Jenallan18

@arcadian_dad did you do this trip? We are booked on it for this Dec

Great advice there Lirio.  Sorry for my delayed response was off grid in Botswana. Thanks so much 🏆

On 1/15/2023 at 9:37 AM, TLCOhio said:

 

From the New York Times Travel Section this weekend, they have this headline: “52 Places to Go in 2023" with this sub-headline: "Travel’s rebound has revealed the depth of our drive to explore the world. Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? ”

 

Manaus is one their top world locations that this annual NY Times reporting puts in the spotlight.  Here are some of their highlights: “In Manaus, where you can sip steamy gourds of tacacá from a stand in front of the Teatro Amazonas or wander past plastic bottles of tucupi, the juice squeezed from grated cassava, in Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market, Amazonian ingredients are a fact of life.  At the Indigenous-owned Biatüwi, a restaurant that pays homage to ancestral recipes and cooking techniques, drinks are made from fermented purple yams, and chiles are used to purify river fish in piquant stews like quinhampira.  Then there’s the chef Felipe Schaedler, who has helped threatened Yanomami communities commercialize their native mushrooms and runs two restaurants of his own: Banzeiro and Moquém do Banzeiro.” 

 

We enjoyed Manaus when visiting there in early 2015 on a cruise up and down the Amazon as detailed below on my live/blog.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/travel/52-places-travel-2023.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 70,748 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

I’d like to read this blog but got a security warning.  Is it still active? 

10 hours ago, Emdee said:

I love the 8 th deck for its convenience to the pool and pool bar. 
We have been sailing and traveling the world and haven't been back on the PG since 2017 but 13 trips before that. At least 5 on the 8 th deck. One on the 7 th and the rest on the lowly but still comfortable 4 th deck. 

Thanks Emdee.  Quite the expert on this ship and region no doubt.  Thank you for your reassurance of our choice.  Now to look at excursions … 

Thank you Lirio.  That is helpful advice. 

7 hours ago, WesW said:

Yes, Jenallan18; Ida and I did this outstanding voyage with Silversea back in 2014.  Silversea then offered an excellent Carnival excursion from early evening until near dawn (6pm-4am).  Our price then was  $999 pp.  Pricey but Carnival was a visual extravaganza.

 

Expect crowds but Silversea escorts during this excursion,make going to the Sambadrome and returning to the ship, despite heavy Rio traffic, fairly comfortable .  You will able to leave Sambadrome from midnight until 4am (e.g., I left after the first Samba School processed down the Sambadrome main street).  DW stayed until 3am to enjoy more Samba schools parade during this marvelous & colorful spectacle.  

Thanks WesW.  Sounds great.  How was the rest of the cruise? 

Thanks Emmas Gran.  Has anyone done the Silversea’s cruise from Buenos Aries to Rio ? 

Thanks Emmas Gran.  Where did your cruise go from there? 

Hi all.  Looking at SS cruise from BA to Rio for Carnivale.  Has anyone done this cruise to coincide with Carnivale? I don’t see the event as an excursion so not sure how you would visit it and if it’s a good way to do so.  Appreciate your advice. Thanks

1 hour ago, vjt said:

   Day eighteen was lightened up quite a bit by two onshore activities and a wonderful debriefing that was accurate and very funny at the same time.  So our spirits were pretty good, and we even enjoyed our dinner.  Suitcases in the hall with the usual variety of tags, we looked forward to our Longyearbyen tour and luxury flight to Paris, where we had some pretty nice plans for two days.  

 

   Instead of being ushered from the lounge into the tenders for transport into town, we were all summoned into the theater.  We all knew this couldn't be Good.  So it was a pretty hushed crowd.  The Captain came in and announced that there a slight issue with our plane as it was stuck in New York for the next few hours and therefore was not available to fly us anywhere.  At all.  But, never mind, we will still have our tour and they would work something out.  Tiny bit vague, but of  course we needed to leave the ship so they could get it ready for the next crowd.  Oh dear.

 

  So, in response (at last) to Jeanallan 18, here is what I know about Longyearbyen: Despite the unsettling news, we all rallied and went to see the Svalbard Museum, a small European skin hunters' lodgings and to meet a number of very sweet sledding dogs, much tamer than we had seen previously.  There are quite a few other tourist activities around Svalbard (which is basically only reachable by ship and aircraft).  I think it would be fascinating to visit Pyramidin, an entire semi-deserted soviet mining town. The Svalbard  government now refuses to post any info on a visit there...but there is actually a hotel.  Different aspects of the coal-mining industry can be visited in Longyearbyen and there are a few shops...nothing too inspiring along those lines, I'm afraid.  Of course there are many sea based activities.  But if it's a day visit to a fjord or wildlife area, it might very well overlap with stops the cruise ships make.  

