On 3/22/2024 at 7:53 PM, Carolina Cruisr said:

I am looking for an Uber contact to take 2 people from the cruise port (Crown Princess Nov 21, 2024) to Lone Pine. If you could provide a name and contact I would appreciate it.

Download the Uber app, it works a treat for getting Uber rides. 😉

Sounds like you are on the same cruise too (but not on our roll call) 🤔

@Cruisegirl6 Are you vegan? If you were, you would probably know it is one of the best ways to eat. If people would like something different now and again, why not have a Beyond Burger? They are not going to eat it all the time, my wife doesn't like the meat substitutes as she finds the textures a bit too close to mark.

Also, can you back up your statement about Soy causing cancer, many of the products that vegans eat have a soy base and I have googled the reported link between them and there are as many pros as cons. Again it's all about a varied diet.

You are more likely to get cancer from many other sources and Tofu, Hummus and soya milk probably aren't very high on the list. One website even suggests eating soy lowers the risk.

A quick write-up of my wife's recent vegan experience on Celebrity Solstice.

2024 – Vegan Options on Celebrity Solstice, Singapore to Hong Kong 15-27 Jan

Mostly positive and a couple of blips but overall a big improvement.

Well done Celebrity. 👍🏼

Thank you for taking the time to update us. Sounds like you are enjoying it.

On 1/25/2024 at 2:44 PM, BVILady said:

I am also on Costa Deliziosa and in contact with At7Seas. Here is a message from him:

 

“I can’t follow this report up, because I got blocked for my obscene and abusive language, for being intimidating and other things. I have not even an idea what I did wrong in particular, but obviously my style is unwanted. I am sorry and I thank you for following me on this short part of my voyage. At 7 Seas”

 

I followed the blog and am very sorry t see that.

Who is doing the blocking?

@LauraS Is it Cruise Critic Software stopping this?

This is a real shame as I always wanted to know what a Costa Worldie would be like.

On 2/7/2024 at 9:28 AM, JL-KM said:

Planning to take the 8 days Costa Toscana from & to Dubai in March. I'm still confused with the embark and disembark days. I have read that you check in on the first day and have the entire 2nd day to explore Dubai. Anyone knows if you can check in, let's say, at 8am on the second day? Also, the arrival time date says "Day 7/8 - Dubai (Fri 08 / Sat 09 March Arrival: 13:00) I'm confused as of what exact day it arrives at 1300? I ask so I can plan our return flight.

Thank you.

I'm not sure what the current process is, but I imagine it's like a typical Costa set-up with multiple embarkation and disembarkation days. Overnight in Dubai provides two options for getting on and off. If you get on the first day, it is as you say a Dubai day the next day. We did this in reverse, getting on and off on day 2 using the ship as a hotel for the overnight. Depending on who you book with there might be the option to do 8 nights and have two overnights.

I beleive this to be correct and happy to be wrong  😁

Celebrity Solstice Thailand & Vietnam Preamble

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #1 - The Journey to Singapore & Pre Cruise

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #2 - Singapore & Pre Cruise

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #3 - Singapore & Pre Cruise

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #4 - Singapore & Embarking

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #5 - Sea Day 1

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #6 - Ko Samui, Thailand

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #7 - Laem Chabang, Thailand

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #8 - Laem Chabang, Thailand

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #9 - Sea Day 2

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #10 - Phu My, Vietnam

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #11 - Nha Trang, Vietnam

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #12 - Chan May, Vietnam

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #13 - Halong Bay, Vietnam

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #14 - Halong Bay, Vietnam

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #15 - Sea Day 3

Celebrity Solstice Postcard #16 - Disembarking & Hong Kong, China

A bit more official information 😁

https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2023/10/princess-cruises-introduces-expansive-vegan-menus-for-plant-based-cruisers.html

13 hours ago, Wansbrough said:

 

MSC Virtuosa Rotterdam & Cherbourg Preamble

 

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #1 - Southampton & Embarkation

 

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #2 - Rotterdam, Netherlands

 

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #3 - Cherbourg, France

 

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #4 - Southampton & Disembarking

 

@anniegb If this reaches you, can you please you contact me via my blog email found here under my logo (envelope icon).

 

 

MSC Virtuosa Rotterdam & Cherbourg Preamble

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #1 - Southampton & Embarkation

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #2 - Rotterdam, Netherlands

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #3 - Cherbourg, France

MSC Virtuosa Postcard #4 - Southampton & Disembarking

@anniegb If this reaches you, can you please you reach out via my blog email found here under my logo (envelope icon).

Norwegian Jade Eastern Mediterranean Preamble

Norwegian Jade Postcard #1 - The Journey to Athens & Piraeus

Norwegian Jade Postcard #2 - Piraeus & Embarkation

Norwegian Jade Postcard #3 - Sea Day

Norwegian Jade Postcard #4 - Ashdod, Israel

Norwegian Jade Postcard #5 - Haifa, Israel

Norwegian Jade Postcard #6 - Limassol, Cyprus

Norwegian Jade Postcard #7 - Rhodes, Greece

Norwegian Jade Postcard #8 - Kusadasi, Turkey

Norwegian Jade Postcard #9 - Istanbul, Turkey

Norwegian Jade Postcard #10 - Mykonos, Greece

Norwegian Jade Postcard #11 - Piraeus & Disembarking

We have just come back from Norwegian Jade and as my wife is vegan, I have dedicated an area on my blog to record our observations on how we managed while onboard. Link below to view it.

https://www.wansbroughs-cruise-blog.me.uk/our-vegan-cruise-reviews/2023-vegan-options-on-norwegian-jade-17-26-apr/

I read an earlier post about the speciality restaurants and we did manage to eat in Teppanyaki on one night but would not say it was worth $49 per head, fortunately, we used up some dining package credits that came when we booked so it cost us nothing.

