rusticfurnituremaker

We have booked the catamaran Justice for our trip in July 2022.  I just wanted to see if anyone here has sailed with them before.

Amy

On 6/11/2019 at 1:51 PM, ChbyMnky said:

We are travelling with a larger group and are wondering if anyone could recommend a company that may have larger vehicles that could accommodate 9 plus luggage.

 

Thank you!

We just took Airport Taxi Transfers from the port at Civitavecchia to FCO on June 9.  They have a van that holds 12, and the cost is 252 euros...which is only 28 euros per person.    The van that holds 8 is 135 euros, so it doesn't make much sense to order two vehicles.  The cost of a taxi is usually a flat fee of 120 euros.  If you want to bring the cost down, see if another couple wants to join your transfer.  There were tons of passengers waiting outside the port for taxis and I am sure they would rather pay 50 euros in stead of 120.  You can also look at your roll call and see if someone wants to join you.  Our driver was right on time (he had a sign with my name on it), and he loaded TONS of heavy bags for us.  We didn't need to do a thing.  He made great time to the airport, and dropped us off at various gates depending on our airline.  He was a very safe driver and made the end of our trip stressless.

https://airportstaxitransfers.com/transportation/taxibookings/Transfer-from-Civitavecchia-Cruise-Port-to-Rome-Fiumicino-Airport?single=1&loc1_name=Civitavecchia+Cruise+Port+-+Italy&loc1=253&loc2_name=Rome+Fiumicino+Airport+(FCO)+-+Italy&loc2=979&date1=28%2F06%2F2019&time1=12%3A00&date2=&time2=13%3A00&pax1=9&quote=1

2 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

Amy - would love to hear that you are at the gate, and had no problem. 

 

I did some internet research about this, FlyerTalk is a great resource.  Apparently this is a common problem, especially with middle names.  Although it is raised frequently as an issue, nobody reported being denied boarding.  Some suspect that the airlines use the opportunity to generate change fees, but the common wisdom was not to pay a change fee in advance, just to show up at the airport and not bring it to anyone's attention. 

 

 Hope this all worked out for you. 

Well, I am cleared through and waiting for my plane....and breathing a huge sigh of relief.  True, they didn’t care about the misspelling, despite what I was told by Choice Air and Delta.  Just happy it all worked out.

Leaving for the airport now.  Thanks for all the suggestions and best wishes.

amy

57 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

By the way, if the mistake is something like Phillip versus Philip, and you are flying Delta on all legs, I definitely would not be worried.  Do you have a Frequent Flyer account with them? 

Skymiles yes, no special frequent flyer.  I sure hope you are right.  Glad to hear this has worked out for you!

4 minutes ago, Wine-O said:

You didn't notice this misspelling on your Choice Air confirmation when you first booked?  I always check that along with FF numbers and TSA PreCheck on my booking.

 

Hope everything works out.

It was correct on the original documents.  They insist that on March 1( several months after the original booking) my travel agent made a change online, changing the spelling of my middle name.  Total garbage.

After spending over 9 1/2 hours on the phone today with Choice Air, Delta, and my travel agent, I am ready to shoot myself!  My cruise is in two days, and our plane leaves tomorrow (for Venice) at noon.  I tried to print my boarding pass today and found out Choice Air misspelled my middle name by one letter.  No boarding pass, no valid ticket, nothing! I spent the whole day calling the airlines, my travel agent and Choice Air, all who could do nothing to change this error (which Choice Air made but won't admit to).  Choice Air offered me the option of purchasing two new tickets at today's price for a flight tomorrow ($6000 plus) but did nothing else.  They said they corrected the errors, but when checking with Delta, they did not.  They kept telling me that "they understand how I feel".  Bull!!!  I am supposed to leave tomorrow and drive two hours to the airport with no valid ticket (says Delta).  Choice Air insisted that my travel agent of MANY years called them and gave them a new spelling of my middle name.  Bull again.  Every document I have for the cruise and everything else spells my name correctly....except the airline tickets.  Finally, they changed my name back to the incorrect spelling and told me "no problem".  I guess TSA doesn't care if the names match.  They and Delta insist that I can check in with the incorrectly spelled name (they have records of my 17 phone calls and it will be "fine, and TSA doesn't worry about middle names) .  I have cruised many times and have always made all my own arrangements for air.  I made the mistake of using Choice Air this time.  NEVER AGAIN.  They accept no responsibility for their errors and do not try to correct their mistakes.  Use them and wish for the best, but plan on screw ups.  No sleep tonight and leaving REALLY early for the airport...need all the time just in case the reservation is still screwed up.  Wish me luck.
  

