YoPhilly

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask: is it possible to take public transportation from the Rocks area hotels to Bondi Beach?  We'll just visit for a couple of hours for a quick swim.

17 hours ago, Tyskie said:

 

Our September Baltics:  Gdansk was replaced with Ronne  and   Ronne replace with Warnemunde - Stockholm was shortened, yet again to 9:15am - 4pm - same reason given 🤦‍♀️

 

Trying to be postive about it but Stockholm and Gdansk were two reasons in choosing this itinerary. 

I was booked on this cruise.  When they shortened Stockholm the first time, I knew I wanted more time there.  I canceled.  Instead, I'm flying into Stockholm for 3 nights, then flying to Tallinn for a land tour that ends in Warsaw.  Following that tour, I'll do my own solo travel through Poland before flying home.  

23 hours ago, jackdeb said:

YoPhillY what do you mean by the pastas over the top? Is it the pasta itself or the sauces and toppings they use?

Jackdeb, I shouldn't have said that, so please take it with a grain of salt.  My friends joke that I'm a snob when it comes to Italian food!  😁.  I come at it from a lifetime of Italian home cooking, Italian restaurants, cooking school in Bologna, and more.  Toscana's pasta is very good....it's just not my preference.  But I'm not kidding...the osso bucco is excellent!!!!!

I’m not a fan of the pastas in Toscana….they’re too over-the-top.  I always get the osso bucco there.  Having made it at home many times in the past for guests, now I prepare simpler meals at home.  Toscana’s is almost as good as mine - very tender. 😀

In Polo, it’s the ribeye, hands down!

On 3/28/2023 at 12:58 PM, Jancruz said:

Absolutely not..

Jacruz1

THANK GOD, NO!!!

5 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It doesn't count, since you reached Cape Horn with blue skies!  Come back and slog through gale force winds with rain and sleet pelting your faces like we did!  🤣  But yes, we enjoyed the entire trip tremendously.  Definitely recommend Australis, and very happy we booked through Classic Journeys since the whole trip was beautifully organized.  [Hope to get my review published here soon.]

Well, we didn't escape gale force winds, rain and sleet the entire voyage, but we sure did hit it lucky on our Cape Horn day!!!  It was magnificent!

On 2/5/2023 at 9:54 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

I haven't had the opportunity to do any further research on MS Monet, as we are currently on a trip in Patagonia.  This trip included 4 nights on Stella Australis, which is a terrific expedition ship in most respects 

Jazzbeau, I did the 4-night Stella Australis in 2010, and it is still the cruise I've enjoyed the most.  To me, it was thrilling to travel in the footsteps (sailing route?) of Magellan and Darwin.  Fascinating!  We were able to land on Cape Horn and hike out to the Albatross Memorial.  Once in a lifetime trip!  I hope you enjoyed yours.

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

Excellent point. 🥂 However, some of us don’t do/enjoy self service and already avoid the buffet. The joys of ordering ones food and having the meals delivered to you is part of vacation for us. It’s kind of like not having to wash or own dishes. 

Yes, I hear you.  It's a trade-off.  We do enjoy having dinner out on deck some nights.

On 3/26/2023 at 1:38 PM, LHT28 said:

It may be time  to move on to another line  there are so many to choose from

Yes, there are, but one of the unique things we love about O is that the food is served onto plates by staff in the Terrace Cafe.  Eliminates thousands of hands touching those serving utensils.  🤢  Now that I'm used to it, the thought of going back to a regular buffet line gives me the willies! 😁

On 1/2/2023 at 12:31 PM, ChrisC101 said:

Thanks,  that looks fair but not as good as it should.  I am also shocked they are allowing jet skis on some of these islands as I assume they are all gas powered.  But, sigh, as I said we were last there 19 years ago.  

Agreed.  I'm also disappointed that BB has allowed so many overwater bungalows to proliferate and spoil the landscape and lagoon.  Money talks!

16 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

"The phrase originated in the north-eastern states of the USA in the early 19th century. The earliest citation that I can find is from a frontier memoir The Harpe's Head - A Legend of Kentucky, 1833:

"It never occurred to him to be discontented... He was as happy as a clam."

https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/as-happy-as-a-clam.html

Thanks for the info!

