PhillyGirl2

Wow--lots of responses from my fellow cruisers--you are awesome. Yes, while there are issues, cruising is still our favorite form of travel with over 25 cruises from Viking to Seabourn. Our very first on Viking--China is still one of our favorite and most memorable and Viking did an outstanding job. I even spoke to other passengers about it aboard another Viking ship when they were promoting China. Also, this is the one time that we were able to shake hands across the deck railing to another ship that pulled along side of us and we did share a drink--so, yes, there are perks. I also agree with those who said that travel is the experience that I now look forward to as I age and I'm thankful that I have the ability to do so. On our China trip, one man cried when we got to the Great Wall, because he knew he would not be able to walk on it. So, dear fellow cruisers--go, experience the world and the heck with "double docking." I knew you would all make me see things differently--thanks so much!:)

We are booked to take, probably, our last river cruise on Viking. We have been on three other cruises with them and think that they are a fine company. However, am I may be:mad: getting too particular in my advancing age, but it seems that every time we take a river cruise (not much different than on an ocean cruise) we are faced with hoards of people in port indicating that river cruising has expanded so greatly that it is to be expected. I just looked at a picture of Viking's new longships that were christened this year. Wow!! How many more boats can the rivers take? One of the most annoying things that has developed over the years of river cruising is the typing up of two ships at one port and having to walk through the lobbies of another ship to debark. One night on a Danube cruise I opened my balcony door to the surprise of someone else's balcony from another boat. So much for being able to sit on the balcony. While the perks of river cruising are still obvious--smaller ships, better scenery, the ability to walk off the ship, etc. --the popularity of river cruising is putting a damper on some of the reasons why people chose to do so in the first place. O.K. I guess I'm getting old, grumpy and jaded.

Viking is offering this itinerary from Berlin to Prague and then land tour from Prague to Krakow, with hotel nights in both Krakow and Warsaw. We have been to Prague and love it but will venture outside of Prague to explore other areas. Thanks to all for your input!

I'm wondering if there is anyone who is doing the Berlin to Warsaw cruise this summer? If there is any info regarding what to do or not do on this itinerary, I would appreciate hearing from you. Many thanks!

Since we cruised R ships when it was Renaissance, we were familiar with the ship and it continued to be one of the quietest ships (staterooms) we have ever had--even the insidious flushing of toilets from adjoining cabins was more quiet. The food was good, lectures were good, shore excursions were o.k.--not great for the price--always better to try to find private excursions if you can. Many passengers on our 16 day cruise were continuing on from the 180 day cruise that had to be shortened to 90 days due to the drydocking because of the fire. No one, I spoke to had any issues, even the people who were in an inside cabin (I can't imagine for 90 days being inside). Would I cruise Oceania again, it would depend on the itinerary.

Thanks to all who have offered advice and shared their experiences. Yes, I guess this is the standard Elbe trip, which we have done, but have never been to Berlin, so three days before the cruise will allow us to spend some quality time there and as far as the cruise--we have seen some of the ports, and certainly another visit to Prague will be fine. We will just have to explore beyond Prague this time. I guess the bus trip from Prague to Krakow will not be exciting but we did a bus from Budapest to Prague and survived. It allowed us time to read and relax.

Caviargirl--thanks for the tip on the guide. Also thanks for reaffirming my belief and feedback that Poland is a wonderful place to visit. I realize Auschwitz will be a sad, difficult visit, but as a history teacher, I look forward to learning more about a time in history that I can accurately report to my students.

Thanks, yes, I know that a portion will be going from Prague to Krakow and Warsaw, but staying in hotels and being able to walk around the cities and being able to visit Auschwitz is something I look forward to. I have been on several river cruises and have dealt with weather too cold to enjoy the sundeck and being tied up to other ships, so the voyage on the river is not the main focus of this trip, plus three days in Berlin as we are doing a pre-cruise stay. Anyway, I hope that others taking this trip are looking forward to the experiences off the ship, not on it.

Has anyone booked Viking's new itinerary--Berlin to Warsaw? I' m looking forward to it and certainly hope the river is not an issue by July as I don't want a bus tour. I'm thinking that is my last Viking cruise as I have done most of the other itineraries and this one offers some sites that are on my bucket list.

