PelicanLvr

I am the OP and I thank you for all your replies.  

The last thing I will do on vacation is take the time to complete a corporate survey.

If O really wanted everyone's opinion ("to serve us better") they would make it easier to complete the survey.  I'm sorry a few wonderful crew members will not get a mention from us.

Yet another example of O's corporate ignorance of reality.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Just returned home from a wonderful 12 nights on Nautica's Spain & Canary Island itinerary.  I logged into the O website and looked for survey link.  Didn't see it.  Don't see an email with link either.  

Can I still access it as I would like to acknowledge some outstanding staff.  

Thanks.

Yes, have some fun buying stuff in a local store.  You don't need food from the ship to have a picnic!

Enjoy!!

Just looked at the Rivera deck plan on the O website.  According to the O website there are currently no A category staterooms on Deck 7.  The extended balcony aft staterooms are shown as B3.  Perhaps there is a deck plan change as of a certain future date.

Anyone know about this?

OP,  Thanks for the heads-up.   

Interesting.

On 9/10/2023 at 11:15 PM, babydrum said:

I have 5 days in Israel.  First day Ashdod, 3 days Haifa and last day Ashdod.  I considered getting a permission to leave the ship and get a hotel in Jerusalem for 4 nights and doing all of my tours from there.  The last day of my stay is on the Sabbath and I heard it's hard to get transportation out after 2:00.  Guided Tours Israel is available for a private tour on my days,  If I can get two couples the prices below would apply which are very reasonable.  If we do it on our own it averages $910 for us per day and I'd be better off using a ship's tour.  Would you mind sharing the name of the company you used?  I'd rather have a Christian focused tour without the politics.

 

May 27, 2024 - Jerusalem and Bethlehem : $159 per person

May 28, 2024 - Biblical Galilee : $159 per person

May 29, 2024 - Acre and Rosh Hanikra: $159 per person

May 20, 2024 - West Coast - Tel Aviv, Jaffa and Caesarea: $159 per person

May 31, 2024 - Dead Sea and Masada : $179 per person

We did 5 days of private (just DW and me) tours with GTI on a non-cruise land trip there.  Eventhough that was about 10 years ago, it remains perhaps the most interesting and broadening travel experiences we've had.  We are Christian and GTI did a great Christian focused tour.  Our guide was aware of the "large tour" bus schedules and we were kept away from them.  Many sites were quiet.  The guide knew many of the guards etc. and doors were opened for us that are usually closed.  We had open discussions in the car between sites about all subjects and felt like we got an insight into so much.  It's great to have the same guide for all 5 days and you really get to really know them and Israel.  

Yes, you will save a few dollars doing the crowded and slow-moving ship tours.  But we saw so much more and Israel is so worth the small investment to get the most out of your visit.   

Pana37 - Welcome to Cruise Critic and to cruising! 

I really don't see any problem here for you.  Since this is your first cruise cruise you are not familiar with departure day "hurry up and get off" cruise line mentality.  They want you off ASAP to get ready for the new passengers.  Everyone is off the ship by 9:30....I mean everyone!  Anyone who wants to be off earlier will be off well before that.

Perhaps a better understanding of cruise disembarkation will help you.

Prior postings here are correct, "walk-off" disembarkation (you carry all your luggage off) is the earliest.  In our experience that is probably finished by 8am.  Then the groups with luggage in the terminal start.  

Here's how it works:  During the cruise you will get a form to fill out to get assigned a departure group.  If you don't want to self-disembark, ask for an early time (like 8-8:30).  You should be at the airport by 10ish.  Noon flight should be no problem.....presuming no issues (which don't happen very often). 

X will be boarding the new passengers probably before 11am,,,,,  you will be long-gone and at the airport by then especially if you ask for an early disembark group. 

So relax about disembarkation, X has it down to a science.  It's a bit chaotic, but it happens very fast.  

1 hour ago, Woodrowst said:

The answer to your first two questions is:  you never know.  It is up to the harbor master to assign docking assignments and our experience in Barcelona is this can change right up to the last day of the cruise.  On our recent Dubai to Barcelona Oceania cruise the specific disembarkation terminal was only announced two days in advance.
 

If there are no delays ( a big “if”) you might be able to be at the taxis at 8:20am.  But that assumes that that everything goes like clockwork and lots of things can gum up the works.

 

We have disembarked twice in Barcelona and both times there have been plenty of taxis.  But you can wait for up to 20 minutes depending on how long the line is.

 

if you are asking because you want to make an early morning flight (seemingly the most common reason people ask these questions on cruise critic) you can search for strings that address this.  You will find the consensus is not to try to make an early flight.  Too many things can go wrong and it is not worth worrying about it while you are on vacation.  The advice is to take an afternoon flight or stay a day and enjoy the wonderful city of Barcelona.

Thanks for all the info.  We are returning home to NYC and the non-stop leaves at 12:15 pm. 

We booked that flight and deciding if we should book a car to be waiting for us. 

We will be disembarking from Nautica in Barcelona in November.  Does anyone know:

What Terminal Nautica uses?

How early can you self-disembark?   - O arrival time says 8 am

Are taxi's plentiful at the terminal?

Thank you in advance for any info.

Clearly either is fine and appreciated. 

Interestingly, the crew would need Euros on shore on the OP's Med cruise.... but I presume the ship currency is USD (for their costs on the ship).  

I'm sure they this all figured out + the best way to convert it to their home currency.  

If you are making your own arrangements at Iguazu, please consider Belmond's Hotel de Cataratas.  It is inside the national park & right at the falls, so guests have access to the falls before & after the park is open.   You literally are alone with the falls on the catwalks.  Outstanding experience!

