adirondak camper

I live in Costa Rica and pharmacies here do not label prescriptions, and do not even keep a record of what they sell except for a list they keep for the government for controlled drugs. I used to worry about being questioned, but they never seem to, even when in Europe for 4 weeks. I do bring the Doctor’s written prescription list with me just in case. The pharmacies here give it back to you, and do not keep anything. Everything here is in blister packs with the drug name on the back, no bottles. I worry more about airports than cruises.

We used the Travel Insiders, and loved our guide.  So satisfied we used them again this year for Athens.

Pretty much stopped going even though I sign up.  

No Mingling, or room to mingle, theater is wrong place for this, or a venue with only seating, no floor space for the mingling.  Or so few seats it’s a musical chairs. Sea day late morning.  Never on embarkation day, like on last Vision cruise I was on!

Not similar time as Top Tier.

Coffee and pastries are available from Cafe Promenade anyway, why go to event for same. Mimosas and a few savory snacks would give it the feel of an “event”

Name tags for our screen names. Invitations actually delivered, and Guest Relations aware of time and place.

Officers in attendance, and mingling! Not just announced and standing in front of room.

Giving of door prizes is not an entertainment event.....stop calling Champagne, shampoo.  Should not take more than 10 minutes.....otherwise, boring....

Others have given good advice on wanted door prizes. Even a logo pen would be good to let more people get “something”

If done fairly quickly, letting people give their screen names to break the ice.

Celebrity did it better, and MSC blew Royal out of the water. Best event ever, and I plan on always attending. Drinks, snacks, a beautiful whipped cream cake, and a group photo sent to everyone. Officers interacting.  I don’t even remember any door prizes. But there were lots of servers taking care of us.

I doubt that your ship will actually stop there.

https://ni.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

Just got a new update this morning.

I called the Crown and Anchor agent yesterday to change to My Time dining. He said it is sold out, and cannot be wait listed on the Oct 5 Med cruise.

This seems impossible with a cruise so far away. I'm doing a B2B on the TA on the 18th, and it too was sold out, but he could at least wait list me for My Time.

He did suggest calling in a few weeks to see if has changed.

Is this just incorrect information or has this happened before?

Puzzled...........

It would be the last place I would ever stay again. I have been there twice, and it gets worse each time. The last time their driver never picked me up at the airport, finally another hotel's van asked me if I wanted a ride, as he had seen me on his last 3 times through. It was midnight and I was alone. This is an old motel style property with doors on the outside and air conditioners dripping water on the walkways. Beware their taxi desk, better to call your own from your room. High, high prices and they pick up other people and you pay full fare. The Hampton Inn next door is very good, except there really isn't any shopping or good restaurants that are easy to walk to. Very busy wide highway in front.

Did it in November, but not sure it was a Friday. I took a train from Florence, changing in Rome. Reserved first class seat bought 3 or 4 months in advance. They don't post what track number until shortly before boarding. In Civitavecchia you have to go down a set of stairs and under the track and up another stairs. Very few if any taxi's. My B&B was in walking distance, and made arrangements for transfer bus to port the next day. Port is not in walking distance

Are you trying to board a ship the same day? That might not be possible.

Vision is my favorite ship by far!

MDR service is outstanding! Park Cafe is one of the best on Royal. Centrum and RBar lot's of fun....better entertainment than theater, especially when Capt Marek is entertaining. He is one of the big pluses for this ship. Great diamond lounge, Schooner Bar too. Been on her 6 times by choice, and doing Med cruise in October followed by TA to Miami. Can't say enough about the crew......although there was one bad apple at lunch and breakfast.....one time only!. Something like that is not enough to ruin a great cruise. It has become a good joke to tell. Got a lot of mileage out of "What is your soup of the day" "Cream of mushroom and I don't know" "Can I have some pepper" "We only have one for the whole dining room" LOL

I was due to hit 140 on the Jewel crossing last Fall, so I spoke to the LA on the Rhapsody in October to ask how they did it. He said I would get it during the cruise and he made a note in the computer to make the Jewel aware. When it wasn't given out at the welcome party on the Jewel I went to the LA and asked how they did it on the Jewel, he checked the records and said it would be in my room.........it wasn't

Just called C&A and they will mail it to my daughters house, and I may have to wait a year to get it from her. Anything mailed to me in Costa Rica will have import duty......grrr

I guess each ship has their own system.

It was $1000 each out of Newark for us. O think in general flights to Italy are usually around a thousand each.

More like under $400 if you book it right

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Going July 21, 2018!! Just booked.. how do you find affordable flights to Venice? We are from Denver? I am looking now and $1400-1800 a person is scaring me!

