Help - Need lots of advice for sailing transatlantic

[SwissMyst]

.......Remember things also go missing from luggage when flying.

 

Just use common sense.

 

Good reminder. I never even let my costume jewelry go unattended until last time.

 

At the gate, they asked if anyone wanted to check their carry on directly onto the plane instead of putting it in the overhead since it was a full flight. (Virgin America FLL to LAX). Sure, why not I thought. There is nothing I need in this and I know it will be on the plane.

 

Only after I checked it at the gate to be put directly on the plane did I remember among my costume jewelry was a 10K gold bangle- - not all that expensive -- but it was the only "real" gold, compare to the rest of what was in the jewelry roll up in my carry-on.

 

The 10K bangle would always set off the metal detector so instead of just taking it off at security, this time I slipped it into my jewelry roll so I would not risk losing it during the security line hassles taking it on and off. Dumb move.

 

When retrieving our luggage at the carousel in LAX, I immediately checked and found the jewelry roll up was still in my carry-on and thought I had dodged that bullet. But when I got home, that one "real" gold 10K bangle had gone missing when I emptied the rest of the items.

 

Imagine this amid all the costume jewelry in this roll-up that was at the very bottom of my carry on case, the one "real" gold item, small and insignificant as it was had been stolen.

 

This has to mean someone was rummaging through the gate "checked" carry-on, while we were on the plane and sorting out what could be used for later fencing value, no matter how insignificant.

 

I will write a letter to Virgin America - I don't expect anything other than raising their awareness. I had let go custody of my bags, even when I thought I was doing them a favor, it worked against my own common sense in retrospect.

 

So be beware even when you have your valuables in your carry-on, don't relinquish them at the gate to "help out". Hold them close, no matter how insignificant.

[sassysealegs]

Hi there,

 

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this but if you drive to FLA you'll need a one-way flight back to where you parked your car. My experience has shown that one-way flights back from Europe are either very, very expensive or exhausting if reasonable - usually involving multiple layovers (some overnight - so add a hotel room to the price as well). Try for a multi-city flight and price carefully before committing to the itinerary on the ship.

 

In general, if you are lucky and flying out of Toronto or Montreal, you may find that you can book with one of the charter companies here in Canada - who fly weekly at the beginning of their season to multiple times per week. If so, you can pick up a reasonable one-way fare from Europe back home again. You may also be able to use a European carrier from you disembarkation port to fly to London where more flights are direct and multiple charter companies fly to Canada and usually many per week. Do watch your luggage size and weight as restrictions in Europe are more stringent on check-ins and weight for same - some even count your purse as a carry-on so be sure you can fit everything in one bag to carry on to the flight.

 

As well, for your planning you could try toms port guides to see if any of your stops are included in his comprehensive info on many european ports. Lots of how-tos and what-not-to-do info there.

 

Hope this helps with your decision - we love TA's and try to do at least one each year - love the sea days.

 

Cheers...

[fuzzywuzzy]

Hi there,

 

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this but if you drive to FLA you'll need a one-way flight back to where you parked your car. My experience has shown that one-way flights back from Europe are either very, very expensive or exhausting if reasonable - usually involving multiple layovers (some overnight - so add a hotel room to the price as well). Try for a multi-city flight and price carefully before committing to the itinerary on the ship.

 

In general, if you are lucky and flying out of Toronto or Montreal, you may find that you can book with one of the charter companies here in Canada - who fly weekly at the beginning of their season to multiple times per week. If so, you can pick up a reasonable one-way fare from Europe back home again. You may also be able to use a European carrier from you disembarkation port to fly to London where more flights are direct and multiple charter companies fly to Canada and usually many per week. Do watch your luggage size and weight as restrictions in Europe are more stringent on check-ins and weight for same - some even count your purse as a carry-on so be sure you can fit everything in one bag to carry on to the flight.

 

As well, for your planning you could try toms port guides to see if any of your stops are included in his comprehensive info on many european ports. Lots of how-tos and what-not-to-do info there.

 

Hope this helps with your decision - we love TA's and try to do at least one each year - love the sea days.

 

Cheers...

 

Thank you for your info. We thought about the various options. Drive/fly, etc. To fly direct round trip out of Toronto (T.O. to Ft. L. and then back to T.O.) was about $1000/pp. You are nailed with a huge tax when flying out of T.O. Seemed like a lot. Driving is cheaper but then we have the long drive and a couple of nights on the road. We enjoy the trip though. We weighed out the costs and still seemed more to fly. We then checked out the price to fly back only from Rome via N. Jersey unfortunately, as it is not direct, then on to Ft. L. This price was a special too and was only about $600/pp tax incl. So, that is the route we chose. Not sure if it was the best option. I hope so. Although we do have to factor in costs of rooms driving down and back home from Ft. L. but I think we will have enough of flying by the time we reach Ft. L.

