Skippingaroundtheglobe

That may be true, but the chocolate from Belgium is still the best :D

 

Unfortunately there aren't many cruise ships visiting us...

Dutch Cocoa wins for baking though! :D

I live in Europe. American ATM cards will work in most ATMs here. The problem comes when trying to use non chip cards to shop. Most stores now only take chip cards and not a card that can only be swiped. This includes VISA and MC cards. Hope this helps!

Have this problem with our roll call in Feb. It took me a while it find it because of the wrong date in title. Let me know if it works!

Just my opinion, but CC is not the place to ask questions like this. It's really not worth taking a chance on guesses. Contact the proper authorities for the most up to date information. It would terrible to find out someone on here was wrong!:eek:

Just booked this cruise for next July! We picked it for the itinerary. Sorry to hear you had some trouble with the service.

One question...... how were the daily temps? i am hoping that since it is farther north, it won't be terribly hot in July.

Great read! Taking notes!

I admit, I had no clue what Drambuie is (and had never even heard of it) and according to what it says online, it has aged scotch whiskey in it? Is that right? Or are you pulling my leg? :confused: Or is this just your recipe?

 

 

 

 

 

You are very welcome. I hope you enjoy your Star cruise. :)

It does, but it is sweet. It is a liqueur....and the recipe is a copy of a cream sauce from a brunch I had at a hotel once. Even my kids love it! It has become a Christmas breakfast tradition!

Thank you for such a wonder review! We are booking the star for summer 2015!

I might as well touch base on the crapes while I’m still in the buffet area. With each cruise, it seems to decline in “offerings”. Yes, a tear just rolled down my cheek right now. I got hooked on these on the Epic and their selection was “to die for”. They had so many different types of fillings and a lot of different toppings. YUM! The Spirit didn’t have as much from what I can remember and the guy that made them was hilarious (and new) and had to start over several different times but was a good sport about it. The Pearl, well I discovered you could ask for different things (and they also had a “stash” below of things like banana’s and so on). Well that brings us to the Star. Next to nothing to choose from. I think there was 4 different fillings and 2 toppings-chocolate (yuck) and the “to die for” cream they have. So, I actually only had 2 this cruise. It just didn’t really taste the same to me as the others. While we’re talking about the to die for cream…what is that stuff anyhow? Is it normal whipped topping and they add a pound of sugar to it? I have never been able to find anything that tasted anywhere close to that stuff. I LOVE IT…it just makes me shiver thinking about it. I would put it on my French toast and just moan and groan with excitement when I ate it (ask my husband, he’ll tell you)

Heavy cream, add sugar, over medium heat, stir until boiling, lower heat, add Drambuie to taste. Heaven!! I also add just a smidge of my crepe batter to help it thicken.

THIS! Whenever we've had a problem like this or loud talking and/or TVs, we've replied in kind and always received good results. Some people just don't realize how much noise they make. I think I learned this on my first cruise back in 1986 when I first hear a toilet flush next door at night. I try to limit my visits to the loo in the middle of the night now. ;):o

I had to laugh at this! We had a neighbor that must have had really bad seasickness on a ferry home from Scotland. The seas were rough, they even rolled my daughter off her bed. His toilet flushed every 5 minutes the entire night. We laugh now, but it did not make for a good night's sleep.

Following! Lovin' it!

Sheridans!!!. I cannot wait to get another bottle in October.

Really? I guess I am going to have to stock up before I move back to the states! I don't drink it all the time, but I do enjoy it occasionally. How much does it run on the ship? Just curious.

I have been looking at a cruise on Epic. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful details. It was a pleasure to read your review.

oh and i meant to mention that i enjoyed your detailed and optimistic post. Wasn't too long for me.

 

 

Rochelle

lol :d

I can't help with your specific questions either, but I have to say that it's a real shame that these boards would make you consider that you are an optimist just because you are expecting to enjoy yourself on holiday.

 

I don't say that as any criticism of you, but an observation of this board.

 

NCL isn't perfect, but it really isn't too difficult to have a good time on a holiday is it?

I guess it just boggles my mind how many people find so much to complain about. Then I see threads that ask if people have made a mistake choosing this cruise line. Then I see people leave the board entirely due to a smoking ban or some other ambiguous reson and I can't help but laugh. It is all very dramatic and entertaining, but my purpose in coming to this board was to collect info and learn new things. Reviews are great, but the bashing that goes on because people have different tastes and expectations is very sad.

I have joined our roll call and I look forward to chatting with our future cruise mates.

I appreciate all of the info everyone has shared. Thank you!

Hi! It's probably easier to get replies if you don't write too much text and let your questions be clearly visible. Here's my attempt at answering.

