jimdee3636

@bones774 Although I sometimes cruise solo, I took the QE cruise (and a previous Cunard cruise, on the Queen Mary 2) with my wife. But on both ships I saw a fair number of solo guests in almost every public venue. The pre-dinner cocktail scene on Cunard tends to be very sociable. On the QE, I particularly liked the Midship Bar on deck 3, but the Commodore Club on deck 10 was also popular. Also on 10 is the Yacht Club, more of a late-night disco venue. As you probably know, Cunard is dressier (in the evening) than most other cruise lines, which I think adds to the sociable atmosphere. If you direct your questions to those on the Cunard board, you'll get even more knowledgeable opinions and information. Jim

@bones774 You're right: that's an exceptional deal. I was on a 14-night segment of that same cruise last summer (LA to FLL, by way of the Canal), and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I think you'll love the QE. Have fun! Jim

@UKstages I have to say: for someone sleep-deprived you write extremely well, with insight, irony, and humor. And you've performed a public service---there is no way in Hell I'd ever get on that ship! I hope you make it to disembarkation day. Jim

@pontac I greatly appreciate your detailed account of the wines you enjoyed with each meal. You've made it abundantly clear that---for anyone who loves good wine---the beverage package on Viking is the way to go (which is not always the case on every cruise line). Jim

@turtlemichael This is not a truly informed answer because I'm not a wheelchair user. However, as a frequent airline passenger I've seen many wheelchair users brought by airport attendants to the boarding areas, and I normally do see a tip being given, $5.00 being the most common amount.

@sambamama I'm living vicariously through you! Jim

@luv2cruzuk Having been on the Koningsdam recently (actually, the cruise just before yours), I enjoyed your video reviews and can endorse just about everything you said, including your love of Tamarind and your disappointment with the Pinnacle Grill. When we first started cruising with HAL back in 2007, dinner at the Pinnacle was something special, and it more-or-less remained so for quite a while. But around 2014 or 2015 we started to notice a deterioration in Pinnacle food and service standards (no matter what ship we were on). Even with our "four-star Mariner" discount, it didn't seem worth the dinner surcharge. However, we tried going there for lunch on sea days and were pleasantly surprised by how good it was. We found that the key to good luncheon service there was to make a reservation for when they open (12:00PM, I think), order a bottle of wine, and tell the waiter we won't be ordering food until the wine has arrived. It always seemed to do the trick. We'd enjoy a nice, leisurely lunch with good service. But we still avoid the venue at dinner. The MDR (late fixed seating, table for two) has always worked well for us, and when we want a special treat there's Tamarind. Thanks for your insightful reviews. Jim

@Truluv You certainly wouldn't need to (or be expected to) tip a greater amount simply because you're the only person in the cabin. If the service is exceptional, I normally give the cabin steward something extra toward the end of the cruise, regardless of whether I'm sailing solo (which I sometimes do) or with my wife---maybe $50 or $100, depending on the length of the cruise. But if the service has been perfunctory at best, I probably wouldn't. There really are no hard-and-fast rules other than not feeling pressured but doing what feels right to you.

@Host Jazzbeau @fieldagent You're probably right about the Allianz policy, but the fact that you purchase insurance through the cruise line doesn't necessarily mean you don't deal directly with the third-party insurance company. Case in point: I had purchased, through HAL, their "Platinum" insurance plan prior to embarking on what would have been a five-week cruise earlier this year. Due to a serious and "out of the blue" medical issue that arose early on in the cruise, my wife and I had to disembark the ship after only one week. Along with our bills for the onboard medical care, we made a claim under the "trip interruption" portion of the policy with AON Insurance, the third-party carrier for HAL. Given the length of the cruise, it was a major portion of the claim. Once we were home, I deal exclusively with AON (not HAL), and less than two months after my initial contact with them they direct-deposited the full amount I was seeking---about $15,000---into my checking account. From everything I've read on these threads about Vantage and their devious ways, my guess is they've somehow rigged the system so that those who purchase insurance through them have to deal exclusively with them (i.e., Vantage) rather than with Allianz. Yet another reason to stay away from them.

