donaldsc

Not surprising. The tour companies have maybe 4+ months to make enough money to live on for the dead months. DON

I would bring a backup that is 100% compatible w my goto camera. That means that you have to bring one of everything instead of 2 of everything. Also all the muscle memory that you are used to with your goto camera will carry over to the backup. Rent your 2nd camera if necessary. Compared with the cost of your trip the cost of the backup camera will be cheap. DON

I have an older TG and I like it. Just remember that most underwater cameras DO NOT FLOAT. If you let go of them they go to the bottom. You need to buy a flotation strap to go w the camera and make sure to test everything in your pool or bathtub before you take it onto the open ocean. DON

The cabin on my windjammer was not exactly big. In fact it was so small that when Carole was getting dressed or changing I had to sit on the bed. DON

Age doesn't matter. My 1st cruise ever in about 2005 was on a Maine Windjammer that was built in 1871. That would have made her about 134 years old. It was also one of my best cruises ever. DON

Thanks for all the information. I had read somewhere that Atlas tended to cancellation shore excursions. This is my first Atlas cruise and my TA said that her clients who went w Atlas had a positive experience. One more question. What are the group sizes on most of the tours. When I cruise I usually do private tours and I keep my group size to 8 people maximum and often less. I don't like big bus tours. Again - thanks a lot. I am looking forward to my 1st Atlas cruise. DON

Just make sure that if your cruise line says that it is OK that you have them confirm it all in writing. Verbal agreements or contracts are not enforceable. DON

Have you considered really small ships that have between 200 and 800 passengers especially as you have a good budget and care more about what you see outside of the ship instead of the stuff on the ship. You have a lot of choices with the good budget that you have. We have don AK on ships that held 50 passengers and also about 200 passengers and the trips were wonderful. We got into all sorts of places that the bigger ships never get into and the trips are somewhat flexible. Check them out on the WEB or try to find a TA who specializes in AK. Don't ask me to recommend a TA as we are not allowed to recommend TAs on CC. My brother has also done several small ship AK cruises and he has also loved them. DON

We are doing a Spain and Portugal Atlas cruise. This will be my 1st Atlas cruise. I have read complaints that Atlas is not good at managing excursions and that excursions are sometimes or often cancelled. Any thoughts on this. DON

Just buy a couple of cruise ship approved extension devices and don't worry about it. I have 2 of these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09W2393ZN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1. DON

Things will go wrong or not according to plan. There isn't anything that you can do about it so don't bother to worry about it. DON

I assume that everyone realizes how absurd it is that people are worrying about whether their ship will have the morning docking slot or the afternoon docking slot. DON

My mistake. You are right. Regardless - it was a really great cruise. DON

Don't forget Clipper Cruises. They hold about 200 people and even better - they are true sailboats where you spend most of your cruise under sail. Cruising on them is a unique experience. DON

Lots of us do aurora tours and/or aurora cruises. I did an aurora cruise last winter in Norway. In your response to your "can't wrap my head around this" comment, I could say the same thing about many popular cruise and.or land destinations. DON

Just type "what cruise lines have exclusive areas" into Google. DON

Totally agree with that statement. If you can't lift it I am not going to help you. DON

If you really want to see aurora forget about doing it from a cruise. Go to Fairbanks in February or March and stay there a week. Spend part of the week in Chena Hot Springs. That is what I did and I had great intense aurora every single night. Just bring every bit of cold weather clothing you own and you may end buying more once you get there. That is also what I had to do. Also try to time the trip for the annual ice carving festival.

The original post was 2022. The issue has been settled by now. DON

Info on cost would have been available by typing "taxi fare from blue lagoon to kef" into Google. DON

Rome2Rio. DON

I have often wondered about the impracticality of of some woman's clothings such as the lack of any or useful pockets. Why do they make them that way and why do women buy them. I understand that they may want more attractive clothing as most men including me really don't care what they wear a trait that my wife points out all the time. However the designers could design attractive and at the same time practical clothining. DON

Yes. DON

Interesting difference then between ships and airplane. I believe that on an airplane the pilot has the absolute authority to do whatever is necessary to have a safe flight or even not to fly at all if he feels this is necessary. DON

Normally I spend as much time off the ship as I can because I cruise for the ports and the ship is just a big bus. However my next cruise is on Atlas Cruise Lines which is my first small ultra luxury cruise ship so I will be spending more time on board to enjoy the ship experience that I have paid so much money for. DON