Hlitner

Interesting post by the OP. I simply call it "unforced errors" by the cruise line, and it happens with many lines. It is difficult to understand, but cruise lines seem to relish keeping cruisers uninformed for absolutely no reason. Over 50+ years of extensive cruising we have learned that many of the crew, that deal with passengers, also are uninformed. It makes no sense, but many cruise lines have a habit of doing things that make no sense to passengers. Hank

My only issues with this are the lack of transparency on the part of the cruise line (they owe a custoemr some explanation) and the fact that this was cancelled within 330 days of the cruise which means some customers may have purchased non-refundable air to embarkation/debarkation ports. It is the norm, in the industry, that when things like cancelations or changes happen, it will be handled through one's travel/cruise agency. I will not get into the debate about using travel/cruise agencies other then to say that having been cruising for over 50 years (far more then 100 cruises) we prefer to use a decent high-volume travel/cruise agency. Hank

Have never done a US River cruise but the key is the boats most mostly be built in the US and the crew American. Only cruise ship that complies with the PVSA standard is in Hawaii

We had to catch a ferry to Naxos and needed to get to the gate across the street from the train station (about a mile walk). With luggage we did not want to hike so simply got a taxi at the port. Since it is such a short haul we did negotiate a price (about 10 Euros) to be fair to the driver. Hank

The connection is many folks might choose to cruise here, if it were legal.

Agree. It goes back to when they acquired Sitmar, which had amazing pizza. Princess simply kept up the standard. MSC also has excellent pizza. Hank

Keeping things in perspective, it is the US Government who has made it impossible for cruise ships to cruise between US Ports. It is the PVSA which encourages cruise lovers to look outside the USA. Hank

Sure. We plan on getting to the Trieste Airport to pick up our rental car. We are than going to do some driving into Croatia and then up to Austria, where we will spend most of the next 10 days. At least 4 days will be spent staying in Innsbruck where we can enjoy the region and perhaps do a day trip up to Southern Germany. Finally we plan on driving back Dow to Italy, around the Lake Garda area before dropping the car at Malpensa for our flight home. Being independent travelers, all this is subject to change except for our return flight. A car gives us lots of flexibility and we tend to adapt to the weather and change our plans on a moments notice. Some might be curious why we are not going to Venice, and the simple answer we have spent more then our share to time in that city (on both cruise and driving trips). Since we have never explored the Austrian Alps, we thought it might be fun. Hank

Not a lecture but just some comments. More then a few times, we have met crusiers who tell us they are tired of cruising or tired of their one and only favorite cruise line. Some have this "loyalty" thing and others seem to be creatures of habit and keep booking the same line, over and over again, even though they will complain about being tired of the same old thing. DW and I do have lines we like more then others, but we are soon going on our 17th cruise line (#18 line coming up in Dec). While we have enjoyed all of our cruises (more then 100) we truly enjoy the variety we find by cruising many different lines. The menus are different, food venues vary, entertainment is different, and even the atmosphere varies from line to line (and ship to ship). We have never found the perfect cruise line or ship and I doubt if it exists. Each experience has its pros and cons, but we never tire of the variety. From the info provided by the OP we would probably give Virgin a try because they do not have any "little creatures" and it will be something new and different. Princess (a line with which have cruised on over 30 voyages) will generally have plenty of little ones (especially on their shorter cruises) and the food will not overly excite a Celebrity cruiser. Hank

Good choice. We have been to Iceland, a few times, and really enjoy the country. Hank

I do get the along part. But as to being rushed, over the years we have had some amazing tables (usually for 6 or 8 and we would usually be the last to leave the MDR because we were having so much fun. On one long (over 60 day) Prinsendam cruise we actually had others ask to join our table (which had two empty places) because they wanted to join in the laughter and fun, These days we really like the open dining concepts. On many cruises we will simply tell the host/hostess that we would be happy to share a large table. What often happens is that after a few evenings a few of us will form our own table because we all enjoy each other's company. On nights when DW and I want to dine alone that is also no problem. On Seabourn (and some other lines) the staff puts together what they call "hosted tables." It is fun for both singles and couples who want to dine and meet other folks. The tables are hosted by senior officers, entertainers, and senior staff and most will use place cards to scatter folks so they are not sitting next to their partner. These hosted tables are usually lots of fun and quite popular with a segment of cruisers. On one particular cruise we dined with the Captain, Staff Captain, Assistance Cruise Director, several of the entertainers, and the Chief Engineer...all on different evenings. Unlike with some lines, the hosted tables have nothing to do with status, suite category, etc. It is simply done on a volunteer basis (one just lets the staff know of an interest). Speaking of Seabourn, they also have a really popular social event call the "block party." Around 5 or 6 pm, folks all come out of their suites and there is a party in all the corridors with staff serving champagne, caviar, etc. The Captain and his senior staff make the rounds of all the corridors (these ships are relatively small) and folks get to meet their neighbors. It is a real hoot. When asked why DW and I prefer small ship cruising (we also cruise on some very large vessels) our quick answer is because on the smaller ships passengers often get to know each other and make some good friends. A ship with 450 or 600 makes it easier to meet folks than on a vessel with 6000+. It is also interesting that nearly all the so-called luxury lines use smaller ships. There are no luxury mega ships. Hank Hank

