jce2

Might have a partial answer myself. Googl mapped the plaza and the area behind it is known as "La Esmeralda" and the hours stated are 9:00 - 6:00

I was hoping to get some shopping done around the main square after our time at "Salsa, Salsa, & Maragaritas". we had planned on skipping the "dancing" and pool time part of the excursion and grab a cab downtown, but perhaps there is a snag to my plan. An article I read suggests that shops close down from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. It does suggest some stores around the square don't close. Any experience with this? I am particularly interested in Del Sol s well as a hammock shop I am told is just behind the square

I walked right into that one! (Still hoping for a sale before my January cruise but planning on buying the full-price package once my RC Credit card OBC hits next week)

It would help if you clarified what deal!

Will be on Liberty for my first ever cruise the week before (Jan 7). Be aware when you get down to Galveston they will be having their "restaurant Week" so you can probably get a really good meal!

You need TWO if yo are both drinking! There is no grey area here

I would make sure you purchase your drink package before November 18th. That is the date that the "experiment" supposedly ends. They could then implement it across the fleet any time after that!

I am just getting the passport cards and not the booklets as I have no plans for international travel outside of cruising in the near future.

Went and started our passport process yesterday. It will be interesting to see if this works as the experience wasn't quite what I expected. First, I filled out the forms on-line on the official web-site. Many of the fields indicated they were optional such as the date and destinations of your trip, emergency contact info. etc. Yet when we got to the post office she had us fill that stuff in. Next, despite the application clearly telling us we needed black-and-white photocopies of both our birth certificates and licenses, she made her own copies of the license and simply took the original birth certificates. I didn't wantr to challenge her too much as she was quite friendly and also seemed confident on what she was doing. One note: Do NOT write checks ahead of time as you will be paying to separate entities. I had to write a separate check to the "Department of State" for each passport CARD ($30 each) and then write one single check for processing to the post office ($25 x number of passports). Overall the process was quick and painless just not quite what I expected. But if I get my passports all will be well. She even gave me a number to call if I don't see them by early October!

I would think the same rule that was always successful for me in Disneyworld should work on a cruise as well. Write out your schedule of when you would normally do stuff..... Then shift everything so you are doing it when everyone else has moved on.

Them there is fighting words Mister!! I loved my Trash-80, and I was the big kid on the block as mine had a full 48K of memory!! I remember listening to the program tape so you could hear the silent gap and know you were at the next program.

Understood, and since Liberty (much to my disappointmen) doesn't have the machines it serves little purpose but might be nice to have

I know if you by the ultimate drink package yo also get sodas but do you get the cup? The description doesn't specifically say you do

Until it becomes a trend I am not totally convinced. It cold have simply been a case of the other restaurants being full, especially if they were not flexible on their times. Still, I will hold off on booking this until I hear more.

The write-up is the same as it has always been, but if you check the wording they could easily eliminate Choppes and not change the wording. Nowhere in the description does it say ALL specialty restaurants. What is actually says is "Embark on a culinary journey with a reservation at one of our specialty restaurants on your first night and save 50%. Select your preferred time and number of guests, and a courtesy reservation will be made on your behalf. You'll receive confirmation of the restaurant chosen for you in your stateroom upon arrival. If you wish to amend to your reservation, you may do so at the hospitality desk or any specialty restaurant." So probably the only way to know this answer this question is if someone experiences the change forst-hand or someone calls RC.

So far that change is not described in the planner

Discovered some great news today. Galveston DOES have a transit system that adults can ride for $1. So the problem of traveling around Galveston on Saturday for food and touring is solved. Not sure it will be a practical solution for getting to the cruise with our bags but will figure that out when we get there.

I believe it is Allure

Yea, I suspect in the end that is what I will do. It's the least stressful too

I am pretty much locked into Galveston at this point seeing as how air fare and shuttle form airport to Galveston are all paid for. Now i am limited to "Do I stay at my current hotel?" (Doubletree) and "How do I get 6 people & luggage from hotel to port?". Only one real consideration for changing hotels and that would be In at the Waterpark, but its reviews are all over the map and it is even further from downtown. Transportation choices so far are hotel shuttle ($75), an independent shuttle (forget name right now, $72), or Uber ($35 but not sure it can actually take all 6 and luggage). So right now its all about finances more than ability. Suspect I will just go with the hotel shuttle. Bottom line is that by 11:00 or so on January 7th I will be standing on the deck of my first cruise ship with my family and drink in hand, and life will be good!

Before I leave for Galveston a hotel in Denver will shuttle me and my family for free 10 miles tot he airport. Once in Galveston I will pay $75 for the hotel to take me 2 miles....Go figure

Alas, I must agree. Galveston is certainly not a "friendly" port for folks that must fly in. Between the cost of transport from Houston to Galveston, steep hotel prices, lack of hotel availability close to the port, exorbitant fees for shuttle entry into the port, and costs of moving around town. It gets expensive fast! My hotel is charging us $25 per room (we have 3) for a 2 mile ride to the port. Turns out it's a fee the port charges. Am tempted to use Uber-SUV (which prices at $28-$35, but so far have had no luck clarifying if and SUV will hold 6 people+driver+luggage (I suppose we might be able to hold luggage on lap.....) Still, quite expensive. Will definitely look at other options before booking my second cruise.

Is there an actual list of Vintages wines anywhere? Does it vary by ship?

I will be 60 on my first cruise and will indeed be traveling with kids................ ages 25 & 23

Looking for opinions on Stingray City tours. Let me stat by saying, as this is our first cruise we are very leery of trying non RCL-sponsored tours. That being said, our situation is this. I REALLY want to do the stingrays, I consider this the highlight of my cruise. However, of utmost importance (to me) is my wife's comfort and happiness. She suffers from back problems (but is still mobile). Right now we are signed up for the "Stingray City and 2 Snorkeling Stops" excursion. She seems content that if her back is too sore she can just sit out the snorkeling. But I am wondering if we wouldnt be better off with the "Deluxe Stingray City Sandbar" that involves a special boat with a staircase all the way into the water, or one of the two tours that include dolphin encounter/swim and Stingray City. Anyone do any of these? Also, how good is the snorkeling (which i have never done), a lot of the video I have seen look like its mainly coral and plants and little in the way of fish)