Hlitner

I will confess that being on Seabourn (where we are now) avoids all these hassles. No tipping, no add ons, no charges for caviar, etc. We now need a spreadsheet to keep track of the extra fees on most mass market lines. And given all the overcharges we had on our recent HAL cruise, I think even HAL needs a spreadsheet to keep track. On an upcoming Princess cruise they have listed 38 separate lines of perks included in our “package.” We will need a checklist to keep track of the used/unused. Hank

The perks can become decent when you have a lot of days. For example, we are now on a longer Seabourn cruise where we get two free bags of laundry per week. That is worth over $100 per week and nice on a longer cruise. Celebrity has free cocktail hours for frequent cruisers which is nice for those who do not purchase drink packages. HAL gives free laundry and discounted or free meals in their alternative restaurants. Bottom line is that each line has their own perks, but the best ones go to those with hundreds of cruise days. Hank

No. There is a restaurant area (close to the port towards he left of where you come ashore, that is popular for many eating venues. We just chose one, at random, which turned out fine. I suspect that any of the cafe/restaurants in that area would have been fine.

Tough question. As long as your connection meets the airline’s minimum connection time (which should be the case if they sold you the ticket) the airline will simply put you in their next flight that has available seats. These days that can sometimes mean being stuck for days. This happened to us 2 years ago at DFW when AA could not find us seats for 2 days. If you are on your way to a cruise….kind of sad. Hank

On the Seabourn Quest, at the moment

There are tuk-tuks all over Lisbon. Not sure why there is an advantage to booking a tour vs just waking up to a driver and negotiating a deal. We were just in Lisbon on Monday and could have found plenty of tuk tuks within a block of our hotel

Never even got to Belam. We were pretty jet lagged and just enjoyed walking around the Rosario area. The weather in Lisbon has been perfect, about 78f now. Sunday night found the city very alive with folks enjoying the perfect summer evening. Hank

Hmmmm. I suppose the same folks who use an elevator to down one floor in a ship would love that hidden elevator :). But seriously, at our ole age we might look for that elevator when we get back to Malaga. We thought it was walk or a vehicle/bus.

It doesn’t, but the post office just tosses it in an overflow basket once your box is full. That is kind of the dirty secret.

Our post office is very cooperative. But if they give you a hard time about holding mail you can simply rent the smallest mailbox, at the post office, and have your mail forwarded to that box. The mail is then held as long as you want. Hank

ROFL re alternative side of the street parking! It will take me about 3 hours to drive into the city, today. It may take me another hour to find free on the street parking (possible in the neighborhood we are visiting). Like New Yorkers and many frequent visitors, we know the rule that apply to the nearby streets. I can actually park from Friday until Tuesday morning with the right spot. We actually consider parking, when we decide when to drive into the city. One has to arrive at about the right time (and day) if they want to increase the odds of finding on the street parking. ARGH!

In the past few years we have moved into a new era of cruise booking strategies. Most of the mass market lines (including Princess) now use "packages" as a marketing and pricing ploy. Nothing is written in stone and promotions are always changing the cost/benefit if packages. For many years, we have suggested that those of us who cruise on many different lines, and want to do comparisons, should try to value packages at their real worth to the cruiser (not the value put on them by the cruise line) and back into the true "cost per person/day." Once you do this, some interesting strategies can surface. You can sometimes find a luxury line (such as Seabourn) is less costly (and a much better value) than a higher category cabin/suite on a line like Princess or Celebrity. And some of the ship within a ship concepts, like MSC's Yacht Club, can often be a bargain when compared to booking a different line and buying the various packages. When it comes to Princess, watch for their promotions and last minute deals (for those that can handle last minute planning). Would we pay $64.99 for a drink package on Princess? No way! DW and I know how much we spend, on an average cruise day, for drinks and it is not $130. However, Princess does have "packages" that include drinks that are much more attractive. Hank

The proposed new fee, to drive a car into Manhattan, is also going to cause heartache for some folks. Will Manhattan become a city overrun with Uber, Black Cars, and taxis? I say this as we get ready to drive into Manhattan :). When a city prices itself out of the market, local businesses (hotels, restaurants, etc) start to suffer! I guess it is one of those "two edged swords." Hank

