franski

I think it was $35 US when we went last year. The amount will be added on to your shipboard account - so you won't need cash. Some people said you don't need passport pictures, but I didn't want to take a chance - so had pictures with us. By any chance, are you a member of CAA? They do passport pictures for free. Fran

We went with a company here that arranged everything (as a package) in Egypt, Israel & Jordan. Our boat was older - but quite clean. It was not full. The staff were wonderful. We got back home just as Covid hit... My only suggestion is to book something with 7 days on the Nile. You can do 3 or 4 night cruises - and see the same things - but it would be very rushed. Also - we did the add-on to Abu Simbel - and it was amazing. Fran

We did the Rhone/Saone with Avalon. Our trip started with one night in Monaco before busing us to the boat. We went in a couple of days early and spent some time in Nice. Our trip ended in Paris - and Avalon puts you on the TGV train so the trip is quite quick. We have not done the Garonne or Dordogne, but are starting to look at that area. Fran

Good decision!! We almost always travel aquarium class as we prefer to save money for the next trip. When we did our Christmas market cruise a number of years ago, some people we met wanted to come and see what an Aquarium Class cabin looked like... All of them wished they had booked lower category as they realized they didn't get any use out of their balcony (freezing cold the year we went) - and the view wasn't as hoped due to the early sunset. I am sure traveling in warmer weather with longer days may make some change their decision. As mentioned above, you have extra storage space with the higher window. We also will use it as a drying rack (if we hand wash some "smalls" on the cruise...). Enjoy!! Who did you end up booking with? Fran P.S. Louisville is a favourite place of mine... many good friends there!!

He might qualify... Call to ask. The general public cannot purchase this plan. I called (after hearing about the plan from a friend) and talked with a lovely woman at Medoc. Johnson Insurance is available through the RNAO and ONA (Nursing Union) but I had retired when I called. Luckily for me, they have a category called "Friends of Healthcare", and because I have friends (also nurses) who are still working, I was able to get insurance with them. The big thing is the fact that pre-existing conditions do not automatically disqualify you. My husband is diabetic with a history of high blood pressure - but he still qualified. We pay a bit more for his premium, but he is still covered. We had the 35 day plan for a couple of years, but moved back to the 17 day plan this year (coverage is Sept 1 to Aug 31) as our planned trips (so far) are under that length. But, I can always bump it up if needed. A friend who now travels with Medoc broke her foot while in Thailand last year - and she said that Medoc was quite easy to deal with. Fran Fran

HI - We are booked with Air Canada. Non-stop to Lisbon, and home from Madrid. Not a cheap flight - but bit the bullet on this to celebrate our 45th. Just booking the Douro was more per person than we usually pay. The Douro hardly ever goes on sale - and sells out quickly. But, I can't do extreme heat - so the summer is out. Booking for peak times (May & September) was a challenge, but I found a tour with AMA that gives me all I want, and we are on the boat on our anniversary. At least the travel time to Portugal is less than the time it took to get to Vietnam. I would go back to Vietnam/Cambodia in a heartbeat if the travel time wasn't so brutal!! Fran

Hi - We were in Room 314 - right off the main lobby... Our bed faced the lobby and back (aft) of the boat. The room beside us (312) would have had the bed facing the bow - as the bathroom walls butt up against each other for the plumbing. I expect it would be the same on the other side of the corridor. It was a great cabin... close to the lobby, lounge, staircase to the dining room - or further down to the laundry, and the doors to enter/exit the boat. Fran

We booked premium economy for our upcoming trip (Douro cruise). We fly (direct) to Lisbon and home from Madrid. This is an anniversary trip - and I wasn't going to chintz out on the flight!! Fran

Hi - Not sure if you qualify to purchase, but we have travel insurance through Medoc - via Johnson Insurance. I qualify as I am considered a "friend of healthcare" (retired nurse). My friend has it as her husband retired from Toronto Hydro. It is an annual package - either 17 or 35 days. There are 3 levels of coverage - based on your risk. It covers trip interruptions or cancellations, out of country medical, lost luggage etc. You just have to be back in Canada for 24 hours for it to restart. The trip cancellation amount is fairly substantial... $8k/pp/per trip. You can pay in 1 lump sum - or monthly via bank withdrawal. Fran

Not sure where you are flying from... We flew out of Toronto. Paid the money to book premium economy - and I am so glad we did. We flew EVA air - and I was very pleased. It was 14 hrs to Taipei - then another 5 to Hanoi. It made the 6.5 hrs to Scotland last September feel like a short flight! Fran

