SpringBreakMom

I just noticed the search function is back! Thanks admins, I know this wasn't easy. While many said they didn't miss it too much, I sure did. So happy it is back :D

Last year we found a card out of a camera on a seat in a vaporetta in Venice. On checking the card (which was full & I suppose accidently dropped when putting a new one in the camera) we found that it contained photos of people on the Norwegian Jade but the ship had left venice the day before so we had no way of finding the owner as they must have left the ship in Venice. Anyone hears of someone lamenting the loss of their holiday photos in Venice please contact me.

You might try a post on their old roll call. It is worth a try!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

And I probably stand alone on this but when I went to Carlos Bakery in NYC, I wasn't the least bit impressed! If what they sell (over-priced I might add) in NYC is anything like what they'll be selling on board, I'll pass. I think the little bakeries in Hamtramck, MI have spoiled me for life! 🍰

Did you get any paczkis today? I wonder if Cake Boss makes those ;)

A good attitude and good insurance will get you through most anything :). As long as you are willing to go with all the possibilities then go for it. FWIW, really we enjoyed our first visit to NOLA during a tropical storm. I packed rain jackets and didn't let some rain and wind stop us. We did board about twelve hours late, but still had a great time from start to finish!

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

I am struggling with the packing issue for our upcoming 12 night cruise with stays on either end. I found this website amazingly helpful in helping me visualize how mix and match could actually work! Scroll down a bit to see 10 pieces become 14 outfits that really look different! Her example is with fall clothing, but you could easily use the concept for any season. Drink up :D

We did that cruise a few years ago and had an informal gathering at the Bier Garten on deck 13. There is a bar and food plus tables and chairs. I spoke to a waiter before the muster drill and although we couldn't reserve tables or chairs, he did put 12 or so chairs around 2 tables with a note that this was for the cruise critic meeting. About 30 people showed up. A lot of us were taking private tours together and had never met, so it was nice to put names and faces together before the tours. Our M&G was 5 days into the cruise and by the time it was held many people knew one another. Enjoy the cruise!

Thanks so much for the reply! Your situation sounds very much like ours :) The Bier Garten sounds great!

Our roll call would like together on embarkation day (out of Barcelona) as the Meet & Mingle will be well into our cruise. We were thinking of trying to meet right after the muster drill. Does anyone have suggestions of what might be the best place for a group to meet?

TIA

So how exactly did you find and hire the "private car" you used???

I would love to see the answer to this as well! TIA

Feels good to have a "real" mom assure me that we didn't overreact!

I must say you sound "real" enough to me. Families are made in the heart as well as by blood :) As for overreacting, I most likely would have been the one with the torn up knee as I ran around frantically LOL Sounds like you handled this like an old pro.

I wanted to let you know that like many others, I am really enjoying your review! It is all the details you share that make it come alive. One of the first things I do each day when I turn on my computer is to see if there is an update. Great way to start my day with a smile! Thanks for taking the time to share this all with us!

I am really looking forward to your review Steffi! We will be on the Serenade next June. I am anxious to see what your itinerary was.

Thanks for sharing Tarik's story. The poor guy sure has had his share of bad luck in his short life. I am happy to hear it sounds like his luck has turned for the better! I wish all three of you many happy years to come :)

Karen

Dear In Retirement,

I am also a Michigander. I see that you are an experienced cruiser. I am going on a Mediterranean cruise in June on the Holland American Line. Do you have any specific recommendation for a hotel in Barcelona or Venice? Day tour companies in Rome, Venice, Florence? The roll call for my ship has not had much activity.

Thanks, neg419@gmail.com

If you are lookimng for someone in Rome we were very happy with our guide there as well. We used Stefano from Rome Cabs (www.romecabs.com). For the time we had in Rome we got to see a lot and didn't have to worry about making it back to the ship in time. He provided a detailed itinerary of our day so we could make sure to hit all the places most important to our group. The best part was that he also arranged for a private guide for our Vatican tour. I believe she had a degree in art history. We got SO much more out of our tour using her.

Would you mind sharing the name/contact info for the private tours you took for the Amalfi Coast and Florence? I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if you have had a reliable private tour in Venice that would be helpful. Name of a good, reasonably priced hotel in Barcelona near the port?

 

Thanks, Nancy neg419@gmail.com

Mariano Fiorentino was our driver and he was absolutely wonderful. Very accommodating and great about answering emails. The email I have for him is info@pleasantravel.com. I do believe this is a link for him as well http://www.hiddenitalytours.com/en/index.html. Different email but the same van ( he had just gotten it and was so proud!). Same name in guestbook as well. We had Mariano for Amalfi Coast but his website mentions Florence as well. We did a short ship excursion and spent most of the time shopping!

Alas we did Venice on our own, and all we got to see of Barcelona was the airport on the way home :( If your search the CC boards for the ports of call you are sure to find what you are looking for. I found all of my guides that way and was thrilled with them all. If you can find another couple or two to share, it will cost no more than ship excursion.

Have a wondferful time!

I've been reading GREAT advice so far - have a few other ports to ask about hired tours/cruise tours/on your own??? There will be 4 of us.

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Cinque Terre (La Spezia), Italy

Amalfi/Positano, Italy

Taormina (Sicily), Italy

Cofu, Greece

Kotor, Montenegro

 

Obiviously, we're going on a Med cruise the end of April. Already read about our other stops (Rome, Livorno (Florence), Dubrovnik, Croatia & Venice.

 

In advance, thanks for any & all info.

Do you have your plans set for Amalfi yet? We did the Med cruise in 2007. Best day of the cruise (and pretty much best day ever!) was Amalfi. We had a private guide that we found through CC. If you like I can dig up his contact info and share it with you.