We have posted (in other parts of CC) about the growing trend (around the world) to ban or restrict cruise ships. In our own country (USA) we have seen locals support bans (or very severe restrictions) in Key West, Bar Harbor, Charleston, and probably some others of which I am not aware. Why? We have all heard the complaints about huge ships (some with over 6000 passengers) but the debate in Key West showed there are other issues. As a lot, cruise ship passengers are not major contributors to local economies. That anti-cruise crowd in Key West argued that cruisers are not big spenders and take more from the economy than they give. Cruise ships also seem to spur the creation of many touristy stores/shops which drive-out smaller locally owned businesses and cute boutiques. Just consider places like Diamonds International, Tanzanite International, Anything International, etc. There are still places that welcome small luxury ships while wanting nothing to do with larger ships. St Barts is a good example. Other ports have tried to limit cruisers with mixed success (i.e. Santorini). As both frequent cruisers and avid DIY land travelers we have mixed emotions. For example, we did think that Venice's ban/restrictions were an excellent idea...even though we have enjoyed cruising in and out of Venice. Standing along the water side near St Marks Square, and watching a huge megaship coming down the Giudecca Canal, was almost obscene! One did not need to be an activist to realize that this was not a good thing for the delicate shoreline underwater structures being damaged by overpressure not to mention the risk of a major accident. We also think some government agencies are their own worst enemies. The new trend of cruise ships porting at La Spezia is a good example. The Italians should have never allowed this place to be used as a cruise ship port and now they are having regrets. We think its only a matter of time until this port is closed to most or all ships. And we could list many ports in Europe that welcomed cruise ships and are now questioning the wisdom of such a decision. Hank

You have lived in CT too long :). The Parking Fees (at Manhattan or Red Hook) are already pretty steep. Hank

After our recent 6 week Westerdam cruise (with HIA) we are not so sure about the "convenience." HIA caused us more grief and not so sure we saved any money. We were constantly overcharged for drinks and had to constantly visit (or msg) Guest Services to get the incorrect charges removed. We also had hassles with our shoreexcursion credit which was only fixed after multiple visits to both the shore excursion desk (who blamed "accounting") and Guest Services (who said to talk to Shore Excursions). Our HIA did not include grats but our cruse agency gave us far more than enough OBC to cover that (and more). Hank

It has taken us up to a week. We have some advice (prompted by our own excellent cruise agent). We changed from using Fax to sending an e-mail and attaching the supporting documents as PDF files. You might want to resend using this method. This advice came right after the restart because many employees were working from home and sometimes Faxes sat in an empty office. The other advice (which comes from our own experience) is to make a hard copy (print) of your request (including the proof of stock ownership) and take it along on the cruise. If the credit does not show-up in your onboard account within the first few days of the cruise, simply visit Guest Relations with the documents and ask them to please deal with the issue. Hank

We would certainly look at seatguru.com for seat information to compare both aircraft (in terms of comfort). You also might want to give some consideration to the most convenient flights from SC, which might force your decision. I am not a fan of Newark or JFK (we fly out there in a couple of days). Both airports have more than their share of delays, Hank

A taxi for 14? You will be waiting until the next century. If you want to travel with a crowd that size you should consider pre-booking a mini-bus! Otherwise you might need as many as 4 taxis which could be a problem. Hank

We are also fans of St Germain and love the location of that hotel (Rue de Jacob). Not familiar with the place but added it to our own data base for the future. We once rented an apartment about 2 blocks from that hotel, and just loved everything about that neighborhood. Hank

As a long time DIY guy, I do think we all have a propensity to overplan and overcomplicate. When it comes to getting Rome, on our own, we simply get off the ship ASAP, and head to the train station by whatever means is available (including walking). I still recall one cruise where we were off the ship around 7am, the port shuttle was not due to start until 8:30, and most folks simply waited! DW and walked out of the port (it can be done at Civitavecchia, were at the station about 7:30 and on a train a few minutes later. We are big fans of the so-called BIRG ticket (which can be bought at various small shops/kiosks or the station) which includes round trip train to Rome (on any regional train) and all-days unlimited use of Rome's public transit system (buses and metro). This BIRG ticket is good for 5 zones although you do not need to know this zone stuff if you buy your ticket in Civitavecchia and are just planning to go to Rome. Not sure of the current cost but would guess it is about 12 Euros. We do not pay any attention to the train schedule (going to Rome) as we simply take the first train after we arrive at the station! If you have no interest in the public transit in Rome, then you should just buy a normal train ticket (slightly less money than the BIRG). As to the return, we do carefully plan, check the schedule in advance, and check it again at the train station in Rome. Before we leave for our day. We like to plan on being back at Civitavecchia about 2 hours early which leaves some time for a "Plan B" in the event that something goes wrong, Hank P.S, If you want to impress your friends, BIRG means Biglietto Intagrato Regionale Giornallero. PPS. Make sure to validate your BIRG or train ticket in the machines at the station..before you board the train (first train for the Birg ticket).

