Spideysmum

28 minutes ago, nini said:

If daughter wants to get home ASAP, I do not understand how overnight at the airport

or London will help. The Princess transfer is currently $59.00 pp each way. They have a stake 

to get you there on time.

I’d sure like that...price, actually is no object...but on the Princess website this is the wording:

 “Earliest International Flight Departure from Heathrow airport for London (Southampton):
7 hours after ship's arrival.”   

Ship docks 6 AM   Scheduled San Francisco flight 12:20 PM     I’m positive that it COULD be done but....lol  

Thanks everyone for the input   I’ve got months before they really commit so things all around could change  😀😀

5 minutes ago, electricguy said:

If you look at flight ease for 2020 trips Princess will let you take the 12:20 flight so it must be doable.

😻😻  maybe there’s hope  

Okay...most of you guys think it’s risky   I’ve thought of just buying airfare for them as there is a BA flight to SFO but just seems silly  when I’m overloaded with air miles    They are both rather volatile individuals and to posters Rick & Jeannie -I’m really not expecting a “relaxing cruise” with them anyway  (They are fun and excitable and highly stressed)    I think I will work on talking them into an airport hotel for that night  while we head on to London for a couple of days to de-stress ourselves   
 

Thanks everyone  😻

Yes, I know how to do it...but not as quickly as possible   Dilemma is that I’ve booked daughter and Boyfriend onto cruise with us and they are still not committed (it’s in 2021 with refundable deposit)   The current airline schedule shows a flight direct to SFO at 12:20 pm    Daughter says they want to get back ASAP ...directly  no stopovers   I’m using miles so am rather stuck with this airline   Cruise ends at 6 am on a Sunday   I’m thinking if they self disembarked that it should be doable   Nothing is certain, of course , and neither of them are placid nor easy going   I want to assure them I’ll do my best to get them home to their demanding jobs   
 

Has anyone any suggestions for transfers or private car that are reliable and travel like bats out of hell?    I’d like to have a few months of anticipating a fun time onboard with them   🤷‍♀️

 

1 hour ago, Kenster said:

Jeans are fine during the day for breaks down lunch. You’ll be quite out of place in jeans in the dining room at dinner, BUT...most nights they have a very nice Bistro service during dinner time in the lounge. Basically the same fare as in the dining room but it’s dished a la carte in smaller portions. You get to taste more than one entree. Very informal.  We really enjoyed it. It’s great if you don’t want to dress for dinner. 

We will be fine in nice jeans.

7 minutes ago, suntan said:

I'm celebrating tonight.  I just made the final payment on my May 6th Tulip Time cruise!  😃  Everything is in place - cruise, air, hotel.  Now just have to wait until February 6th when further excursion information becomes available.  I'm glad to hear that no formal wear is required.  I  need the extra room for gifts and souvenirs. LOL

I made the final payment a few weeks ago and last Sunday booked excursions for our April 4 Tulip time. They make it SO easy. 
 

And we, as well, are happy about the less formal atmosphere...as we live in jeans. 😃

31 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I don't think that included transportation is necessarily a bus. People don't depart at the same time. For people heading to the airport on disembarkation day, they will canvass and ask what time your flight is. Depending on the numbers going at any given time, you might be in a private taxi or a small van or a bus. If you don't have an included transfer, I'm not sure that trying to add yourself to an existing transfer will make a lot of sense.

 

This isn't like an ocean cruise transfer from, for example, Southampton to Heathrow where there will be coach buses going at multiple times to accommodate many passengers. River cruise passengers frequently depart in 2s and 4s.

Okay. No problem.  I’m overthinking situation.  Taking a taxi directly to hotel works. Thanks. It reminded me that we have an up to $250 transfer to and from dock from TA. 😃. Lol. 

Thank you s35flyer and gnome12.  I needed to know if I could book the bus onboard.  That is good information. 
 

We have spent considerable time in Amsterdam over the years and have always taken the train to the airport. We just thought this sounded smoother. 