 

   We were put on a tight schedule (not that we had one at that point) because buses are in short supply, and another ship was coming in) and were dropped off at a very nice hotel, The Funken Lodge.  It's family owned and nicely appointed.  We were served a quite good lunch with two choices.  As we were eating, one of the company's agents appeared and told us that arrangements had been made.  I thought that was very quick, considering the mess....but then again, the company had to know about the transportation issue considerably before us.  As two agents came around to each table, explaining arrangements and handing out seating assignments, the Captain showed up.  He was extremely gracious, visiting every table and assuring us that we were at the top of his mind until all was completed. 

 

   So, the commercial flights go to Oslo.  We would fly there early evening, getting in around 11, stay overnight at the airport hotel, and early the next day, fly to Paris CDG. There was an ensuing flurry of arrangements and everyone including us, completed those.  I don't know about the others, but we lost a fair amount of money in the process and will have to check with our insurance provider on that.

 

   There was time for a walk and some shopping, and then we met our bags, very neatly sorted, at the airport, were checked in instantly, given a sack dinner by Ponant (I wouldn't nominate Norwegian Air for luxury...no food and they charge for water!!) and then left us to wait for our plane.  We landed thick-headed in Oslo, and again were greeted by Ponant agents in a very kindly way, and directed to the hotel, steps away.  To me, it was very touching that our Cruise Director, who was off for vacation, greeted us each in person (sans high heels, in jeans and her hair down!) welcomed us to the hotel, gave us room keys and  showed us to another sack (this time breakfast) and up we went to bed.  There was no air-conditioning, and the room was very basic, but they brought us a good fan, and we were able to have four hours sleep before the next flight, to Paris.

 

   The next morning, there the agents were again, to be sure we were checked in.  All was done in a kind and professional matter.  We sat next to a nice man traveling alone..he had lost his credit card in all the excitement, and we bought him something to drink, given that Norwegian Air certainly wouldn't. In all, I have to stress that all the Ponant staff, agents and Captain Garcia handled everything with grace and care to details.  Just to round out the tale, the next Polar Cruise had a Japanese and a Chinese group aboard.  Their planes were all delayed as well, and Le Commandant Charcot left a day late from Longyearbyen!  So, Jenallan 18, some folks did elect to stay in town for a few days after the cruise, and I'm sure they had a good time.  But, in a remote location, with very little commercial service, I would stick with whatever the ship provides so they can take charge of all the changes which need to be made when something runs amok.  

 

   

 

Thanks vjt for the info re Longyearbyen and your detailed report.  Happy that you’re home safe and sound

8 hours ago, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

Veranda B

Gotcha.  Cheers.  I’ll learn all the PG FP lingo at some point 🤣.  If you’re on the same trip shout out (14 day 30 Dec)  and I’ll likely be asking about excursions in the next couple of months.  Thanks TBK

38 minutes ago, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

Quiet area ... VB gives to a bit more room to get past the bed and the balcony is a tad larger  ... 

what do you mean by VB? 

Thanks Grendelsdad.  We have booked 809.  If anyone has feedback on that cabin please let me know.  
 

hope to see some of you onboard.  

Hi Astrocat

We are going on this tour 29 Dec 2023 so thank you for your detailed posts.  How strenuous are the hikes and walks you did? And do they allow life jackets on the drift snorkel?  I’m the swimmer and my husband is the hiker and we are trying to find tours we can enjoy together.  Thanks Jenny 

Thanks TBK and FM555

Great posts VJT.  You sound like similar travelers to ourselves. We are on this exact cruise next year.  I’d love to hear your views on Longyearbyen.  We are trying to decide whether to take Ponant’s transfer back to Paris or spend a few extra days exploring around Longyearbyen and make our own way home.  Would love to hear yours, and others who have travelled to this area.  Thanks in advance. 

Hello.  We are first-time cruisers with Paul Gauguin and would appreciate some advice re cabin choice.  We are looking at a cabin near the 'Captains Reception Lounge' but can't see anywhere what that lounge is used for and wondering how much traffic or noise there would be.  Likewise traffic and noise in a cabin near the Bridge or Stairway / Elevators.   Does anyone have any experience in staying in cabins in those areas from a noise perspective?  Or would you recommend Deck 8 instead.   Thank you so much for your advice.