Regent Watercooler! Off topic and non-cruise discussion here!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

5 hours ago, greykitty said:

@Wendy The Wanderer, I think it's great you put the needs of a dog or cat first, though.  That's very generous of you.  And, yes, on really cold Chicago days I'm happy to just be scooping litter boxes, not out walking the dogs like many of neighbors, even if it is great exercise! LOL

 

I will say that having a pet does tend to weigh in heavily on my travel plans, though.  I know I wouldn't do any long trips now, even if it were safe, as my girl cat is 17 1/2 and has renal issues.   Of course, COVID makes that an easy decision now.  

 

Well, good to put a good light on this awful time I guess.  And good that you can be there for your cats.  I never worried about my cat when we travelled because our son loved him and looked after him when we were away.  Enough about that or I'll get all maudlin.

 

I do not miss the litter box, I admit, especially since I'm having trouble bending over or stooping right now, ha ha.  Ah, the fun of getting old!

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

Just to be clear, I won't work for just any old tiramisu.  The stuff in Florence, near the Baptistry?  Yup.  Bologna as the sun is going down?  You bet.  A little cafe in Ville Franche, east of Nice, south of France?  Okey dokey.  

[Violagirl]

Hi all - first time going to Rome so we want to do the major sites. Can anyone recommend the best Regent excursion for this? Is there a place on Cruise Critic where people talk about the excursions? New to this site so my apologies if I am not in the right place.


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[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, Violagirl said:

Hi all - first time going to Rome so we want to do the major sites. Can anyone recommend the best Regent excursion for this? Is there a place on Cruise Critic where people talk about the excursions? New to this site so my apologies if I am not in the right place.


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Hi, yes, there are "Ports of Call" forums here.  E.g., "Italy Ports", https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/464-italy-ports/

 

Have you looked at the RSSC website to see what excursions are generally made available for a day in Rome?  Is it just a day stop, or does the cruise start or end there?  That makes a big difference.

[jeb_bud]

21 hours ago, Violagirl said:

Hi all - first time going to Rome so we want to do the major sites. Can anyone recommend the best Regent excursion for this? Is there a place on Cruise Critic where people talk about the excursions? New to this site so my apologies if I am not in the right place.


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I can’t remember the name but there is an excursion that includes an early train to Rome and a late train back to the ship with a bus tour of major sights in between. When we were planning for our cruise last year that gave us the longest time on the ground in Rome. 

[Violagirl]

Oh great thx! We are currently scheduled on Classical Rome by Private Rail Car. Gives us 10 hours in Rome🥳 Our original 2020 cruise that was cancelled had us ending in Rome so we had plans to stay there 3 days. Hoping we can get as much in as possible in our one day!

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

Viola, 

Rome wasn't built in a day, and is really impossible to "see" it in a day.  Better take your time and see a few things well, and enjoy yourself - soaking up the atmosphere - rather than rushing pell mell through a long list of places.  Much depends on how you're getting around.  Are you arriving by train?  Can you walk a few miles, or do you need to taxi about?  (Makes a difference.)  During this Covid time, not sure how restaurants and tourist sites are working, but there are some must sees that could be grouped for a walk.  For instance, Piazza Navona has several incredible fountains (was a horse racing track way back in the day).  Just west of there is a great neighborhood for walking - try lunch on the Piazza Fico (has a fig tree, of course).  A short walk to the Pantheon, and duck into Santa Maria della Pace.  Take time to sit down, have some gelato.  And plan to come back with a week or more.  

 

As an alternate, I would hire a local experienced guide, (in advance), pay to have them all to yourself, and throw yourself on their tender mercies.  Your time is valuable, and a good guide is worth every penny, to help you see what you're interested in, and to not waste time on what is not important.  My wife and I tend to take the top 3 must see items, and then don't see them.  You'll miss most of the tourists, and there is so much more to see in Rome.  Trevi Fountain.  San Carlo della Quatro Fontane - my favorite church in all of Rome, maybe all of Christendom!  Via Condotti - famous shopping street.  Museo Galleria Borghese, on the hill above Piazza del Popolo, with its twin churches with Caravaggios to be seen.  Pause at the Spanish Steps - be a typical tourist.  

