labrasett

On 8/11/2024 at 12:52 AM, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

On our recent Alaska Muse trip, we had some small amount of OBC included.  My DW suggested I might use some of it for a pedicure, which I immediately responded was a capital idea.  I have noted that with increasing age, my feet are further and further away, and I make the pleasure of their acquaintance less and less, and with more effort.  So, I showed up for the appointment, and was ministered to by a friendly and very capable woman, and my lower extremities were much the better for her ministrations.  Thus are the innocent led to the slaughter.  She noted the dryness and cracking of my feet, and said she would apply certain preparations which would do wonders for moisturizing and repairing damage.  At the end of it all - my feet feeling the nice glow of long overdue attention - she handed me a bag with two different tubes of some sort of poultices that she had applied, and a statement.  It had the agreed-upon cost of the procedure, a line for addition of a tip (which I gave, and as I have been excoriated for already elsewhere in this forum already, thank you), AND separate charges for each of the tubes of the miraculous ointments.  I noted to myself that one of the tubes alone was considerably more than the entire cost of the procedure.  In that I don't habituate spas or salons on a regular basis, I knew I was sort of out of my depth, and maybe just not familiar with how such businesses operate.  (I understand the spa functions are sublet by SS to companies that operate them on multiple ships, as is common in the industry evidently.)  While I only had a pedicure, I came away feeling like I had also had a "haircut", as they say in financial circles. I chuckled to myself as I walked back to our suite, understanding that this is how one learns the ways of the world.  While I'll definitely have another pedicure on our next cruise, I will be a tad more on the lookout for any appearances of largess which turn out to be opportunities to foist off a $5 tube of axle grease in a sophisticated looking package for $79.  Once bitten, twice shy, as they say!  

Loved your description of the issues with reaching your feet, I have the same problem but I think this is because my arms have shrunk!!    With regard to the foot emollient what I can say is that the cream I bought from a podiatrist I visited was, in my view, really expensive for just softening some skin but when later on I went to an upmarket pharmacy to find some more it was indeed extremely expensive so I didnt feel quite so fleeced by the podiatrist.   Do go and enjoy a future pedicure, there is nothing like it, but decline the follow up offerings and all will be well.   

I do my own flight bookings, I enjoy the research and when I find a price I think reasonable I usually sit on it for a few days or weeks before booking to see if it changes (goes down?).   I usually book about 9 to 10 months out.   In Europe KLM and Air France are very reasonable in comparison with most of the other major carriers like BA, Qatar, AA, Emirates etc.  It does mean I have to transit in Paris or Amsterdam but the lounges for BC passengers are very good and I quite like stretching my legs before settling down to the final sector of my journeys.

16 hours ago, dawntrdr said:

Two things missing from that job listing:  learn about the product and provide value to the customer.

Third thing missing    Ability to thoroughly understand and speak English language clearly and accurately and further European languages would be advantageous

12 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Let's talk about Business Class.  The problem with upgrading to international business class, on a decent airline, is that it is completely addicting!  We learned the lesson, the hard way :).  I now have a DW who expects to fly business class whenever we take longer international flights, no matter what the cost. Is it worth it?  My simple answer is that we have never regretted flying business class on longer flights.  We especially will do this on flights where we need to get some sleep.  But we are talking about lay flat seats.  

 

My message is simple,  When booking any business class, carefully look at the hardware (aircraft type and seating quality).  As far as connections, it is no different than flying the lowest priced economy.  You should choose your flights (and airlines) carefully.  I do not support the idea of paying any cruise line for business class without having the ability to choose flights.  

 

Speaking of choosing flights, and connections, a big plus with most business class is that it included lounge access.  For us, a 3-4 hour layover is not a bad thing if we are at an airport where we have access to a decent lounge.  In fact, many flyers actually do their booking/routing in order to access certain lounges.  The lounge experience, when you are dealing with the better lounges, is part of the fun.  When we need to lay over in airports like Istanbul (when flying on Turkish Air) we actually look forward to our time at the airport.  Get stuck at Toronto, and have access to Air Canada's Signature Suite, and it is not a bad thing :).  Have to kill a few hours in an airport with an AMEX Centurian Lounge (you generally need an AMEX Platinum Card to access these lounges) and the time flies faster than some flights.

