AmeliaF

Hi Limbojones,

you most certainly want to cruise onthe Danube. It is the big and famous river close to Vienna. Its canal „Donaukanal“ leads through the city, so this is the obvious choice.

Besides that, it is worth taking a cruise on the Danube, because the surroundings of Vienna wich you can easily explore this way are just great.

Have you ever been in Vienna before? If not, I suggest you spent some days in the city and than take the boat, because thats how you will get the best impression of the area.

In Vienna, you can also take a ride on the „Donaukanal“, but this will only take one or two hours. The rest of the time you can e.g. visit Schönbrunn Palace, the museums and churches of the city, the „Prater“ or just relax in the famous „Kaffeehäuser“.

For further information about the Danube and the surroundings, you can check out this article:

https://www.viennasightseeing.at/explore-vienna/blue-danube-austrian-river-inspired-strauss

I usually put them in big towels wich I bring for beach days and put them between clothes in my suitcase. Luckly up to today, this worked well for me. But I only bring one or two bottles and I don't think this is a safe way to transport multiple bottles by plane - I woud not risk this. If you already know that you want to buy some, you can bring something for a better way of transporting them, like bubble wrap, but this will take space in your luggage.

It is absolutely no problem to bring some snacks on board. I always pack some little things that we prefer to eat, especially for the time you spent on the beach or in the citys you visit while cruising. But I have to agree with some people here, it is not necessary because there is delicious food available on board all the time, so there is no need to to that.

Usually, you can choose. Personally, I sometimes like to sit with strangers because I tend to be a little shy and eating together is a great ice breaker. But I can understand that most people prefer to sit on their own and that's why you can choose what fits best for you and your family. There are plety of opportunitys to socialize on cruises, so it is not that important.

I sometimes experienced noise, but I always bring some ear plugs, so it never was that big of an issue. If you have a very light sleep, it may also helps to bring some hop pills, they are all natural and will help to put you to sleep more easy.

I don't see that as a problem. Just because you have paid for the extra space, doesn't mean you have to bring something to fill it up. If I were you, I would just enjoy the additional space and don't worry too much about it. You can invite someone over, maybe bring a deck of cards and have a little game with some nice people you meet at the cruise?

There are two solutions for this problem: a) a bigger suitcase ;) b) you have to decide wich dresses you like the most and leave the rest at home. Usually, there is at least one dress you know you wanna wear for sure. Pack these clothes and put the rest aside. Sleep one night and see if you are still happy with your decision the next morning. That's the way I do it.

Do whatever feels best for you. You won't be overdressed in a sparkling outfit for dinner, but if you feel more comfortable changing clothes, there is no reason why you shouldn't. I am always looking forward to dress up while cruising, so usually, I pack a few more different clothes than on other holidays. I also like to plan my outfits in advance and a little shopping is what I do do get myself in the mood for the cruise.

Nice dress! I have to say, I see less and less people wearing tuxedos on formal nights, but usually there are at least a few men wearing one. I love to dress up for formal night and I am always looking forward to this occasion. If you feel the same way, just wear a tuxedo. No one will give you a sceptic look for it.

I hear mixed things about Johannisburg. I read that you should avoid Hillbrow, Yeoville, Berea and Alexandra due to safety issues, but the touristic areas are totally fine. So I think it is better to have a guide who knows where the best places are and everything will be fine. If you don't have a guide, stick to the areas you know which are sure. Besides that, just keep an eye on your belongings like in every big city.

Yes, it surely is better to buy tickets in advance, the lines in front of Anne Frank house are so long, sure you have to wait for hours otherwise.

Another good hotel in Amsterdam is the Krasnapolsky. Most of you must have seen it already, because it is litteraly on Dam Square. I always enjoyed leaving the hotel and being in the middle of the action right away, but this is a matter of taste, I guess.

Edit: If you stay at Okura, you have to try one of their restaurants, both are just amazing!

The April in central Europe is known for it's fickleness, there is even a German proverb regarding this. So it is very hard to predict the weather. It is totally possible, that there is rain all the time, or just one day and the next day is sunny, some years it even snows in April. So the best choice is to plan for everthing and to check the weather report shortly before your trip starts.

Ive not last-minute booked myself, however i regularly get emails or see ads for cruises departing in the same week. However, i did not recognize how long exactly the time span is. Could be a few days, then just one day.

