Hlitner

No tie. Until our last SB cruise, I would always take along my Tux with all the usual accessories. But, we noticed that SB was getting less and less formal and being dressed in "black tie" put me in the minority. On our last SB cruise, I simply took along a Blazer and wore it on formal nights with no tie. Not a problem. If pushed to put out statistics I would guess about 40% wore jackets without tie 40% wore jackets and tie, and about 20% were wearing a Tux. Hank

I can only address part of your post, re using public buses. One of our tenants of independent travel is to maintain one's flexibility. To us, this means doing pre-trip homework, knowing the options, and being able to change plans "on the fly." Taking the public buses to the so-called south beaches means you must first get to the bus station (more like a small parking area) that is located not too far from the windmills. We normally walk to that bus area, and although we have been there a few times (and have a good sense of direction) we still find ourself asking locals for directions. Walking through Mykonos Town is somewhat akin to moving through a maze :). Once we get to the bus parking area, we simply look at the posted schedule (they do generally follow the schedule) and make a decision on which beach. If we have to wait 45 min for the next bus to our preferred beach, we would likely change our beach destination to one that we can access through an earlier bus. I do not think knowing the schedule in advance is very helpful since one can never be sure exactly how long it will take to get to that bus parking area. I will add that if you are real concerned about time, and can get a taxi, then you might want to consider just taking the taxi to your desired beach. You can then check the bus schedule at the bus stop closest to that beach to find the times for buses back to town. While this sounds a bit crazy, it is how many of us travel independently around the world. I cannot emphasize, too much, the idea of flexibility. Just last month, DW and I had a turn-around day in the port of Civitavecchia (Rome) and had planned on taking the train into Rome in order to enjoy a nice lunch at a Trastevere restaurant. About a half hour before we were going to walk off our ship, I happened to talk to one of our crew members (who was from Naples) who told me there was a half day train strike (that very morning) on the trains running to Rome. We quickly decided not to go into Rome and just spend a couple of hours strolling around Civitavecchia (not my favorite place) before spending a delightful "sea day" on our ship. For us, the risk of using trains (on that day) outweighed our desire to enjoy lunch in Rome. If we had a longer port day, I might have simply rented a car (assuming one was available) and drove someplace for the day (not likely Rome, since driving to that city during a train strike is not my idea of fun). But, since we needed to be back aboard by 4:30, a rental car was, to me, not worth the risk. Hank

I do not think anything good comes out of me speculating on a specific neighborhood. But here is the current warning on the U.S. Department of State's web site: Guerrero state – Do Not Travel Do not travel due to crime. Crime and violence are widespread. Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. Members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks and may use violence towards travelers. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping in previous years. Travel for U.S. government employees is limited to the following area with the noted restrictions: Taxco: U.S. government employees must use Federal Highway 95D, which passes through Cuernavaca, Morelos, and stay within downtown tourist areas of Taxco. Employees may visit Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park during the day with a licensed tour operator. U.S. government employees may not travel to other areas of the state of Guerrero, including to tourist areas in Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and Ixtapa.

We have been “hooked on TAs and transpacifics for decades. To us, even 16 days is much to short (we prefer at least a month). But we have grown to realize that long cruises (especially with many sea days) is not for everyone. A different strikes kind of thing. Hank

We have made no secret of our preference to have a rental/leased car while traveling in Europe (and elsewhere). While many sing the praises of trains, we have always found trains to be a pain, when dragging luggage, and also very limiting on where one can visit. Dragging luggage to and from a car usually involves only a few feet, and many hotels will even handle the loading/unloading. Hank

