CityChickCruising

On 10/11/2022 at 4:43 PM, Barwick Cruiser said:

We’ve had 6030 and 6035 on the Summit previously. Both are sweet sixteens, in fact they’re the last cabins of that designation on either side. Both had very deep balconies with lots of shade. We liked those cabins especially since we were far enough back that there weren’t any visible obstruction in our view of the water and even had a decent view towards the rear of the ship. Try and get one of these! 

I am replying very late to your comment - we just booked 6030 on Infinity for a Med cruise.. thank you for the suggestion!

3 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

Thanks.  It's pretty much what we do.  We usually DIY with rental cars or bikes but occasionally have had to do the ship as it was the only way to get to a certain spot or a private cattle call.  Plus a few times I didn't really get a thanks for the big excursions just a pocket the money deal.  Not that I expect groveling but it makes one wonder about was the tip enough?  

We have definitely experienced that as well and just shrug and go on with our day. Especially when you see others not tipping, we just have to assume the grumbling or pocketing with a nod/minimal thanks is annoyance at others, exhaustion after a long day, and not your tip amount! When we pay as much as we do for excursions, private or ship’s, I think any tip (especially a $20!) is generous. Don’t lose sleep over it!! 

2 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I don't see this get asked a lot so I'm going to put it out there.  A few questions:

 

1.  If using a ship excursion, how much do you tip and how do you do it if multiple crew members and no tip jar?

 

2.  If doing a private excursion, how much do you tip and how do you do it if multiple crew members and no tip jar?

 

3.  How much do you tip the driver if a bus excursion?

 

4.  How do you tip if there are multiple stops with different guides?

 

I know there are many threads on the ship but I am really curious as to what is recommended by fellow travelers for the above.  I was actually asked in one of our stops if we were going to tip at a rental shop for bikes.  We said no as it was a DIY.  Later we discussed it and thought, should we have?  Are we missing something?  

Our rule of thumb is to always have 20s set aside for tours. I don’t think you need to give everyone a specific tip though, just people who performed services for you and enhanced your experience. 
 

Person leading our crew on the zip lines? 20. Person who drove us to/from the excursion? 20.

I will say that our rule of thumb as two women traveling (I cruise with my mom) is that if we have a car service at a stop, we give them half the tip after the first ride so that they know we are grateful and reaffirm that they’ll be back for us. Maybe that’s a bit paranoid, but it provides us peace of mind and has also gotten us better service upon arrival to a destination, be it a hotel we bought a day pass at or zip lining or even a beach, when our driver tells people they work with that we were kind and tipping well. 

You can assume that if there are multiple people in a crew, you can tip one and they pool and split what they receive - I always say ‘thank you all for your time, this is for everyone’ when I give one person a tip so they know I want them to split it. After that, there’s nothing I can do. 

I would not tip at a rental shop for bikes. I would not tip a shopkeeper or someone at a market stall. I tip drivers and guides.. not someone whose store we are patronizing. They did not perform a service for you outside of the one you paid for - the bike - so there’s no need in my opinion. 

I know that we are generous with our excursion tips, but I also know that we are the type of guests who are up front in the transport, asking questions, following along closely.. so we feel strongly about setting aside extra money for tips on both excursions and service staff on the ship. Everyone does this differently, some not doing it at all, so I think it comes down to your experience and how comfortable you are. 

Just now, kwokpot said:

Thanks for you reply. I don't mean to be difficult, but your math still isn't working out. Did you book an economy ticket and then pay for an upgrade to Polaris? $1,200 is less than economy for IAD to ATH for August. A Polaris seat is $3700 pp/OW for that itinerary. You mentioned upgrade to Polaris in one of your posts. I'm only trying to set realistic expectations in this thread. 

I mean, you are being difficult haha - it is an upgrade as I said, so I'm not sure why there's any reason to be bent out of shape? I paid 1800 for my roundtrip flight with economy plus seats for both legs initially. Add $1270 on for the Polaris ticket from Dulles to Athens. Voila!

12 hours ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Your diligence watching those prices paid off!  Congrats on that winning booking and wishing you and your mom a wonderful vacation full of beautiful memories! 

