Help: Carribean Cruise

Subject: Carribean Cruise
From: artbrooks
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 06:22 AM

My sibs and I are considering giving our parents a week-long cruise in the Carribean for a birthday present. Being fully aware that all knowledge resides within Mudcat, are there INFORMED opinions out there regarding cruise lines, times of year to avoid, itineraries, and other things I'm too ignorent to know to ask about?

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 09:28 AM

I'll PM you all I know. I have access to a lot more if you're interested.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: kendall
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 12:24 PM

Make sure they understand that those cruise ships are not American. Our laws do no apply there, and it's like being in a foreign country.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 12:37 PM

Don't go during hurricane season which is in the fall. My son-in-law is from Antigua. He, my daughter, and grandbabies went to visit in late May and it was a wonderful time to be there, a little hot for someone not used to it, but they had a great time.

Roger really enjoyed the islands of St. Marten, Antigua, and the non-touristy parts of Puerto Rico. Sorry, don't know about the cruise ships.

kytrad's children did the same thing for her and her husband, didn't they? I remember her talking about some cruise, but can't remember if it was the Carribean or not.

Kewl idea!

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Barry Finn
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:12 PM

Just got back, 2nd time,Royal Crib, ok, prefere alternative/small/cozy. There are 2 cruise books Cruise Vacations For Dummys (Frommer's) & Stern's Guide To Cruise Vacations (Steven Sterns). Aside from the major lines (which can feel a bit canned & herded) they list many alternative lines, smaller & more casual, slow, going to out of the way places & a few sailing vessels & some eco/adventure cruises. I'd say it's all a matter of personnel tastes. E-mail if you'd like. Good luck, Barry

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 04:49 PM

I really enjoyed a cruise with Holland America. It left Ft. Lauderdale FL, stopped in the Caymans, then to Cartagena, Colombia (Very interesting city- want to go and spend some time there), the Panama Canal, stops in Costa Rica, side trips to the Mayan ruins at Tikal in Guatemala or to the highlands of Guatemala, Acapulco and ended in Los Angeles. The Canal was very interesting; I shot a lot of film on the way through.
I have cruised with the same line to Alaska, and that was excellent as well. The add-on side trips on that cruise were also educational and enjoyable.
Staff and crew helpful and friendly, excellent food of all kinds, good bars, well-planned entertainment. Tops all the way around. And very reasonable air fares to and from points of departure.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Justa Picker
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 05:20 PM

Bring Gravol or Dramamine.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 05:38 PM

Cruises on the big boats very smooth as they have stabilizers. Don't need to bring Dramamine, etc., as they will give it to you if you need it. Go to one of the bars and get a single malt (or several); it will do the trick.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: kendall
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 08:33 AM

I've spent time in St. Martin, Jamaica and Barbados. Liked St. Martin best. But, of course, it never got under weigh! When you are there, there you are. If you dont like it, that's tough.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: GUEST,Hamshank
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 08:59 AM

Ditto Katlaughing's advice. Antigua is a great place. It's one of the few remaining islands in the West Indies that isn't entirely spoiled by tourism. As dey say, "Me cahn say becaz me know, mon." I spent almost two years there, and loved every single minute. The annual Antigua Sailing Week is probably the best time to be there. That's the last couple days of May through the first week of April. People from all over the world bring their sail boats and yachts down there and race by day, and party by night. I mean SERIOUS PARTAY on the beach! Free beer and food (at least at most of the parties I went to.) Best kind of parties, too, because they are spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment. Laid back and care free. Serious ting, mon, Antigua is crucial to a truly good Caribbean cruise experience.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Amos
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 11:31 AM

Geez, Hamshank, ya make me wanna drop everything and go snooze on the Antigua sands tonight!!

A

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 11:48 AM

As I PM'd Art, a lot depends on the person's age, drinking/dancing habits, health, abiltiy to walk, etc. Also, as far as dramamine, I think you have to start taking it (or wearing the patch) several days in advance. In other words, once you feel sick, it's too late. For me, it was never necessary, but I was never on rough seas.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 12:19 PM

Hamshank...I'll bet you say it "An tee ga" now, too, huh? None of that mainlander "An tee gwa" eh, mon?:-)

There is supposed to be a different beach, on Antigua, for every day of the year; that's a lotta beaches for such a tiny island! Sure looks beautiful, though. The colour fo the water and the sand is just something we don't see up here, on either coasts, that I've seen.

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 01:35 PM

My advise would be to check out the personality of any cruise line or ship. Some of them have a large percentage of young singles working on their mating skills. You don't want to send your parents on a cruise with a bunch of college kids or 20 somethings upchucking in the pool or fighting on the dance floor. It's been known to happen. Try to find a cruise that will appeal to their tastes and that is appropriate for their age range.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: harpgirl
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 01:54 PM

My parents are cruising as we speak and I got email from them from Venezuela yesterday. They have been on over thirty cruises and I would be happy to get their recommendation for the Carribean for older folks when they return. I believe they are on the Vottendam at the moment. hg

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: harpgirl
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 01:56 PM

Well I guess it is called the Volendam. They know their boats so I recommend this cruise line.

CruisE-Mail(TM) has been sent to you from the Holland America Lines Volendam. Replies may be sent to the e-mail address above. To phone the Holland America Lines Volendam, call 1-900-225-5425 or 1-800-207-3541. Visit Holland America Lines at www.hollandamerica.com or call 1-800-SAIL-HAL for you next affordable cruise vacation.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Abby Sale
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 08:58 PM

If you like the notion of a cruise, do consider one of the bigger, well-stabilized ships in early huricane season - both the ship and the island costs are much less then. And the trip can be more interesting.

On the other hand, cruises are very regimented enforced fun. They work hard to get every possible penny out of you and _very_ hard to steer you to controlled island vendors they get kickbacks from.

If they are a bit adventurous, they might have more fun flying to an island and just staying in any class of hotel they like. Private small (inexpensive) villas on up to whatever. They can island hop as they like. Any travel agent can lay this out. We did both - a cruise and then a stay. Liked the stay much better.

Also used both an agent and personal investigation. Most of the islands have excellent web pages that let you look at pictures, check accomodations & prices.

Just wander around the back streets to see the fun stuff.

On the other hand, if they're interested in collecting a few chanties, I might maybe be able to recommend a few ideas.

Subject: RE: Help: Carribean Cruise
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Mar 02 - 06:27 AM

If I could lay my hands on the link to those packet steamers that kat told us about a while ago... you think the parents might like that, art? :0)

Kendall, ...it's like being in a foreign country... So who would go on a Caribbean cruise and expect to be still in America, hmmm??