Catlover54

It is almost certainly ironed.

I am so sorry you did not find the F&B on Explora acceptable (the things you describe are a bit comical). I haven't been on board yet to see for myself, but it is discouraging to hear net negative reports (for various reasons) from Explora pax, other than those written by people who are travel writers, travel agents, or those who are otherwise eligible for comped or partially comped cruises. Unfortunately too many "luxury" and "inclusive" lines try and pass off poor quality, typically also inexpensive but included wines as "special", so apparently Explora is just following the trend of fooling people who don't know any better or who are happy enough with 'whatever is free' as a wine. That is one of many reasons I like Hapag Lloyd's set-up -- you pick your wine from hundreds, listed with a fair price and fair mark-up, low or high, and you simply pay for it, no pantomine or comedy. Oddly, when I click on the wine list pdf, instead of getting a wine list, I get 6 pages listing Explora voyages and no wine list.

I think the "still required Covid test" is not due to a Ponant policy at this point, but a police of the area where you are boarding. On Ponant out of Ireland and to Scotland in the spring, we were not required to take a test (just fill out a declaration),

I remember learning a lot from your reports and photos on Celebrity, which helped guide my choices there when I decided to try it. I have only done one Ponant cruise so far, a classical music focussed cruise on L'Austral last April (which I reviewed), so I look forward to your report (starting with telling us where you are going :). The few reports I have read have shown there is quite a range of differing experiences reported on their ships.

Viking ocean in Scandinavia, its home.

You are still free to drink wine on the balcony, of course -- either purchased from HAL (separately or as part of a drinks package) or by paying the $20 per bottle. As discussed elsewhere, you can also bring leftover wine purchased in the dining room back to your cabin so it's handy (along with a deoxygenator to keep it preserved properly). On a longer cruise, those costs can obviously add up to a significant sum.

AVOIDING WASTE may also be an issue. Recently on another line (a luxury line), all pax in all suites got notification in their boarding materials that if they wanted fresh fruit daily (or intermittently) they could either ask their cabin steward to deliver it or select it on their own in a designated location (pool deck or Lido ). They explained that in the past there was a lot of wasted fruit thrown into trash/composting if stewards just routinely brought a basket every day . I can relate to this -- usually I am too busy eating 3 heavy meals a day and also snacking on cookies/pastries, or otherwise doubling my baseline caloric intake, so then there may not be room for a whole basket of fruit daily on top of that, even for two people :). But when I asked for it (I told them exactly what I liked and disliked), they brought it. I would like to think that HAL, just like luxury lines, is similarly simply recognizing the reality that there is indeed a lot of unnecessary fruit waste (but then they shouldn't be giving irritating bogus explanations as in post #1), but hopefully pax can still get it even in nonsuites, without hassle, if they do indeed *ask* for it. All lines are of course interested in cost savings wherever they can these days, not just in avoiding waste. So it may make sense to target high expense and low demand areas (as opposed to doing things like charging people for second entrees and meanwhile shrinking the size of the entrees, and otherwise nickle and diming). Does anyone know roughly what percent of cabins routinely want a full basket of fruit per day?

Yes, as in my post #2. But we can't find a video, which is what Kals wants.

Love Venice photos and useful DIY descriptions (though of course I favor the photos of the tabby felines 🙂

I received the fruits I requested (the friend I was with loves bananas), but perhaps it mattered that I was in a suite? The explanation about stewards not authorized to handle fruits makes no sense (unless crew are taking some of the fruit back to their own quarters) If they had declined, and there weren't any fruit locally, I would just have taken a plate or bag and loaded up on the ones I like in the Lido and brought them back to my cabin and then had peace for the next week and one less issue to worry about.

" Definitely true (though pax can of course choose to both tip *and* provide good feedback, if warranted). Evaluations are so important that on my cruise a few months ago, about half-way through the cruise, the attendant started almost daily repeatedly telling me that I would be getting a performance feedback survey to fill out, and how important it was to him and his career for me to fill it out. I was planning on filling it out anyway (he was an excellent attendant, plus I am a big believer in providing feedback whether or not a cruise line or hotel reads what I write) , but I guess some guests do not make time to do it (they are busy getting back home, to work, picking up the dogs, dealing with post-cruise "back to the real world" issues etc., though I know some guests avoid providing feedback if service is less than stellar because they don't want to risk getting a decent but mediocre staff member in trouble).

