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GoGoTraveler

31 Blog Entries
31 Trips
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Trips:

Bahama Spirit
Enchantment of the Seas
For Openers
What a wonderful cruise can do to you.
Mexican Extravaganza
Radisson Surprise
Crystal Gazing
What to do next
Birthday Time on RCI
Ladies Room
The Conqeust of the Century
Adventures to Conquer
A Victory for All
A princess not to miss
A Golden Palace
Magic is a Second away
Vacation Club
The Caribbean is a Magical Place
Wonder of the world
Yet again
Adored
Time of a Century
Celebrity Again
In the South
How much time? Infinity
A new Millennium
Groundhogs Trip
The Beatiful Summit
Alot of Cruises
40th Birthday
A Victory

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Spirited Away

Nassau, The Bahamas

My wife and I returned from our 7 day cruise (our first) on the Norwegian Spirit yesterday. Let me "bullet" our opinions while they're still fresh: the ship was spotless, a balcony is a "must have." The room was roomy enough; bathroom facilities more than adequate. Staff was extremely friendly and engaging. Couldn't have asked for a more pleasant experience. The buffet was what you'd expect - a buffet for 2,000 people. Embarking and debarking was a breeze; everything was pretty organized and went smoothly. Overall, our experience was a good one. I would definitely cruise on the Norwegian Spirit again, but would first research other ships and lines and maybe try something different. (In fact, now that I think about going to work tomorrow morning, I'm going to start planning my next vacation.)

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on May 7, 2006 from Nassau, The Bahamas
from the travel blog: Bahama Spirit
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Spectacular in every way

Naples, Italy

If you are planning a cruise vacation, you can stop reading about all other ships and focus on Golden Princess. I have cruised a number of times and always on a different ship to to find the right one and now my search is over. Golden Princess set the trend, it was clean, the staff was friendly, food was good and entertainment was more than you could imagine, the only bad thing I could say is there is so much to do that you do not get a chance to do all that you wanted to do. I was on RC last year and I was impressed but nothing compare to Golden Princess. I had a room with a balcony and it was great, but we did not use the balcony as much as we wanted to, there was too much to do, whatever you wanted to do it was on the ship. The time I took my vacation in November school was still in session and I think thats the best time, less kids running around so it was a more mature group of people. I just want to help other to know GOLDEN PRINCESS is the only ship you ever want to cruise on, I am just trying to help you not to loose time looking at all the cruise line, any thing negative you read about Golden Princess cancel that from you mind, nothing is perfect but this is as close as it will get and remember you have those nag, nag people that looks for problems, you just omit them and go right ahead and enjoy you GP vacation. And don't forget to get your cruise at www.SmartCruiser.com because their deals come with free trip insurance, onboard credits(up to $500), and/or an Auqa Spa experience(valued at $100). Thats up to $600 you can save just right there, not including the great prices. So go to www.SmartCruiser.com(For all the people who were thinking it. No! I do not work for a travel company, I just really think this site has great deals.). Thanks for reading my review and have a great cruise.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on April 26, 2006 from Naples, Italy
from the travel blog: A Golden Palace
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Crowded Rooms? Never! → Too many girls? Definitly Not!

San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico

This was my first cruise. I took this trip with 5 ladies. We had a blast! The ship was beautiful. We had an interior room on the 8th floor. I would not recommend squeezing 4 girls into one room (which is what they did). Two people fit in the interior rooms nicely. I have read several bad reviews about the ship’s service. I must say I did not encounter one rude employee on the ship in seven days. I spent most of my days when we were at sea on the Lido deck and the service there was outstanding! Boris who is one of the many waiters on the Lido Deck was exceptional. The dining room service was great. Our two servers Victoria and Tanya were excellent. The food was okay. Ports. Jamaica is definitely something to see. I didn’t realize how poor the people are there. We were not offered drugs like you read in most of the reviews. Although I would not doubt that it happens often. We hired a private tour company called Barrett Adventures. Our tour guide Chester was very nice. I would definitely recommend using Barrett Adventures. They took us places that were not crowded with cruise tourists which was nice. Make sure to book an excursion for Grand Cayman. We decided to just do some shopping there and it was a total bust. Many of the people on the ship recommended the sting ray tour and 8 mile beach. Cozumel was by far the best port! We did the sail snorkel and beach party excursion. They take you snorkeling, then you take a ride over to a private beach where they have kayaks, volley ball and other fun beach activities. It was so much fun. If I go to Cozumel again I will definitely do it again. Not an excursion for kiddos...as beer and margaritas are included. We met a lot of nice people and I would recommend this cruise to anyone. We got a great price at www.SmartCruiser.com with Free Trip insurance included.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on April 23, 2006 from San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico
from the travel blog: Ladies Room
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Southern Celebrity

