fuzzywuzzy

[quote name='cbr663']I agree that the entertainment needs to improve. I also think that a new coffee supplier would be a big improvement. We found the quality of the food on our last cruise lacking. Pastries were dry and flavourless, the MDR was uneventful (the baked alaska was not good), the midnight desert was un-inspiring (enough with the different flavoured sponge cakes and mousse), and the attention to small details missing throughout the entire cruise.

We are hoping that our cruise in a few days will be better.[/QUOTE]

We had wonderful entertainment on our cruise across the Atlantic. The singers and dancerswere awesome. Hal Cats were great too.

We loved the desserts. There were many kinds to choose. I especially liked the Tiramisu in the Pinnacle. Delicious! !

I was disappointed though in the lack of flower arrangements around the ship. There were a few small ones but not like on other cruises.

[quote name='SeaBands']Offer a package like X with drinks incl.
Have small cabaret shows in the Princess theatre as an alternative to the big show in the main room. These could be on the nights when they have a comedian or a juggler or single entertainer.
Allow 3 and above star cruisers to check in at muster drill and then leave once they acknowledge the location.
Have a way to hear announcements in your cabin if you wish.
Better interactive tv to view bills, menus, etc.
Stop leaving all that paper in your mail boxes for auctions, sales and spa. Most is immediately dumped in the trash.
Price wine like Princess does with a fair markup, not 3 or 4 X like now.
Allow smoking in the casino bar again but with better ventilation, improve ventilation in the casino as well.
Add some new ports to the Caribbean cruises like St. Croix, Progresso and few others sailing from FLL. We have been to all the current ports many times and are losing interest in sailing again.[/QUOTE]

I understand about the paper ads in mailboxes but it's their way of advertising. If they didn't how would guests know? The paper is recycled.

I wish they would upgrade the tv's with proper speakers Our tv was very difficult to hear even if we turned up volume..

We just got off the Celebrity Summit, B2B. Here is a youtube video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBsIQadfAyA

Our first cruise was our honeymoon.We thought we would take the once in a lifetime vacation

Every year since we have gone on another "honeymoon." And something even better,I think my wife is even prettier today than she was 34 years ago. Am I one of the luckiest guys in the world or what?:)

 

Awwwwwe....what a lovely thing to say.

Sounds like a perfect match to me. HAL has always won us over on their itineraries too. We can't seem to leave them now.

 

Lol. My DH and o also. We started cruising with HAL when we were in our early 50's and now we're 62. We still feel like the "babies" on the ship excep for a handful of younger people. We just returned from a TA cruise onboard the Noordam. Many walkers, etc.

 

We always enjoy HAL's itineraries and the quieter atmosphere and the food of course. One interesting thing I might add is that if you didn't take dancing lessons you might feel intimidated about getting up to dance. Everybody looked as if they were ballroom dancers! Some were excellent and provided a good show. But my husband wouldn't get up to dance because of this.

How was your apartment. We loved ours.

 

Yes we were very happy with our apt. It was amazing! A 16th century palace that is still owned by the same family. The courtyard held some Roman artifacts and there were large marble stairways. The apt had 20 ft high ceilings with big livingroom and bedroom, lovely big bathroom with a bathtub. Nice kitchen with all the amenities. A second bathroom with shower. It had a lot of character and very clean. We especially loved the location right on the Piazza Navona.

 

There was a Nespresso machine in kitchen with cartridges and fresh bottle of milk in frig and a bowl of fruit. That was very appreciated.

Front desk on Eurodam is collecting for Philippines Red Cross. Flyer was distributed to each cabin.

 

This was done on the Noordam as well. I just returned home last night from a TA on the Noordam from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale. There was a special ceremony given in Vista lounge theatre for the crew and staff who are from Phillipines. Guests could watch from balcony. It was touching with words from the Captain and the minister.

 

The guests also received a letter to let all passengers know about the relief fund.

Had a great cruise from Rome to Alicante, Malaga, Cadiz and the Azores then across Atlantic to Ft. Lauderdale arriving yesterday. Will post trip report soon.

We used Rome cabs from Port to Rome Airport on Nov 13th. We asked for them at 7am and we disembarked at 6:30am and they were there and whisked us away. They were fabulous and would recommend them to anyone needing a transfer and will certainly use them again if i am in Rome

 

We also used Romecabs on Oct. 27 from airport in Rome to our apt. at Piazza Navona. Our driver was right on time with a sign with our name on it. Great driver. We also used them to take us to cruiseport. Right on time. Will definitely use them again.

Hello VirtualRain - first of all, thanks for the excellent post! We followed your recommended route a few weeks ago and it was great. Your tip to purchase combo tickets at Palentine Hill was fantastic! The only thing that I would add is that we were constantly pushed for time. The earlier posts comparing this itinerary to the Amazing Race were 100% accurate! We had to skip lunch entirely and then were literally SPRINTING along the Vatican wall trying to try to get to the museum by 2:00pm (NOTE: It is a LONG walk from St. Peter's Basilica to the Vatican Museum entrance!) That said, I would not advise going later than 2:00pm because it takes at least 2 hours to get through the museum, and then you have to take the metro to Roma Termini and finally catch the train back to Civitavecchia.

