BAYS, BURROS, BEACHES, BUTTERFLIES AND BOTANICAL GARDENS-pre trip report - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Sounds like some wonderful options Don!! Can't wait to hear which ones you chose! You will like FLL and Port Everglades - easy to get in and out of. Do you know your hotel? I can tell you what is in the area.
BAYS, BURROS, BEACHES, BUTTERFLIES AND BOTANICAL GARDENS-part four
BAYS, BURROS, BEACHES, BUTTERFLIES AND BOTANICAL GARDENS-part four
A pause in the direct pre-report to talk about internet planning.
There are several things I look for when I plan for a cruise.
1. Suggestions as to who, what, when, where. (already knowing why)
2. Hints and kinks to add more magic to the trip
3. Connecting with others in advance and on the cruise.
A.
If it is our beloved DCL, then I primarily plan on Passporter (of course). Being a guide for the DCL forums, I am very prejudiced. I believe our forum has the best and most complete information. Information is also available on forums on the Disboards, and Cruise Critic. As to other cruise lines it seems to be more difficult. I have only found complete forums on www.cruisecritic .com . There reviews of ships, cruises, embarkation/debarkation ports, and ports you visit give a lot to consider.
B.
As to meets on Disney cruises, as much as l love Passporter, I also peruse the Disboards for meets on DCL cruises. I find many more people register there as many are not aware of Passporter. Of course , I also direct any cruisers I am sailing with to the Passporter website and the guidebook. (There is another guidebook on DCL out there. I got to look at it, and it does not have half the information that Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call has. For non-Disney cruises, I have found tons of help on Cruise Critic. There are other similar sites, but they don’t give reviews more than a small paragraph. Many of the Cruise Critic reviews are detailed (both on Disney and Non Disney cruises)
C. For connecting with others Passporter has a meet section for DCL ( http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/cruising-disney-together-meets-gatherings/ ) and we move those to another subsection (http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/cruising-disney-together-meets-gatherings-archives-older-meets/ ) in case you want to find your companions later.
Cruise Critic has forums for meeting people organized by Line, then ship, then sailing date (though they don’t sort in order)
So how does this affect my upcoming voyage.
1. There are now 13 rooms talking to each other, and we will have at least one meet on the cruise.
2. I have found nice little ‘hints’ to make my cruise more enjoyable. Such as….
a. The coffee cards: Like most cruiselines (and the hotels at WDW) the coffee served onboard is Nescafe (not my name for it… the f changes to a p ). I usually have a morning Mocha everyday. If I buy a coffee card for so many mochas, you can also get ‘regular’ brewed (not concentrate like Nescafe) coffee at the specialty coffee location. You must have at least one ‘punch’ remaining on the card. In addition, you can use that card on later cruises, as long as punches remain.
b. I already talked about the military/veterans credit.
c. I found that if I was willing to pay for my internet in advance (they have an online PDF catalog/pdf file for ‘gift’ purchases ) you get bonus minutes. :woot;
d. They do their future cruise discounts differently. You buy a future cruise voucher for $100 onboard. This will serve as your deposit for your next cruise. You have 5 years to use it. If you do, you get a $200 discount on the future cruise price. You can also ask for a refund anytime within 5 years.
e. Lots of discussions of the various soda, coffee, and ultimate beverage options.
f. Lots of advice as to what excursions to take, ratings of them, and when and how to book them separate from the cruise line if you wish.
g. Who your Captain, Cruise Director and assistant Cruise Director are, and how people liked them.
h. The special features of your ship.
Great update Don! I must save that I've been spending a huge amount of time on Cruise Critic for our Alaska cruise on RCCL. The amount of information over there for excursions and ports is amazing and invaluable! Even for Alaska in general (we're doing land on our own)!
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Great researching tips! And I agree; prior to planning this cruise- passporter is the only message board I had ever really read..... But with the cruise I have found a wealth of information in a few different places and Cruise Critic has been especially helpful in researching for Alaska!
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Hi Don! You have chosen a gorgeous itinerary!! I have never cruised Princess but have been to the other ports. They are amazing!! Havea blast and congrats on the extra credit! My son is Air Force and I think you guys should get discounts and perks on everything!
What a wonderful plan. One of the things I'm looking forward to the most in retirement (17 years and counting) is the chance to thoroughly research the trips before going.
Just jumping on the bandwagon of your TR. Your plans sound like so much fun! Especially touring the pink sand beaches. Will you take pictures of that?
I think it's awesome that Princess gives Veteran's discounts. They should!
That is the hard part about all the features. Bonaire is one of our 'short' days. 7am to 2 pm. My tour for that day does not finish until 11:30. So if the pink sand beach is on our tour, I will take a picture. Otherwise, it is a quick stop to buy a souveneir and local snack.
