finzleftright

I've bought SIM cards for France, China, and Australia, but my last trip to Italy was before I was ready for such.

My method is to just google "Italy SIM card AT&T" (or your US service provider, of course.) Your phone type varies based on your provider, so that will make a difference in who you select.

Then go to Amazon and search for a deal on the cards. Are you sure that your phone is unlocked? If it's not paid off, service contract over, you may have to do that and get it unlocked. AT&T is particularly bad about making it difficult, but if the phone is paid off, they are required to unlock it IF you ask.

They would LOVE to sell you the international service for $10 a day, unlimited calls, texts, and Internet for $100 for your 10 days. But most SIM cards will give you 2 or 3GB of data and some minutes and text for around $30.

I'm a big believer in that method. You'll have data for maps while traveling and reviews of all the local restaurants.

It's a bit of effort, but well worth it! Good luck!

 

 

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The last that we received was 7 years ago, three days before an Alaskan cruise.

I particularly remember the details because we were in a pre-cruise trip to Vancouver when we read the email and I remarked that the new cabin number, 407 was the same as my childhood street number. "What are the odds?"

Then we went inside and checked into our hotel and were handed the room key for 407.

Both the room and the later cabin were fantastic. Happy sails!

 

 

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I've booked a scuba trip, but I don't want to get wet or breath canned air....

Nope, not gonna happen.

We book on Princess, because there are fewer children to deal with. We had booked a NCL cruise at one point, but then saw that there was a "Dora the explorer" program on the ship, and that convinced us to switch to a slightly less convenient and slightly more expensive Princess cruise instead. It was a wise decision.

 

 

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The original post said "Coral Princess" which is a Princess ship. According to Princess, at least. Is that not the ship that we're discussing?

 

 

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I love Princess and would NEVER discourage anyone from one of their cruises.

BUT

Australia is so simple to visit, and you need more time to explore. We were booked on a 20 or so day Princess cruise with friends. And after thinking it over, we told them to go without us. Then we booked our own three week trip with stays in Sydney, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and Port Douglas. We loved Port Douglas. And we really enjoyed the snorkeling cruise with Quicksilver. Look them up on TripAdvisor and look for my review comparing the Outer Reef vs the inner Islands.

 

 

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It's a beautiful drive! Google Kuranda and check it out. It's in the way, we stopped there for several hours. We drive up to Kurunda, but I'd suggest parking below and taking the sky rail instead, the roads are steep and twisty, but beautiful, and the driver should get to enjoy them.

Port Douglas is a beautiful place. Enjoy!

I had been nervous about the driving as well, but that area isn't so bad. I also drove on Tasmania, where there was a lot more traffic, so I was able to relax more and enjoy the drive in the Port Douglas area.

I hope that you have a smart phone. If so, make sure that it is unlocked and buy a SIM card from Telstra. Get a decent amount of data. It is essential for getting around. Google maps did a fantastic job with the traffic circles and got me where I wanted to go.

 

 

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Kadrik0 said that her (his?) only nitpick with Princess is that it's a bit older crowd. That's my reason for preferring them!

My kid are grown, 25 and 37, and I don't have any grand kids. I've done the traveling with kids stuff, and now I choose not to.

I don't miss little kids grabbing food from the buffet and then putting it back! I don't miss kids running and yelling and jumping in the pools!

I can enjoy things a bit more quietly now! And if the other passengers are a bit older, it just makes it easier to slip past them and enjoy what I like. My wife and I find Princess to be the perfect cruises for us.

 

 

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My wife and I did a Princess Panama Canal 17 Miami to LA. We were at the Ruby level, and were shocked to find that we normally seemed to be the least frequent cruisers in every group. We were inspired by tales we heard from others. But we NEVER saw that we got anything but exceptional service.

It is my favorite cruise, and I fully plan on doing it again. We traveled during the final weeks before the new locks were opened, and I really want to go back now that the work is concluded.

There were fantastic ports, I loved every one. But I also greatly enjoyed the lazy days on the ship. There were lectures on the canal by an elderly professor who knew and loved the subject. And all sorts of other things to do, or nothing at all.

You will LOVE this cruise, I predict. Stop worrying!

 

 

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Wow. Great posts on the pickpockets.

We did Italy with a tour group. We were constantly warned about them, and I thought it was at a paranoid level. Then, at one stop, the local guide had warned that there was only "one pickpocket, an old guy...". And sure enough, we met him. He was clumsy and tried to get us off guard, but was unsuccessful. I pushed him away when he tried to get my wallet.

Then we left the group for our final week and traveled alone by train.

In Milan, we left the train, with me rolling both 50 pound bags, and my wife with the carry on bags. It was very cold, and we were wearing out heaviest coats as we went down the escalator at the train station to the subway. Now in the subway we were burning up, carrying all the luggage, trying to spot the right train, we might as well have been wearing a big sign saying "rob ME!!!"