 

Hank

 

I am so with you Hank.  I have reached the point (and age) where if we couldnt afford to fly BC on long haul flights we simply wouldnt go!   It started with "well we can managed in Premium Economy on a day flight" to "lets just go BC whatever time of day" and certainly, IMHO, essential for long haul night flights.   As you say one of the great benefits is the use of a lounge when transiting and frankly on very long journeys it is quite nice to have a leg stretch and an hour or two (or even three) off aircraft in a comfortable lounge with some nibbles and maybe a glass of wine.   

58 minutes ago, emckeeve said:

For those who upgraded to business class air (going half way around the world) did you find that the routing and connections were good?  I'm pretty picky about flight schedules was just wondering if they are pretty convenient.

 

All different depends on where you are going from and where you are going to.

On 7/14/2024 at 12:25 PM, CruiseDad-NYC said:

Thank you very much for the perspectives, greatly appreciated.

 

I was thinking that if I did the cruise from King George as a B2B, I wouldn't have to do the flight twice (or be charged twice for the flight) and would just stay on board and therefore maximize the time in Antarctica.

I am sure that would be the case, I cant imagine there would be any mileage for anyone in you flying backwards and forwards, cant think why anyone would think you might.   I do wonder if you might tire of mainly the same routing doing B2B but of course weather and sea conditions do bring about changes so you might go elsewhere on the second leg.  At least if the flights were delayed between the two trips you would still be comfortable ensconced on the ship enjoying all the good food, good wines and care that SSC offer!

1 minute ago, Lemorvan said:

Personally having lived in the Greek isles for six years as a youngster I loved the heat, the blue seas, the salads and great life. Even now I return, still love the heat, the blue seas, the salads, grilled meat and of course the ouzo. 
can’t quite understand why it would be a surprise.

Totally understand what you are saying I too love Greece, the scenery, the islands and the food but the temperatures are really extreme at the moment to say nothing of the huge numbers of people now flooding in.   It was really wonderful a few years back to rent a small apartment or even stay in a b&b and wander through the villages and small towns, eating at tavernas, listening to local music, enjoying the uncrowded beaches and beautiful sea, I only posted what I did in response to someone enquiring why Greece might be such a good idea at the moment.  Personally I would delay any planned breaks there until late September or even October to avoid the crowds and let the day time temperatures fall a little but still be able to enjoy warm evenings and relative peace but each to their own.

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I would add a small word of caution I dont think West Africa is for the faint hearted. Read up on other peoples experiences in the area before committing.

1 minute ago, Lemorvan said:

What’s wrong with visiting Greece in the summer?

Heat, quite simply heat plus of course millions of tourists all suffering from the heat.   The temperatures this summer have been unbelievably high.

I dont understand this at all.   Individuals who book directly with SSC still have access to an SSC agent in their home country (or at least they do in US and UK and I believe through London for much of Europe).  The outsourced call centres are for contacts from independent TAs.   I also dont understand why the OP had such difficulty with the online system MySilversea through which the booking process is very easy although reservations may have all been taken at the time of trying to make a booking.

Its an expedition cruise for goodness sake.   Boring?   I dont think so but it depends what you like.   Do you like birds, wildlife, amazing scenery, geology, small towns perching on the edge of the world (such as Tortel), seeing people living in a very different environment from your own?  Zodiac cruising around the coast involves getting up close and personal with glaciers and ice bergs.   There is little "in town" culture but the cultures you do touch upon are very unusual and interesting.   This is an absolutely amazing trip but you must like the outdoors, be willing to climb in and out of zodiacs most days (except when crossing the Drake), you must be willing to get cool and wet and also potentially sunburnt.  You must accept there is no formal entertainment on the ship but expedition cruise passengers tend to be a cheerful, friendly lot and there are ample opportunities to meet people, participate in trivia quizzes (not as competitively as on classic ships), go to lectures about the amazing places and things you will be seeing.  There will likely be opportunities for kayaking and some hiking (which can be individually limited by early return to the beaches if you wish).   You must be prepared to be busy during the day and will probably want to retire relatively early after dinner but there is a bar for night caps on days when you have the energy.  Read up on earlier threads about this type of expedition so you can be sure you will enjoy it.  You will see birds, penguins (many types), seals (many types), sea lions, giant petrels, albatrosses (several types), whales (several types), dolphins (several types) and too numerous other birds to name.   If you have fallen asleep reading this then for goodness dont go, if this type of environment and excursions to this type of place excite you then you will have a wonderful time.

