TheMediaman

Vancouver is a whole new experience and I feel like a fish out of water!

 

 

 

Kathy

Don't worry. We speak tourist here. Getting through customs and to downtown is going to take time. It depends on how many other international flights are arriving at the same time. There is no chance of "wheels down to a taxi" in 30 minutes unless you are the only flight at 2am.

Play your schedule by ear. If you have 3-4 hours from the time you leave your hotel then, by all means, go to capilano. Use the shuttle or take the Seabus and then taxi from the north shore Seabus station to capilano. Grab a bite to eat on that side rather than hunt for restaurants downtown. It's all about making your vacation less stressful. A too tight schedule means frayed nerves and bad memories.

The fireworks. Yup...you and a few hundred thousand of your closest friends. The nicer the weather....the more people. Don't worry....it's like Disneyland on a holiday weekend. If you can see the water and the launch barges then you will see everything. It's very obvious. You just 'go" with the masses. I won't confuse you with "best vantage" points or insider tips. Allow an hour to walk over and find your preference for a perch amongst the hoardes.

Weather? Hopefully it's nice but July has been a bit in the bucket this year. Cool. You might want a light jacket or sweater. The weather will be what it is when you get here.

Just don't make your schedule so tight that you are stressed to get here or there. Always have plan b. Enjoy!

As a Vancouverite I have done the Hubbard Glacier Vancouver to Vancouver trip and hands down it is my preference over a northbound or southbound cruise. While I cannot guarantee the weather...May has been unusually warm bordering on hot the last couple of years. June we refer to as Junuary. 10000% vote for aft cabin. Spend some time just looking. You will be amazed by what you see if you just appreciate that you are cruising in luxury and your problems are elsewhere.

You can do an excursion out of Juneau to Tracy Arm. If it is a good weather day it us a fantastic trip; worth every penny you pay too much. It can get you within the 1/4 mile safe zone to both Sawyer Glaciers while the cruise ships can't get close at all.

Hubbard was so enjoyable. We did it in late May last year which is better for calving.

Enjoy your cruise.

Having been there and done that i must recommend romecabs.com. They will easily and reliably accommodate your party. Email them. They respond within the next day (Rome time). Termini, while not scary, is not a place you want to be a tourist gawking about.

Get out in Rome. It's a wonderful city to walk about and explore. Keep your purse in front of you or your wallet in your front pocket. You will look like a tourist but just be aware as with any city. No need to be paranoid or afraid...just tour smart.

Rome cabs picked us up promptly from the airport and then at our hotel to deliver us out to the port. Better than a cab and only a few Euros more.

Let the worry about getting to the port...you don't need to. It's supposed to be a vacation.

I would like to have been in the meeting where somebody said "Hey. Here's a good idea. Let's put scales in the bathrooms."

I don't think i can put a finer or better point on Dynamic Dining than the previous 856 posts have...but let's see what i can add.

Dynamic Dining is a product and this is an issue of branding; how the public views the product. Dynamic Dining was probably introduced to satisfy guest requests for menu variety and RCCL tried to make it profitable through reduced staff. You can't have more for less is proven once again.

Insert "you can please some of the people most of the time" turn of phrase here.

The execution is not working for everyone regardless of the concept of what Dynamic Dining is. It's funny that i took it in stride to plan and reserve restaurants in Disneyworld months in advance but am resistant of that same concept on a cruise ship.

Some 800 or so posts back a CC member made the point to not judge before you try it.

Imagine trying to satisfy everyone:

I want my time dining

I want a table for 2, for 4, for 8

I want different menus

I want the same table

I want to eat what i want when i want

I want the same wait staff

I want the same time

I want to be casual

I want to dress formal

I wish people would not dress casual on formal nights

I don't want to wait

I want

I want

I want

We are a fickle bunch aren't we. Whatever Dynamic Dining will become the challenge is to make most of the people happy most of the time. Branding is the key and loyalty, return and new business doesn't come without a cost. RCCL may have a good concept with Dynamic Dining but fell short by trying to cut costs in the pursuit of more profit.