We are on the April 4 Tulip Time ...aka Beer enthusiasts cruise out of Amsterdam. Flying into Brussels for three days ahead and then train to Amsterdam the day before.  After the cruise we are heading to the Hilton Schiphol ahead of flight the following day. My question is airport transport. We didn’t book flights through Avalon so can we sign up for the airport bus ...don’t mind paying...when the cruise ends?  We usually get the train to the airport in Amsterdam, but the bus sounds a lot easier. 

1 hour ago, ptrpanpens said:

 

I saw it a couple years ago. Like you, I have a degree in Art History and early Flemish painting is one of my favorite periods . The Ghent Altarpiece was on top on my list and It did not disappoint as long as you get there when the church opens and before the crowds of tourists. I was able to spend 30 minutes alone in the chapel with the triptych but I took a taxi, not a tour. I think you can get in at 9 am and perhaps earlier. When I left there was a group waiting to get inside and I would not have wanted to be rushed with all those people!

 

Ghent is a charming place and not as touristy as Bruges. Good luck.

Thank you so much. I will probably be there before 9 am. Very excited and also happy to finally see Ghent. Maybe I’ll spend the time looking around and drinking coffee all morning and “unfortunately “ miss the afternoon boat trip to a brewery.   😁

We are doing the April 4, 2020 Tulip Time on the Panorama (I think). It’s really one of the special cruises as the focus is on .....beer. Hubs is a beer blogger.  I drink Chardonnay or Pino Grigio. But oh well. I’ll live.  My main focus is seeing the Jan Van Eyke altarpiece in Ghent .   Nope.not religious, but over the years since I received my masters in art history, I’ve seen every painting or drawing or sculpture etc that I ever studied or wrote a paper on....EXCEPT that one. We’ve traveled a lot in the Low Countries and I never got there. 

The keukenhof gardens will be just icing on the cake.  First river cruise. Maybe not the last. 😻

Has anyone on the All Things Avalon thread taken the Amsterdam to Amsterdam beer themed tulip time cruise?  Actually, since several different beer themed cruises are offered on different routes, I’d be interested in the experience. I’m NOT a beer fan, but my husband contributes to a beer blog and it’s a big thing for him. 

I ask specifically about the tulip time cruise because Belgium/Holland beers are his main interest; but I’d like to know in general how such a focused cruise worked out for others. 😁. We’ve spent a lot of time in the Flemish countries so know the territory. He loves both countries. (I prefer Italy..lol). 

On the Grand about two weeks ago our waiters were pushing the “shrimpcargot”. Shrimp in the little escargot dishes with the melted butter. I say pushing because we didn’t want another course. (A couple of years ago the escargot’s butter gave me a serious burn). This offered dish was not in-lieu of another starter. They were giving it to everyone.   The waiters kept saying that the chef was being creative as the escargot didn’t arrive. 

1 hour ago, masterty said:

The piano bar was the biggest disappointment on this last voyage for us. Hardly cruise ship worthy. More like drunken karaoke. Huge disappointment. .

Agree. Usually a nice place to unwind, but the guitarist who was constantly there was 1) irritating because his speakers were too loud and 2) his repertoire seemed all over the place with amateurish renditions of John Denver, Credence Clearwater or Johnny Cash.  

Not a fan. 

While others on our cruise shared our disappointment, I recall one woman in the elevator exclaiming with great joy how wonderful it was to get another sea day. My husband made me get off at the next floor in case I’d react badly. Lol. 

We had booked a tour of Skara Brae and Scapa Flow. Sigh...one of main reasons we booked the British Isle Cruise knowing we’d never get to that part of the world by ourselves.  Ship (Caribbean Princess) couldn’t dock that day because there were no available tugs. Very disappointing. Hope you make it. 

I will acknowledge the fact that cans of Diet Coke are not available on the PBP. So...has anyone a guess that the bartender will fill my insulated thermos bottle with my fav beverage?

