Giantfan13

We have always done anytime dining. It really started on NCL and we loved it then. Now that Carnival is trying it, we have used it on our last few cruises with Carnival and also love it. The longest we have ever waited was 20 minutes and that was on the formal night when EVERYONE wants to eat in the main dining rooms.

Look at it this way, we cannot eat so late, to be finished with dinner at 9:30 or 10:00. The early dining means we have to rush back from any port we are in that we are there longer than 5:30. We despise eating in the buffet, so the anytime dining is just perfect. Sea days go a bit earlier, or have a nice snack late in the afternoon and go to dinner a bit later.

And people talk about the same wait staff, maybe that wait staff isn't to your liking? Not every wait staff are great. Also you may not like the people you are with. Maybe there are 2-3 young children there and keep you from enjoying your dinner, EVERY nite. Yes, you could try and switch, but who knows where you end up.

And maybe one night, or two nights or even more, you want a table for 2, just not possible with regular dining.

With anytime dining, YOU control your options. With standard dining, the only good thing is you can walk right to your table as soon as you get there, maybe the same boring people, no chance to meet more and more interesting people.

Cheers

Len

Pauly

Thanks once again for the excellent report, both good and bad. We are sailing next Thursday and just can't wait to get out of this mess. I see from your location, you are in Staten Island. I'm on Long Island, another 10 inches of snow today, more tomorrow night and possibly more over the weekend.

Just get us on that ship, I don't care where she goes, as long as it is somewhere warm.

We are not very critical cruisers. We also got a terrific military rate, and for what we paid for an 8 day cruise out of our home town of NY, I'll have a good time even if it rains every day (God forbid).

One question, is your partner a permanent part of the Legends show, or was that something that they did on a one time basis?

We have some great friends who live on Todt Hill, anywhere near you?

Anyway, thanks again for the great review.

Cheers

Len

Hello, new to this, can use all the help I can get, we are taking our first cruise in Oct, on the sunshine, any info would be greatly appreciated.

Cruising is the ultimate vacation.

Prepare yourself to be pampered for the length of your cruise

Prepare yourself for gourmet meals every night

Prepare yourself to just sit around and do nothing all day but drink exotic drinks (if that's your thing)

You want something just ask, the crew will bend over backwards several times to accommodate you.

The cruise is your vacation, the ports you stop at and enjoy are the bonuses. We are sailing to the Bahamas next week and can't wait. Another 10 inches of snow here on Long Island, with more tomorrow night and possibly even more on the weekend. Let us out of here.

You will LOVE it.

Cheers

Len

Are there any Segway tours in Freeport?

I have looked but the closest I've come is a motorized bike deal.

Cheers

Len

The last posters experiences are well documented and that procedure is used by almost all the private tour companies. That is one of the major differences between a private tour and a ships tour. The private tour operators can and will change itineraries around to meet the day and the things that happen along the way. A ship's tour will go from A to B and then to C with no deviation.

We toured with SPB Tours. We had glorious weather on day one so they changed some of the itinerary around so we could use that glorious weather to do more of the outdoor things, especially the Canal river cruise which was originally scheduled for day 2.

My advice is to use any of the major private tour companies and you will sleep more comfortable at night leading up to your trip. You really cannot depend on Trip Advisor for a lot of help as a company can have all it's relatives write up a review. There is no screening process. You know, a lot of one post wonders telling you how wonderful such and such a company is. We here on CC, will give you a better review.

Now this company might be great but maybe they won't even be around when you go. A lot of these smaller companies come and go very quickly. They try to start up a business but never really make it, or are swallowed up by larger companies.

Just my advice, stay with the well recommended ones and you will have no fears about your trip and tour.

Cheers

Len

At first look, most of the major tour companies do the same thing, show you the same things and all charge about the same thing, but there are differences, though minor ones, which might mean more to you than to others.

Since we traveled about 3 years ago, if anything has changed, I apologize, but from being on these boards since that time, I am pretty sure I am up to date on most things.

For us, we chose SPB Tours because they offered us a sit down lunch at a regular Russian restaurant, opposed to other groups who gave you a boxed lunch where you ate on the go. We thoroughly enjoyed our restaurant time, and experience, and gave us a chance to relax and see how things like that were done. We had Russian food which I won't go into, but again, it was one of the reasons that sold us on SPB over the others. At our time they were the only ones that offered the Canal cruise at no additional cost. I'm not sure how that is done now, but that is something you do want to do on your 2 day tour.

