Hlitner

While it will be interesting (at least to me) to compare O to EJ in terms of cuisine, we do need to consider that O and EJ are truly in different orbits. EJ considers itself a very high end luxury product that tried to replicate fine land based resorts. We are curious to see how O's cusine falls into somewhat of a continuum (for lack of a better term among lines such as Princess, EJ, Seabourn, HAL, etc. No question that the cuisine on Explora Journey 1 was in a class seldom to never seen on cruise ships (except in a few extra priced alternative venues). Some O fans have claimed, for years, that O has the best food at sea. My own quest is to either verify this claim (which would make me a very happy cruiser) or try to fit it among the various cruise lines (16 to date) on which we have cruised. Hank

Ahhh but for those of us who live to eat, dining at various land restaurants is wonderful. Most cruise cuisine is not in the same category although some of what we enjoyed on EJ1 was world class/ Hank

The man that owns that small restaurant is a dear amigo and would laugh if I asked him about serving a "gringo" dish. His tiny restaurant was once mentioned by a NY Times food writer for their amazing "garlic soup with an egg" which is a take on egg drop soup. Since that garlic soup was invented by his dad I guess that makes it Mexican cuisine. Many fellow Americans think of Taco Bell as a good example of Mexican food. Most of their offerings would be considered street food here (I do like that stuff) but things like grilled snapper, cactus salad, carnitas, etc. are not as well known in the USA. Hank

I will confess to not being a big fan of most Mexican beef. Experts would probably say it is pretty healthy beef since it generally lacks the fat/marbling that many of us associate with the best more flavorful beef (think Wagyu). Arrechera (which is similar to skirt steak) is pretty popular here in Mexico and is often served with some delicious sauces. Hank

I think you are referring to the BB King venues on HAL. Unfortunately, they have now gone the way of many HAL cut-back. BB King venues have been (and some will soon be) replaced by their new version which is called the Rolling Stone Lounge. Apparently, HAL did not want to keep paying the BB King estate for use of that name. HAL has also disbanded their BB King groups (some were better then others) and reformed Rolling Stone Lounge groups (somewhat like the BB King groups but with a different vibe). Even though I am "old as dirt" I would love to hear a "Dan" group on any cruise. If they also had Pink Floyd and an Eagles group it would also make me happy. On HAL, we would expect something akin to Glenn Miller :). Since we have yet to take our first O cruise (coming up in a few days) we cannot comment on O entertainment. Hank

I think beef is more traditional then you might think. Parts of Mexico, including near here, have a long tradition of cowboys (vaqueros). In fact, they actually have their own style of rodeos (primarily attended by Mexicans) in this area. Yesterday, we were surprised to see about 30 vaqueros on the beach, in front of our balcony, as they had ridden into town (from a nearby) exhibition, to show their horses and have some fun. These guys are very similar to our US cowboys and they make their living herding livestock (including cattle). In the 18 winters we have lived in Mexico, we have grown to understand that Mexican beef is leaner than what we normally get in the USA, but it can be quite good. The problem when we talk about "traditional" Mexican cuisine is that what is traditional in Puerto Vallarta (such as fresh fish, tacos al pastor, etc) might not be found in other parts of the country. The tradition of this country is to take advantage to what is readily available in the region...which varies all over the country. Hank

We live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (10 weeks a year) and dine out over 60 times in dozens of eating venues. It is difficult to say what is Mexican cuisine since it varies from region to region throughout the country. For example, last night DW and I split a grilled large red snapper which was served with a helping of rice and a selection of vegetables all cooked al dente. The fresh fish was seasoned with some garlic and I am sure the usual salt. pepper..but not much else since the fresh catch fish should not be overpowered by spices. So, folks, would you consider grilled fresh red snapper "Mexican food?" Here in PV it is a popular item since a lot of the cuisine here is based on seafood. Yes, we also have the usual Tex/Mex stuff and the locals routinely eat tacos at numerous street stands. In another :"Mexican restaurant" I really enjoy the "Black and Blue Filet" which is a filet mignon with with half covered with a balsamic sauce and the other half a blue cheese sauce. Does that sound Mexican? The owner of that place is a 2nd generation owner and 100% Mexican. Hank

