swedie
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Good morning all,
We have booked a Serenade of the Seas b2b Norwegian Fjords including calls at Honningsvag and Tromso and Baltic cruise for next June. The Serenade OTS itinerary shows that we are docked at all of the ports. Is this truly docked at all of the ports? No use of tenders?
I'm led to confusion as it does seem all ships use a tender in Geiranger (and all photos seem to show this. I have read that Geiranger does have a floating dock, however most ships do not use it as it is quite expensive.
Any definitive insight would help, as I would like to book private tours and tendering could definitely hinder getting off of the ship quickly.
Thanking everyone on these boards for all the useful information I find here! I even find answers to questions I didn't know I had.
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Lars and members:
First, I apologize for all the spacing that I used on the previous post.
At this time, we are just doing the Flamsbana.
I appreciate any consideration anyone has given to my above post.
We are so looking forward to our visit to this beautiful country (a dream of mine for about 50 years) that is finally happening!
I will check in here again to continue reading all of the previous postings and any new info I might find for some of our other ports of call.
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Good morning Lars (or good day, depending on when you see this)!
First off, thank you Lars - you are awesome with this undertaking and so generous of your time!
I have read about half of the posts here, very enlightening and educational.
We will be arriving on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas on Monday, June 11th at 10:30am and due to set sail at 18:30 with all aboard at 17:30, so we have about 7 hours total.
Would you know if it is possible to reach either the Flam railway for the 11:05 train or the Naeroyfjord pier for the 11:00 cruise from Royal Caribbeans arrival of 10:30? Would you know of the ship's time performance? Would we first need to get tickets validated or can we go directly to either the train or cruise?
Is it even possible to do both the Flamsbana and Naeroyfjord/Bus during the time we have there?
From my research:
Flamsbana
It seems that the purchase of a Flamsbana ticket does not guarantee time nor seat until it is validated at the tourist office.
I have also seen that if we book a minimum of 10 seats we are considered a group and seats will be guaranteed for a set time on the train?
If both of the above are correct: Being we are traveling on a cruise ship and our group already has 6 people and I plan to join the roll call on cruise critic, I am sure I can find 4 additional people to join us in making the minimum 10. What would the details on that be? Cost per person? Would you need the names of everyone when purchased?
I apologize for all of these questions, but I really want this trip to be perfect. We had a fjords cruise booked in 2015 (and I do remember the difficulty I had in getting the train tickets - we eventually had to get a cruise ship excursion), but we then had to cancel due to medical reasons and we are finally going!!
Thank you again Lars for all you do and thank you to all the cruise critic members that make planning a fabulous vacation great!!
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Chase is a good choice; I also have Bank of America Travel Rewards Card and a Barclaycard Arrival+ to use when traveling outside of the USA. Discover does not charge FTF's, but not readily accepted in Europe.
Another thing to consider is your ATM card - some will charge a conversion and a transaction fee. Not a lot of $$$, but when you use it a lot, those fees add up. My primary local bank's ATM charges a FTF, so I opened a "convenience" no cost, checking account at another bank and deposited a couple of K in it and requested an ATM, not a debit card, to use when abroad. That particular bank does not charge any fees and uses an excellent conversion rate. Good to have an additional ATM card just in case one is compromised.
Always notify your CC banks of foreign travel dates. My local bank gave me specifics on particular areas that could present problems.
Darcy
I had ATM cards (NOT debit cards) from two different banks while traveling the Med in 2010. Same as you, thought it would be good to have an additional card - just in case. Well, both were denied. I tried calling both banks to try and get it straightened out. Well, it seems unless the card was tied to a checking account, and therefore a "debit card" they could not do anything.
I'm not sure if things have changed since then, so it may be wise to make sure "ATM only" cards will work, or that you will be traveling with someone who will be able to have access to the ATM's with a debit card. Me - I was fortunate to be traveling with a friend who just doubled her withdrawal amounts and would give me half (this was repaid once we got back to the states and all transactions were up-to-date). We also used transaction fee free credit cards for the majority of purchases.
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Hi Jane,
These are some really good questions:)
There are fishing tours in the ports but I am not sure if their departure times will fit with your schedule.
