Hlitner

I am a big fan of having a rental car in Europe and have done a lot of driving in France. There are all kinds of options for both rental cars and leased cars (which can be a good idea if you need a car more than 3 weeks). Since renting in one country (such as Spain) and dropping in another country (such as France) can be difficult and very expensive, we do often suggest that folks work out a driving itinerary that has them picking up and dropping within the same country. If one does want to pick-up and drop in different countries, a lease (often handled through Peugeot and Citroen) may often be the best option. My advice to the OP is that if Bordeaux, Loire and ultimately Paris are on your wanted agenda, than a rental car makes life easier and will let you see a lot of France that would just be a blur on a fast train. Visiting various chateaus, wineries, small villages, etc. can only be done with a car or tour. Using public transit in rural France is not a good option. What does require some extra planning is where (and when) to drop a rental car if going to Paris. I do not like to drive in Paris (especially in the inside reconcilements) but it can sometimes be a necessary evil. In the past, we have dropped and picked-up cars in central Paris. I do not like to keep a car, while in Paris, since parking can be a hassle (and also very expensive). The good news is that GPS and working smartphones do make life much easier for those of us who do a lot of driving in Europe. My old Michelin map book for France, which weighs several pounds, now stays at home! We rely on our phones (we have T-Mobile so our phones work everywhere without additional fees) and sometimes carry a simply paper map as a back-up. Hank

Listen up folks, this post will be somewhat of a lecture from a guy whose has done an awful lot of international travel. When it comes to Visas (and any other entry requirement) it is up to you to do your own homework. You can call the cruise line, or rely on a decent travel/cruise agent, but they are human and can be wrong. And it is you who will pay the price if you err. Also keep in mind that even if you check today, tomorrow the rules can change! It is important to understand that the entry rules are based on the nationality of the Passport you carry, not necessarily where you live. I think the best place to start one's homework (for Americans) is on the US Department of State travel page where you can look-up each country and read their specific entry requirements for US Passport holders. Your cruise line may also post similar info. When you call any cruise line you will get a reservations/customer service clerk who will simply pull-up, on their own monitor, the "script" that applies to your question. Once upon a time we were taking a Princess cruise (that went to 3 continents) and the Princess info (on their web site and sent to us via e-mail) was wrong! I noticed their error and called them (along with some others here on CC) and their customer service folks simply said they would send an e-mail to their Visa department. A few days later, Princess sent out an e-mail to all the 3000+ passengers correcting their error (this was only a few weeks prior to embarkation). So, I again emphasize that errors happen. And by the way, your concern should not just be what you need to board your cruise ship, you also need to be concerned about what you need to board an international flight! In many cases, the airlines impose the foreign Visa/document rules. As to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan (the 3 countries most commonly involved in Japan cruises) none currently require a Visa for US Passport holders. However, Japan does have some procedures that can make entry easier (there are some online forms) and they also have very strict rules about bringing in drugs (both prescription and over the counter). Some drugs, such as sudafed (pseudoephedrine) are completely banned. Other drugs require pre-approval and more then a 30 day supply of most prescription drugs require pre-approval (a very formal process). While chances are that nobody will check your drugs, it does happen (it happened to me..once) and if you are out of compliance, it can become a major hassle. I should also mention that both Australia and New Zealand DO have specific visa requirements for US Passport holders. One final warning (to all including myself) is that most of western Europe is in the process of implementing a new online electronic document requirement. There new so-called "EES" requirements may finally become reality sometime in 2025 and it will apply to 29 EU countries. The EU keeps pushing back their start date, so folks need to keep up on this new system. The EU also has some other requirements (such as limiting visits to no more than 90 days over a 6 month period) which is an issue for frequent travelers. Hank

