EllaBee

Hi, jsn55, I feel really good in the black maxi dress/skirt in the evening. Bonus - I now do not have to worry about finding a sunless tan cream! 

aungrl, thank you for your observations! I am pretty much decided I will pack the skirt and dress! 

Hello, everyone. After three years of no cruising, I am starting my packing list for an August cruise . I have read a number of fashion articles that indicate “maxi dresses and maxi skirts are really in this year”. Has anyone been on a cruise lately where ladies were wearing maxi dresses? Mine are black and I love them but have not worn them for years because I was a little afraid of looking old fashioned. Any and all comments are most welcome!

EllaBee

rsverdier, We have added these restaurant names to our Travel notebook for this trip. Regardless of where we ultimately end up staying, I am sure we will make our way to both restaurants. A personal recommendation is gold!

Once again, thanks!

Thank you, rsverdier, for the information. We have been to Amsterdam a number of times on land trips but this time, we are going to be there just two days before our cruise. We have been going "to and fro", deciding about which hotel to choose; closer to the port for embarkation day? or closer to some sightseeing action? You have given us more food for thought. Much appreciated.

EllaBee

Hi Dutch_Travelgirl, we didn't consider either of those two hotels but reviewing them last night, The Movenpick looks like a good choice for us. Thank you for your response!

Hello. We are embarking on an ocean cruise in August and plan to stay in Amsterdam for two days before embarkation. I have researched many hotels and narrowed it down to two; Room Mate and Hotel Jakarta. It looks like there are quite a few restaurants close to the Room Mate but Hotel Jakarta looks like it may be a little nicer property. I would be very appreciative to hear from anyone who has stayed at either one of these hotels or indeed, anyone who may have local knowledge about them.

Thanks very much. 

Thanks very much for the reply. We will be staying very near the Strand on Hermosa Beach and are hoping for sunny weather for walking and biking. Thanks, too for the information about Naples and the Belmont Shore. We had never heard of these areas before, but now they are definitely on our radar!

Hello. We will be sailing out of San Pedro in December and we were looking for a nice relaxing place to stay for a few days pre-cruise. We wanted somewhere where we could walk, rent bikes, not rely on a car. Previously, we have stayed pre-cruise in Santa Monica and Venice Beach (very enjoyable) but this time we wanted to try somewhere a bit different.

We have read quite a bit about Hermosa Beach (and Redondo and Manhattan Beaches) and the whole area sounds so nice, a great place to stay. However, I have searched the boards but it doesn't appear that anyone thinks about staying in this area before or after a cruise. I am just wondering about the reasons why this might be. One reason that comes to mind is maybe most cruisers think it is too far away to get to San Pedro on embarkation day? If anyone has any insights or comments, I would really appreciate hearing from you. Thanks.