We returned from a Panama Canal cruise on Insignia and although there were a few issues--they were not overwhelmingly problematic. This ship was probably the most quiet we have been on--never heard noise from cabin next door except the always present flushing of toilets (no matter what ship you sail). However, even this was more quiet than any other ship. We were on Insignia when it was Renaissance cruises and we remembered that it was a very nice, quiet ship. We thought the shore excursions were relatively mediocre considering the price. Debarkation was a little too long but the positives were good food--good variety, good cabin service for meals ordered in the room. The main dining room service ranged from good to poor, depending on the table and the number of people seated there. We noticed a pattern--if you sit at a table for six or more, expect to have quite a delay in service. Would I do Oceania again, yes, if the itinerary and the price were right.

We went to Cuba three years ago--People to People tour to designated places--fascinating, sad, eye opening, a little heartbreaking. One can imagine the beauty of the place before Castro. Incredible architecture, crumbling, food rationing, not much to buy and wonderful people who need help, economically. As far as cruising, I can imagine the ships stopping at Havana for a day trip, two at most, but the infrastructure is not there to support thousands of people getting off of ships. I imagine that it could be better in a couple of years, but certainly not now. I guess the resorts on the other side of the island where Canadians and Europeans visit, would be fine, but Havana is not ready. Seeing the 50s cars and drinking Mojitos everywhere you visit, smoking great cigars, drinking good beer, all wonderful, but restaurants serve bland food due to lack of ingredients. We are so glad that we went--the history, the people, all exceptional. By the way, we could have gone other places that were not part of the itinerary--a lot of people did go out at night to clubs, walk along the Malecon, etc. Cuba is worth seeing, especially for those who are intrigued by its history and relationship with the US. However, going on a cruise in the near future to see it would certainly not be the way I would want to see it.

Have a great trip--Barcelona is definitely one of our favorite European cities--great Paella, architecture is unbelievable. Many think Gaudi architecture is weird, we found it fascinating and lovely--Sagrada Familia is incredible. Gothic district for dinner at the culinary school was a treat and a side trip to Montserrat to the monastery on the mountain was breathtaking. Have a good time.

Not having a deck plan in front of me I'm trying to picture ìf it's located up front. I had a cabin on Sojourn on deck 7 next to the front suite. My bed vibrated so badly when the ship sailed faster than 8 knots that I could not sleep . I had to visit the ship's doctor to get sleeping pills which resulted in a $100 charge.

I had an issue a couple of years ago on the Cloud with a heinous noise in the wall of our cabin. It seemed to only occur at night but did happen occasionally during the day. I complained after several days, stating that I could not sleep because the noise was so horrible. I was told it would be "checked out" and was told that it was "fixed." Not true, the noise was unbearable. Finally, after telling someone that I was ready to get off of the ship, she came to my cabin and sat on the bed to listen for the noise. After explaining where the noise was coming from, she picked up the phone, called a cabin below ours and asked the person to flush the toilet. When the toilet flushed, she saw the walls rumble and heard the horrible noise. She immediately found us another cabin (thankfully one was available) on a higher deck (a definite upgrade) and our clothes and all of our belongings were moved for us and amazingly placed in the exact places they were in our previous cabin. We had a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us when we returned to our room I guess Silversea recognized that we had put up with this noise for several days, actually almost a week, and they felt that they should have done something about it earlier. Obviously there are some plumbing issues on the ship. While the ship was o.k. it was obviously in need of some remodeling. I hope that the rest of your trip is uneventful and enjoyable.

What's the deal with Oceania overbooking and then offering ridiculous offers to cancel your current reservation? My TA told me that all cruise lines overbook with the belief that passengers will cancel to accommodate the overbooking. However, I was just offered full refund and monetary compensation to give up my current reservation. Seriously, this is a little concerning. I have been on over 20 cruises and have never had this issue, so I'm thinking that Oceania has more of a problem with overbooking than other lines. Since I can only cruise certain times of the year, cancelling my reservation is not that easy. Hopefully, some retirees will see the cancellation offer as something great!

I just received some info about my upcoming cruise and saw, in writing, that Oceania automatically adds $15 per day per passenger to your bill. While I realize that some cruise lines are doing this, I am slightly annoyed. Even though, it states that you can adjust the amount when you pay your bill, I'm wondering if this is a way to shame a person into not changing. It's hard to say, no, I don't want to tip that much and not sound cheap. I now appreciate those cruise lines that allow you to put an amount of money in an envelope and drop it at a central place to be divided among the crew. Of course, tipping your cabin steward can be extra. I know that cruise lines like Seabourn and others include gratuities and that's why the prices are higher, but when you start to add up the cost of liquor and then gratuities, I can see why these all inclusive lines are perhaps, a good deal. Any thoughts on the gratuities that are automatically added as part of Oceania's policy?