Hmmm you think anyone talks at a Steely Dan concert? LOL. I have a close friend who is not a classical music lover, and she thinks classical music lovers are pretentious when it comes to keeping quiet in the presence of live classical music. But put many of those folks in a Jazz Club/bar (such as Take 5 on Princess ships) and they will talk loudly without any consideration for the jazz lovers. And how about in a piano bar? Should folks have conversations when an entertainer is playing/singing? While I think most agree that it is proper to be quiet when in a theater setting, it is very open to debate about doing so in a bar/lounge where there is some entertainment. Speaking about classical music lovers, on some HAL ships they used to have classical (often chamber music or perhaps a violin/piano duo) that would play in a room that had an adjacent main corridor. Folks would come walking along (it was a main route after leaving the MDR) that wide corridor chatting away and "disturb" the classical music lovers sitting in the adjacent lounge (which was completely opened to the corridor). Some of the music lovers would try to "shush" the masses coming from dinner, and it was almost amusing. While many of us would show respect for the audience and not make much noise, there were others that could care less that some folks (the audience might be 100) want everyone to be quiet. So what is the proper decorum? You will likely get all kinds of answers. Hank

We really dislike group tours of museums, and the situation is even worse in a large museum like the one in Athens. Professional guides are working with a schedule which only gives them enough time to choose certain attractions within the museum. These may, or may not be what you want to see. Athens is relativley easy to do on one's own with a little homework. You can pre-purchase timed entry tickets to the Acropolis (and you should also visit the nearby Acropolis Museum). You might later want to grab a taxi or take the longish walk over to the large Archeological Museum, where one could easily spend an entire day. Even private guides may need some direction at a museum. DW and I once hired a private guide to walk us (and one other) through the Hermitage. This guide had previously been a guide at that musuem but had quit to freelance (and make more money). He walked us through the facility for about 3 hours and it was an excellent experience. As we were finishing, DW asked our guide if there were any Impressionist Paintings at the Hermitage and he answered that there was a large room full of that kind of art, but most folks did not come to the Hermitage for that kind of art. He took us upstairs to see the collection (which was pretty good, but the works were not in the best condition). Since DW and I are both big fans of the Impressionists, we both still talk about that particular collection and the poor condition of many works (due to sun damage from a skylight in that room). Hank

It truly depends. As has been posted, there are ferry piers all around the harbor (which is over more than a 1 mile). And there is various Ferry Gates (where you enter for certain ferries) so the answer is going to depend on where your ferry docks in relation to your ship. On our most recent visit to Pireaus we debarked from a Seabourn cruise and needed to board the ferry to Naxos, which was docked in the ferry area nearest the train station. That would have been more then a 1 mile hike (just to the entrance gate) so we hired a taxi at debarkation. By the way, if you do book a ferry you should do your homework as to where that ferry docks. The taxi drivers do not always have the answer so it is helpful to give them a hint on which gate/pier. Hank

Ahhh, so now the waiters and cooks are cleaning cabins and moving luggage? Hmmm. Lets call it like it is....just one more HAL cut-back.

I think vloggers should be banned on cruise ships. Folks have an expectation of reasonable privacy, on a cruise. While we do not personally care about the privacy thing, we do not appreciate the annoyance. It is bad enough having to deal with official ship photographers/videographers on mass market cruise lines (one more reason why we prefer small ship luxury lines where this is not an issue). Hank

As a long time frequent cruiser (over 50 years) I would offer these words of advice. If decent Internet is a strict requirement for your travel, do not get on any cruise ship! Even the best Internet (which we have found with the newer Starlink systems) are prone to onboard failure, reception problems, outages, etc. We were recently (December) on a large ship that had Starlink, and yet we had nearly two days of outages (due to onboard failures). I think many cruisers (including moi) look forward to the day when onboard Internet is as reliable and fast as we expect on land. We are slowly (too slowly) getting to that point, but not there yet. Hank