I presume you already have contacted booking@geirangerfjord.no for tours in Geiranger.... post@62.no for tours in Ålesund....
In Geiranger he can fish on the rocks either side of the fjord. I would think the same for Flåm.
Its might be more difficult to fish in the ports of Ålesund and Bergen. The fishing spots tend to me away from the towns. If he can take a taxi out of town it would be better. I have seen people fishing from bridges etc out of town.
Fishing in saltwater (fjords and ocean) does not require a fishing permit in Norway.
I am not a "fishy" (:D:D) person so not sure what kind of bait is required. It it is what I think it might be (:D) its not possible to purchase.
I hope this helps a little.
Lars
Yes, it does help some...thank you.
I guess I will continue searching for some way for him to get out on a boat that a 2nd mortgage will not be required. If you should happen to hear of anyone that would let him join a group, please post here (I will keep up with this thread as there is always someone that asks a question that I hadn't thought about!)
Thank you again Lars, ...I love your photos also! I cannot wait to arrive in your beautiful country.
Jane.
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Good morning Lars,
First, let me thank you for being so kind in answering everyone's questions! We will be aboard the Norwegian Star docking:
Ålesund on Sunday, 7 June 2015
Geiranger on Monday, 8 June 2015
Flam on Tuesday, 9 June 2015 and
Bergen on Wednesday, 10 June 2015
I've read all the posts regarding the fishing tours/expeditions, etc. and followed the links to the different websites. My brother would like to go fishing in Ålesund while we (myself, husband and sister-in-law) do a bus trip to the Trolls Road. My sister-in-law is now writing to the companies that you have suggested, and is awaiting answers. The problems seem to arise with him being a lone person and needing to hire the entire boat = too much cost!
My questions in the meanwhile is:
Can he fish by the pier in any of these ports? Would he need a license for this (especially being it will be a Sunday while we are in Ålesund, and the post office, I assume, will be closed and no hope of obtaining a license if needed).
He is planning on bringing some of his own equipment. Will he be able to purchase bait somewhere in the port?
Is there any chance that there is an area where he may be able to join an already organized fishing tour once we are in port? Do the fisherman tend to hang out somewhere before setting out?
As I said, I really do appreciate all the help you've given everyone (I've learned so much from reading this thread) - thank you!
Jane.
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Not looking for a debate for against the new policy. I just want to know where the smoking areas are on the Dawn once the new smoking policy takes effect.
These are the best responses that I've gathered for Norwegian Star, which I believe is in the same class as Dawn, so perhaps same areas:
- I loved the Biergarten bar (aft – deck 14) overlooking the beautiful pool, lovely ocean breezes, music from pool area, smoking allowed, very friendly bartenders, lots of friendly folks, hardly ever crowded.
- Casino, only when playing – deck 6
-If I were selecting a cabin for a smoking friend who could easily manage a flight of stairs, my first inclination would be to pick a cabin convenient to promenade deck (I believe one side is smoking and it is covered and also close to plenty of other stuff) .so maybe deck 6 or deck 8. Near pool deck might work, too, but somehow I think were I a smoker, I'd like promenade better.
-If there is a cigar bar, smoking is also permitted there.
Just an FYI, my best response (the "if I were selecting a cabin") came from a non-smoker! Hope this helps.
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OK, I'm not a smoker, so I'm admittedly not an expert (smokers please, please correct me if I am wrong). If I were selecting a cabin for a smoking friend who could easily manage a flight of stairs, my first inclination would be to pick a cabin convenient to promenade deck (I believe one side is smoking and it is covered and also close to plenty of other stuff) .so maybe deck 6 or deck 8. Near pool deck might work, too, but somehow I think we're I a smoker, I'd like promenade better.
Thank you Starry Eyes! This is what I was looking for!
rhinomike - new policy - no smoking on balconies (I found that, I believe it was the NCL website under policies - activities?).
Just an FYI: Prior to asking here, knowing how these threads end up (hence the no flames please) I went to NCL's site - no definitive answer. I read 4 pages of cruise critic NCL - any thread that even remotely hinted of smoking. I don't know how many pages after search threads for smoking locations on the Star. I googled "designated smoking areas on NCL Star", at which point I found various "cruise boards" that I also searched through. I really did try! For 2 days - I tried (granted not 24/7, but it felt like that)
The best answers I found was listed as cigar bar (of which it seems to be non-existent on the Star), casino, when/if playing, and designated outdoor areas (no idea of where - so of no help).
