Last minute worries - Vantage

Hi there, me again!

For our time in Romania I'm thinking we need a plug adapter to plug our "stuff" in while in the hotels. What sort of outlet do they have in Romania? I've seen adapters with round pins, flat pins, other assorted combinations.

Hi there, me again!

 

For our time in Romania I'm thinking we need a plug adapter to plug our "stuff" in while in the hotels. What sort of outlet do they have in Romania? I've seen adapters with round pins, flat pins, other assorted combinations.

Most of Europe uses 220V (USA uses 110) BUT it could vary. In any event you will need a power converter AND a plug adapter. I would strongly suggest my go to expert: google it! You need specific info as well as photos of what to buy...keeping in mind that England uses different plugs than the rest of Europe. I will also try to find out for you and get back to you.

Go to the Magellan and Travel Smith web sites, they have all kinds of convertors and adaptors you can order as well as power strips to help with your electronics. They will show you what works in the countries you are traveling to. I have used them often for Travel supplies.

Good Luck!

Hi there, me again!

 

For our time in Romania I'm thinking we need a plug adapter to plug our "stuff" in while in the hotels. What sort of outlet do they have in Romania? I've seen adapters with round pins, flat pins, other assorted combinations.

Most of Europe uses 220V (USA uses 110) BUT it could vary. In any event you will need a power converter AND a plug adapter. I would strongly suggest my go to expert: google it! You need specific info as well as photos of what to buy...keeping in mind that England uses different plugs than the rest of Europe. I will also try to find out for you and get back to you.

Romania uses 230V and the standard CONTINENTAL EUROPE (NOT British) plug adapter. You will also need a voltage converter/step down transformer for appliances using 110-120V like hair dryers (not needed in most hotels or on ship); curling iron, charging devices, anything that only works off 110-120V. (Europlug or Schuko). You can buy them at any store that sells travel stuff like luggage, etc. You can buy them from Magellan but they'll cost more and I don't remember how much time you have. Just found out Best Buy carries them....cost around $30-40 depending on what you buy.

My source for the above is romaniatourism.com

You will need adapters (although the hotel may be able to lend you one) but probably not converters -- all modern electronics have auto-convert power supplies (you will see something printed on them about 110/220). If you are planning to bring hair-care appliances you may need a converter -- but check with the cruise line first as many of these are banned on ships. [Do Shmoos have long curly hair? Al Capp isn't around to ask any more. :(]

Romania uses 230V and the standard CONTINENTAL EUROPE (NOT British) plug adapter. You will also need a voltage converter/step down transformer for appliances using 110-120V like hair dryers (not needed in most hotels or on ship); curling iron, charging devices, anything that only works off 110-120V. (Europlug or Schuko). You can buy them at any store that sells travel stuff like luggage, etc. You can buy them from Magellan but they'll cost more and I don't remember how much time you have. Just found out Best Buy carries them....cost around $30-40 depending on what you buy.

 

My source for the above is romaniatourism.com

You will need adapters (although the hotel may be able to lend you one) but probably not converters -- all modern electronics have auto-convert power supplies (you will see something printed on them about 110/220). If you are planning to bring hair-care appliances you may need a converter -- but check with the cruise line first as many of these are banned on ships. [Do Shmoos have long curly hair? Al Capp isn't around to ask any more. :(]

Yes, we only need an adapter. All our stuff that we may need to plug in (laptop, phone) can auto-convert.

This shmoo has short curly hair, so no curlers/hairdryers necessary. :D

I know that there are two different possibilities on the plug type, I just wasn't sure whether go ahead and get both adapters or just one.

Yes, we only need an adapter. All our stuff that we may need to plug in (laptop, phone) can auto-convert.

 

This shmoo has short curly hair, so no curlers/hairdryers necessary. :D

 

I know that there are two different possibilities on the plug type, I just wasn't sure whether go ahead and get both adapters or just one.