Hi - A friend called and asked me about our travel insurance, as I was telling her about our annual plan. She cannot purchase the same plan, as it is for Canadians only. I was not able to answer her questions as I am not sure what types of travel insurance is available in the US. I said I would post on Cruise Critic - and ask the people who regularly travel. So... 1) Is there an annual plan available to people in the US? 2) If so, what does it cover? (Mine covers trip interruptions & cancellations, out of country medical etc. I am covered for 17 days on each trip - I just need to be back in Canada for 24 hrs for it to reset). 3) If there is not something similar, what would people suggest for insurance? 4) Is there a website that I can direct her to that deals with insurance? Thanks so much for your help in this. I have taken my travel insurance options for granted - and, in talking with her, realize how great my plan is. Hopefully there is something similar she can purchase. Fran

I am sure you will enjoy it!! We did the Hanoi/Ha Long Bay extension (18 day tour). We decided not to include the stop in Hua/Hoi An as we were going into Hanoi a few days early, and stopping in Bangkok on the way home. So - already a long trip. This was my husband's bucket list trip. But, I must admit, it was one of the best trips we have taken. Emerald runs a great tour - their guides are top notch. I would happily go again if it didn't take 20+ hours to get there... Fran

Hi - The ship looks impressive... I looked at the prices and the itinerary. The itinerary seems pretty standard, although the prices seem a bit high compared to other cruise lines. Just wanted to point out a couple of things I noticed. 1) The short video showed open doors to the balcony. Given the heat, we did not open our windows at all on the boat. It was very hot (and we went in February - not the hottest month!!) and we were glad to get back into an air conditioned environment after the tour(s). 2) The bike rides mentioned were 15-18 km long. See above re: heat... Unless you are from an environment that is similar, I would caution about riding a bike that distance in that heat. 3) On first look, it appears that the boat sails further. But, the tour (at least the one I looked at) ended in Phnom Phenh.. Most river components end there - with busing up to Siem Reap if you are interested in going further. 4) You do not board the boat in Ho Chi Minh city... rather, are bused to My Tho. Most lines do that. Emerald actually has you board in HCMC. Fran

Hi - We went to Bangkok for 3 days after our trip last year (with Emerald). We stayed at the Theatre Residence - a little more hidden than some I was looking at. There is a pool in the courtyard at the front - and we enjoyed having some time to rest & relax after our trip. We did do a couple of day trips from there --> one day we went out to the floating market, and the railway market (about 2 hours from town...). The next morning we went to see the reclining buddha. The hotel was able to arrange transfers to/from the airport for us. BTW - we flew from Toronto with EVA air, and would highly recommend them. Bit the bullet and booked premium economy (due to the long travel time...) and it was well worth the money. Fran

We have done the Seine twice... The first time was our 1st river cruise - with Uniworld... and it was amazing. The second time was with Avalon. Also great. We have cruised with most of the main players - Uniworld, Scenic, Emerald, Viking, Avalon & AMA. While most stops are similar (and, many still want to take you to the "most magnificent" church or cathedral...) - there are some differences. We have found that we have had more options when we travel with Avalon, and have re-sailed some of the rivers with them. So - same river, but different trip. For the Seine, we had options in every port except Rouen. The included excursion there was a walking tour of the town, but we had already done that. I discovered that there was a new (at least, new since we had been there before) interactive Joan of Arc exhibit at the Rouen cathedral. We walked over and went through that and quite enjoyed it. After, we picked up sandwiches and drinks at a small booth - and wandered down to the river and ate lunch sitting on a bench. Nice to watch the world go by... For the day in Normandy, there were multiple options. You could join one of 2 groups heading to the beaches (one went to the US sites, the other visited the UK/Canadian beaches) - or, you could head to Bayeux to see the tapestry, and then visit an apple farm - where Calvados was produced. My DH did the beaches again (said it was good...) - and I did the tapestry. Lunch was included... It would have been nice to sail to Honfleur, but I was happy with the tour we did. We almost always travel aquarium class... And Avalon's lower end cabins are at the top end from a space perspective. Fran

I had already added the pre-paid gratuities for my booking in June. I will keep an eye on that as my final payment is due in March. Fran

For clothing/shoes... make sure that you have stable footwear. There is lots of walking over uneven ground - and lots of steps. Something with support would be good (ie: flip flops not great for the excursions). For clothes - your shoulders need to be covered to get into any temples. Some places accept a shawl to cover your shoulders, some do not. Sometimes you need to take your shoes off... not all the time. I didn't find they were as strict with covering your knees - my husband (and many of the men on our tour) had knee length shorts and they were never stopped from entering any temples. There was a self-serve laundry on our boat - we travelled with Emerald. It was busy almost all the time. You needed to be strategic in your timing to get your laundry done (machines were free - and detergent was provided). We did laundry late at night - some did early morning - some put in a load when they went to dinner - and then popped out during dinner to switch it to the dryer. I had one "dressier" dress - that is machine washable - to wear on the dressier nights. Otherwise, I wore dressy capris or a casual midi shift dress. I had one pair of dressier sandals that I wore while on the boat. Make sure you have good bug repellant... and generously coat your feet & lower legs. The bugs are brutal... Fran