 

From FAQ:

http://www.ncl.co.uk/helpful-information/faqs/

Will my electrical appliances work on board?

 

Both 110 volts and 220 volts AC sockets are provided, but you will need an adaptor for British appliances. Hairdryers are provided in all staterooms & suites.

 

====

For tours in Naples I think it wpould be better to post in the "ports of call" section (for Italy specifically) since it's not only limited to NCL (apart from their own tours):

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595

Thank you for the info, and the critique! The main purpose of my post was to say thank you to all of the wonderful positive people here on CC that try to give as much information as possible without being downers.

The questions were secondary and not of immediate importance to me. I do have a while before I cruise. As stated, I know that hairdryers are provided, but unless they come with diffusers they are of no use to me. As to the Naples tour question, I just thought I would ask here also. No harm in trying to gather info from as many sources as possible.

I recently booked an 11 day western med. cruise on the Jade. We cruise in Feb. I am incredibly excited!! I know it will be cooler, but I hate high temps. Sweating is not my idea of a good time. I also know the ports will be less crowded. Yay, shorter lines!!

I have been scrolling the NCL boards for tips on the Jade and on NCL. It has done wonders to help me decide on where I want to spend extra money. No UBP, I love a good drink, but most of the wines I see on the list that I like are not included. I also do not want to feel like I have to drink "more" just to make it worth it. This board introduced me to the Vino package. I plan on doing that.

I am not a picky eater, but I think I will do the UDP. I do prefer to be served rather than go to a buffet. YES, I know that I can be served in the MDR, but I also like the looks of the specialty menus. Plus this cruise is a splurge, so why not?

This is my second cruise. The last one was a 4 day Bahamas trip on RCL. We had a tiny room with a port hole for three of us. One being a baby that had more luggage than me! We had an amazing time and loved every minute of it. Even the chocolate midnight buffet, but this was 14 years ago!

This cruise we booked a Haven family suite. I booked this before coming to the CC boards, and I have to honestly say, my main reason for booking the Haven, was the pool. My 12 year old daughter is a water nymph. I love the idea of being able to walk out of our room and into the Haven, so that she can swim around a bit without having to worry about rain or cold air temps. Now that I have read through the boards, I am even more excited about the extra little perks that will make this trip so much more enjoyable.

I am now researching all of our port stops, and making notes on the ones we have not traveled to before. These board are making my life easy!! I must admit, since I am an expat living in Europe, I don't have the anxiety that I have picked up on from some of the new cruisers. To any of you reading this post. Relax, and enjoy the differences. Isn't that what traveling is all about!!

I just want to say thank you to all of the wonderful positive people here on CC. I now know what to expect, and am even more excited than ever!!

To all those that love to complain! You can't get us optimists down!!

Now a questions for you experts! Is there a 220 plug in the master bath? I know the rooms come with hairdryers, but I have curly hair and use a diffuser. This is my one travel must have!

The only place I plan on booking a tour is Naples. I want to drive the coast, but there is no way I am driving a rental car in Naples! :eek: I would appreciate feedback on NCL tours and private tour companies.

Again, thank you so much! I look forward to hearing from you. :D

Great review!

I laughed when you commented on the pay potty! At least it wasn't a squatty potty!!

I actually love pay toilets in Europe, usually it means they are clean!

We are hoping to book a cruise to Europe on the Jade. The cruise is an 11 day cruise leaving for Rome on Nov. 22. I hear that it may be not a good time weather wise, but I would love to hear from those of you who have traveled during this season.

We spent Thanksgiving in Rome two years ago and although all the Romans were wearing down coats, we had light sweaters on. It was in the 60's most of the trip. It can be rainy at that time of year, but we got really lucky. I love autumn in Europe. I am scheduled on the same cruise in Feb. because it works with school holidays. Even then it will be warmer in Rome than where I live, so I am looking forward to it! Bring an umbrella and don't let potential rain stop you from having a good time!

Since we do these places on our own we can only guess at how they do it on tours. But we can assume that most are going to take you to Omaha Beach where you get to see Point du Hoc which is cliff-like area overlooking Omaha Beach (this was taken by US Rangers in am amazing battle). The tour will take you into some bunkers and also give you an overview of the battle. I think every tour will also include a visit to the American Cemetery which is truly an amazing place where it seems like every blade of grass is manicured. This was the place used for the opening scene in "Saving Private Ryan." This is actually a very "moving" place and many find it hard not to shed a few tears. There are other interesting places in the region such as the small town of St Mere Eglise.