Many folks were dealing with Covidphobia and truly afraid to go anywhere! In fact, we still see some of that when we travel/cruise, DW and I had a different attitude and actually kept traveling throughout COVID (except for March-July of that first covid year). It was a fun challenge trying to find places to go during the pandemic (we went to Mexico and Key West during the worst part of the pandemic) When cruising restarted, we quickly booked an amazing deal on a few week Seabourn cruise in the Greek Isles. We than doubled down and, when we got off that cruise, jumped on a large ferry and cruised to Naxos, later to Paros, etc. It was some of the best travel we have done in decades. There were plenty of other folks traveling the Greek Isles, mostly from other European countries (except the UK which still had crazy restrictions on their folks). But we never met a single American in Naxos and Paros! I admit to being somewhat of a travel contrarian. When folks tell me they are afraid to go to certain places, we start looking at booking a trip (to that place). We now have the relatively new issue of "overtourism" which is causing lots of problems in popular destinations I am starting to fear that cruising (to interesting ports) is becoming a major issue. On the other hand, independent land trips such as a long driving vacation in western Europe, is still a terrific option. Most recently, we got frustrated because two of our future cruises changed their itineraries to avoid Turkey (a country we really enjoy), So yes, we recently booked a future flight to Japan, via Istanbul, so we could spend some time in that fabulous city. I will admit that being on a full cruise ship does not normally cause us a problem. Why? Just like when we do our independent land trips, we are contrarian cruisers. For example, if on a HAL (or many other lines) we realize that many folks want to dine early, go to early shows, and go to bed early, So, we dine late, go to the shows that are timed for later diners, etc. Even on full ships we seldom need to wait in lines. With dining, the new trend is for folks to dine at "2 tops" so we usually opt to share larger tables with folks. Not only do we seldom wait, but we meet many interesting and fun folks. On HAL, the Lido will normally have a line at 11:45 to at least 12:30, for lunch. But go at 1 and there is usually no line and no crowding at the various buffet stations. Hank

There is a reason that many of us use the term "mass market line" to describe HAL, Princess, RCI, etc. These lines all use a business plan based on "maximizing onboard revenue" which also means finding ways to fill most of the berths (i.e. an empty berth does not generate any onboard revenue). Lines like HAL fill their berths through many methods, such as last minute "casino specials" targeted to gamblers who will often cruise at huge discounted rates, Interline deals which are aimed at various folks, in the travel industry, who also get discounted rates. If all else fails they can offer nearly free cruises to employees, folks who work at the cruise terminals, etc. And then there are the last minute deals that are often handled by certain cruise agencies (and consortiums) that are fine for those of us who are prepared to commit to last minute travel. In the past, we have taken advantage to some of the last minute HAL deals (you will not normally find these on the HAL web site or through a PCC). I agree with the posters who say, do not waste your time trying to find cruises well below capacity. If you must, consider cruises with lousy itineraries at low travel times (such as right after New Years). But we have noticed that many savvy cruisers have also discovered the less popular weeks, so even they may now be fully booked. Probably the best time to cruise, ever, was right after the COVID restart. Ships, of many cruise lines, were often less than 50% of capacity and prices were quite low. During those months, we managed to travel on two longer Seabourn cruises for bargain basement prices. On one Seabourn cruise we actually had more crew than passengers (and service was fantastic). We saw one of the huge Celebrity Edge-class ships in the Greek Islands when it was at less than 50% capacity (some of the passengers told us it was eerie). These days, finding the great deals is difficult because cruise bookings are strong. We have had some good luck finding deals, but it has mostly been on the ultra-luxury cruise lines where we can sometimes snag deals that are less costly than a suite on HAL. Hank

I am going to try and be very honest. Over the years, we have been on many cruises with both HAL (we are 5 Star Mariners) and Princess (long time Elite). The two lines are somewhat different, but also have a lot in common. During the decades, we have found that each line went through changes and our favorite (between the two) also varied. Currently, we have been very unhappy with HAL, but still find lots of enjoyment on Princess. Perhaps this attitude will change over the next few years as the two lines make changes. We have not cruised on the new Rotterdam but have been on the Sky Princess. We were very disappointed that Princess did not see fit to put a "Crooners" (the piano bar) on this ship. We have also heard, that since our cruise, that "Take 5" which we found a delightful Jazz Bar, has been changed to a non-smoking casino (folks might want to check this out to see if it is true). If true, I doubt if DW and I would want to return to the Sky Princess. We are currently considering a cruise on the Enchanted Princess (a Royal Class ship) which does have a Crooners. As to HAL, we have no plans to book any future cruises on this line until we have some indication that they are moving away from their budget cruise line tendencies back to one of the better mass market lines. We have seen some positive posts, here on CC, since our last voyage (Westerdam March-May 2023). Perhaps they are starting to head in the right direction. Hank

I must admit, that like you Bob, I do find some enjoyment in putting on a tux. Later this year we are taking our first Silversea cruise, and I might actually drag along all that formal wear to have some fun. After more than 50 years of extensive cruising, I still recall one of our most memorable evenings, which happened on the long-gone Norway (previously the SS France). That ship had an entertainment deck (I believe it was called the International Deck) that had a ship-length indoor promanade from which there were entrances to various lounges (with live entertainment). I recall late one night, looking down that long deck with its small twinking lights, one side lines with windows offering a sea view, and various types of music (from the crowded lounges) filtering out to the promanade. DW and I had just walked out of one of the lounges, and just strolled this wide promenade knowing it was a very special evening. Probably the most romantic few minutes, we have experienced on any cruise ship. It was a formal night, and nearly all the men worse Tuxes or dark suits and the ladies were generally in long gowns. Hank

