Sparkyboi

I personally voted YES. There are many reasons why I made this vote, as it is a fairly unsafe country. I have been there several times (a few time for work) and i can honestly say it is not one of my favorites. One of the big reasons is their policies on equal rights, drugs, violence etc... I have many friends who are part of the GLBT community and the fact i can turn on a radio and hear songs talking about burning them in a fire (all in patois of course) does not sit well with me. I have landed in Kingston and Mo Bay before and my god, before your out the the airport you CAN buy any drug you want.....i have been approached on the beach....last time at the Trelawny Starfish "HEY BIG MON......WAN NA GIT SOME OF DA HAPPY GRASS? POWDA?" not my idea of a relaxing vacation. Kingston and Spanishtown are probably some of the most scariect places i have ever been. SOOO dangerous to be "white" and alone....a colleuage was held up on a bus a knife point as we headed back to the offices of the mission we were at. They specifically tols us to have a "black" jamaican resident with us at all times, which we did but still happened. This was many years ago now...but still. Now i know that this is not representitive of all Jamaicans, as there are people like this everywhere from the US, to Canada to Asia and other Caribbean countries...i have met some of the warmest people in Jamaica as well. Some of the people on this board is saying yes its beautiful, i never has a problem when i went for my land vacation...Just remember....your not REAAALLLLY in jamaica when your sitting within the 4 walls of your luxury non-jamaican owned resort...Sure Jamiaca is great when you sitting on the beach of the Riu or in the restaurant....stilll dont mean oyu cant buy drugs from the bell-boy. Jamiaca is ok, it has its problems, but until they are resolved i try not to go....plus i dont want to spend my hard earned cash in a place that is so, pardon the expession "ass-backward" in their policies and where any of my GLBT friends can physically be shot down and burned for doing absolutly nothing. That country does not deserve my $$$, although sometimes you have to spend a little. I unfortunently will be stopping here in January to the port of Ocho Rios....Never sailed into Jamaica....i am already "antsy" as i remember the pressure and uncomfortableness I felt last time I was at Dunns River and in Negril. I will make this a ship day or possibly use my contacts to get a day pass to a local resort. I think Jamaica just needs an over-haul.

Hey Guys, On that cruise i am on in January....I am staying 1nt Pre and Post at the Comfort Suites Airport and Cruise Port on South Federal Highway in FLL. Do you think its worth doing an everglades boat ride? the cruise offers it but its like $63.00 USD. When i have looked online i see Everglades tours for like $23.00 USD No transport however.... Is the Everglades really worth it? What can one do with ease from that hotel without transport? ANY IDEAS

Hey All, Ok so some of you may know i am on that Costa Cruise on Jan 3rd. We call upon Ocho Rios, Nassau, Grand Caymen and Cozumel...the only new things for me is Jamaica by sea (been there and done dunns before but travelled the land) but GCM is BRAND NEW. OK heres the kicker.... I am 100% an Ocean person but terrified of live fish....LOL...I know sad...but it freaks me out...i try to snorkel, but as long as the fish are far enough away i am good, once they are close I freak Eating them is different! I could eat fish everyday. Now...I HATE cliche touristy things...but i feel that in GCM String rays are a must! Can anyone help me out with this? were you afraid of fish and did it? were you afraid of being stung? And i honestly dont know if i am gonna get off the ship anywhere else...i have been to cozumel so much....there is nothing there for me...Jamaica....any ideas of Ocho Rios?....Nassau...franly i found very Boring....I think its gonna be a ship day. ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS....PLEASE SPEAK UP!

Not necessarily....remember these cruise lines for the most part are US based.

As an agent and National cruise manager here in Canada, I see this question a lot. Not only Princess but EVERY cruise line has restrictions on where your clients can be booking from. There is this difference becuase the cruise lines has different offices and/or handleing companies to govern their bookings. A lot of the difference is in the laws of the country, (ex cancellatiosn laws, fees, minimum mark-ups, advertising, etc...) It makes it difficult sometimes, espically when you have a group of people on a sailing and various ones are coming from all over the world. There are many ways around this however, simple as not booking cruise air, book seperate....have the agency invoice on a seperate address, or deal with an international agency. We have clients from all over the world....never been a problem. But it comes down to politics, accounting, laws, advertising, and credit cards. Book with an international registered agency or one who knows how to handle international clients and you'll have no problem.