On our British Isles cruise, someone on our roll call organized a tour that went to Stirling Castle, Doune Castle (where Monty Python’s Holy Grail was filmed) and a tour of Glengoyne Distillery.  The tour company was Stravagin Duntocher Road, 
Clydebank. Scotland, G813NQ.  We had a great time with Ian and were returned to the ship in time. 
 

Thanks guys. And yes it is easier to schlep bottles back especially because we aren’t flying this time.  Also he knows there are restrictions on shipping alcohol some places if you are not a business. And..,wasting precious port time wrapping and finding a shipping business. 🤔

Glad and to know we can drop bags and park. Hope the reverse works the same way. Fingers crossed. 

I’ve been talked back into an Alaska Cruise. Okay..I was really down after my 17 year old kitty died and husband was trying to cheer me up. I am not huge fan of Alaska but he writes about BEER and so ok but my caveat was leaving from San Francisco since it’s only a 90 minute drive.   

He wants to take extra bag to haul beer back. Yes...he knows about ‘fessing up with bottles at ports and is fine with that...collect his haul at the end of the journey. Therefore, we will probably have four bags and backpacks. We will have reserved cruise parking which appears to be across the street from the terminal (or knowing San Fran...a few blocks. Lol). So..can someone tell me if it’s possible to drive up to terminal building and drop bags before proceeding to parking?    Thanks. 😻😻

Quick question about insulated tumblers. I was talked into a cruise to Alaska (again..but that’s another story). We have the bev package...our daughter gave us a set of insulated tumblers - may we use them for decent coffee at the international cafe?  There was this terrible morning on that last Alaskan venture when I was handed take away coffees in glasses. Awkward..esp on the lifts, to say the least.  I am so hoping.  I know I can’t get Diet Cokes in cans..just fountain style with the bev package this time. I also assume my insulateds will work there?  

Weve only been on two cruises (Alaska and British isles) but travel to Europe at least twice a year. Just returned from Eastern Europe on a guided tour. We learned some years ago to carry a specific hand sanitizer that kills viruses. Discovered that the purel sanitizers don't touch viruses. We've been upper respiratory virus free for over three years now- and we travel by plane a lot. Never would board a cruise ship or plane or train these days without it.

 

 

 

 

And that hand sanitizer is.......? Please share!

Actually the first one was obtained in the U.K. and worked great. Since we couldn’t get that one anymore, about a year and a half ago we found “Clorox - bleach free hand sanitizer “ which so far is batting 1000. We also pass it back and forth in restaurants.

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Weve only been on two cruises (Alaska and British isles) but travel to Europe at least twice a year. Just returned from Eastern Europe on a guided tour. We learned some years ago to carry a specific hand sanitizer that kills viruses. Discovered that the purel sanitizers don't touch viruses. We've been upper respiratory virus free for over three years now- and we travel by plane a lot. Never would board a cruise ship or plane or train these days without it.

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I am so with you OP. There is so much to see and do in this world that one cannot do from a cruise ship!

 

 

 

Just talked to someone that was so very proud of the fact they just did 28 days in the Med. Kotor and Mykonos 4 times - as well as multiple stops in other ports. How many times can a person go to Kotor. It is pretty but not 4 times 4 weeks. Not for me.

 

 

 

We are just finishing 6 days in Athens and stil have not seen all we want to see.

 

 

 

While a cruise is good if one wants to put your feet up and kick back, a DIY land vacation provides the time to do and see what we want on our time schedule.

One of the ironies of our British Isles cruise was the main reason we booked it was to see Kirkwall and the Orkneys as we knew we'd never get there on our own. It was the missed port on that particular cruise Sigh. When I was in an elevator later that morning some woman was gushing about how wonderful to have another sea day.

As someone said. Different strokes.

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Thanks guys. I've enjoyed CC a lot and learned so much. Heading for The Czech Republic and Hungary on a Rick Steves tour in September where NO relaxing is allowed. I guess my kind of vakay. [emoji849]

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