Amazed me that I would receive a courteous and concise answer from a non-smoker! Thank you again Starry Eyes.
Oh yeah. The jokes...were fun!
Thank you all for your time.
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Please, no flames! If you're not here to give a response, move on.
I am curious as to what areas aboard the Star are designated as smoking areas. I would like to book a cabin, however, this will aid in determining where on the ship. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
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We disembarked in Valparisio last February and had a flight out of Santiago late afternoon. We booked a guide with driver for our transfer and tour. We spent a few hours in both Valparisio and Santiago with a short stop in Vin del Mar. We picked up empanadas enroute and ate them in the car.
Although Santiago was interesting as an older city (architecture, etc.) - it was/is an older city, with newer modern buildings developing on it's borders.
Hindsight: I wish we would have spent more time in Valparisio - interesting city/sea/landscapes. Twisting streets going up down and all around! Murals more than graffiti adorned the buildings. Buildings seem to have been built on top of one another on the very steep streets.
Perhaps get a guide in the am for an overview of the city. This would give you time in the afternoon for going back to areas that you would like to cover in more depth.
Take a funicular, visit Nerudas home (one of his three that are now museums - we didn't have a chance to do this, but it did look interesting).
Go to the roll call for your cruise, perhaps you can join up with fellow passengers doing the back to back and you can group together for discounts with a tour.
Go online and check out tripadvisor for other things to do in Valparisio. They also have boards where people discuss their experiences in Valparisio.
Whatever you do, enjoy - it is a beautiful place with very kind beautiful peoples.
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I hope this would be the right place to post this, if not (I'm sorry), moderators please move to the correct area. Just needed to pass on this info.
CC has been an invaluable asset for me. Ergo, I would like to pass on the following e-mail I just received from LAN. Note it does state limited seats - I really hope someone out there can take advantage of this! Wish I were going again!
"Upgrade your travel experience and indulge on award winning service including gourmet a la carte menu complimented by our premium wine list; relax on 180-degree full flat beds equipped with state of the art in-flight entertainment system; and enjoy of the convenience of three luggage allowance. Prices start from only $699 final price to fly between December 15, 2013 and March 7, 2014 from the U.S. to South America.
Offers are available at LAN.com, tamairlines.com, travel agencies or through our Call Center 1 866 435 9526 (press option #1 for LAN or option #2 for TAM). Fares are subject to change without previous notice and spaces are limited. *Fares are roundtrip and include taxes and fees. Tickets purchased through our call center will incur a booking fee of $20 per reservation."
Have a joyous adventure!
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Star Princess is the same as the Golden... Casino, Promenade deck and Lido deck, and the cigar bar... Decks 6, 7 and 14... You are not that close to any of them! That is why I either book OV on Plaza deck (just a short flight of stairs to the cigar bar), and/or inside or balconies on Lido deck (just a few steps to the smoking section).
Thanks, Working 2 Cruise. Guess I'll go down to Int'l Cafe to pick up my coffee in the am and head to either the casino or the promenade to enjoy my coffee and a cigarette. Granted, I won't be looking that great before I get my morning fixes, but at least I can get them.
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We have a cruise booked on the Princess Star, Caribe Deck starboard in one of the cabins closer towards aft. Where would the closest smoking section be for this? Thanks all.
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Anyone know anything about this cabin? From the deck plans - it's by some elevators and a big white block-out across the hall. Any noise issues from this white block?
Also, does anyone know if it is a glass-faced balcony or one of the steel balconies - read on another thread that the people paid for a balcony and got an all steel railing? And the Princess web-site does state:
"Stateroom views are considered unobstructed unless noted otherwise. Obstructions do not include certain nautical items like handrails, dividers or ship hardware. For balcony staterooms, the view is determined from the perspective of the balcony railing. Balconies may have either solid steel or toughened glass railings."
Makes me a little nervous.
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Also bring a dental kit used it two years ago when a cap felt loose.
