JSR

Thank you, I am like you interested in seeing animals etc. This is very helpful. My husband is off fishing for another 5 days so I have no one to bounce things off of. LOL

I can wait to see photos. Hope they do some TA cruises soon and photos are posted!!!

@jjs217 and @Lirio What I am trying to do is make the most of our Amazon experience. I have read that going into the tributaries, and smaller sections provide a different experience then we will get from the cruise ship. I am just unsure if the boat trips in Manaus and Santarem are redundant or different enough to do both or if we should plan for something different. Below are the details of both boat trips and the other activities in those two ports. Parintins and Boca Da Valeria are limited choices and we are doing a pedi bike tour and Boi Bamba show with the ship. Boca is locals boarding the cruise ship with an outside possibility of going ashore based on the tides. I am also trying to not plan too much or too little, given the heat. Here is what we have booked and what our options are. We are 3 -my husband and sister-in-law can hike and I can not hike or walk. Here is the itinerary for that portion of our cruise: Tues. 2/23/2024 Amazon River Wed. 2/24/2024 Santarem, Brazil 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Thurs. 2/25/2024 Boca Da Valeria, T 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Fri. 2/26/2024 Manaus, Brazil 1:00 PM Sat. 2/27/2024 Manaus, Brazil 6:00 PM Sun. 2/28/2024 Parintins, Brazil T 12:00 PM 7:00 PM Mon. 2/29/2024 Santarem, Brazil 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Tues. 3/1/2024 Amazon River Santarem - options - we are there twice so we want to do 2 things. We need to prioritize which one first. - Private Boat Tour -We'll start by seeing the meeting of waters and understanding why the waters do not mix it. -We'll see some parts of Santarém and learn of its history. -Around 45 mins later, we'll reach the entrance of Maica, so keep an eye on the water because you might spot dolphins! -We'll enter Maica and start spotting a variety of birds. -Once there, we'll get a speedboat and will be able to enter even deeper into Maica where a normal boat cannot go, to spot the animals even closer and to try to find the prehistoric animal Hoatzin! -After this speedboat tour, we will get back to our original boat and have an Amazonian lunch prepared by our local chef, accompanied by an amazing view of the jungle and the river. -After lunch we'll go back to Santarem. Private Forest Tour - will be somewhat adapted for my inability to hike -We will head to the National Forest of Tapajós (FLONA).-Arriving there, we will take you to a hike into the forest accompanied by the guard of the National Park and myself as the tour guide. The hike time is normally around 1 hour. The trail is very easy and there's no up's and down's, the terrain is very even.-Along the hike you will get to see the real rainforest giants: Piquiá tree (Caryocar villosum), Kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) and many other big trees.-After the hike, there will be some fruits and juices waiting for you!-After the snacks, we will take the car and we will go to Belterra, the utopian city constructed by Henry Ford in the 1930's. You will learn the rise and fall of his rubber empire and understand how an american city was built in the middle of the Amazon.-After Belterra we will go back Santarem and drop you off at the original pickup spot. Manaus (2 days/ 1 night) arrive 13:00 (1:00 PM) leave next day 19:00 (7:00 pm) Night one GV event- concert at the Opera house with canapes and cocktails Transfer by private speedboat.We'll start the tour navigating through Manaus waterfront, explanation about the Manaus floating port, The Adolpho Lisboa public market, the riverboats terminal, where every day many people embark and disembark using the boats as the main transportation, passing through the industrial area in Manaus and explanation.Arrival and visit at the meeting of the waters with explanation, shortstop for pictures and then visit the local village called Catalão where the people live over floating houses, navigation through Xiborena river, where you can see the local fauna and flora, navigation on the Amazon river, arrival at January Ecological park, walking tour to see the giant amazon water lilies and after tour by boat to enjoy the flooded forest and trip back to Manaus, transfers to your place. Also an option for a walking/driving tour of the city landmarks only or this can be added. Than k you for your input.

I am researching segment 4 of our GV. We are able to do a boat tour into the Amazon river where the cruise ship will not be going in both Manaus and Santarem. We can not decide if we should do both or just one, and if one which place is best to do it from. Please share your input and experiences. Thanks

@scotslady Thank you for the information. I went to Gil's facebook and much to my surprise he belongs to a windsurfing group that my husband's friends belong to. They are all old windsurfers from back in the day. Small world. I am going to email him now. The photos are wonderful. Looks amazing.

Thank you. We are trying to decide about doing a boat tour in a Manaus or Santarem. We overnight in Manaus And call at Santarem twice. Any thoughts.

@ScotsLadyWhich guide did you use with Tours by locals?

