princeton123211

1 hour ago, bones774 said:

Yes or No

Thnaks

I don't believe it has Wifi-- it's fairly spartan. You usually spend such little time in it anyway. 

On 10/3/2024 at 11:53 AM, CruiserfaeFife said:

Also - if you don’t already know - Old Montreal is “party central” so it was noisy well into the early hours, particularly at the weekend.  I imagine it would be the same for all hotels in this area. 

Its a good point to make-- lots of stag and hen parties and the old part of down is quite noisy especially on the weekends at night. 

I much prefer to stay in the downtown area, which is adjacent to the old part and easily walkable, but it's much quieter for the most part and more central. 

2 minutes ago, KeepCalmBearOn said:

Those are VERY low prices for those hotels, but I guess timing is everything. They all can easily be two and three times the rates you show. You must be hitting at a very none busy time.

Was going to say the same thing-- those rates are not normal. 

59 minutes ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

I'm not aware of any hotels in the City that I would stay at for $150 per night.

Same. 

3 hours ago, jack dcruiser said:

We are going on the Celestyal Journey ship in October 2025.  Thinking of either starting in Venice for a few days then doing to Athens for 3 days before the cruise, or visiting Venice after the cruise.  Too far in advance to see the flight prices and wondering will we be gouged for our 1 big bag, 2 carry-ons and a personal item bag.  Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Honestly it doesn't really matter. Personally I would visit Venice first only for the reason that Venice is a lot of walking and I would have more fun if I were a bit more fresh for that. Athens there's a bit less to see and do and you can use aids like taxis a lot more than you can in Venice. 

11 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

it is not available on any Monday next summer, which to me suggests it is simply an issue of the local operator not offering it on Mondays.  

Balmoral's grounds are closed on most Mondays and Tuesdays in the off season (with an occasional Sunday) so it would make sense then that Mondays are closed in season. 

1 hour ago, Moz said:

We will be arriving in LAX a day before our cruise (Friday) is there a transport service that would pick us up at curbside or is a taxi/uber a better choice?  Am older and hard to walk a distance and drag luggage and understand that a person has to take a bus to get to taxi stand (is that somewhat of a hassle?) ,  also do you know what the approximate cost would be? 

You can certainly schedule a car service and they will be able to pick you up curbside. But honestly an Uber will be just as easy and might be a little less. In order to get picked up curbside at LAX you need to select UberBlack (UberX, XL, etc all have to pick up at the LAXit lot). 

57 minutes ago, caribbeanboy said:

What's the easiest/cheapest way to get to Jfk from either the port or Airport?

Cheapest will be via public transit-- take an Uber to Newark Penn Station and then NJ Transit to Penn Station NY. Then take LIRR to Jamaica Station and transfer to the AirTrain to JFK. This will take forever.  

Easiest will be by car service or Uber/Lyft direct from Bayonne-- was only $90 on UberX when I just ran it in my app. Another option you could take the train into New York Penn Station and then take a yellow taxi to JFK. The flat fare is $70 but with tolls and tip is usually just about $100. 

1 hour ago, Mimiya11 said:

Can anyone provide any insight as to why all the tour operators (via Viator, Get your Guide, etc) have that date crossed off? 

First off-- things like Viator are not tour operators. They are third party aggregators. Expedia is to Hilton, what Viator is to an actual tour operator. Aside from booking and collecting a commission on your booking Viator has no direct control over your experience. 

Do some research and find out if an actual local tour operator has availability. It's also possible, like stated above, that it is just closed that day for any reason (it is still a working residence) and you might just be out of luck. At a minimum it might be worth booking the expensive cruise excursion if this is something that is important to you-- you can usually cancel them in advance if you are able to find a tour operator at a lower price. 

On 9/28/2024 at 2:42 AM, daveAZBC said:

I would probably need the car from 10AM to 7PM. I realize there are several rental agencies near Fishermans' Wharf, which is within walking distance of Pier 35. The problem is that those agencies all close in the afternoon and don't permit a key drop after closing.

Have you considered using something like ZipCar? https://www.zipcar.com/san-francisco

You have to sign up for it in advance but you can buzz into and out of cars using your smart phone at any hour of the day. Cars are usually returned to garages where they have a reserved spot or sometimes they are located in their own spots on street parking lots. No going to a counter or anything like that. 

On 9/28/2024 at 2:42 AM, daveAZBC said:

I think my best option is to take public transit to and from Oakland Airport and rent a car there, since they are open late for the return.

It's a lot of running around and will take a lot of time to do it that way. 

2 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Coming back from Wailea it can be a bit patchy during the morning and early afternoon but becomes pretty reliable in the late afternoon and early evening as more drivers come on. Same can be said with Kaanapali area. 