I booked with Best Guides for the Intensive Tour in St. Petersburg. I got a group of 12 together from our roll call to make the group. We got a great discount for the tour (soooooo much cheaper than the cruise line).

We had Irina as our guide. She was fantastic. Her knowledge of history and architecture made the tour even better. She was flexible in timing, which is what I really want from a private, smaller tour. We decided as a group that we wanted to stay at some sites longer, and left a few a bit earlier. We found a site that wasn't listed on our tour, but got to go there anyway, after agreeing to spend a little less time at another site. You would never be able to do this on other larger tours. The intensive tour does not include lunch, so we decided to stop at a local "pancake" restaurant. We had delicious pancakes filled with meats, cheeses, and other goodies with apple caramel ones for dessert. Once again, a larger tour would never have allowed this. In a large tour you eat what they say, when they say to eat it. You also waste a bunch of time waiting at a large facility.

So, if you are planning on touring St. Petersburg, try to get Irina and Best Guides. It will be a very memorable tour at a great price.

Does anyone have experience using Stromma HOHO from Nynashamn into Stockholm? Am considering for April Regal Princess port. Is Stromma convenient and do you get to go to most sights during the day?

https://www.stromma.se/en/stockholm/city-card/stockholm-pass/

Have you looked into the Stockholm Pass? For only a few dollars more you can get the HOHO bus from Nynashamn, then use the pass to get into over 60 museums, etc. once in town. It includes the VASA , canal tours, most museums, the Archipelago tour, the HOHO boats.... It is well worth it if you are going to do the HOHO bus from Nynashamn and the VASA and one more thing. You are already saving money.

We just got an email from our TA saying Celebrity has advised we will be docking in Nynashaumn instead of Stockholm and port times will remain the same. I'm not too impressed. What I'm reading here is that NCL extends the port time to make up for time lost getting to and from Stockholm. It's a ways off so I guess time will tell if they offer a shuttle "feel like a bunch of cattle" to and from.

The HOHO bus meets you right at the ship in Nynashamn and then you can use it in Stockholm. No need to wait for the masses to use the freebie shuttle from the ship. To me it is worth the 20something bucks to get there faster and easier. You can book your tickets ahead on Stromma.

Just booked a Helsinki tour with SBT. Had to pay the 100% deposit at the time of booking. They do have good refund policy and are a professional group, so no big problem in paying up front.....not such a huge credit card bill all at once if you pay for everything at the time of the cruise.

I'm looking into our first TA on the Breakaway Oct 2018. I'm really nervous as I don't know what to do with 5 days at sea. Is that why you say the SPA cabins are essential? Is it a chilly crossing or nice enough to be outside in October? I'm looking at an M6 for a bit of extra space. Is that a good choice as opposed to a regular balcony?

We were in an M6 on the Escape (very similar to Breakaway) and absolutely loved it. We have had over 30 cruises with balconies, and it is the nicest one we have taken. You have plenty of coverage if you want it, but tons of open space as well.

We have used Jayleen three times (ourselves and our adult children). We have all thoroughly enjoyed the small boat (max 6 passenger) experience, her professionalism, humor, and knowledge of the area. I cannot imagine using anyone else. I am sure the other boats are fine, but I don't want to be on a boat that has more than 6 people. You get a totally different experience with the small numbers that you don't get on the larger boats, even those with 15 people.

I would agree that in this particular situation, 20% would be a bit insane (over 3000$ tip???). On the other hand, tipping what some posters say of 5-10 dollars would be, in my opinion, equally ridiculous and insulting to the guide. If my family were the only trip of the day for an excursion of this high cost, I would probably tip several hundred dollars (300?) or more if my family had a great time. When you book a trip that costs a lot, you should expect that you might need to tip more if you loved the trip. As everyone mentions, tipping is a very personal thing. We aren't talking about excursions in Europe, where tipping is less. This is Alaska, the US. We all know what tipping is like and have to use our own judgement of what is fair, without being a totally cheap . (Sorry to the 5-10$ guys). This is also not like the cattle boat cruise sponsored trips where the guide is being tipped by 100 people. In this case, the guide is being tipped on a tour with just 6 people. Using the OP's original numbers of a $500 per person excursion, a 10$ tip is only 2%. You don't go to a ultra fine dining restaurant and tip $5 per person on a dinner that cost each person over $100. If you can't afford a fair and reasonable tip (once again noting that a true 20% tip would be totally crazy), don't book the excursion. You just need to find a good number somewhere between the crazy 3000+ tip and the kind of cheap 5$ tip. Don't flame, this is my opinion only.

Do you have any recommended vendors for a trip to Traitors Cove? I would like to book now rather than waiting and hoping we get the one we want from the cruise operator. Thanks for your help.

 

I just saw that Island Wings gets really good reviews?

