lhsail

2 minutes ago, Kristal Blade said:

I’ve made a few enquiries and it seems we all have 2 free laundry loads, it’s only 1 if it’s a 7 day cruise.

We had a fabulous day at Keukenhof gardens and I’m now sitting in the sunshine on the balcony.

Thank you. Anything is welcome. My husband claims I’m an artist at stuffing the laundry bag. 
 

Beautiful flowers. 

3 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

I’m on board now! Our ship is lovely. AmaStella has great decor, which we have added to with our Easter embellishments. 
live had a shower using my spa quality toiletries (Pure Herbs) so I now smell amazing. I love the soap embedded with petals. Haven’t worn my plush terry yet, it is more of a waffle with a cotton lining. Not opened the slippers yet either.

Nice surprise - we get 2 free bags of laundry!

 

Tonight I have on my blingy sandals, silky trousers and a nice top. Hubby is wearing a linen shirt, no tie or jacket.

Off for a pre prandial libation.

Cheers

Do you get two free bags of laundry because you are a repeat passenger, or does everyone get this?

2 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

On Ama, folks get dressed a little nicer for the tasting menu which is in a gorgeous room. 
 

You might find pax who packed simple and wear the same outfit all day. We prefer to take a quick shower after touring and change into fresh clothes. Generally biz casual for dinner. We found this to be the usual for any line we used. 

We definitely freshen up before dinner. Since we’re coming off the QM2 we will nicer attire for a night or two. 

3 hours ago, RobInMN said:

We are on AmaMagna, and were surprised with an upgrade from an AB to an SA.

Here is the Robe and slippers. Robe seems very nice. Very thick and plush. I just don't do robes, and my wife travels with a thin robe that she prefers.

And to answer the original question, no reason to bring anything special for dinner, with the possible exception of the Captain's dinner, which is tomorrow night. So we'll see. I brought a sports coat.

BTW, this ship is amazing. And this room is incredible.

Nice!  I love the plush robes.  But, we have several hotel nights so will have a lightweight robe as well. Not sure what mid-May will be like on the Rhone. 

9 minutes ago, pontac said:

 

With Ama you're going to get more than 'plush'. (unless you are cruising in Africa where you get none, or Vietnam & Cambodia where it's just 'bathrobe and slippers).

 

The website photo of the Ama AA cabin shows a bathrobe on the bed, but there's no mention of it in the listed amenities, but hidden away in the FAQs is this:

 

Europe: Each stateroom is equipped with a hair dryer, plush terry bathrobes, slippers and a safe. Your bathroom offers a magnifying mirror and spa-quality toiletries including soaps, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.

Vietnam & Cambodia: Each stateroom is equipped with a hair dryer, bathrobes, slippers and a safe. Your bathroom offers toiletries including soaps, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.

 

So, not just plush but plush terry!

 

Enjoy your cruise.

We are also in an AA on the AmaKristina. Sounds like we’ll be spoiled. 

We are staying at the Renaissance Arc de Triumph in Paris before our Rhone river cruise in May. We are wanting to get to the Palace of Versailles, but are stumped as regards how to get there and back. Could anyone help us out?  Thank you. 

Can anyone with recent experience on a TA tell me the price for the thermal spa for the entire cruise?  I did a search and could not find exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. 

5 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs, but don't forget France is a hour ahead of the UK when booking stuff. Its amazing how many people (including Brits!) forget!!

 

Simon

We are completely aware of the time change. 

Appreciate everyone’s input. And we have watched several YouTube videos. Since I posted this we booked the QM2 to get to Europe. At least they have relaxed their dress code. Nothing like keeping life interesting. 

Thanks to all for your input. We have booked the bus to Victoria Station and will take a taxi to St. Pancres. We have booked a late afternoon Eurostar departure to give ourselves plenty of time. We have no reason to be in Paris particularly early that day as our AmaWaterways package doesn’t begin until the next day. 

19 hours ago, John Bull said:

By car  presumably means you'll be renting, and taking a rented car out of the UK.

Some agencies don't permit taking a car abroad, others permit it but it's expensive eg add £158 with Enterprise.

Add to that you - not the agency - are responsible for complying with French laws that include headlamp beam conversion (drive-on-the- left to drive-on-the-right ), two hi-viz tabards or jackets, first aid kit, UK stickers, etc.

And you'll be driving a RHD car on LHD roads - difficult enough for a Brit., more difficult for someone used to LHD cars.