We have spent time driving through the UK (except Wales) and have also done a couple of circumnavigation cruises around the entire island. We enjoyed both modes (cruise and driving) and it is actually a great combination. Doing the cruises has given us a chance to visit some far flung places in the North that we would generally not visit on a driving trip. Driving (outside of London) has given us an opportunity to appreciate the UK, interact with some friends (who we met on previous cruises) etc. Much of the UK is not going to be visited if one simply takes a cruise. A word about London, which is actually one of our least favorite places in the UK. It is a very large city and worthy of a few days visit. I have sometimes joked that although we have traveled throughout the world (far more then 100 countries) it is in London where we faced the most language barrier problems :). London is also a very expensive city for tourists. Lots to see and do, but we prefer being outside this large metropolitan area. Even our English friends (who live in Hampshire and near Brighton) avoid London. Hank

We cruise because we have been addicted to cruising for about 50 years :). Over that time we have managed to get to most ports/itineraries on 6 continents. But, cruising is a great way to see the sea, relax, and get a tiny snapshot of many ports. Cruising is NOT a way to really see a country, and those who only cruise are missing out on much of the world. We do not see our long driving trips, in Europe, as a "hassle." Driving allows us the freedom to go where we please, stay as long as we please, move on when we please, change itineraries on a whim, etc. Since cuisine is an important part of our travel lives, spending time on land gives us the opportunity to sample lots of different cuisines. I agree with the poster who says that if the destination is important, don't travel by ship. Those that think they can really see a country from a cruise ship are just kidding themselves. We stand by our previous posts that the best way to travel is with a combination of cruise and land travel. Hank

Of the choices listed it would be a no-brainer for us....Seabourn! As to the others, O is not a luxury product nor is Azamara. If considering the "R" ships of either line, keep in mind that the normal cabins are far from a luxury product and have postage stamp bathrooms. Cunard is an interesting product if one is cruising in their "grill" suites. It becomes somewhat of a ship within a ship experience which does suit some folks. Cunard will also offer pretty decent entertainment. HAL is simply a mass market line which, IMHO, has been in decline for several years. While Neptune Suites certainly give you a lot of space, outside of the suite it is just another mass market ship. There are also many quality differences from ship to ship. We make no secret that we no intention of booking any more HAL (until they make some improvements) and we are 5* Mariners with that line. Hank

We agree with Harters, unless there have been some major changes at VCE. If arriving by bus, I do not recall any reason why anyone could not simply walk to the water piers (this used to be outside the airport secure area). One should be able to arrange a private water taxi through any of the companies that serve the airport. Perhaps this is simply an issue where the hotel does not get involved with transfers unless a person actually flies-in to the airport. Just keep in mind that it is some distance between the terminal entrance (where buses drop folks) and the water pier. Like in much of Europe, there is no guarantee that there will be anyone available to help with luggage so folks should be capable of getting their luggage from bus to boat. Perhaps you get lucky and find a porter (for a price) but we are talking about Italy so who knows? I should mention that the express ATVO bus (used to run about 2 or 3 times an hour) is a comfortable coach with plenty of luggage storage space (underneath the coach). That is an easy way to get from VCE to the Piazale Roma, but then one still faces the problem of getting to their hotel (one reason why we sometimes stay at a small hotel right in the P. Roma). Dragging more then one piece of luggage (per person) onto a Vaporetto is no fun and can be quite difficult if the vaporettos are full of passengers. Hank

The last time we were in Le Harve (nearly 2 years ago) there was no Uber in that city (Uber does exist in some French cities). Perhaps that has changed, but I would not count on it unless somebody has some very good recent news. We have always been able to get a taxi from the port to the train station but it has sometimes meant a wait (for the right taxi) and drivers may only do it if you share a taxi with others. On the other hand, on one trip, which happened to be on a Saturday, we returned to Le Havre around 5 pm and found zero taxis at the station. Several locals were on their phones trying to get taxis, but after waiting about 10 minutes and not seeing a taxi we walked back to our ship (I think it took us a little less then an hour). One local, also waiting for a taxi at the station, told us that the drivers were all probably in their homes having supper. Hank