The internal flights can have different weight restrictions. We are used to 23 kg/50 lbs for checked luggage. Flying from Siem Reap to Bangkok, the weight limit was 20 kg/44 lbs. And - if you purchase a second bag and just expect to pay the cost of an extra bag... be prepared. My friend did that - but in Siem Reap they weighed both bags together (as she only had a 1 bag limit with her ticket category) and they charged her for the overage based on weight. VERY pricey. We booked premium economy (flew EVA air - very impressed) - and so we had a free second bag if we wanted it. We ended up bringing our friend's extra bag home with us - and then had to get it down to her (we are in Canada, she is in the US). Fran

Having been to both Nuremberg & Regensburg on a river cruise, I would suggest you stay in Regensburg. I really enjoyed Nuremberg, but $300 is a lot of money for what is (in essence) a bus ride and a half day tour. And depending on how much "free time" you have, you may not really have time to do anything extra (ie: see the art bunkers). The War Memorial is *not* where the trials took place. That is (unless something has changed...) still an active court room, and you can only visit if there are no trials on that day. It says you "admire" the Imperial Palace... Does that mean you get a tour inside? It seems as if most of the day is spent driving by - or stopping to admire from the outside - the places they identified. Lots to see & do in Regensburg, IMHO. Fran

Hi - As gnome12 indicated, there were no active participation activities once we were on the river boat. If you choose a tour that includes a cruise on Ha Long Bay, there are opportunities for kayaking. Apparently there are beaches for swimming as well, but the weather was too cool for that when we went in early February. Lots of transportation "fun" - in carts, tuk tuks etc. Most times on the Mekong, however, the boat is moored on the water - and you are tendered into the village(s) you are visiting. Lots of walking... and depending on the time of year - lots of walking in HOT weather. If you feel that you really want/need biking or kayaking - or other active pursuits (eg: hiking - up hills) - to really enjoy a river cruise, then I would respectfully suggest that you look at something along the Danube - or perhaps the Rhine. Many lines offer biking as an "included excursion" in Europe. But those type of excursions aren't offered anywhere (as far as I know) on the Mekong. Fran

Hi - sorry for the delay in response... We arrived in a day ahead and spent the night at the host hotel (we had a couple of places we wanted to see on our own...). Avalon often has a hotel identified so that people who arrive in before they can board have a place to "hang out"... We just checked out of the hotel - dragged our luggage downstairs where the Avalon people took care of it for us. Fran

Most people have their favourite lines... And seldom stray. Why change if you are happy?? I tend to look at itinerary, dates and then prices. I am not brand loyal. I have travelled with Avalon 4 times - one more scheduled this June. I have travelled with AMA once - with a second booked in May of this year. I have also travelled with Viking, Scenic, Emerald & Uniworld. There are more similarities than differences IMHO. Food is subjective - as is the included wine & beer. You have no control over the cruise director - or the kitchen staff. Both of these can impact the cruise. From my memory, AMA was (is) a bit more upscale than Avalon - but that isn't important to us. If it is to you, then AMA might be your better choice. Neither includes gratuities - but I just add them at the time of booking so I don't have to worry about them on the boat. I usually travel lowest category (aka Aquarium class) so room size is important to me. If you travel in a higher category, the Avalon rooms - with the bed facing out to the water might be enticing (until you are rafted - if you like to keep your curtains open...). I like the more relaxed atmosphere on Avalon. I also like the fact that they offer more than one option for the included excursion. I believe that AMA is now doing the same. This allows me to sail the same river - but see different things. I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. Just look closely at the itinerary - that is often where the differences are. Fran

I learned something when we did a tour with Avalon that started in Amsterdam. There was an optional tour to Zanse Shans on the day we were to board the boat. Only 6 of us signed up - but they ran the tour anyway. They said that since we had paid ahead - and they pre-booked the guide - that they would continue even with the low number of people. Not sure if this practice has continued... but it was good to know. On the boat, if there is a minimum number needed to proceed, they will announce that - and give the number needed. Easy to cancel and not charge you if numbers aren't met. Perhaps not as easy with a tour that had to be pre-booked before you arrived in town. Fran

One difference in the Canadian/American language is in reciting of the alphabet - specifically, the last letter. In Canada, "Z" is pronounced "ZED"... In the US it is "ZEE". Fran

We did a tour of Peru with Avalon, that included 4 days on the Amazon. The river portion was with Delfin cruises - and it was amazing. Lots of time off the boat on smaller boats, lots of wild life to see... We went in March - so at the end of the wet season - and had great weather. I actually swam in the Amazon... and a pink dolphin breached right in front of me!! A moment that I will remember forever. We found the rooms nicely appointed... Lots of flying on that trip - as we flew from Lima to Cusco (then took the train to Agua Calientes to see Machu Picchu) then back to Lima and up to Iquitos (for the Amazon). We went in a few days early and flew from Lima to Arequipa - and then back to start our tour. We ended up at the airport in Lima 6 different times!! Fran