 

I don't want to hog all the pixels here, so will end.  But do your research, and plan on coming back with some time to spare.  I can't wait to make it back to Rome and wander those streets - a pleasant surprise around every corner, it seems.  

[mofrances]

Hmmm...I love that piece of advice Tiramisu! "Take the top three must-sees and don't go to them". That is such a great working plan for the short time that you have during a port stop.  Makes so much sense - I'm going to put that plan into place for our next cruise (supposedly in June 2021).  Thanks for that!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I also agree with picking out two or three things and sticking to them.  That might mean taking a "Rome on Your Own"-type excursion, where they drop you off and pick you up.  You could spend the whole day doing the Palatine Hill, Forum and Colosseum, for instance.  Or the whole day at the Vatican. Or do the "touristy" stuff like the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. Think about your interests--art, history, antiquities, shopping, grandeur, ...

[xrvlcruiser]

No messages on the regular board since Sunday seems odd . . . . .is everything OK?

Peggy

[mrlevin]

5 hours ago, xrvlcruiser said:

No messages on the regular board since Sunday seems odd . . . . .is everything OK?

Peggy

 

There is absolutely nothing to talk about.  I don't think folks are too interested in booking 2023 cruises right now with cash so not the usual new schedule excitement.  Regent needs to let us know they have a plan then I am sure there will be a lot more discussion.  I am hoping that Regent can put two and two together to realize no excitement is due to no plan.

Edited October 20, 2020 by mrlevin

[xrvlcruiser]

I guess that's fair . . . .

Any idea when the maintenance will be finished - or if its started?

Peggy

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

The boards are very boring. Nothing to write about. We are booking several on Wednesday. So are several of our friends. We have confidence that RSSC will be viable. Look forward to sailing again, as soon as possible.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

As far a CC is concerned, for me it's been for some time, "last one out turn off the lights".

 

Until something "happens", there's nothing to say.

[Floridiana]

As to Rome excursions, we did the long one with the train - not Regent. Before Covid-19 obviously. We saw all the highlights, huge crowds everywhere, not pleasant at all. Luckily we were wearing our most comfortable shoes because the walking between the various spots was about 1/3 more km that the excursion description had said. Was it worthwhile? Yes. Would I ever do it again like that? Hell no!

 

Our adult children did a similar day excursion by bus. They have more stamina than we do. I think the train is not worth taking. It's historic and not overly comfortable. And we had a bus in the city anyway.

 

We went back to Rome before our next cruise, took a Vatican hotel, pre-booked the Vatican museum with a local guide via the hotel and did everything else on our own. We walked leisurely, didn't take taxis or mass transportation. We saw only a smattering compared to the long excursion but at our own pace. 

 

 

[UUNetBill]

On 10/13/2020 at 2:54 PM, Violagirl said:

Hi all - first time going to Rome so we want to do the major sites. Can anyone recommend the best Regent excursion for this? Is there a place on Cruise Critic where people talk about the excursions? New to this site so my apologies if I am not in the right place.


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Okay, yeah, I know I'm late to the party - but that's just how I roll...

 

Our first trip to Rome we did one of the 'See Everything In Rome In One Day' ship tours.  We ended up calling it the 'Roman Death March'.  Yeah, we saw a lot.  We also missed a lot.  And at the end of the day (night?) we were exhausted.  Until our 'Moscow by High Speed Train' Russian Death March tour it was by far our most tiring day.

 

My opinion is it's better to pick the things YOU want to see and find a tour that hits most of them.  If you're like us you'll end up going back again and again just to see what you missed the first time.   🙂

 

I agree with @Will Work for Tiramisu - Rome wasn't built in a day.  Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy it!

[SWFLAOK]

On 3/22/2021 at 12:42 PM, UUNetBill said:

Okay, yeah, I know I'm late to the party - but that's just how I roll...

 

Our first trip to Rome we did one of the 'See Everything In Rome In One Day' ship tours.  We ended up calling it the 'Roman Death March'.  Yeah, we saw a lot.  We also missed a lot.  And at the end of the day (night?) we were exhausted.  Until our 'Moscow by High Speed Train' Russian Death March tour it was by far our most tiring day.