Then there's driving and parking in Paris.😮

And the return journey - or a massive one-way fee for dropping the car at CDG airport

Need I go on ?????? 😏

So  much better to take a train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo, taxi across central London to London St Pancras, Eurostar to central Paris in as little as 2hrs 16 mins.. Yes the whole journey can comfortably be done in a single day.

Buy advance train tickets for Southampton to Waterloo - advance tickets available from about 12 weeks out, Stipulation that you can only travel at the train time that you book but a big saving eg walk-up fare for the 9 am train is £52 pp, cheap advance fare £16 pp. https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/

Eorostar ticket prices are cheapest several months out and get more expensive as the travel date gets closer - the difference can be huge, typically 30% of the cost of a late booking

https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/train/uk/paris-to-london

 

JB 🙂

 

 

We would not try to rent a car.  Was thinking more of a limo like service, but I assume that would be expensive. I like your idea of the train, then taxi. One resource provided the idea of the train to Waterloo, then another train, then a bit of a walk. With our luggage I don’t see that working. We’re traveling late April/early May so sounds like we should be making some decisions. 

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Do you have to take Eurostar ?

Lots of flight options from LGW and LHR.

We don’t have to take Eurostar, and my apologies for inaccurate terminology. We thought it might be a unique experience for us. But, we’re open. 

4 minutes ago, John Bull said:

By car  presumably means you'll be renting, and taking a rented car out of the UK.

Some agencies don't permit taking a car abroad, others permit it but it's expensive eg add £158 with Enterprise.

Add to that you - not the agency - are responsible for complying with French laws that include headlamp beam conversion (drive-on-the- left to drive-on-the-right ), two hi-viz tabards or jackets, first aid kit, UK stickers, etc.

And you'll be driving a RHD car on LHD roads - difficult enough for a Brit., more difficult for someone used to LHD cars.

Then there's driving and parking in Paris.😮

And the return journey - or a massive one-way fee for dropping the car at CDG airport

Need I go on ?????? 😏

So  much better to take a train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo, taxi across central London to London St Pancras, Eurostar to central Paris in as little as 2hrs 16 mins.. Yes the whole journey can comfortably be done in a single day.

Buy advance train tickets for Southampton to Waterloo - advance tickets available from about 12 weeks out, Stipulation that you can only travel at the train time that you book but a big saving eg walk-up fare for the 9 am train is £52 pp, cheap advance fare £16 pp. https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/

Eorostar ticket prices are cheapest several months out and get more expensive as the travel date gets closer - the difference can be huge, typically 30% of the cost of a late booking

https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/train/uk/paris-to-london

 

JB 🙂

 

 

We would not try to rent a car.  Was thinking more of a limo like service, but I assume that would be expensive. I like your idea of the train, then taxi. One resource provided the idea of the train to Waterloo, then another train, then a bit of a walk. With our luggage I don’t see that working. We’re traveling late April/early May so sounds like we should be making some decisions. 

14 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Car is a ghastly drive. The least unpleasant way would be M3, M25, M20. As to train, I think Cunard offer a coach transfer to St. Pancras, which will be expensive but convenient.

M3, M25, M20?  Buses?  After disembarking the QM2 about five years ago we took the bus into London. Worked out very well. 
 

We’ve watched some videos of the Eurostar and it looks like a great trip. 

Just now, exlondoner said:

By car or by train?

Looking to gather information on all options. 

Anyone with experience getting from Southampton to the Chunnel terminal?  We are spending four nights in Paris following our upcoming crossing. Would prefer to do it all in one day, but don’t want connections so tight we’re rushing. Thank you. 

Taking our first river cruise in May on AmaKristina. What do people really wear in the evenings?  We are experienced cruisers, but know this will be different. 

We will be disembarking a river cruise in Arles in mid-May. Since we will have had some time in Arles, we’d like to go to Nimes. Our preference would be for someone to pick us up, take us to see the Pont du Gard, then drop us off at our hotel at Nimes. The next day we will be taking the train to Barcelona. Anyone familiar with a tour company in the area the would be willing to provide such a “tour”?  

6 hours ago, ehall said:

We just did a similar one.  It was Feb, 4 nights on Summit out of Miami.  Key west and Nassau. Also Thursday - Sunday.  It was a very different crowd than typical Celebrity, but not like you would see on Carnival.  There were lots of groups - birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, family reunions.  But I will say the big parties were not insane.  They were just having fun - not drunk obnoxious, but just having fun.  For sure it was a younger crowd than typical on Celebrity - I think due to the 4 days and the Caribbean.  But - it was not as crazy as I expected it to be.