We are of the Jewish faith and we wanted to visit the Grand Choral synagogue. It wasn't on our itinerary or any other operators itinerary. When we mentioned this to Viktoria, the owner, she immediately added it. It was things like that, plus the feelings we got from dealing with SPB that sent us in there direction.

yes, all are basically the same, but there are differences. YOU have to do your homework and see which one is best for you. I really go against those that say go by what friends tell you. EVERYONE says that their tour group was the best, without experiencing any others. It may have been best for your friends but not for you. YOU have to decide for yourself.

Cheers

Len

I am an USAF veteran, and no one even cared. I did use it to get a military discount on my cruise thru NCL, but all they want is your passport info.

Cheers

Len

Get a balcony!!!! Even though it was too cold (we did 1st week in May) we enjoyed sitting on the couch sea days and looking out

 

 

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Nicole

I do NOT mean to make light of your last post, but it struck me as very funny. You paid all that extra money for a balcony, to sit on the couch in your room and look out?

Again, I understand some people's need to have that balcony, so if you are in that group, fine, there is nothing wrong with that. But, as you said, it IS cold and if it is too cold to even sit out......

Again, I'm only making light of it. You brought a smile to my face today.

Cheers

Len

Interesting stuff. I learned something new.

Thanks

Cheers

Len

We booked a cruise with Carnival, with a military rate. Before final payment, we switched the booking to a TA because we had some sort of coupon from this agency to be applied towards final payment.

On looking at this cruise, there are still many cabins available and we are less than 2 weeks out. We booked an inside cabin. I wrote to Carnival, as we are long time cruisers with them, and asked if MAYBE we could be upgraded to a better cabin still in our inside category. Their response was very polite but it basically said that they cannot do anything to my request because I am using a TA. The request has to come from them. I have now asked our TA to contact Carnival about this.

Is this normal procedure?> I have read so many times here how people have been upgraded, out of the blue. Is this the policy on Carnival?

Cheers

Len

We were on the Glory over the summer and they had a Civil War trivia. I don't know if they do this on all Carnival ships, but I found this the most interesting of all the other trivia's. We got to discuss some of the questions and answers. I always thought I knew a lot about the Civil War, and I got 13 of the 20 right, but others got 17 and one 18 right. It was just so interesting and informative.

As was said, if you only play to win, you won't have any fun. The fun is to see how much you know and in my case, being old, how much I have forgotten. :D:D:D:D.

If people think coming in and already knowing all the answers from a prior time or crusie is fun, then let them have the silly SOAS. We play just to have some fun.

Cheers

Len

Didn't want to make a comment of your weight, but since you mentioned the chair issue, on our last cruise, we traveled with a couple who also need chairs without any arms so they can sit comfortably. Might be something Carnival should seriously look into to.

Glad you got your chair though. Out friends had some nights when they couldn't get chairs without arms.

Cheers

Len

Once again, great review. We are on the Splendor in less than 2 weeks now.

After reading your reviews, we are so looking forward to getting away.

Cheers

Len

Once again, love your revue.

One question, how were the seas going down?. Any storms along the way?

Cheers

Len

great review so far, and can't wait for more. We are on the

Splendor in 2 weeks and want as much info as possible. Keep it coming.

Cheers

Len

Passports are preferred, but not necessary on a cruise like this. Your photo drivers license and birth certificate will work fine.

Hope you enjoy your first cruise and the first of many more to come.

Cheers

Len

I concur with Ashland, do the HoHo the first day, get yourself acclimated to London and enjoy it. You can get on and off at several interesting places, or take the complete tour and then go back to some of the places you want to spend more time at. Use the second day to again tour around but now you know where certain things are. If you do go to the Tower of London, it is almost a whole day event, if you want to see and experience everything. Be sure to get on one of the Beefeater's tours.

Sometimes the lines are long to buy tickets to the tower, so you might want to book online and just be able to walk in.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe013.jpg

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe024.jpg

Also try to go to see the Crown Jewels as early as possible. The lines do get rather long as the day goes on.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe023.jpg

Cheers

Len

I think (though I'll go for the first cruise just in the next August:)) that the balcony is worth it! All the people who took balcony write that it was great for sunbathing, pictures, relaxing, evening wine, reading, romantic nights etc. So, if you can afford it -go for it!