[kazu]

Thank you for your info. We thought about the various options. Drive/fly, etc. To fly direct round trip out of Toronto (T.O. to Ft. L. and then back to T.O.) was about $1000/pp. You are nailed with a huge tax when flying out of T.O. Seemed like a lot. Driving is cheaper but then we have the long drive and a couple of nights on the road. We enjoy the trip though. We weighed out the costs and still seemed more to fly. We then checked out the price to fly back only from Rome via N. Jersey unfortunately, as it is not direct, then on to Ft. L. This price was a special too and was only about $600/pp tax incl. So, that is the route we chose. Not sure if it was the best option. I hope so. Although we do have to factor in costs of rooms driving down and back home from Ft. L. but I think we will have enough of flying by the time we reach Ft. L.

 

Have a great cruise and a great time:)

[fuzzywuzzy]

The posts that suggest that you use ATM`s are correct. However make sure that you only have a four number pin for use in Europe. Know your ATM daily limit and raise it if necessary. Monitor your cash needs to your daily withdrawal limits. Change large bills from the ATM inside the bank that you just used outside as they should not have a problem if you show them the receipt. Often cabbies, hotels and restaurants have trouble changing them.

 

Do buy some Euros at your local bank branch before your trip. Use them at your ports-of-call and on your first day in Rome as the exchange rates at the ports is bad.

 

Let your credit card company know of your travel plans. If not they may freeze your card if they see unusual activity. Happened to us in Florence eventhough we called them. Was a pain to get them released. Be sure that your credit card has a chip in it as you may not be able to use the old swipe type ones. Know what fees your credit card company charges on foreign transactions and how they calculate the exchange rate. Cash might be a lot cheaper.

 

Clean out your purse and have your husband clean out his wallet. There are no Sears or Bay stores in Rome. If you lose it it will be a lot easier for you to replace only a few cards. Do E-mail yourself the credit card numbers and the phone number to report the loss. Do same with your passport information.

 

Leave your expensive jewelry and watches at home. Do not be a walking billboard that says rob me. Do not flash your wealth like having an expensive camera around your neck. We have never had a problem. Use the safe in your room if there is one if not use a lock box at the front desk of the hotel. Remember things also go missing from luggage when flying.

 

Just use common sense.

 

Thank you so much for this great info. I had never thought of emailing myself the credit card numbers and phone # to report loss. I do make a copy of my credit cards, SIN card, D.L., Passport and I take a copy of this with me when travelling and I also leave a copy at home. But I like this idea of emailing the info then I will have it at my fingertips on my phone.

 

I have ordered Rick Steve's silk money belts for both of us. I hope this works. But how do you access your money when you are out and about and need to get your money? You wear this belt under your clothes, right? Never used one before so excuse my stupidity. lol. But I would still need to carry a bag for my phone and incidentals. It sounds like that can even be grabbed or the straps cut.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Wow, thanks for all the tips CDNGB. I'm printing off all these good tips and advice.

[fuzzywuzzy]

I understand that you have already booked your return flight. Others may be interested that last time I booked a one way return flight from FCO to Toronto on AirTransat. In the spring many Italians return to home for an extended vacation which means that the return flights are almost empty. It was around $350 and we all had at least three seats to stretch out on. Took the train to Essex County but now you can go on Porter from Toronto Island Airport. There is currently a 50% off sale which meanms the flight is slightly more than the train.

 

We aren't too far from each other. We live in Southwest Middlesex.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Bring some warm clothes. The Atlantic can get chilly. It's not like the Caribbean.

 

 

Good to know. I was going to ask what kind of temps. and weather to expect on the Atlantic. We will need slacks and jackets I guess. That means less room in the luggage. We are used to packing for Caribbean cruises where you don't have to pack any warm clothing except maybe a shawl.

 

Do people use the pools on the ship? Are they indoors? Maybe people don't use the pools on a transatlantic cruise?

[fuzzywuzzy]

Sounds like a great trip we have been talking about doing transatlantic for a few years, as soon as I retire( only a couple to go) , you will love Rome, the food is great.

 

 

Yes, I LOVE Italian food!! Excited to try authentic Italian !!

[gramps3421]

We have visited Rome 7 times in the past 6 years - 3 of them on TA. When we book a place to stay we use Trip Advisor to find a place with a free breakfast and within the area of the Vatican. All of the most visited sites are within walking distance if you stay in this area - the "hop oh hop off" will stop at all of the popular places.

