MalbecWine

The best resorts are in the mountains.  They have two gorgeous resorts in Ubud a Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton.  We have stayed at both during our visits to Bali.

25 minutes ago, travelwell said:

We have booked a Regent overland tour from Bali to Cambodia. I have heard Bali is a crowded and chaotic port but I am surprised to hear it is bad enough that some are canceling excursions. Is it due to the heat? Does your cruise do an overland to Cambodia and if so, can you report on the details when people get back on whether it is worth it. 

 

Thanks for the koala picture, I get it. It would be cute on a wine glass. I am not one to decorate my suite door, I will just enjoy others. 

Bali is beautiful but it is best to do it on an extended stay.  We have been there many times and stayed in beautiful resorts.  The climate varies depending on the time of the year.  The food is fabulous and the people, what can I say are so embracing.  I would not say it is hot hot.  They do have a rainy season like we do in Florida but so much to see and do.  Such nice friendly people.  Most are Hindu and kind.  We have never had a bad experience in Bali.  Cambodia is also nice but a very busy city.  We have never seen so many scooters in our life.  So be careful crossing streets.  The food in good restaurants is excellent and most have an English menu with pictures/ descriptions. We enjoyed it but we did have a private tour guide in Cambodia to go with us...highly recommended.

4 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Here in Dunedin Florida I pay about $30 for a cut, from a master stylist, a very good haircut.  Back home in Toronto such a thing would start at $75.  My husband pays $15 with tip here at a barber shop.  But $39 for a good men's cut is not outrageous.

For us Canada would be cheaper with our exchange rate US VS CDN.  Of course a barber shop is much less here but we both go to a salon and $39.00 for a cut shampoo and blow dry is not unreasonable for a cruise ship.

I must compliment you on the raising of your son and you being good parents.  We always compliment parents that have some type of structure with their children that are so well behaved.

That being said, I have seen some that just don’t care and let them do whatever they want without regard to others.  Yes, some people frown on young ones being on a luxury line as they really have not much to do and they do require a lot of attention.  I guess we forget we were all that age at one time as well.  Some parents are great and some not so much.

I hope you took many photos of your son so when he is older he can see them.

Cheers

1 minute ago, Kwaj girl said:

Malbec Wine.....eek...DH pays $13 including tip here in Huntsville AL at a chain salon.  But then again...if you have OBC...use it!

I understand, but the salon is high end but others charge more in Florida.  He does not go to the Hair Cuttery their prices are at least $20.00.  You will not find a $13.00 haircut in our neck of the woods.

3 minutes ago, TWG_ag said:

You absolutely can go back and forth. We have for over 10 years. On Celebrity we only do Royal and Penthouse suites, while on Regent we do Penthouse and below. The reason we went to Regent originally was because we felt that service in all classes and levels of Celebrity were declining, this was around 2005. So for the price we were paying, we could step right from a Celebrity Royal to a regular Regent. We did not like losing the space, but saw the value in the better service and smaller ships.  However, after doing Regent exclusively for 4 years, we began seeing Celebrity improve at least their Suite service. We sailed on one of their first Michael's club trips, then Luminae opened. The level of service you get in Micheals and Luminae and from Suite Butlers, is very comparable to what we experience on Regent, IMO. As for food, our last three 14-day Celebrity cruises, we never ate a buffet or pool deck meal, having breakfast, lunch and dinner in Luminae, a specialty restaurant or our room.  Like most Regent loyalist,  I do not like the bigger ships or large crowds and totally disagreed with Celebrity getting rid of great ships like  Century and Horizon to build their new behemoths. Of course I also think Regent is doing the same thing, building bigger ships, which many like. but also moves them  away from their former ability to maintain quality staff. Don't get me wrong, I like both lines and understand that the regular Celebrity experience is not the Suite experience. We will be on the Summit in July and Explorer in November. So just one man's opinion, you can go back and forth. 

One of the smaller ships not in the fleet was the Galaxy we enjoyed many years ago to Alaska.

45 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

Yes, I buy the favors.  I have bought things I could put on the wine glasses.  The flowers were hair bows.  The band fit around the glasses.  The koalas were clip on.  They held on to the glass.  The crew put them on their jackets.  The only decorations we have had were for Valentine's Day.  That was mostly balloons.  Last night Jamie said he was going to decorate for the Academy Awards.  I haven't left my room yet so do not know what he did.

 

I forgot to say my husband had a hair cut and it was $39.  

 

We are overnight in Bali tonight.  On most overnight stops, we have a local group come aboard to entertain.  Sometimes we sail late so a group can come aboard.  Most have been good.

The haircut is not a bad price for a men’s cut.  Our local salon is about the same for a cut.  

Over a holiday cruise we bring small cute Christmas items for the crew as well.  It’s just a feel good thing to do.

Would it not be easier to have a multi port portable USB charger for multiple devices?  We each carry two devices and can charge them all it once.  I bought charger on Amazon and bought extended cords if we were losing battery life so we could continue to use them while they are charging.  They really work well and you won’t need the TV for charging.

