Mtngirl2

I lived in Shanghai for three years and had no problem with taxis and would hail them from the streets. I would always have the address of where I was going in Mandarin (ask your hotel concierge or reception to write this out for you if you don't have it). Always use the taxi queue at the airport and do not use the lone taxi driver walking around asking for customers. I never had a problem with taxis, and I lived outside of the center of the city!

I lived in Shanghai for three years and we would hail local taxis all the time. No problems. Very easy. Have the name of where you want to go before you get a taxi, both in Chinese and English, before you get into a taxi, in the event the driver does not understand where you want to go. Shanghai is a very fascinating city! Good luck!

I have been told when on a HAL cruise that if you miss the ship, they leave your passport and $100 with the port agent. Now, from experience, I have not done that. Be on the ship when they tell you! However, ask the ship before you get off as what will happen. Of course, by scanning your room keys when you get on and off the ship, they will know who is missing. I don't think they will wait for you. Be late at your own risk! (unless you are with a cruise ship shore excursion, and the ship will wait for you).

I booked my reservation for a clamshell through the shore excursions for my cruise. It was recommended that I do this now, for a March cruise, and not when I get on the ship, in the event there are none available.

I will be on a cruise and will be spending a day in Puntarenas late March (7:00 am to 5:00 pm). There are a variety of shore excursions offered by the cruise ship and I would prefer taking one of those. I am not into zip lines, etc. I have been looking at shore excursions to San Jose, panoramic bus rides, tours to Sarchi, mangrove boat rides (although I know the best times to see animals is early morning or late in the day), etc. What would you folks recommend? Many thanks!

What a great trip you have planned! I like both, but if you want to see more of Norway and what the north offers, I would select the one up to North Cape only. On one trip, I drove from Oslo up to North Cape (it took one week), and the scenery is absolutely spectacular! We rented cabins at campgrounds along the way or found small b and bs and had a great time! I, too, would love to see Longyearbryan, but if your goal is to enjoy nature, etc., take the extra time to discover northern Norway. We were there in July, and North Cape on the day we were there was very windy and cold, so make sure you bring warm clothes and layers. Whatever you do, you will certainly enjoy this magnificent country!

HAL and other cruise lines offer a good choice for cruises, as the other posts have stated. You might want to look at the website visitnorway.com for other options--car ferries, smaller cruise possibilities, etc. I have driven from Oslo through Norway to North Cape and have found the roads good and had the flexibility of stopping where I wanted. Renting a car is an option, depending on what you want to see. The country is gorgeous and people friendly, although a bit expensive. We had some incredible experiences, like camping overlooking the fjords, etc. Good luck with your planning!

We arrive in Reykjavik at 11:40 on Saturday night. Do you think with time change leaving from Boston that we will be able to handle a full day of a Circle Line tour on Sunday? I am thinking if we go to sleep once we arrive at Alden Hotel we should be fine. However, since we are older maybe a walking tour of Reykjavik might be safer - but don't want to miss anything. Also suggestions for restaurants on Sunday night. And also do we take all our luggage from Reykjavik airport to hotel or can we check it and take just what we need for one day/two nights? I decided this in a moment when the TA suggested it but now I am worrying it is more than we can handle. It is quite expensive for the hotel. But what the heck, will never be here again. Any thoughts?

 

I thank you.

Definitely plan a full day on Sunday. That is the secret of getting over jet lag--keeping busy! I don't know where you are staying, but the airport bus from the airport to the city is very easy (about 45 minutes and very reasonable) and they take you to a central point, which from there you can get a taxi. The airport is very easy (and a great place to shop when you are flying out!). If you are staying in the city center, you will find many choices of restaurants. The Golden Circle Tour is awesome! Depending on when you are going, also take advantage of an evening northern lights tour. You can even get a ticket from your hotel to the Blue Lagoon, which is about 15 minutes from the airport. At the Blue Lagoon, you can rent towels and bathing suits, plus check your luggage and enjoy a restaurant there too. Then you can get a bus from the Blue Lagoon to the airport--I spent my last day there when I was flying out. The city is very easy to walk around and people are friendly and helpful. Have fun and enjoy every minute!