Agree with Flatbush Flyer. You do not tell us enough about yourself, or group, to aid us in making a recommendation. Keep in mind with the Greek Islands you have lots of choices from small yacht-like boats (fewer than 50 passengers) to mega cruise ships. One can also choose to island hop, using the excellent Greek ferry system. We find pros-cons to most of the options. Hank

Seabourn pulled a similar stunt with our Soujourn cruise (spring of 2025) which was a booking of over 40 days. They simply chartered one of the segments (in the middle of our cruise) and cancelled all their loyal customers to accommodate a charter group. Like what happened to you, they only offered a 10% future cruise credit. Considering that our booking had been done onboard during a good promotion, and prices have since increased (across the board), that 10% meant we essentially lost thousands of dollars with a future booking. It has soured us on booking Seabourn, more than a few months in advance. This company no longer gives a hoot about their customers and seems to have no problem selling cruises out from under booked cruisers. The problem is when we make a commitment to Seabourn we forgo other travel opportunities. Once Seabourn decides to cancel, we have missed out on other good opportunities. Put simply, we get penalized, financially, for dealing with Seabourn. Hank

We have done it both ways (before and after) and also done it with land-based trips before and after :). DW and I still debate whether we prefer one over the other and have never reached a consensus. I will only advise that we seldom to never fly-in to an embarkation port on the day of a cruise. Even if we were only planning a post cruise land adventure, we would fly-in 1 or 2 days early. Why? Luggage and airline cancelations/delays. And speaking of the airlines, we have a family member who was supposed to be off to Myrtle Beach, this morning. Last night they were notified that their flight (from NYC) had been cancelled due to the IT mess. They were rebooked on a morning flight out of Philadelphia. This morning, they are now on a train (from NYC to Phila) and just been notified that their flight (from Phila) has also been cancelled. I am going to assume this IT mess will also cause many Caribbean cruisers to miss their cruises today (and even tomorrow). I mention this to further emphasize that it is always wise to arrive at least 1 day (in this case it may not have been enough) early for any cruise. Hank

Given only those 3 choices. our preference is MSC Yacht Club, NCL Haven, RCI Suite. Why? We like that both the YC and Haven are primarily (there are a few exceptions) in a restricted part of the ship (near the bow). That creates a true "ship within a ship" atmosphere which is an interesting experience. When we are on one of the MSC ships, in their Yacht Club, it is the feeling of being on a luxury ship (we also cruise on luxury lines). In fact, the service in MSC's Yacht Club is 2nd to none, with the butlers seemingly everywhere (within the YC enclave). But, I will add a 4th option to the OP's post. Although the 3 options (in the OP's post) are all good, our preference is still for small ship luxury lines. We also would point out that small ship cruising is not for everyone. Those seeking all the amenities found on mega ships (i.e. wave riders, rock climbing walls, huge arcades, etc) may find small ship luxury cruising to be quite borking, too quiet, etc. But I will tell you about one small ship experience which was quite unique. On one of the smaller Seabourn ships (450 passenger) we got to Santorini, where most of our fellow passengers were taking ship excursions. We were doing on our thing, so needed a tender to the small port under Fira (Skala). We got to the tender area (on our ship) and the staff quickly got a large tender alongside. We had that tender (which holds several hundred) to ourselves. Later that day, when we returned to the ship we tendered back to the ship with fewer than 10 other passengers (and our Captain). That is the essence of small ship cruising. Hank

All the cruise lines, upon which we have cruised, do notify customers (pre-cruise) of the dress codes. I think it is Princess, that has it in their pre-cruise info (e-mailed to customers) which does specify the number of "formal" nights. In their FAQs they clearly delineate their dress code and the number of "Formal Evenings" for the various lengths of the cruise. The fact that various cruisers choose to ignore the published dress codes is not the fault of the cruise line. As to enforcement, it does happen on some lines (Cunard, Seabourn, Silversea, etc) while other cruise lines seldom do any kind of enforcement. Hank

I truly do not remember, but even so, what existed pre-covid may have changed. I did just look at the site and it appears they are cost, per person, as the cost decreased with greater numbers. Although I mentioned that we used Ekol, I was careful not to give them a personal recommendation. Times have changed, and since it has been more than 5 years since we used Ekol, I do think one would want to rely on a more recent recommendation. I can tell you that Ekol has been around for quite a few years and does operate private tours in quite a few places within Turkey and Greece. Our own experience with Ekol was terrific, but these days, who knows? Hank

