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cruisemom42

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  1. By "sights" in Pisa I assume you mean the Leaning Tower and the Field of Miracles (where the tower is located). Yes, the Tower is open on Sunday July 14 from 9am until 10pm, but be aware that you have to buy a ticket in advance if you want to climb it (not yet available for July):(https://www.opapisa.it/en/tickets/buy/ ) The other sites in the Field of Miracles (Campo dei Miracoli) are also open, including the Baptistery and Cathedral, although if services are being held, there may be periods when you cannot enter the Cathedral. Both of these are also work a look if you're going to be there. I have no idea about the tour you mention.
  2. I so agree with this. Part of my frustration with HAL is that they are constantly teasing and not delivering. People told me on these boards for years that itineraries longer than 14 days had lecturers. Well in my experience, some have had lecturers, some have not. And some lecturers are good while others are terrible. I feel the same about classical music. While I am guardedly happy that it seems to be returning, I find it completely frustrating that I have no way of knowing whether there will be any classical music on MY cruise. I hope HAL does have classical music on this year's Europe itineraries. I am booked on the Rotterdam for 14 days in August. But I feel skeptical as the cruise can also be done in 7-day segments, meaning HAL will probably claim that they don't do classical on short cruises. Frustrating.
  3. I can't stress enough that this is not the norm. I was there in late November for nearly a week. No problems at all with dust or allergies.
  4. AFAIK the Spanish steps are the only 'famous' steps in Rome, except for possibly the "Scala Santa" -- the sacred stairs that are a draw for many religious visitors (info here). The Spanish steps are somewhat well located, but not quite as convenient as the area around the Pantheon for someone looking for a good general location. The nearby vicinity is one of the highest end shopping areas in Rome, with famous Italian (and other) designers like Gucci, Prada, Tod's, Versace and the like. (There are no bargains, FYI...) There are restaurants but not more than you'll find in the Pantheon area. The one "plus" for the Spanish steps area is the proximity of a metro line. That will get you to the Colosseum or Vatican with less walking, but not everyone is comfortable using it. One note of warning: Be sure you check any hotel description regarding location of nearby sites. Hotels are fond of saying things like "located only steps from the Pantheon" when in reality they are a 20-minute walk away.
  5. Rome, Rome, Rome Both have interesting sites but there is much more to do in Rome. You can have a satisfying day in Athens but one day in Rome is just frustrating.
  6. Is the main point of your travel to get to Sydney (or Tokyo)? Or is it the cruises themselves? Without knowing your full itineraries, number of sea days, other ports, etc. it is very hard to make any kind of recommendation. As for the two cities themselves (since that is your title question), I would vote for Tokyo over Sydney. Yes Sydney is a pretty city but it's in a country that, in many ways is not so strikingly different from the US. (English speaking, former British colony, Western traditions, etc. etc.) Whereas Tokyo is completely different. I find Japanese history fascinating. I enjoy the culture, food, traditions, art, architecture. But someone else (including the poster above) will have a completely different take. In the end you have to decide based on what interests you. If you could only ever get to one of them, which would you be more sorry to have missed?
  7. I wanted to add my emphatic agreement with this. It's a starting point but can at best only give you an overview or suggestion to work from.
  8. Neither Oceania nor Azamara require dressing for dinner beyond the normal for most cruise lines (e.g., no shorts, collared shirt, no beachwear). There are no "formal" evenings and jackets are not required. I haven't been on the other two, so can't answer for them. I believe Silversea is still a bit dressier in the evenings.
  9. The trains don't strike "on a whim". Strikes are announced in advance and are posted on the official site. You just have to look them up. 🙄 I sure wish this trope could get retired. I have visited Italy every save save 2021. (I even managed to squeeze in a visit right before Italy closed down in early 2020....). I've always used the trains to get around and over more than 20 years I've yet to be impacted by a "wildcat" strike.
  10. You sound like me. I lived for many years in a small cottage in a highly desirable location. Upstairs was a bathroom that in truth was no larger than the ones on the R-class ships. I used to tell people that I was the only person in the world to board a cruise ship, look in the bathroom, and say "My, how roomy!"
  11. I suspect anyone can have a one-off bad experience (or good experience) on just about any line. I like both Celebrity and Holland America (and other lines too). I don't expect them all to be alike -- each line has its own strengths and weaknesses. I've always found the X onboard experience as friendly as -- if not more friendly than -- HAL's. Officers on X are usually more social. Bar staff on X have always been very friendly and attentive, especially to this solo, which is nice. I don't really want or need someone to be super-friendly or to know my name (although it's nice); I just want good service. And I have to say that I haven't gotten great service in HAL's MDR on either of my most recent cruises. Celebrity has certainly gone through the mill in the last year as regards food. They cut things to the bone about 15 months ago (after coming back strong right after Covid) and I think that only now are they starting to build/add back. That said, I've never found HAL food to be particularly great or inspired. For want of a better word, I like 'fancy' dining and plain grilled/roasted proteins, rustic lasagna, fruist crisps and the like are not my dream menu. At any rate, it's always good to try something new once in a while, if only to confirm that your preferences like elsewhere.
  12. Here's some food for thought. What makes you think that the outer surface of your cabin door is "yours"? I would consider it as part of a common area, just like the doors and hallways in condominiums. In my condo, we are not free to "decorate" the outer surface of our doors or leave any kind of mat outside or anything else that would distinguish one unit from another (other than the standard door number). Would you leave something that belongs to you in a common area and expect that it's going to be there when you get back? If you feel the need to decorate, perhaps better to do it inside your cabin where YOU can appreciate it, and no one will take it. If the goal is only to make your cabin distinguishable from others, I've never understood why a huge display is needed. Also: people are waaaay too quick to resort to fisticuffs. If you're going to get that passionate about it, leave it at home.
  13. You had me at Sticky Toffee Pudding.... Has anyone had this? Does it taste like the "real deal" (if you're familiar with the real deal....)?
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