Thank you for clarifying. Unless someone works less than half-time as a lawyer in the U.S., or has a very sweet deal through family or other connections , they simply would not have nearly enough time to do all the cruises you have so beautifully posted about over the years, and on so many lines, with behind the scenes access ("full-time" lawyers here often work very, very long hours, unless they work for government :). So I incorrectly assumed you had given up practicing law. But of course work hours are likely different in Germany (the only two I know there work very long hours, but they are very gung ho Type A personalities who barely have time for a coffee break, much less a cruise). I apologize, I didn't mean to electronically demote you from practicing attorney to cruise influencer (not that there would be anything wrong with being a cruise influencer if you were one, and I still thank you, though without providing revenue, for having 'influenced' me in any event) 🙂. Your husband's being a cruise journalist certainly explains a lot. I look forward to more of your pictures and thorough reports, both here and on future SS and other cruises. BTW you have also helped me with sound and accurate commentary about Hapag Lloyd, especially during Covid.

If HAL says "gratuities are included" in the fare you book, there is officially absolutely no requirement to tip even more, but I get the sense a lot of crew expect extra tips anyway, and bigger tips than they used to get a couple years ago, and some may be disappointed if they do not receive them. This is true even on so-called "all inclusive" luxury lines.

The way inflation has been going since Covid, I've started carrying more $5 bills instead of $1 bills for some situations where $1-$3 used to be enough. 😞 The crew's and baggage handlers' salaries of course tend to go up with inflation, but in places where workers rely on tips for a big chunk of their income, inflating tips may be an option to consider. I don't know if crew salary increases have kept up with inflation (or it may depend on to what country they are sending their remittances for their families -- e.g., the last couple years Indonesia had 4-6% inflation).

I am greatly enjoying your detailed day to day descriptions and photos. I definitely understand why you prefer being a cruise influencer instead of a lawyer ! 🙂 Though I was inclined to give Nova a try, it is your detailed blog with photos that pushed me over the edge to book, and I am truly looking forward to it.

Perhaps the spa has a little rubber pan to lend you? Or, if not, and if it is very important and you aren't traveling carry-on only, pack a rubber dish pan into your case. They weigh under a pound, and you can fill the dish pan with clothing or other stuff. Or buy one at your embarkation port, if you have time.

I did not know you could do this on scenic train routes but why not? I would love to be able to do this on some of the short-routing puddle-jumping plane flights in Europe (or even in the U.S.) where if you want a non-stop you have to fly economy and the economy seats are designed for those with the physique of prima ballerinas. But I would think that if a solo bought two seats and someone asked him to move his stuff, the solo would then say "Sorry, I paid for both seats", or something similar, instead of just saying "NO" and/or pretending he did not hear.

This is one of the strategies I use, because like you I cannot put pressure on my knees either. First I let all the water drain and use a cloth or towels to dry off the water and any soapy residual. Then I put a big towel or two on the bottom of the tub for extra friction if there is no bath mat or ribbing on the bottom of the tub. But I still need a grab bar (and/or my portable suction grab bars, securely applied), since my legs aren't strong enough anymore to get up from a squat just by holding onto the sides of the tub. All other SS ships have had grab bars, so I hope the Nova does too. And then of course have a bath mat or other secure 'landing' area. SS always lets me have as many towels as I want at a time which makes it easy (though I don't need to change them out every day, they would let me if I wanted to). DH also designed a short-legged little custom bath stool for me, which can be placed at the bottom of the tub to get a little elevation for the start of the exit, and which fits in a big suitcase, but I am able to leave that at home now. No alcohol (that comes later 🙂 ), lights on, and no rushing. I haven't gotten stuck or fallen since. One of my cruising joys is a long bubble bath after a tiring excursion, with the ship gently swaying and my favorite music playing. There is a suite on the Nova (I think it's a Signature Suite, shown on another thread) which even has the tub in the window so you can see the ocean while bathing, though of course it is significantly more expensive than the veranda suites (not just because of the tub -- it has many more square feet).

