Find my vacation!

[Lizard Queen]

Jan 4, 2016 23:37:25 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Not sure where you can go zip-lining, other than tropical locales.
San Antonio could make a nice trip. I think the weather there is probably decent at that time. I really enjoyed the RiverWalk and seeing the Alamo. We started out a Corpus Christi on that trip, but it didn't seem like there was much there. (I'm a bit spoiled by Lake Michigan beaches--salt and jellyfish free

Look at post #60.

Montreal in winter is hardly a tropical beach.

Not sure what that has to do with anything? Jellyfish freak me out, as it's far from what I'm used to. They were all over the place when I was there.

That winterfest looks really cool.

[justme]

Passport in the mail! Damn is traveling expensive!

110 for the passport
60 to expedite
13 for photos
6 to mail


Guy at work went on the ship I'm looking at and said it's nice with lots to do and the food was good. Though he went to the ports the other ship goes to.

On a related note, here's to the work pool for the penal powerball winning! Lol

[justme]

Got my Passport!!! Now it's time to really decide what I'm doing.

[imawino]

Jan 18, 2016 14:28:20 GMT -5 justme said:

Got my Passport!!! Now it's time to really decide what I'm doing.

So what are the current front-runners?

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jan 18, 2016 14:28:20 GMT -5 justme said:

Got my Passport!!! Now it's time to really decide what I'm doing.

Well, sad to say, you missed the New England meet-up.  

[justme]

Jan 18, 2016 14:34:08 GMT -5 imawino said:

Jan 18, 2016 14:28:20 GMT -5 justme said:

Got my Passport!!! Now it's time to really decide what I'm doing.

So what are the current front-runners?

The cruise. It's like $1550 though I found a site that would give me an on board credit of $150. That with my parents offering to pay for one excursion for my bday would cover all or most of another excursion plus the daily gratuities. That with the beverage package would mean that $1550 would be my total cost once you add in gas to/from Miami and parking at the port if the family I'm hoping to crash with the night before I leave doesn't volunteer to pick me up/drop me off. And maybe a bit more if I buy anything at the destinations. 7 night cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and their private island. 

5 night at a St Maartan all-inclusive - $1648 not including transportation to/from airport
4 ngith at Punta Cana all inclusive - $1548
5 night Jamacia all inclusive - $1058

But none of those deals are really any better than the cruise since they only cover the few things you can do in the resort.

I found airfare to Hawaii for under $700 but I'm guessing the hotels will be over $100/night so that trip would be over the price of the cruise. 

I could fly to San Antonio, spend a couple days with my cousin that's south of there, a couple days in San Antonio, and then drive up to Austin and spend a couple days there. Flight would be like $300, of 8 nights I could spend 2 with the cousin and 3 each in the other city. So like $900? for hotels and then another $100 or so for the rental car (I think I'd only need it to get from San Antonio to Austin) and food/things to do. Though again that's getting damn close to what the cruise is unless I find a deal on hotels. 

Hotels are soo expensive when you're going by yourself!

My main hesitation on the cruise is it's more than I'd prefer to spend, but I'm not entirely sure I'd get to do anything cheaper unless I go some place where I can get a hotel for under $100. 

[justme]

Jan 18, 2016 15:00:27 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Jan 18, 2016 14:28:20 GMT -5 justme said:

Got my Passport!!! Now it's time to really decide what I'm doing.

Well, sad to say, you missed the New England meet-up.  

Yeah,   was sitting in indecisive mode of what to do. 

[OldCoyote]

Ok, just don't tell anyone, Promise??  Coco's bed and breakfast on Kauai.

cocoskauai.com/

Super cheap compared to the hotels there,  It is on a sugar plantation.

It is super quiet,  I would get up at 3:00 in the morning, fix my coffee in the dark, go out set on the lanai, ( I don't think that is spelled right) patio for the rest of us.

Drink my coffee listen to the surf break to the south, the frogs sounding of on the huge lawn just of the lanai, and the wild roosters crowing off in the forest.

If I had time, I would go back today!! 

[justme]

That place looks really cool. As much as Hawaii is on my list, I feel like I'd need to do it more justice than a trip slapped together in a month.

Man am I looking forward to next year when my condo should be done. Then I'd be saving at least 10k a year with nothing to earmark it for besides long term savings and vacations!

I think I'm pretty convinced on the cruise. Or maybe it's just cuz I'm sick today and the idea of planning anything more involved sounds exhausting.

[justme]

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!! I got so freaking excited. Main page - NEW! Pick 2!!!! Great, I'm sold. Go through the book thing and wonder why I can't pick two. After I hunt around I find hidden that studios only pick 1 even though it's more expensive than an ocean view that gets to pick two. Hell, there's suites that get to pick 4 that cost the same on an per person basis (if I had 2 people in the room and the bonuses are per person).

I was so excited and ready to buy! The bastards!!!

