YoPhilly

22 hours ago, mauibabes said:

In October a bunch of friends are getting together to sail on Vista and would like to arrive a day early so as to minimize the travel day impact. We are Marriott members but would appreciate any recommendations that could put us near the Cruise Terminal and make our Embarkation easier. 
Don’t need 5 Star nor Bargain Basement, clean with good beds and safe area are musts. 
Thanks, Mauibabes

I know you said no 5-star, but every once in a blue moon, the Intercontinental at the port offers a good deal.  It doesn't hurt to check.  Fingers crossed for you!

20 hours ago, crystalspin said:

We had the Trekker one year (2020!!!) without being BCBS customers. They may have different plans if you are. We let it lapse since we weren't travelling in the pandemic; may sign up for 2024...

I had to see the ship's doctor in December.  When I got home, I filed a claim with GeoBlue, and they reimbursed me the entire amount.  Very prompt.  No jumping through hoops to get it.

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Island hopping, in the Greek Islands, is lots of fun and can be a real adventure if you choose islands that you have seldom or never visited,  It works well with cruises that begin or end in Pireaus since that is also a major cruise port.  In Aug 2021, we took a 2 week cruise that debarked in Pireaus.  We took our time leaving the ship, grabbed a taxi arouosnd the harbor to the ferry pier near the train station, and after come coffee at the port cafe boarded a ferry to Naxos. After a few days on that island we took another short ferry ride over to Paxos for another few days and finally hopped a ferry back to Pireaus. It was all such good fun and a nice way to spend 10 days.  

 

The Greek ferry routes offer lots of options to many different islands (never visited by cruise ships).  It is another of those DIY adventures that are only limited by one's imagination   And we are still doing this kind of thing in our 70s, and it is a lot easier for younger folks.  

 

If you do get to Poland, try to make your way to Krakov which we found to be a terrific city. 

 

Hank 

Yes, I spent 10 days on the islands of Serifos and Sifnos...I'd go back there in a heartbeat.

I first visited Krakow in 2012 - a beautiful city - and did a daytrip to easternn Poland to meet distant relatives.  This year I'm returning to stay with them for a week before continuing my adventure.  My husband and I are both retired, but he doesn't enjoy travel as I do.  He'll do a cruise, and I can usually get him "onboard" with that idea.  Most years, I do a couple of solo trips.  It works well for us.  He's happy b/c he'll spend those weeks out on his son's farm chopping trees, building things, and hanging out.  And I'm happy b/c I'm off on another grand adventure...often learning a little of the local language before leaving home.

So many places to see!

22 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Then I have accomplished my personal mission which is to encourage fellow Americans to expand their thinking about Europe and not fear DIY.  Over the decades, DW and I have had so much fun (and some grief) thinking outside the box and planning independent travel within Europe.  I am an outspoken fan of rental or leased cars, because that does give us the maximum flexibility.  Within major cities we do not want a car, but once we leave those cities a car is far superior to rail (some will argue this point) because the car lets you go to many places not even accessible by rail.

 

Hank

That's what I do.  This past September I traveled around Greece solo for 3 weeks (my husband didn't want to go).  I ferry-hopped a couple of islands, then drove all over the Peleponnese peninsula.  This summer I'll be solo-ing from Sweden to the Baltics to Poland.  It's a big world out there!

I use an annual GeoBlue plan, but my understanding is that one must have a domestic (US) Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan to be eligible.

We'll be in Sydney at the end of next February, and their performance schedule isn't out yet for those dates.  I'll keep checking.

This thread is very helpful.  Thanks to all for your contributions.

On 2/13/2023 at 12:27 PM, Hlitner said:

I posted this to stimulate some ideas in those who have been thinking along similar lines but have never gone through the exercise of actually looking.  One key is to find a decent cruise data base that lists all cruises and can be easily searched by dates, routes, etc.  A few cruise agencies have such sites and once you find a web site that meets your own likes, you can be like a kid in a candy store :).