Anyway i dont see why the couple should have lied to you, so there has to be a way to do cruises this way.

Yes-he was gambling age- and idk why this didn't post sooner it was more like three weeks ago. The guy had an E cig and was blowing balls of smoke and other young adults thought it was great fun. He was seen by myself two separate nights. I thought maybe he had been eating mushrooms [emoji265] or something to actually be out and about, in such good humor.

 

 

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Lol, that would be even more awesome, if he actually picked up some Mushrooms before cruise, and then went to the casino in the pyama. Hilarious story, as a lot of other stories from the thread. And its a shame that i dont have such a funny story to tell, as im relatively new to cruising.

I usually do not bring any food to the cruise, but i travelled with my Daughter last year and she is on a vegan diet, so he brought her beloved vegan parmesan to sprinkle it on every single dish served :) Well, everone to their taste, i guess :)

Hi Michelle, there is a large company very close to the Steinwerder port in Hamburg: Sixt. You don't have to worry about its liability, so if I were you, I would rent my car there. You can find Sixt in Buchheisterstrasse 16 and you can't miss it, when you leave the harbour, because this is the street you have to take anyway. I hope this is helpful and you have lots of fun visiting Germany.

Paying with credit card is no problem, but please don't forget to tip your driver. Taxis are not that expensive in Barcelona (around 10€ inner city), so this is a good way to get around in the city. You don't have to agree upon a price previous, they always use a taximeter. Avoid calling a taxi, stopping a taxi in the streets or walking to a taxi rank is always cheaper and faster.

Besides lavender oil, you can also use dried lavender if you don't appreciate the smell of moth balls (who does?). You can sometimes buy little pillows filled with dry herbs to keep moth away on markets, but you can also do it yourself. But a suit bag will also do the job and keep your clothes safe from further destruction.

I wear the same formal dress on every cruise in the last three years. It still looks amazing and I love the way I look wearing it, so for me, there is no reason why I should stop wearing it. If you feel comfortable, it is totally fine to wear it multiple times. This is my opinion.

What kind of dress do you want to wear? I always stick to long dresses for weddings, opera etc.

Since Pulitzer is quite expensive, why not getting the best hotel in Amsterdam and one of the best in Europe instead? Im talking about "The Toren". I stayed there once, and everything, from staff to interior, is really top notch at this place.

Another great alternative is Krasnapolsky with its historic building famous for its breakfast hall. This hotel is located right at Dam Square.

That would be my recommendations for Amsterdam.

The current rule is that you have to pay 15 bucks if you want to drink your wine (you can bring to bottles per cabin) in the public places, meaning it is free if you drinking on your cabin.

Honestly, i find this rather expensive especially since even good restaurants charges a corkage fee similar to this one. And they are basically live on selling wine.

It's actually not as difficult to smuggle on your own booze, you just have to be crafty about it. I suggest searching "liquor smuggling" on Amazon and you'll see some super creative methods of doing so. Now you aren't going to get a huge amount onboard, but you'll be able to get a week's worth of good Scotch, bourbon, etc. for sipping. We do that all the time, so don't let anyone else make you feel bad. Why do we "sneak" on our our liquor? Because the brands served onboard are unacceptable to us.

Well my last cruise was a few years ago, but back then i did the exact same thing, and nether had a problem with it. I cannot judge the situation today, but based on the comments on this thread, i find it rather intimidating that there are controls that harsh. Even though we brought a bit of our own alcohol, we still spend a lot of money on board. So i really dont see the problem for the Cruise Lines.

If you are into thriller/crime books, I can recommend you "Passenger 23" from Sebastian Fitzek. It is about a police officer who lost his family on a cruise and years after that incident, there are some new developments and new hints what might have happend. Most of the plot takes place on a cruise.

I did like that book a lot, too. I can also only recommend it...

You can find pictures like that at google: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDGvq8jWIAAxDlV.jpg

Unfortunately, they look not too comfortable. But at least the website says there is no difference regards to that when booking premium. So you could have done anything different.

Hi,

Thomas Cook has this info on the website:

Source: https://support.thomascook.com/10630972/What-is-the-seat-pitch-and-width-on-Thomas-Cook-Airlines.htm