megr1125

You're wasting your time making or buying covers. If the bag gets damaged, file a claim with your travel insurance. Buy a new bag. I managed a luggage store for 5 years and when people said "my bag got dirty or scratched" my reply was, what happened to the stuff inside. Their answer, "nothing". Then I said see, your bag did its job. I could buy expensive luggage. I actually buy mid priced stuff because I know I'll need to fix it eventually. My current bag came back missing a wheel. The airline was going to get it repaired but the repair shop, who dealt with the luggage vendor, wound up getting the piece replaced since the luggage vendor was out of the parts and there was no suggested timeframe for them to come in. (It was a new line of luggage, no reason to NOT be able to get parts.) So, I wound up with a brand new bag thanks to the authorized repair shop's persistence. Covers won't do anything and if TSA needs to open your bag, you'll never see it again. (I had 5 TSA locks cut off. Yes they were approved. A TSA trainer I met somewhere told me that sometimes the person with the key is at lunch, or they can't be bothered and will cut the thing off anyway. That's when I started using cable ties to hold the zippers together. Honestly, if someone wants the crap in my luggage, take it. Nothing irreplaceable is ever inside). I changed to hardside after my bag was left on the ramp in a monsoon and the contents got wet. Crap happens. I went to baggage services and asked if there was anything that could be done. The agent said we can cover your dry cleaning bill. I said can I just get $10 bucks for the laundromat. Five minutes later, I had a check for 10 bucks (and a travel voucher since I defended the baggage service agent to another customer, but I digress). TL;DR, if your bag is showing wear or damage, replace it. Use packing cubes if you want (personally I hate them) and get insurance.

When I did my dinner at Lancelot, it was a lovely chicken cutlet, sides, dessert and pasta to start I think . And MANY people were dining (many is relative of course, I'd say a dozen or so). We didn't eat outside (may have been too hot) but it was really nice. All spoke English so that was fabulous. I loved that little hotel. Also, I may have been a bad guest and not turned in my key. Oops, I didn't realize I should have done that but it all worked out.

That makes no sense BUT. It's a them issue. Do NOT tell them you're coming in early. Find a flight landing in the early AM at BLQ and tell them that's when you're arriving. Might work. I booked air2sea with them and couldn't do what I wanted to do since they knew when I was coming in so I had to come up with another plan.

I loved Hotel Lancelot and am staying again if I keep my fall cruise plans. SUPER friendly staff, great location, their breakfast was nice and they do offer dinner each night. I ate in the hotel one evening and it was delightful. Rooms are small if you book a regular one but then again, so are all rooms in Europe (or mostly anyway) I really do not like Rick Steves (I liked him before he was such a big "brand") but his tour group stayed at Hotel Lancelot and one evening they sat in the lobby/bar area singing and having beverages. It was lots of fun.

No, everyone parks in the same lots. There are parking shuttles from the farther away lots. Plenty of room.

I'd go with Uber and skip the tour. TBH I used Carmel Limo once and NEVER again. The driver barely knew how to get from Manhattan to JFK and he was, to put it nicely, a jerk. (With a filthy, stinky car. My cat's litter boxes never smell that bad)

If NCL has a shuttle, use it. And then, honestly, for 3 of you with luggage, I'd suggest a private water taxi. NOT cheap but for 3, the 140ish euro fare will cover all of you (and a certain amount of luggage. For 3, probably 4-6 suitcases and a couple personal items). That's the issue with sailings from "Venice' They're either from Ravenna or Trieste, both a significant distance away (a few SMALL ships can still get closer to Venice). The cruise lines need to make this fact OBVIOUS to guests, and TAs need to know this too. (Many do but not all). Also getting to the airport can be fun. Again, I took a water taxi. You can use Vaporettos to get around (think the T, but floating, or more accurately a floating city bus. Once I wrapped my head around that, it all made way more sense.

I had an entire day to kill after a cruise. Booked a room at the LAX Airport Marriott (I booked a regular room, not a day room, but was luckily able to get very early check in-probably around 10 AM.) I had a club level room so they allowed me to hang out in the lounge until my room was ready. I napped, went out for a while, napped, ate, and so on until about 6 or 7 PM. Went over to LAX, checked in, bought a day pass to UA's lounge and had a nice couple hours there before my flight. For an 11 hour layover, I'd go to an airport hotel.

Get a theft-resistant cross body, don't do dumb stuff like walk with lots of cash. Pay attention to surroundings. Figure out where you're headed before setting out. Don't keep wallet in back pocket. Don't set your phone or camera down. Really be smart like you would ANYPLACE. Think positive and pay attention.

I give you credit for deciphering the giant, run on paragraph that made my eyes hurt, so thanks. Me? I'll stick with United.

