Dec 31 RC Miami to Havana tips pls?

kcsunshine73 · 3 Apr 18, 05:11 PM

We’ve found a cruise we would like to book but would love your tips on getting the best deals, best upgrades, best rooms, best packages etc ...
Only ever done DCL Magic in 2011 so this is a whole new adventure we don’t know where to start!
Thanks in advance x

kcsunshine73 · 3 Apr 18, 05:37 PM

Meant to add it’s a Royal Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale. We will have our hire car to park while on the cruise and will need to make it back to Miami airport later on the day we get back into FL.

Omega1 · 3 Apr 18, 07:54 PM

Royal Caribbean allow you to book with a US travel /cruise agent. So it's a good idea to shop around on both sides of the pond but remember the t&cs are very different here than in the US. US agents very often have good perks and offer on board credit, free gratuities, etc. Also consider potential currency fluctuations.
I'm wondering why you are paying to rent a car and then pay to leave it parked at the port ($15 per day)? We find it is cheaper to hand the car back close to the port and then get the free shuttle to the ship. At the end of the cruise we get a taxi ($16) to the airport, rent a car for the day (£28) and drop off at MIA. It's cheaper and more flexible than a van shuttle from Port Everglades to MIA. We're doing this again in November. The free rental depot shuttles at the end of the cruise are a bit manic.

kcsunshine73 · 4 Apr 18, 07:58 AM

Hi thanks, we will be hiring the car for two weeks before from Miami airport and because we are cruising from FL we thought it would be expensive to drop elsewhere?

Omega1 · 4 Apr 18, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by kcsunshine73

Hi thanks, we will be hiring the car for two weeks before from Miami airport and because we are cruising from FL we thought it would be exon dove to drop elsewhere?

We've always found that within Florida, there are no additional fees to drop off in a different location.

kcsunshine73 · 4 Apr 18, 08:15 AM

Oh good to know! You can imagine the cost incurred when we rented a car from Boston and dropped in Atlanta a couple of years back ... it was for a road trip, but still ...
Thanks for the tips. Interestingly, RC’s price online was more than when we spoke to them on the phone, which was odd!

kcsunshine73 · 15 Apr 18, 10:27 AM

BOOKED IT!
We will be taking our second ever cruise, this time on this RCCL short cruise. Very excited to be hitting Key West and Havana. Have booked car hire to stop at the port and will look to book something to get us from the cruise to the airport on the day we dock back at port Canaveral.
Now looking at what to do for shore excursions and things to do in the two stops. We’ve found on our one other cruise that doing things independently was more cost effective and more fun as we could just be the four of us and have a bit of a break from the full on people aspect of the cruise (all good in its own place, but, you know, nice to switch it off a bit too).
Does anyone know what RCCL does for NYE as we will be at sea on 31?

ryanlaur · 15 Apr 18, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by kcsunshine73

BOOKED IT!
We will be taking our second ever cruise, this time on this RCCL short cruise. Very excited to be hitting Key West and Havana. Have booked car hire to stop at the port and will look to book something to get us from the cruise to the airport on the day we dock back at port Canaveral.
Now looking at what to do for shore excursions and things to do in the two stops. We’ve found on our one other cruise that doing things independently was more cost effective and more fun as we could just be the four of us and have a bit of a break from the full on people aspect of the cruise (all good in its own place, but, you know, nice to switch it off a bit too).
Does anyone know what RCCL does for NYE as we will be at sea on 31?

Unfortunately can't advise you re New Year's Eve but can highly recommend doing the Conch tour train in Key West. We have just returned from cruising and visited Key West. We did the train initially so that we could get our bearings and then sauntered along Duval Street to the beach and then back to the cruise ship.
Have a super cruise... what a great way to spend New Year!

kcsunshine73 · 17 Apr 18, 12:30 PM

Awesome, thank you! I thought that looked like a good option to get bearings.
Son might opt in to the teen snorkel trip the ship runs, but there’s time to look at that if he does!

3 Apr 18, 07:54 PM	#3
	3 Apr 18, 07:54 PM Omega1 Imagineer
Omega1 Imagineer Join Date: Jan 08	Royal Caribbean allow you to book with a US travel /cruise agent. So it's a good idea to shop around on both sides of the pond but remember the t&cs are very different here than in the US. US agents very often have good perks and offer on board credit, free gratuities, etc. Also consider potential currency fluctuations. I'm wondering why you are paying to rent a car and then pay to leave it parked at the port ($15 per day)? We find it is cheaper to hand the car back close to the port and then get the free shuttle to the ship. At the end of the cruise we get a taxi ($16) to the airport, rent a car for the day (£28) and drop off at MIA. It's cheaper and more flexible than a van shuttle from Port Everglades to MIA. We're doing this again in November. The free rental depot shuttles at the end of the cruise are a bit manic.