katreinmuth
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Posts posted by katreinmuth
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On 5/15/2023 at 2:35 PM, CCWineLover said:
Moonlion - sure love your wonderful attitude about everything. You are going to really enjoy your whole cruise - i can tell that! Wish more were like you.
Interesting regarding The Restaurant. DW and I have speculated on this phenomena. As has been said before, every cruise and itinerary is very different in passenger behavior. There often are no common practices. We've had Viking cruises where Manfredi's was so popular you could barely get in, and CT was begging for people. Then the next cruise it was just the opposite. We've seen lines for washing machines early in the morning on some cruises, and then nobody there early on others. Who can say?
On our 2 cruise out of Florida however (Ft Lauderdale), we did note the common thread was this habit of lining up really early for the World Cafe and The Restaurant for dinners. Like up to 30 minutes early. In the WC, people would go in (even while they were still setting up) and sit down at the tables waiting. Such an odd thing. Speculated that perhaps lots of Floridians are used to going to dinner and the buffets early and it is just part of their habit to wait in line for dinner. 🙂
We've had other cruises where we could walk up at 6:00 the Restaurant and be immediately seated! It's a crap shoot! Once a certain behavior pattern is observed on a particular cruise, it seems people, as it the case in human behavior, experience that FOMO feeling (Fear of Missing Out) and rush to line up (whether it is for food, drinks, washing machine, excursions, etc). We've even seen people pack the Star Theatre 45 minutes before showtime.
Isn't human behavior interesting?
Love your comments about people lining up especially in Florida. I lived there when I was in highschool and into my late 20s. My husband & I saw linning up at popular restaurants at 4:30pm and we vowed we would never be like this when we got into our 70's+ Well, here I am in my 70's and I still will keep the same vow! However, I don't want to sit down to eat at 9pm either. Ha! Ha!
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21 hours ago, John Bull said:
Well, I guess that answers my question--yes.
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On 10/21/2022 at 1:59 AM, Scottishclover said:
I agree with much of what John Bull said, especially about going further afield from Invergordon but will give a few more suggestions on the Scottish ports.
In 2021 due to covid travel restrictions, we had a staycation and based ourselves in Evanton, just down the road from Invergordon. The whole point of ships docking there is to take advantage of typical Highland scenery and I would whole heartedly suggest you organise some kind of private tour. Can’t stress enough, no real infrastructure to accommodate cruise ship numbers so find something as soon as possible. I know the road to Skye has been mentioned but Skye should be avoided at all costs in the summer - it’s just crazy with people and traffic. Here’s some alternatives:
- Head over to the village of Lochinver via Lairg. Scenery is just stunning. You would need private tour for this. The mountain formations are amazing and you can have a lovely seafood lunch once you get there. The famous beach of Almelvich is nearby but avoid due to traffic jams on a single track roads. Not worth it in high season. On the way back visit the Geopark for stunning views and information about the geology of the region. This was the favourite thing we did on our 7 day trip. If you like to hike, there’s also some fantastic short hikes on this route.
- Loch Ness is not the prettiest loch by any stretch of the imagination and the nearby town is very touristy. Urquhart Castle has an attractive setting though. Much better in my opinion is the drive up Glen Affric. It has everything you expect from true Highland scenery. We were blown away ( but should add the weather was lovely too). It’s in the vicinity of Loch Ness so could be combined. Also worth a wee stop is the Highland town of Beauly.
- Cairngorms area is lovely but you need to be a hiker to get the best of it. Also getting over touristed. You would need a tour to get there.
- We loved Culloden, the museum is very well done and the walk on the battlefield was quite poignant. It’s a nice half day trip but wouldn’t be a priority if I had one day.
- Not for first timers, but The Black Isle makes a lovely day if you wanted to stay nearby Invergordon. It’s very quaint and there is a famous dolphin viewing spot. I couldn’t believe how close the dolphins were to the shore. Again, I’d say this is more for people who have been to Highlands before.
Regarding Edinburgh, you get great views over the city from Calton Hill. Obviously being Scottish ( and living a half hour from Edinburgh) the Royal Mile is not high on our list but as a tourist it’s a priority. Just ignore all the tartan tat 😩Our favourite part of Edinburgh is Stockbridge and the Village of Dean. It’s walkable from Princes Street and you wouldn’t believe you were in a major city, especially down by the Water of Leith. If it’s a nice day when you are there be sure to spend some time in “ the gardens,” the green area around The Mound between the old town and new town. It will give you a nice slice of local life.
Some final pieces of advice - if you plan to visit the castle book in advance. The queues can be awful . Also expect crowds, Edinburgh has become very popular recently. We NEVER head into town in August during the festival. If your cruise falls in that month plan accordingly!!
I hope this helps and happy to answer any questions you have.
We will be in Edinburgh in August (August 19) is this Festival going on all month? Or certain number of days in the month?
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Anyone going on this Ocean cruise? I know it is quite early. I just thought I would get the ball rolling and begin a post for comments or questions about this cruise. Have you taken a look at the excursion's descriptions? I am now doing some reading up on all the places Viking is offering for us to see. My husband and I are arriving 3 days earlier to do some exploring around Bergen, Norway. I am planning for us to take an all day fjord tour for one of our days. Kathy
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Only related to "Senior Gators" with a location of Tallahassee. In the middle of Seminole Land?? Just had to comment as my late husband was a Gator and I was a Seminole. We always said we had a mixed marriage. Football time around our house was quite exciting.
Onboard Neptune now - British Isles Explorer
in Viking Ocean
Posted
Did you go to Edinburg? I think not in, reading your wonderful detailed post. Most large cities, we like to explore on our own after the included tour. Transportation will be a logistic question for us in the ports we have to tender in. So, I am trying to get information ahead to prepare for this challenge.