laughing husky

14 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

I am on the May 25 cruise from Vancouver.  Is that the one you are on?  Having lived in AK for well over 20 years, and been to Glacier Bay several times, it might be a gamble.  It can be cold, but dress warmly and bring a blanket, or maybe they have them there and enjoy.  The glacier makes it's own weather.

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Tokyo-Narita-Airport-NRT/InterContinental-Yokohama-Grand

This might be a little easier for you.  Yokahoma has some wonderful sights to see and if you wanted to stay the night so you could sightsee, you could arrange for the airport bus to pick you up at the Hotel Intercontinental.  It is right near the dock in Yokohama.  That particular hotel is a pick up stop for the Narita Airport Express bus.  It takes about an hour by bus to get to the airport.  maybe a bit less.  It seemed quite fast. 

On 2/2/2021 at 7:23 PM, Orlando Vic said:

Getting back to opinions about Yokohama hotels, does anyone have thoughts about the Intercontinental Yokohama Grand? The prices look very good and the reviews are all positive.

I know that this was a long time ago, However last time I cruised Japan, my husband and I stayed there for several days.  It is a modern hotel built for conventions and such but it is a great hotel.  They have, by far, the very best croissants that I have ever had including France where I have lived.  I was blown away.  The buffet breakfast is absolutely amazing.  Opt for a window by the sea.  You can see your ship.  If you like walking, you could walk to the pier, it is not that far and well paved by the sea. 

On 7/2/2021 at 11:38 AM, Sue Do-Over said:

My experience with private tours is that if the cruise is cancelled (or the port get skipped), then they refund any deposits.  They'd rather take the small risk of a refund over losing potential bookings.

I had a private tour in England and the ship could not get into port because of tides.  My money was NOT refunded and it amounted to a couple of hundred pounds.  If you do a non ship tour, make sure that the tour is refundable if the ship can't make port.  Mine wasn't and I gambled......and lost....

I am on the Epic right now. We dock in San Juan in the morning. It will be the last cruise for 60 days. They have said that the ship will have a deep cleaning. Some of the crew will leave, most will stay on. The ship is completely full  i have a mini next to the medical clinic. There are no lines, there have been no ambulances at the ports, everyone is happy, the weather is great and self isolating with 6000 people in the middle of the Carribean can be a great thing. I havent heard anyone cough, everyone is washing hands. Its fine. It really is. :)

I hope you keep this up.  Will be on the Epic in a couple of weeks, and your review is wonderfully detailed.  thanks. 

Another small but very convenient hotel is the Hotel lancelot.  It in very near the Coliseum in the oldest part of Rome.  It used a lot by Rick Stevens and is a good choice for a small non American hotel.  Has a great breakfast and very nice little bar.  It is not good for wheelchairs.  It is great for atmosphere.  They will arrange a private taxi or car to take you to the port.  No walking involved.  I stay there when in Rome even when I am not on a cruise. 

9 hours ago, HEATH3913 said:

I know Bulleit is.

Bulletin is as is TN honey which is TN whiskey but wonderful

set yourself an alert on the link that was above.  It will tell you if there is enough solar activity to see them.  You need dark and solar activity.  Some of the best lights I have ever seen, and I have seen hundreds have been in early September.  They come and go...changing constantly.  Never alike.  but you need to stay up.  That said, unless there is a good display, the ships lights ruin the show. 

11 hours ago, tothemall&beyond said:

OMG. That is ridiculous. Have your agent call back to get a different Princess rep. Some of them are really clueless these days. But,  if this is indeed a new policy, it may be the final straw for us being loyal Elite Princess passengers after 11 years of sailing ONLY Princess.

I have been sailing Princess also for years, and yes, I am elite also.  My agent is a Princess agent.  I used to be a TA so I know my way around a reservation.  She has been a Princess agent for 15 years and she is a good one.  She told me that this appears to be a new policy.  They used to do it, and sometimes did it under the table but they could not do it any more.  I don't know. I have certainly done it in the past without a problem.  We will see if it ever happens again.  Maybe I will just say the heck with any promotion...Wait until final payment has come and gone and then take the cheap price when all of the wholesalers dump their cabins, and the price becomes cheap.  Or maybe I will just switch to another line for awhile....One that doesn't belong to Carnival.  🙂 

2 hours ago, Coral said:

Have your agent call back tomorrow. The weekend people are less experienced.

Not a weekend person at all.  Apparently this is a brand new rule.  And also, the price was the same.  well, 10.00 less...maybe that did make the difference.  I have changed cabins frequently with a gazillion cruises...well, maybe not a gazillion but lots of them on Princess.

3 hours ago, Mapu said:

The fact of the matter is that your agent should be able to make that switch, since it is the same category, his/herself. It is done all the time.

yes, you were correct....It WAS done all of the time....New rule...not any more.  My agent is a top line Princess agent..I could have made the switch, but would have lost everything on the original booking.  

a cabin in the same category came available on the cruise that I am booked on...Same category only a couple of cabins down.  Called up my agent and it turns out that Princess has a new policy.  Seems you can't switch a cabin, even in the same category without losing all of the benefits of the cruise that was booked.  In this case, gratuities.  I could understand it if I wanted to upgrade, but this was not the case.  Same cruise, same cabin category...same everything, but 4 cabins down the hall.  Anyone else have this experience?