The deck plan has a water droplet icon in the rooms that have a tub and shower (a minority), but I know it is hard to see. Or, get a TA and she can sort it out for you.

Depending on the health problem or injury (I have had/have several in each category), tubs can be *more dangerous* than showers. But I'm not ready to give them up yet, so over the years I have developed various techniques for slowly and safely getting in and out even if I'm on a solo cruise. (SS advertises that butlers supposedly will "draw a bath" for guests, which I do not need because it is easy and I can time it better, but there is understandably no comparable offer to help clumsy guests get out) 🙂 I also sometimes bring special supplies like suction grab bars if I am not certain the hotel or ship has properly placed supports (available on Amazon) -- but you need a smooth shower or tub wall for those to adhere. Fortunately I no longer have to bring a rubber shower/bath mat which I needed for a while after a bad foot injury, but I still cannot cruise just with a carry-on.

Thank you so much for your detailed posts. This "bread board" offering description looks wonderful (and hopefully tasted equally wonderful). "BREAD BOARD NORTH SEA SHRIMPS WITH EUROPEAN COCKTAIL SAUCE, SMOKED SALMON WITH CAPERS, COLD POACHED SALMON WITH DILL YOGURT, ROLL MOP HERRINGS, SALMON GRAVLAX, SHRIMP AND CRAB SALAD, RUSSIAN SALAD, TROUT SALAD, MARINATED CUCUMBER AND ROCKET, SWEDISH AND HORSERADISH SALAD, BEET AND TOMATO SALAD FRIED CAPERS"

Your "stuck" is my joy -- I love tubs! I searched for a certain cruise on Nova with a tub and didn't care if it was separate or a combination. There are not that many, and I snagged the last one that didn't have a connecting room. I probably would still have sailed with just a shower, however. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way of having someone who is "stuck" with a tub/shower who wants just a shower be able to trade with someone who is "stuck" with just a shower but who wants a tub?

I have seen a description elsewhere as follows, which describes a separate shower and tub (though it could be wrong), and on the SS deck plan the little tear drop on suite numbers states a definition that those cabins include a bath and shower. Perhaps there are some with a combo and some without? "Veranda Suite's amenities include a step-out balcony (with premium patio furniture, floor-ceiling glass doors), bathroom (double vanity faucets, separate shower, whirlpool bathtub), bedroom (Queen-sized bed or two twin beds, custom-made mattress, walk-in wardrobe), sitting area (sofabed for a 3rd person), mirrored vanity table, writing desk, TV." And this is the plan shown:

Sad. As someone who sometimes travels solo, even though I really don't like having large men spilling into my already tight seat when I travel as a group, I know I am not entitled to block seats next to me, be it on a bus, boat or train, and even more so if the vehicle is full. Staff know that too. Were there any around to enlist their help to get seated where pax rudely refused to move their bags so humans could sit? I don't think staff are required to make sure couples sit together, so they likely wouldn't be willing to cause commotion and force a solo to move to a new seat. But they would almost certainly have made a solo give up her second seat -- after all, she only paid for one (unless she was saving it for someone she was traveling with who had also paid, who was delayed, getting a drink, in the toilet, or whatever). When I was young I spent quite a few years living in a country where we had no car and took streetcars, trains and buses everywhere. It would have been unheard of and the height of incivility for people to refuse to move their bag so that someone could sit. It was also an era where younger healthy looking people would get up from their seats and give them to ladies of any age, children, and men who looked old or weak.

This is true and is important (as a newbie, I only recently learned this). But the OP is asking, in his title and text, about taking wine to his room he already *purchased* at Rudi's. I did what the OP wants to do several times a few months ago when I was on board so I could be sure and properly get the air out to save the wine. My packing list includes a champagne stopper and an air removal pump with several rubber stoppers to go with the pump. On other lines I have had bad experiences with staff not saving wine or champagne properly, so I do it myself to get it right on special wines. 🙂