Fellow Giants fan... I did the HOHO bus (a couple times over my stay) and enjoyed it. That said, you mention a bum knee and you'll still have quite a walk to the Acropolis so take that under consideration And it's VERY hot depending on when you're going. Private tours can be awesome, and usually are in smaller vehicles so they get closer to attractions. But I don't think you can get really close to the Acropolis other than on foot with a long walk. I saw it, from the bus, the rooftop of a couple hotels and the street. It was way too hot for me to even entertain walking up the hill.

And I was going to say Pharmacies too like cruisemom42 mentioned. My coffee hadn't quite kicked in yet. It's funny, I was seeing the green cross in my mind too, but I couldn't get that to actually travel to my keyboard. 😄

Getting a taxi in Ravenna is difficult, and it's done via an app. (Long story but I enlisted the assistance of a bartender in the bar next to my hotel when I checked out at 9PM due to the room being excessively hot!) LOL Take ship's transfer.

You're NOT flying in the same day?? If you are, you need to change that to arrive a day early. 1:30 or 2 and arrange your OWN private transfer. Fly in the day ahead please. Did you book with a travel agent? If you did, and they didn't advise you to arrive a day early, shame on them. If you booked via a big box store, they are order takers and NOT travel agents. Sorry. I HOPE you have travel insurance.

I would email the hotel and ask them. You likely won't find the brands you like and they're probably not going to be cheap. "Affordable" is subjective. You may also be able to find a Sephora. I was looking at google maps but I haven't had enough coffee and I can't read anything very well. LOL

It's closed. Had a bad fire. Was up there yesterday. It's being rebuilt, or maybe not, hard to tell, as it was fenced off with lots of stuff around whereas when I was up there a few weeks prior, nothing was fenced off. (But yes, it was NOTORIOUS for being the worst! Even at other Ruby Tuesdays!) You can also order delivery to the hotels.

Now now now....stop trying to use common sense. 😄 😄 😄

Call Royal. They have buses from the airport and Venice City Center/Tronchetto so you should be able to add them on.

Grande Bretagne and Electra Metropolis Athens are awesome views! Also Acropolis View (terrace, bring your own beverage)

Agreed on the easy and organized part. TBH the ship had it all down to a science whereas beforehand it was rather difficult to sort out. Especially if you wanted transfers to different places.

Old port. Someone posted a map, we arrived via tender at #3 and took the SeaBus to #4.

We tendered in May. Took the water bus/water taxi from the dock to Mykonos town. It was easy. We never moved to the dock at all. I made a quick little video to, and I show the water bus as well as the tender to/from the ship

They're terrible. And yes it takes a while to apply it and yes it has to be done on line. In the future, have people just give you cash or buy you OBC. Royal's electronic gift certificates are garbage and time consuming to use. I wish they'd be like other cruise lines and have normal ones, and/or ways to add OBC directly on line as opposed to calling in.

I don't use either BUT even with a power converter, they may NOT work. Managed a luggage store for years and lots of customers complaining that they would not work even with converter. We also sold dual voltage hair dryers (you can find flat irons too). I'd suggest snagging those if you'll be doing a lot international travel going forward. You can google your items and see if they're dual voltage if they aren't marked but they should be as they're fairly new.

Not unless you pay for premium air which then negates the "free" or discounted NCL air Correct. And when things go south, they're particularly helpless, and hopeless. YMMV but I won't ever use their free or discounted air And while many may not like cruise line air (from OTHER lines), I've been (knock wood, and knock again) lucky and have saved a bit of money and it's enabled me to fly in either Premium Economy (like domestic first class) or even business. And I've not paid for a bag in either situation. (again, due to PE or Biz, 1 or 2 bags were included). Caveat: know what you're buying, be proactive, pay attention to any changes and have several back up plans. I had a flight cancelled last year, and again this year, and the carriers (SAS and BA) rebooked me in the same cabin that I was originally in, either on another carrier or a different flight. The cruise line didn't do much, but the carriers did their job and in one case, I went from a connection on SAS to a nonstop on UA. I have low level elite status with UA so I don't pay for my first bag so that also helps. (I got it thru Marriott Bonvoy as it's a perk for Titanium members). My first TA was actually a crossing on Queen Mary 2 so I had premium economy air across the pond, (to Dublin, I got myself to London and then Southampton). and then I sailed home. It was fantastic and I only wish I'd gotten across the pond sooner in life. I've never paid more than 40 bucks for a bag on any carrier on any flight. (for the 1st bag. Usually if I'm checking 2, they're either both free based on being in the front of the plane, or one is free since I'm on UA and then only paying for 1)