Check Air2Sea on Royal. But prices might be high so far ahead, check after the new year

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Sorry just saw this. It's a bit of a walk. They take you to a park area, and walk is along the ocean front. It was long enough we took the taxi back, depends on how much you want to walk, then the pier was very long to where the ferry was!

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Did it last year, and it was one of the best days on the cruise. Five women, we walked to the ferry dock from the shuttle from the ship, but we took a taxi back to get the shuttle to the ship. The ferry trip was beautiful, you will see such beautiful views!

Indian food was available by request on the Vision a year ago. Once our waiter saw it being shared, he started bringing several different dishes every night.

No, For US passport only,

The website says for Canadian passports too.

Fisheye B&B Venezia, right on Canal Canareggio. Two doors from Vaparetto stop Guglie. It's a 3 bedroom apartment with 2 baths. If you pay for all 3 rooms you can have a private stay.

Fisheye B&B Venezia, Canal Cannaregio. Right on the canal, next to Guglie Vaparetto stop. Nice hosts, clean, convenient to return to room during the day for a break.

I was on my first solo cruise(s) last year. I opted for the My Time or whatever Royal calls it. Wanted to be at table with other cruisers. I asked, and was told all the people in the dining room were either families or couples. I ate alone, and it wasn't the experience I wanted (some do, and cherish time alone) They very kindly transferred me to a table of 10 at the late seating for the rest of my cruises. For me this was wonderful, each week, I met nice interesting people. Some would meet before dinner in the Centrum, and we would enjoy a drink and watch the entertainment. The TA, someone had organized a solo and friends table, and that was even better. Still friends with most of them. We toured a few ports together and did other things on the ship. This year, I have a friend with me, but I organized a table for roll call members and have 8 spots filled at a table for 10. I know I will get the 2 more, and the C&A rep said they would fill in the 2 seats if we didn't find the rest.

I also asked to be seated at large tables anytime I had breakfast or lunch in the MDR. Very nice experience. Since you may not see some of these same folks again, the friendships don't develop as at dinner. But just saying hello starts a conversation, and I can't believe how interesting some were. Don't have to always eat alone at the buffet if dining room is open.

Captain Marek

Elvis is going to go far.

Is there a sauna / steam room on the Vision? Is it free or for fee?

 

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Yes, they are in the locker area, same deck as the Solarium, and no charge.

I'm a 71 year old solo cruiser. I did 4 B2B cruises (5 weeks) this Spring. (First time as a solo)

I started out on MTD, and asked for a large table. They could not do that at that time, and I ate alone. I asked for a large table for the rest of the cruise, and they only had late fixed time dining, so I changed, and what a pleasant experience it was! I changed the rest of the cruises to the late large table dining too. Not all the groups bonded, but we always had good conversation and laughs. Some tables had favorite meeting spots before dinner in the Centrum, and some didn't. But I was always running into some of my table mates on the ship, and it was nice to see a familiar face to say hello to. I also ate breakfast and lunch a fair number of times in the Dining Room, and as the head waiter knew I preferred larger tables, I was always shown to one without asking. Sometimes people start talking (I always say hello first thing) and sometimes it takes a while, but met some really interesting people. Sometimes it was just nice to listen to the conversations around me. All in all a pleasant experience. I truly enjoy my alone time on a cruise, and even with a roommate last year, we both did many things separately. It would take something special to cruise any other way now. I LOVE solo cruising!!:)

Can anyone that cruised Vision recently please comment on the spa area. Not services, such as massage, etc, but mostly about sauna, steam room, etc. thank you so much.

I used it several times. Locker room, bathroom, showers, steam room and sauna. Plenty of towels too.

Hi:) I have been traveling solo for many years and cruising solo since

2003.

 

How to find hotels in foreign cities.....well, I post on here under the

port forum that I am looking for....example, I stayed in Amsterdam

earlier this year and posted on the Western Europe forum and got some

good recommendations. I then went to Trip Advisor and read reviews

about some of the different hotels.......found something and booked

directly through the hotel I chose....and I made a very good choice and

would stay at the same place again.

 

The ports of call forums on Cruise Critic are really helpful:)

I need a good hotel recommendation for Amsterdam. What was the name of your hotel?

This is the worst hotel to stay at!

Old style outside entrance rooms, with leaking water from A/C on sidewalks. Pool area has crumbling paving stones. Breakfast is all packaged things, somewhat best thing, is do it yourself waffles. Elevator is dark and scary. Long, long walk to rooms. Shuttle never picked me up at airport. A Ramada driver gave me a ride, he had seen me there for so long. I called 3 times, and he tried the drivers personal cell phone.

Cheap isn't everything!