 

My opinion is it's better to pick the things YOU want to see and find a tour that hits most of them.  If you're like us you'll end up going back again and again just to see what you missed the first time.   🙂

 

I agree with @Will Work for Tiramisu - Rome wasn't built in a day.  Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy it!

I think we might have taken a similar excursion on our Regent Voyager cruise in July 2019 which was our first trip to the Mediterranean. We took the bus trip from the ship to Rome. There was a bathroom stop along the way with a huge line. Once we got to Rome, we drove past a few major attractions. We drove past the Colosseum twice so each side of the bus could see it. I will say that seeing the crowds there, we were glad we weren't stopping. The bus parked on Viale Giorgio Washington, and told everyone to leave the bus. Many of those onboard could not walk downhill or uphill and didn't know where to go for the next 3 hours. They were told to go to Popolo Piazza, stop one of 2 recommended restaurants there, and wait to be picked up after those who could walk uphill reboarded the bus where we were dropped off.

Having 3 hours, we saw everything walkable in that area all the way down to the military monument (altar of the fatherland?) which included Trevi fountain and the Spanish Steps. Everything we visited was extremely packed. We eventually stopped at one of the restaurants that the guide recommended near Popolo, Canova Piazza del Popolo. We got a table in the cafe under shade. We ordered reasonably priced wine, and it came with olives and potato chips. We ordered another snack, that was not memorable. I then needed to visit the restroom since none was easy to find since being dropped off from the bus. The restaurant inside was unbelievable. It had every dining option you could imagine. And the restrooms were great also. I don't know why the guide didn't tell us about anything other than the cafe and bathroom, but having not eaten anything than a snack all day, we were able to take full advantage of our late dinner onboard Voyager that night.

It's a long drive from the cruise ship port to Rome. We would have been much happier spending more for a private tour if they could have taken us to the sights we wanted to see before they became overcrowded by those arriving by bus tours. However, I don't know if there's ever a time when that's possible, so we don't really plan to visit Rome again.

[mj_holiday]

DH and I (68 and 71) are more likely to do an excursion that just goes to a couple of places so we can really get to understand what we are seeing.  And we often find a place to sit and have a drink and people watch.  Yes, it is nice to show people photos of all the major places that you only saw through a camera lens.  But we seem to end up with unique pictures from the places we visit that other people exclaim, "wow, you saw alot"

 

I research on the items available at the port to decide what we would really like to see, not what's the most talked about site.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Having spent a few days in Rome, not on a ship excursion, it's a tough call.  But what to do in Rome for a day depends on your interests--if art or religion, perhaps the Vatican should be the focus.  If your interests are archaeology or ancient history, the best day I spent was exploring the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and the Colosseum.  If shopping and touristy stuff, then the area around the Spanish Steps could take up at least half a day, just wandering.

[califsealion]

Somewhat cruise-related, is anyone else having dreams about being on a cruise?  I have been literally having cruise dreams once a week, and I've been on a fraction of the number of cruises that most of you have been on.  My mom is getting less able to look after herself, so it will be a while before I am on a ship again.  I think my brain is trying to go on vacation without me.

 

I am anxiously looking forward to reading cruise journals once you all start cruising again!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yes, I have dreamt of being on a cruise.  As with many of my convoluted dreams, I can never find my cabin!

[daetchief]

Tonight I'll place a Jack-o-Lantern on your door...

[ysolde]

Hello, friends!  Just wondering whether anyone here lives in the Scottsdale area.  DH and I are planning to move there early next year as he semi-retires, and would love to hear your thoughts on the area, as well as any advice on what to do, restaurant recommendations, really, anything for a couple who will be new to the area.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I think the number of pinned tweets is fine, as long as we don't get any more!

[UUNetBill]

On 10/10/2021 at 7:58 PM, barryboatman said:

Oh ... I also wanted to second Sheila's comment above that this forum has too many pinned tweets. 

 

23 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I think the number of pinned tweets is fine, as long as we don't get any more!

Technically 'threads' and not Tweets (Twitter might get in a snit) but I'd think the Mods could monitor which ones are actually being viewed and how often and possibly un-pin some that haven't been visited in a while.

 

I don't really think there are too many but I agree with Wendy that we don't really have room for more...