Just my 2c contribution to the previous 856 other good posts.

I am glad you know what 90% of the tools we will ever need are. :roll eyes:

 

 

 

"easier and more suited to the majority of photographers.....".....again I'm glad you know what the majority need..

The internet and opinions. Everyone has both.

I was not intending to be critical of you personally; only to adjust the information.

With many other users it has been my experience that lightroom has been an easier learning curve and satisfied most image processing needs. Photoshop is a more advanced tool with a steeper learning curve. I find it the next logical step for advanced photo compositing.

I prefer to make recommendations that many users can move to easier with enjoyment as well as information on the more advanced tools should they want to move to those. Walk before you run so to speak.

I'm sure you have taken many wonderful images and are quite comfortable with PS.

Enjoy

I emailed Bryan Peterson to share a photograph that i took, just by chance, in the same exact spot in Rome that was in his book. He responded quite quickly and was very complimentary. I own most every book of his and am presently working my through "Understanding Flash Photography"

Some have golf to frustrate. I have photography. 😉

 

 

 

Lightroom is not really an editing program. It is mostly a organizer and it has adobe's raw converter built in. It does do some basic editing, but it is NOT a pixel editor. (It doesn't actually change anything on the photos, the originals are left untouched and all the changes are really just instructions LR uses to display the changes when you look at them in LR (probably not explanined very well i know). Where as PS and PSE actually change the photo.

I am sorry to say but that is incorrect. Lightroom is an extremely powerful image processor that is non-destructive. Any setting that is applied can be modified in the worklfow and all corrected images can be exported as flattened (corrected) images such as jpegs. Lightroom can also connect to popular online photo sharing services. It is coupled with Blurb.com to make photo books.

Photoshop is a compositing tool and very powerful for image manipulation but photoshop is a graphic design tool.

For colour correction, cropping and image correction such as removing red eye, photographic blemishes and about 90% of the tools you'll ever need...lightroom is my strong recommendation.

Photoshop allows the next level of compositing photographic images but it is more complex and permanently changes the file source. Yes i know filters can be saved on layers and layers converted to smart objects, etc.

Lightroom is a very powerful image processor. It is far easier and more suited to the majority of photographers and their photographic needs. Photoshop is the next more advanced tool for compositing.

I can recommend an extremely helpful book; "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. The book gives very useful and easy to follow tips and techniques. The author has several others but this is a very good one to start with to get you comfortable with the wonderful world of manual settings.

HDR can produce great photos but may be at the flying before running before learning to walk stage of photography.

Prices have gone down some, but amenities have as well. MDR is not as good as it once was. Things that were included are now extra. I still love Royal, but it's getting harder to see the difference between them & the lines I don't like because of the a la cart pricing & diminished service.

Amongst glowing reviews of many cruises I do see this kind of observation more often. That should be an indication of slow changes over time to become the new "normal"

There is a certain amount of, pardon the marketing pun, wow factor to a very first cruise. Now after my fourth cruise I do notice certain differences. Some I write off to the simple fact that I am now familiar with the RCCL menu in the MDR. Yes both DW and I noticed it hadn't changed much over 3 years. Our last cruise on X was, surprisingly, a bit sub par of RCCL in overall food quality.

But I'm off course. Changes can be unsettling. It was one thing to smile politely at "fresh squeezed orange juice? Just $$$ on your sea pass card." every morning. It's another to have more and more restaurants at an up charge on top of a fare I already paid.

For new cruisers this will be "normal". For me, except for liquor, excursions and trinkets, I liked the all-inclusive nature and the predictability of the MDR and of the cruise itself. I liked the fact the staff became familiar with me and I've been so extremely fortunate to meet wonderful table mates. Sure it is nice to do chops. I will again. But that's what my expectation of "normal" is.