Will be stopping over for 2 days in Reykjavik, need suggestions for where to stay. Help please:)

Hi, there, I have stayed in the Icelandicair Hotels in the city and they have been clean and comfortable. They also have a desk where you can book any tours you might want. I love Iceland and it is an incredible place to visit!

Ephesus is a wonderful place to visit, and if things become iffy, the cruise ship will not dock there. That being said, do take advantage of a tour there. There is remarkable history and it was one of the highlights of my whole trip when I visited Turkey about 10 years ago. Good luck!

You have some great information already, but just wanted to give my two cents, too! Driving in France is very easy. Good road signs, especially in the D-Day area. I was in that area last fall. Rented a car after I landed in Paris, brought my own GPS (had downloaded updated maps before I left), and was so glad to have the freedom to drive around and see what I wanted to see when I got to Normandy (my dad landed on Omaha Beach during WWII). I was there in September so there was not a lot of tourists--had some places all to myself. Folks very friendly. Incredible and extremely moving trip. Well worth going there and good luck!

We are headed to Russia and the Baltics this fall. We decided we wanted to see the Baltic area in the event the area becomes more closed, for whatever reason. Having lived around the world with my work, I am not concerned about traveling here. Of course, listen to the latest reports and news, and do take out travel insurance. You will see a lot of other tourists. I have always found no matter where I have traveled, people are helpful and are willing to share their country. If you are with a tour company or cruise line, they will also give good advice and will cancel the trip in the event of anything happening. Take each day, enjoy, blend in. I always carry with me contact information of the US Embassy or Consulate if I am not on a tour, just in case there are problems. Enjoy your trip!

There is so much to see, so take a deep breath! You have some good suggestions in these posts. It is worth studying each port, and then using any resources available to do some background reading, like Rick Steves' materials and videos. Having lived in Italy, I would definitely suggest spending at least 3 days in Rome before your cruise, not only to get over jet lag, but to begin to enjoy your trip! Take one day for the Vatican Museum and the Basilica, certainly do a Hop On/Hop Off bus one morning to get an overview of the city, and then decide what else you'd like to see. It is a walkable city, and the subways and public buses are easy to use. Another suggestion is a post cruise trip, either to Tuscany or to the Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast is just gorgeous and well worth spending a few days. Sorrento is the largest town (and you can get to Pompeii from here easily). From Sorrento, you can take the public buses all the way down to the coasts--many tourists do this, stopping at Positano or Amalfi, etc. Enjoy!!!!!!!!

We were just in Rome right after Thanksgiving (low tourist season) and we had a great time with the HOHO buses. I've lived in Italy before and have been to Rome many times, but I was with people who had not been there before. We had bought an OMNIA pass and used that for three days during the week we were there--good also for public transportation (you can buy this on line and I picked up our tickets at the OMNIA office at Vatican Square when we arrived since we were staying in that area). I like the HOHO buses as they give a great overview of any city, and with this one, it takes you way out to St. John's church (which is a bit out of the center of the city). Each HOHO bus has a slightly different route, so check out the company you want to use (some concentrate more on religious sites than others). We also used the public buses and subways and they were fine. You can buy bus tickets from machines and use the meter on the bus when you first board. Subway maps are easy to understand. Rome is full of tourists and is geared to tourists. It is much easier now to travel around Rome as a tourist than it was years ago when I lived in Italy! Have fun!

I have lived in Italy and have gone back there many times, and LOVE the Amalfi coast. I would second a suggestion in another post. Do you want to visit just Pompeii or just the Amalfi coast? Both would be separate trips in themselves. I have spent many hours visiting Pompeii (I had a car when I lived there) and would also drive up to the parking lot of Vesuvius to see the beautiful view of the Bay of Naples. I don't know how much time you have in port, but another suggestion is to take a train from Naples to Sorrento. Sorrento is the biggest town on the Amalfi coast and is a lot of fun to walk around. You can also take the public bus from Sorrento south along the Amalfi coast to all the towns, like Positino, Amalfi, etc., but this would take a full day. Many tourists do this. If you have limited time, of course take a tour down the coast to any of the towns--it is just a spectacular part of the world!