Have used this company a couple of times and have nothing but good things to say. Wonderful owner/pilot, safe, with great itineraries.

tellubob’s post is accurate. I don’t know who that is but I was on this trip as well. She couldn’t get us back to the dock safely so we transferred to another boat. Water was crashing over the bow, onto the top of the cabin and into the stern. This isn’t recent and things must have gotten better. They cancel their trips when the weather gets bad.

 

 

I haven’t seen anything else negative about her either. Since you’re in touch, you could always ask for her side of the story.

Our two trips were within the past year, and I checked TripAd...and she only has five star reviews with all excellent write ups, so we are booked again in June. Anyway, just saying again that there are many other options other than the ship's tours working with passengers and

their timing/requests to create an excursion that works for you. Don't feel you are limited as to what the ship offers. Many other CC'ers have been with these private tours and can highly recommend them.

Here's a review of a trip where Jayleen was captain. She's young.

I've never heard even a little harsh word about her. She worked with her dad on his boat for MANY years before getting her own. Must be more to the story.

If you booked through the ship the buses are at the dock when you get off. If you booked with a private vendor, you will probably meet the van/bus in the parking lot by the tramway. If you are at the AJ dock it can be around a 20 minute walk.

We are meeting a van hired by Jayleen's Alaska (Harv and Marv's daughter who does small whale watching tours from her own boat) right at the ship. We don't have to walk anywhere. I have been communicating with her about time we get off the ship...what if we get off late...and she has been great. "No problem". We just start the tour when you get here, and I will have you back in plenty of time. They are used to the ships times and variables....ship letting their own tours off first, private tours off second, etc. The best thing about private tours is that you don't have to first go wait in an auditorium for forty minutes for everyone to get there, then forty minutes for everyone to walk slowly to the bus, board, go to the bathroom, make sure they are all there....it is a cattle bus with lots of people instead of 6-8 like the private tours. The private tours also cost less. To me it is a no brainer. They are much more flexible in timing.

Thank you for posting that.

Booking this tour was a last minute decision. It was not really in the budget but who knows when I will be back. Even our kayak tour guide in Ketchikan said she was who he used.

 

 

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It has been our "splurge" tour both times. The first time was the shorter tour, and this time will be the longer tour with glacier views. You just can't get the views of Alaska that you get by plane. I don't play bingo or other games onboard, I don't buy souveniers or cheesy t-shirts, so my memories are my souveniers. This tour is worth every dollar and then some!!

Are you flying with Michelle? She is our pilot and owner of Island Wings

 

 

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I know this wasn't for me, but we are flying with her for the second time in June. The very best in every way!

It's for our flight seeing tour only up to 7 people and pilot. I was thinking $40 to $50 total in tip for the two of us so that seems to be in line

 

 

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I think your reasoning and tip are right on based upon the number of people using the service and the cost of the excursion. After reading the other responses above, I am kind of shocked that some would even think of leaving 5.00 on a 250.00 excursion, no matter how many people are on the trip. That seems to be just cheap imo. I think 10% is the starting point, and can be raised based upon the level of service, attention, and knowledge of the guide. I am often shocked at those who just slip off the bus/van without leaving anything, thinking that they don't need to tip. I wonder if they do that in restaurants too.

Not to hijack the thread but my wife is interested in purchasing smoked salmon, not the canned jerky type (although I plan on buying some of those tins) but the frozen ones on our September cruise and having it shipped home. The only issue is that we disembark on 9/9 and we are spending a few days after in Seattle. Would there be any issues? Or should we plan on a neighbor accepting the package?

 

 

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We just told the store to wait a few days to ship. Our salmon arrived after we got back, just fine.

I got birch syrup (like maple syrup, only more delicious!!) in Anchorage. Can't get it anywhere else near where I live.

Other than that, nothing. Just a bunch of touristy things I don't need, which were made in China.

Since "Harv and Marv" sold their business out a couple of years ago, I like to go with "Harv and Marv's" daughter's boat and business now. The old company earned the good rep, not the one now. Her name is Jayleen Beedle, and her company is Jayleensalaska.com. She has a six person boat and caters to her customers just like her dad did for so many years. Give her an email and see what she can do for you. I have found her to be great at working with all kinds of families, kids, old, young, able bodied, etc, to make a great experience for everyone. You will not be disappointed. The prices are great and you only have six people onboard!!!!

I just randomly checked 10 different dates in the period mentioned by the OP. All of them still say 4:00 departure, including my cruise leaving on June 11. It would make a difference to me, as we are on a family cruise (many cabins) and some would rather fly down the day of if departure is at 7:00.

I called NCL and they (not that you can count on it) said 4:00 for my cruise in June.