I don't think I fully finished my thought. So Uber is reliable from Kahului to Wailea and even if you can't get an Uber back from Wailea (which you most likely can if you can wait 10-15 minutes) literally any hotel there on the beach will call you a taxi in a reasonable amount of time to go back. Four Seasons, Andaz, Fairmont, Grand Wailea etc all have taxis there or will have one in a few minutes for you. I would have zero concerns. 

So $175 per person is a stupid amount of money to spend on a bus to and from unless it's literally just you. If it's 2 or more people you will save money and have more flexibility using Uber or an Uber/taxi combo. 

14 hours ago, billslowsky said:

FYI, I called them, they sell 20 oz singles but not 12 packs.  There's another wine store close by (north) and a CVS about another half miler further.  Ugh!

It's making that soda package on board look more and more attractive...

10 hours ago, latebuyer said:

I’m going to the citadel but have limited time so wondering if its worth to go here. I am canadian so some historical interest. Is it just one big field? I read there is a park.

It is a big park. It's a nice park, but it's overall a big field. You can see parts of it from the Citadel. I wouldn't make it a priority with limited time. 

On 9/27/2024 at 6:09 PM, Pil0tsmom said:

So we were thinking of renting a vehicle for the two days and driving around the island on our own. Does anyone have an experience with parking a vehicle overnight at the cruise terminal ?

Having done this many times I think the best strategy for a two day stay is to try and limit your rental car needs to one day and turn the car in at an after hours drop off when you are done with it. Rent your car the first day and you'll have plenty of time to drive around the island. Use day 2 to stay closer in at Waikiki and enjoy all the things there and some beach time. 

It will also save you a bunch in parking overnight which is very expensive. 

13 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

As mentioned here frequently, in Hawaii, other than on Oahu, Uber can be a bit sparse and unreliable at times. I would suggest a taxi before Uber.

Uber FROM Kahului is actually very reliable all the time-- near the airport and usually not more than a 5-10 minute wait. Coming back from Wailea it can be a bit patchy during the morning and early afternoon but becomes pretty reliable in the late afternoon and early evening as more drivers come on. Same can be said with Kaanapali area. 

55 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

I assume the same quality of food as Maui which had the best shrimp.

Dukes, Hula Grill, Leilanis, and Kimo's (RIP) are all shades of each other-- same food quality and similar menus across the islands. All the same ownership. Solid local chain. 

Just now, jsn55 said:

Exactly what we're looking for, thank you!  Blacklane reviews on Trip Advisor are quite negative, the reviews on Trust Pilot are great.  I'm glad to get personal confirmation.  Really appreciate your input.

I've used them just the one time in Amsterdam but have used them extensively in Italy, Greece, and Germany as well as a little bit in the US. Never had an issue. I really like being able to communicate and pay in the app and that everything like gratuity is included. No awkward exchanges with the driver at the end etc. 

13 hours ago, jsn55 said:

Returning to Amsterdam early evening.  Has anyone used an English-speaking driver with area experience?

We used an app called Blacklane which I use all the time in Europe and connects you to local drivers. They handle all billing and things like gratuity are included. We did about 6 hours and went in a similar direction you are talking about turning around in Rotterdam. Cost was 400 Euro fully inclusive and was a Mercedes E Class. Highly recommended. It's not a tour, although the driver did speak good English and would point things out and provide some commentary. 

10 hours ago, J13C85 said:

We ultimately decided on Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey. Short Trek to Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier. We have some awesome food reservations and the hotel looks lovely. 

Was just at the Ritz MDR two weeks ago. Had a very nice stay. Its an older Ritz, and shows its age in some places, but they look like they just finished a recent renovation and most pubic areas are very nice. Definitely have breakfast outside on the marina side if you can. Only real complaint were the guest room bathrooms which show the age of the hotel-- tiny and tub/shower combo which I really don't like at this price point. Other than that everything was top notch. 

Also make sure if you are looking for sun that you get to the pool early-- the way the building is situated the pool only gets sun in the morning and by the early afternoon everything is in the shade. They keep the pool so frigid that it's only pleasant to swim in when there is direct sun (but there is a nice hot tub). 

Great spot though to explore from though-- close to the airport, Santa Monica is easy to get to (we just used Ubers), and you get all you want out of a Southern California luxury hotel at half of what you would pay for luxury hotels in Beverly Hills. 

1 hour ago, Jacaluke said:

Could I please receive feedback on the following:

I think a longer itinerary, with more exotic locations, on a nicer ship makes the HAL itinerary standout for me personally. Admittedly the Breakaway is not my speed in terms of size-- Nieuw Statendam carries nearly 2000 less passengers. 

