new cruiser has questions.....

[SKAOLboy]

Hello all, i am new to this fourm and cruises in general.

I purchased this cruise for my current girl friend for her College graduation gift ( and for me lol ) im taking a short cruise, 3 night Bahama Cruise, with ports of call in Nassau and Royal Caribbean's private island & sailing on Sovereign of the Seas.

I did alot of research before i booked this trip and it generally seems like a good beginer cruise.

I just have some questions about returning to the states with liquor i might purchase in the bahamas, more specifically absinthe. I know it is illegal to sell it in the US, but not illegal for personal use. Have any of you bought liquor on a cruise (from the islands) and brought it back to the states? and was it a pain to get it through customs?

Innoculations: i know there not required for a passport to the bahamas, is it worth getting them anyways as a precaution?

And last but not least, has anyone traveled on this specific ship, how do you rate it? any complaints? just wondering because i heard they did a huge upgrade on it in the spring. Plus it scored high on a CDC inspection.

thats all i can think of for now, but im sure i'll have a few more questions as i think more about the cruise (which isn't until july)

thanks for your time and look forword to reading your posts and suggestions.

[gogetter]

Hello,

Welcome to our world !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have sailed the Soverign. Great food and customer service. We had an inside cabin and the shower was really small.

A great cruise and the deck party was fun.

That's about all i have to add....i think......have fun :grin:

[SKAOLboy]

Thanks for having me!

Im staying on deck 8 smack in the middle of the ship, with ocean view... the travel agent got me the upgrade for free... but a little research shows my new "ocean view" room might not be viewing the ocean, insted... life boats. But hey it's free and i plan on exploring the ship, not my room!

Thanks for the heads up, i feel better about the boat, and how lively it is.... it's what a mid twentys guy and girl needs, specially working long long hrs all year!

Once again, thanks for making me feel welcome!

[cruisetarp]

Welcome SKAOLboy. I'm confident you will find all the information you are looking for right here. We generally bring home liquor from our cruises but as long as you stay within the limits allowed by Customs have never had a problem. Which private Island are you going to? RC has two of them - Coco Cay and Labadee. Both are great beach days and I'm sure you and your girlfriend will have a great time.

[JoeyandDavid]

SKAOLboy, Welcome aboard Cruise Crazies.. The nicest place I have found to help plan your upcoming cruise!

[TheSkipper]

We too have sailed SOS and she is a beautiful ship!! I think you will enjoy ere. As to your "upgrade" that often happens. A one category upgrade usually moves you up one deck, but you end up either very far forward or aft and that to me is not an upgrade. It certainly is not one if you find your room blocked by life boats.

After 40+ cruises we have learned to book low and center in the ship unless we want a balcony and once we have selected a stateroom we stick with it and turn down those so called "upgrades." :wink:

[SKAOLboy]

-Thanks for the help on brining back home liquor, im not sure if im gonna even find the stuff im looking for.... it's mostly found in europe.

The "upgrade" moved me 4 decks up, which at the time i though was impressive.....the travel agent asked where we wanted to stay.... i said in the middle, because i read if your too far forword or back, it's noisey... plus im told it's the best place to be if you hit rough seas.

I belive we are going to CoCo Cay, which leaves me with a delemma when picking shore excursions. I want to do some snorkling or do those personal sub rides, the girlfriend wants to do the city tour and squeeze in some shopping . I've read that most of the time when there is ruff seas they skip coco cay - which means i shoulding bet on water activitys in one location. But typically you can fit about two excursions in during the day (the boat departs from the dock at 3am, and arrives at 11am) i would guess the travel agent said i should give an hr between excursions.

have any of you bought drinks ( like fancy margaritias) beacause i know it's not safe to drink the water, would ice in a alcoholic be just as dangerous as drinking the water?

thanks again for making me feel welcome! and of course your information is very helpful, as always.

[JohnG]

You don't need innoculations for those ports.

I have had frozen drinks all through the Caribbean with no problems( I think the alcohol kills the germ!! :>) . And there is certainly no problem with ice or water on the ship. They make their own water.

[SKAOLboy]

AH! Thanks John, i was thinking the same thing.... im a beer lover, i was just concerned for my partner. Whats the limit on bringing liquor back? i live close to canada, if no one knows, i'll be sure to ask a customs agent next time i go (once a mth)

How long did it take for ya's to get your passport, im in the middle of getting all that ready to go.... because if it's like trying to get other state/federal papers.... it takes longer then it generally says it took me almost a year to get my pistol permit! (NY) to go threw all the federal and state rigamaroll.

[Mebert]

SKAOLboy,

Usually on three day trips the liquor allowance is very small. However, you can bring back as much as you want as long as you pay the customs on it.

I believe absinthe, if it is the real deal, is still strictly forbidden if I'm not mistaken.

When I go through customs with just a little over the allowable limit, I usually go through carrying the box out in the open so that the customs officer can see it. I have never had a problem.