Bridgetown, Barbados

What a delightful experience spending a week on the Millennium! First and foremost, the staff was very attentive, friendly and uniformly helpful throughout the cruise. The experience felt like a floating four star hotel with great views and ports of call. I also liked the fact that the staff was so diverse from Croatia to Indonesia, France, Germany, the Philippines and so on. Secondly, the ship was very clean, well maintained and extremely comfortable with many places on board where you did not feel crowded and could just stretch out and relax. Lots of deck space and indoor venues. The food was very good but with that I recommend both a dinner at the Olympic restaurant.. better then any dinner I have had at an expensive New York City restaurant...and in contrast the low calories breakfast and lunches at the Aqua Spa were delicious.. you won't go wrong there and it is not crowded! Moving along the salt water pool for adults only in the huge glass enclosed aqua spa area was a treat. The water was like a huge hot tub and as you float you can feel the months of stress float away. It was my favorite spot on the ship. The entertainment led by an a very energetic, seasoned director by the name of Simon provided fun with enough varied shows and contests ("name that tune", "newly weds and not so newly weds") as well as musicals, comics and a wonderful violinist Dominique) to meet many tastes. Other little touches such as little snacks served by waiters carrying trays around the ship later in the evening, having your cabin spruced up at least three times a day when you are out for example leave one with a distinct feeling of being pampered. Now that I have been to the Caribbean on this ship I am saving for my next trip (I figure in two years) to the Mediterranean on the Millennium! When you get a chance take some time to go and look www.SmartCruiser.com and see their specials. They are very good.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on April 2, 2006 from Bridgetown, Barbados
from the travel blog: A new Millennium
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East We Go!