@Meander Ingwa Thanks for the explanation. You're heartier than I am. I was an avid skier and winter hiker for many years when I lived in New England, but I've become a wimp about cold weather since I moved to southern Arizona. I'll live vicariously through you next January! Jim

@Meander Ingwa I like your idea about using the transatlantic cruise as a leisurely way to get back to the U.S. after your art-focused land tour. But one question I have about the Northern Lights is whether you pretty much have to be sitting out in the cold well into the night to have a chance of seeing them. Unless I misunderstand it, there's no exact way you can know in advance when they will light up the sky. Of course, when you're going that far north in mid-January, the "night" begins early, so maybe you can see the lights to your heart's content before dinner and not have to stay up all night. In any event, enjoy it. Viking seems to be the experts in these Northern Lights cruises, so it should be a great experience.

@Catlover54 I read your review in its entirety. I think you were quite generous to give a 4/5 rating. Even your husband's 3/5 may be more than your particular experience warranted. If this is typical of Ponant, it does not inspire confidence.

@Skicruiser55 Smart decision! I've driven on roads like that more than I care to remember, and every time I've done it I've thanked my lucky stars I made it to my destination alive. And I've only driven regular passenger cars on such roads. The taller the vehicle, the higher the center of gravity, and thus the greater the "tippability" factor. A bus, RV, or tall van is much more susceptible to strong crosswinds and other factors that can throw a vehicle off course. As a longtime mountain hiker I've seen some awe-inspiring sights, but I prefer to keep my feet on the ground. Jim

@At7Seas I enjoyed your comprehensive comparison of Costa and MSC, and I like it that you're not shy about expressing your opinions! Since you're German, I'm wondering if you're familiar with the Hapag-Lloyd cruise line, particularly the Europa 2 ship (which is reportedly trying to appeal to English-speaking guests and not just their usual German clientele). It looks like a beautiful ship, and I've heard that the culinary and service standards are very high. I've also heard that virtually all the crew members can speak English as well as German. Any information (or opinions) you may have would be greatly appreciated. Jim

@Host Jazzbeau This is the former HAL Maasdam, right? I love those smaller HAL ships. I hope the French company can prove there's still a market for ships of that age and size.

@Skipper Tim I've greatly enjoyed your cruise impressions. I was astonished to see that disembarkation is between 1:00PM and 3:00PM. On all 25 or so cruises I've been on, you normally have to be off the ship no later than about 9:30AM. Of course, those were all on U.S.-based lines (HAL, Princess, Oceania, etc.). I guess that means that on Costa new passengers can't board until at least late afternoon, maybe early evening. Europe really is different, it seems. Anyway, enjoy your return to "sunny" Yorkshire! Jim

@alanstarr Nice deal! My wife and I once did a 14-night Alaska cruise on HAL in May, and we did fine without a balcony. It was cold up on the top deck, but we saw fantastic sights. By the way, I see you're from Lawrence. I once had a law office on Common Street. (We lived across the line in Andover). A lot of great memories from those days. Enjoy your Alaska cruise. Jim

I've been interested in booking a cruise on the Hapag-Lloyd Europa 2, but I'm wondering if the Hapag-Lloyd experience is as good as it was before Royal Caribbean (RCCI) bought 50% of the company (about three years ago). I've sailed on both Silversea and Seabourn, which are now owned by RCCI and Carnival, respectively, and there's always a lot of grumbling on Cruise Critic from past guests about the alleged "cheapening" of the experience by the current owners. Although I've never cruised on Regent, there's been similar grumbling about that line ever since it became part of the Norwegian (NCL) empire. If anyone has sailed on the Europa 2 since the RCCI ownership involvement, I'd be interested to know what changes, if any (including changes for the better), you've seen. Thanks. Jim

