JohnG

I have a review posted on this site of my Dream cruise in Dec 2003 on that W. Carib itinerary, if you are interested.

I used to shop the internet to get a benchmark of prices and then call the TA. Usually they could match or nearly so, but usually provided us with a bottle of wine or something that the internet agencies don't. However, now I am a cruise TA, and book my own :grin: .

Guess it is too long since I was there (I lived there for two years in the late 60's), since while it looked like Oahu, the landmarks, beach contours didn't look familiar. Nice work, James :grin: .

http://www.royalsaintcharleshotel.com/specials.html We stayed at the Hilton Riverside last time. Practically walking distance to the pier. Priceline may have specials on it.

At least a sport coat and tie would be appropriate for formal night in the dining rooms. In fact, in the dining rooms you will see a substantial number of tuxedos and formal gowns, the normal formal dress. However, many men wear a simple suit and tie on formal nights. We think it is fun to dress formally and pretend we are hobnobing with James Bond and friends :grin: . The Carnival website says: Formal Wear: tuxedo (optional); suit and tie; sport coat, tie and slacks; evening gown; cocktail dress; pantsuit. For those not wanting to dress up, the Lido restaurants are open nightly (with the exception of the last evening of the cruise), and have a casual dress code.

Hurricane Frances RELEASE - HMC HOLLAND AMERICA LINE’S PRIVATE ISLAND, HALF MOON CAY, EXPERIENCES ONLY MINOR DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE FRANCES ms Zuiderdam to cancel call to island Seattle, September 8, 2004 – Holland America Line announced today that its award-winning private island, Half Moon Cay, received only minor damage as a result of Hurricane Frances. The island, which is located in the Bahamas, experienced limited beach erosion as well as the typical landscaping and minor wind damage caused by storms. To allow for clean up efforts, Holland America Line has cancelled the call to the island scheduled during the September 11, 2004 sailing of the ms Zuiderdam. “We are thankful that we were able to secure and evacuate Half Moon Cay prior to the hurricane,†said Stein Kruse, president and chief operating officer, Holland America Line. “This was a significant storm and the island was fortunately spared major damage. Our clean up efforts are underway and we will resume our calls to this beautiful island with the September 18 sailing.†The ms Zuiderdam’s September 11, 2004 sailing will call in San Juan, Puerto Rico instead of Half Moon Cay. The revised itinerary follows:

The length + width + depth of any luggage must be no more than 62 inches to be accepted a luggage on US airlines even within the US. Over 80 lbs will cost extra. There are no such restrictions for boarding the ship.

http://tinyurl.com/683jw There are 62 photos. You can view them as a slide show by clicking on the arrows at the top, or see the thumbnails by clicking on home. Provided by a TA in Miami

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The more you post the better the "accomodations". You have an inside cabin because you are a new poster. We asked for and had an aft cabin on Carnival Legend and enjoyed watching the wake as we sailed. No vibration.

Looks more like St. John's, perhaps Trunk Bay.

http://cruisediva.com/capt_dinner.htm

The mandatory service charge is no more than the gratuity charged by other lines to the account, and they, too, still charge 15 per cent on bar bills. The only difference is that this NCL "service charge" can not be adjusted by the traveler. It is fixed. NCL says they want you to express your dissatisfaction to them onboard so that they can fix the problem, not cut the funds being channeled to the staff. It is fairly widely accepted than it isn't wise to book ANY ship for the first six months it is in service till they get the kinks worked out. In the case of the Pride of Aloha and the 80 per cent American crew, there are a lot of kinks, more than normal. NCL has admitted that.

Generally the insurance you purchase yourself or through your TA is cheaper than the insurance the cruise line offers. See http://www.insuremytrip.com/ and get a quote and compare.

Frankly, you should just switch to Personal Choice Dining and you can eat whatever time you wish. You can eat in the Personal Choice dining room, make a reservation, and even arrange to eat at the same time/table every night. Request that your TA change you to Personal Choice, then as soon as you get aboard make your dinner reservation for the first night.

