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mispi

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Posts posted by mispi

  1. For me was the best result to choose 14 days cruise from Papeetee /French Polynesia / to Honolulu on NCL Jewell.

    Why ?

    It is possible to see two regions in one cruise - Polynesia and Hawaii,   visit 9 islands - 4 in Polynesia and 5 in Hawaii with only 5 sea days. We are from central Europe, so we save one long and expensive transport too.

  2. I am European cruiser, who is choosing cruises by routes, not by companies. So I have no high status anywhere. I have NCL latitude membership and I was very surprised, I am silver after one 14 nights trip via Panama channel /28 points /. I didn´t signed my wife for latitude that time 2 years ago, so she has no status in the moment. There are some benefits from membership - not so much, but they are. Now, we have booking for next 14 nights cruise from Papeetee to Hawai next year.

    My question is: Have I sign my wife now for latitude membership, or is it my membership good for both of us and it is not so important?

     

  3. Cannes - use the train for Grasse / fragrance museum Fragonard /, or Antibes /Picasso museum /, both 20 minutes ride in oposite sites. Nice is 50 minutes ride. Taxis and buses are very slow due the traffic, do not use them. If you are 2 persons and want to explore more of coast /Villefranche sur mer, Monaco, Nice / , buy day discounted train  tickets - 26€ for two.

    Or go by boat to Illes de Lerins from cannes port http://www.cannes-ilesdelerins.com/en/nos-bateaux/ beautifull island St. Honorat with functional monastery...

  4. I am from Slovakia / yes, it is EU country / and I always book Aida and TUI cruises with German TA ***** 

    I prefer to speak english, but I never had problems with it on these ships. The value of this cruises is high - in price there are tips included, some drinks like vine and beer - in mealtimes, basic internet and so on.

    If you need more info from discussion boards, look for German page wasserurlaub.info and use google translation.

    Next time I will use Aida, is the trip to Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius this Christmas and we are looking for it really much

  5. 4 hours ago, vluvski said:

    Well, thank you Beamafar and SirWolf, for the correction regarding the collection, purpose, and Destination of VAT.

     

    You are wondering, Beamafar, why Americans understand it this way.  I cannot speak for all, but the tipping Situation in Germany was explained in that way to me by a native German living in America, an American who previously lived in Germany, and by my professional cultural briefing Team.  the explanations went something like this:  "We generally do not tip in Germany, except to recognize outstanding Service, and even the, the tip is usually applied by rounding up to the nearest €5 or €10, not 18-20% as in the US.  The workers are paid a fair wage, and VAT is built into the menu Price."  Maybe they are connecting VAT to tipping in a circuitous way, since taxes Support the social welfare System?

    I once had a Situation, during our house hunting trip, when I rounded my bill up by 2 or 3 €.  The waiter basically blew up at us, exclaiming, "You call this a tip? That is not even worth my time to process."  He then dramatically reset the credit Card Reader, and ran the charges without the tip.  When my husband explained what happened to his German academic advisor in the US, my husband said he had never seen his advisor become so angry.  The advisor insisted that we did things absolutely in line with German behavior, that this waiter was trying to take Advantage of us because he assumed we were typical uninformed tourists.

     

    My question has still not been answered at all, though: Do the workers on the ship depend upon the gratuities for a living wage, or are they already compensated fairly with the gratuities structured as a Bonus for great Service, on top of fair pay for their hard work?

    There are big differences, if you compare EU countries.

     In Slovakia there is possible to get complete 4 course menu for 4,90 €.  / Sorry, in slovak language only /

    https://www.penzion-hoffer.sk/stranky/sk/obedne-menu.php?w=1&mesto=Nitra&price=1&prevadzka=10

     - use Google translator for english -

    So fifty cents or one  € tip is more or less okay... /that is strange for you ... yes ? / 

     

  6. Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport and Cruise Port

    4801 Anglers Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 is our choose for precruise stay due the easy and cheep transport via trirail train from Miami International airport, 400 m from train station FLL airport and with shuttle to the port.

  7. I bought this package for our upcoming cruise. Which restaurants on Allure are included for dinner /I know, there is Chops. Giovani´s, Izumi and 150 CP/, is it possible to book and eat elsewhere?

    How many times can I book one restaurant from this package?

    Which restaurants are included for lunch on sea days fom this package? The same like for dinner?

    And last question. I have perk from CP balcony room - one lunch in Giovani´s or Sabor. Is it possible to use it and eat there on embarkation day?

  8. Today´s experience:

    Not possibility to log from Chrome to my account, from Edge it was possible.

    I tried to book 5 dinners package for Allure October cruise, price was 15% up compared to the price from yesterday - OK things happen, so I booked Ultimate dinning package, where price looked same like yesterday -137,76 €. Difference between 5 nights package and Ultimative package was marginal.

    But... at the payment with credit card I was charged 142,90 € per person...

  9. onboard Navigator now and Windjammer has been the best...ever. Varied nightly dinners, very impressive dessert bars. Last nights cake displays would look familiar to anyone that had been to a real midnight buffet. Many MDR items on dinner buffet. Only negative is they close at 9pm. Food has been excellent in Jammer and room packed each night no matter when you arrive. Chefs and crew happy and interactive.

     

    New MDR menus very limited. Dining room no wait and not more than 60% full. Had 4 different people approach during dinner in Sapphire dining room on one evening to sell me specialty dining; already have specialty dining package and constant interruption pretty annoying and put me off. Lunch in MDR food blah (besides excellent salad bar). No kids menu in MDR (we have asked and were told they don’t have anymore; which I find shocking and probably not correct)

     

    Long and short; wife and I both believe it won’t be long before cruise ships offer buffet only w fare and specialty dining as upcharge, no MDR middle ground. They’ll need to physically expand windjammers and extend hours to make this work but sure seems like MDR being purposely de-emphasized w new menus and constant annoying upsell tactics

     

    Yes, already this situation is on ships of german operators TUI and Aida. Buffet and specialty restaurants only. Very good meals on buffet and amazing in specialty restaurants with accent to the quality and freshness. Best food I ever had on ships.

  10. You tipped $5 on $86. Are you kidding me? I was a bartender for 8 years when I was younger and it would be a cold day in hell before I'd come across someone THAT cheap. Just...wow.

    See this 4 courses menu from good restaurant chain in Slovakia. /around 5,50 USD/. Waiters are accustomed to have tips maybe 0,50 USD per meal - of course, they have REAL sallery from employer...

     

    https://www.penzion-hoffer.sk/stranky/sk/obedne-menu.php?w=1&mesto=Nitra&prevadzka=

    use google translator to translate to english

  11. Other idea:

    Go to opposite side of the bay via cheap ferry from city pier- Trois ilets area - nice small beaches and take taxi to the La pagerie - museum of Napoleon´s wife Josephine - maybe five kilometres from Trois ilets. Not big, but interesting place.

    If you like beaches - see for Salines beach in Grande Anse area - longer way cross the island, but beach is beautifull, stay for creole lunch in Le Diamant - pictoresque village with beautiful bay view...

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