"Greg" wrote in message
news:1167172041.784551.253160@n51g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> My family and I just got back from our nightmare that was our Caribbean
> "vacation". OK, calling it nightmare is somewhat melodramatic, but
> accurate. I'm looking for outcomes from similar experiences anyone
> else may have had.
Greg, it sounds as if your adventure started badly...We never book air with
the cruise lines. First of all, you don't save that much and you give up the
option of leaving and returning at times that are usually much better than
what the cruise line books for you.
Unfortunately, that did not set the tone for the rest of your cruise and the
unexpected that was ahead just exacerbated things..
Sadly, someone became ill right away and had to be transfered to receive
medical care which changed your entire itinerary.
Once there is such an interruption, it makes it very difficult for the
cruise line to line up other ports to replace the ones missed. From what
you have posted, RCI tried their best. They cannot be held responsible for
illness or weather.
Montego Bay was not all that bad whenever we have visited there..It may not
be the Jewel of Jamaica but they do have some lovely beaches and it is a
much better port than Ocho Rios...in my opinion anyway. Caymans have many
excursion people on the dock waiting to make bookings...I think perhaps that
you were quite disappointed about not getting to Belize. It seems that you
got to go to all the ports intended, but Belize and Costa Maya....Since all
your excursions, except Tulum, were of the water sport type, you did not
fare too badly. We also have learned, after many cruises, that it is best
not to book excursions through the cruise ship unless there is a time factor
of not returning to the ship before sail away...Excursions booked online
with reputable tour companies or made with the excursion people and cabs at
the port are not only more economical but can be tailor made by yourself.
I'm sorry that you were so disappointed, but when one books a cruise, one
has to be adaptable to unforeseen changes...
Planning a wedding at a certain port is very risky, for sure.
--Jean
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