An extra tip for Chrism23 - if you are planning to "manipulate the process" or game the system I would suggest that in future you dont ask questions in a public forum about how to do it, you have no idea who will be reading this or any other website and while you may be posting under a "nom de plume" revealing so much of your joint medical histories prior to making a claim would make you fairly easily identifiable whatever name you write under.  Just saying!

I can only hope that all these "pre-existing" conditions were declared when the insurance was set up unless the SSC insurance policy does not require medical disclosure in order for the passenger to receive full cover.

Thank you so much Lirio, animals are very much my "thing" but age and resultant decrepitude are somewhat a limitating factor in my ability to get right into the places to see them!

Yep just had it.

This description of a Kimberley cruise plus the photos are so enthusing me.   I want to go down there in 2026.   Not looking forward to the flights from UK but possibly not quite as bad as from parts of US, brutal nevertheless and BC is the only way to go so saving up the pennies.  Keep posting please and keep enjoying yourselves.

This was a very unfortunate situation.   As a former lawyer in the insurance industry I would suggest (1) never buy your insurance from your travel company unless you are absolutely certain what the terms and conditions are and that they are both reasonable in their own terms and cover all the risks you wish to have covered (think hard about it) and the cost is comparable with similar freestanding cover   (2) always always read the policy terms and conditions very carefully and consider what are the risks you wish to cover and are they included in the policy (3) consider the type of payments you are making, is your deposit refundable or mostly refundable if you change your mind if so you might put off buying your insurance until you make your final payment (4) would an annual policy offer you a better overall deal, quite often single trip cover costs nearly as much as annual cover and if you are travelling regularly it is a no brainer.   In UK quite usually single trip policies can only be purchased within a relatively short period before the trip ie possible only 30 or up to 90 days before the date of departure.   Always always ensure you declare every medical condition you have and complete any medical history questions accurately so as to ensure that in the event of an unexpected medical issue you are not denied cover due to avoidance of the policy because of the failure to disclose full medical history from outset.    Shop around prices vary hugely.  Never ever decide to "wing it" and travel without cover well, that is unless you are mega rich and could afford to pay for a private medevac from some far distant part of the world and/or some monumentally expensive hospitalised in somewhere like, say, US of A.   Happy sailing everyone.

19 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

I think if wildlife is a real priority then you might need to find a lodge in the Pantanal for things like jaguars and anteaters.  Also, a cruise on something like the Delfin in the upper Amazon or a lodge in Peru or Ecuador.  I found this friendly anaconda in the grounds of Sasha Lodge a few years ago.

He's certainly long though not as fat/round as I would expect but sadly I have little chance of getting down to the Amazon although I am very glad for the recommendations should there become an unexpected opportunity to do so.

14 hours ago, Woodrowst said:

I can attest that the Amazon is hot and steamy. 90 degrees and 90% humidity in the afternoon.   That is why our small boat took us out in the morning, late evening, and night.  They let us rest onboard in the heat of the day.  It was still hot and muggy when we went out but not being in the direct sun made it manageable.  Wearing hot weather performance fabrics makes a big difference.  As to insects: If you are referring to insects that bother people that is surprisingly not much of an issue if you go up the Rio Negro.  That river has a salinity and ph that bugs don’t like.  In a week on the Rio Negro I did not receive a single mosquito bite.

Thank you so much Woodrowst that is really good information as the Amazon has long fascinated me (I think it is tales of Anacondas and big cats, neither of which I actually want to meet close up) which captured my imagination.  My bucket list still has a few places on it and ano dominii is fast catching up plus my husband really doesnt like hot and steamy places so the Amazon may get missed but it certainly looks and [now] sounds like somewhere I could have enjoyed but maybe no on the Wind!!