I think what should be clear is that having a dress code and/or dressing to the nines is about "class" and not snobbery. That being said, over the past 2-3 decades, true formal dress on many cruise lines, especially the mass market lines, has truly waned. "Formal" on Princess is formal in name only. But on lines like Cunard (especially in the Princess/Queens Grills) and Silversea, formal is close to real formal with Black Tie and dark suits the usual dress for men. Seabourn also has formal nights, but while jacket or jacket/tie are normal, true formal has been declining. On our last two Seabourn cruises, I did not bother taking along my real formal wear and just made do with a nice blazer. But I doubt if anyone aboard would equate dressing nice with being a snob. Nothing wrong with folks wanting to look their best. Even on Seabourn, one could ignore the formal dress code and just wear smart-casual. However, on the formal nights they would not be able to dine in the Restaurant. Hank

Too tight for comfort. If HAL was arranging the flights, and your schedule allows you a delay in getting home, then perhaps you might take a chance. You need to consider Plan B, which is what happens if you miss your flight. Hank

Regarding "walking from Fira to Oia," that would still mean you need to get up to Fira via the cable car, donkeys, or walking up the donkey trail. Those stra nge port hours, for your cruise, might actually work in your favor. By the time you tender ashore, there may not be much of a line for the cable car. And the 10 pm departure, is also a plus since the cable car rush is normally in mid to late afternoon. Keep in mind that most ships arrive in the morning (between 7 and 9) and depart late in the afternoon. Mykonos, Again, NCL is planning strange port times (seems to be a habit with NCL) which eliminates the ability to visit nearby Delos. With a 1:30 arrival we agree that your best option is to simply enjoy Mykonos town. If your ship tenders, they will drop you in town, from where you can walk. If docking, there are various options for getting into town (i.e. shuttle bus, taxis, walking, shuttle water taxis, etc). Corfu - You should be able to find taxis at the port. You might want to ask the drivers to show you some of the island and drop you in Corfu Town where you can walk around, eat/drink, and later make your way back to the port (via taxi, long walk, etc). Hank

We have been to the ruins at Ephesus, 4 times. On those visits we have used a Princess Excursion, gone on our own (twice), and booked a private tour (for just the two of us) on one visit. By far, the best experience was when we had our own private guide (which actually cost less than a similar large group excursion), 2nd place was when we simply went on our own (once using public transportation and hiking and the other time with our own rental car. The excursion was not a very good experience (compared to the other three visits). In the interests of full disclosure, we strongly dislike most large group excursions. By the way, a huge advantage to a private guide (we used Ekol Tours) or DIY is being able to avoid the usual pottery/jewelry factory malarkey that is part of nearly every cruise ship excursion. Shopping in Kusadasi can be a lot of fun, but being held hostage at some kind of faux factory (a major profit center for the excursion companies). Hank

I do not think there is anyway to be sure (tender or dock) prior to your cruise. I can tell you that getting there first does not always tell the tale as we recently experienced this on an Oceania cruise. We were first to Mykonos, and tendered (which is actually an advantage for those of us who simply want to get into town). We looked over to the new port docking area and saw an empty pier. Several hours later, a Celestyal ship arrived and got the docking spot. As to Santorini, unless your excursion is one of the few exceptions, nearly all the excursions will drop you in Fira where you must make your own way to the upper cable car station and wait your turn. Of course there is always the option of walking down the donkey trail or being one of the few brave souls that actually rides a donkey down the trail (on our last visit in April, we saw a cruiser take a very bad fall from a donkey as his foot caught in the stirrup when dismounting). As to Dubrovnik and Split, our own norm is to simply do those ports on our own...but we do understand that many folks want excursions/tours everywhere! For us, we might book one tour for every 15 ports, as we simply prefer to do our own thing (especially in Europe). Hank

I guess we are weird because we see pros/cons to the various types of bags. I have seen quite a few of the newer lightweight hard sided luggage that was split open (like a cracked nut) as it came out of the luggage conveyer systems. The soft sided stuff holds up well, but it problamatic if it gets caught in a rain storm (this has happened to us at the Port of Miami). Regarding the wheels, the 2 wheel system, where the wheels are partially recessed, do seem to hold-up better than the 2 or 4 wheeled bags where the wheels are simply mounted on the bottom of the bags. Our own preference is the very lightweight 2 wheeled (you can also get 4 wheeled spinners) made by Travel Pro. They are relatively inexpensive, do seem to hold-up quite well, and we really appreciate their lightweight. A large bag will weigh about 7 pounds. DW and I are heavy packers, and do a lot of traveling. Our personal priority is the weight of the bag, since a 7 pound large bag will hold more than an 11-12 pound bag. Multiply those 3-4 pounds (saved with a lightweight design) and that means carrying 6-8 pounds more of "stuff" and still being under the 50 pound limit for non-business class. Hank