On 4/17/2023 at 12:11 AM, Napagirl said:

 

 

We are now looking at booking the Crown and this time we'll be in the MDR. In previous years on Princess I've done well in the MDR by talking to the headwaiter in the beginning and getting things customized. It seems like the vegan menus vary wildly from ship to ship. Curious to see what is happening on the Crown.

We have just booked Crown for next October and have also noticed the MDR approach seems to vary from ship to ship. Our TA wrote the following on our booking confirmation

"Princess Cruises have noted Nicole's Vegan dietary requirement and asked me to pass on the following

information. Please be advised: Vegetarian items are designated on our dining room menus with a 'V' and

vegetarian selections are featured in all dining locations, including the buffet. Although we do not offer a vegan menu, some vegetarian selections may be suitable to your requirements. Certain menu items, but not all, may be

modified to accommodate your diet. Tofu, egg-free pasta and vegetarian burgers are available onboard and can

be prepared in a variety of styles. Please liaise with your Head Waiter or the Maitre d' Hotel upon boarding to

confirm suitable selections."

3 hours ago, CarnivalShips480 said:

Just this year or every year from now?

6 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

That sounds like very mild miso.

Strange to think my wife would put something like that over a fruit tart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_yogurt

I am just wondering if anyone can advise if it's better to buy the unlimited before you set off or wait until you are onboard and potentially get a better price. Or does it make no difference whatsoever?

7 hours ago, Schlinger said:

I didn't realize Chinese people like steak.  Always thought they favored chicken feet and the like.  But then again, I have never been to China, so that's probably a stereotype.

 

You wouldn't happen to have (or know of) an image of the available upcharge steaks on the Toscana, would you?

 

In any case, thanks again for the write-up.  I found it especially interesting that you could by the required clothes for the mosque visit.  A combination of western marketing and eastern tradition of sorts.  Flexibility added on top of inflexibility.  Made me smile 

I have a copy of the Christmas Day menu along with 3 others in pdf. Any information available was within these. Looks like it's just the Tomahawk 25 mdr_en (1).pdf25 mdr_en (1).pdf27 mdr_en (1).pdf28 mdr_en (1).pdf30 mdr_en (1).pdf

11 hours ago, Schlinger said:

Nice blog.  Good to see you making up for your wife's veganism by getting that tomahawk steak!  More seriously, do you remember where it came from ?  When I sailed on the Firenze, most of the beef in the steakhouse came from Australia, which is usually a much leaner cut than I like.  I suppose Costa have the same supplier for all their ships, so I'd assume the choice would be similar on the Toscana.  Looking through the venues, I don't see a steakhouse on the Toscana.  Is that correct ?  This was an upcharge in the MDR if I remember correctly what you wrote on your blog.  Much better than a steakhouse, I suppose, when your wife would rather eat the cow's food than the cow itself 😉

 

Thank you, somebody's got to fly the carnivore flag in our household. 🥩

Not sure where 🥩 came from, I was otherwise occupied at the time. 😂

There wasn't a steakhouse on Toscana that I am aware of, besides there is little point in me looking these days as I would be eating solo if I booked. 😂

I know there was one on Firenze but I always thought it was because that ship was designed for the Chinese market.

Correcting the autocorrect...

Love it. 😂😂😂

3 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Hmmm..what type of yogurt?

Soy Yoghurt.

On 1/13/2023 at 12:53 AM, CarnivalShips480 said:

 

Hope this helps

I hope it did too..... he must have been so excited he forgot to thank you. 😂😂

So for me to achieve gold, I would need to take nine 7-night cruises in 3 years. That would be some going for a cruise line that is lacking the sort of itineraries they used to do.

Platinum..... well 😂😂😂😂😂

I am also silver with 10264 points that I accumulated in 2022 alone (three 7-night cruises in a balcony cabin), it just so happened that the dates worked and prices were very good. With 19737 points to reach gold, it is highly unlikely that I will ever reach that level. There is no real incentive to even try and reach that echelon even if I wished to.

For us, the Costa Club is just a name and number and not worth even thinking about. When they brought in the 3-year rule we dropped from Pearl to Coral overnight which was a bit of a smack in the face at the time. It's just as well that we enjoy the product as their loyalty rewards count for very little.

46 minutes ago, maryann2 said:

About the UAE visa.

I have read that it can be obtained after landing at the airport.  Is this correct or should I get it beforehand.

Simply disembark your flight at Dubai International and proceed to immigration, where your passport will be stamped with a 30‑day visit visa free of charge.

Excerpt below from the https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-arab-emirates

"If you’re entering the UAE as a tourist, you must obtain an entry stamp at the port of entry. This entry stamp is free and valid for 30 days. Ahead of the expiry of the initial 30-day period, you may request a validity extension for an additional 30 days."

This was the stamp on my passport showing us leaving the next day as our next port was Muscat. Costa held our passports until we got back to Abu Dhabi where we had to do a face to fame with their immigration authorities. 

On 2/13/2023 at 7:04 PM, Edinburghgirl1 said:

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Great value for money. We only had 3,000 on board so might have thought different if ship had been full. Thought ship was very stylish, food was good service was good but not often with a smile like other cruise lines. Didn’t find the majority of the crew particularly friendly. Never had so many late  nights on a cruise as entertainment went on much later than other lines. My drinks I found a bit limited but I coped lol. 

Glad to hear you had a good time. 👍🏼