Gourmet Gal

If there is something in a port or two that you really do not want to miss then perhaps it is better to book it yourself. I have a Japan cruise booked for 2026 and am planning to hire some guides I’ve used before and book food tours on my own in some ports. It’s also nice to have a little break from all the group touring. The included tours on my last SS cruise were such a mixed bag I was left rather unimpressed.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they go back to a shorter window for booking excursions for the very reason sited above.

Another thing to look out for! But along with not guaranteeing excursions does SS also not guarantee their prices? Is there a disclaimer somewhere to that effect? I think one of my upcoming Select excursions has increased in price but I do not have the original listing. Sneaky!

Well, going forward everyone should do screen shots of their confirmed included excursions to use if one has to plead their case.

I have no advice for you but this seems to be a prevalent issue with converting included tours to Select. At the very least it is confusing for passengers and falls under the category of poor customer service.

I think you can do better with a new TA.

I’ve never noticed any special dishes on formal nights. If SS doesn’t make it special I’ve always had a hard time with the “formal” attire expectation.

That’s interesting. True that embarkation isn’t very rigid and in general the vibe is more relaxed but otherwise I find most river cruises to be extremely structured. If you board early your state room might not be ready but lunch and drinks should be available.

Different policies or are the standards on Nova, the newest in the fleet, actually the direction the entire line in going in?

It never hurts to have your own TA. Ask for recommendations from your friends - we aren’t allowed to recommend them here on CC. Once you have one, it’s true that on a river cruise there’s only limited use for OBC but if laundry isn’t included then you could use it there. Perhaps for upgraded wines and gift shop purchases or spa, if there is one onboard. But a good TA, especially one affiliated with one of the big consortiums Signature or Virtuoso or American Express can offer hotel perks such as breakfast, upgrades, credits and my favorite - early check-in and late check-out. That comes in handy when traveling overseas. These perks do not cost you extra. A good TA has traveled extensively and can make hotel, tour, transfer recommendations and bookings along with assisting and booking air. After cultivating a longterm relationship with my TA, she has comped hotel nights, complimentary tours and lovely gifts.

I never noticed exhaust from other ships. Anyway, this will be a very relaxing cruise.

A Rhine and Moselle itinerary is actually very nice. The Moselle is my favorite river, winding with steep hillsides like the Douro but much more interesting wineries and towns.

The Douro is pretty boring and unless you love port the wineries are nothing special. Lisbon and Porto are fantastic. Visit them on your own as it’s an easy and scenic drive between the two or hire a driver. The Rhine has interesting pre and post cruise possibilities.

Better to book in local currency. If you book in USD, you’ll pay a local bank conversion fee. Always pay in local currency and let your credit card company do the conversion.

It’s not unusual for the bowtie icon to show up fairly close to the sail date but in time to pack. Also, I believe the dress code on Nova and Ray includes formal-optional so not as strict as the rest of the fleet. There are rumors that it will roll out to the rest but no word on timing.

The cruise consultant informed me that the master suite next door is already booked and they don’t need that adjacent cabin. I’ve never heard of anyone being bumped from a cabin for that reason on SS…does that happen often? Seems like SS gets paid for all the space either way. Why would they do that?

We just booked 7080 on Nova. We like that it’s between stateroom floors, is aft, not high and close to the launderette. The only negative is that it adjoins to the suite next door. Can anyone comment on the potential for noise in adjoining cabins vs non-adjoining?

I recall we had a private guide in the Sistine Chapel and when we arrived in the packed chamber he took us directly to the AC vent in the floor near the center. Hopefully your guide can do the same!

You’ll have to go to the Scavi Office website. There are no other resellers of tickets and you must purchase them yourself. Marisa cannot do this for you and only official Scavi tour guides will conduct the tours.

What has been excavated is a Roman street, multiple necropolises, the original church built upon the spot where Peter was crucified. You will also see his tomb and a glimpse of what is believed to be his bones. That is the Scavi tour. It is extremely limited in the number of people allowed per day and well worth the trouble of booking.

St. Peter’s is a must and if you have time you should consider the Scavi tour and the Sistine Chapel. There is an ancient Roman street and necropolis under the Basilica as well as St Peter’s tomb. The Scavi tour must be booked in advance directly through the Excavations Office in advance and one must be appropriately attired. The Scavi tour is the most fascinating thing I’ve ever done in Rome and I’m neither Catholic nor religious. It would also be a shame to be in Rome for 5 days and not see The Pieta. Metro or taxi will work.

That’s odd. I just did a search on Trip Advisor and there are numerous hotels in the Centro Storico area under $500. The advantage of Trip Advisor is that you can read hundreds of reviews on any property rather than just random recommendations here. You could also have your TA do the legwork and they may be able to offer you some perks.

Same here. I just booked a March 2026 excursion!

I haven’t done this extension but have utilized Kensington for a multi week tour of the country. They are fantastic, especially in Japan. They will greet you at the airport, transfer you to hotel, guide you on private tours, take you to the train door for transfer to the next city. If there is a train change someone will meet your train and escort you to the next train. Luggage is shipped ahead to your next hotel and in the next city all the service is repeated. All this, including hotels, trains for probably less than SS. They will take you directly to the ship at the end. All this is a private tour and you can decide exactly what you want included. Highly recommend them. Their guides are excellent.

Drinks and port talk before dinner followed usually by a piano player and dancing. Possibly a special performance or presentation from a local group.