On 4/30/2024 at 9:23 PM, Woodrowst said:

 

 

I do not know why so few are on your cruise.  But I do know that the stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to Manaus - the trip most cruise lines take - is considered the most boring part of the Amazon.  It gets much more interesting as the river narrows and splits into the Amazon and Rio Negro - where the meeting of waters occurs.  You generally need a much smaller boat to go up the rio negro.  I took a 12 passenger boat for a week from Manaus up the rio negro and we got very up close and personal with birds, insects, trees, plants, flowers, fish (piranha fishing), and the indigenous population.  We bought fish from local fisherman who made their catch within hours of using their canoes to come alongside the boat.  We swam in the Rio negro (the piranha get a bad rap and will only attack if they smell blood).  We went out in canoes after dark to see Caiman, snakes, spiders, sleeping birds, the amazing night stars, and other things you can only see at night.

 

I guess what I am saying is that maybe there were few passengers because word gets around that a cruise ship that goes from the Atlantic to Manaus is not the best way to see the Amazon; there are better options.

 

Please understand I am not trying to be mean or belittle your choice of cruise.  I just want those researching Amazon cruises to have this perspective as part of their research.

I too have wondered about the Amazon but rejected it as too hot and steamy and too many insects, then to follow with a trans Atlantic which is pretty devoid of life once you are a good few hundred miles clear of land and finally to end up in West Africa would in total for me be a kind of hell.  Many years ago I worked as cabin crew for an airline with serviced west africa.  I am afraid there is very little there which would attract me back and certainly I wouldnt want to go on an SSC cruise there.   It was interesting to read of the discussion between Fletcher and the young man who was asking why there were so few tourists going to Sierra Leone.  In the late 70s there were a couple of hotels there which did have occasional tourists but there are issues with malarial mosquitoes in Sierra Leone, food which is not entirely to the taste of most tourists and there was general poverty.  Since then there has been a pretty bloody civil war and there is very little positive news which comes out of the area which might encourage even the most curious mind to visit.   Both the Amazon and most of west africa experience similarly high humidity, excessive heat at times and torrential rain, I wouldnt suggest that no one should ever consider travelling to these places but I would advise doing so only after having done very significant research so anyone actually travelling would not be too taken by surprise.

On 5/24/2024 at 4:01 PM, Port Power said:

The makeup remover wipes are single packs and usually there are two in the bathroom on arrival.  Simply ask your room attendant to replace as you use them.

I found that leaving the empty box on the counter top beside the sink always produced replacements during the day.   

Face the fact - cruise ships are floating petri dishes, you either cruise and run the risk of picking something up or you dont.  SSC do their level best to sanitise and clean the ships fully on turn arounds and in daily and constant cleaning but stuff happens.    Passengers are significantly inconsiderate of others and hand washing/sanitising is another subject all of its own!   Norovirus runs through ships so very easily but also just easily through resorts and hotels or in fact anywhere there are a lot of people in a relatively confined space.   You either run the risks associated with travel or you stay at home.   I know what I choose. 

Over the years I have given four parkas (2 womens and two mens sizes) to a charity providing clothing to refugees in Calais (I live in UK) one very cold winter, I have given away two to friends who love them for walking on the UK beaches in winter and I have one I wear nearly every day to walk my dogs plus I still have one which is rarely worn but kept clean for "best" ie for non dog walking but outdoor trips in inclement weather.  I am looking forward to adding another one to my wardrobe as I am thinking my dog walking one is coming due for retirement.   They are wonderful garments worn in the various possible combinations.

20 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

We had a similar problem when we were on the Muse and it was very loud at all sorts of hours. Luckily we aren’t early to bed sorts but it was quite intrusive and our Butler wasn’t much help. 

I suspect you would have got better help from Head Housekeeper or CD than from your butler.

Why did she go?   Perhaps she had an offer she couldnt refuse.   Heading up Kempinski Hotels is a huge and very prestigious role, she now has the challenge of fulfilling the expectations placed upon her.   Will she do it?   I suspect she will, one very competent lady with a hugely relevant academic career behind her backed by in depth travel/hospitality industry experience and apparently a real feel for what luxury is all about.