Georgetown, The Bahamas

My wife and I were part of a large group (60) for a Marriage Enrichment Seminar featuring Dr. Alan Zimmerman. As we arrived at Port Everglades by private charter bus as we were coming from Bonita Springs Florida, we were processed by customs in what I thought to be the most efficient and polite bunch of people. The total time from bus to cabin to lunch buffet was a mere 30 minutes. Free Champaign was given to us as we entered the vessel Upon entering our stateroom which was on the 8th floor cabin 8135 with ocean view out a large but somewhat fogged window we discovered that the water was running in the bathroom sink which was virtually black with filth. We were with our cabin Stewart and he immediately notified the plumber who advised us that it was common while at port all water is turned on and flushed with a Chlorine solution to purify all onboard lines. The cabin was small but adequate with plenty of storage. It is important that you try to bring luggage aboard that will fit inside each other we did this by accident but even accidents can be good. Oh! I forgot midship cabins are great. They are usually smoother more on that later, also very convenient to all onboard facilities. After moving nearly everything out of the mini bar and replacing the items with water we brought with us (1) case plus some sodas which probably saved us nearly $100.00 and freed up a suitcase for future shopping. Now off to the lunch buffet. This was our first cruise but boy were we impressed, presentation service and good quality awaited us. Did I mention the Free Champaign? well, from now on forget the word free did you hear me? Bahamas Mamas were flying off the trays everywhere in the dinning room and after the waiter asked for your onboard charge card smiles quickly were replaced by puzzlement. The Century is now 11 years old and it shows, the sinks are stained, the showers show mildew and the toilets are defiantly worn however, the rest of the ship although used was always immaculate I don't think I ever saw a napkin blowing on the deck nor trash in the common areas and nearly no fingerprints anywhere. The staff is friendly and professional. At no time did I ever have to wait on any service it was always offered before you could request it. Bruce the Cruise director was amazing and very personable Celebrity was everything we had heard it would be. The onboard activities were relevant and plentiful and the onboard entertainment out of this world. We visited Ocho Rios on our first stop the weather was lawful and the seas were very rough. The people of Jamaica were very aggressive and annoying, everyone is trying to get your money and they care how they get it. This is a place where bartering is a must. Shore excursions are cheaper on land and you can see the island quite cheap. Make sure you negotiate a price before entering a RED TAG TAXI. We were late leaving port by two hours because the waves were so strong the ships engines weren't strong enough to push us away from the dock. We did arrive at our second port Grand Caymans on time however we were 3 hours getting ashore because apparently the weather also like the CENTURY and followed us there we used onboard tenders (boat taxi's) as the port tenders refused to operate because the seas were to rough. I must say that we had a great Captain he ran several empty vessels back and forth to the pier before allowing the guest to leave the vessel, had it been deemed unsafe we would only be able to say we saw the coastline because he was sincerely concerned of our safety and I'm sure his job. Shopping was great no pesky sales people no cabbies trying to shanghais you. Next was Cozumel beautiful weather wonderful shops, bartering encouraged. We used tenders here also very efficient and timely. Last stop Key West, wonderful America is Great. Beautiful shops, great excursions and very affordable. The return trip to Ft Lauderdale was even smoother than the embarkation. In April the CENTURY goes in for Dry Docking and I can't wait to sail on her again and see how she looks. I give this Ship, Crew, and food 5*****'s. I went to www.SmartCruiser.com and got Free Trip Insurance and Onboard credits.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on February 11, 2006 from Georgetown, The Bahamas
from the travel blog: Time of a Century
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The Closer

Juneau, United States

For "Openers" we had a wonderful cruise! It was only 7-days in length, but we had a relaxing and picturesque journey to the glaciers. The "Infinity" is the largest ship we have cruised aboard - over 2,000 passengers, but the quality was one of the highest levels we have experienced in 13-cruises. The food, entertainment, care and concerns by the crew, plus the cleanliness were superb. The activities provided are almost non-stop, with programs by a terrific "Naturalist," art exhibits and auctions, a constantly changing shopping "mall," music, food, dancing, and more exotic food! This ship and this cruise line have been underrated in my estimation. Our suite came with a Butler, and was spacious, clean, and well-located mid-ship. An experienced "cruiser" will pick up on the endless amenities and courtesies that I never take for granted. We didn't have time to take in all the activities provided - we "hit the hay" relatively early, but the after-dinner night life, from what we heard, was excellent. The entertainment was shockingly superb!!! The dancers, singers, comedians, musicians, and choreography were wonderful - how this level of entertainment can be provided at sea is truly surprising and a great achievement. The specialty restaurant, the SS United States, was truly a treat. I had the finest rack of lamb from New Zealand that was so tender and beautifully cooked and presented - this was "world-class" dining! The Caesar Salad was absolutely great!! A sight no one alive would want to miss. A tip of my hat to "Celebrity Cruise Line" for an unexpected, high quality cruise, and at a price that was surprisingly low in comparison to competitive cruise lines that we have sailed. United States is a destination that a "traveler" should never miss. It is a part of this planet that dodges description - words alone fail to describe the beauty of this land. The natural sea life is testimony alone to it's uniqueness. The embarkation in Vancouver is amazingly well done. The huge and beautiful terminal indicates the forward thinking and pride of the Canadians - this terminal puts U.S. port facilities to shame! The logistical problems in handling so many passengers flawlessly boggles the mind. But, it's a sharp indication to you, a passenger, that you are in for superb experience - and it was. The genius of "Celebrity Cruise Line" is quite obvious - I can't wait for a reprise of this outstanding cruise experience. In my estimation, Celebrity Cruises has "raised the bar" of cruising, and we are the beneficiaries of all this cruise line genius we have been enjoying for years. But before you go, you should all go to SmartCruiser.com and buy your trip their. They have the best deals and including free trip insurance or onboard credits with every purchase.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on January 13, 2006 from Juneau, United States
from the travel blog: For Openers
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Celebrating