Ron, at least in South Florida they are not selling well and we are in high season.  We have so many luxury hotels that are far much better that are fully booked until the end of April.

Some lines use the Hyatt downtown Miami which is also close to the port and airport.

We just.bought a new Samsung 65inch curve TV and all the ports are in the back and it is wall mounted so we can’t connect directly either.  Our solution was to have a Denon tuner and I can jump music or films to it via our Wi-Fi system.  We love Samsung quality but they should’ve come up with some external connectors.  Our TV is a smart tv and love it.  I don’t think any luxury lines we have been on have external USB ports.

57 minutes ago, WesW said:

Also, agree with both Malbec and GOARMY, but when my wife says we are  bringing formal wear, I salute and pack accordingly.  Plus, for us it is a chance to wear our pride (wearing minature medals earned over decades of military service) on a dress jacket or Tuxedo jacket.

 

Tho am much more comfortable wearing nice slacks and a Tommy Bahama shirt to dinner; don't mind putting formal duds on once or twice a voyage. Still trying to get Ida to wear her miniature medals (incl Bronze Star) but she won't give up her formal dresses for a ladies tuxedo.

We certainly appreciate the men and women that have served our country.  Yes be proud to wear those well earned medals they would not look good on a Tommy shirt LOL but formal attire very dashing.  Wes, Ida and GOARMY thank you for your service!

Well, most people today on luxury lines leave their tuxedos at home and that is the sign of the times.  You can look smart in slacks sans tie or with tie.  No need for ladies to bring those long gowns just a cocktail dress or slacks with a nice blouse or top.

We are benefactors of a few charitys which use to to require Black Tie and now they even they have relaxed it to formal optional. We have a Heart Ball to go to which use to be strictly formal now its smart casual with jackets for men and we are talking a lot of people with old and new money.  Many doctors and benefactors will be there so I expect it will be a mix.

The American Cancer Society came up with a ball called Diamonds And Jeans in the last few years and it was a huge success.  This is done all over the US and raises a ton of money for the ACS.

No more tux for my husband as he dressed  to impress for business for years and now retired.  

To each their own.

First of all we dislike buffets land or sea.  We had a great deal on the Explorer in the MS which looks gorgeous but we have friends sailing a similar itinerary on Crystal in November and we have known them for many years.  The price of the MS went down quite a bit as we do our own air and hotel transfers when it was all calculated.

Now since we had booked Regent we can transfer the booking fee within one year which is no big deal and want to try the Explorer which we plan to do.  

Bill, unfortunately our nation is so politically polarized and the political issues raise their ugly heads on land as well as sea.  Civility in a discussion is all that matters but some don’t know how to do that.  

The butler should be your advocate to resolve any issues.  

No Argentine Wine on the list.☹️

Yes, others have private sites and blog there.  I have one but it is only for family and friends and some cruise people we have met.

If using luggage concierge or luggage forward you must claim your luggage in the terminal and a representative from either company will take you through customs and immigration and then you leave it with them.  No liquids or any flammables are permitted and you do need to do a general inventory what is packed.  You can elect to to take out additional insurance on the shipping.  We have used these services many times and it’s nice not to worry about unpacking for a few days.  You will also be able to track your luggage for an ETA.

I’m glad you and others understood that.  One idea instead of the Range Rover should you return to beautiful Africa is do a short walking Safari with a game driver and tracker and get relatively close but a safe distance away.  The lodges and camps will not put you in harms way. We did our first walking Safari last year and I admit I was a bit nervous but it was fine and we had Sundowners under a Acacia tree and returned to the lodge for dinner.  We were at Royal Malewane gorgeous lodge and beautiful accommodations.  Google Royal Malewane or Ol Jogi.  Very high end but worth it for a land trip.

The overland Cruise safaris are good but a few are sooo much better.  We usually spend two weeks in Africa and you are not roughing it.

After twenty years of going to Africa we have never seen anyone riding an Elephant.  This really only happens in India and Thailand and is really not right.  We support the Sheldrick Foundation for orphaned elephants in South Africa.  Do not ride elephants anywhere in the world.  Many are mistreated and chained...disgusting.

They do this on Crystal as well and very convenient.  No butler needed if you don’t have one.

Not according to financials results of Virgin Atlantic.  They are doing quite well.  Have you ever flown Virgin?  They are a great airline and beats BA all the time.  Richard Branson knows how to produce a class act product.  Heck he could buy Regent if he wanted to and his employees are great and the lounges top notch.

i suspect you have never flown with them.  BTW, what cruise line are you going on that you never mentioned.  No need to tell us when or where just the line.

Read this.

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-reasons-why-richard-branson-successful.html

Sir Branson has done a fabulous job so far with his investments and everything he has done with Virgin has been exceptional that we have experienced.

When we went on another line to the Galapagos we had refill stations to fill our bottles and it was reverse osmosis ship water.  No plastic is allowed there and in fact where we live plastic straws are going away next month only biodegradable straws will be allowed.  

So TC, what other luxury line are you trying this year?