This was only a six-night cruise so RCI could add an extra night to the Christmas Week sailing. Didn't think we would miss one night/port, we were wrong. If seven nights doesn't seem long enough, six certainly didn't.

We did a two-night pre-stay at the Intercontinental Isla Verde and really enjoyed the stay. We upgraded to an oceanfront that included a free breakfast buffet, regularly $22 per person. By the time we paid the tax, tip and for two soft drinks the free buffet was around $20 and it took a stop at the front desk while leaving to get the base price of the buffet removed from the bill. Taxi from airport to hotel was under $13. Hotel to OSJ was around $20 and hotel to the Pan Am Pier was less than $25.

Across the street from the hotel is a little shopping plaza with several food options and a grocery store. One of the restaurants is Mi Casitas, offering a mix of Italian and "local" dishes. The food was very good and the prices extremely reasonable. The service was a bit on the slow side, but that is the norm for any place south of the Mason-Dixon line and we weren't in a hurry anyway. The plaza had a deli/bakery, a taco place and a couple of traditional mainland options like, Burger King and Ponderosa, for those so inclined. Read more