I lived in Key West for years...The cruises basically ruined a very nice island.  My office was a block from the Southern most Point in the US...We had hordes of people sitting on our property...I understand all of this and I understand while Venice, Rome and now Brugge has come to this.  I love to cruise....but it is necessary to respect the people and the place where you are and realize that this is where someone lives.  BTW, went on a Med cruise in Oct/November that stopped in Santorini and it was empty....as was Venice and Ephesus...I even got to take photos of Pompeii with noone there but our small group of about 10 people...and the weather was great.  I managed to take photos of the tree I climbed in Ephesus when I lived in Turkey as a young child....It was still there, just a heck of a lot bigger.  Think fall for a cruise...you will be glad you did. 

12 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

I'm not sure why you started two identical threads; also, there's already a thread on this very subject.

 

 

Perhaps because I was very tired, just saw the article and pushed the post button twice by mistake...It was 3 AM when I did this.  Just came home from work...and I was a bit tired.  Sorry that posting twice apparently bothered you.  Have a nice day.

On 6/14/2019 at 3:58 AM, tenpin said:

Buffet times do alter to suit the coming and going of tours, but almost continuous up to 9/10 pm. Late breakfast in aft pool bar.

Yes there are only two mains but again this depends on the ship & most cases the waiter. They are very accommodating if you have an eating problem, but you must inform them either prior to the cruise (info@uk.costa.it)  for the UK or Maître 'd in MDR 4pm day of boarding. You will have a separate menu either brought to you or spoken by your waiter. Although the  menu's have been reduced remember there are five courses starters, soup, pasta, main desert & cheese. 

Just looked at last daily news sheet from Favolosa breakfast started at 6.30 to 11.30 (late bar) lunch started at 12pm. till 2pm, afternoon tea 4.30 the evening meals at 6.30 & 9.15.

If you want fresh fruit in your room you can request it, unless you are in a suite when it is changed every day.

 

Sorry don't have recent menus but take a look on Costa site log-in to 'mycosta' with your booking number at look at restaurants for a rough idea.

Room service is quite limited but again ask your steward they always try to get anything you want, at least for us they do.

Premium cabins get breakfast menu's delivered at night.

there is a very articulate article that has menus posted.  It is called a very long review something or other.  It has drink menus and a lot of info that I have found very useful.  She has not finished the review of her cruise as yet, but it is really long and exceptionally detailed.

can't wait to hear about the rest of the cruise.

A bill.....usually large....😁

there is an excellent review right now on Costa CC boards about a TA that a couple just took for her retirement from the air force.  I would suggest that you take a look at it.  She has posted lots of photos as well as all of the menus on the ship.

Martinique, Tortola, (for the most part) Dominican Republic, St Lucia, different ports in Europe such as Marseilles...Savona...take a look at some of their cruises.  They are ports that many of my European friends want to go to visit. 

On 5/11/2019 at 12:32 PM, samiam0403 said:

 

Thank you! Hubs was pretty apprehensive about the length of the cruise, and the sea days, and was surprised at how much he enjoyed them. 

 

Excellent question on the menus - I would have thought the menus (at least while we were in the Caribbean) would be similar to menus for US cruises. Maybe someone else can chime in? We were of the opinion that if there wasn’t anything we loved on the menu, we could always get a steak and were happy.

 

The amount of moaning and complaining was CRAZY! And yes, we experienced the same thing; one of our favorites - ‘there’s a reason they call it Costa - it’ll ‘Costa’ you a lot of extra money!’ 😂 Probably because we were in a suite, but the only things we paid extra for was the 4D movie theatre and our pizza/hamburgers (which are free at lunch). Maybe if you book a ‘basic’ cabin, there’s a lot more upcharges? 

I think that this is basically a European menu designed for European Tastes...Heavy on fish and and related sea items.  If they offered octopus on an American cruise, most people would stick up their noses.  I read that comment on CC about the couple and their problem with the lack of ice cream and cookies.  I have been thinking about taking a Costa cruise just for the interesting ports they go to....now I am sold on it.  I think I have to save up for a better cabin..:)  will be checking all of the sites.  I think this would appeal to people who have traveled a lot and feel comfortable with different languages and foods, along with the entertainment.  Not much sense in going someplace and staying in a holiday inn.  🙂  just like home.  This has been a very good review and I thank you very much.  

1 hour ago, Cruise2End said:

Well it’s good to know they at least offer you coffee.    I plan to take some coffee and tea bags - assuming hot water is available.    No one on the ship would want to live with a decaffenated me !!   😂 

Have been thinking about doing Costa myself.  It is hard to imagine a basically European ship being without coffee.  Typically coffee in Europe is much stronger than American coffee.  Maybe that is why most Americans don't like it.  I have no problem with announcement in several languages or being around mostly Europeans.  Have lived in several parts of Europe off and on for years.  They have some very interesting ports that most "American" cruises don't go to and the price is usually wonderful.  Hopefully they have taken steps to avoid drunk Captains these days...:)  I think I just talked myself into one.  🙂