GlowTheWeird

April  24, 2019
A week ago we (a family of four) were fortunate enough to visit Sint Maarten (Saint Martin) for a third straight year.  And for a third straight year, we hired Leo Brown to be our private driver.  Three years ago, we looked into booking a tour through the ship's excursion office.  Now, there's nothing wrong with booking an excursion through RC but we wanted more.  What we got was a lot more.
We decided to research a few months before on how to hire a private driver.  We found  Leo Brown on the internet.  He was recommended by previous travelers.  We called him up and hired him for the day.  The idea was that we would pay him the same amount that RC was going to charge us for their excursion. However, hiring Leo Brown has more benefits:
a)  You are helping the economy directly.  All money you spend is going into local's pockets. Booking an excursion means that RC gets a percentage.
b)  More time on the island.  The RC excursion will bring you back to the ship hours before it's set to sail.  With a private driver, you get more time on the island for the same amount of money.
c) You choose where you want to go.  If the kid's wanted to go snorkeling, Leo Brown would take us to a great beach... if the kid's wanted big waves, Leo Brown would take us to another beach... when we got hungry, Leo Brown took us to the French side for delicious food cooked in a local and authentic island restaurant... Want amazing views for the family picture?, Leo Brown will drive you to one of the highest parts on the island so you can take that picture. 
d) Leo Brown is proud.  The first time we met Leo Brown, he drove us around the entire island (Dutch and French side).  He is a proud lifelong resident of Sint Maarten and it shows.  Needless to say, we also learned quite a bit about the island through Leo.
e) If you hire Leo Brown, you are it.  No mini-bus filled with other passengers going to the same place where you will then have to wait in line and keep your eyes on the time in order to get back in line to board the mini-bus and get shuttled back to the ship. With Leo Brown, you are on "YOUR TIME".  You tell Leo Brown what time the ship leaves, and he will have you back.
Like I said before, this is our third straight year visiting Sint Maarten and hiring Leo Brown.  Unfortunately, our plans for next year do not take us back to this wonderful island.  However, if you are planning a trip to Sint Maarten (Saint Martin) via cruise ship or flying in, we HIGHLY recommend hiring Leo Brown.
Leo Brown: (721) 553-4290
note:  if you arrive by cruise ship, you will need to walk out of the cruise pier area to meet Leo Brown.  There is a taxi area inside the pier terminal but Leo will be waiting just outside.  You will see many passengers exiting here because it is a short distance to the town area.
 
The attached picture is Leo Brown and his wonderful wife and daughter along with myself and my two kids.

Time out, I never meant to paint you as a bad parent.  I was just saying...this could be some scenarios, and injuries do happen.  I have seen many a  tweener running around the pool deck by themselves with no parent insight.
I am not passing any judgement.  If you felt that way, than my apologies.  That is a problem when you deal with social media...you can't read intonation, or have the ability to explain in more depth.

Maybe LA!  Royals return to Mexico is long overdue.

amen.  July 8.  LOL

Someone get @JennyB a lava flow, stat!

Both of these are awesome, you guys rock.

"MY FRIEND" (lol) was able to get it ALL taken care of as if nothing had happened! 
P. T. L. 
#dontmissfinalpayment
#mightstranglethehubby
#iamthefriend

Total Newby here. Scrolling through 8 pages of info, and here is the first chance I can respond with something helpful. :) 
We live in NJ, but have annual passes to Universal and go frequently. We never drive on vacation. We've been using Tony Hinds for years. If this isn't too late, drop him an email. He serves Port Canaveral with grocery stops to wherever you're going in Orlando. 
 
http://www.taxi-mco.com/Drivers/Tony Hinds.htm

If it makes you feel any better, my husband served 30 years in the US military and we have never gotten a discount of a cruise for that service. To be clear, it is only active duty and retirees that receive a discount the few times it has been offered (rather than anyone who ever served). The few times I have even seen one come up it wasn’t ever as good as the current “sale” or even the 55+ rate. Once in a while living in GA helps in terms of a tiny discount since we are so close to many of the RCL ports. I do sincerely understand how you would feel, but I promise you that in real usefulness with most cruise lines there is none. That said, I love the people of Australia and of New Zealand - some of my favorite humans come from one or the other (and it doesn’t hurt that I have a husband with a big chunk of Maori running around in his DNA). ??‍♀️?. 
@GlowTheWeird and @WAAAYTOOO yup! They are not ever useful. 
@twangster  “Since the discount often doesn't actually apply, it seems odd to proudly offer something that isn't really a thing.“ EXACTLY. Most of the time, the so-called Veteran’s discounts are not “discounts” at all set up only as a way to show the company is  “doing something” for Veterans when the truth is that most of the time it is all show and no action (although there are exceptions, including the MGM and Harrah’s groups and Disney properties). Honestly, we would much rather someone do nothing for us than to produce a fake discount so they can look good (only the latter tick me off ?).

Yep, never have had a military discount apply for any royal cruise we have priced or booked. Sometimes I feel companies have these options  advertised on the website because it looks good  as PR.  It’s a business, that’s fine but then don’t advertise a discount that so rarely applies it’s hard to find anyone who’s ever been able to use it. 