Though the one thing I have to decide. There's two dates that cost the same - Feb 28 and Mar 13. The March 13 sailing includes a photo package of 50 photos (a $349 savings! they say). Not sure it's worth going later, but the Feb 28 day is already 3 days after my actual bday anyways so it's not like I'd be forgoing being gone ON my birthday. Would you go on the later date for the photo package? Especially if you're going solo.

[taz157]

Do you typically buy the pictures on cruises?  If so, then pick the cruise with the photo package.  For not, then pick the cruise closer to your birthday.

FWIW, DH and I bought 1 picture on each of our last 2 cruises so the photo package wouldn't have been a selling feature for us.

[justme]

Jan 25, 2016 21:47:12 GMT -5 taz157 said:

Do you typically buy the pictures on cruises?  If so, then pick the cruise with the photo package.  For not, then pick the cruise closer to your birthday.

FWIW, DH and I bought 1 picture on each of our last 2 cruises so the photo package wouldn't have been a selling feature for us.

Typically no, cuz they're like $15 a pop and when I'm with friends we just do group selfies or grab some random person do take a photo. I honestly don't know what all they take photos of on the cruise/private island because I never paid attention. Do they have photographers on the excursions? That's probably something different. 

[justme]

Oh and the other question. Travelocity will give me what amounts to $150 OBC, but only if I buy with a MasterCard. I have a MC but it does not have any rewards. So I'd be giving up ~ $15 in rewards and I have a Visa that has 0% on purchases on the first 15 months (with about 12-13 months left).

If I talk directly to the cruise line with the guy I might be able to talk him into it, because their website sucks, to get the second pick which is $50 credit per shore. So $200 but I have to use the $50 at each port or lose it. But I could put the cruise on the Visa.


What would you do??

[Deleted]

San Miguel Mexico. Nice expat community. Lots of art and creative types there. B&B $60/night, Flight $600, transportation $80, food a couple hundred or less. SUN, ART, MUSIC ~ funnnn!!

[justme]

Ok, tomorrow I'm going to call the guy I talked to directly through the cruise line and play a little dumb and be like oh I get two choices now?!?! And see what he says. Still up in the air on the date, because really they'll still celebrate my bday 2 weeks later on the cruise (the Travelocity guy put a bday cake in on both cruise dates) and no one cares that much because most people with work and schedules can't always get away on THE date. And I can't get away on THE date because it's sold out already.

[justme]

Hmph, apparently the people that work for the cruise don't even have the ability to switch stuff. Cuz it is what it is with no options.

I kinda wanna write and email to the cruise line and tell them their policy isn't the smartest. A couple can go on the same cruise in a better room than me for only $300 more than what I'm paying - for both of them - but will get over $1000 more in freebies than me. How only $300 more expensive fares equal that much more free stuff is beyond me. Grrrrr


Going to email the agency my mom used and see if they have any OBC.

[justme]

Ahhhhhhh!!!!!! I booked! I'm now accepting donations for shore excursions!

Cruise website has my reservation and confirmation that I get the beverage package.

30 days to figure out what I'm packing and to start doing crunches and squats!

[justme]

And you thought you were through with me once I booked!!!

Ok, so I've settled on shore excursions for Jamacia and Cozumel unless any new friends convince me otherwise. I also joined a roll call on Cruise Critic for my cruise and they're having a meet and greet that I'll go to, though it looks like it's all couples and families.

So my options for Jamaica are, sort of in the order of what I'd like I think...
VIP trip to a beach where there's reggae music and food and drinks, time to chill there followed by a trip to Dunn River falls
Reggae party sail - trip on a catamaran with drinks to Dunn River falls and then sail back
Horseback riding - get to swim through the water on the horses
Camel ride and dunn river falls with a safari
safari to dunn river falls and back
dunn river falls, another falls, and fern gully
drive stopping at rum bars, private beach, dunn river falls, and a lunch at margaritaville
dunn river falls and reggae hill

Cozumel
Tulum Mayan Ruins
Xplor Park - zip lines, amphibious car rides, swimming underground, etc
San Gervasio Mayan ruins, tour around the island, and time at the beach
ATV ride and snorkeling
Jeep and snorkel



Thoughts?

[simser]

I went on a Tulum shore excursion from Cozumel. I hated my guide he was a complete jerk. The site itself was gorgeous.

Haven't been to Jamaica.

What do you like to do? Adventure? I'm more of a water baby, so I try to snorkel every where I can. Have you checked out a non cruise line site to see if there's anything better and cheaper (Tulum I would do with the ship, but otherwise I find I like other tours better).

[justme]

Jan 30, 2016 23:32:54 GMT -5 simser said:

I went on a Tulum shore excursion from Cozumel. I hated my guide he was a complete jerk. The site itself was gorgeous.

Haven't been to Jamaica.

What do you like to do? Adventure? I'm more of a water baby, so I try to snorkel every where I can. Have you checked out a non cruise line site to see if there's anything better and cheaper (Tulum I would do with the ship, but otherwise I find I like other tours better).

