Nate Y

On 3/20/2022 at 1:39 PM, labdogs42 said:

What time would you suggest doing this?  Did you have time to enjoy Coco Cay when you got back from the excursion?  Was it really only like 2 hours long?

I second doing it early, especially if you plan to drink at CocoCay. Best to be sober around hungry, somewhat aggressive piggies.

Has anyone else done this recently?  We wanted to look up and order photos but my wife lost their business card.  I sent RC a message two days ago asking who they were but haven't got a response.

I kind of prefer him playing to the bar than in an elevator. Maybe I'd think differently if I actually shared an elevator with him, but I'd rather be able to get where I want to go than find out my elevator is already full with three people and a piano.

Maybe I have a soft spot for lounge piano, maybe the tequila made me a soft audience, but I enjoyed listening to Sam the Stowaway on my recent trip on Indy.  Anyone else enjoy his performances?  I'm a little disappointed he doesn't seem to have any online presence.

Found out the hard way the package doesn't apply to ether animal encounter.  Oh well.  The Dolphin encounter wasn't too expensive.  Leaving the wife to decide if we buy the pig photos. 

I don't have much to compare it to but I cruised last week and thought the food on the Windjammer was average to above-average for buffet fare. Tried corned-beef hash for the first time and loved it.  We closed the Windjammer on disembarkation day, we could hardly stop eating.

In the end ours was cancelled due to low tide and high chop.  Money ended up going to a poker tournament.  Maybe next time.

They moved our time up on us, which wasn't ideal at first but since our Jetski excursion was cancelled due to low tide and high chop, it worked out anyway.

We gathered past the dock at on the far end of Cocokay and after a short boat ride we arrived at the dock in a simple island in development where we could see some pigs frolicking on the beach.  We sat at a comfortable picnic deck and our guide gave us a clear safety briefing and showed us what can happen if you're careless via the pinky finger he had lost.  We we're told we couldn't take pictures on the beach but they would later bring the pigs up to take pictures with us.

On the beach we were given wooden skewers and bits of apples and were soon standing among about 20 pigs of various ages.  Our task was to lure the pigs to the water and make them swim to bite the apple off the skewer, as apparently they love the apples and need the exercise.  The larger pigs get jealous of the little ones and will try to snatch them, and the little ones are reluctant to get into the water, so we had to try hard to spread the love around evenly.

Unsurprisingly, the pigs didn't hesitate to make a mess of the beach, but I give kudos to the staff who were fast to clean it up.  I expected that aspect to be far worse than it was.

We stayed on the beach maybe a half hour, feeding pigs until we got tired of doing so and having pictures taken by their on site photog.  Someone could probably take fair photos of the beach from the deck if they had a good optical zoom if they wanted.  I was disappointed in the end when we got back to the deck and there was no meeting with the pigs as previously promised.  One of us should have spoke up, but nobody did.

Regardless, we had fun and my pig-loving wife was very happy.  4/5 Stars.  Do suggest.  Any questions feel free to ask.

I recently got, maybe singed rather than burned, on buying my drink package because I waited for black friday.  The price only went up $3 per person per day since I started tracking it and only continues to trend upward as our cruise approaches.  Take Matt's advice, buy it immediately, check it periodically, and if it goes down, cancel it and rebook it.

5 hours ago, Pooch said:

Nate Y, could you post a review when you come back?

I'd be glad to! Be back in about a week!

I sure hope so, my wife and I are doing this in a week too.  We were worried because it vanished off the planner but was re-added in the last few days.

I too would love reviews.

21 minutes ago, cdixon22 said:

Watch cruise planner because photo packages go on sale. Last cruise, photos onboard were $19.99 each with a buy one get one 50% off.  So at 5 for $68 you are a little ahead.  

If you take the web site at face value, all the photo packages are on sale.

6 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

I'm sure it will be available at an extra cost.  RCI contracts out shore excursions so the photos will be sold directly be the tour operator - not part of the photo packages offered on the ship or through the cruise planner.

That's annoying.  ty for the info!

11 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

The packages will only include photos taken on the ship, or just outside of the ship.  At Coco Cay, they do have some photographers walking around - if you are doing the swimming with the pigs there, you may ask one of them to be sure to get some shots.

 

So the photos at the Nassau dolphin encounter booked through RC won't be available in the package?  The description says 'Memories of your once in a lifetime experience will be captured by professional photo and video personnel.'  That's its own thing even if it through RC?

I'm looking at photo packages online for my cruise next week through the Bahamas.  They're offering five photos for $68 as the lowest package.  I normally wouldn't bother but we're doing both the swimming pigs and dolphin encounter and descriptions for both make it sound like they're strict about not allowing photos.  Is this as fair a deal as I'm going to get?  Will it include photos from the animal encounters?

If you don't know how to play but want to play or think you'll want to play, attend the free tutorial on games on embarkation day, or any other time it may be offered.  I say next to some people playing blackjack before who were complete novices and making some cringe plays.  Don't give up your money without a fight, know how to play the game.

Also don't let your free credit on your sea pass go to waste.

I take it the Mimosas under the American column incur a fee just as the rest of the American breakfast items regardless of my drink package?  Had to ask.

I see "Poker Tournament (V)." listed at 11am on my sea day for my upcoming cruise on Indy and I'm very interested.  Has anyone done one of these before?  Can anyone tell me what to expect for buy ins and general competition level?

Anyone else just drink the tap water?  I normally hate tap water, but I read RC's is distilled ocean water.  I normally drink distilled at home anyway.  Can't stand 'spring' water or anything else that intentionally adds 'minerals' to the water.

This is good to know.  I'm sailing Indy on the 31st and free room service with coffee will make getting to the dolphin encounter a lot easier.  I assume it'll be self-explanatory when we get on board?

Between the 8 to noon dolphin encounter and a desperate desire to see the pirate museum, we're going to be on a bit of a time crunch to be back on the ship by 3.  Can anyone suggest good, quick dining near the port?

What about Indy?  Would be nice to find something lively on our sea day.

Anyone else get this?  The wife and I got emails saying our boarding time had been pushed back an hour and to show up an hour later than scheduled.  What's really strange to me is that earlier boarding times than ours are still available.  I split the difference and picked a time a half hour earlier.  Eager as I am to board and start using my drink package, we also wanted to check out the matinee park anyway.  Its a little confusing to have them tell me to show up an hour after my selected window instead of straight up giving me a later window.

Quote

In order to maintain your health and safety, prior to boarding Independence of the Seas, we will be conducting additional precautionary sanitization onboard. As a result, our check-in window at the pier will begin a little later than originally planned. We kindly ask that you please arrive one (1) hour later than your originally selected arrival window. Sticking to your new arrival time is important to have the best boarding day experience. All guests should be checked-in and onboard by 3:30 PM. If you’re traveling with unvaccinated children in your party, please arrive before 3:00 PM. Arriving at your originally selected arrival time will result in you being turned away until your new time.

Not sure where to ask this.  Our family ride from MCO to Port Canaveral had to cancel.  Is there a reasonable solution to get from the airport to the port in the late afternoon/early evening?  All the shuttles I see cater to same day departures but we're leaving the next day.  Was hoping to save some money over Lyft.

I recall reading that the vaccine requirement for cruise ship passengers, along with a other requirements, were due to expire on January 15th, but I am unable to find any updates on it being extended nor allowed to expire.  I'm guessing its been suspended indefinitely, but would like to know for sure before my scheduled inoculation Monday, some 15 hours from now.

Point is probably moot, I imagine RC is going to hold on to the requirement regardless, still want to know.