43 minutes ago, MnDAL said:

Are you saying you have booked GTY (or booked higher cats due to WL)? If you have booked GTY, could you share the outcomes?

Yes, I've often booked a GTY-only for a Waitlisted category (did not book a higher category).  Whenever I do, we ALWAYS get a cabin at the very least in that category - sometimes higher.  I don't keep old records so I'm not able to provide exact examples.  It does save us thousands of dollars by not having to book a higher category.  Most importantly, we're on the ship and happy as clams!

P.S. Does anyone know where the expression "happy as clams" originated? 😆

On 3/21/2023 at 2:29 PM, shepherd really said:

If you are happy with what you got for the price you paid then it was a good deal for you, but there is no savings on Oceania for booking a GTD cabin.

Well.......in a way, it is a saving.  Booking a GTY in a waitlisted lower category likely saves you from having to book something at a higher level. 😄. I've done that myself several times.  It gets us on the ship for a price that works for us.  No complaints from me!

Out of curiosity, how does O prepare a ship for an ATW voyage?  We're booked on a segment of Insignia's next ATW, and I'm wondering if there's any special maintenance, restocking, etc., that's done beforehand.  Anything particular to know?  I'd love to know what to expect.

2 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

 

Awarding a future cruise credit for days spent onboard in isolation;

From a passenger perspective, this sounds great.  From a business perspective, why would the cruise line take a financial hit for a passenger's illness?

I love the look of those "R" ships....THAT'S what a cruise ship should look like!

On 3/17/2023 at 11:49 AM, MEFIowa said:

Yes, wife did laundry on our 10-ight Sirena cruise 11/2022. 

My husband does the laundry when we cruise!!  😁

Where do big ships like Celebrity Edge dock in Sydney?  At The Rocks?  Darling Harbour?

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Vista is already the next added O ship. Allura will be ready in 2025. All O ships will remain “small” at under 1200 passengers. 
I predict that Marina (or Riviera) will move permanently to the Pacific and, if anything is built in the foreseeable future after Allura is launched, it will be O’s first expedition ship.

Why do you think a ship will move to the Pacific?  Which market?

I see so many cruisers “jumping ship” from Celebrity, Princess, etc. - at least on this board.  That’s great news for O.  Wondering how/if that translates to a bigger fleet.  Thoughts?

53 minutes ago, mnocket said:

I was thinking I'm just an old curmudgeon, but the truth is I've always thought corkage fees were unreasonably high.  I guess like all things, what's reasonable to some people is unreasonable to others.  We all have our pet peeves🙃 

I agree.  $25 is high.  I know they should charge a fee but $25?

On 3/7/2023 at 8:45 AM, Stem to Stern said:Then, I emailed my TA and she said she might have group space that would price out even less.  Silhouette is a beautiful, spacious ship.  I have been on it twice.

 

I agree. Silhouette is a lovely ship.

On 3/6/2023 at 8:04 PM, skings said:

I am on Symphony of the Seas Oct 29th Barcelona to FLL. I wanted a cruise out of a Northern port to add on. Found a 5 day MSC that was very affordable. Flying from MIA to LHR on TAP Portugal with a few days in London and 2 days in Barcelona before cruise all for a very affordable vacation. Going Solo

Which MSC cruise?  Their pricing is so tempting but their ships are just too enormous for us.

23 hours ago, Lance1224 said:

We have done a back-to-back-to- back cruise. We did a ten-day Canary Island cruise from Southampton, then 7 days to Scandinavia, and finally the Transatlantic to NYC. We travel from the states, so we like to stay in Europe as long as possible. We were very fortunate, we had Cruise Critic friends who were on the cruise before us and arranged a very nice table for six in MDR. Another perk, all the staff gets to know you better. Doing a few cruises before a TA can be stressful, but you have the TA to rest and recuperate. You will get into a routine that is very relaxing. 

Great ideas!

On 2/20/2023 at 12:31 PM, shipgeeks said:

My understanding is that we can do the same with our regular (home) health insurance. Keep the receipt from the ship, submit it upon returning home.

Some health insurance plans don’t cover international expenses. That’s why I buy coverage for travel.