Thanks, my fellow cruise critic colleagues, I appreciate your feedback. I will call my doctor and then make a decision. Oceania "highly recommended it" but so did the cruise line that we took to Cambodia and most people never did and the one couple we met who did, got sick from the pills. I guess whatever we decide to do will be a decision we will have to live with. Again, many thanks, what an awesome group you are!

I hope that someone can help with this but I was just notified that malaria drugs are "highly recommended" for this cruise on June 22, particularly due to the stop in Guatemala. I'm now questioning whether or not I should get off the ship. I have been told by doctors that some people suffer more from taking the pills that taking a chance. We were told to take the drugs when we went to Cambodia and we walked through some pretty dense jungle type areas, just put on mosquito repellent and wore long sleeves. When reading about the different type of medications (on the government website), it really limits who can take these drugs. However, for me it is a matter of taking these drugs and taking the chance of getting severe stomach pains, which is a side effect--who needs this on a 16 day cruise. I'm going to contact my doctor but does anyone have any insight into this situation? Thanks to all who reply--it will be much appreciated.

I'm sure many of you have received an email asking already booked passengers if they would like to give up their reservations for a choice of six other sailings. Well some are incredible--25 days from Lisbon to Cape Town for as much money as my 16 day sailing. How can this be? Unfortunately, I can't take advantage of this offer as I am limited to certain times of the year to cruise do to work commitments. I can't figure out how they can overbook to the point that they can make these offers. Do that many people cancel?

Just wondering!

Wow! What a decision to make--both are wonderful. If you have never been to Florence, it is a city not to be missed. I have been to Florence twice, but since you are going in October your experience will probably be different than mine. Crowds are at their peak in June which is when I went and lines to get into the museums are incredibly long. However, just looking at the beautiful buildings is inspiring and you will get some wonderful photos. Cinque terre is also beautiful--small towns, narrow streets, so lovely and are wonderful to see by water. We took a day trip along the coast from the cruise ship and stopped at 3 out of 5 of the towns. You can also get a train that stops at all five. This really may not provide an answer, but no matter which one you decide to visit, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy the trip, it will be wonderful.

Thanks, to all for the advice on booking restaurant reservations. You guys are awesome. Looking forward to our first Oceania cruise since we are Seabourn lovers, so hope it's wonderful. Much appreciation for the feedback.

Can you make reservations ahead of time in the specialty restaurants if you are on Concierge level or do you have to wait until you embark? Is it difficult to get a reservation? Thanks to all who respond.

We did a People to People tour to Cuba for five days--fascinating place, especially to a history teacher. However, even staying at the famous Hotel Nacional had its problems--we lost electricity the first night we were there--happy not to be in an elevator when it happened. Street lights along the Malecon were few and far between, shopping opportunities were minimal, and not being able to use your cell, credit card or currency, had its drawbacks. While you might expect the food to be good and spicy--most turned out to be bland because spices are hard to obtain. I even met a woman who brought a suitcase full of spices with her to give to people. One only has to go into the airport in Havana to see what things people are bringing into Cuba because they are so lacking in these things--flat screen tvs, microwaves, any electrical appliance you can imagine and then huge bundles of clothing coming off of the luggage belts. It's an amazing sight to see and very telling. While the old town section is being rebuilt and painted, the majority of the city is crumbling and in need of paint. It's actually heartbreaking to see the buildings and imagine how beautiful it must have been in the 30s and 40s--incredibly beautiful architecture. We saw the food ration system in progress and it is sad. However, the Cuban people were friendly and wonderful and I loved being among them. I can't imagine cruise ships racing to go to Cuba. Its infrastructure cannot support the masses of people who will descend on it. Perhaps in 10 years, it may be ready and perhaps some other areas of Cuba (resort areas frequented by Europeans) can handle some cruises, but 'Havana isn't ready. I'm so happy I went but breathed a sign of relief when the plane took off for Miami. When I said goodbye to our guide and said that I hoped to see him again, his reply was, "Yes, but I want to see you in the US, not here."

Has anyone done this cruise who could afford feedback before I commit--since it isn't exactly cheap, considering shore excursions, tipping, etc. Also, is there any bad cabins on the Concierge level. I have read that they are not worth the money but I like the itinerary since it hits places in Central America, South America and the Panama Canal, as well as goes to Key West. I guess, it's appealing because you leave from the US and return to the US without the 8-9 hour out of country flights. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Talisker for a wonderful, thorough review. It is greatly appreciated.