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From: MAS on 20 Feb 2010 08:10
On 2/20/2010 12:56 AM, D Ball wrote:
> Speaking of which...and my low cruise fare...someone PM'd me to offer
> that it was a bit crass for me to talk about how much I paid for the
> cruise. I am actually pretty old school when it comes to talking about
> money matters, so I appreciate the feedback. I didn't mean to be a
> boor and apologize for any offense. It's just that in this case, I
> don't see anything wrong with saying what I paid in this forum--I
> would never compare cruise fare with fellow pax on the ship, I'm sure
> the early bookers paid quite a bit more--for a couple of reasons: (1)
> Celebrity and RCI don't permit price cuts, so I paid the going rate
> you can see on any TA's site, and (2) I thought it was curiously
> newsworthy that there was both availability& such low fares on a late
> model, highly praised Celebrity ship during prime Spring Break--two
> Spring Breaks ago (2008), we paid more to cruise on the Caribbean
> Princess (then 4 years old and sailing to ho-hum reviews). Of course,
> on a personal level, as regulars know (and as I alluded to in another
> post earlier today), we normally sail with our kids, so are used to
> paying high rates to cruise during school holidays and summer
> vacation; while I clearly think Solstice over Spring Break should've
> demanded a higher fare, I am obviously giddy we got to access such a
> good deal!
>
> Diana

That's you, Diana - a real crass boor, always flinging your monetary
business around ;-)

Marsha
From: George Leppla on 20 Feb 2010 08:55
D Ball wrote:
> On Feb 19, 7:14 pm, George Leppla <geo...(a)cruisemaster.com> wrote:
>
>> We just did this last month.
>>
>> Tortola.... use Speedy to go to the Bathshttp://www.speedysbvi.com/index.php
>>
>> Buy the package that includes lunch. It is an additional $10 pp but
>> when you get to the restaurant, it is good for any menu item up to
>> $17... and you get a free Rum Punch which they normally sell for $8.
>> The Rum Punch is potent and the Fish and Chips are excellent!
>
> Thanks for the speedy info about Speedy's. I remember you talking
> about how much fun you had!
>
> You might be the best TA ever, George, but I don't think you can pull
> a rabbit out of the hat for us on this one. Our port stop is only
> 7a-1p. Speedy's ferry schedule is:
>
> 9a depart Tortola, 9:30a arrive VG
> 11:30a depart VG, 12:00p arrive Tortola (I don't think we can take the
> 12:30p dep. arriving @ 1p with the stated port duration ending at
> 1p...that's close by even my standards!)
>
> It looks like we'll need to add a minimum of 20 minutes for the RT
> taxi ride from the ferry landing to/from the baths. That means our max
> time at the Baths is 1h40m, and you know, if everything runs on island
> time, we're really only looking at 1-1/2 hours. I have a hard time
> justifying the trip for that brief of a vist--agreed?
>
> So...I'm going to have to look for a sail charter that can go dock-to-
> baths or similar. Or else come up with a Plan B for Tortola.

You are right... you don't have enough time to use Speedy's. Nutz. I
wonder why there isn't an earlier ferry service on days when the
Solstice is in port. Probably Celebrity charters one of Speedy's
ferries for their shore excursion.


--

George Leppla

Countryside Travel http://www.CruiseMaster.com
Blog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CruiseMaster
From: Ray Goldenberg on 20 Feb 2010 08:14
On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:56:46 -0800 (PST), D Ball
<dianakball(a)gmail.com> wrote:

>newsworthy that there was both availability & such low fares on a late
>model, highly praised Celebrity ship during prime Spring Break-

Hi Diana,

FWIW, Celebrity is having an especially difficult time filling
Solstice on many sailings this year. They are offering many sailings
at huge discounts. It is a great year to sail on Solstice for those
that are new to Celebrity or would like to sail on their newest class
of ship.
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lighthousetravl
Follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ray.goldenberg
From: gmbeasley on 20 Feb 2010 10:14
On Sat, 20 Feb 2010 07:55:49 -0600, George Leppla
<george(a)cruisemaster.com> wrote:

>D Ball wrote:
>> On Feb 19, 7:14 pm, George Leppla <geo...(a)cruisemaster.com> wrote:
>>
>>> We just did this last month.
>>>
>>> Tortola.... use Speedy to go to the Bathshttp://www.speedysbvi.com/index.php
>>>
>>> Buy the package that includes lunch. It is an additional $10 pp but
>>> when you get to the restaurant, it is good for any menu item up to
>>> $17... and you get a free Rum Punch which they normally sell for $8.
>>> The Rum Punch is potent and the Fish and Chips are excellent!
>>
>> Thanks for the speedy info about Speedy's. I remember you talking
>> about how much fun you had!
>>
>> You might be the best TA ever, George, but I don't think you can pull
>> a rabbit out of the hat for us on this one. Our port stop is only
>> 7a-1p. Speedy's ferry schedule is:
>>
>> 9a depart Tortola, 9:30a arrive VG
>> 11:30a depart VG, 12:00p arrive Tortola (I don't think we can take the
>> 12:30p dep. arriving @ 1p with the stated port duration ending at
>> 1p...that's close by even my standards!)
>>
>> It looks like we'll need to add a minimum of 20 minutes for the RT
>> taxi ride from the ferry landing to/from the baths. That means our max
>> time at the Baths is 1h40m, and you know, if everything runs on island
>> time, we're really only looking at 1-1/2 hours. I have a hard time
>> justifying the trip for that brief of a vist--agreed?
>>
>> So...I'm going to have to look for a sail charter that can go dock-to-
>> baths or similar. Or else come up with a Plan B for Tortola.
>
>You are right... you don't have enough time to use Speedy's. Nutz. I
>wonder why there isn't an earlier ferry service on days when the
>Solstice is in port. Probably Celebrity charters one of Speedy's
>ferries for their shore excursion.

You don't want a sailboat. It is too far and a sailboat would be too
slow.

As for what to do in Tortola-- we've been to Tortola five times. Four
times on a sailboat charter and once by cruise ship.

In January 1997, we went in to Soper's Hole to check into the BVI, and
then we had our last dinner there before we left. Right after
Thanksgiving in November 1997, we went back and went to Roadtown to
check in. Then at the end of the charter in December, we took a taxi
tour around the perimeter of the island before having our last dinner.

That (take a taxi tour around the island) is what I would do in
Tortola if I couldn't go to Virgin Gorda
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/2bdc4/#TL has a few of the
photos

The time we were there by cruise ship it was the NCL Pearl and we went
in to Roadtown. We went up to the buffet to have breakfast. We didn't
have a tour booked, so we walked out along the 6th deck to see what we
could see.

About 11, we got off the ship and walked along the dock. Bob walked
ahead of me and I lost sight of him. So I went to the Village Cay
Marina because I like looking at boats. Then I stopped at a church
and took some photos. Roadtown has been a port in the BVI for a long
time. This was the inscription on one of the stones

Sacred to the memory of
Fraunceis Milverton Steet
Assistant Paymaster H.M.S. Sphinx
who departed this life
on the 21st October 1872
Aged 27 years

Then I went to the Sunny Caribe which is a shop I have been to before.
At Sunny Caribe, I spent over $400 and sent four packages to my four
children and their families. They have both spices and coffee and
other types of food as well as Caribbean art work. I also bought some
hisbiscus tea with no caffeine for Bob.

Then I walked to the PO and bought a stamp and finally sent a the card
from Bermuda to my granddaughter that collects stamps. Then I got a
cab back to the ship. It was about 1:30 when I got back.
From: D Ball on 20 Feb 2010 11:09
> Hi Diana,
>
> FWIW, Celebrity is having an especially difficult time filling
> Solstice on many sailings this year.  They are offering many sailings
> at huge discounts.  It is a great year to sail on Solstice for those
> that are new to Celebrity or would like to sail on their newest class
> of ship.
> --
> Ray Goldenberg  

Hi, Ray, very interesting...there's gotta be some head-scratching
going on in the corporate offices.

Thanks,

Diana
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