Bays, Burros, Beaches, Butterflies and Botancal Gardens pre trip report part five
Well I worked my through the 58 page excursion book, and re-read my Caribbean book and made my excursion decisions. Aruba –This is our longest port day 8am-8pm
($59) “Aruba by Land and Sea” from 9-12:30
Bus tour to California Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on the island. Then visit the Alto Vista Chapel, where the Spanish missionaries are said to have converted the island’s Indians into Christians. Then proceed to the Casiban rock formations, which see, to have been scattered on the landscape to puzzle geologists, and impress travelers. Then board a tour boat and cruise by the white sand beaches and famous resorts on the western part of the islands while enjoying rum punch .
After I return to Oranjestad, take a cab to the donkey sanctuary (about $25 each way) and visit the animals that were the islands transportation for a lot of years. (Take pictures for Chezp(or she might not forgive me—though if we see wild donkeys on the tour I might save the $50 plus donation to the sanctuary)). Then return to town to purchase a ‘been there’ souvenir. Bonaire-7am-2pm
Discover Bonaire ($59) 8:30-11:30
Three hour bus tour of the northern coast with its very blue waters. Landscape is covered with cacti, divi divi, mesquite and acacia trees. View Devils Mouth, 1,000 steps, Goto lake, pass through Rincon on the way to visit Washington National park and the museum/cultural center there. They say wildlife sightings are common (but not guaranteed).
After the tour get a local snack and ‘been there’ souvenir Grenada –noon to 7pm
Spices of Grenada ($49) 12:30-4:30
Enjoy a scenic drive through St George en route to De La Grenade Industries where you sample the jams, jellies and nutmeg syrup before trying their prize winning nutmeg liqueur and rum punch. Next head to Laura Herb and Spice gardens, home to medicinal herbs and spices such as nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, and see how the spices are processed and packaged. Then on to Westerhall estates which produces the island’s leading rums, and sample their exotic blends.
Then back to the port for souvenir (including some spices to bring home). Dominica 7am to 4 pm
Emerald Pool and Volcanic Sand Beach ($59) 8am-1pm
Drive through Roseau to Morne Bruce for a panoramic view of the city and ship. Continue to the Botanical Gardens to view the national birds (sisserou and jacquot parrots) as well as many plants and trees. Travel through the Springfield valley to the Emerald Pool. A 20 minute hike (each way) is required to reach the 50 foot waterfall and pool. Take a dip in the pool (bathing suit under walking shorts as there are no ‘facilities’. Then travel through the Layou Valley to a volcanic black-sand beach. A two hour beach brake prior to returning to the ship (refreshments are provided). St Thomas USVI 8am-5pm
I visited there in the Navy so, I booked: St John Island Tour $49 10:30-3
Travel across Pillsbury sound to the quieter island of St Johns, part of the Virgin Islands National Park.
In an open air safari bus, observe the white sand beaches, crystalline waters and dramatic scenery. Visit the ruins of the Annaberg sugar mill, Whistling Cay, Trunk Bay, Hawksnest Bay, and Caneel Bay which overlooks the Rockefeller plantation. Stop at Bordeaus Mountain (1,200 ft elevation) to view the British Virgin Islands. Return to Cruz Bay for a brief shopping time before the ferry back to St Thomas. Princess Cays, Eleuthera, Bahamas 9am-4pm
No excursions planned. Lounge on beach. Eat and drink.
One of the nice things about Princess I discovered is that I have my reservations, but if I change my mind, I have until the onboard closing time to book excursions to change and not be charges.
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to the trip
, then I primarily plan on Passporter (of course). Being a guide for the DCL forums, I am very prejudiced. I believe our forum has the best
and most complete information. Information is also available on forums on the Disboards, and Cruise Critic. As to other cruise lines it seems to be more difficult. I have only found complete forums on 
on DCL cruises. I find many more people register there as many are not aware of Passporter. Of course 
, I also direct any cruisers I am sailing with to the Passporter website and the guidebook. (There is another guidebook on DCL out there. I got to look at it, and it does not have half the information that Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call has. For non-Disney cruises, I have found tons of help on Cruise Critic. There are other similar sites, but they don’t give reviews more than a small paragraph. Many of the Cruise Critic reviews are detailed (both on Disney and Non Disney cruises)
talking to each other, and we will have at least one meet on the cruise.
(not my name for it… the f changes to a p ). I usually have a morning Mocha everyday. If I buy a coffee card for so many mochas, you can also get ‘regular’ brewed 
(not concentrate like Nescafe) coffee at the specialty coffee location. You must have at least one ‘punch’ remaining on the card. In addition, you can use that card on later cruises, as long as punches remain.
They should! 
Havea blast and congrats on the extra credit! My son is Air Force and I think you guys should get discounts and perks on everything! 
. 
for Chezp(or she might not forgive me—though if we see wild donkeys on the tour I might save the $50 plus donation to the sanctuary)). Then return to town to purchase a ‘been there’ souvenir.
and ‘been there’ souvenir
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