Snorkeling at Half Moon Cay is only fair. The best fish hang around the rock breakwater on the left of the bay, and they are just beyond the rope/floats that limit where we can go. There are fish in knee deep water right off the beach that you can see with the naked eye that will come very close. The excursion to Blue Lagoon in Nassau is highly recommended by those who have done it. In St. Thomas I prefer to take a taxi from the pier to Red Hook and catch a ferry to St. John. Then a taxi to Trunk Bay or Cinnamon Bay. On my own, much cheaper

This one is for cruisers, in the US http://cruiseshipassist.com/html/wheelchairs.html

Looks like Red Hook on St Thomas

We are sailing Sun a month later. Be sure and tell us all about your trip.

We are sailing Sun a month later. Be sure and tell us all about your trip.

You don't have to have a passport in North America. It is just recommended, as easier to use and more durable than the paper birth ceritificate. Our agency's standard wording to passengers: PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED TO BOARD YOUR CRUISE: All passengers are required to carry valid Proof of US or Canadian Citizenship. If traveling to the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Mexico, or Alaska, US or Canadian Citizens can present a valid passport, Certified Copy of their birth certificate with Raised Seal and a Picture ID. Due to enhanced security precautions each passenger 16 years or older is also required to have a valid photo ID. If traveling internationally or to Fanning Island via Hawaii, US or Canadian Citizens must have a valid passport. Some countries may require a VISA for entry. Resident Aliens who are permanent residents of the US must have a valid passport and Alien Registration Card (Form-1551). In some instances, you may be required to have sailing permits and / or visas to enter some countries. Permanent Residents of Canada must present their Permanent Resident Card and current passport from the country of origin. Foreign Passengers must have a valid passport and multiple entry visa for the United States (B-2 Visitor's Visa) or Canada. For more information, please check with your consulate. All documentation including valid passports, birth certificates, visas, etc are the sole responsibility of the passenger. You will be denied boarding for bringing improper documentation.

You don't have to have a passport in North America. It is just recommended, as easier to use and more durable than the paper birth ceritificate. Our agency's standard wording to passengers: PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED TO BOARD YOUR CRUISE: All passengers are required to carry valid Proof of US or Canadian Citizenship. If traveling to the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Mexico, or Alaska, US or Canadian Citizens can present a valid passport, Certified Copy of their birth certificate with Raised Seal and a Picture ID. Due to enhanced security precautions each passenger 16 years or older is also required to have a valid photo ID. If traveling internationally or to Fanning Island via Hawaii, US or Canadian Citizens must have a valid passport. Some countries may require a VISA for entry. Resident Aliens who are permanent residents of the US must have a valid passport and Alien Registration Card (Form-1551). In some instances, you may be required to have sailing permits and / or visas to enter some countries. Permanent Residents of Canada must present their Permanent Resident Card and current passport from the country of origin. Foreign Passengers must have a valid passport and multiple entry visa for the United States (B-2 Visitor's Visa) or Canada. For more information, please check with your consulate. All documentation including valid passports, birth certificates, visas, etc are the sole responsibility of the passenger. You will be denied boarding for bringing improper documentation.

See http://cruisediva.com/pack_it.htm for great packing tips from Cruise Diva Linda Coffman. In addition, you may wish to read my review on this site of a Holland America E. Carib cruise aboard Maasdam at http://www.cruisecrazies.com/reviews/hal/m...am/review=1.php

See http://cruisediva.com/pack_it.htm for great packing tips from Cruise Diva Linda Coffman. In addition, you may wish to read my review on this site of a Holland America E. Carib cruise aboard Maasdam at http://www.cruisecrazies.com/reviews/hal/m...am/review=1.php

Last December I booked a W. Carib itinerary that included Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, Cancun because I am a snorkeler and that sounded great. Roatan was raining an rough, and the next morning they cancelled Belize due to the weather making tendering dangerous, and we diverted to Costa Maya. It was our first time there and we did enjoy it. No one seemed upset.