In 20 years there will be no more socialization. Even partners will communicate with text messages because they will not know how to have a face-to-face conversation. There will be no more need for stages because folks will just go into theaters and gaze at their phones! Dinner will be served by robots and folks will eat tasteless, but healthy food, and finish dinner in less then 10 minutes! I know it is all far-fetched, but is it? Related story about "healthy food" is our 4 year old Grandson had only eaten whole grain or multi-grain bread for the first few years of his life. A few months ago, DD sent him to school with his packed lunch, but when she realized she had no whole wheat bread she packed a sandwich made with white bread. When the little guy came home, he excitedly asked his mommy why his sandwich no longer tasted like dirt! (true story). And now we have all the various reports about nanoplastics in bottled water. So all those water-crazed folks who have been carrying and gulping their plastic bottles of water (for many years) may well have been poisoning themselves with nanoplastics while the healthy water, from their tap, remained untapped! Go figure. By the way, food is a great topic at the dinner table :). You can even talk about food with strangers. Hank

Just a word about "providing business class air." That comes at a very hefty price. We can cruise on Seabourn, Silversea or some other luxury lines and buy our own business class (where we choose our airline, schedule, etc) at a far lower cost then the package deals provided by RSSC. In fact, the CCL brand lines (including HAL, Seabourn, etc) have an excellent online air search engine which will often (not always) have some amazing international business/first class air deals. As an example, in the spring of 2022 we cruised to Euope on a long Seabourn cruise that ended in Monte Carlo. DW and I eventually made our way to Prague where we finished the independent land portion of our trip. Using Seabourn's online air booking engine (where one can get all kinds of deviations) we were able to book one-way Business Class (lay flat seats) through United for about $1000. And this was from Prague! Last year we cruised around Japan on HAL and were able to get one-way Business Class (using HAL's similar online site) to Tokyo for about $2000 per person (British Air and JAL). There are other cruise lines (Oceania is a good one to cite) that do not offer good air deals for Biz/First. In those cases, folks are often left paying the really big bucks (for air) if they want comfy travel. I once calculated that we could take a short 12 day Princess cruise in Europe, and the money we saved on their Business Class fares (the same online system used by HAL and Seabourn) would actually be enough to pay for the cruise! Go figure. Hank

Many mores have changed since we started cruising in the 70s. In those old days, there were generally 2 Fixed Seatings (with no other options other then the Lido buffet) and those seatings were often at 6 and 8:30. The late sitting was, by far, the most popular and the early sittings were primarily very old folks and those traveling with children. In those days, folks loved to truly "dine" (we still do) and 1 1/2 - 2 hours was considered normal dining time. Show times were often something like 8 and 10 and late night entertainment (even at midnight) was not uncommon. Several mass market lines would routinely have late night (11:30 or midnight) adults-only comedy shows which were commonly packed. DW and I seldom went to bed before 1am. These days it's a different world. On the mass market ships folks think 6pm is too late to dine. Many are off to bed before 10. Socialization, with strangers, at large tables is no longer the norm. I am amazed at how many folks here on CC and in person have asked questions like "what do you talk about with strangers," or "what should we not discuss with strangers?" In our generation just about everyone knew how to intermingle with new-found table mates. I do find the trend, mostly in North America, towards early dining somewhat of a mystery. Europeans, to a much greater degree, still dine much later (in Spain it is not uncommon to have dinner after 9pm). I used to joke that the "Early Birds" in Florida are what changed dining habits, but now I am not so sure it is a joke. We are in our 70s, but still dine at home around 7:30. We have very good friends (our age) who do not ever like to dine after 7:30 and my buddy will say "it is because I have a condition!" That is kind of a joke because of all the folks who want to attribute early dining to health issues; The reality is that our North American society has generally changed to a less social early to bed early to rise mentality. There are certainly exceptions such as in NYC where plenty of folks will still go out to dinner well after 8pm, but that is the exception..no longer the rule. In the cruise industry, the luxury lines (who tend to attract a more international clientele) still adhere to a later dining scheme. But, one can look at the Oceania blogs (many consider that a Premium Line) where it is said there are few awake after 10:30. Sigh! Hank

The concept of Fixed Dining for all, has almost disappeared in the cruise industry. Why? A majority of folks simply do not want it! On Princess, when we first started cruising (back in the 70s) everyone has to choose between early and late dining. Now, if folks want Fixed Dining they can reserve the same time and same dining room every night and have Fixed Dining. They can even speak to the Maitre'd about possibly having the same table/waiter on a consistant basis (this is not guaranteed). But for the few cruisers that want the traditional dining, while they can still have it for themselves, there is no need for others to suffer the same fate :). I might add that in the ole days of cruising there was very little 2-top dining The norm was that nearly everyone was at larger tables, often with strangers, made new friends, socialized at dinner, etc. That was a big part of cruising. In fact, DW and I are still good friends with some folks we met at large MDR tables back in the 70s and 80s. Having taken well over 100 cruises (some of them months in lenght) our most memorable voyages were the ones where we made some very good friends. These days, many folks (especially younger generations) simply do not have the social skills that enhance table sharing. 2 tops have become quite common, many folks try to get in-out of the MDR as quickly as possible, the concept of "dining" has been lost (or never known) to many folks, and times have changed. Hank