No! Nothing "private" at all. As to sale, one person's sale is another person's price increase/rip off. Try to sell a sweater for $100 and it sits on the shelves for months. But change the price tag to $200 and put up a big sign that says SALE....50% OFF, and it will fly off the shelves :). Good marketing and it plays into human weaknesses. One interesting thing about the cruise industry is that we have booked some amazing prices (including with HAL) and none of them were part of a "sale." They were quietly marketed by some select cruise agencies that only disclosed the deal via their private e-mail lists or to folks who may have called-in. This happens because they need to sell berths but do not want those, already booked, to be aware that a quiet fire sale is in progress. Some might call these deals "unadvertised specials." Hank

Well, it is about 1 hour after your post and AIS shows she is on her way to Barcelona :). Now showing an ETA (Barcelona) of 0430 on the 24th, Hooray! Hank

Perhaps this is a good place to again mention the trend (worldwide) of "Dynamic Currency Conversion."of DCC. This can apply to ATMs and credit cards (MC and Visa). I will start by saying it is simply a legalized scam or con! Often, when you use an ATM/Debit card (including at the best bank ATMs) you will do the usual process, enter your PIN, and indicate that you want cash and how much (in the local currency). But than you may get a screen that offers you a specific conversion rate. That screen will be designed to enourage you to immediately "Accept" the rate! Somewhere on the screen there will be a place where you can "Decline" or say "No.!" You should always decline or say no. At that point the transaction will normally proceed like a normal transaction, you will get your cash, and your card. The internatonal ATM system (usually run by Visa International) will later convert your transaction to your own currency (i.e. dollars) at the best rates (up to 10% better than the rate you were offered earlier on the screen) and add a 1% banking fee (hidden in the rate). Depending on your own bank's ATM rules, you may or may not be charged another withdrawal fee by your own back. We only get ATM cards that are "fee free" but that is another story. DCC can also happen when you use a credit card at any merchant or restaurant. If they hand you a device that shows a currency conversion rate and asks if you want the charge done in your own currency, say NO! All these offered "conversion deals" are bad...usually taking 5-10% of your money. I always end this lecture by telling folks to simply Google "Dynamic Currency Conversion" and read some of the articles (Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation). Hank Hank

I do think one needs to consider "value." Next week we will again be on Seabourn (for 32 days) at a cost per passenger day that is significantly less than we would pay to be in the Retreat on a simple X Caribbean cruise. The pricing makes no sense but it is what it is. Just looking (now) at a 10 day Beyond cruise (next February) a Magic Carpet Suite (one of the lower cost suites) is about $19,000 or $950 per person day. And that is just in the Caribbean. Our Seabourn Suite is costing us less than $500 per person/day and that is for a fabulous itinerary including some interesting European ports, Iceland Greenland, etc.. That is just the facts. There are certainly other SB cruises that have different cost. Anyone could book a 14 day Caribbean cruise on the SB Soujourn for about $11,000 a couple or about $400 per person/day. That is less than half the price (per person day) of that Magic Carpet suite. Does that make sense in terms of value? My goodness, on the Seabourn ship you are getting a space ratio that is about 50% more than on the Beyond (or any mass market ship). I know that the answer will be obvious when I am sitting in the Observation Bar with my glass of French Champagne and a double order of caviar! And on that Seabourn ship we are talking about a maximum of 450 passengers being served by over 300 crew. Some have drawn a comparison of having the highest price home in a neighborhood (i.e. Celebrity Retreat) vs being in a neighborhood where all the homes are high priced. At this point in time, we think the real bargains (in terms of value) are to be found on the luxury lines! One major exception could be MSC's Yacht Club where you can still book a suite for about $400 per person day. Hank P.S. I guess we could also discuss the fact that many cruisers would prefer to be on a large mass market ship vs a small luxury vessel. It is a completely different experience.