Garnet21

if I had to choose it would be Otto Bang capt of the Liberty he was so kind taking my wheelchair bound daughter for a personal tour of the ship 

if it was current or winds etc., people wonder why RCCL skips out on Coco Cay and other tender ports periodically, I agree with @monorailmedic, the speed is just why off, what did they do, bring in the junior, junior assistant (Janitor) harbor pilot? I know Roatan is a small island with little or no infrastructure, but come on? Tug boat anyone....

Sorry, I couldn't Help myself
help myself!!

WOW! Thanks for such a thorough and beautifully photographed blog.  After seeing this, I would definitely book a cruise on Serenade.  I just  changed my St. Maarten excursion to Swept Away  after seeing your photos.  :)  I was there last year on Adventure and I will be back there  on Allure the end of May. 

Day 8 - St Maarten continued...
This afternoon's excursion would be on the catamaran 'Swept Away' which is why this excursion was called "Swept Away Coastal Cruise".  We met on the pier and guests from both Adventure and Serenade were present.  From here it was a short walk to the boat which used the water taxi terminal at the port.
 
The boat featured both covered seating as well as mesh areas in the front where you could sit for an over water full sun experience.
 
 
We left the Great Bay area where the ships dock and headed along the coast.
 
Captain Kevin at the helm had Caribbean music playing stopping it occasionally so they could narrate and inform us of interesting facts along the way.
 
We passed Fort Amsterdam and Little Bay. The Divi Little Bay Beach Resort where the King and Queen of The Netherlands stay when they visit is one of the first and few hotels that have reopened.
 
From here we continued to the water and electric plants that generate all the electricity and water desalination for the Dutch side.  The tankers here were offloading fuel for the generators used to power this side of the island.
 
This was my view straddling the right pontoon most of the day.
 
This is the the draw bridge used for boats to enter the lagoon which is one of the largest lagoons in the Caribbean.  This is where everyone moves their boats during hurricanes.  During Irma over 300 boats were damaged beyond repair and they continue to deal with wrecks to this day.  According to our hostess no sailboat masts survived the storm including the 'Swept Away' we were on.  As a result we had no 'sailing' and our tour used engine power all the way.
 
This took us into Simpson Bay where we saw beaches lined with people and water sports underway.
 
The bay is a popular anchoring spot for many boats and yachts such as this unique craft.  It was reported the entire craft can be controlled by the owners iPad.
 
Continuing along the coast we made our way to Maho Beach, the famous beach area at the end of the runway where people go to watch planes land.  You could hear the music from the Sunset Bar located at Maho Beach with scores of people on the beach just like it used to be.
 
We hung out here for a while and watched as some airplanes landed above us.
Continuing along the coast...
 
This beach in Mullet Bay is where the locals like to spend most weekends.  The water was crystal clear and we were told it was 35' deep where we were but you could see the sand bottom very easily.
 
The spot marks the border between the Dutch and French sides of the island.  If you look very close there is a small green fence separating the two sides even though it is an open border and you can freely move between the two countries.
 
We continued sailing up the French side of the island with Sylvia our bartender keeping the drinks flowing.
 
This area Baie Longue (Long Bay in English) on the French side is one of the most expensive parts of the island.
 
At this point we turned and started making our way eventually back to Philipsburg and the ships.  A few dolphins swam near us briefly on the way back.
 
 
 
It was a very enjoyable excursion and it was great seeing the coast of St. Maarten from a catamaran.  Our hosts explained everyone on the Dutch side has power and water at this point and they were very proud of how strong and resilient the people of St Maarten have been through to this point. 
One them explained that the boat she used to work on was destroyed and she was so happy to be working again now on the 'Swept Away'.  They were all very happy to be working again and they thanked us for that.  With only one or two hotels open it really drove home the impact that the cruise industry has on the local economy.

When you look at an excursion and want to see the time(s) that are available, click "add to cart". This will bring you to a screen that allows you to see the date and times of that particular excursion.  Don't worry about it accidentally becoming a purchase.  It takes many steps to finalize. 