Don't worry. It is a beautiful airport with lots of facilities, cafes, stores, etc. It is probably best to wait at the airport, in the event of delays of your friends. What does your tour guide suggest? Could you email him/her and find out what is suggested? Maybe he/she can arrange something for you. If I get in early to a new city, I will often pay extra for early check-in so I can change clothes and get settled before a tour begins. Maybe this is an idea for you, to get to the hotel early and check in. Good luck!

There are many companies who offer tours to the wine country. I did tours with Turistek in Santiago before my cruise. You could also rent a car, as the roads seem good and lots of road signs. When we visited the vineyards, there were many families coming in by car and visiting the vineyards. It may depend on the time of season you visit. I'm sure the vineyard websites could give you more information. Hope this helps!

Hi, I did the same cruise (without Antarctica) on the Zaandam last fall from Santiago to BA and LOVED it! It is just a magnificent journey through an incredible part of the world, and this is one cruise I intend to do again. I went in November, so we did not see baby penguin chicks, so I would go a different time. Anyways, the fjords and the Andes are magnificent, and Ushuaia is gorgeous (next time I would walk around the town and not take a shore excursion). Loved the Falklands and the penguins, and the folks are very friendly. I would suggest two books. First is "Over the Edge of the World" by Laurence Bergreen, which details Ferdinand Magellan's voyage from Europe through the now Magellan Straits. Excellent and easy to read. I listened to the audiobook of Isabel Allende's "My Invented Country"--magnificent story of her impressions and love of Chile, and the book provides deep insights about the people, the history, and the culture. A must read! Enjoy your cruise!!!!!

Hi, I was in Santiago last fall, for two days before my Holland America cruise from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. I took a day tour that Holland America offered, but in the lobby of the Sheraton Santiago there was a Truistik Tour Agency. They sold hop on/hop off bus tickets, as well as many tours. Feedback seemed good about the company from folks who did tour with them. They have other agencies throughout the city. I did the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour for one day, and another day I did a tour around the city and then outside the city to the Concha Y Toro (sp?) vineyard (excellent). If you want to do vineyards and really see the city, I would suggest at least 3 days to enjoy!

Hi, I was in Santiago last fall and took the Valparaiso to Buenos Aires cruise with Holland America. I stayed two nights at the Sheraton Santiago. It was near all the shopping malls and it was the hotel the cruise company put me in. However, there were no shops or other facilities around the hotel. It was a beautiful hotel with excellent food. The pool area was beautiful--outdoor bar and restaurant, and a place to really relax and enjoy. The rooms were well appointed, clean, and comfy beds. There is a hop on-hop off bus stop right in front of the hotel. In the lobby there was a tour company set up that sold the tickets for the bus, as well as other city tours. Holland America also had its table. In Buenos Aires, there was a Sheraton right near the docks and the train station and again, used quite a bit by the cruise ship lines. This Sheraton had a lot of shopping around it and I heard an excellent restaurant next door. Hope this helps!

I am really impressed with HAL! I did the South America trip last November from Santiago to Buenos Aires and it was excellent and well worth the price! I splurged for a balcony and loved being on the balcony as we went through the fjords! The service on HAL was impeccable--friendly and responsive staff, courteous and attentive. The food was very good each day and plenty of choices. The room was comfortable and the bed was one of the best I have ever had traveling--comfy, lots of pillows, and I slept well, even during some rough seas. The entertainment was diverse throughout the ship. The shows (a different one every night for a two week cruise) in the theater were really exceptional--very talented young folks with lots of energy and even folks who have cruise their whole lives were commenting on the excellency of these particular shows. The ship brought in some outside entertainment when possible, like a tango show. I am headed off to another HAL cruise next month and can't wait! Hope this helps! ;)