Poppy1966

16 hours ago, labonnevie said:

I’ve been thinking about this for awhile.
I just can not come up with any reason why I would want a scale anywhere near my suite. 

My only reason would be to weigh my suitcases to make sure they’re within the airline baggage weight..😂

Well I’m onboard Grandeur in May. Can’t wait. 

29 minutes ago, ho-hum said:

Well I don’t know if y’all remember 

but it was Ho-hum who began this post 

and I am coming to the end of my “virgin” voyage 

 

BTW it has been wonderful …… if you are interested (of course you are or should be)

 

the top three things about the voyage have been 

 

1. crew

2. crew

3. crew

 

so tipping 

I am giving THANKYOU NOTES: 8 in total !

Tips to Butler, H/keeping & 4 wonderful servers (in various proportions).

 

Thankyou wonderful people for your contributions 

Goodbye

 

oh my goodness…the one and only Ho Hum????  

I’ve boarded many ships in BCN and got a taxi every time. The taxis all know once you tell them which ship you’re embarking asks the security at the port entrance and they will take you straight to the terminal..just have your travel docs. 

On 3/19/2024 at 1:50 PM, Mayflower1 said:

You are of course correct - Fusina & Maghera are part of the same Industrial Port area away from Touristic Venice. As I understand it, the present system for Silversea is that they use the old Cruise Terminal in Venice to complete the basic Check In Procedures and then Bus Guests to Fusina for Boarding. If one stays at San Clemente it will involve a Water Transfer to The Cruise Terminal, followed by a Bus transfer to the Ship.

If Arrangements have changed for 2024 please forgive me.

completely correct. It’s actually very well organised 

Hotel Miramar..would be my go to hotel in Barcelona…stayed maybe 10 times and 5 min taxi ride to the port. 

I just arrange my own flights, hotel, transfers etc and use the cruise only fare credit and fly in 2-3 days in advance…same on return..

1 hour ago, CJANDH said:

I agree with D to S. Regent promotes included excursions and charges for them in the fare. On several recent cruises the excursions have sold out, with no wait list, a few days after booking becomes available. All the messing around in case of "no shows" is not acceptable on a luxury cruise line. Either provision enough tours for everyone or drop the pretense of unlimited excursions included and reduce fare accordingly. If people have to pay for excursions they will not book as many and choice will be restored.

Hear hear..

19 minutes ago, rosemc1146 said:

Thanks for the information. This is the price for one passenger?

No..Two adults, 2 extra large suitcases, two medium and a couple of carry on..  

I used Rome-airport.net. €130 was waiting bang on time in an E class merc straight to FCO …HOWEVER, think the driver thought he was on a F1 racetrack..

3 hours ago, drron29 said:

Sure it wasn't the Spirit of Tasmania.😉

https://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/?ds_c=Retail+|+Brand+|+Mainland+Australia&ds_ag=SoT+Brand&ds_k=spirit+of+tasmania&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4NWrBhD-ARIsAFCKwWvQCKjozo0Sh1fG1ME75fFaEDwof7hWnwfD3aGeov0orF2N_PXfBVAaAmdWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

😂😂😂..no, they embarked in Burnie and disembarked in Hobart. 

There’s a tram stop right outside the port stopping in centre of Melbourne..

I had guests on overnight..boarded at 11am in one port and disembarked 4pm next day in the next port. Was on the Spirit in Tasmania…

We did this on Crystal but did the seats etc independently..I’ll try to find the info and get back. 

Wouldn’t even bother. The whole SA visa website is dreadful.. I just gave up and stayed onboard….and don’t think I missed much judging by the comments of fellow passengers who did go ashore or did tours. 

On 10/30/2023 at 8:25 AM, difranco said:

Mine and my wife’s were also found lurking in the junk box. Is that an omen ?

On 10/30/2023 at 8:25 AM, difranco said:

Mine and my wife’s were also found lurking in the junk box. Is that an omen ?

I eventually received my final cruise docs on Monday, fly out tomorrow ..

On 9/30/2023 at 9:08 PM, Stickman1990 said:

 

We were on that excursion and I certainly wouldn’t call it awesome I’m afraid - but it’s certainly something we’ll never forget! That particular NYE excursion was very memorable - sadly for all the wrong reasons - it was poorly executed by Crystal who ended up compensating guests $1000 each 

We witnessed an actual fight between two guests over a seat on one of the two excursion tenders. They ran out of champagne on one. Basically they chose a local provider for the tenders who was certainly not up to Crystal's standards. Hopefully that never occurs again. I do stress this was old Crystal so there’s no reason to believe it would happen again 

 

We did a NYE cruise on another providers boat (Captain Cook Line - Sydney 2000) last year and there was no comparison - food and atmosphere was 10x better. If the OP is organising a private NYE cruise to enjoy the fireworks let me know and I’d be happy to give you details (ironically I put Crystal friends who were here in 2017 onto that option and they loved it - while we floated around on subpar crowded Crystal excursion boats with inadequate seating, toilet and catering facilities 

 

Re cruising and land in Australia and New Zealand - particularly on Crystal we’ve done several itineraries in the area and Sydney to Bali or reverse on multiple lines including Crystal, we live in Sydney and are from NZ. It’s a great easy way to see a variety of ports - but do try and spend sometime pre cruise to do one or two areas in depth. It’s unfortunate that the cruise you’re looking at doesn’t appear to include cruising the other fjords in Fiordland except Milford Sound - Crystal’s cartographers need a lesson as they’ve com0etely missed that detour off their map! 
 