Marriott has FANTASTIC military rates. We would go every memorial and Labor Day weekend when we were stationed at Fort Hood to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country. Never less than 380-500/night for the cheapest garden view room, we never paid more than 129.00/night including holidays and they often upgraded us to pool views.   We are also booked at a Marriott chain hotel for our night before the cruise out of Port Canaveral in August.  They always have super rates.    
Do we expect companies to give discounts no, but if they advertise them- then yah. It’s nice to see if we can save some money.   The problem with Royal is no one everrrrr seems to qualify.   
We love Royal and it’s certainly not a make it or break it for us, but at this point it’s just- remove it already and if you want to say you support the troops for PR purposes or whatever, give veterans or military a welcome drink- helll I would be really happy with one of those writing pens with the floating boats in it. 

Ok... now that I would accept.

As retired U.S. Air Force I feel a bit compelled to weigh in here....with a response that may surprise!  I think they should get rid of the military discount altogether!  Here is why...First, it only exists on paper.  It rarely if ever actually gets applied.  Meanwhile you ruffle the feathers of those non-U.S. non-Canadian military personnel.  There is seemingly no problem with state-side companies offering discounts to U.S. service personnel only, as they are stores/restaraunts etc. that are based in thr u.S. and physically located in the U.S. (I would not expect to get a military discount at McDonalds in Japan.....   BUT despite the fact that TC is suposedly a U.S. company, their market is very international including international ports, routes, and indeed crew!  So to only offer the military discount to certain countries defenders slights others and in today's world of reading-to-much-onto-everything could even be viewed as a political statement.  Offering the military discount to ALL military likewise doesn't work..do yo offer the discount to military from opposing countries?  If not, s soon as you elimnate one you make a statement.  Too many pitfalls here.  Get rid of it I say!   (Now, free drinks for veterans i could support!  ?  

@Floski Yes, it surely is smoke and mirrors but they should be asked to either explain their offer or remove it.  

Hi Ashley, this didn't matter with P&O or Princess here in Australia - it was separate to other offers - just extra OBC added as a "thanks".  It was simply a matter of "yep, you qualify, it's yours".  I live in Queensland but come from Sydney so a bunch of us took a 2 day cruise from Brisbane to Sydney to see friends and family for fun.  The OBC on Princess was $50.  I thought that was pretty good for 2 day cruise.  I personally think it's time that Royal Caribbean and the other cruise lines advertising these sort of discounts do so or stop advertise them.  It just should be an added irrespective of what offers are on the table.

It's all PR smoke and mirrors.
 
Never got the military discount, either.  I mean, if you're going to have it as an option, then use it; otherwise, don't even have it 
in the registration process.  It really is a bit of a slap in the face.
 
Oh, and Flossy, I'm pretty sure "diddlysquat" is universal!  ;-)

Wow, I'm appalled!  I actually believed the Canadians and Americans were receiving the discounts and the Aussies and Kiwis were snubbed - kinda seen as less deserving.  Apparently not!  This sort of advertising is blatantly playing on the military, seniors and the like to make the company look good - "hey look at us, we're handing out discounts!" - but in the end nothing comes of it.  I've also tried to tick the "seniors" box but it means diddly squat (sorry if this is Aussie slang)!  Come on, isn't it time this stopped?  It's an insult to the military who risked their lives so that others might live.  Shame on RCCL and the other cruise lines doing this.  As I said earlier, we have received military discounts from P&O and Princess so pat on the back to them.  And thanks to @fonemanbob for appreciating the military service alliance.  It works towards keeping our respective countries safe and without that we have nothing.  ?

Add us to the list.  My husband is retired AF and we have never used the discount.  
 

I'm retired U.S. Army and have never been given a military discount. Sure the place to put it in the booking is there but it never yields anything valuable.

Yep, never have had a military discount apply for any royal cruise we have priced or booked. Sometimes I feel companies have these options  advertised on the website because it looks good  as PR.  It’s a business, that’s fine but then don’t advertise a discount that so rarely applies it’s hard to find anyone who’s ever been able to use it. 

Yep, never have had a military discount apply for any royal cruise we have priced or booked. Sometimes I feel companies have these options  advertised on the website because it looks good  as PR.  It’s a business, that’s fine but then don’t advertise a discount that so rarely applies it’s hard to find anyone who’s ever been able to use it. 

Yep, never have had a military discount apply for any royal cruise we have priced or booked. Sometimes I feel companies have these options  advertised on the website because it looks good  as PR.  It’s a business, that’s fine but then don’t advertise a discount that so rarely applies it’s hard to find anyone who’s ever been able to use it. 

We just got back from our cruise on Anthem this past Saturday and I wanted to give those interested e a little information on the Chill Island Cabanas because I couldn't find out much online before we left.
- The cabanas are amazing but there are definitely some that are better than others.  We specifically chose #14 which is at the end so we had less people around us....unfortunately, it had more birds!  The rock wall on the right of the picture is where the seagulls hang out.
- Next time, we would book book Cabana #9, #10 or #11. 
- Cabanas 8 through 14 are in the front row and 1 through 7 are in the back. 
- There are chairs on the left of the cabanas that are for suite guests and it is first come, first serve.
- If you have access to the Chill Island Cabana area (rented a cabana or are in a suite), there is an upgraded lunch buffet.  Our buffet had lamb chops, ribs, chicken, salmon, shrimp and scallop skewers, Maine lobster tails, hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, fruit, cookies, etc.  A lot of food!!
- There is no bathroom area in the cabana area but it isn't that far of a walk
- The beach is roped off for the cabana area 
- The snorkeling right beyond the roped off area was really good.  We saw hundreds of fish of all different types.
If anyone has any questions, let me know!!
 
 

Here is the Kids Adventure Ocean handout from Indy a couple weeks ago.
 Indy AO CC Jan 25 2019 .pdf