I'm mostly of the mind to do things that I can't do at home. Which, living in Florida, rules out a lot of the more mundane things like snorkeling, stingrays & dolphins (hello Sea World). If I got that second pick like I wanted I would have done snorkeling in Grand Cayman and the Bahamas because they were within the credit price. I was leaning towards Tulum, but it's a 7 freaking hour excursion, which just sounds exhausting. Then the next exciting one is the Xplor park, but that's also 7 hours - and seems to be kinds theme park-ish so easier to get to if say I ever went to an all inclusive in Cozumel or Cancun or something. 

For Jamaica I'm pretty sure I want to go to Dunn Falls, but I'm not sure what else I'd want to do. 

Wishful thinking is I make friends doing excursions and just do what they're doing if it sounds fun, but I want to decide what I want if no one is going. 

[wvugurl26]

In Jamaica my favorites were Dunn River Falls, snorkeling and dolphins.

I loved snorkeling in Jamaica. In the Dominican Republic the water was so rough I just didn't enjoy it. Plus we had flippers in Jamaica.

[simser]

I made friends on excursions (I went on a cruise with my parents, but in my own room). I'm from arizona, so clearly I don't get to snorkel a lot

7 hours isn't terrible for Tulum. It's a ferry ride, a bus ride, about 2 hours at the site (maybe 3 with lunch) and then reversed. Of course I tend to get nervous at the day trips that are 15 hours, so 7 isn't so bad.

I'm a single female, and I would make sure I had a tour in Jamaica. Any way to get to Dunn river falls.

Also city tours or island tours are usually nice. They connect you with more than te "port". The ports tend to run together.

[justme]

simser

Yeah, the only thing I'm thinking about with Tulum is just there's less time actually doing anything. Plus it's basically the entire time we're at the port so it's just me running ragged all day long, getting back to the boat to rush on and figure out dinner and then the rest of the night. Though the other tour that includes ruins (and not just replica ruins! haha at least they say that in the description) is 5 hours - but it's all on the island and includes more than just the ruins as well as snorkeling.

I think that and the ATV tour is another option. I think that might be more fun then just sitting in a jeep - though that one is only Mayan caves and small Mayan ruins. It also includes snorkeling though.

Jamaica is a bit harder to narrow down. I think I'm between
Sail party to Dunn River Falls and back
VIP party at Bamboo beach with drinks & food (lobster if it's in season!) and Dunn River Falls
4x4 Safari to Dunn Falls
Dunn River Falls, Konoko River Falls and Park, and Fern Gully

The first two are more fun party time, but you see the falls. While the last two are more see Jamaica more and the Falls.



Also, since I know I've seen you mention traveling solo a lot - make sure to check out NCL for your cruises. There's at least 3 ships out of Florida that have a lot of studios - not sure about their other ones. I'll let ya know how nice it is once I go.

[justme]

Soooo....one of the excursions - The Jeep one in Cozumel is actually you driving the Jeep. But it's a manual 4x4 Jeep. I have driven manual - I actually learned on a Jeep Liberty. Have I done it a lot? No, it was my brothers so I probably drove it 3 times. My hardest part was going from stopping to 1st (probably a lot of people's!) but once I got it going I was good. But he sold it like 2 years ago and it's probably been 3 years since I've driven a manual.

If you were me would you go on that excursion?

[taz157]

Feb 2, 2016 20:14:18 GMT -5 justme said:

Soooo....one of the excursions - The Jeep one in Cozumel is actually you driving the Jeep. But it's a manual 4x4 Jeep. I have driven manual - I actually learned on a Jeep Liberty. Have I done it a lot? No, it was my brothers so I probably drove it 3 times. My hardest part was going from stopping to 1st (probably a lot of people's!) but once I got it going I was good. But he sold it like 2 years ago and it's probably been 3 years since I've driven a manual.

If you were me would you go on that excursion?

I say DO IT! It will probably come back to you.

[justme]

Feb 2, 2016 23:26:48 GMT -5 taz157 said:

Feb 2, 2016 20:14:18 GMT -5 justme said:

Soooo....one of the excursions - The Jeep one in Cozumel is actually you driving the Jeep. But it's a manual 4x4 Jeep. I have driven manual - I actually learned on a Jeep Liberty. Have I done it a lot? No, it was my brothers so I probably drove it 3 times. My hardest part was going from stopping to 1st (probably a lot of people's!) but once I got it going I was good. But he sold it like 2 years ago and it's probably been 3 years since I've driven a manual.

If you were me would you go on that excursion?

I say DO IT! It will probably come back to you.

Well it's either that or an atv tour. I'm also worried my driving was just around my neighborhood so no hills. It was really enough to be able to say hey! I drove all the way around the block without stalling!

[MJ2.0]

justme, I'm going to Harrah's in AC for 2 days to work out, eat, use the hot tubs, sit by The Pool, and drink yummy drinks. Come with!

[justme]

Feb 3, 2016 16:06:39 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

justme, I'm going to Harrah's in AC for 2 days to work out, eat, use the hot tubs, sit by The Pool, and drink yummy drinks. Come with!

I swear I replied to this! I couldn't go then, but maybe in the future!

[justme]

It's happening!

[justme]

Sorry it's upside down! Lol