A young girl who reminded me of my daughter said, "let me help you." I didn't need help, but I'd just been mentally cursing the crowd pushing past us, and how rude everyone was, and I was touched and agreed. She stepped on the train with one of our bags. And as I followed, the rest of the group hit. A couple pushed through, pushing my wife to the side, where one unzipped her back pack and went through it quickly. Apparently they didn't want our snacks, though. One did a bump and grab of my wallet. I've I'd even noticed, I would have had to decide between my wallet and my luggage. Because I couldn't have gotten both. I didn't notice. I stepped on the train and was startled when the nice young lady handed me my bag, then stepped OFF the train she had been "waiting for" and stood there smiling. The doors closed and as it pulled away, one guy next to me said, "they just took your wallet."

It contained maybe $300 and more importantly a couple of cards that I immediately cancelled. When I called the second one, they told me that they had JUST rejected an attempted charge, because I hadn't notified them that I was out of the country.

All in all, we were fortunate. Our passports were on our person. Cash was distributed in various places.

If I had it to do over, my back pocket would contain a throw away wallet with $50 or less, usable for small purchases, and a target for the thieves. No cards other than dummy ones to make them think they had something and move on. And I'll try to travel lighter.

The next trip is China this summer. I wouldn't attempt it without a tour group. They are supposed to do most of the bag handling, and I'll be watching out for myself.

 

 

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I kept hearing warning after warning about pickpockets in Italy. And scoffed. Then fended one off, as he tried to get my wallet. Then had a team of four or more take my wallet while they went through my wife's backpack, all without us noticing.

Do NOT keep your wallet in your back pocket, and consider splitting your cash and carrying most in a money belt or such. Do NOT accept "help" with your luggage from strangers. Unfortunately you have to be suspicious of everyone, and you should be ok. They didn't get much from us, but it ruined a couple of days, just due to my foul mood.

 

 

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Is there really a major difference in services? We like Princess because the passengers generally seem to be older, with fewer kids on board. My children are adults now, and I prefer the quieter atmosphere of an older passenger list.
And, in general, just have no real complaints about Princess!


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Times change. Methods change. And if you don't adapt, you may well find yourself having problems. That's what forums like this are all about, helping each other avoid the problems.

I'd refer back to the very humorous earlier post in this thread. Hardly anyone relies on the Templars for their vacation cash anymore, they're a bit difficult to find!

 

 

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Argentina and Peru are two where we had to have new, untorn bills.

 

 

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Carry cash, use the safe on the ship. And one note about cash, for some reason that I can't figure out, in many countries it has to be new bills and with NO tears. They have to be perfect. I've had them sort through and separate into acceptable and unacceptable, and the smallest hint of a tear would force them into the bad pile. You have to find a friendly bank cashier and go through the same process with her before your trip.

 

 

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Oh, I've never needed a special font for sarcasm!

They've encouraged us to load a profile photo that shows up on the bottom when someone addresses an email to us. Many are professional, some are more casual or maybe goofy. Mine is a head shot, side view, with a beach umbrella, palm tree, and sand in view behind me, taken on Bora Bora, as I'm happy to tell anyone who asks!

Mine screams, "yeah, I do THIS until I can do THAT!"

 

 

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I think that I'd get in some serious trouble for some of the suggested messages. I try to keep it somewhat professional, but I don't hesitate to insert an "out of the country." And when it's been somewhere particularly cool, Tahiti and Antarctica, for instance, I DID slip in the name.

 

 

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My wife and I almost got left behind in Juneau. We were up the mountain on the tramway, and they delayed the final tram by 15 or twenty minutes to close the gift shop and let the clerks ride down. Yeah, we should have been on the previous tram and would have had plenty of time, but my wife was shopping! And we would still have had time if they hadn't delayed from their schedule. But we ran, and we made it. If we hadn't, it would have been our fault and I assume that we would have had to find some method of getting to Skagway. The ship leaves when it had to, I don't think that they're going to let anyone keep them too long. And, yeah, we heard about it from other passengers. That's life!

 

 

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Wow! I'm surprised by these responses because more seem to agree with me than I expected. My wire and I are foodies. I love reading about unusual restaurants and it's nothing for us to do several hours of driving to try one out. When we're traveling, trip advisor is my bible. I constantly pull it up to find out what's around. But on a cruise, forget it! That MDR always has something great and interesting, and we've already paid for it! I push my limits with it, look for something different and interesting, and it's normally there. I've yet to feel the need to spend more for that. The soft drink package and the specialties coffee, and maybe a couple of drinks from the bar will be our only extra expenses in that regard.

 

 

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We did a 15 day canal cruise on the Island Princess and loved every minute of it. The canal was fantastic. We enjoyed the ports, and the days at sea were a fantastic luxury. There was an onboard speaker who was very knowledgable about the area and its history, and I tried to never miss his lectures.

We went in March, and the weather was pleasant. I'm really thinking that I'd love to do it again, after the new locks are completed.

 

 

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