Thank you so much!! We cannot wait 🙂

8 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Im still trying to figure out how she got 2 tkts in Polaris class for $1000 each from anywhere in the US to athens in August. 

Well, to be specific... $1270. I checked twice a day since we booked the flights - out of IAD - both on 'change flight' and 'change seat' and on Tuesday night 'change seat' was $1466 and 'change flight' was $1270... so we went for it! 

Just now, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Was an independent tour operator.  I think it's a total crap shoot

Good to know... will have this as something I look for while researching!

1 minute ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Great score on airfare!  With the english tours my overall point was to research that the guide doesn't just "speak English" but speaks FLUENT english.  Was on an NCL sailing, booked an English tour but the person hardly spoke English so she was very hard to understand and when you asked a seemingly basic question in English she wouldn't understand...Most of the tour group were very frustrated and felt like it was false advertising to claim this person spoke English but most couldn't understand her and she didn't understand our verbal questions so we ended up using google translator

Yes!! Awesome price, we were pumped. Point of inquiry: were these excursions through NCL? Do you think that cruise excursions are more likely to have folks who speak English well, or research is necessary either way? Thanks!! 

On 2/5/2023 at 10:35 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

I can speak to a few of your questions...

 

2.  We did not take our physical passports off the ship but had pictures in our phones.  Not sure if this is how we would handle it now as things are different since our last cruise visit to that part of the world.  We will do a Med cruise next year and will likely take our passports with us while in port.

 

4.  We found the train system to be extremely efficient in getting from long distance place to place.  You can even reserve tickets on line and have them in advance.  You may have better luck with getting a taxi to the nearest train station.

 

5.  Totally worth the splurge and the only way I would go on a 10 hour flight!

 

Thank you thank you!! All of this is very helpful. We will look into the trains this weekend! We did end up purchasing the Polaris upgrade for the way there. We'll see if we decide to do it on the way back, but for now we are feeling good knowing we'll start our trip well rested 🙂

On 2/5/2023 at 11:54 AM, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

It'll be in your eDocs; otherwise all we can do is GUESS and the guess would be 5pm

If one misses the ship they go into your room and grab your belongings so your passport would be at the terminal.  I personally feel it's safer in the room as if it's on your, while incredibly rare you could be subject to pickpockets or even a robbery

 

 

If you don't speak other languages ensure the tours you book have guides that speak FLUENT English

 

 

Most people use the term first and business interchangeably, regardless if you actually first (which is a higher tier than business on the airlines that offer it) it's like anything:

1) How much is a coach exit row, how much is premium economy, how much is business class, how much is first?

2)  Same as #1 but do you have alternative means to book like using credit card points to soften the blow?

3) Will it be overnight?  I cannot sleep more than an hour on a plane unless I'm in a lay flat so I take timing into consideration

 

I see that some tours aren't in English... fantastic point! Now I know to look out for this.

We ended up getting Polaris, which is the highest class on United's international flights, for a great deal on the way there, thanks to my obsessive checking. My mom, after a long flight last week across the country, said that her back hurt enough doing that, so... upgrading it was. It'll be overnight, so I think closing my eyes and hitting purchase was the best thing to do 🙂

Thanks so much for your insight!

10 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi.

My advice for Rome & Athens is Hop on Hop off buses,,the best way to see both city’s.

Florence,one of my favourite cities is very walkable.

Dont Miss the sail in or out of Kotor,,,beautiful.

 

If you want to visit the Vatican museums and St Peters a timed entry ticket is a must,,the queues without tickets are horrendous.This is the link for tickets.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjY8f3u5Yj9AhURiVwKHQ5zCTkQFnoECA0QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.museivaticani.va%2F&usg=AOvVaw1Wh4J-jNjr2oauWYfZ7wXg

 

 

Amazing!! I wouldn't have thought of hop on/hop off buses being there... I live in DC so I'm very familiar with how great these are for tourists 😆 we actually splurged on a balcony on the 6th floor (sweet sixteen as the folks on here have coined it) just so we can watch the sailing in and out of Kotor!!

Nice - we will get the Vatican/St. Peters tickets here!! Really appreciate the link and your advice!