Your plug type should be the one that's NOT used in England. Best Buy usually sells them with one of each...one for England and one for the rest of Europe!! BTW, Vantage ships all have at least two outlets that use 110-120V in every room and newer ships may have more. One in the bathroom and one at the dressing table. Jazz is right, many of the ships will not allow you to bring your own hairdryer or iron on board because of the fire hazard. I know Vantage has blow dryers and like you, I don't use either curling or clothing iron so I never faced that issue. They also have an ipod docking station, which doesn't help me at all, but could be good for you. I usually plug in my camera battery and kindle over-night so they're ready to go in the morning.

Jazz: so my toshiba laptop has a switch someplace that I don't know about? How do I convert it?

Once again, thank you all for your help.

I promise, I'll be out of your hair soon. :D

...Jazz: so my toshiba laptop has a switch someplace that I don't know about? How do I convert it?

Thom

You sometimes can find battery operated versions. DH has a travel razor that uses two AA batteries. It is small and light but not suitable if you have thick facial hair. You can find several versions of this on Amazon and maybe at Walmart or target. Amazon has adapters very cheap. We have a bunch of them for various countries as we need to charge our GPS, laptop, smartphones, camera battery, etc.

I'm not Jazz, but go back and read "all modern electronics have auto-convert power supplies". Modern electronics actual operates internally on low voltage Direct Current (not household Alternating Current), and will convert a range of input voltages and frequencies. There is NO switch, voltage is being automatically sensed and converted appropriately.

 

Thom

Thom, I don't understand anything you said, so I'll just take your word for it!! Thanks! :D

Check the plugs on the devices you plan to bring. If they are all 2-prong, you can probably get by with just the very common European 2-prong adapter. If some are 3-prong, you should get a 3-prong adapter to be fully grounded -- and these vary in different parts of Europe. That's why it's handy to have a chart that shows which adapters are needed for which countries:

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/electricity-voltage-by-country.html

[short version: Hungary uses the European standard 2- and 3-prong system. But for other trips, note that UK and Switzerland each use their own 3-prong plug.]

Thom, I don't understand anything you said, so I'll just take your word for it! Thanks!

Kitty,

What Thom means is that our new, modern electronics like my 13-inch Macintosh and my i-Mac 5 (along with all your Droids) are so smart that they can sense if they want 220 or 110 and the appliance will make the choice.

If you have an old-fashioned-type hair curler, just leave it at home and get a real short haircut. :rolleyes:

...If you have an old-fashioned-type hair curler, just leave it at home...

Thom

If you have anything that is intended to get hot (clothes iron, hair curler, water heater, etc) that is intended to operate only on 110 volts (US standard) do NOT, repeat DO NOT, plug this into 220 volts (European and most of the rest of the world standard). Chances of starting a fire are very high.

 

Thom

That much I understand....first day in our flat in London I plugged in my curling iron and fortunately noticed it smoking and being waaaay to hot. Quickly unplugged it but had to buy a new one, fortunately I did no damage to anything but the curling iron. As for the electronic toys, I had no idea. I understand your explanation though...if it needs to heat up, you need a converter. Thanks for the lesson (and Di too) I already have the wash and go hair cut!! :D

I love the "Wash-and-Go" haircut. Me too. I don't even need a comb, just use my fingers. ;)

I love the "Wash-and-Go" haircut. Me too. I don't even need a comb, just use my fingers. ;)

And thank GOD the "just rolled out of bed look" is so in today!!! We can be walking in our sleep and still look stylish!!!

And thank GOD the "just rolled out of bed look" is so in today!!! We can be walking in our sleep and still look stylish!!!

Which is one reason I got my hair cut super short last Wednesday.;)

So, here's another one, and I apologize if I've asked this before (it seems like I did, but I couldn't find a thread when I searched).

How is the water onboard? Our total experience on cruises is large ship cruising and we drink the water from the tap with no issues. Is the water onboard river ships as good (pure)?

...How is the water onboard? Our total experience on cruises is large ship cruising and we drink the water from the tap with no issues. Is the water onboard river ships as good (pure)?