Which brings up a question. Why do you bother to go to those events? Hank

There are many different sites around Kyoto, and the answer to your question would depend on where you want to go and the actual itinerary. Last year we spent a pre-cruise week in Kyoto and managed to see just about all the well-known (and some lesser known) sites by using local buses. Having a local guide would certainly make your task somewhat easier in that you would not need to do pre-cruise homework. Kyoto also has plenty of taxis and Uber (which are actually supplied by a local taxi company). DW and I are avid walkers, so we were able to do quite a lot by simply using our feet. But some of the sites are far-flung and do require some kind of transport, be it bus or taxi. There is also a subway/metro system which can be used for some transport, but we found the bus lines were generally better for getting closer to our target destinations. Hank

The "Old Port" is the same as Skala. Most folks have no clue to the name of that tiny port. You cannot actually choose to go to Athinios as that is only used for the cruise line's own excursions. If you don't take one of O's excursions that use Athinios. you either go to Skala (Old Port) or stay on the ship. If you book a small private tour (on your own such as what you might find on the CC Roll Call board) you will need to take the tender into Skalos (Old Port) and would likely be told to meet your guide/tour at the upper station of the cable car or somewhere within easy walking distance of the upper cable car station. There is a fee, to use the cable car, and depending on how many cruise ships are tendering there could be a queue. The cable car only moves about 600 persons (each way) per hour. On our many visits, the lines to go up on the cable car have never been very long. The real bottleneck on Santorini is when lots of cruisers try to get down, on the cable car and it seems like everyone is heading down at the same time (mid to late afternoon). Hank Hank

Do agree with JB, that Istanbul is really made for those of us who like independent exploration. Being stuck on a large group tour, in Istanbul, is not my idea of fun. On our first visit (about 30 years ago) we took a Princess excursion and really regretted that decision. Been back several times since (and heading back next year) and we simply use the trams, our feet, and an occasional taxi to do our own thing. DW and I do really enjoy eating out in Istanbul, but certainly would not want to do it as part of a large group. The city is full of restaurants, cafes, outdoor stands, etc. It is all so much fun and we are never hungry. By the way, for walkers, just walking between the port and Golden Horn can be quite an experience. There is a lower level on the Galacta Bridge that is lines with restaurants and shops. Those that take the large ship excursions (where you spend a good part of the time sitting in traffic inside your bus) will not even see this lower level of the bridge. We also suggest that folks might want to check out the Bascilica Cistern. This is often skipped on group excursions, but it is an amazing place not to be missed. If curious, just google the place and look at some of the online photos. If you do go there, make sure to wear comfy shoes that have some tread (like sneakers) since the floor can be wet and slippery (in places). Hank

One of our favorite vaporetto rides is to go all the way out to Burano! It is a long trip (more than 30 minutes) across the lagoon and its nice to escape the crowds of Venice, especially on a hot day. Since that long vaporetto trip is included in the various day passes, it is a bargain kind of adventure. While everything in the area would probably qualify as a tourist trap, Burano and Torcello are the least offensive :). Hank

Chair/Umbrella rentals are very common on beaches throughout the island. That is what Mykonos is all about during the daytime,,going to the beach. In many cases the beach lounge rental operations are owned by adjacent restaurants. Everything is negotiable, although you ability to get a good deal is going to depend on supply/demand. Since we have never gone to Ornos or Elia we do not know the situation on those two beaches. Our favorite beaches are Paradise and Platus Gialos, with Super Paradise another place we consider when everything is really crowded. Chair rentals can be an issue at some beaches since the vendors will often set-aside the best locations for nearby hotels/motels with which they have agreements. At an expansive beach like Gialos, we simply walk along the beachfront walkway and talk to various vendors until we find what seems right at the time :). I also suggest that before renting, folks ask to see the drink/food menu (including prices) for that particular vendor. The island does have some rip-off places (such as DK Oyster) that have been known to fleece tourists out of hundreds of Euros for a few drinks. Hank

This does beg the question (I have asked for decades) why on earth anyone would book directly with a cruise line. In a sense, they are paying as much as 10% more...for that action. I have sometimes compared it to a person paying the sticker price for a car...simply because they like the salesperson.