Route6A

My husband and I toured Athens with Jordan Daioglou. He has a very comfortable Mercedes sedan and is a charming, knowledgeable resident of Athens. Jordan met us at the port in the morning and took us to important sites before the busloads of tourists arrived. I recommend him highly. This is a comfortable, pleasant way to tour Athens. We visited in the fall, when the weather is pleasant. You can check out Jordan's reviews on a number of Internet review sites. Hope this helps someone in planning.

Enjoying your review. Your children are very good travelers as is our son.

Over the many years I have been reading reviews on Cruise Critic, I have never encountered one any finer than yours. Thank you.

Another vote for Oceania over HAL. The decline in food quality and the general cost-cutting caused us to leave HAL three years ago. Oceania offers truly excellent food, attentive service and generally a most pleasant experience. My only advice is to book a Penthouse level stateroom or above, even on the larger ships, because the space is very cramped in the entry-level staterooms. We also sail with Regent, Cunard and Silversea, which we feel offer excellent quality.

On our first Oceania cruise on the Marina, we learned there were over 1,000 repeat passengers, a vote for quality indeed.

I live in the Boston area and have done a number of New England/Canada cruises. One of our favorite ports is Bar Harbor, and recently I booked an Arcadia Park tour with a local company named Acadia National Park Tours. I reserved with them ahead, and paid the day we took the tour. Their phone number is: 207 288-0300. From the company web site: " My grandfather Sonny Cough, and his brother, Jimmy, started this Acadia National Park Tours in 1955 setting the standard for land tours in the Bar Harbor area. The company has remained family owned and operated ever since." Our guide/bus driver was a local fellow, who is a history teacher, and he was simply a grand guide. Our ride was a new, school bus style bus, not the usual high rise tour bus. If you want local color and a local guide with personality, this is the tour for you. The charge was $30 per adult. I highly recommend this tour. ( I hope giving the specifics of the tour does not violate the rules of Cruise Critic. It it does, please remove this post.)

I bought the unlimited Internet package on Marina, and was able to text through the Internet on my iPhone to other iPhones. Sometimes, I was unable to initiate the texting, but I simply e-mailed the party with whom I wished to communicate, saying, "Text me" to start the sequence. It worked flawlessly. The Internet connection worked well and was faster than on other cruise lines. I tried to refrain from using the Internet at peak times, when traffic was higher, and that minimized cut offs. I was quite pleased with the Internet service on the ship.

Thanks to all for the information, which I need as I have my first Oceania cruise ahead. I might add that in a pinch, put your iPad by your bedside and open it to use as a light source. Additionally, an iPhone has a flashlight feature, which requires more attention to use.

I booked two obstructed view cabins a couple of years ago when the prices were amazingly low. They were an alternative to flying to the UK to continue by air to Venice, where we began a Mediterranean cruise. We loved the cabins and still congratulate ourselves on the inexpensive and very enjoyable way we crossed to Europe. We have also sailed in the Grills and in sheltered balcony cabins on Queen Mary 2. We make our choices based on price, and really don't mind missing a view on a crossing as we are always so busy enjoying the ship's many interesting activities. For other itineraries, we like a better view.

I agree with Whitemarsh. My husband and I have sailed in both, and Princess Grill offers all we need, although I did find the added space in the Queens Grill stateroom very pleasant for two. For one, Princess Grill is certainly more than adequate.

Both dining rooms are very pleasant, with outstanding service. I really did not notice a difference in the food between the two. I should add that in the Queens Grill dining room, the atmosphere was disturbed on one voyage by rather demanding passengers, but that is the luck of the draw. Wishing you a wonderful sailing.

Cunard reports that tomorrow's sailing is currently as scheduled. I received no information from them concerning the fire, however. Seemed they did not wish to discuss it.

I am on the phone with Cunard right now in an attempt to determine if tomorrow's sailing will be on schedule. I will try to post what I learn. We are scheduled to leave for NYC in fifteen minutes and to board tomorrow.

For my then very young husband and me, our first cruise was on the Costa Carla C in 1975, embarking from San Juan for a week in the Caribbean. I still remember the beautiful midnight departure and exploring the lovely, undeveloped Islands we visisted, including Martinique. The ship was small, 20,000 tons, and decorated with lots of velvet in jewel tones. This sailing was so long ago that the toga parties, which I understand are now part of Costa cruises, were non-existant. The crew was first rate, and the Italian food outstanding. We had a terrific time and remain hooked on cruising. Here she is:

COSTA CARLA C

We are off on yet another sailing this fall on the Noordam, and our son, who also loves cruising, will be joining us.

For my then very young husband and me, our first cruise was on the Costa Carla C in 1975, embarking from San Juan for a week in the Caribbean. I still remember the beautiful midnight departure and exploring the lovely, undeveloped Islands we visisted, including Martinique. The ship was small, 20,000 tons, and decorated with lots of velvet in jewel tones. This sailing was so long ago that the toga parties, which I understand are now part of Costa cruises, were non-existant. The crew was first rate, and the Italian food outstanding. We had a terrific time and remain hooked on cruising. Here she is:

COSTA CARLA C

We are off on yet another sailing this fall on the Noordam, and our son, who also loves cruising, will be joining us.