On 9/19/2023 at 9:11 AM, C4HCG said:

Enjoy Aruba and if you go to Eagle Beach let us have your views as we’ve seen that as a possible trip for us next year.

Doesn't sound like the OP got to Eagle Beach.  We have been to Eagle Beach on cruises and actually rented an apartment there last winter.  

If you are looking for a beach day in Aruba, Eagle is the beach to go to!  Very convenient cab ride from the port and a beautiful long beach with great sand.  Chairs and umbrellas are available to rent (expensive - $55 US for 2 chairs +umbrella).  It can be crowded mid-day (like 11am -2pm) so go after breakfast.  

Very easy to get a cab back to the ship from Eagle.  Nice beach day!

Thank you to all for your helpful info.

Taking a port-intensive cruise in November from Barcelona.  Interested in how Terrace works for dinner.  Any description is appreciated.  Thank you!

10 hours ago, numnums said:

I'm interested to see how it will pan out, I usually don't need fancy drink packages so I would probably only get the cabin, NA drink pack, and maybe some wifi.

When the cruise only fare comes out for this cabin, will you be intrigued?

How would you think it compare to the other cabins? Vs Spa Passes? Treatment?

 

Once the changes roll out, I'll be keeping an eye out since I wanna try dining in the BLU at least once.

Very interesting news!  Is there a link to the announcement for more details?

X website still says "cruise only" not available for AQ.  

HI to the OP (from a fellow-NYer)

Been to all your ports and most several times.  If I had a friend going who had not been to any of your ports I would tell them:

2 Best Beaches:

Aruba - Go to Eagle Beach.  Easy to get a cab and one of the great beaches in the Caribbean.  Palm Beach is too crowded with the high-rise hotels there.

Grand Cayman - 7 mile beach.  Great beach. - BUT stingray City there is very cool and really worth going to.  Maybe you could do both but try to do stingray city if that looks good to you.

Both are long beautiful beaches with soft sand.

Bonaire - World famous for the best snorkeling in the Caribbean.  Book a trip (ship or private) - but do not miss the snorkeling there if that interests you.  It really is better here.  If you want to DIY get get a ferry ticket (very short ride) to Klein Bonaire (which you can easily see from the docked ship) and drift snorkel.  Outstanding! - but no shade there.  People seem to love the golf-cart thing too.  Haven't done that yet.

Curacao - Don't love this stop.  Beaches are far from the port.  Some rent a car...we just walk into town.

Enjoy your trip

Babydrum - Have been to Petra on an overnight land tour, not a cruise.  The O tour description seems to cover what you need to see.  Also Petra is a couple of hours drive from the port and you are in Jordan.  We also do alot of DIY shore excursions, but this is not the place for that. 

I think it would be smart to use the ship tour.  Petra is one of those once in a lifetime sites that even a less-than-perfect guide will not spoil.  Worry less about the tour reviews here because Petra "speaks for itself". 

Suggest you take an hour pre-trip to watch a video and/or read-up about Petra to understand more about it before seeing it.  We find we get so much more out of seeing significant world sites by knowing a bit in advance. 

Enjoy Petra, it's spectacular!  Even better than the pictures!

2 hours ago, Nachosdelux said:

I would not recommend the cruise transfer. 
 

definitely take a taxi or uber instead. 

Agreed!  Why be herded like cattle with ship transfers.  

If you walk off with your luggage you will probably be in the airport waiting area by 9am

If you get off and claim luggage you will probably be at the airport & waiting around by 10am.

So simple in FLL.

BERLIN:  Download the free Rick Steves Berlin walking tour from his app.  It will give you a great overview in the limited time you will have there.

Two names to check into further:

Romeinlimo - Highly rated on these boards for private tours from all Italian ports. We used them in Livorno.

Walks of Italy - Has ability to get you into sites after hours or sites closed to the general admission public.  We have done their "pristine Sistine" tour which is access to the Sistine Chapel before the Vatican Museum opens.  Also did after-hours at St. Marks in Venice and access to the "floor" and gladiator areas of the Coliseum.  All outstanding experiences. 

Enjoy planning.

Highly recommend "Walks of Italy" for "special" access to major sites in Rome.  Have done several of their walk-tours in Venice and Rome and all have been outstanding.  They have permission to get you into areas not open to the general-admission public.

If you can make their tour times work with the bus schedule, it would be a good move.

There are a few other special-access companies recommended on these boards that you might also check out.  

Romeinlimo is also excellent.  We used them (just for 2 people) for a full-day private countryside tour out of Livorno.  They are highly recommended on these boards.

40 minutes ago, hawkesbaynz said:

Rometolimo is a good transfer company btw

???

We have used romeinlimo (frequently recommended on these boards) and they are excellent.  

We live about 25 miles from JFK.  The local quality transportation company is:

Delux Transportation

Port Washington NY

Just call in advance (easier than the website) and book with flight info.  

Reliable....not cheap....but reliable.

9 hours ago, tscoffey said:

 

 

I originally paid my cruise deposit in mid-December, 2022. I don’t have trip insurance yet, so I assume I can’t insure any future flights or hotels associated with this cruise that are purchased in the future, correct?

 

 

If you have insurance questions, you should call one of the travel insurance agencies like "insuremytrip".  They can best explain your insurance options.

About to book one of these large-balcony rooms.  They look great.  Are there any drawbacks like:

Crew service area to avoid?

Noise from the theater below?

Replies are much appreciated.  Thank you!