Thom

I was on Vantage River Venture in March and Vantage River Discovery II in April. IMO the tap water is fine; I drank it often and thought it tasted "normal" and had no [intestinal] issues. Actually Vantage gave us bottled water daily, but since I attempt to maintain as small a trash footprint as is convenient (I am not obsessive about it) I used a few and then started refilling them out of the tap. So clearly I thought the tap water was fine.

 

Thom

Yeah, we bring our own refillable waterbottles on trips and fill them. I just wasn't sure how the water processing onboard the smaller river ships was.

Thanks.

Yeah, we bring our own refillable waterbottles on trips and fill them. I just wasn't sure how the water processing onboard the smaller river ships was.

 

Thanks.

No problem drinking tap water on Vantage ships...I always take water when they offer it and keep a supply in my room fridge...we tend to drink a lot of water and like it cold. Anything you get on the ship and most places in Europe is safe....although I'd ask before drinking tap water in some emerging countries. I don't remember if we drank tap in Bucharest ...but it was a really nice hotel so we probably did. One thing I can say is TM will usually be very good at telling you if you should NOT drink tap water any place you're going to.

No problem drinking tap water on Vantage ships...I always take water when they offer it and keep a supply in my room fridge...we tend to drink a lot of water and like it cold. Anything you get on the ship and most places in Europe is safe....although I'd ask before drinking tap water in some emerging countries. I don't remember if we drank tap in Bucharest ...but it was a really nice hotel so we probably did. One thing I can say is TM will usually be very good at telling you if you should NOT drink tap water any place you're going to.

Good advice on drinking the local water.

Western and Northern Europe tap water is safe. Also, Australia. Southern Europe, probably safe, but ask first.

Russia, China, Ukraine, Egypt, Morocco, India, Mexico and many South American countries, don't drink the water.

Argentina and Chile tap water is good.

I remember when we visited Poland in 1989 and I made the mistake of drinking tap water in Warsaw. I discovered that Montezuma had cousins in Poland. Poland might have cleaned up after Communism.

Check the plugs on the devices you plan to bring. If they are all 2-prong, you can probably get by with just the very common European 2-prong adapter. If some are 3-prong, you should get a 3-prong adapter to be fully grounded -- and these vary in different parts of Europe. That's why it's handy to have a chart that shows which adapters are needed for which countries:

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/electricity-voltage-by-country.html

[short version: Hungary uses the European standard 2- and 3-prong system. But for other trips, note that UK and Switzerland each use their own 3-prong plug.]

Most European Earthed/ Grounded adaptors can cope with most European Countries as they generally come with a hole to cope with the French style and something at the top to cope with the 'perimeter' style earth.

Looking at Amazon US, the adaptor shown in the link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SY5O5K) would cope with most of mainland Europe. I am sure that loads of others do as well.

I generally travel with a small block of my normal sockets and a single local adaptor - that way I can plug In multiple things and cope when the only free socket is inconvenient.

I was on Vantage River Venture in March and Vantage River Discovery II in April. IMO the tap water is fine; I drank it often and thought it tasted "normal" and had no [intestinal] issues. Actually Vantage gave us bottled water daily, but since I attempt to maintain as small a trash footprint as is convenient (I am not obsessive about it) I used a few and then started refilling them out of the tap. So clearly I thought the tap water was fine. Thom

What lots of people do not realize is that the water on ships is much better than most of our cities' water. They take the sea (or river) water and it is filtered three times. I usually get lots of ice and then pour the melted ice water into my bottles. ;)

If you have anything that is intended to get hot (clothes iron, hair curler, water heater, etc) that is intended to operate only on 110 volts (US standard) do NOT, repeat DO NOT, plug this into 220 volts (European and most of the rest of the world standard). Chances of starting a fire are very high.

 

Thom

Some of us have fine, arrow straight hair that even with a good haircut occasionally needs help in the style department. I have a dual voltage travel hair dryer as well as a dual voltage curling iron so I only need to pack an adapter. But whenever possible I use the provided hair dryer.