max print from Park West. Know the value before you bid. That free glass of champagne may cost you a bundle.

Sky Princess November 17 to Dec 4, 2019 from BCN to FLL. Wrong line, I know. But friends booked a TA that didn't spend 7 days in the Caribbean. This one goes up the Spanish coast to Lisbon Portugal, then to Funchal and across.

I have a Citibank Black Diamond card and they cover some cancellation/interruptions up to $3,000 per person per trip. Full details at www.cardbenefits.citi.com. Covered Reasons include: Traveler(s) sick and advised to not travel (by licensed medical practitioner) Medical advisory for area traveler is visiting Traveler needs to provide care to family member verified by licensed medical practitioner Traveler's pet is ill (verified by DVM) *Note: SpeedNoodles* Traveler dies Traveler family member dies Traveler or family member called to active military service Traveler's residence is burglarized or declared unfit for habitation within 10 days of trip departure Terrorist act on itinerary Mandatory evacuation on itinerary Natural disaster on itinerary stopping travel for at least 24 hours Citi also offers death/dismemberment for accidents on trips, but no medical/transport/repatriation.

I think it would look like a big USB powerblock on the Xray machines, which is allowable. That said, friends have carried an octopus (non-surge protected extension cord with 8 outlets on their own cords) on Royal, Princess, and Celebrity cruises for 11 years and never had it confiscated. Xray operators would notice that contraption from a mile away - it doesn't look like any other appliance. So I just ordered the Cruise On for my T/A on May 4th. I'll let you know if I'm called to the surge protector/clothes iron/crockpot room.

That was the name! I didn't save my Cruise Compasses then and couldn't think of it. The summary posted outside the theatre was a word salad. Granted, jukebox shows exist as a vehicle for the underlying music, but The Gift was the only musical on Royal I ever considered leaving. It was painful to see actors who shined in the other production show stuck in this one.

Hi @bcarney, Our tour group was disappointed when the guide said the tour was a "historical" one, but the 3 free drinks seemed to put everyone in a better mood. I went to the Mt. Gay Distillery in the early 00's. It was one of the first distilleries I've been to. Smaller tour group and had a formal tasting of all Mt. Gay rums around a big horseshoe bar. You'd enjoy the Philippines - rum is the most popular spirit by far. Too bad Tanduay's US exports are so limited - they turn out a full line from 65 proof budget stuff ($1.60 a 750ml bottle) to 15 year old premium ($18 a bottle) for domestic drinking. In my town, the 65 and Dark (80 proof) are all that's available. Emperador (Spanish Brandy) is also popular and priced about $2.25 a bottle. With San Miguel beer at 60 cents a bottle, rum is actually a budget drink. Hope to get to the distillery on Luzon within the year.

Must agree with skipping the Bacardi Rum tour. Good points: Lots of free rum. Bad points: It's a museum, you don't get to see the production facilities. I've been on tours to distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, and Barbados and a massive brewery in Australia. All included workroom floor access. Sure there was a museum at each, but that wasn't all. If they would have billed this as a museum visit, it would have been honest.

Correct. In the MDR there is a Vegetarian and a meat curry on every Royal ship every night. On the flip side, there are no off menu requests allowed for other Indian food.

After a bridge tour, a passenger asked the Captain if he would wear his Blues instead of the white uniform. She said the blue one made him look more "Captainy". The others on tour all all kind of cocked their heads a little and looked puzzled at the word choice.

Only ate at the Bistro once, but appetizers and dessert were buffet, the entree was made to order.