Cough drop a bag that coast about $1.49 on shore, will coast about $8.00 on the ship. Ear drops.
What I due instead of making copies of documents Scrand all your informations either on your phone or a camera disk.
How to keep your necklass from getting in knots when you travel I put them thru a straw
Love the necklace through a straw! What a great idea - I've never heard of that before!
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We'll be returning to Dubrovnik next week and I would like to ride the cable car for the view.
My wife would be very reluctant to join me. Out of necessity, she did overcome her fears and rode the cable car at Santorini. Are they in any way comparable?
Alternatively, is there a suitable place at or near the base station where she could wait while I indulge myself? Something like a cafe would be ideal.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
I have an extreme fear of heights. I even tense up watching movies - gripping anything nearby, planting my feet firmly on the floor/ground, etc. - can't get past the 2nd step on a ladder. With that said - I did ride the cable car with the support of my friends. They sat me in the corner seat - I literally wrapped my arms around the chair rail. Turned on my camera and stared at the scenery through the display of the camera -the depth of perception is sooooooooo much less looking at the camera view - it worked! Just don't take your eyes off the camera view.
Granted - getting on and off the cable car was a little more frightening - I had to stare at the back of my friends head until seated - may look a bit strange to any onlookers - but I'm at the point in my life that there are things I want to see and do that this is not my concern. Also the cable car conductors (right terminology?) also seem to be quite well in going along with the riders with the "fear of heights" situation and being supportive. You might want her to give it a try-she may want to give it a try. There is also a little cafe at the top.
Gorgeous views from above. Many different viewing areas. Well worth the trip. Would I do it again? - in a heartbeat.
Flying - that's a totally different game!
Just realized this was post is too late to aid norski and his wife - hopefully it can help someone else?
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1.) As the morning progresses on sea days, the running track becomes congested and becomes the walking track. If you want to do serious running, or even jogging, get there early.
2.) Others will disagree, but I prefer the second seatings at supper. You aren't rushed when you get back from shore excursions, giving you time to nap, go to the gym, sit by the pool, etc. before dinner.
3.) Though ships may officially say there's no reserving deck chairs, in my experience (four Carnival cruises, though I'm going on Celebrity in February) those who didn't reserve went without.
4.) If, like me, you find the sea day organized pool activities (hairy chest contests etc.) too noisy or annoying (or both) head for the pool area behind the upper deck buffets at the back of the ship. You can't hear the main pool area activities. On Carnival they do play piped in music there, but not too loudly. (Give me a hot day, a cold beer, a good book, and peace and quiet and I'm a very happy man!)
5.) Prices in shipboard shops often get cheaper as the cruise progresses. (On one cruise, the $80 watch sets became the $20 watch sets.)
6.) I never eat at the breakfast buffets. They're crowded, and you can get the same food served to you in the dining rooms. Go early if you have a shore excursion.
7.) On our last cruise, which included Panama, the shore excursion which included the full canal crossing was sold out before the cruise started. You should probably book this one in advance.
8.) While in port, there's nothing stopping you from coming back to the ship for lunch, and then going back to port.
9.) Be open to meeting new people and experiencing new activities. Don't sweat the small stuff, and have fun.
10.) Repeat #9.
Re: #6: Order room service if going on an early shore excursion- this way you can continue getting ready while eating, sipping coffee, etc. If ordering coffee for 2 and you want more than a cup each - order coffee for 3 or more - and for the other items - put number required on by each. We always managed to be first or second on line for the exit ramps this way. We would always order a pitcher of water to fill out water bottles with also.
Re: #'s 9 & 10 - repeat.
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Wow, I just finished reading all the postings today. Thanks everyone for posting. Our son asked a few months ago to go on a Disney Cruise (of course I was too late and all booked up for the Easter break so he saw Norwegian Nick cruise). We booked 2 days ago and we are going in less than a month. I'm a DisBoard addict for Disney and I'm so glad to find this board to help us with his first cruise. My husband and I cruise 15 yrs ago for 3nights but it did not go so well. I'm so glad my husband is willing to give it a try b/c our son really wanted to go on a cruise. I'm a bit nervous b/c I feel I did not plan or research since this is a last minute vacation.
