Just back from 5/25 Western Cruise-- quick thoughts

[DVCNuts]

Hi y'all--

This was cruise #5 for the Nuts family. We LOVED it! The Western cruise is great. Ports of call are fun. I will elaborate later: The DVCNuts Tour of Western Watering Holes.

Quick headlines:

1) I know you west coasters will think I'm whining here but... They change the time to Central the night before arriving in Grand Cayman, and change it back to Eastern after leaving Cozumel. This SUCKS (and I don't mean like a sting ray). It totally screwed us up. Late dinner seating is late enough already (8:30pm) and it feels like 9:30pm on those two days. My suggestion to DCL: keep ship time EASTERN. Tell everybody to stay on ship time. Other cruise lines do it.

2) Got hassled about bringing beer on board by the luggage handler. Never bothered again after that. Only brought a 12-pack. Spent WAY too much on the bar tab. Say hello to Paul from Costa Rica-- working the bar at SIGNALS. He'll know me as Jerry with the big hat who LOVES Lemon Drops.

3) Bring your picture ID with you EVERY time you get off the ship-- even at Castaway Cay (despite what they might tell you). There was a real communication problem with the guys at the security checkpoint. Apparently no one told them we didn't need photo IDs at CC.

4) Capt. Marvin's stingray/snorkeling excursion in Grand Cayman was great. $108 for 2 adults, 2 kids. I believe that's quite a bit cheaper than DCL's excursion. Lasted just long enough with kids in tow. Those stingrays freaked us out a bit, but it was really fun.

5) Carlos 'N Charlies Bar and Grill in Cozumel: short walk from the ship. Long crawl back. BE CAREFUL!!!! Lots of fun. Too much fun. They have lost a few crew members and passengers already.


BTW--
Finally met Barb and Tony-- in the Quiet Cove hot tub before the lifeboat drill (as usual). Also met some other DIS'ers, but I didn't do the pre-cruise DIS meet thing, so I really didn't know very many.


Jerry

 

[twiceasnice]

we just got back also :-( been sad all day :-(

-Julia

 

[papa]

Welcome back Jerry. Eric has signed up for 10/11/2003. Going to put down a deposit ourselves in a few weeks. Looks like the Cruisetoberfest II is on. Also @goofynut and relling twin are thinking about it too. Mike

 

[RellingTwin]

Welcome Back Jerry! Glad you had a good time!

 

[mmouse37]

What do you mean they lost a few crew members and guests already.....they never made it back to the ship or the crew was fired for getting too drunk or what!!! Inquiring minds want to know!!!


MJ

 

[DVCNuts]

Word is that on previous stops in Cozumel, some crew and passengers didn't make it back to the ship before departure. That's really awful because the crew members lost their jobs, and had to find their own way home. Some had become too intoxicated to do their jobs, and got sent home immediately after the cruise. And for the passengers, how difficult do you think it would be to meet up with the Magic in Castaway Cay?

I should clarify that it was fewer than a dozen people, and most of it happened on an unscheduled stop in Cozumel-- before the Western Itinerary began.

This really isn't funny when you think about it. People DO have to be responsible when enjoying themselves. I am sure this is somehing that is emphasized to the crew with the new itinerary, and it wouldn't hurt to somehow point it out to the guests as well-- maybe humorously during the Welcome Aboard variety show.

Interestingly enough, the people who warned us about Carlos and Charlies-- and how you have to keep your wits about you while having fun there-- were some of the bartenders on the ship. They were stone cold serious about it.

No reports of any Cozumel leave-behinds on the 5/25 cruise, but it was interesting hearing an announcement over the speakers throughout the ship asking for someone from several staterooms to call guest services immediately. Turns out that perhaps the passengers KTTW cards weren't properly scanned back on board.

 

[Hygiene99]

wow that would of had to have been the May 11,2002
cruise the very first one , one would think not on the first one
I thought everybody made it back onboard.. passenger wise anyways..

peter

 

[mmouse37]

Wow...it all comes down to being responsible. Nobody should be denied a good time, but also nobody wants to see crew or fellow guests so drunk that it interferes with judgment.

Well I guess those crew members will never do that again if they every get another job!!! As for the guests....I hope those drinks were really worth it!!!

MJ

 

[Scott H]

Peter is right with the WOW. If they left crew and passengers behind on the 5/11 cruise they did a good job of keeping it quite. I watched us depart that evening and did not see anyone running or crawling towards the ship.


Jerry you brought up a very good point about the need for photo ID at CC. We had left ours in the room as we were told we did not need it at CC. I seem to remember Cruise Director Jim making that statement the evening before. So we packed up our DL's and had to return to get them before we left. Sad to hear they did not have it together for your cruise. So a word to the wise is have the photo ID any time you leave the ship.

 

[Cheese Please]

Glad to hear you had a GREAT Cruise. We have a Western Trip planned for January 2003 with kids this time. Can't wait.

What ended up happening with the bringing beer on board. Did porter just hassle you or did you have to hand carry it on board? Was porter looking for a tip? How did you have it packaged? Taped 12 packs, collapsible cooler, or other? Did you have soda and any comments on that, or just beer they are scrutinzing?

We are likely to make reservations for the October 11, 2003 cruise along with Papa and Viking. Hope you can join Cruisetoberfest II. !!!

Dave

 

[Hygiene99]

i thought it weird that u needed DL's at CC
and as for leaving people behind i remember them calling out for people over the ship PA system during dinner second seating
they actually called our table mates as they had them listed as missing seems they got on the ship without swiping the card
threw the computer, they had cards packed in the bag witch went threw x ray machine and after they got bag back they just
came on the ship ............. peter

if somebody was missing they kept it very Quiet....

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

I think the reason for DL on CC is because someone could still try to sneak on the ship. Most people leave their KTTW cards on the beach by their stuff-someone could steal it and try to board (remember terrorists are very sneaky). When we went to rent bikes, another passenger asked the women manning the rental counter where they were from. They said they lived on an island 8 miles away from CC. So, DCL boats people over from neighboring islands to work on CC-a potential for someone to try to sneak on board to get into the USA unnoticed.

 

[DVCNuts]

I edited my response to the question about the people who were left behind, and added a few things to it. Namely, that the people left behind were on an unscheduled stop in Cozumel before the Western Itinerary began-- I think during a hurricane that prevented the Magic from going to the Eastern islands.

Hey Cheese (Dave)! Are you still doing the 25th anniversary cruise in September on the Eastern route? I am jealous-- you cruise even more than WE do! And you can't have Cruisetoberfest II without me. We were already looking at Fall 2003. October 11 looks promising. It's VALUE season. Cheaper points. Dang those DVC points went up with the 2003 cruises!

I think the porter was confused. We just ignored him. We carried it on board with our rolling carrier along with 2 12-packs of soda. We did have to take the 12-packs off and run them through the scanner one at a time. No big deal.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

ID's have been required at Castaway Cay since 9/11.

 

[Cheese Please]

Jerry,
Yes, we still are cruising on Sept 21 Eastern cruise for 25th Wedding Anniversary, but that is our only cruise this year . Believe me, after three DCL cruises in 2001, we are suffering from sever withdrawal. Have to take 2 cruises in 2003.

Will you be joining Cruisetoberfest II ??? I made just made our reservations.

Dave