On 2/5/2023 at 1:15 PM, RTR 21-0 said:

We are the same as you and your mom, CityChick, and taking our first European trip this May.  Last June I began looking up airlines, seat configurations (width, leg room, etc.), luggage allowances, etc., and decided on AA premium economy flexible tickets.  First class was out of our budget.  I’ve been checking prices once a month since July and I know for a fact the same seats would not be in our budget now but I would probably do some cost cutting elsewhere to not be crammed in economy for 10 hours.  My back would be laughing at me every time I cursed it after that plane ride.  

I'm so glad you are able to take this trip!!! We are flying United and actually saw tickets for Polaris - their business/first class - drop to $1000 for our way there and bought them yesterday. My mom thinks that it'll be worth it for the way there, and I agree... I think premium economy is also a fantastic way to do it, especially for AA! It's so hard when the prices fluctuate as much as they do... leaves you wondering what striking while the iron is hot actually means when it comes to flights!

On 2/5/2023 at 1:19 PM, mom says said:

1. Usually you need to board at least  1 1/2 to 2 hours before sail away on embarkation day. Your edocs should have that time (or you will have to pre select your boarding time, depending on the cruise line). In any event, it is STRONGLY recommended that you arrive in your embarkation city a minimum of one day in advance. We like to have at least 2-3 days for sightseeing before the cruise begins.

2. Legally, only your passport is valid as identification in most European countries if you are a foreigner. We prefer to carry our passports, but only do it in a secure money belt or neck pouch, which keeps it safe from pickpockets. Others feel safe carrying a photocopy or a photo on their phone (plus a  DL in case they are asked for ID). 

3.Do as much research as possible in advance. For a first timer, I recommend getting a copy of the Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports book. If doing independent excursions, buy any entrance tickets to major sites in advance to avoid those lines.

4.Ravenna is over 200 km away from Florence. A Taxi (even if you found a willing driver) would be hugely expensive. A private car service would also be very expensive, but you could check prices online. Having traveled through Italy several times, we would opt for a taxi to the train station, then the train to Florence (look for one with only a single change in Bologna).

5. At my stage in life, we do premium economy for any flight over 2 hours and business class (not first class) for anything 5 hours or more. Otherwise I'm a wreck for the first day after arriving. You need to be the judge of whether the price is worth it to you.

awesome, thank you!! We will arrive to Athens two days early after a redeye. I am very excited for tours and taking in such an incredible city! We will look into money belts/neck pouches, that's a great idea. I am very much a researcher - we have a lot of things planned already excursion-wise, as a Game of Thrones fan we chose this itinerary for Split/Dubrovnik, but we need to book ahead for our final three days in Rome. I'm trying to dig through all of the websites that are selling tickets to the attractions so that I don't buy 'scam' ones. Let me know if you have any thoughts on where to buy Rome tix!

Great tip on Florence train tix... we'll do this! 

Thank you thank you thank you! 

On 2/5/2023 at 2:26 PM, C4HCG said:

Q5 - we have flown to the US and back about 30 in standard class and although tempted to upgrade, never thought the cost justified it. The flight is soon over and the money saved, or not spent, can buy gifts that will last forever, the flight is soon forgotten 

thank you!! appreciate the insight.

Hi all, I have been drinking in the advice of this forum! My mom and I are both going to Europe for the first time in August… it’ll be our first Celebrity cruise, we are Royal cruisers and excited to head out on the Infinity! We’ll hit Mykonos, Zakynthos, Kotor, Split and Dubrovnik. We have 2 days in Athens on the front end and will hit Florence and Rome on the back end of the trip. 
 

I have a few questions:

1. What’s the latest we can safely board the ship ahead of embarkation from Athens at 6pm if we want to soak in our time there?

2. Getting off the ship, should we bring our passports? On Caribbean cruises we don’t, but figured it could be different here.

3. Generally, what do you wish you would’ve known for your first European cruise?

4. If acceptable to ask, we are disembarking in Ravenna and heading to Florence. Do you all normally have a private car waiting for you at port to make the journey or can we expect taxis there to take us 2ish hours away? 
5. Lastly, also off topic, but it’s both of our first time flying across the pond… is it worth it to spring for first class for a 10 hour flight, at least on the way there? 
 

Thank you in advance! 