Key West, United States

I selected Celebrity's Zenith to celebrate my 40th birthday, and I'm glad I did. The ship was immaculate, and the crew was fantastic. Never have I met so many kind people who truly want to provide the best service. Some crew members were actually startled at the deliverance of a tip - they were genuinely grateful. In my opinion, they went far out of their way to please...and seemed to expect nothing. No pressures whatsoever. We spent a lot of time with the crew, learned about their home countries, their families, and we particularly enjoyed learning to speak their languages. Obviously, there was no shortage of laughter and good times. Every time a crew member saw you, they smiled bright smiles and welcomes you to the day, and then asked if there was anything they could do for you. Nothing was out of reach. They just wanted us to be happy. The food was to die for, with fresh sushi every evening, outstanding pasta and sauces, great sandwiches, and more. We particularly enjoyed the "alternative dining" where we could dress up or down, and we enjoyed meals prepared especially for us (rather than for 300+ other people in main dining). The "alternative dining" area is quaint, not enormous like main dining. It was exactly what we were seeking. Every meal was prepared with such care. The presentation was lovely. Atmosphere was very relaxed, which was what I was seeking. Zenith is a little smaller than some of the other ships out there, but again, that's what I was seeking. She felt the waves a little more than perhaps the larger ships would, but it was never too much for us - we just kept on sunning ourselves, or we slept through it. The shore excursions were FANTASTIC in Grand Cayman and Key West. I could go on and on, but I assure you that if you travel on Zenith, you'll not be disappointed. PS - purchase one of their high-end robes. I guarantee you'll look forward to getting in it every night. In fact, we walked around the ship one evening in our elegant, plush robes - simply because we could...and because it made people laugh. This ship is full of good humored crew and passengers!!!! I went to www.SmartCruiser.com and got a great deal which inxcluded Free Trip Insurance and $400 Shipboard credits.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on December 3, 2005 from Key West, United States
from the travel blog: 40th Birthday
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Galour

San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico

We chose this cruise as our honeymoon, our first real travel adventure, and for the itenerary. We loved it! In comparison to another cruise we've been on, this is our favorite so far. It was a nice older crowd, few children, the ship was clean and nicely decorated. The staff was very helpful and handled our every request. The ports were all a great time. Cozumel-we did the underground caverns, we were surprised to find that it also included a visit with the cutest baby monkeys, and afterwards a nice lunch on a beautiful beach. I would highly recommend this tour. In Grand Cayman we did the Jolly Roger Pirate ship, don't do it unless you have kids. It's not really geared towards adults. In Costa Rica we went river rafting, the best time we had on the trip by far. Anyone that is up for a little adventure should try this without a doubt. We enjoyed the Canal and did the train over to the other side to the Pacific. This was nice and relaxing as it was the 4th port day in a row, opting for the deluxe one as opposed to the regular one was nothing special. In Jamaica we did the canopy tour. For those wanting to adventure out but are afraid, try it. It was not as 'extreme' as you think it would be...quit slow, easy, safe, and fun. We had very few complaints on our trip of any significance and we would do this same itenerary on this same ship all over again...and try other fun excursions at the port that we didn't get to do. If you are young and looking for a buise cruise, this one is not for you. But if you are looking for a relaxing, fun, older crowd, dressing up 'every night', and great food...then give this one a try! Do your self a favor and go to www.SmartCruiser.com and take look at their deals that include Free Trip Insurance and Onboard credits(up to $500!!!!).

