Eastern Carribean Review
Written: Feb 28 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Relaxing and beautiful
Cons: none
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| dbonds's Full Review: Carnival Paradise |
My wife and I sailed on February 20th to the Eastern Carribean from Miami.
We had a great time and here are few tips that may help you on the trip:
1. Get up early on days at sea and put a book, couple of ship supplied towels, or something personal on the lounge chairs you will need to sun bathe. Otherwise you will not get one. How about a few beer huggies?
2. Take an extra bag (empty) with you to put the stuff you buy into. One that collapses and goes in your other bags is good.
3. Carry a couple or three hundred dollars, but no more. Have some 20s, 10s, 5s, and 1s. The Cabs and small miscellaneous off the ship, along with the end of the cruise tips you are asked to consider for the cabin steward, waiter, etc.(they suggest about $130.00) are all the money you need. Of course you can take your ship card and get cash at the casino.
4. Read the handout they put under your door each night which tells you what is happening the next day and then plan away.
5. If you can, get a cabin in the middle of the ship. These newer ships rock more than the old ones and the middle is the smoothest ride.
6. San Juan. You can walk to the old town from the ship but you get there about the time the old town closes up, so there is very little to see (there is a Hard Rock cafe there that someone at our table said was great). We suggest the New San Juan Hotel and Casino. This place has shows, restaurants (one of them a 4 star), and of course the casino. You catch a cab (actually vans and buses herding you on) for about $8.00 one way. You have to be back at the ship by 1:30am and the vans are always there and ready to take you back.
7. Virgin Gorda. If you take one of the ship package excursions, my choice is the Virgin Gorda Baths trip. There is some hiking involved, so take that into consideration. Bath beach is in the top ten most beautiful in the world and the snorkeling is great (plenty of fish, the coral is recovering from the hurricane).
8. Tortolla. The sail away trip is that. Sailing on a sailboat for 1 1/2 hrs. and snorkel for 45 minutes and sail back. I was told that the scenery was beautiful. If you like sailing, go for this on.
9. St. Thomas. If you want to shop, go down town and go for it. If you want to snorkel and lay on the beach, take the cabs to Coki or Sapphire beach. I suggest you rent the snorkel stuff from the ship. We went to Coki and saw a mani ray, many fish, squid, and some coral. The people who went to Sapphire saw the same, but said the beach was beautiful.
Enjoy and try not to gain the ten pounds I gained!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: dbonds
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Member: Douglas Bonds
Location: Greenville, N.C.
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 2 members
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