Carolfay

Looks like a good option. Thanks.

I will be disembarking a cruise in Yokohama on September 25. I'll have a fair amount of luggage and would like to reserve a limo to take me to my hotel in downtown Tokyo. Any recommendations for limo/taxi services would be appreciated.

It's always been delivered right to my cabin when I board. When you disembark, you'll be responsible for handing your bag over to the Luggage Forward representative at the terminal. Your bag will be picked up at your home several days before your cruise departs. For example, for my cruise departing September 2, I've been told to have my suitcase ready for home pickup on August 22.

I agree with the previous comments. I've had several good, albeit pricey, experiences with Luggage Forward - and I've arranged to use their service for my upcoming cruise. Be aware that they don't serve every port on the globe; I was unable to ship a bag to the port in Lima, Peru, earlier this year.

I prefer to call it a Stanley Kowalski.

I'm booked on this one, as a solo. It looks like a fun and unusual itinerary. One of the attractions for me is the Seattle departure, as I live near Portland, OR. It should be pretty simple for me to take the Amtrak ride to downtown Seattle and get a taxi to the pier.

I think it has a bearing on the way RCL is having an impact on Silversea. As snarky and elitist as the author is, it does seem to mirror some of the Silversea veterans' impressions of the "great unwashed" folks who sail on Royal Caribbean.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-icon-of-seas/677838/

We were in Chile when this became apparent. I heard at least a couple folks on board say, "Can't they just send somebody ashore to get a few cases of pisco." Sheesh.

Dunno. But I observed quite a few disappointed passengers, some of whom had taken the tour to the pisco distillery and were asking the bartenders for pisco sours. I think they replenished the supply before we left Chile.

And they ran out of pisco on Nova when we were in Peru and Chile - yikes.

Could probably be worse. If you see the words "Passenger Talent Show" among your daily activities, be very afraid.

Much the same situation aboard Silversea, as Royal Caribbean is now calling the shots.

When I was on Nova in January, one of the bartenders told me that management has substituted a cheaper liqueur for Drambuie. A couple other bartenders were candid enough to confirm this and add that there have been a number of similar substitutions.

Thanks! Exactly the question I was about to pose - and you answered it.

I don't think I'm the "kettle" in this case. I was trying to describe what appeared to be the attitude of the author. I believe the editors knew what kind of article they were angling for when they made the assignment, and I think it was a cheap shot on their part.

David Foster Wallace did a better job with this topic several years ago in Harper's magazine. I read The Atlantic regularly - and I found this piece elitist and cheap. Disappointed in the editors. Making fun of lowbrow cruise passengers on an enormous ship is like shooting fish in a barrel.

Just saw a comment on line stating that some passengers are leaving the ship tomorrow, so they can make use of their pre-existing flight arrangements. Sheesh . . .

For those who haven't seen this yet, here's Mr. Dooley's You Tube version of his earlier print article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/2024/03/06/royal-caribbean-cruise-line-photoshoot-sparks-passenger-chaos/?sh=5bef0521b90f Beginning to get a little notice from the media

You might want to take a look at the Silversea board and see what's going on with their Nova. The recent "photo op" announcement has many of the passengers ready to mutiny - and most are putting the blame on Royal Caribbean's corporate decisions. Plenty of "no more Silversea for me" comments.

I disembarked Nova a month ago in Buenos Aires. During my time on board, I met several of the Grand Voyagers. To treat them this way is insulting and unconscionable. To put PR and marketing opportunities ahead of passengers is a slap in the face. I hope this incident is well publicized and results in some appropriate consequences for Royal Caribbean and Silversea.

I visited Buenos Aires last week and found it to be a beautiful, exciting city. I hope to return. I am saddened by the situation that is making life so challenging for Argentineans. As tourists, we often see only the attractive facade presented to us. The reality for residents is all too often obscured. A local guide on one of my walking tours presented an unvarnished picture of what life is like for many Argentinians, and I hope visitors continue to receive this kind of information - in addition to enjoying the delightful side of this complex country.

I'm among those who disembarked this morning, and I'm now snug in a B.A. hotel for two nights. Be glad you didn't have to fight through the horde of humanity passing through the terminal. Princess and Norwegian were also disembarking at the same time. Near pandemonium. I want to weigh in and say how much I enjoyed the Nova and the delightful company I kept, both among passengers and staff. The ship never felt crowded, and there were always activities to tempt me. Even the several sea days were full of fun. I think I'm a Nova convert. Your blog has been a good source of information, and your photos are far superior to any I took. Best wishes to you and Nick as your voyage continues.

Sorry about Ecuador. I hope the Peruvians don't start getting restless, too, as I'm supposed to join Nova on the 16th in Lima.