georgiacat

We sailed the Fascination a couple of years ago.  We really enjoyed the trip, but our balcony room was the smallest we have ever had.  It was one that had been "added" to the ship on a top deck.  I am not sure that it was worth the balcony price.  I cannot seem to find my notes or pictures from that trip, so I don't know what number.

 

A suggestion:  if you have the time, spend a couple of days pre-cruise and post if possible.  San Juan is a good place to visit.  Airline prices were cheaper, and the airport was definitely easier to navigate than with all the arriving and departing passengers.

 

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, but that was before all the hurricane damage.  I believe that prices have gone up significantly since then.

I had reserved two tours with this company before our cruise in May was cancelled.  I chose option number 2 as we are booked to cruise the same route in 2021.  We have received our refund and are very pleased with their service.   We hope to tour with them next year when everything returns to normal.

 

Hope everyone is safe and well.

Is the Gaudi House Museum worth purchasing the ticket?  What is it?

I was checking the different tickets, and I did not know if I wanted a conbination Sagrada Familia and Gaudi Museum or not.

We are having Barcelona Day Tours pick us up at the airport (morning), give us a half day tour of Barcelona, and deliver us to our hotel at the end.  I understand that hotels in Barcelona do not let you check in early, so we may as well do something.  After we check in and get settled, we plan to walk around on our own.

 

It is a private tour since they would not schedule shared, semi-private tours for airport pick ups.  I decided it was worth the price.  You might ask them for a quote.  It won't hurt.

Sorry, if this is too long.  We had never been to any of these places before.

I felt that the time at Niagara Falls was enough.  We enjoyed the boat ride and even had enough time to shop.

Eating is important to us as my husband is a diabetic and has to be fed on regular intervals (besides we love to eat!).  This was in 2016.

 

Tuesday, Sept. 27 Atlanta to Toronto, Canada

11:05 am Air Canada flight to Toronto; good flight

Princess representative met us outside of luggage pick up.

Limo ride to hotel Fairmont Royal York, arrived 2:15 pm

Checked in.  Met James Saunders (our guide for land tour), very nice.

Walked around the corner to Tim Horton’s for lunch sandwich (panini, not impressed)

Walked down the street to find Blue Jay souvenirs at Rogers Center.

Expensive food restaurants; ate supper in basement of hotel at Piper (sports bar).  The hamburger was very good, about $20 each.

Exhausted; went to bed about 9:30 pm.

 

Weather:  about 70 degrees, windy, sunny

 

Wednesday, Sept. 28 Toronto

Woke at 5 am; breakfast buffet in hotel at 6 am, good.

Tour bus to Niagara Falls, Canadian side (2 hr and 15 min ride)

Very nice boat ride with Hornblower Niagara by the Falls.

45 min ride to Niagara on the Lake; nice town.  1 ½ hr to enjoy town

Ate lunch at Epicurean, quiche & salad, roast beef sandwich

Bought ice cream & fudge

2 hour ride back to Toronto

Supper at Casey’s (sports bar) across street; ribs were burnt

Connected with wifi to send email to kids at Casey’s.

 

Weather:  warm, low 70’s, mostly sunny

 

Thursday, Sept. 29 Toronto to Ottawa

Woke 5 am; suitcases out in hall at 5:30 am

Buffet breakfast at hotel

7:30 am bus to Ottawa; stopped every 2 hours or so

 

Boat cruise ride of Thousand Islands from Gananoque to Ivy Lea.

Lunch on boat: lasagna, salad, roll, carrot cake

Similar to Lake Lure, NC; no mountains

No commentary on boat ride (disappointed)

3:30 pm arrive hotel Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottowa

Walked down to Dunn’s Deli for supper:  giant Rueben & onion rings & club sandwich

 

Friday, Sept. 30 Ottawa to Montebello

6 am wake up

7 am buffet breakfast at hotel

8:50 am board bus

1 ½ hour City Tour with Margo

Visited gardens of the Queen’s representative at Rideau Hall.

Went to Museum of Civilization; nice exhibits, especially of First Nations (We loved the museum, but others were given the choice to go shopping)

Lunch in cafeteria: 2 hamburgers, 2 diet Cokes & cookies $31

2 pm back on bus for 1 ¼ hours ride to Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello; very nice resort on the Ottawa River.

Walked around.

Nice dinner (ladies should dress up a little).

 

Saturday, Oct. 1 Montebello to Montreal

7 am woke up; breakfast at hotel

10 am bus left Montebello for Montreal.

Arrived hotel in Montreal, disembarked for lunch at McDonald’s.

1 pm back on bus for City Tour.

3:30 pm back at Marriott hotel (the cheese grater) for check in to rooms.  Nice rooms, lovely windows

5 pm back on bus for supper.

Went to Old Montreal restaurant for supper (steak), very good.

Back to hotel at 8:30 pm.