@Skipper Tim My wife and I have only cruised on lines catering to English speakers (Holland America, Cunard, Oceania, etc.), but I've always been curious about what the Costa experience might be like. Thank you for enlightening me. By my standards, Costa would be perfectly awful. After an hour or two onboard, my head would be imploding from the non-stop noise. By the second day, I'd want to put my head in a gas oven. I have no idea how you and your long-suffering mother are holding up---maybe that British "stiff upper lip" attitude we've always heard about is really true. Anyway, your trip reports have been endlessly amusing and insightful, and I hope you'll continue writing them until you return home. Jim

In a way, I admire the woman's optimism and sense of adventure. But, as others have already pointed out, there are potential problems here, some of them major ones. Aside from the ones mentioned, the ship is over thirty years old. What will happen if it breaks down? The owner seems to be a Turkish-based "one off" cruise company, so it's not as if they have a replacement ship at the ready if lengthy repairs are needed. And what if the company itself goes out of business? And how about trip insurance? Assuming you could even get it, you'd probably have to pay for the whole three years' worth of coverage in advance. The cost would be astronomical. I truly hope it all works out for the woman, but there are a lot more negatives than positives here.

One thing to be aware of is that HAL's "Platinum Protection" plan covers much---and sometimes all---of the costs and losses associated with onboard illnesses or injuries. Just recently, on what was going to be a five-week Hawaii/ French Polynesia cruise on the Koningsdam, I developed early on an "out of the blue" medical condition that required immediate attention. The ship's medical staff did a great job of patching me up (so to speak), but the doctor strongly urged me to cut the cruise short and to consult a surgeon as soon as I returned home (which I did, and I'm having surgery next week). With the help of the K-Dam's "disembarkation coordinator," we got flights home from the first stop, Honolulu (the flight costs, along with the onboard medical charges, were billed to our onboard account, which of course we paid before disembarking). Since returning home, we have had an excellent result with our Platinum Protection claim, which is administered by AON Insurance. Earlier this week, AON direct-deposited nearly $15,000 into our checking account, representing a) the airfare home, and b) the "trip interruption" part of the claim, i.e., the 80% of the cruise (four weeks out of five) that we never got to take. Since we were staying in a Vista Suite and it was a long cruise, the trip interruption aspect was by far the biggest part of the claim. The onboard medical bills (under $1,000) are currently being reviewed by my health insuror (which is "primary"), but whatever they don't pay AON will. HAL's Platinum Protection can also serve, I believe, as a sort of "cancel for any reason" coverage up to a day prior to sailing (although in that situation I think it only reimburses 90% of the cruise cost). Anyway, a big thanks to the K-Dam's doctors, nurses, the disembarkation person, and to AON Insurance, for helping us get through a stressful situation. And as others have said, don't get on a cruise ship without some sort of travel insurance, even if you think your health insurance "covers everything." Your medical bills may only be a small part of the loss. Jim

@BuckGood Thanks! That beats messing around with cruise ship transfer buses---faster, I'm sure, and probably no more expensive.

And I'll add: What was the cost?

@Mary229 I think you've hit the nail on the head when you suggest that it would be better for the cruise lines to raise prices than cut quality. And it would be better not only for them but for those of us who remember when cruises were "special" and who want them to be that way again. Undoubtedly, some people would be priced out of the market if fares were to rise. But there are always---in every retail industry---going to be lower-priced alternatives for those unwilling or unable to pay higher prices. A Holland America lover could choose to: a) pay the higher fares in order to get a better cruise experience; b) cruise less often on HAL; or c) go for the cheap fares offered by Carnival, NCL, Royal Caribbean, or whoever. People may not always like their choices, but they have them.

On a 30-day round trip from San Diego to Lima in 2019, on the Volendam, we had a stop in Salaverry, and HAL provided a free shuttle service to Trujillo, which I recall was about twenty (maybe closer to thirty) minutes away. We didn't take any excursions; we simply walked around Trujillo for an hour or two and then took the shuttle back to the ship. As @Sir PMPsays, there's nothing in Salaverry. Trujillo was "rough," but kind of interesting, but I wouldn't pay $73 pp for a shuttle just to go there, unless it was to hook up with a really good tour somewhere.