canderson

Which VPN / protocol (if you know) have you been having success with aboard Nova?

Yes, understand the lab is standing. What was new is that meals were served in the lab area on Nova, and I was trying to wrap my mind around that. Really appreciate all the updates. Sounds like we may be happier in Muse class. Looking forward to our Dawn TA soon!

Ah, the memories. Probably 100 trips on the Friendry Rimousine Bus! 2-1/2 hours Narita to Ikebukuro on a Sunday night. Needed the cool to stay awake.

Irons are available in the laundromat aboard. Silver Suite and up for free laundry.

Depends upon the cruise and desirability of a given venue. This will be our 1st SS cruise, and at 119, I discovered that a lot of slots were already showing waitlist only. If you want La Dame on formal night, be online the minute the clock ticks over to 120 out, whatever time zone they're using.

Coins are so much more attractive! Here's what it looks like before they hit it with the Béarnaise sauce. 😄

By way of contrast, pics of the Dawn that we've seen seem to separate the lab from the restaurant. We noted no place to sit and eat in the circular lab area. Yes? No?

When we were backpacking Europe ala Rick Steve's, maybe, but 21 days pre-cruise + upscale cruise ... nah. Laundry/dry cleaning becomes too frequent an exercise. I guess it's easier with a synthetic fiber wardrobe.

Unclear how having a different preference and explaining it should be considered "skewering" someone. Choose cruises that fit your style rather than insisting that all cruises allow for your style. I doubt you would find many of us here opting for an RCG Bliss charter, but because these occur, that doesn't mean that RCG should provide that option for all of their cruises simply because some prefer that style of cruising! .

As someone already asked ... wouldn't you be showering regardless?

Yes, but a good bit more than the other RCG lines. The Tivoli Avenida Liberdade, where we'll be staying pre-cruise for a while in 2 weeks, runs $130 for 90 minutes. Based upon what we've seen here, we're thinking the Chef's Table might be a lot more fun than just the La Dame 'experience'.

At $269 for the basic 75 minute massage, better have plenty of OBC!

When using RCG's system, I'm always mindful of the fact that what they display online for available flights is NOT the full picture. Several times I've conversed with the RCG air desk and they've been able to come up with better flights at the same prices that were NOT among those listed on their web site. Of course, we only used that service to get better one way Transatlantic prices (which worked). RCG, being as big as it is, has no doubt contracted for a much larger number of itineraries than SS would have done, and will be able to fold the rather different SS itineraries into their contracts, so it may turn out that the consolidation brings a lot more options to SS customers. One can hope.

And what did he whisper? "Women's knickers"?

One of the best public sites - includes ground station locations. https://satellitemap.space/

All depends upon which carriers and routes SS has contracted with. You can certainly request a particular airline or alliance, but there's no assurance that SS will have access to the flights you prefer. You can request alternate flights, but don't bet on receiving them on a door-to-door fare.

If you have some brew at home that you prefer, bring it along. One of these kits should take care of that, too. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2QW9BBX

Conduct a raid on any Silver Suite or higher. They all have Illy espresso machines!

It was in the other thread (boarding time question). Glad it went smoothly and quickly! How was the Tivoli?

If I get confirmation replies, then I'll bother Laura. If I'm the only one seeing this, I'll try to sort it on my end first. Or is this not the forum for checking with other users re their forum use experience?

Is it just me, or are others also seeing all search attempts result in this screen?

Yup. Things very unsettled right now. Here's the current advisory in English:

Granted, that advice works after the fact, but until you've sailed a line, there's no other way to draw comparisons without seeing what people say about it. Not long ago, we had the same questions (adding in Oceania) and for the same reason. We had not sailed either SS or Oceania.

The hardest thing to answer will be to your friends when you return. They'll ask what you did to avoid boredom on all of those "days at sea", and you'll have to explain that you don't really remember it all, but that you wish there had been even more of them! It's not quite as easy for people who don't know how to just "chill" for a few days, but for those that do, it can be a real blessing. Hope you enjoy it, whichever way you lean. We'll be behind you just a couple of weeks from Lisbon to FLL on Dawn, and looking forward to it.