 

Hank

Hank, you've got me thinking about adding on to our August 2024 TA.  Oh, the possibilities! 😁

I've never asked for anything on O that wasn't brought promptly by our cabin steward.  On Marina in December, I asked for a lounge chair for our standard veranda balcony.  It was a tight squeeze, but our cabin steward didn't bat an eye.  He simply made it work.  I don't have any complaints about soaps or shampoos.  We had plenty....and if we didn't, we would have asked for more.

On 1/26/2023 at 9:37 AM, terrydtx said:

I would also consider Viking Ocean, but I have two issues, their itineraries are not very exciting, and they want full payment 12 months or more from departure. No way I would give any cruise line $15k or more that far in advance.

I totally agree about Viking's payment policy.  I just canceled a cruise with them for just that reason.

10 hours ago, LHT28 said:

If you used  a TA it is their booking  so  it is up to them to inform you

 

 

JMO

Not so.  I'm booked with a TA but received my email directly from O.

I have 4 cruises booked: three on O and one on Celebrity.  The true luxury lines are out for us for two reasons: too expensive and too formal.  I've been looking at small lines like Noble Caledonia...I was ready to book them this summer but there was only one sailing for my preferred itinerary and it was sold out.  Some small lines offer better pricing for solo travel - for those times my husband doesn't want to go.  (This summer I'm paying 200% on Riviera... I still have a couple of months to let that sink in.)

I was just notified of reduced port times on my Baltic cruise.  How can I experience Stockholm in only 8 hours??

3 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Sorry I can't since it would be against CC rules (i.e., it's on my TA's website, not on O's website). Check with your TA to get similar info.

OK, that's make sense - why I couldn't find it on O's website.  Thanks for the clarification.

6 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

I took the train from Amsterdam to Delft last September for a day trip.  I thought it was a very nice place to spend the day.  There is a bit of a canal city feel to it.  The 2 cathedrals are great to check out (both included in a single ticket). You'd have time to do that for sure.  It would be a short train ride from Rotterdam.

I see Delft is very close to Rotterdam.  I was worried that the town is all about ceramics and not much else, but it sounds like there's more to it.  I'll look into it.  Thanks!

9 hours ago, nansi said:

My husband is from that area so I'm picking his brain. From the ship dock you can take the little ferry at the end of the pier (from HAL) to cross the river. Ask someone which "tram" will take you to

"Central Station". From there you can take a train to any town you want to see in Holland. Public transportation is very organized and punctual all over Holland, as opposed to driving a car, where you'd be subject to traffic etc. Also virtually everyone in Holland speaks fluent English.

 

Bruges is probably too far even if you take the "fast"  (Snell) train (not the local). Closer by is Dordtrecht to the southeast (where my husband is from and is the oldest city in Holland) or the Hague which is to the north, maybe stopping at Delft (where Delft Blue is made) along the way. If Amsterdam is not on your cruise itinerary, he recommends seeing that city above all the others, but not by car. 

 

Also there is a lot to see in Rotterdam itself. Take the train to the Coolsingel, which is the center of town. From there you can walk to see the sights. You can take a sightseeing city tour bus or a river /canal tour. 

Nansi, thank you (and your husband) for the suggestions.  I visited Amsterdam previously so it isn't in my plans this time.  I've done a lot of traveling over the years, and more-and-more I find that I enjoy visiting small towns much more than the big capital cities.  Of course, this cruise calls at Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, etc., so I do want to get to some less-busy places.  I'll do some research on your recommendations.  Feel free to add any other comments.

- Nancy

We are expected to dock in Rotterdam from 11AM-8PM.  I'd love to visit Bruges but see that it's about 110 miles from Rotterdam.  Probably not the best idea to risk an evening traffic jam getting back to the ship.  As an alternate to the charming Bruges, what town would you recommend from Rotterdam?  Thanks for any and all suggestions.