I can see the 30 days is a combo cruise - Sydney to Sydney cruise around NZ - https://crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-csy-017-240104 - with the one after, on 21 Jan I wouldn’t bother with it if your objective is to see Australia and NZ although an overnight in Cairns is good. The rest of the itinerary is good though if you want to experience some different places like Aloutau and Komodo and ending in Bali gets you close to Singapore to head home (I’d recommend looking at Singapore Airlines Business class for an air option - they are great and the service superb)   - https://crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-csy-013-240121

 

An alternative would be to finish in Sydney and consider a land tour to include the Indian Pacific or Ghan trains (if you can get on at short notice) or explore parts of Australia like Adelaide or South East Queensland - you could easily spend 2 weeks doing that 

 

You have a lot of options depending on your interests and ability to understand land based touring - happy to help with itinerary suggestions 

I was on this cruise too and the NYE Sydney harbour catamarans…I enjoyed the fireworks and well, it was an experience 😂😂..looking after a crew members mother who had a few toots…but the queues to get back onboard through the port terminal must have easily taken over an hour ..think I got back onboard about 1.45am. Oh well we laugh about it now..

My email from SS about change of itinerary went straight to my junk folder for some reason. Unusual as they normally arrive straight into my inbox..

I booked a last minute vista suite for a cruise August just past..I booked cruise only and vista guarantee was the only suites available. I was happy enough with the price and location as it was only for 7 days…A week before departure I logged onto MySilversea to reserve restaurants and noticed I was allocated 814 veranda 

Bring back Ho Hum pronto please:D Life's far too short. We all loved our daily jottings and humour to brighten up our day. Guessing everyone will agree with me and not the mods!!

Are you an Aussie? - NYE on the harbour is going to be fun indeed - first time we've done a holiday cruise. We should meet up for a quiet one onboard and have one or two on Hums behalf

Not an Aussie, wish I was or could've been maybe!!! I've the same surname as the people who founded the place SW of Perth in 1800's with the 2km wooden jetty.

Although my surname isn't spelt as the town name it's the same as the settlers surname.

My relatives have traced the family tree, have visited many times and were most welcome. One day I'll visit too but not on this voyage.

Really looking forward to this upcoming trip. I've three flights to get to Auckland, two nights there before joining the ship. Looking forward to Sydney harbour NYE, then 3 nights in Melbourne after disembarking spending time with our Tasmanian friends who are flying in to meet us. Look forward to meeting onboard. Where's Ho Hum?

You would love the Crystal staff - they are truly great people who love to "work" with guests

 

and the alcohol is good and food excellent (thinking about what I saw of your pleasures on the doco earlier this week)

 

Now whether some of the guests are ready for Blondie though is a completely different issue

Hear hear, loved the Crystal staff and food too. First time on Crystal in Sept and back onboard Dec/Jan for NYE in Sydney. Bagged a last minute deal!!

Now just to talk Ho Hum into joining us onboard:)!!! Now that would be a great way to bring in 2017!

Hey, Ho Hum, just home Tuesday. Thank you for recommending Marco. Walked straight off the ship and was waiting for us. Marvellous! Even more surprising was Marco said the transfer was gratis, courtesy of Ho Hum.😜

Lost a very expensive ring onboard,( been trying to track it down all week or claim through my insurance)and hallelujah it has been found on the ship today!!

Restored my faith in humanity.

Booked Auckland to Melbourne over Christmas/New year. In Sydney (3days) onboard incl NYE in Sydney harbour, then meeting my Tasmanian friends in Melbourne for few days before flying home. Yeah

Will pick my ring up when I join the ship in Auckland in Dec rather than taking a chance of it getting lost in transit.

It's currently travelling Rome to Lisbon, then a crossing to Miami, onto San Diego round trip and finally Tahiti, papeete and arriving in Auckland where I will meet up with it again in Dec. It will have clocked more nights onboard than me!!

Hope all is well. Pxx

Looky here chums,

Hum has something to admit.

You know Hum has been historically dismissive of the "Raw Food" on SD.

Considering it panders to the self absorbed, "my body is my temple", smug, "holier than thou", skinny, emaciated, "no alcohol for me, why would I want to poison my body", evangelist, smiling, sanctimonious, nauseatingly righteous types from the West Coast, "have a nice day", "join me on a 24 kilometre bike ride over rough terrain ?" types.

Hello Ho hum, sorry not pisting sooner you know why. Hope you're well.

Haha. Excellent, love it! Laughing at your adjectives here. So funny. I'm a raw/veggie foodie but I don't think I fall into any of those categories, smiling maybe. Just enjoying catching up on idle jottings, laughing and having a few toots reading as I've just cancelled my 24km bike ride (miles where I live) and decided to poison my body instead.

Ho Hum orders WATER! My Goodness. I was always advised not to mix my drinks. Too much water Hum can be dangerous. Can lead to hyponatremia, flushing out the good electrolytes/sodium etc in the body. Best stick to the vino and Just salt your scrambled eggs and smoked salmon breakfast tomorrow morning with your Buck's Fizz!! That'll balance it out !!! Hope things are ok:)

Well thanks for that most entertaining contribuion Poppy (Hum thinks?)

Hahaha

 

Obviously you rewarded yourself with quite a few glasses of the Amontillado after weedkill spraying the drive.

Well you deserve it darling.

You did wear breathing protection ?

Maybe it's the fumes ?

 

"Hateful old bag"..hahahahaha

That's so funny !!!

Love it !

Ho Hum. Are you suggesting I've been on the cooking sherry already?? Too wet here at the mo, need a few dry days before I tackle the drive! Breathing protection? No way, I'm a hardy old lassie:)