I'm a bit unconvinced about dynamic dining though. It all seems very Disney world to me having to stress well in advance about pre-picking the restaurant and if you are going to get the time you want and so on.

How is this different from picking a restaurant on a land based vacation? Not much I guess but that's what I like about cruising. I like turning my brain off. I like getting to know my fellow passengers and hearing interesting stories. I don't want the anonymity of cruising alone in a crowd like people are head down, buried in a smartphone ignoring the world around them.

But that's the revenue model of the future. Where there is a way to make money it will surely happen. "Premium economy" is just the less crowded coach seat of yesteryear we enjoyed for the coach price. "Cheaper" airfare yes but food and luggage is a la carte.

Now on cruise ships a la carte will become more prevalent cloaked in the marketing snake oil of "design your cruise to fit you".

Bitter? No. Raising a suspicious eyebrow? Certainly. Do I want to cruise more? Yes. When will I stop? Probably when I actually feel the RCCL or other cruise line hand in my back pocket like a gypsy on the streets of Rome.

 

 

 

Again, I suggest your premise is flawed.

 

 

 

JMHO and YMMV

 

 

 

jc

You make good points. That is how we learn. Each launch sees impressive ship designs. Who would have thought there would be skydiving simulators at sea 10 years ago.

Perhaps it is offloading fare costs to specialty restaurants and on board attractions in order to attract a larger base. Perhaps it is slow conditioning.

We complained about the price of gas being so high where I am. It then went higher and with it the cost of groceries due to high fuel costs. Gas prices came down but grocery prices remain high yet we rejoice about the lower gas prices that are at a level we previously complained about.

I will cruise again and do my best to add to the bottom line of RCCL or X or whomever I choose. I do hope that cruisers don't begin to feel like they are behind the velvet rope. I wonder how far the a la cart model will be pushed. I guess to the point where it begins to lose money.

I have a question for anyone who cares to comment. Do cruisers feel that the increase in a la carte options has made cruising more expensive and we just didn't notice as much? We strive to get the best fare but once on board the proverbial hand is out more than ever it seems.

Historically all dining options used to be included in the fare. Then 1 or 2 specialty restaurants were introduced for $15 -$25 more per person. Now with the launch of the Quantum class it seems that half the restaurants on board are at an optional charge.

Yes I realize there still are included dining choices. I fully expect a "you don't have to go to the pay restaurants if you don't want to."

I suppose, for me, it taints the enjoyment of cruising if certain areas of the ship are inaccessible to me unless I pay more for a certain class of stateroom or half the dining choices are inaccessible to me...unless I pay more or certain activities aren't available...unless I pay more.

I don't think this should be a discussion about revenue generating models nor the always volatile drink prices discussion.

Do members think it's a slow but enevitable process of getting us used to paying more for what used to be included in the standard fare.

Don't misinterpret my question as a significant complaint. I'd be on another cruise tomorrow if I could. My question is more an observation and wondering what others may think.

It won't be long before someone gets all in a knot thinking someone else is going to have an RFID scanner and hack the bracelets charging drinks and shore excursions. Then again it won't be long after that when someone else sells the "brace-o-block" RFID bracelet cover that shields your RCI bracelet from illegal scanning.

Which will make the whole concept kind of useless don't you think? I say this while wrapping tin foil around my head. ;)

DH and I are going to be cruising soon on RCI's Freedom of the Sea (Western Caribbean itinerary) and I'm trying to plan ahead and decide which lenses to bring with me.

You don't need a tripod and of the lenses you listed these two would give the most flexibility of coverage. You'll need a wide angle aboard FOS.

AF VR zoom 55-200 mm f/4

Nikor AF-S 18-70mmm

Health concerns, of any kind, should be discussed with a qualified professional. I would think that any person, organization or company would take the necessary precautions if warranted.

I would hope that proper perspective can be maintained for discussion of serious subjects.