If you are going to be in Rome for a few days I would recommed taking the "Scavvi" tour - the underground beneath St. Peters. You have to go on line to reserve a spot.

We use a service called Tiber limo from the port to the city and then to the airport. For us taking the train was quite a hassle lugging our luggage. The cabs in Rome are a hoot - be careful on the cost - they will sometimes ring up a higher price on the meter when reaching your destination.

Rome = gelato, espresso and lots of small quaint restaurants.

Have fun

:)

[SwissMyst]

Yes, I LOVE Italian food!! Excited to try authentic Italian !!

 

Having grown up in the SF Bay area which has a fairly large Italian immigrant community the typical "Italian restaurant" was ubiquitous red sauce on everything, spumoni ice-cream for dessert, red-checkered table cloths, saw dust on the floor, and a candle dripping in a straw covered wine carafe.

 

Living in Northern Italy later for several years brought an entirely different take on authentic Italian. The curse was upon our return (back in the 1970's) was friends taking us to their "favorite" Italian restaurant because they knew we would be homesick and off we went to the ubiquitous red sauce, red checkered table cloth, saw dust floored Italo-American spaghetti and meatball bar.

 

We learned authentic Italian is not so much specific recipes or dishes, but superbly fresh and in-season ingredients minimally treated to enhance what was already there, rather than hidden behind fussy preparation. First time I had pasta al burro (simply with butter and a dusting of fresh parmiggiano cheese,) did I finally understand what "spaghetti" was originally meant to be. Today everyone's knowledge of "authentic Italian" has become so much more sophisticated.

 

Buon appetito!

[gummi]

get tickets for an audience with the pope in st peter's square--

 

http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/tickets.html

 

make a request in advance and drop them some euros when you stop by to pick them up the evening prior

 

get the rick steves book for rome. lots of great advice, especially if you will only be in town for 3 or 4 days. good bit on 'sneaking in' to the sistine chapel and avoiding an additional line-up.

[the2ofus]

I agree with a previous poster who recommended carrying a credit card with a chip. Most European credit cards have them, most US cards don't. For example, at a railway station in Amsterdam they would only accept cards with a chip. (Just about cleaned me out of my euros to buy the ticket I needed.)

 

Also, when planning your ATM withdrawal limit, remember that the euro costs more in dollars, so be sure your daily limit is high enough. For example, 200 euro would mean around $260 depending on the exchange rate.

 

Be aware that ATMs are not always easily found unless you are familiar with the logo and the common positioning, and you could walk right by without realizing it, even if it shows on your map. In Rome, parking can be a problem so even if you can find an ATM, it might not be possible for your cab or tour van to stop nearby.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Having grown up in the SF Bay area which has a fairly large Italian immigrant community the typical "Italian restaurant" was ubiquitous red sauce on everything, spumoni ice-cream for dessert, red-checkered table cloths, saw dust on the floor, and a candle dripping in a straw covered wine carafe.

 

Living in Northern Italy later for several years brought an entirely different take on authentic Italian. The curse was upon our return (back in the 1970's) was friends taking us to their "favorite" Italian restaurant because they knew we would be homesick and off we went to the ubiquitous red sauce, red checkered table cloth, saw dust floored Italo-American spaghetti and meatball bar.

 

We learned authentic Italian is not so much specific recipes or dishes, but superbly fresh and in-season ingredients minimally treated to enhance what was already there, rather than hidden behind fussy preparation. First time I had pasta al burro (simply with butter and a dusting of fresh parmiggiano cheese,) did I finally understand what "spaghetti" was originally meant to be. Today everyone's knowledge of "authentic Italian" has become so much more sophisticated.

 

Buon appetito!

 

Yes, I'm sure we will be surprised at the difference between what we think is Italian and what is truly Italian over there. Can't wait to taste the wine as well. :)

[iancal]

Canadian banks switched to chip and pin technology some time ago-as did the bank credit cards.

 

We find exchanging money at Canadian banks or the CAA to be expensive. If you live in a larger city there may be a currency exchange office nearby. You may find that the rate is about 3 percent less and you will have a much larger choice of denominations.

 

The Euro is low at the moment-it is a good time to buy.

[fuzzywuzzy]

We have visited Rome 7 times in the past 6 years - 3 of them on TA. When we book a place to stay we use Trip Advisor to find a place with a free breakfast and within the area of the Vatican. All of the most visited sites are within walking distance if you stay in this area - the "hop oh hop off" will stop at all of the popular places.

If you are going to be in Rome for a few days I would recommed taking the "Scavvi" tour - the underground beneath St. Peters. You have to go on line to reserve a spot.