 

For anyone considering this route: please note that it involves a LOT of walking. It is not for the faint of heart! My wife and I are in our mid-40's and in decent shape, and we were literally exhausted by the time we got back to our ship.

 

I totally agree. That's why my DH and I stay in Rome precruise or post cruise. We are still exhausted but at least have some time to stop and enjoy the moment.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

age 74, Retired, 23 YRS IN NAVY, Naturally I wanted to be "Ancient Mariner" but it was taken. (I have never seen a post from him ) so I thought a while and came up with ANTIQUE SAILOR. DW was watching that antique show on TV at the time.

gary

 

LOL....Cute.

Mine comes from the nursery rhyme...fuzzywuzzy was a bear..etc. This was one of my favourites that I would tell my children when they were little. A coworker used a name from a nursery rhyme and I thought that was a good idea.

Hank, I had done a simple search for Tivoli before I posted this question, but did not receive the detailed info that I needed. Thanks anyway.

 

 

We are planning to go there as well as indicated in the link posted by Hlitner. I don't think we need to purchase tickets in advance?

 

Here's hoping it won't be too busy. We are planning to go either on the 29th or the 30th this month.

We were an hour early. They just scanned our tickets and sent us through. They didn't even bat an eyelid!

 

Maybe it depends how busy they are. We were early and they did NOT let us in. We went to find an outside cafe which was fine and I had the best cafe con leche ever !!

 

But once inside, it seems like there were still crowds and crowds of people. I think we picked a bad day because it was the weekend and there were many cruiseships in port. The walk down the long corridor to the Sistine Chapel was a bit claustrophobic as you could hardly move for people shuffling along. But the corridor is breathtakingly beautiful!! So that helps make up for it.

Of course once inside the Sistine Chapel it was worth it. We sat down and didn't budge for half an hour - just sat and marvelled. (If you are lucky to find a seat). Somebody got up just as we walked by and we sat down quickly.

What are wife beaters? I know what drives my DH crazy is people eating (sitting at a table, that is) in baseball caps! Maybe there's such a thing as cap-wearer-beaters and he could wear that.:)

 

They are t shirts with sleeves cut out of them. I guess to show off their muscles?? Dumb

But what happens if you're late? Do they still let you in?

 

Thanks,

Tony

 

Not sure. I guess it depends how late you are. I imagine they tell you to go to the back of the line.

I would try to make it there on time if at all possible.

Read this thread a while ago before planning my day in Rome and thought I'd come back and re-read it to see if I missed anything. Turns out I should have just printed your page 1 because that's exactly the trip I'm planning.

 

One question, if we book the Vatican museum ticket online for 2 pm and don't get there until 3:30 for whatever reason, will they still honour it? Likewise if we got there at 1, would they let us in or would we just shuffle our schedule to be there at 2? Also when it says 2pm does that mean people with 2pm tickets start lining up at 1:30 to be the first in at 2? I know that's more than 1 question. lol.

 

Thanks again for your great info.

 

Tony and Debbie.

 

The whole idea for a reservation is so that you don't have to wait in the huge lineup to get in. We arrived somewhat earlier than our time reservation and the guard would not let us in. We went for a delicious cafe con leche at an outside cafe.

 

They call out the time then you just walk in. There was a long lineup for those without reservations.

We have been reading about this debate on and off ever since joining CC.

The topic never seems to lose traction!

One of the most common refrains seems to be along these lines:

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richie2pies

I don't understand why people even care what other people wear. If you're comfortable with what YOU wear, why worry about other people.

 

Our thoughts: We adhere to the dress guidelines, which appear to be an attempt to hang on to the Old World Style and Comfort of shipboard life, which (we think) is the essence of HAL ships. We are happy with our choice and generally enjoy the formal nights.

 

If nothing else, at the very least it seems the polite and considerate thing to do for our fellow passengers who are enjoying a formal night dinner.

Is it really so difficult? We're not comfortable with the attitude of "it's all about me, and never mind what others think".

 

But that's just us.

If for some reason we don't wish to dress for dinner, we will eat in the Lido or maybe one day we will try a dinner in our cabin.

 

I totally agree. I don't understand the resistance of some to dressing up for formal nights.

 

Why is this so difficult? If people don't wish to comply with the ship's guidelines then why cruise?

They are now called guidelines, and it is hoped you enjoy following them so there can be a few nights that remain special in the former formal ship's dining traditions. Alternative dining is available in several venues (specialty restaurants, room service and Lido) if you don't want to participate on those evenings.

 

The smaller the ship, the longer the cruise, the later the dining time, the more likely you will still see many gowns and tuxedos. The dining room is done specially for that evening along with the menu.

 

There is little enforcement of dress guidelines any longer; it is a voluntary event and is now a lot easier to pack for as well at least for women. And men can rent tuxedos on the HAL website if they don't own one or want to pack one.