I was going to buy new outfits for the cruise and so glad I read this and pack less (I always over pack...I usually pack 5 luggage for the 3 of us for a Disney trip or a week long to a Caribbean Island).
My husband said we should enjoy the ship during port in Florida and Nassau (since we been to Atlantis many times and in Florida we have taken our son 6x).
Do you think its worthwhile to go to Great Stirrup Cay and Blue Lagoon?
Thanks
Check out the roll call for your cruise - you can meet up with/and ask ?s specific to your exact cruise - they may even have a meet and greet set up!
From a fellow diser - enjoy!
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Okay, thank you for your help, should we skip Konavle and just stay in Dubrovnik? we would also like to see the synagogue too. can you recommend a place to eat in town that isn't going to be over run with cruise ship passengers(like us) LOL . we prefer smaller crowds for tours We do like seafood..
We were in Dubrovnik last October. We found a restaurant (don't remember the name of it though) through another cruise critic writer: from the main center area (where the buses unload, by the tourist center), follow the path around the corner/behind the tourist bureau that leads down to the water. When we were there, it seemed we passed some sort of small boat repair area. It shouldn't take more than a 5-8 minute walk, and you'll come across a lovely little restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the water and those beautiful rock outcroppings. There is also a jetty that you can walk out on, just for a few additional photo ops (as if the walk on the walls and the city did not present enough of those!).
And Dubrovniklady - I would be remiss not to thank you for all of your input for our trip to your absolutely gorgeous city - I can totally understand your need to be there! We spent a very FULL glorious day there, planning on walking the sea side of the wall and had a need to walk it all, oohing and ahhing with every turn! We spent sooo much time on the walls, took a ride on the cable car, and again spent so much time on the top of the mountain (alot of cats up there), drinking coffee (yum!), relaxing and listening to the music trios in the old city. We seemed to move at a steady pace, but, I'm sorry we missed alot of it, but that only means we will have to return!
So thank you from everyone in our group!
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I have an ATM card for cash withdrawals ONLY and is NOT usable as a debit card. It is linked to my savings account. I found out the hard way that credit cards are not used in Europe as widely as in the U.S. I checked with Bank of America and gave them my travel itinerary before leaving the US. I found that Bank of America is affiliated with Barclays Bank and Deutsche Banks in Europe.
Once there I was only able to use my ATM card ONCE!!! Couldn't find the other banks! I found out I also needed my card to be a debit card in order to use other ATM machines, even with the transaction fees. Thank goodness I was traveling with friends who were able to front me any money I needed until we returned home.
So...
my most important thing to know before leaving....
Check that your ATM card is also a debit card showing either the MasterCard or Visa logo on it!
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Traveling, whether on a land or sea vacation: In your room - Instead of trying to wipe all the germs off of a remote control - put it in a plastic baggie!
Fjord & Baltic cruise on Serenade of the Seas - tenders?
in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea
Posted
Thank you dogs4fun for your super speedy reply!
I was afraid of Geiranger being a tender port, however we do have enough time to reach our 9:00am tour with the ship "docking (RCCI's terminology)" @ 7:00am. I believe this will give us enough time, as we are usually amongst the first off at ports. I will look into "tender tickets" etc once onboard.
I looked at Flam and it shows we are at a "kai", which I believe is a pier, vs ankar which I believe is tender. This port will be tight for our 11am tour being it is docking @ 10:30am (most of the people will be up and ready to go ashore at that time!) I hope they do not change the status of this!
Honningsvag is all Norwegian, I cannot find a translation button on the website you shared. I tried the different listings, however, I could not find anything that had "Serenade of the Seas" within the different categories.
I want to get on with the planning...I really wish RCCI was more forthcoming with where their ships dock/tender. "Docked" is not enough when trying to plan your time in each of the ports.
I have tried numerous websites for the different ports...some better than others (some even helped me find tours that we are interested in...a big plus). We are also doing the Baltic/Scandinavian cruise that follows the Fjords cruise. We are travelling with 2 other couples, that we have vacationed with numerous times and we work very well together. All of this will be an amazing experience!!
Thank you again dogs4fun! Should you/or anyone care to share any other port docking/tender information...it would be so appeciated.