26 minutes ago, kathynorth said:

 

The 2-tops are situated in a row of 4, quite close to each other. There's a 2-top window table, then 3 2-tops to make a row. I can't remember how many rows of these, but quite a few. We enjoyed sitting in this section because we liked to chit-chat with those seated around us. There are a few 2-tops toward the middle/back of the MDR so if you want real privacy you'll need to head to the MDR desk when you get on the ship and let them know you want space between tables. Hopefully they can find a spot that meets your needs. 

Fantastic! We aren’t picky in terms of location, just like dinner being ‘just us’ at a table. Appreciate your insight! 

14 hours ago, BettyCruiser said:

They will probably just put two 2-tops together for you.

If I may jump in with a question - we are cruising X for the first time on a Med cruise in August on Infinity… with two of us, will they put us at a table with other people? I booked our dining times on the phone this week. Is there a way to let them know we’d like to sit alone? Thanks!! 

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

45 days prior to your sail date. 

So helpful, thank you!! 

Add-on question: how far out can you choose your check-in time?

4 hours ago, CatLadyFemme said:

Thank you so much for all of your sharing and insights. I am so sorry about Costa Maya, but glad you loved Roatan. We are going on the accessible excursion to see animals and hold a sloth there, and I cannot wait! So glad you had a lovely time overall. Your review has got us even more excited to go!

You will love your trip!! Excited for you to go. Not sure who your excursion is with, but get explicit instructions on where to meet them, especially if someone is in need of some assistance with traveling. The Roatan port was pretty inaccessible and difficult to navigate, so just want you to be prepared for that! 

53 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Thank you for your review!  We are on Alligator Alley right now, heading for the Allure. Looking forward to cruising on the Oasis Class ship for the first time🙂

Amazing!! It was a fantastic trip and also my first Oasis Class ship. We loved it! Hope you have the best time - make sure to book shows ASAP, they were all booked by first night! 

36 minutes ago, JeffandAlison said:

Do you know if the aquatheater and the rest of the shows have reserved seating for suites still? 

The aquatheater had a sign that said reserved for the key, pinnacle and one other option that I believe was suites!!

1 hour ago, rflan22 said:

Glad you had a great cruise!! Some questions if you don't mind- 

 

-Was the Trellis bar in central park open? What about the margarita bar on boardwalk?

-How were lines with the amount of passengers? Specifically for gangways on/off at ports

-If you had the drink package, did bars give out cans of bottled water? If they were canned did they have resealable caps or were they like coke cans?

 

Thank you!!!

 

 

Happy to answer Qs!

Trellis bar was open, we enjoyed our last drink of the cruise there last night!

Sabor bar on the boardwalk wasn’t open, but they had tons of staff walking around grabbing drink orders during the Aqua show (and our three cancelled shows lol) and they made everything we asked for, including frozen drinks, so we were pleased with that.

So we were late getting to Roatan and had gotten down to wait about 20 mins before the plank was allegedly going down. There were a lot of people waiting there, but we got down seamlessly without a wait. Cozumel we left about 30 mins after the gangway went down and had no wait. No wait at either getting back on the ship, though it took a while to go through security getting back onto ship after Cozumel, but a lot of people were wasted from Margaritaville and Senor Frogs and fighting security about bringing frozen drinks on ship, so… not too bad all things considered! 
 

We had the drink package and water was always in a plastic bottle. We got it from most bars and they all had plastic! 

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

As far as the staff goes, if I were one of them I might like that I wasn't being micro managed and had a chance to show off my talents. Some CDs like to be the star of everything. You remember the staff because they had a chance to shine instead of playing second fiddle to a CD. That is how they become future CDs.

This makes me feel better - great insight! I just wanted them to feel recognized for their work and not overshadowed by the fact that they have a lackluster CD… Which I think is what happened thanks to how great and present they were! 

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I think you are fortunate to not have seen the CD. When I was aboard in January I thought he had zero personality. He did the most slow paced and boring Love and Marriage show that I have ever seen. I have no idea why he is the CD of an O class ship.

That’s what I told my mom when she complained - it was one of my “well, Cruise Critic said…” moments. 

Again, we LOVED the entire CD staff team, so it was disappointing to think of how frustrating it must be for them to pull the weight on such a large ship when the CD is MIA. He definitely should be taken off the ship and put on a smaller one, if anything.