As I said before, there are those that just will not cruise without a balcony. If that's you, go for it. But if you are cruising in August, be sure your balcony is on the sunny side of the ship, or there will be no sunbathing. Maybe with your jacket on :D:D. and as for pictures, forget that also, the only port that is worthwhile viewing from a balcony is the archipelago in Stockholm, and honestly, it is better viewed from a top deck, aft.

But, as for the relaxing, and the wine, now your talking. Can't beat that. :D:D:D

Cheers

Len

I know SPB Tours also does a Jewish heritage tour in St Petersburg, as well as Berlin

http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/Jewish-Heritage-Tour

http://www.spb-tours.com/germany/en/berlin-jewish-heritage-tour

Hope this helps

Cheers

Len

We were actually charged on the first day with SPB tours.

That surprises me to no end. I know so many people who have used SPB tours and no one ever said they had to pay on day one.

Did you pay in cash or with a credit card?

Right off their web site, if you pay in cash you pay on day 2 of your 2 day tour, but if you are using a credit card, then you pay on day one.

You can pay in cash (USD, EUR or RUB) on the morning of the second tour day in St. Petersburg.You can pay by credit card (Visa or Mastercard) on the first tour day in St. Petersburg

Cheers

Len

As long as you are a veteran with an honorable discharge, you can take advantage of the military rate. I also did my tour in Nam, and was honorably discharged in 1969, after serving 3 1/2 years. I was eligible for early release after my tour in Nam. I have used the military rate for almost 10 cruises so far on several different cruise lines. Yes, some say only for retired military. As far as I'm concerned, I served and after that I retired. I have yet to be refused a military rate after I send them my DD214.

Cheers

Len

As has been said, USUALLY, in the summer months, the seas are generally calm. That said, no one can predict if a storm comes up, or you hit a rough patch, but, again, for the most part, expect fairly calm seas thru out.

Here is a short video of us outside for a suns et. This is as rough as the seas got thru out our entire trip. it was windy and cool as we went mid to late August, but we enjoyed marvelous weather our entire cruise.

http://s834.photobucket.com/user/Giantfan13/media/baltics/europemaster501.mp4.html

Cheers

Len

I have also read this thread from the beginning and appreciate all the information gathered from it.

 

We have booked with Alla for the two days in St Petersburg on our forthcoming cruise and are really looking forward to it. We were very impressed with their efficiency in the booking process. However, my DH asked a question that has never arisen on any CC board that we have ever read - what happens if somebody books a 2-day tour and, knowing that you don't have to pay until the morning of the second day, perhaps falls ill before they can take the second day's tours or even decides they are just not going to turn up for whatever the reason. I hasten to add that we would never willingly do that, but its an interesting question.

 

Any thoughts, answers or suggestions?

This question has come up here every so often. All the tour operators in St Petersburg want their reputation to be the best, so if some one willingly wants to cheat them out of their money by not showing up on the second day, I would assume they would eat the loss. I believe all the tour companies except one collect the money on the second day and they believe people are honest and will abide by their agreement. No one signs anything, they do not ask for a deposit (which I truly believe should be done), it is all on the honor system.

If, as you asked, are sick and cannot make the second day tour, that is up to the company themselves how they would handle it. If you do not go, they will not charge you.

Since they do not have any credit card info, there is no way they can make you pay if you do not show up. In all the time I have been on these boards, I have never heard of anyone doing that intentionally, but I'm sure it does happen.

Cheers

Len

Just a question to those that have been there recently. I understand about jewelry and such, but what about cameras and phones? We get off in Nassau and want to call home, you use your phone, if that safe?. Also, I am an avid photographer and carry my camera and bag everywhere. I simply cannot keep the camera packed away in the bag until I am ready to use it as I am continually taking pictures. It is not a top of the line camera, but nice enough. Is this a wise thing to do?

Cheers

Len

The ship and the ocean is why I cruise. The ports are further down on my list of reasons to cruise.

I guess you have never cruised to Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Mediterranean, Canada? Because if you thought the way you say, you would miss some pretty amazing things.

While the cruise is nice, where you are going is what makes cruises memorable. While we have stayed on the ship several times when cruising, only because we have been there several times before and the weather made us rethink getting off.

Cheers

Len