Despite having cruised over 500 days on HAL, I am no longer a fan of that line (we cruise many other lines). That being said, HAL and Princess are the two mass market lines that seem to be the best established in the AK market. If one is determined to take a mass market line to that region, then we do strongly suggest looking at those two lines. I also want to be clear that we much prefer the smaller ship lines (especially the luxury lines such as Seabourn, Silversea, etc) in the Alaska market. I also think that folks might want to consider that instead of taking a land tour/cruise tour, to Denali, they consider simply renting a car and driving to that area, on their own, from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. There is much to say for staying in a small motel (or perhaps a cabin) away from the large cruise line owned hotel complex. We really enjoyed staying in an cabin near Healy, dining in some of the local places used by both locals and employees of the park, etc. One interesting personal experience about the area. DW and I spent 3 days hiking in Denali, and saw no large animals (always a matter of luck). Then early one evening I was filling our gas tank at a station just outside of Healy, when I look up and see a large Moose just walking down the main road! Needless to say, that Moose did stop traffic. Another experience happened while we were staying at a small hotel in Anchorage. One evening we were walking a few blocks to a restaurant (for dinner) when a pick-up truck stopped next to us and the lady driver said, "be careful walking down that hill because we just saw a mama bear and her cubs. They can be dangerous if you get too close." There is much to like about Alaska, but not so sure we want to share it with a large bus or train load of "our friends." Hank

Just a warning that Montenegro is somewhat unique in having a maximum driving age of 75. This is not just for rental cars, but for any driver. Hank

Regarding the port, you either get to dock at the new port or will be tendered into the downtown harbor area (i.e. old port). I actually prefer tendering since it gets us right into town. As to the windmills, they are about a 10-15 minute walk (as long as you don't take a wrong turn) from the where the tenders dock. You can see those windmills from many parts of town, and we have never understood why so many (including me) bother to walk over to the actual structures (which are locked). If you are docked at the new port you will need to allow additional time to get back to the port. For folks who plan on waiting for a shuttle bus, who knows? We have walked to/from that port (in about 30-40 min) but, many suggest that is not a great idea because of the traffic along the road. With 14k passengers on the island, town will be a real crowded zoo, but such is life. The reality is that when folks choose to cruise on mega ships (like the Epic) they really should not be upset about over crowded places. It is partially because of the huge ships that the problem exits, especially on Mykonos and Santorini.. Hank

Since we really like that area (we have rented cars in Kotor) you got my curiosity. We have driven out to the area of Dub, but never even looked (or were interested) in a cable car. But it looks like a taxi would cost about 10-12 Euros (each way), Cannot find any info on a local/regional bus between Kotor and Dub. Keep in mind that with a rental car, you could easily drive to the Dub area and perhaps later more on to some other places such as Budva. You can also work your way from place to place, using taxis, but you are at the mercy of finding a taxi in the more remote towns. Hank

There is a very nice park, right in front of the Borghese. If the weather is good, one can buy some decent food/snacks from one of the vendors and enjoy a low priced picnic on a park bench or the lawn. The Scavi tour and Borghese sounds like a perfect day plan :). Hank

Last month, we spent a port day in Mykonos (been there more then a dozen times) and decided to simply stay in town. Normally we would have taken the local bus to one of our favorite beaches, but it was a bit early in the season for a beach day and the weather was a delightful temperature for just walking around Mykonos Town, browsing shops, grabbing some lunch, etc. If I were to put any stock in the OP's post, it is unlikely we would ever go to Mykonos! We do not know what happened to the OP, but our experience in Mykonos (many times) has been absolutely fine. Yes, Mykonos Town can get crowded (especially if there ar a few ships in port) but that is the nature of overtourism that seems to exist in many parts of Europe. There are plenty of beautiful beaches, decent places to rent loungers and enjoy drinks/lunch, etc. Like many tourist destinations, there are some unsavory places/vendors, but this is not a big deal if one uses common sense and does some pre-cruise homework. The one warning we give folks is that if you go to Platus Gialos Beach (a very popular and nice beach with many restaurants) be sure to AVOID stopping or giving any business to a restaurant called DK Oyster (you can google this place to learn more). Otherwise, that beach is a fine destination if one wants a popular beach with lots of places to get a decent lunch. There are plenty of other beaches (we also have enjoyed Paradise and Super Paradise) ranging from crowded popular places to more quiet laid-back beaches. Hank

Considering the info posted by the OP, we would suggest giving strong consideration to one of your ship's excursions (and we are not fans of excursions). Finding a quiet beach, in season, is not an easy proposition and the OP's concern about return transportation is valid. I am assuming the OP must rule out using the island bus system (our normal way to get around) and hoping to find an available taxi at a remote beach is "iffy" at best. The late arrival is also an issue since you may have to deal with time considerations. Hank