The bus is $10 pesos and they now have electronic boxes where you put the money in a slot. Drivers do not make change and generally do not accept dollars. No comment on PiPis other than it’s more popular with short term visitors then the ex pat community. Hank

Did that walk, this morning, and thought about your post :). If you are docked at Pier 1, it will be the longest walk (of the 3 piers). Once you cross the bridge you still have a ways to go. The main street into Marina Vallarta is marked by a traffic light and a large whale-fountain in the middle of the street. You will pass another street (before that main street) which I do not think gets you into the heart of the marina, so my advice is not to be tempted and think you might find a short-cut. The mile walk will get you to the port entrance, but depending where you go inside that area you can easily tack on another 1/2 mile. One interesting development in that large marina area is that the tall El Faro Lighthouse (110 feet high) apparently has a new restaurant at the top (I assume one would need reservations). We do not know anyone who has actually dined in that place, but the view must be spectacular. I think it is called El Faro /36 Restaurant. Friends have told us they plan to give it a try (in the future). Hank

We used to joke that if HAL opened the MDR, for dinner, at 4pm, there would be a queue! Our HAL cruises (usually of a longer duration) have generally been a very early to bed early to rise kind of crowd. I guess that an 8pm show would work for the early diners (many of whom seem to think the MDR is like a fast food restaurant). I suspect many HAL cruisers would be surprised that lines like Seabourn do not even open their MDR until 7pm. Several of the more upscale lines will only have one evening main show which is usually scheduled between 9:30 and 10. DW reminded me of one Celebrity cruise when we tried to go to the late night adult comedy show which was scheduled at midnight. We could not get in because the theater was SRO. Can you imagine a midnight show on HAL. Even the performers would be asleep. Actually a 6pm show would be fine for us. We would go to that early show (we do this on some other lines), have a cocktail after the show, and eventually make our way to dinner. After finishing dinner (usually around 9:15-9:30, we enjoy some adult beverages at whatever venue has live music.

That spring cruise to the Canaries is somewhat of a Seabourn tradition (we did it 2 years ago) and there is generally some similar crossing itinerary every year. I believe, as a rule, the cruise generally has a segment with disembarkation in Lisbon (we stayed aboard for the following segment which ended in Monte Carlo. What makes it somewhat unusual is that there are multiple stops in the Canary Islands. It is a popular itinerary since it embarks in the USA (avoiding the cost of round trip air to Europe) and those of us who love sea days covet this kind of cruise. Hank

I think you might want to look at some cruise data bases. There are no Oasis Class ships heading to Europe in the Spring or 2025. HAL has some ships that do end in Rotterdam (easy to grab a train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam) and Viking has a longer 35 day (and more expensive) cruise that does claim to end in Amsterdam. I say "claim" because new restrictions limit the ships that can go all the way to Amsterdam. In fact, their city council wants to close their cruise terminal and ban all cruise ships. If RCI is your priority they do have two larger ships (not Oasis Class) going to Europe (the Odyssey to Civitavecchia and the Independence to Southampton.

Go on Seabourn where you get have separate bathtubs (full size) and a separate shower in all the cabins/suites. Hank

It is about a mile (depending on which pier you are docked) to inside the Marina (past Plaza Neptuno). We have never taken a taxi for this route (I actually walk it a few days a week) but the taxi fare (we are talking the normal taxis outside the port) should cost no more than $100 (Pesos). It is quite walkable if you can handle a good mile. You leave the port, turn left at the sidewalk that runs along the main road (this shows as Rte 200 on Google Maps), and start walking. You will walk past the Naval/Marine Base, over a small bridge, and then past the Naval Hospital. Just keep going until you run out of sidewalk and you will come to a small outdoor strip shopping center. Just past the last store you will turn left into the Marina Area. There are quite a few restaurants in the Marina (we never eat out there since we live in town). If you have a working Smartphone you can simply put one of the restaurants in one of the map programs and follow the route. Hank

Our cruise is 3 segments, so we were able to book 3 reservations in each of their 4 specialty restaurants. DW and I have been debating whether we need to buy the drink package ($30 per person/day) but I am thinking it makes sense if one has 3 drinks a day (their new system already includes wine/drinks at lunch and dinner). Funny thing about Regent is that none of our friends who have tried Regent have not been pleased. Hank

Bummer. I would want to take it for a spin on a German Autobahn :).

LOL, rent a Ferrari? Keep in mind you technically need a International Driving Permit (IDP) even to drive a Ferrari :). I also love that you mentioned the Galileo Museum. We actually enjoyed that venue more then the Uffizzi (we are not fans of Renaissance art). I hate to admit that on an upcoming driving trip in Italy we reserved a Jeep Renegade! Sigh :(. Hank