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debcip

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About Me

  • Location
    Abington PA
  • Interests
    International travel, reading, theater, movies
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Azamara, Holland, Celebrity
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Greek Islands

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Cool Cruiser (2/15)

  1. Hiroshima Excursion: Kintai-KyoBridge and Shinkansen Bullet Train This was a long but worthwhile day. A bus took us into central Hiroshima where we boarded the bullet train under the auspices of our tour guide The train was remarkable—almost silent, very comfortable, clean and fast! It was a short (14 min) ride. Then on to Kintai-Kyo bridge—this spot was very crowded but we walked across together (lots of short wooden steps) then took a guided walk through the samurai village. Then had independent time when we could explore a park, take photos and get a snack from the many vendors. This was followed by a good “traditional lunch” with many many small items and included a soup and sushi which were specific to the area. Then on to the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park. This is an amazing and sobering place. We thought this pricey excursion was definitely worth it. The Shinkansen fulfilled a bucket-list item for my husband and the time at the dome and park is quite beautiful and heart rending. It was a way to get in a lot of items which were quite far from each other in one day.
  2. Sakaiminato: on this day there was a huge immigration activity upon our re-docking in Japan. This took place in the Cabaret Lounge and took a couple of hours. No one could get off the ship until everyone was processed, so no excursions began until 11 or so. The Windows cafe stayed open so that everyone could get a snack before getting off the ship before noon. This is a port where you can walk into town. There are lots of restaurants and little shops, a tall building where you can go up to the top for a panoramic view, and a tour of the Toto toilet factory! here is a good place to make a note about the port cities. These seem to be more industrial places than some of the “walk-off” ports in Europe. They are clean and safe, but they are not picturesque from what I can tell. Many people go into the cities but then take trains out of the cities to see sites that are a little farther afield. This is a little ambitious for me! But it’s definitely do-able if that’s your thing. For our excursion today we went to a limestone “plateau” (photo and ice cream stop!) and then the Akiyoshido Cave. The natural phenomena were beautiful and a bit of a change from what we’d been seeing. This site is another one that needs a warning! The cave is very dimly lit, there are lots of steps and +/- railings, and spots are slippery. It’s not impossible to negotiate but you need to know that it’s not easy. (I’ve been to Luray Caverns in VA which are very curated, and this is significantly less so!).
  3. Busan, Part 2 This was the night of our Destination Celebration. There were 2 performances, one at 6 and one at 9. It was a wonderful showcase of 6 different types of Korean performing arts, and a special Korean drink was offered to everyone. I asked about an Azamazing Evening on my comment card, and was told that these types of gatherings re no longer permitted in Japan or S Korea. 🤷🏻‍♀️ The port of Busan is absolutely gorgeous at night, with many types and colors of lighting displays. We were also lucky enough to be there at the time of a yellow full moon!
  4. I am currently on the Journey, sailing for the first time since the pandemic. Both DH and I think the food is substantially better than in the past! on a slightly disappointing note, I asked about the Reistafel and was told that “since COVID” these have been disbanded.
  5. Busan, South Korea Busan is a busy and bustling city. There were shuttle buses in from the port. Steven, the cruise director, said there is great street food in the city. Everyone on the ship was required to go through customs in and out of the port. We opted for the 8 1/2 hour ( but worth it!) ship Excursion Titled Gyeongju, The 1000 Year Old Heritage City. It centered around the Sila Period of Korean History (BCE57 to CE935). We saw the Gyeongjiu National Museum, where thousands of relics are housed; the tomb complex, where many leaders are entombed; a visit inside one tomb, where there is an exact replica of how the artifacts were found (in the 1970s); a Korean traditional lunch; and a visit to a Buddhist temple complex. Our guide, Sam, was knowledgeable and entertaining and provided an excellent experience. This is something which I obviously knew nothing about and I really loved this day and learned a lot. Note: this excursion is noted as “strenuous”. There are many steps, and those at the temple are irregular and often without railings. There is also a steep climb up an irregularly paved hill. I was concerned for many on our bus and was happy that no one had a fall!