This is just about the dumbest thing ever!  A juvenile that never grew up?

Wishing a Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all here that celebrate!  

I’m leaning towards this myself when I board Freedom, if only because they have by all accounts the best margaritas of any bar on board, and that’s what I want my “I’m FINALLY on the ship!!!” first drink to be. ??

Welcome to the forum. 
Just want to clarify that there is an important difference between "debarkation" and "deportation".  If you are being deported after a cruise then you did something very wrong

Women don't need to talk or text.  They communicate with each other at a level us guys will never understand.  Even a bot can't decode it.

I find the slots to be much "tighter" on ships because they are not regulated or have any rules to follow like in Vegas and AC. I have been to Vegas and AC lots of times and win on the slots there way more than on a cruise ship. However, some people do win big on cruise ship slots I just don't think its the norm. I personally stick to blackjack when I am on ships as I tend to win more on that than slots. Now if I am trying to get that balcony certificate and I am a few points shy I play some slots because its easier to earn points that way. 

Did you see they are "test" a higher cover charge for Johnny Rockets on the Oasis?  Going from $6.95 to $9.95.

We've been to these ports several times.  The following are my recommendations:
San Juan - We simply walk around Old San Juan and around the fort.  BUT...we always have a drink and bite here:  https://chocobarpr.com/ 
Also, every time I am in this port we go to Mi Pequeno San Juan (store in Old San Juan) where I buy a new piece of art (hand-painted house front of Old San Juan) to hang in my house: http://www.mipequenosanjuan.com/handpainted-houses-old-san-juan.html
The address of the store is:
Mi Pequeño San Juan
152 Calle Fortaleza 
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907
Tel. 787-721-5040
St. Maarten - Before the hurricane(s) last year my favorite beach in the whole-wide world was on this island.  Maho Beach.  The hurricane washed it away.  There is no more beach and this makes me SO SO SO sad.  However, the bar/restaurant next to the beach (Sunset Beach Bar) is still there and they have fabulous drinks and a perfect view of planes landing in the island's airport.  Check it out.  Here is a link to the place:  http://sunsetsxm.com/
Labadee - Relax here, relax here, relax here!  Scoop it up quick but renting a beach bed for the day is what we always do!  It will be too late to book on the Cruise Planner I think?  Look into it.  Worth it.  The roller coaster thing they have (I forget the name) is a blast too.  A must do. 
 
 

Great article in NY Times re the conditions in St. Martin and the differences there between the Dutch and French sides. Beautiful pictures also.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/travel/st-martin-after-hurricane-irma-.html
Here are the last 3 paragraphs.
Each day, progress is beginning to take hold. By the end of June, inventory on the Dutch side of the island is expected to grow by 560 rooms with properties like Divi Little Bay Beach Resort and Oyster Bay Beach Resort expected to reopen. On the French side, roughly 600 rooms will be added by year-end, according to the Kate Richardson, the director of St. Martin’s tourism office, including intimate boutique-style properties. Among them: the Hotel La Plantation on Orient Bay (April), the Mediterranean-style Le Petit Hotel (June) and the Grand Case Beach Club (October).
New tourist attractions are also welcoming visitors. In November, Rainforest Adventures opened a new zip line — the Flying Dutchman — in Emilio Wilson Park. Visitors can tour a new museum dedicated to the history of the site, a former plantation dating back to the 1700s, and dine in a refurbished stone building that was once the sugar cane boiling house. And with the island’s natural attractions still intact, tour operators continue to offer sailing trips, snorkeling excursions and hikes up to Pic Paradise, the highest spot on the island.
“There are some things that the hurricane just couldn’t take away, said Marc Petrelluzzi, whose family owns Le Petit Hotel and its beloved sister property, L’Esplanade. “It’s the view. It’s the sea. It’s the beaches. It’s the vegetation. It’s nature.”
They also did write ups on St. John and Dominica and San Juan. You can see them here. Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated islands in the Caribbean last September. Six months later, how are they recovering? To find out, writers for Travel spent time in St. John, Dominica and San Juan, P.R.