We were on this same cruise. I would agree with these comments. Definitely more of a party atmosphere, but nothing obnoxious. Would not book it on Carnival, Royal or NCL. 

11 minutes ago, AmberCascades said:

I am wondering, is any of this kind of stuff  happening on other cruise lines?  I guess I can go look at their boards.  In my own "at home" life, we are finding understaffing in many stores and restaurants, massive price hikes in restaurants and grocery stores, and certain items (e.g. romaine lettuce/ceasar salad) that aren't available sometimes in restaurants.  Could any of this have an effect on the current cruise experience?  I'm just wondering if it would be related to that kind of thing, as opposed to X just being out to screw us out of our money and fun times.

 

We will be on our first post-covid cruise in April and plan to enjoy the heck out of it.  We really need a break after the last 3 years.  🙂

We were on the Summit last week and are currently on the Enchanted Princess. Both full ships. We have cruised extensively in the last 18 months and were spoiled with the reduced capacity, but realize the cruise lines can’t continue to operate that way. Both lines have cut back on their dining room food offerings, but for the most part the quality of what’s being offered is good. Both show some signs of insufficient staff. But, the staff we’ve interacted with are hard working and positive. The other thing we’ve come to realize lately is there seems to be more inconsistency from ship to ship within the lines. Staffing, port of embarkation, something else?

The days of sailing at 60% or less capacity were fun, but not realistic. We feel no reason, however, to quit cruising. We’ve cruised NCL and neither Celebrity nor Princess have digressed to that level. And NCL’s cutbacks are reported to be even greater. 

37 minutes ago, sdnich said:

DaveKathy  CBP 🤣🤣 we both laughed because we knew that (we are having some wine!! )

We knew there is a limited HH menu we’re OK with that! We are hoping if we tip the bartender we will get a good martini !! Or good glass of wine before dinner ? We will see !  We will buy a bottle of wine in the dining room if we don’t like the options!! 

Just got off the Summit. Quality of wine seemed to vary. At Cellar Masters if they were out of something they seemed to be willing to compensate. We did the HH wines then bought a bottle for dinner as we had a good amount of OBC. Wish they would let you buy up for HH. 

57 minutes ago, MAVIP said:

Home : Cruise Express (cruise-express.be)    From € 20 return shuttle ticket per adult. We used them in 2018. Perfect connection from just outside the cruise terminal (port shuttle from ship to exit) to Brugge. In Brugge a short walk from the Parking lot to the entrance of the town. Enjoy Brugge!

 

 

Thank you. This is just the kind of thing I’m looking for. Recent reviews indicate some people had issues with the shuttles not running on time for the return. No one missed the ships, but kind of disorganized. I have sent them an inquiry. 

6 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

FYI, you thinking that Bruges can be done on your own is spot on.  It's a lovely city to just walk around.  But you will need to find the transport.  I'm surprised your cruise line isn't offering some form of shuttle into the city.

They have three shore excursions. Probably prefer you take a full excursion with them. 

12 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

This past November, the QM2 diverted from the last few Norway ports to Zeebruge - and apparently Cunard needed to scramble to put shore excursions together.

There was a shuttle service from the pier to a nearby town of Blankenberge, with a drop off near shopping and train station. I picked us some wine and over the counter medicine, then returned to the port in time for lunch - with an after lunch excursion booked.

 

There were light rail tracks visible during the bus ride, but I did not see any trains or trams in either direction. (did not bother to check public transit arrangements)

 

The ship offered a "Bruges on your own" bus ride - if available, that may be a better option than exploring tram, train and bus connections. This was popular, and sold out quickly.

 

The tour we were able to book included a visit to a canal side village of 'Damme' [scenic venue for photos, good beer], a trip into a the outskirts of Bruges for a chocolate stop [Mrs Bear and I each bought a kilo or so] and then a stop at a great house the "Kasteel van Loppem" 

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, our ship does not offer the “on your own” option or that would be our choice. There is a train, but it seems the station in Bruges is a bit from the city center.  Certainly we’ll find something that will work. 

49 minutes ago, mskaufman said:

We were there last summer.  It is straight forward to do the town on your own.  Remember to take a canal boat ride.

How did you get to and from Bruge?