  6. Sakaiminato Rain returned again! It was 50-52 F/7 C and rainy in the am; cloudy in the afternoon. There was a shuttle into town from the port. From overhearing the Port Ambassador, it seems there is one Main Street in town with shops and some eateries. We took a trip excursion to the Adachi Museum of Art and gardens, which have been rated the best gardens in Japan for many years. It took about an hour to get there. It is interestingly arranged; as you walk through the museum you are able to view the gardens from different viewpoints, both through glass and in open air. The art is gorgeous and the gardens are spectacular, even though it is still winter and nothing is in bloom yet. This should be a must see if you are interested in art or nature. We then went to the (Peony) Yuushein Garden, where we had a traditional Japanese lunch of many courses, and then walked through the gardens there. Although the peonies were not yet in bloom outside, there was an indoor display of some and individual plants outside which had been sheltered from the weather. The indoor display was gorgeous. Again it was a bit too early to see much color outside but we loved and appreciated it nonetheless. Our guide today was excellent. 3 of our 5 guides thus far have been great, with two being ok. In speaking with other cruisers, seems like which guide you get can really change your experience.
  7. @Kitekat I have an important clarification, which my husband caught! What the Port Ambassador apparently said was that all the taxis had already been hired for the next day in Sakaiminato and that she was hopeful that by 9 am more taxis would become available at the port
  8. since folks seem interested I’ll post a little about my experience in each port as we pass through. Kanazawa: Port is about 3 miles from city center and shuttles ran q 30 minutes. Seems there was a fair amount to do and see in the city from what I heard. We opted for the ship’s excursion to the Gokayama region in the mountains, to see the Gassho-Zukuri farmhouses. This is a fascinating settlement but there was not much information provided on the site- there is a map of all the buildings but we had to do a bit of googling and reading afterwards. We then went to a paper-making workshop where we each made 3 washi-paper postcards and could watch a brief movie about the paper-making process. There was a great little shop with a small art exhibit upstairs. This was a lot of fun and interesting.
  9. Hi @Kitekat here is the taxi info for sakaiminato. The Port Ambassador says that there should be plenty of taxis for hire around 9 am. The highlights show the number of hours and the standard rate
  10. @Kitekat, I’ll take a look. Right now it’s Sunday am and the desk is “all Kanazawa”— will keep an eye out for Sakaiminato information
  11. @uktog, many on board who we’ve spoken to are DIY-ing. DH and I were skittish about doing so due to language difficulties and reports in the roll call of private tour cancellations; we therefore went with ship excursions exclusively. Thus far our experience has been wonderful. The local guides are excellent, and so enthusiastic to spend time with us. The groups have been relatively small (<30) so pretty manageable. There is a bit of a bottleneck every time all 25 of us need to take our shoes off in a small space. Overall we have been happy with the ship sponsored tours. For 2 of the 3 ports there have been shuttles into town, and folks who have used the Port Ambassador seem very happy with her. I’ve also noticed at her desk a list of suggested tours with prices, using taxi drivers who are at the port-so these can be arranged on the spot it seems. —Debbie
  12. We came to know him at the coffee bar as well, on our first Azamara cruise in 2017! He is so lovely!
  13. We are currently on Day 5 of our 15 day sailing. The trip so far has been wonderful although the weather has been challenging (quite cold [40-44*F/5-7*C], with a bit of rain snow and hail). However I wanted to note a few things done thus far which are examples of what Azamara does best: In Aomori, where allegedly the best apples of the world are grown, 60 kg of local apples were brought on board to make a special apple pie. I ate late that night, and it was all gone! I was promised that the pastry chef would make more the next day for others like me, and sure enough, I had the best deep dish apple pie presented to me the following night! In Aomori, local Namahage performers were brought on for a fantastic afternoon drum and dance performance in the Cabaret Lounge. In Niigata, three geishas came aboard for a performance, a Q&A mediated by the local Port Ambassador, a sake ceremony and tasting, and an opportunity for photos with the geishas. These wonderful touches remind me of why I continue love this line!
  14. debcip

    Refer & Receive

    I’ve never made nor received a referral. Wouldn’t it just be easier to give both parties an OBC? No “ third parties” or spreadsheets involved. I know I should just appreciate the offer. But I can’t tolerate the inefficiency of it all
  15. Yesterday I purchased a Chef’s Table Plus Two package for my upcoming trip on the Journey. The price was $170, up from I believe $145 previously. The representative said the pice increases went into effect on 12 March. (I purchased one day too late! 🫤)
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