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on November 14, 2005 from San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico
from the travel blog: Adored
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We'll never stop

Nassau, The Bahamas

There is one word to describe the Disney experience and that is Incredible. We had all of our documentation in order and boarding the ship was quick, smooth and went exactly as described to us. In fact, we were allowed to board 1 hour prior than scheduled. The ship is beautiful and clean. And although we saw a larger ship in The Bahamas, all eyes seem to be drawn to the Wonder. We actually booked 4 days at Disney's Pop Century Resort prior and drove to the terminal the morning we salad. It took less than an hour and parking cost $10 a day. The lot is right across the street from the terminal (we actually carried all of our bags when we disembarked). If you book the land/sea vacation combo through Disney you sail 1st, then go to Disneyworld. Plus, they automatically book you in a moderate priced hotel. We proffered to save the cruise for last and stay at the Pop Century and that worked out well by booking separately. While at sea, the shows were fantastic and the rooms impressive too. Make sure you get a room with a veranda. It's the best investment you will make on the cruise. There were nice surprises throughout, such as the fireworks display at sea! The restaurants we nice as well with varied menus and great service. My only complaint about the whole cruise is that only 1 location (deck 9) serves the free food and drinks. So even if you just thirsty you have to schlep there to get a drink no matter where you are on the ship. Finally, disembarking was much easier than I could have imagined. To get an early start we skipped the restaurant service and ate at the buffet at 6:30 am. We were allowed to leave the ship 7:30 and was loading the car by 7:45. Start saving you pennies, quarters and twenties now and why not plan a cruise. Oh, and a little advice is to go to www.SmartCruiser.com(They have really great deals like Free Trip insurance).

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on June 9, 2005 from Nassau, The Bahamas
from the travel blog: Yet again
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Continued

Nassau, The Bahamas

My wife, 7 yr. old son, and I couldn't have been more pleased after we finished this cruise. We understand that what is bothersome for some might not effect others. I suppose we are easy to please but at the same time, expect to get our moneys' worth. Let me start with why we rate this ship and cruise a 5 star experience. We enjoyed a Sky Suite (6145, which was all we needed and some). Our concern that a butler was not very necessary was in error. After 1 day with Carlton, we knew we were in excellent hands and enjoyed the many duties he fulfilled for us. If you are undecided about the need for a butler, let me put it this way...You can do many of the tasks for you self, and if that is what you want, go for it. We were on vacation and having Carlton treat us with genuine, considerate service was one of the main reasons( along with our housekeeper, Rebecca) for booking our next cruise to Quebec in fall 2004. About the ship and cruise now. The public rooms on the ship were very clean and elaborately decorated. We were not the pool crowd type persons, but these areas looked well kept. The lounge's on board were staffed by very kind people with real personality. The shows on board were sedating, as were expected. And the food outside of the dining room was regular at best. There is a saying on the ship.. " hurry and finish eating because it will soon be time to eat". If eating is your style, you should be satisfied. Now to the best aspects of this ship and cruise. Service is most important and it shows through the staff. If you are open to a great time onboard and can let your hair down, you will enjoy all this cruise has to offer. The ports of call were excellent and accommodating. We wanted to go our own way on some of these islands and were glad we did. Through the internet, we did our homework on secluded, kid freindly beaches. And after learning the cab game tricks, we were rewarded with some fantastic beach experiences that are not offered by the ship (and less costly). The number one reason we loved this ship is the "FUN FACTORY" and staff. As I mentioned before, we have a 7yr. old boy who is very behaved and respectful of others. After some apprehension about leaving him somewhere with whoever, we soon discovered that not only did he love the staff and itinerary, we saw for ourselves the fun and caring they add to the program (check out Sara's personality) He ate with them at 6:00 p.m., went to their evening program, and even stayed each night for the slumber party! Summing up this cruise was easy for us...1. Service is genuine with a smile. 2. You can't possibly get bored on board. 3. Fun Factory was professional and fun. 4. Captain was funny and approachable. 5. Staff and crew are there for you. (be open to them) Loosen up, meet people, enjoy yourself. 6. Don't let you kids run wild and disturb others. 7. Share the pool chairs. 8. There are at least 3000 persons on board, but you will never know (except at life craft exercise, boring). 9. See you in Quebec (Oct.11th, 2004). Happy Cruising! And also you should go to the site we went to. www.SmartCruiser.com is the site that we went to. It had really good stuff. We got Free trip insurance and some ship credits to use on board. it was great. We loved it.

permalink written by  GoGoTraveler on March 27, 2004 from Nassau, The Bahamas
from the travel blog: In the South
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