The big downside is the medical insurance maximum. These days, even a hangnail can end up costing $10,000 (yes, an exaggeration). We do not feel comfortable without at least $100,000 of medical (easily obtained through a provider such as GeoBlue). We do not criticize HAL since most cruise line offered policies are wholly inadequate in terms of medical (which is truly your biggest risk since liablity is virtually unlimited). Folks worry about protecting a few thousand in cruise cost but seem to not be concerned about 10s of thousands of dollars in medical cost if something happens. Those of us on Medicare do not normally get any coverage outside the USA with the exception of some so-called "Advantage Plans." For example, our own Medicare is via Aetna Medicare PPO and we are covered for both Emergency and Urgent care, worldwide. But that coverage is limited. Hank

Awww, we were looking forward to your comparison. Your silence (unless I missed something) is deafening. We do have 3 reservations in each of the four alternative restaurants and expect it all to be fun....unless it is not. Hank

I thought it might be interesting to take a look at January flights from NYC to SJU. I found flights as cheap as $253 (round trip) on Jetblue (out of JFK). Delta has some flights for just under $300 .I suspect that flying out of JFK might be the most economical because of the competition from Jetblue. Newark also shows some fares under $300 (round trip). This makes me wonder what the OP considers reasonable.

Maybe yes or maybe no, when it comes to being able to sit out on the pool deck. Based on our own experience (we have done many TAs) the odds are in your favor for warm (not hot) weather throughout your crossing. However, you do need to be prepared for some cooler and inclement weather. We have had crossings that were absolutely perfect and others with stormy weather that stayed with us for several days. Just luck of the draw. Hank

We all should be able to agree that reviews are somewhat subjective. Experienced cruisers cannot help but compare a cruise to what they know from past cruises. But we have learned to accept both negative and positive reviews, on any cruise line, knowing that each cruiser has different expectations. Since we have yet to cruise on O (it is coming up soon) we cannot know whether to agree/disagree with anything in that review. But we do respect the person who takes the time to post their thoughts even if many may not agree. I ignored the comments about family and old folks (we are seniors) but I found the comments about cuisine quite interesting. Like most going on O for the first time, we have heard (for years) about O having the best cuisine at sea. Many posts, here on CC, have recently given us some reason to wonder if that is true. Looking forward to experiencing for ourselves and we will try to post (live if the Internet connection permits). One issue I do have with the poster is criticizing O (or any line) for the age of the cruisers. That is not the fault of the cruise line (they will accept bookings from anyone) and is actually a criticism of the type of person who chooses to cruise on a ship. It seems that in the past couple of years we have seen more negative reviews because of complaints related to passenger demographics. Tis strange.

what is "ridiculous and absurd?" It is one person's opinion and seems to fit in with many comments (here on CC) about O entertainment and atmosphere.

LOL I was trying to understand why folks suggest hotels close to Narita, since the OP is flying out of Haneda :). And by the way, folks heading to Tokyo might want to consider that Haneda is much more convenient to both Tokyo and the various Tokyo-Yokohama cruise ports. Where to stay? It really depends on the priorities of the OP and the time of their flight out of HND. If I had only one night, and a relatively early flight out of HND (morning or early afternoon) I would probably opt for one of the hotels near HND that gives easy access to the metro/train that could get me into Tokyo. It may not be worth the hassle to trek all the way into Tokyo for a single night, and then need to deal with the traffic and ride out to HND the following morning. On the other hand, if one is willing to deal with the transportation cost/hassles, and prefers to be in Tokyo, then the options are nearly endless since one can arrange a transfer to HND from any hotel. In fact, the last time we were in Tokyo (May) we simply grabbed a taxi from HND to our Shinjuku hotel. While it did cost us more then using a bus transfer or any shared transfer, the convenience and speed made it worthwhile. And consider that Shujinku is relatively far from HND in terms of a Tokyo location. We chose Sinjuku for the simple reason that we wanted to spend a few nights in that particular neighborhood (like most large cities, Tokyo is a city of neighborhoods). And that gets back to the OPs post where they mention being close to the "sights." We would answer that question with a question of our own which is "what sights?" There are many in Tokyo and they are spread around the city. Do you want to be near the Imperial Palace, Asakusa, Ueno, etc. No right or wrong, just personal preference and which sights the OP wants to visit. Also keep in mind that Tokyo has an excellent public transit system (both Metro and Rail) which makes moving around to various sites relatively easy (although it does take time). Hank