Haha, this let me have a good chuckle....my friend is the exact same!

I dont wear yellow gold, but i bought the silver, on my last cruise, just a bracelet. I am very happy with it, looks nice, got a little pricey, and would most likely not buy again but....i guess you gotta try once. ON the Carnival Ship i was on he said that it was not plated, however they mix the yellow gold with nickel to strengthen it? I stick to silver and actually would get a bit more back if i sold it to a jeweller here?! Wouldent do it again tho...There are too many other places to spend my good hard earned dollars, LOL

Not once did i put down any nationality, I also stated they have STRONG personalities, I am not American like yourself and travel to Cuba frequently as well as many other hispanic countres, I have no problem, but unlike you and me, not everyone has encoutered people from hispanic nations, (you may be able to travel as well, but i am not American this is why i am stating this) By stating the majority of the staff are Phillippino is not a put down, its a valid statement as its true. I also said it was the END of many of thier contract which may have let to a bit of rudeness i encountered, which is also a fact. I also cleary stated and i quote "For many, people are not used to the strong personalites of some latino people, as well as other nationalities" I DID NOT SAY IT WAS ONLY HISPANICS. However, I am done discussing this with you, I am not about to sit here and explain all valid points, If your offended then I am sorry to hear that but nothing in my post was deogitory to any nationality, I would not be putting down any culture that I "dive" into on a daily basis from my hispanic/philippino friends, family, coworkers, food, job and travel. I am not going to feed into 5 year old antics anymore. Everyones experience is different, not everyone has experienced the same as you, and not once was a nationality put down.

Not at all...as I said this was my experience....For many, people are not used to the strong personalites of some latino people, as well as other nationalities...these short sailings cater to the large latino market...its proven and the cruise line will say it itself.....PLEASE....last year alone i was in Cuba 13 times...one of my favorite vacation destinations...and MANY MANY of my closest friends are Latino decent. I was simply stating MY EXPERIENCE on board...read the post before commenting please...I said that it was the end of contract for MANY on the Phillippino staff on board (meaning sometime they might now care as much because they are leaving. In February the ship was FAR from new...the Sky was very much still a Pride of Aloha vessel... This is typical of someone who does not read the post and one reason i why dont post alot, because people cant take other peoples experiences for what it is, they have to take it personally. This was in no way my intent.

See now i hate to be a "pooper" But i Sailed her in February 2009... and was very un-impressed. I dont know if they have done updates since feb, but i most likely not sail her again. I was in a Balcony and the cabins were smaller than average, but ok. the ship interior was not bad, however it was still very much Hawaii...looks like they did not change too much of her interior after she cam back to Miami to be renamed the Sky. Food was ok, VERY SMALL BUFFET on the lido...and i found service was lacking a little. This crew is about 80% Phillippino...and i know it was end of contract for many of them....but no excuse for some blatent rudeness i encountered. Its a short sailing, so there tends to be A LOT of Miami;s Latino and Cuban residents on board....just be prepared for stong personalities... I just felt overall the ship was lacking for me, from interior, to service, to drinks, to shopping and the staff quite verbal in the fact they are upset they left a different cruise lines contract for NCL. Great Stirrup Cay, It was ok....i ventured to the side of the island your not suppose to go on, lol.....over by the lighthouse and airport...there is 2 very SMALL beaches for all the ship pax to use....if you get off the tender and walk to the right...you go past the second small beach.....climb over TONS of jagged rocks (be careful) just around the point there is another bigger beach there not many know about....I noticed it was only me and 3 ship staff members who were not so impressed i found thier hide-a-way Just be aware there are NO beach chairs here.....its faces RCCLS COCOCAY Private island which is much bigger and in my opinion MUCH Better.... but was nice to get on to a beach....none-the-less... Now....before you all rag on me.....I realize this is not the no the normal case...and one does not experience this all the time....but this was MY experience. I am not a fan of the "Free-Style" cruising option as i feel it loses a lot of the personal touch....but this was my experience. Maybe they updated since then? but if not....BRING SUNGLASSES! LOL Green Carpets, Orange and Hot Pink Walls and furnishings...yellows.....LOL Point is, its a quick get-a-way....i say take it for what it is ...dont go with ore-conceived expectations...and just HAVE FUN!

Right now, All i know is i have a balcony...thats about it...there will be a TON of TA's on this, so we find out a bit later what cat we get exactly...but in know is a Balcony!