 

If you are an American or Canadian, it is hard to describe the emotional impact of seeing these places. I am a Veteran of the Vietnam War, but came away from Normandy totally overwhelmed by the bravery of these men. DW kept saying, "how can you get men to do what those guys did." There is also a wonderful museum in Caen called the Peace Museum which is visited by a few tours (we think everyone should see this place once in their life).

 

So, lets talk about Mont St Michael. Personally, we think the best time to see this city is after dark from a distance. The city itself is basically a walled fortress with a road that winds up to the top. Inside there are the usual touristy shops and a Monastery. We think the overall view and setting of the place is far better then the actual town, which now exists solely to serve tourists. When we parked our car at Mont St Michael we had to watch the clock since the parking area was scheduled to be underwater in a few hours. But we understand they have recently built a new parking area that stays above the tides.

 

Now I will interject a personal "editorial" opinion. We think that every American needs to see Normandy and try to absorb what happened at that place. It should give one a deep appreciation of the sacrifice that people made so we can live in a free society (although one can debate whether we are truly free these days). In American today, we no longer ask our youth to make any sacrifice for their country and most now just take for granted the freedoms we have. Kids (and many adults) have no clue. The lesson of Normandy (and WWII) which is really spelled out in detail at the Peace Musuem, is that if you stop being vigilant and lose the willingness to defend what you have, there is always somebody (or some country) that will try to take it away from you. Some would argue that we have already forgotten this lesson and this does not bode well for our future.

 

Hank

Could not have said it better myself! Normandy gets my vote. MSM is beautiful from a far, but the history found in a beaches tour is something to remember.

I have another question. Can you drive in France with your American drivers license?

I live is Europe and highly recommend the international license. It will save you a lot of headache if you are pulled over. MSM is great from a far and a complete tourist trap once you are on it IMHO. If you have any interest in WWII I would just rent a car and go to the landing beaches. Arromanches and Utah are my favorite museums. Omaha can easily be done in conjunction with the cemetery and Point du Hoc. Or you could go north to the alabaster coast!! It is beautiful!

I think the conception about the French being rude and unhelpful is a bit unfair on the French. We travel to France frequently, but often just for the weekend. Therefore, I agree with your comments. Paris, like any large city is also full of people who are not originally from that place and tend to lead very busy lives and can't be bothered being nice. It happens in London all the time.

 

I can't say I've noticed a lot of young people smoking in France, but did comment about it to my OH when we were recently in Greece. We were having lunch in a nice restaurant and there were two Greek men smoking. Myself and OH are both ex smokers and smoke really doesn't bother us, but it is an EU ruling that you can't smoke in public places. If that were to happen in the UK you would soon be told not to do it.

 

I am currently following the Tour de France daily on TV as I love watching the beautiful countryside that they cycle through. Gives me ideas as where to go. I think maybe a short trip to Champagne region is on the cards.

Champagne is my favorite little spot in France. May I recommend a stay in Hautvillers, visit Dom Perignon's grave and taste champagne with an amazing view of the vineyards from the hilltop. If you go anywhere between Aug and Oct, check to make sure they are not harvesting. Most of the houses close and most of the hotels are full of the season laborers. Some small houses also close for a spell in the winter. I go about twice a year now to restock my cellar. :)

This is an ongoing debate on CC...the chocolate buffet...

 

Some hate it...some ate it...

 

I ate it...and hated it...

 

Nice sculpture until some ignorant person tries to eat one of them :eek:

 

The cookies at the late night buffet and the crumble...yes the crumble :D at the buffet for dinner is by far, in my opinion, better then anything served at the chocolate buffet...and YES I do LOVE chocolate, but not this....

 

An employee on the ship told me they used to use Hershey chocolate to do all the desserts for that buffet, and now they use cheap generic chocolate.

 

If human behavior is something that fascinates or intrigues you...go there and observe...unbelievable how people can stack 12 inches of different kind of desert on one plate...or actually RUN from one end of the buffet to the other to get the "prime" piece of pie...sad but priceless ;)

 

 

Have fun !

Might have to go just for the show! I love people watching!

Good to know about the quality of the chocolate. Living in Europe as an expat for so long, has honestly turned me into a chocolate snob. I'll take the crumble!!

Only onboard. On our cruise in May it was sold out already during embarkation day afternoon so go to restaurant reservations desk (left end of Guest Services desk) right after you get onboard, then you can continue towards aft through the photo gallery and go to aft MDR to have relaxed lunch. (They will probably go from table to table to sell Chef's Table reservations and UDP etc there too - better to be safe than sorry though.)

Thanks!! I will be sure to put it at the top of my to do list, once on board!

Will be on the Jade in Feb!!

Question about the chefs table. Can you book ahead, or do you have to wait until you are on the ship?

Thanks for all the info!