Cazz

I dined at Ocean Blue last week as one of my Specialty Dining options and didn’t realise there was an extra charge of $12. Just saying. I did enjoy it though, but I love seafood. There was steak on the menu.

On 4/22/2019 at 11:00 PM, Wayfairers said:

That would be very disappointing.   Why did they shorten the cruise by 2 days?

Yay!  Well, what da ya know!  We’ve had the Zeebrugge and Le Havre ports added back.  So I’ll be taking the tram after all 😁😁

We’re missing out the Ponta Delgado and Portland ports instead, so still cut short by the two days.

18 hours ago, Wayfairers said:

That would be very disappointing.   Why did they shorten the cruise by 2 days?

Dry dock for some refurbishment was planned for after this cruise, but Norwegian have not said why they have brought it forward and kicked us off two days early.

“We've been to Zeebrugge several times and the first time I took the tram west to Blankenberge.  It's both a resort town and historic village.  There is a large dike protecting the village and atop it are many hotels, a casino, restaurants.  We were there in their off-season so the beautiful, expansive beach was not being used so could easily walk out to water's edge.  The old town is small and very quaint--I bought some Belgian chocolates there <g>.  The second time I took the train east to Knokke.  Couldn't have been more different!  It's a well-settled town and well-heeled, I'd say, with its upscale shops etc.  I walked around several neighborhoods as it was spring and things were abloom.  Lovely.  There is also a massive church not far from the tram stop with a pipe organ which was being played while I was there.  The tram stop is maybe a long block from the gate in/out of the port area in Zeebrugge.”

Thanks BarbinMitch for this useful info.  Hopefully I will get to experience the train at some point, as my anticipated stop there on 7 May won’t be happening now.  I’ll be on the I’ll-fated NCL Getaway.  

I’m planning on taking this train on my stop in Zeebrugge in a few weeks time, love a seaside stop over a cobbled town 😉 

Hello, I'm researching how to get from the point where cruise ships dock in Portsmouth to Portsmouth harbour train station. I've searched the forums but found no helpful info, but I know there will be some helpful posters here. :D

I'll be arriving on the swan Hellenic Minerva on a Friday morning in April. Self disembarking about 8:30am I expect. I won't be in a rush as I have an open train ticket, but my train goes on the half hour.

I'm not keen on walking, if it's more than say 15mins over flat, so can I expect taxis to be available outside or is there a local company I could phone if not, or should I pre book maybe?

Thanks in advance

Carol

Very good information in this thread. Can I just add that this train travel website is a gem too - http://www.seat61.com

Carol

I was in a group of 4 people! ;)

I was in a group of 3 :)

I joined with a couple from New Zealand that contacted me on the roll call prior to the cruise and we corresponded with the tour company. We had a people carrier (max about 6) and a wonderful, hectic, 2 days.

I must say I am tempted by minsterman's adventure too - well done!

A friend and I (2 females) spent a week on a land based holiday in Beijing about 10 years ago. We travelled on public transport, saw all the sights, climbed two different parts of the Great Wall, and even got a little lost in a hutong looking for the bird market! Great times.

We ordered room service breakfast the first morning for an 8.15-8.30 slot. Got a call at 7.15 to say it was on the way! to sleepy to have our wits enough to say we werent ready.

They didnt take much notice of the quantities ordered either. There is a little box by each item on the list that you hang on the door - continental and full breakfast items available as I remember - and you write in how many of each you want, eg we ordered 3 coffees, 3 toast, 2 semi milk, 1 lowfat milk etc. We only got 2 coffees (small stainless steel thermos type jugs) and 2 cups, the 3 cartons of milk arrived, they are 1/3 pint sized, so plenty of milk.

There were all day items too, such as pizza and burgers as I recall but we didnt order anything else.

Hope that helps, have a wonderful time.

Well, the pics did not appear as attachments - so I'm off to read the help to see what I did wrong.

second try

Well, the pics did not appear as attachments - so I'm off to read the help to see what I did wrong.

Please excuse my first attempt at uploading photos. They are small as per the rules, hope they are not too small to see.

Wonderful time! Mum said she had a once in a lifetime wonderful experience, so I'm pleased about that.

I was disappointed in a few small things overall - the comment earlier about running out of champagne may explain the first disappointment - I had preordered champagne and dipped strawberries for the stateroom as a surprise on arrival for Mum's 80th, but they weren't there and we had them the following day.

Food in the dining room was excellent, and food in Windjammer was very good too, but oh dear the effort of finding a table, and no help from the attendants, for the many less than able guests, to carry plates etc.

But please, my cruise critic fellows, dont get the wrong idea, we had a wonderful time on the inaugural, and almost everything was very well organised and delightful. We were surprised every evening to see a new special inaugural gift at turndown, pic of one attached (the chocs in boxes of course not the towel animal!).

The shows are spectacular, especially the last night, top class entertainment.

By the way - where can I find the 'mini-review' that you refer to.

Lisa, have a look here: it's the main page of cruise critic uk version - http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=414

I have printed it out to show my Mum and Aunt tomorrow - we are cruising on Friday, their first cruise, and my first on RCI. I think the kettle will be a welcome addition, rather than bothering room service.

Cant wait to get on the ship now. :D

Follow the link below to the Aker Yards Download Centre

Thank you soooo much for these pics, excitement building nicely!!