 

 

Yes, I agree. MY DH still likes to rent a tux as it makes packing so much easier and lighter..lol. The tux is waiting in our cabin when we arrive. How easy is that?

I find packing men's sportsjackets and shoes really weigh down a suitcase. I always order his tux online and it has worked out just great.

To ease packing, consider taking a long skirt or dressy slacks in a neutral color. Pair it with several dessy tops in chiffon/georgette, maybe with some sparkle. You could also add some knock-out costume jewelry to make an outfit pop.

 

Sometimes, I take a plain black outfit, use it both nights, but take different assessories, including different wraps. No one will recall what anyone else wears unless it's spectacular. On our Noordam Christmas/New Year's cruise, a young lady wore a silk embroidered kimono (sp) that was gorgeous. All the other passengers were talking about it because it stood out as the most beautiful outfit most of us had ever seen.

 

It's rare though that other passengers will notice from one formal night to the next what you're wearing.

 

.

 

Sorry but I have to ask....how do you know what other passengers are noticing on formal night?

 

Personally, my DH and I always notice what other people are wearing as I'm sure most others do too. You can't help but notice the lovely gowns and dresses especially if someone wears it well. I love looking at the other dresses and the shoes women are wearing also. People wear these outfits to look nice and to feel good. IMO

However... I have to ask one question... you took a picture inside the Sistine Chapel? Big NO-NO! You're lucky you weren't caught. Tsk tsk.

What they dont like are professional photos using tripods etc.It is really difficult to police the photo thing and who really cares. The only reason to not allow photos is the decrease in postcard and souvenier sales and if you think about the value of the treasures in the museum the concept is ludicrous.

 

Your own photos don't do it justice anyway I'm sure. We were there last year. Awesome. But too many people jammed in. The guards were yelling. .."NO PHOTOS"! Lol. We were lucky enough to find a seat and just sat to take it all in.

Encounter with Cuban refugees somewhere between Florida and Cuba:

 

 

Are they still fleeing Cuba??

We originally booked a regular transfer from FCO to Rome on our recent land trip, but a couple of weeks before our arrival I noticed they added a VIP Transfer on their website. http://www.romecabs.com/vip.php

 

We were arriving in Rome with another couple who was their first time in Rome, plus we had a few hours to kill before checking into our apartment, so I emailed RomeCabs to see if they can upgrade our reservation to an VIP Transfer and they did. We opted for a 2 hour mini tour that you basically visit many of the popular sites in the center of Rome by car, and we made a couple of mandatory stops: espresso and a pastry at a cafe, and a stop at Trevi Fountain for our coin-tossing pilgrimage. Because it was early in the morning, we had the fountain to ourselves! We never saw it so free of crowds before.

 

The driver you get on the VIP Transfer is an English speaking driver guide that specializes in tours, not a regular transfer driver that may or may not speak English. So we got tons of great info (which our companions loved on their 1st visit to Rome, and they had tons of questions!), great restaurant recommendations, and it felt like we were on a tour from the moment we left the airport to when we were dropped off at our apartment. Much more interesting than a straight transfer that we usually got before, that's for sure. I and my husband have been to Rome before, but it was nice to see all our favorite sites before arriving at the hotel, it made me forget all about the jetlag and got me all excited about being in Rome!

 

I hope that helps answer your question :)

 

Would you mind telling me the cost of this transfer/guided tour? Can you split the cost of the tour 4 ways? I see on their website they charge only an extra 10 euros per extra person so that would be 120 euros for the 4 if taking a one hour tour/transfer? So then the two couples could split the cost of 60 per couple I assume plus tip? What is a customary tip?

I booked my hotel in Ft. Lauderdale at the Comfort Suites as mentioned in my earlier post through www.Stay123.com. Why haven't they sent my confirmation yet? I booked it yesterday. It was only $89.00 per night with parking for the duration we needed. They confirmed the dates but not the price. Is this normal? I would also need a parking confirmation as well.

We just came back from a cruise and had used the services of Romecabs in taking us to Civitavecchia from Fiumicino and taking us back to Rome from Civitavecchia. In both instances Stefano has provided comfortable Vans(for 8 persons) and superior driving with ongoing description of places along the way.

I would recommend his company without any hesitation.

 

 

Hi: Just wondering about cost? Nobody has mentioned their prices.

Now, the Splendor is the most famous cruise ship the world. From our Crystal Symphony late July 2008 Baltics cruise, here are three views of this ship as we saw it in St. Petersburg and Copenhagen. We were also right next to it in Tallinn. That summer, this Carnival ship was brand new. Now, it is just a little "used". I can say that I "knew" the Splendor when things were much better.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 24,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

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

 

 

Here are three views of the now “infamous” Splendor as photographed from the Crystal Symphony during our 2008 Baltics cruise. The first picture shows this large ship docked in Copenhagen with some church dome/towers in the background. The other two visuals show the Splendor docked in St. Petersburg at its industrial-style port.:

 

 

 

 

I would sure hate to clean up that mess on the ship !! It would be horrendous I'm sure.