On 1/14/2023 at 4:24 PM, TLCOhio said:

 

From the London/UK Independent last month, they had this headline: “10 best European city breaks” with these highlights for Tallinn: “The exquisite capital of Estonia has seen a remarkable history from its status as a Hanseatic port to its emergence from domination by the Kremlin. The Old Town remains one of the most exquisite urban centres in Europe. Cottages and mansions with pastel façades crowd around cobbled lanes that clamber to the top of the hill – home to the Orthodox Cathedral and parliament building, as well as a series of vantage points from which you can survey the church spires. Many atmospheric places to eat and drink: it feels like a Scandinavian capital, but at a fraction of the price..”

 

Sound great?  Loved our visit there in 2008 when doing a Baltics cruise to Russia, etc.  Any others having very good recent visits to Tallinn?

 

Full story at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/best-european-city-breaks-hotels-europe-b2231511.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,707 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Thanks for sharing.  I'll be there this summer and looking forward to it.

21 hours ago, alcpa1 said:

We were on the Marina a year ago and can't imagine that she has gone down so much. Even with the cancellation of the refitting I would cruise her again if the itineraries weren't jerked around. A few hits and misses onboard are one thing. We are itinerary driven and that comes first. 

We were on Marina last month, and I can't help but wonder what some people's expectations are.  I did see a tiny bit of rust on our balcony, but really, this is a ship - it's to be expected.  The lovely Marina is hardly the rust-bucket being described here.  O is not a luxury line, so I don't expect absolute perfection.  I expect good value for my money, comfortable cabins, very good cuisine, and a pleasant, engaged crew.  That's what we got.  Sure, there were a few hits/misses but wouldn't life be boring if everything were perfect!  For those of you who talk about canceling, evaluate your own expectations and then decide.  Marina is a lovely ship, with a fabulous crew.  Enjoy!

59 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

 

yes the Chrismas/New years on the Insignia for dec/Jan 2024 is part of this sale....but will wait for a better sale as it is quite expensive....

I haven’t looked at the site to confirm, but I believe that segment is at the beginning of the ATW cruise on Insignia.  Perhaps that’s why it’s expensive. I only know this because we’re actually booked on the segment from Los Angeles to Auckland.

17 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

The T&Cs (on O's website) for this promo are somewhat vague with respect to combinability with other offers. Here is additional info I found (check with your TA though just in case!):

• Promotion is NOT combinable with <an unnamed consortium to hopefully not break CC rules> amenities.
• Promotion is combinable with OLife Choice, Premium Economy Airfare, and Oceania Club Benefits, where applicable.
• Promotion may not be combinable with any other discount, fare, or promotion including but not limited to Hosted Voyages, Groups, Onboard Savings, Cruise Night Offers, AMEX CPP, Amex Gold Card, Casino promotions, past guest discounts, Single Specials, Holiday upgrade offers, Kids Sail Free, Travelzoo, Consumer Event promos and/or any unpublished fares or other special offers.

Same place had "Promotion is valid for residents of the U.S. and Canada."

I’ve been scouring through the T&C and can’t find this excerpt.  Would you mind posting the link that you are reading?

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

Looks like they're gutting the Presidents' Day sale and mainly offering SBC, without any cabin upgrade sale! Could care less about SBC. Will be interesting to see if any "OLife Choice Amenity" is actually "free". Seems disappointing:

 

"up to US$800 Shipboard Credit on a select set of sailings. Offer is valid from 16th January - 28th February 2023"

I totally agree.  That’s no “sale”!

23 hours ago, Robjame said:

A Quick check as you exit the elevator is to look for the telephone on the wall. The telephone is always on the Port side. A quick glance and you will look like a pro as you correctly turn to the side of your stateroom.

Brilliant tip!!  I didn't know that.

It was offered onboard Marina last month.

I always order the veal osso bucco in Toscana.  I used to make this time-consuming dish at home when entertaining way back in the 80s, so I can appreciate a fine preparation.  It’s luscious and tender.  I’m an affirmed pasta snob and am not impressed with the pasta dishes….they’re too over-the-top.  But that’s just my preference.  😀

For a true comfort food experience, you can’t beat the roast chicken in the GDR.  Excellent!