 

Weather:  sunny, warm, about 70 degrees, nice

 

Sunday, Oct. 2 Montreal to Quebec City (ship)

Woke 5:30 am

8 am left hotel

2 stops before Quebec City; arrived about noon.

On ship 1 pm; lunch at Horizon Court.

Walked around Quebec City; took funicular up and down.

Enjoyed boardwalk in front of hotel Chateau Frontenac; ate ice cream

Had to go through inspection again instead of going straight to ship.

7 pm folkloric show, good

Did laundry $3 each wash & dry

 

Weather good, sunny, little wind

 

Enjoy your trip.  We would definitely go again.

That is the tour that we were on.  Do you have specific questions, or would you like a rundown of our days?  (I take notes.)

Are you talking about the Maple Leaf tour prior to the Canada/New England cruise out of Quebec City?

 

If so, we did it a couple of years ago and loved it.  We were busy with tours during the day and yes, bus rides between cities.  They were not extremely long.  Breakfast was taken care of at the hotels.  I believe a couple of dinners were included.  There was some time for yourself, but not a lot.  We went to bed early at night because of the early rising and departures.

 

Let me know if you wish more details (if this is the tour you were thinking about).

Beautiful pictures.  Thanks everyone.  We are looking forward to this trip in the spring.

Thank you for letting me know.  We signed up for the tour.  We don't plan to do any hiking.

How strenuous is Montserrat to walk around?

Thank you, LoveThatCorgi.  We will check out Chania Adventures.

Thank you for your input.

We are going in early May, too early for beaches.  We get enough hot weather in Georgia, and go to Florida beaches.  We are looking for nice weather and fewer crowds, if possible.  We do like history, but that long trip may be too much.

I appreciate your responses.

I read several threads about Crete; now I would like some advice from people who have gone there.  Our cruise ship is stopping for one day (noon - 10 pm).  I read that the town of Chania is interesting and would be good to explore.  Or the ship has a 9 hour bus tour to Knossos; I would like to see this, but the ride is long.  I could not find a local tour.

Should we stay in town and leisurely explore on our own, or take the long bus tour?  If we take the bus tour, we would not have time for the town.  Is Knossos worth the time?

How was your tour?  I am looking for tours around Crete and would prefer small rather than the ship's large bus.

Check the Spain port listing; it is good.

We are going to Barcelona and staying at the Hotel Lleo.  We have never been before, so we cannot give you any first hand details.  We are using Barcelona Day Tours for a couple of tours.  We have had very good communication with them.

 

I have heard a lot of great things about Barcelona.  I know we will enjoy the trip.

Tell me all about Hotel Lleo and Barcelona.  We are going there in May.

Lucky you, a transAtlantic.

We purchased the all inclusive photo package for our British Isles cruise last year for about $119 (I think) for a 12 day trip.  I thought it was worth it.  I make memory albums of photos and souvenirs when we get back for our big trips, so I can enjoy them again.  You get all of the photos that the ship people take (except for studio sittings), formal nights, boarding, debarking at ports with the characters (if you are there when they are), restaurants sittings, groups that you are in.  We received more than 50 hard copy photos and a memory stick (they provided with first photo) of all of them for loading on your computer or making reprints, etc.  You needed to bring back memory stick whenever you wanted to pick up photos, and we had to find ourselves (hard copy photos) on the display racks.  Someone helped us a little there.

 

Do not wait to the end of the trip to find all of your photos.  They do purge the old ones.

 

I plan to purchase the all inclusive package again for our Mediterranean cruise in 2020 of 14 days.  I notice the price is now $249.  I hope they will have a Black Friday sale or something.  The price pre-cruise is less expensive than waiting for on the ship.

 

The price of individual pictures used to be about $20 (for 8x10).  I think it may be about $25 now.  And you have to decide which pictures you want and which you do not.  With the all inclusive, you can wait until later and throw away the rejects or give them to your children.

Thank you for the video.  That was very helpful.  Thinking of reserving a Family Harbor room for grandkids.  Wish they could have added a bathroom there.

Thank you Mapleleaves for posting about the Hotel Leo with positive feedback and the good area around it.  We will be staying there this next May (never been to Spain before).  I am encouraged about our decision and excited about the trip (staying 2 days pre-cruise in Barcelona).

 

It is a shame that the heading for this thread is so depressing:  Increased Muggings ...  I started not to open the thread, but I am glad that I did.

 

thanks, again

We stayed in Holiday Inn Express (before the hurricane).  I hear that it is still operational.  It has a good location, one block from beach, close to food, ice cream.  Price was good.  Check them out.

Do you tip the guides, drivers for Spain Day Tours?  If so, how much?

Do you happen to know how often the shuttle bus runs?

Thanks for letting me know.  I don't know if that matters or not, but it is something to consider.

Has anyone stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel in Athens?  Can you tell me anything about it?

Thank you for your replies.  I will see about putting in reservations.