The OP, in my opinion, only incorrectly phrased the initial question. It was a broad strokes label on a group of people and there is no place for that. No offence intended as I'm sure I have misspoken a few times in my own life.

Enough said and I think we can move on.

Enjoy your cruise. Those who aren't going wish they were. Take your health and safety seriously but don't take life and some of the previous comments as seriously.

This may help. http://www.stefanorometours.com/tours/romedayfromcivitavecchia/. It will give a basis for comparison and very useful information. I have used this company before with great reliability and success.

With either excursion you are trying to see a lot in one day. You will see it but it will be quick.

I remember from previous cruises there were many employees from West Africa. Is RCCL still getting employees from there?.

I would hope that the OP's intent of the Ebola question was only that of a health precaution. I'm sure she did not mean to infer any negative opinion about West Africans.

May I suggest you "get" things from a store but you employ people and RCCL employs people from many countries.

I recommend you ask your family doctor for more information about your health questions. Dr Google can be misleading without qualified interpretation.

Best advice I can give is expect to lose what you leave unattended. I'm not saying that it will happen. It's just a measurement of how valuable an item may be to you.

That being said I can recommend the Pacsafe products. The portable safe 5l http://www.pacsafe.com/travel-accessories-wallets.html?cat=87 is a better step to locking up items. A potential thief will choose a camera out in the open and easy rather than the Pacsafe. Just don't make the mistake of locking it to the beach lounger. Pick something more solid and anchored rather than the beach chair which can be easily picked up and moved.

Oh my. I will quote what the ship's naturalist said over the intercom to passengers on my Alaskan cruise on the Century. "If you're sitting inside looking at this magnificent sight through the window then you may as well be watching TV."

Get out on deck and feel the chill and listen to the glacier crack and rumble. Take it all in without a dirty window in your way.

If you've seen Hubbard Glacier (or any other) so many times then by all means enjoy Murano.

Actually if you book the entire ship for 2 to 6 million dollars for the week you can have any lounger you want. Of course price varies by ship and is subject to a 15% gratuity.

Sorry....couldn't resist.

The Venice lagoon is a fragile environment. Waves, of any size, constantly erode foundations over time. Ships also pump out hydrocarbon emissions by the tonne over time. The lagoon bottom is churned up.

I have sailed out of Venice past St. Marks and would trade that experience for big picture thinking; proactive preservation of the Venice lagoon including shore power for ships so they don't have to "idle" during their port visit. Venice depends on tourism and exists by it. Investments in improved or new port facilities will ensure continued lifeblood from cruise ships. Yes the view is nice from a deck high up passing by but not as good as walking through Venice and really experiencing it.

The Tracy Arm Fjord excursion out of Juneau was worth every penny. The ship excursion, though pricier, is favourable over the private. The boats get you there and back faster and the deck space is larger for viewing. I cannot guarantee weather but it was a beautifully sunny and warm day in May when I went plus two Glaciers at the end.

Celebrity must not make the same mistake that "Oldsmobile" Did. Both companies wanted more young customers. Oldsmobile ad was "This is not your father's oldsmobile" and had William Shatner and his daughter. The young were not impressed and did not buy. .

Yes that supports my previous point about trying to predict the market. Sometimes human beings don't want to be predicted. Marketing today is more agile in some respects. Promotions can appear and disappear in a click of a button.

In my personal opinion ally he marketing gloss will not help In the long term if you do not know your customer and do not deliver the brand they can accept. Remember the customer is you and me plus a few million others in multiple countries with multiple and varied conditions on each.

Their current " Modern Luxury" theme tends to overstate their quality. By setting very high expectations, they may not deliver the quality promised by their slogan.

I apologize for appearing sarcastic with this comment but that's what we do in marketing. We deliver the audience and pass it on to another department. We are the barkers ushering you into the tent. However we don't control final results.

On our last cruise my DW put it best. "We are all on the same ship but each of us had a different cruise".