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You're over-complicating things!! Personal reviews are golden, recommendations on their own are useless. I read 'em all. Super easy to discern the difference on an individual basis. You are so right, we are all bloggers ... it's great fun and healthy social interaction. Thanks for your thoughtful post.

We saved a bundle on our Marseille hotel, so booked canal-view rooms in Venice at the Bella Venezia. 2 minutes straight walk, no bridges, from Rialto vaporetto stop. BV gets terrific reviews.

Join your Roll Call, people are always organizing private shuttles from Trieste to Venice. Easiest might be NCL's shuttle to VCE, then a water taxi or regular vaporetto. Handling luggage is a challenge in Venice. Rick Steves' Med Cruise book has detailed information on the mechanics of Venice transport. Study a Venice map so you understand how arrivals/departures in Venice work, and just where the Hilton is. I love Hiltons, but only in Venice a short time, so I picked a hotel 2 minutes walk from Rialto stop, no bridges.

Just pickpockets. One in Roma, other in Venice. The petty thieves are good at their jobs. Use all the other good advice here and stay out of crowds. Be ready with your elbows if someone gets too close. Sounds harsh, but it's awful to get your clothing slashed.

Would depend on the time it takes to get there and back, and whether it's a scenic drive or just a grind.

I'd join your Roll Call and form a group to hire a shuttle so it will be right there waiting for you. But I'd find out why these beach excursions are no longer offered ... do a little research on the destinations themselves. I'd want to be sure nothing's changed drastically to cause the cruiseline to not offer the SE.

This is cute. What is it?

These photos are KILLING ME! You are such a sweetheart to post this stuff for your pool colleagues still at home awaiting their departure. October 16 can't come soon enough.

Playing games with Customs is about the most naive thing ever. I'm glad they didn't actually get arrested. When you're out of the US, pay attention to the 'rules' and don't try to play a game that you can't win. Big thread going round in CC about carrying your passport when you're in port. People want to argue about it, it's obvious that they have no idea what will happen when asked to produce it in port. T'ain't worth it!!

Great! Another opportunity to exercise my ignorance. But always so pleasing if I can actually get something like this to work. Will report back, hopefully.

So what are 'virtual queues'? A line that I'm a part of but 'over there' drinking a glass of champagne instead? Sounds good to me, I'm getting the willies about 4K pax on Epic!

You should be one proud cupcake, Mark! What a miracle you've pulled off ... look forward to the photos.

Some call us obsessive, I call us SMART!! The choice is obvious ... spend hours in a panic over something or sit back and order another glass of champagne.

How I would love to cruise around Oz. Just gotta gear up for that plane ride.

Oh boy, another reason to get up in the morning! GraphicGuy at your service for early-morning news ... it's absolutely a royal treat to see these photos and imagine life on the Epic. But you took them all at 3am, right? I don't even wanna think about the lines and crowds ... so I don't. Thanks for keeping us all entertained and positive. No doubt in my mind you'll have a terrific cruise, no matter what. As for the current screaming about VAT ... I so agree with you. Never more true: "It is what it is". Our choice to complain or take it in stride. THANK YOU!!

Oh now, we NEED those photos!! As with all things IT, just wait a bit, restart everything and all should be well. Laptops sometimes wish to rest all night before beaming up again. Can't tell you the number of digital toys I've 'fixed' over the years ... good thing, 'cause it's the only fix I know.

Oh, I am SO ENJOYING all this! 14 days until I board; it's wonderful of you to share all these details. Carpet looks like a Hilton reject ... I've always thought that Hilton hotels are decorated by a group of muppets ... but guess it's trendy, eh?

OMG, this is too funny! I'm glad to have a little breather from Virgin Atlantic Upper Class in London before I face the tortures of BritishAir and the MRS Ibis October 14. But don't get me wrong, with Marseille hosting the Rugby insanity, I'm delighted to be sleeping at a hotel that's not a $150 taxi ride away. At least I'll know to ask for a couple extra pillows to use the bed as a recliner. Do you think anyone over the age of 6 actually sits in those chairs?

I'm thinking about 'trip interruption' coverage ... they were 'in the middle of their trip' when the PPs were stolen. All I know for sure is that insurance people go to work every morning to see how many claims they can deny ... that's their job. OUR job is to carefully study each and every policy; but I know very few people who have the ability to read more than a page or two. What a racket.

Can't quite wrap my head around not dining when flying first class, what a waste. Same with sleeping ... gotta enjoy every minute.

I guess if you forget to put bottles in a ziplock, wrapping them in your clothes is the next best thing. Listerine is one of those things that doesn't smell as bad as it tastes, so now you're justified in buying some delicious apple-cinnamon stuff at Boots.

I believe that honest enjoyment of being a complete idiot is the key to a happy life.

Cruiselines seem to be quite adept at naming things what they want and nonevermind reality. I think it's dishonest, but what are ya gonna do? My next cruise ends in Venice ... NOT. They're docking in Trieste, 2 hours away. If I have 10 hours in port, I'm surely not going to waste more than 4 of them on a bus. Driving time to Roma may be 47 minutes from Civi, but the traffic gets more horrendous every year. The bus does not drop you at the city limits, they have to drive into central Roma ... that's what takes the time. And yes, when novices book cruises they just see "Paris" or "Berlin" and don't find out the truth until months later. Unless you read the fine print and do your research, it pays to use a good TA to book a cruise so you know what you're 'buying'.

Avoiding PITA is paramount with me. Don't carry a wallet in a back pocket anywhere when travelling. Don't wear a fanny pack on your fanny. If someone creates a 'disturbance' anywhere, anytime, step aside, don't worry about the other guy, think of yourself first. Use an under-garment belt or pouch. Pay attention, avoiding PITA when travelling is not difficult, just annoying. But worth it.

Most of us have never, and will never, encountered a problem. But there's just no point in taking the chance. I've dredged up my little valuables holders and will now carry my CC, PP and whatever else every day of travel outside the USA. Just put the thing on every morning, add it to my routine. My bottom line is to avoid wasting time on anything so easily fixed with foresight.