Tokyo has an excellent public transit system (Metro, elevated rail, buses, and even taxis). I mention this, because if you want to hire a private guide (you can try sites like "toursbylocals") you can arrange to have your guide pick you up at your hotel. Most private guides, in Tokyo, will use public transit as part of their tour. That being said, for those who are a bit adventurous, and willing to do a little homework, they can get a SUICA Card (pre loaded with money to use on the various transit systems) and just go on one's own. It is not as difficult as you might think (there are many signs in English in the stations) if you have a working cell phone to use as a GPS map system. Just keep in mind that Tokyo is a huge sprawling city, and even with (or without) a guide, you will be doing a lot of walking. Last year, DW and I spent 6 days in Tokyo (by ourselves) and no problem getting around or finding the various sites/places on our agenda. I should add that Japan (and Tokyo) are very safe environments and locals will routinely go out of their way to offer help (even when you don't ask) and directions. Hank

Not sure why folks turn local transfers into an issue. Just get your luggage, walk outside, and grab a taxi (plenty of taxis in Hong Kong). The reality is that taxis are often the best transfer option, around the world, except when the distance from port to destination is quite distant. Hank

Not a band, but possibly a classical pianist. Each of the EJ ships have (or will have) 3 Steinway Pianos. Sometimes, EJ will have somebody who can actually play :). When we were on the EJ1, back in Sept-Oct, we actually had several "Steinway" pianists who performed. However, that was on the cruise just prior to the Naming Ceremony, and Explora was dealing with many VIPs. Whether there will be quality classical pianists on future voyages is a question. I kind of joked about this a few months ago when I posted about how the EJ folks are real proud of having 3 Steinways on each of their ships (current and future) but apparently have made no commitment to have anyone who can play the wonderful instruments. Hank

The thing about evacuation insurance is that folks really need to read the fine print. Most policies will only cover inpatient to inpatient, and it often must be pre-approved by the attending physician, a receiving physician, and the insurance carrier. We, once, did use evacuation insurance to get DW evacuated from Japan to the USA, and it was a complicated process (covered by our travel-medical policy). Would we depend on Aetna's Medicare PPO (which is what we have) for evacuation? Nope. But perhaps we are wrong. Are you feeling lucky today? Hank

Your criticism is misplaced and you have only yourself to blame. To be blunt, you put yourself into a bad situation and the only reasonable solution would be to change your flight(s) to arrive at least a day (we prefer several days) in advance. The best alternative, at this point, would be to upgrade to Business Class (with lay flat seats) which will be helpful in getting some sleep on the flight. As to losing luggage on a "day before" flight, yes this happens. But what is more common is to have luggage delayed (not generally lost) which is a much more serious problem on "day of" flights, when luggage does not have time to catch-up. Our own strategy to avoid luggage problems is to go out of our way to book non-stop flights, whenever possible. Every flight change increases the odds of mis-routed luggage. Another idea, which most would find ridiculous, would be to book (and guarantee) a room at the Sofitel. Assuming that you arrive on time (these days that is never assured) you can just walk across the road and get a few hours sleep before check-out time. Hank

Another option is the Flixbus which has quite a few daily buses. According to their website, it only takes 2:20 from Le Havre to Paris and the fare is only about 9 Euros. We have never tried the Flixbus, and would love to hear some feedback from those who have done the deed. Hank

Sometimes the Internet is not your friend and can be somewhat misleading. We have been traveling, internationally, since the 60s and have never been asked to provide any proof of financial means, by any country (and we have been to more than 120 countries). Some countries such as Brazil, may ask for proof you have some kind of ongoing transportation (like a return airline ticket) as part of their Visa process. Many countries do require some type of proof of financial means for folks wanting to become resident (this will also involve a Visa). When it comes to Spain, the EU, and the Schengen countries (much of Western Europe) the big traveler issue is the relatively recent restriction that limits folks to visiting for no more than 90 days in any 6 month period. For your trip to Spain, as long as you are not planning on staying over 90 days, just make sure you have a valid Passport (valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure). Hank