2 hours ago, Jacaluke said:

I love both itineraries for their differences.  What we don't see this time we will prob go back and do again another time. 

I think here is where you answer your own question-- the ports where NCL visits (Rome, Cannes, Livorno, etc are infinitely easier, and frankly more enjoyable, to visit on your own. Egypt, Bodrum, etc are harder to do on a land vacation and this itinerary solves that. 

3 hours ago, stellfamily said:

We thought the train would work but it sounds like there is no room for our luggage on a train.

Anyone made this trip or have suggestions??

Plenty of room on the train for luggage and its fast-- make sure to take one of the high speed trains as opposed to the commuter ones. It used to be called Thalys but then Eurostar bought them and I think it's something else now. 

Other option is take a taxi or Uber-- I've done it both ways and the train was much less expensive and more enjoyable. 

4 hours ago, bennybear said:

I am active in a lot of Italian groups and many have been stopped and checked.  Particularly in train stations.  We have personally seen police come on and checking passports on the train.  

And as someone who would not risk taking my passport out of a hotel or ship's safe while touring Italy I find it completely reasonable for them to ask for one in a train station and me being able to produce it.

If you are in a train station, with a very few exceptions, you are travelling and will presumably be with your luggage and documents. Even if you are taking a day trip by rail away from a ship, in that case I would take it with me in the event of me not being able to return to the ship before it's departure. 

But if I am checked into an Italian hotel or on a day stop on a ship and not leaving the port/city we are in I don't find the risk in bringing my original passport with me, and it possibly being stolen, worth it. 

5 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

prefer taxis so  combining taxis and ferries but there are buses.

I agree with Charles on the Taxi/Ferry combo-- it costs a lot more than using busses but with a limited amount of time on the island you can cover more ground and waste a lot less time in transit and waiting around. If you can budget for it, it makes a visit more enjoyable from my experience. 

Taxis are usually available in both St Georges, Hamilton, and the Dockyard. Most of the time a handful are at major hotels and major beaches like Horseshoe Bay. If you're not by one of these places there is an app called Hitch which allows you to call a taxi to you much like the Uber app does. You can pay within the app via credit card where very few taxis take credit cards otherwise. Can be super helpful if you are off the beaten path a little bit and need a lift back. 

7 minutes ago, MistyRo76 said:

I have researched the three hotels and I don't see any major red flags. All look to be fairly close to Westlake station, which I understand has a rail station/monorail station. The hotels are all rated well on Priceline (8.4-9 out of 10) and reviews are mostly positive. 

 

Is there anything I should know about any of these hotels that would be a major red flag before going forward with this deal? 

I wouldn't say red flag. For tourist things I would say Hotel Theodore wins the location prize but they're all reasonably close. I've had friends stay at the Pineapple and say that the rooms were miniscule in size. Hotel Max would most likely be the one I was the least enthusiastic about of the three if it were me. 

You are SO far out for next August-- like almost too early to book. Hotel prices right now are sort of "take it or leave it" for next year and actual pricing will most likely get loaded into their systems in the next month or so and possibly just after the 1st of the year. 

Personally I would sit back and wait a few months and look at booking direct then-- you might get some better perks for the same $132 than booking with Priceline. Worse comes to worse I'm sure this deal will still be available in Nov/Dec. 

21 hours ago, MistyRo76 said:

One of the things I wanted to see in Seattle was the Boeing Museum of Flight which is near SEA-TAC airport. Given this and our need to get to the airport early the next morning, I thought it made more sense to stay near the airport post cruise.

The early flight could tip it over to the SeaTac hotels but the Museum of Flight is at Boeing Field which is essentially equidistant driving wise from a downtown hotel or SeaTac (without traffic SeaTac is technically a tiny bit longer to get to from Museum of Flight than downtown). Personally I would rather be at a downtown hotel after disembarking but either would work. I just wouldn't weight the decision based on the Museum of Flight. 

21 hours ago, MistyRo76 said:

We may even rent a car for the day to give us more flexibility to go do things. 

Unless you really want to get further afield there is zero reason to do this-- Uber and Lyft will be easy to do in any of the areas we are talking about. The car will cost extra for parking, gas, etc on top of the rental fee and the time it takes to return the morning of an early flight. 

21 hours ago, MistyRo76 said:

1. What are some good options for staying near the airport? 

If you do stay at the airport I concur that the Cedarbrook Lodge is the best option-- nicest airport hotel at SeaTac by a mile. 

If you stay downtown there are a plethora of options at all price points but a super unique one would be the Edgewater Hotel that is actually over the water. Fairmont Olympic, Hotel Sorrento, and the Arctic Club hotel are my other favorites in the solid 4 star, but not 5 star pricing category.