NickCarraway

9 hours ago, gnome12 said:

When I did it, it was US$30. I think you needed a picture.

Thank you, gnome12.

We have an upcoming Mekong cruise on AMA, and I have a question about the visa for Cambodia. AMA says the visa may be obtained onboard with an additional fee, but no indication of how much. Does anyone recall about how much.

Secondly, should be have passport photos with us?

Thanks

We found butler service on Oceania and Silversea very similar. We also enjoy canapes in the afternoon, particularly after returning from an excursion, and Oceania's may be slightly better. 

Thanks, hamasgirl. That is very helpful.

Today (15 days out) I received an email with details about vaccination and testing requirements and boarding time. Is this the only documentation I will receive and does this serve as a "ticket"? On previous Oceania cruises we received a large booklet and luggage tags, so I am curious if we will receive something similar from Silversea. Thank you for any helpful information.

1 hour ago, GroomsportGirl said:

Thanks for more suggestions!  I think the private resorts and tours appeal to us (hopefully safer and bit less mass-tourist/loud/crowded) - I think one of the days there are 4 other super large ships in port (hideous).  

 

But the refurbished insignia looks lovely so even if we stay on board....this could work out! 

 

Roccaforta or NickCarraway - are either of you thinking about 16 November cruise?

Yes, we will be on the Nov. 16 cruise.

We have not been to any of these ports and have never had any interest in a Caribbean cruise, but the price was so attractive that we decided it would be a relaxing vacation as winter starts to grip Canada. I can tell you what  we are doing which may help you think about possibilities.

 Costa Maya: There are a number of well-reviewed beach clubs fairly close to the port, but we decided on a more remote one 20-30 minutes south that is quieter and has snorkeling off the beach. Almaplena Eco Beach Resort, http://www.almaplenabeachresort.com/

Harvest Caye, Belize is an island owned by NCL with beaches, pools, restaurants, etc.  From the videos, it looks nice enough if rather sterile. There is a ferry that goes to Placencia on the mainland, which is what we plan to do and explore on our own for a while.

Roatan, Honduras: We have booked a tour through Rony's Tours, http://ronystours.com/. We chose to do a private, free-style tour, but there are lots of options.

Cozumel: Again, we booked a beach club based on Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic reviews, Nachi Cocom, https://www.cozumelnachicocom.com/ for a relaxing day on the beach.

None of this is very exciting or enlightening or mind-expanding, but that's not the point of this cruise. And frankly it will be a refreshing change after too many cathedrals and quaint cobblestone streets in Europe.

I could not get the site to give future ship dockings..

I am wondering where the Oceania, Marina docks and how far it is to central Stockholm. We are staying at

Hilton Slussen.

What are rates for transport from Port to Central area hotels?

For Vessel Type choose Cruise Ship, on both calendars click on the date the ship is expected to arrive, and it should pull up the ships in port that day. For instance, on Sept. 5 Marina will dock at Frihamnen.

I don't know the taxi rates.

We used this car service a couple of years ago and they were excellent. They are headquartered in Monaco, so I'm sure they will be knowledgeable about traffic patterns, etc. We found them to be excellent with communications. http://www.nice-airport-transfer.fr/

For Stockholm you can find the port using this website: http://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/

Thank you, doktor. That's very helpful.

Thanks for the running commentary and your final review. We are taking this cruise, but in reverse, in September, including additional days in Budapest and Prague, and your insights have been very helpful I am curious about what the AMA tour in Budapest includes since I would like to do tours on our own but would rather not waste time by repeating what the AMA tour will cover. For instance, does it include a tour of Parliament, or is it essentially just a drive through the city? Thanks.

Thanks for bringing up this topic. I had heard of barge canal cruises some time ago, but had never really considered them until this came up, and it really intrigues me. I hope other people will contribute their thoughts and experiences.

Thanks everyone. Great information.

I have used a travel agent for booking ocean cruises, both for convenience and because agents often offer onboard credits. We are considering a river cruise and am curious whether folks generally book direct or through a travel agent. Are there advantages or disadvantages for either?

Second, as a rule, how far in advance does one have to book a river cruise? Specifically, we are thinking of a Danube cruise with AmaWaterways in the fall of 2017.

Thanks for any insights.

Mine didn't show up and I saw a note on the page that if your previous cruises did not appear one should update the profile. The only thing missing from my profile was a prefix which I added, and the previous cruise appeared.

We also used Jack Harter and it was an incredible experience. They still offer a "doors off" option which is what we chose. It really adds another dimension to the ride, but may not be for everyone.

We used Mehmet Tetik a couple of years ago and were very pleased. He was personable, knowledgeable and very responsive to our wishes. Highly recommended. http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/guides/tetik_m.html

Sorry. I guess the photo did not show up. I don't have a 12-year-old handy to help with this kind of thing.

This is a photo of the beds in a Penthouse Suite. I think the placement of the table and chairs at the foot of the beds, which is the only place they can go, would not allow you to have both bedside tables between the beds.

I'm somewhat surprised that they're going to St. Maarten. It was hit pretty hard by Gonzalo, though some parts of the island more than others. There are reports on Trip Advisor if anyone would like to check on the current state of things.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Indeed we are staying a few days before and after the cruise in Istanbul and Athens and have booked private tours in both cities. The fact that we will have to wait until the afternoon to check in at the hotel is a good point, so we are considering adding another tour, perhaps an excursion outside the city, or we may just take the opportunity to explore the neighborhood around the hotel (Plaka/Acropolis) on our own after dropping the bags at the hotel.

Terryandmike, we are on the same cruise and exchanged greeting on the Roll Call forum. Hello, again.

Thank you all for your replies. Very helpful information and suggestions. I have a better idea now of the whole process and I can get on with my (over)planning.

Before I pose my questions, I want to thank all of you who have posted here. This is our first cruise, and I've gained so much insight from reading this board already.

Our cruise ends in Athens, and my first question is whether it is advisable to pre-arrange a transfer to our hotel or should we just count on getting a taxi at the terminal? Secondly, the itinerary lists a 4 a.m. arrival in Athens. About what time should be expect to actually leave the ship?

Finally, the cruise begins in Istanbul with an overnight in port, departing at 4 p.m. the second day. Not being familiar with check-in procedures, I'm not sure whether we can commit to tours on those two days. We will be in Istanbul a couple of days in advance, but obviously want to take advantage of as much time in the city as possible.

Any guidance in these matters is much appreciated.

Stunning photos. Congratulations on the nerve to tackle the roads!