We use a service called Tiber limo from the port to the city and then to the airport. For us taking the train was quite a hassle lugging our luggage. The cabs in Rome are a hoot - be careful on the cost - they will sometimes ring up a higher price on the meter when reaching your destination.

Rome = gelato, espresso and lots of small quaint restaurants.

Have fun

:)

 

I have ordered Rick Steve's guidebook. We are not taking the train. We aren't 20 years old any longer...although we are both fit, I don't think we would be able to handle two big suitcases and two carryons. I think I will book Romecabs. People have raved about them on these boards. We have booked the Hotel Gambrinus in Rome. Hope we will be happy with that. Not sure how close it is for walking to sites. I think we are in the historic district which is good, right? It had good reviews.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Canadian banks switched to chip and pin technology some time ago-as did the bank credit cards.

 

We find exchanging money at Canadian banks or the CAA to be expensive. If you live in a larger city there may be a currency exchange office nearby. You may find that the rate is about 3 percent less and you will have a much larger choice of denominations.

 

The Euro is low at the moment-it is a good time to buy.

 

We need to buy Euros - from Canadian. I guess we should get to our exchange office nearby and buy some asap.

[iancal]

We use cash often when we are in Italy. So, we typically take Euros with us, and when using the ATM we withdraw the maximum.

 

We tend to stay in smaller hotels/pensions. Some will only take cash. At others, we usually ask for, and get a 5-10 percent discount for cash. Our VISA foreign exchange charge is terrible-about 3 percent so this is another incentive to use cash. It adds up for us because we are usually there for 4-5 weeks at a time. Not sure what your post cruise plans are.

 

We never eat in the main tourist areas. We look for a place a few blocks away. If the menu is in 5 languages or all we hear is English then we do not bother staying. We often share dishes. Same for gelato...don't buy it beside tourist attractions like Trevi because you will pay 3X. Do not be afraid to ask the price in a restaurant-especially for wine that is not the standard table wine.

 

Pack as light as you can. There is nothing worse than travelling around with lots of heavy luggage. Remember the old saying, take half the clothes and twice the money.

[Cruisin Kay D]

Remember Europe is SO MUCH SMALLER than US or Canada -- once you are over there on a transatlantic cruise, go see some of the countries in Europe and enjoy the wonderful surroundings and history of Europe -- cities/countries are not too far apart compared to USA & Canada, once you're over there -- really it doesn't matter which European city you fly out of or which US/Canada city you fly into because you can find a way back home!! You've spent all this money for a way TO Europe (the cruise), so why not see some of Europe before you fly back home.

For example, there is low-cost airline called Air Berlin that has hubs in Dusseldorf and Berlin but connections in various places around Europe and flies to NYC, Miami, LAX and Ft. Myers FL and with a few connections to other cities -- they're half the price of the major carriers. Be flexible in your air planning. One I found today is IcelandAir and allows you to stay in Iceland a night or 2 enroute to USA!!! I am considering it for our 1-way flight from Brussels to DC.

[bobby'sgirl]

I live near you and have bought euro's at Robert Q in London. Better rates that at the money exchange at local malls. Enjoy your trip, sounds wonderful.:)

[fuzzywuzzy]

I live near you and have bought euro's at Robert Q in London. Better rates that at the money exchange at local malls. Enjoy your trip' date=' sounds wonderful.:)[/quote']

 

 

Yes, you're right. Better rate at Robert Q than our bank.

[marcomania]

Hello everyone: I haven't been on the board since our last cruise last year but here I am again as we are in the midst of booking the Eurodam transatlantic cruise next April which ends in Rome.

 

Has anyone taken this voyage before? My hubby and I are hoping to stay an extra couple of nights in Rome to see the sights. We have NEVER been to Europe so I have a lot of researching to do. I will get on the Ports of Call thread to find out more about what to do in Rome and where to stay. Has anyone stayed post cruise here?

 

I am working with a very nice man out of the HAL head office, my personal cruise consultant, and he is being very helpful and patient. We can't decide whether to drive from Ontario, Canada to Ft. Lauderdale or plan the round trip air out of Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale and then fly back from Rome direct to Toronto. There is somewhat of a savings by driving but then we have the long 2 1/2 day drive. I hope everyone is prepared for LOTS of my questions and help. This is very daunting when you have no idea what to do in Europe or where to stay and get the best bang for your buck. I believe one of the best things is to arrange your own hotel accommodations post cruise near Civitavecchia or closer to Rome rather than go through HAL?

Hi,

My husband and I are also on this April cruise and it will be our first time in Europe, also. I will be watching along with you for advice for newbies such as us.

Marcomania