Some cruise lines will provide a one-way tour, on debarkation day, that ultimately ends at the airport (likely CDG). Most ships will provide nothing. As to the "ride," it is mostly on the A13 (a major road) which we have driven and never found very exciting. Also consider that even if you could find a guide/transportation for a one-way tour, you would likely need to pay a lot of money since the tour company would need to factor-in a dead-head return. My advice, if you want a private tour, is to simply book a tour in Paris from a local company or "Tours by Locals." Then you simply take the train (the generally run every hour) and arrange where to meet your tour guide. Hank

This is not how things work, for most (if not all) cruise lines. Yield Management schemes are more complex and what you think of as "blocks" is now a myth. Cruise lines use various methods to reduce their inventory, and this is a continuing process. If there are a lot of unsold cabins, there are many ways used to try and use that inventory. Casino specials (for gamblers), interline deals (for those in the travel industry), internal deals (for employees), etc. Last minute specials do happen, but that will usually be shortly after the final payment period. ' There are times when some unsold inventory is quietly sold by certain cruise agencies or consortiums. In the past we have snagged some of these deals, but they were last minute (within a few weeks of sailing), through a few cruise agencies from which we get direct e-mails, and we had to book very quickly (within hours). The best deals were on some more complex itineraries where we also needed to find last minute deals on international flights. You should understand that we are in the age of large agency consortiums (some with hundreds of member agencies). The era when a few agencies would unload "blocks of cabins" is mostly in the past. But there are last minute deals, and we think the best way to learn of these deals is to be on the private mailing lists of multiple high volume cruise agencies (preferably those in large consortiums), I should also mention that some cruise lines would rather sail with empty cabins then unload them at a big discount. In the past couple of years we have been on several luxury cruise lines that had many empty cabins. Hank

Hmmm, So you are paying how much a day to be in Japan? And you want to spend some of that time sitting around a laundromat? ROFL. My advice is to send out your laundry on your cruise ship and enjoy your holiday. Hank

More than 10 years ago, We would not have visited any newly opened tombs. We would have no problem going back for another visit but would do it as a simple day trip when staying in the area. We do like Orvieto and the surrounding region. A few years ago, we spent a night at an Agritourismo near Orvieto and enjoyed the experience. DW's memory of that night is a bit different than mine. She recalls one of the other couples (the Agritourismo had a group dinner experience) who was a middle eastern Prince (married) traveling, incognito, with a girlfriend. We both know, that with DIY travel, there are times you meet some fascinating folks. Hank

The thing about the ITA fares is they are meaningless unless you can actually find a booking site that will actually let you purchase at the ITA price. Yes, I do realize that the ITA Matrix will give you the fare codes, and theory you should be able to get the same fare using those codes. In practice, not so easy. I was truly shocked to be able to get business class, one way, from IAD to IST and later (with a multi flight fare) on to HND for under $3000. Those are two separate 11+ hour flights. While we like the ITA Matrix as a starting point, when trying to model different fare options, it is not the "end all" solution. These days, shopping for decent international air fares has become real tricky, made even crazier by fares constantly changing. A friend, who flies a lot more than me, preaches that if you find a good deal...jump on it ASAP, because it may disappear within seconds. Hank Hank

Over the past few decades. we have stayed in various places in the region, pre-cruise. Our least popular option is to stay in Civitavecchia, which we have done a couple of times when we wanted to drop our rental car the day before a cruise. Our preference is to stay in Rome which is a city that we we always enjoy. Another option (that we think is a better alternative to Tarquinia) is to stay in the seaside resort town of Fiumcino (located near the airport) or one of the other nearby resort towns. Fiumcino has many restaurants including some excellent seafood places. And it is well-located for folks that want to visit the ruins at Ostia Antica. We have been to Tarquinia (to visit the Etruscan sites) and, although we appreciated the historic significance, found the mounds/ruins somewhat disappointing. It is certainly a place we suggest folks visit....once! Hank