WendyVF

I did the HoHo in Liverpool and really liked it.  

Greenock - Scottish Highlands Tour - https://www.discoverscotlandtours.com/tours/highland-lochs-glens-castles-shore-excursion/

Cork - Scenic Train to Cork and Blarney. https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/tour/scenic-railtour-to-cork-and-blarney-castle/eucrtrain

Belfast - Giants Causeway with Odyssey Coach Tours https://odysseycoachtours.co.uk/giants-causeway-tours/   I paid a little extra and did the small group tour, well worth the extra money.

19 hours ago, cyntil8ing said:

We used Flagship Amsterdam (https://flagshipamsterdam.com/). Lots of availability. They also accepted walk-ups.

We did have to have reservations for Anne Frank Haus and Van Gogh Museum. The Anne Frank tickets go on sale 6 weeks ahead. The introductory tours sell out quickly, like within an hour or two. So if you want to go, put the on sale date on your calendar. I bought the Van Gogh tickets at the same time.

 

Thanks so much.  This is perfect as I was looking for something close to the cruise port.

On 4/9/2024 at 7:10 PM, DRGrammy said:

Where did you find it on the Joy?  I’ll be on next month.

It was outside the BBQ restaurant in a security area.  I believe it was Deck 6 forward on the right.

I'll be in Amsterdam on August 6th.  It looks like all the small boat companies I can find are fully booked or not available for 2 weeks around that date.  Is there something going on during that time?

I had to ask 6 different crew members on the Joy last week before I found one that knew what I was talking about.  When we finally found the correct location, we were the first to drop any bags and we boarded in group 22.  They definitely don't advertise it and don't make it easy to find.

I was in Dover last September and while the app worked, there were never any cars in the vicinity.

I don't have mobility issues and still didn't climb onto the rocks!  I could just see myself slipping and hurting myself.  The view was still great from the flat ground.

The bus was 1 GBP per person each way last September.  I walked down and took the bus back up!

I would advise doing any land trip prior to your cruise if possible.  Last year we did 3 days in London after a 10 day port intensive cruise and we were all exhausted.  We managed to see the London highlights but really wished we had done it on the front end.

I was there last fall but don't recall the taxi situation.  Giants causeway is over an hour from the port.  I booked a small group excursion through Odyssey Coach Tours and would highly recommend it.  

On 1/11/2024 at 3:31 PM, VMax1700 said:

What ship was that? When?

The tenders are ship's tenders and if one breaks down it is bound to cause logistics problems as there will not be any spare capacity.

Sorry about the sun.......it doesn't happen very often!😉

It was Carnival Pride at the beginning of September 2023.  We had great weather the entire trip and had to buy t-shirts since we had packed for cool damp weather!

The actual tender ride is 20-30 minutes.  When we were there, one of the tenders broke down and it took about 2 hours for us to get off the ship and by the time we got to Dublin it was really crowded.  To make matters worse, they weren't allowing any priority tender groups.  The line for the return trip was ridiculous and we had to wait in the hot sun.

I used Blackberry in September from LHR to Dover and Dover to London Hotels.  They were very easy to work with, communication was great and they were on time.  I definitely recommend them.  We were a group of 5 so it made sense financially, maybe not so much for a smaller group.  

I highly recommend Discover Scotland Tours.  I took their Highland Lochs, Glens & Castles Shore Excursion and it was fantastic.  www.discoverscotlandtours.com

You should go back to your health insurance company for them to pay it in full.  I've had to do this several times.  They have an obligation to provide a network and if there were no network providers where you needed emergency care, they have to pay as if in network.  

Go back into your cruise manager and see if you can pick an earlier time.  You should have been able to pick it when you did your online check in two weeks prior to your sail date.  Diamond, Platinum and Suites are able to check in two days earlier.  If there are a lot of those on your sailing, they may have already gotten the earlier times.  

This is the first time for an Magic extended season in Norfolk so you are getting a lot of new cruisers and ones that typically do other lines but wanted to try it since it was close to home.  A ship with a lot of first time cruisers is going to feel different as all the newbies try to figure it out.

I've sailed the Magic twice in the last year and everything is just fine.

You can get it but you have to ask for it and it will take awhile for the staff to figure out where it is, go get it and serve you.  Most evenings we were finished with dinner before they brought it up for my grandson.  We found the staff at the coffee shop were typically willing to fill his cup and they kept a supply handy for us.  My daughter had the Cheers package and I made sure to tip them extra each time!

I cruised from Norfolk on the 14th.  It was very smooth and much better organized than last year.  Cars were having no problem pulling up to the circular drive where the porters were readily available to take your luggage.

The downtown hotels don't give you a hang tag for your car so the parking garage people have no idea why your car is there.  We parked in the Waterside garage last year without a problem.

Back from my cruise and wanted to let everyone know there was no problem walking up to the port or getting dropped off.  They've done a lot of work since last year.  It was extremely well organized and painless.

On 5/8/2023 at 7:17 PM, vwrestler171 said:

Hang your clothes in the shower after a hot shower.  The steam and weight will pull the wrinkles out.

This works great.  Once the clothes are a bit damp from the steam, you can also use a hairdryer and your hands to tackle any stubborn wrinkles.  

I doubt they will give you permission as this is banned for fire reasons.  Even if they do, it could still be a huge hassle when boarding and that's no way to start a vacation.  As mentioned, definitely contact the special needs department to see how they can assist. 

I cruised from Norfolk last year on the Magic and will be on the first cruise from there this year on Sunday.  You can absolutely be dropped off at the port.  It does get very congested near the port so I always get my ride to drop me off across the street at the World Trade Center or at one of the hotels on Main Street (Marriott or Hilton).  There will be porters at the terminal to take your luggage.  Everyone should be aware that you have to either climb steps or take the elevator to reach the terminal and pack accordingly.  The line for the elevator can get quite long.

Most of all, keep in mind that Norfolk is not a full time cruise port.  The terminal is located in the very busy downtown area and traffic gets a bit crazy.  Pack your patience and graciousness and remember you are on vacation!

Global Entry includes TSA Pre Check and the fast track line through customs when entering the US.  It is of no benefit in other countries.  You can apply online and complete the process when you return on an international flight or schedule an appointment.  The appointments are limited but frequently will open up, especially with last minute cancellations.  Once you are approved, schedule an appointment and keep checking back.  The one time I have used it, I saved about 25 minutes which was great since I had a tight connection.  Unfortunately there were staffing issues and I ended up spending the time I saved waiting to claim my luggage only to walk it through customs and put it back to be checked.