I’m won’t buy a tux without him. I was going to go look at dresses. 😂

Nordstrom is having a sale right now… Thank you. Ahh I should run over for myself. Husband is off the grid for another 10 days…

Thank you we shall if my husband is inclined. He is off camping and fly fishing right now. We did look briefly at Saks, but they were far too stylish and yes the manakins were wearing sneakers with their tuxes....

I have only read the last few pages of this thread and I want to thank all those who contributed to my laughter and enjoyment, well done. I do have a question for the gentleman. My husband does not own a tux. He does own several lovely black suits which he wears on cruises and for other occasions. Are non- cruise lifestyle is very informal. We do have a long cruise coming up and our daughter is getting married. The thought of him wearing some polyester rental for her wedding makes me gasp. Where would you recommend shopping for a tux? It most be a nice breathable fabric and not a heavy wool (maybe a silk blend??) because his body temperature runs hot. His build is average to husky. Think Hickey Freeman and not Armani for cut. We live in LA so a lot of what I have seen when I am out and about is too hip and young. Looking more classic. Thanks for the help.

@Mr Luxury I do enjoy variety and also understand its not very everyone. @mchell810 In our cabin the connecting door was on the right across from the bathroom door. I did not hear any noise or even really notice it was there after the first day.

That’s funny. We call it the monstrosity of the seas.

Well that shows how poor my memory is. Lol

So agree!!! Vegas meets Club Med but more family friendly. Can’t wait to go on the Icon with the family. No need to even look at the itinerary.

I’m pretty sure it was the Monarch. Back in the day out of San Pedro. We were on it with 3 other couples one rainy weekend to Ensenada.

@canderson What brought us to Silversea? Our cruising has gone through phases, Phase one was family cruising that was economical while we did Europe and Alaska during this phase we did a lot of the Caribbean. At the time we were perplexed by people who did not get off the ship, we hit the beaches, did all kinds of activities and really could not understand why people would stay on the ship. Phase two, was couples cruising or with other couples and the occasional family cruise. Since we were still working and parenting we wanted a chill cruise, we eventually became the people that did not care if they got off the ship. Our latest phase is itinerary driven, we want to see places we have never been. At our age while we still travel on land, cruising is our first choice, we prefer our hotel to travel with us. I also, wanted to change things up and try new things. We have embraced the, "if not now, when" philosophy. Most of our friends turn their noses up to large ships (even though most do not cruise, do not get me started as I find this ridiculous since they have never cruised) so I wanted to see what the small ship experience was like. I like RCI products in terms of there attitude towards disabled passengers and did not want to cruise on old R class ships so that eliminated several options. I really liked the Captains "can do" response to my inquiry about tender ports. I still want to try more cruise lines just for fun. Newer ships tend to be more wheelchair accessible then old ships. We are diving in to SS with two feet on our next cruise in January. I am eyeing trying to sneak another one in between now and then though it is hard as it is fishing season and my husband is an avid fly fisherman. Almost had a friend convinced but she is still working part time and three weeks was too much time away. hmmm... Our first cruise on Royal in 1999 was on there brand new, large ship, Grandeur of the Seas at 2400 passenger capacity. At the time it was a beautiful ship, elegant in everyway with exceptional service. The alternative dining was at the buffet, we took our then 3 year old up there for a bite and found it was converted to white table clothes and table service for dinner. Times have changed and you won't find anything like that on Royal any more. It is nice to have the memories and to create new ones.

@mysty@Host Jazzbeau and everyone- Thank you for your kind words. I am enjoying sharing and with your support will continue to going forward. Esp. as we embark on our first long cruise ever. @Rothko1@bitob Can not beat the old school feeling on the QM2 cruising the Atlantic. We did our first crossing last year because my husband wanted me to experience as close as one can get in the 21st century the crossings of his youth on the SS United States in the 60s. We of course did not have the dog, the hamster, and the car. He was concerned I would be bored, but I never was. I am glad our first one was a rough crossing and our second one smooth sailing and not vice versa. Looking forward to seeing what comes of the October dry dock. @Lois R I know our paths crossed on the Celebrity boards. I have a vague recollection of meeting you on a cruise, but it was a while ago. Did you ever cruise Royal? I am not at all adverse to cruising Celebrity again (or just about any cruise), we will just stick to the M and S class on the ships that have been recently refreshed. I certainly understand the appeal of a smaller and more intimate ship when sailing solo. I have often considered sailing solo when my husband is off on one of his fishing trips, as a paraplegic I am a bit concerned about abilities in port on my own, time will tell. @TLCOhio thank you. I agree, all different, apples, oranges, bananas, and pears... @Dolcevita Diva prices. As you know price varies based on when you booked, what week you travel, what promotions are running. We started cruising in 1999 because it was a very economical family trip. We picked shoulder season weeks, researched prices closely, and watched our costs. That is no longer the case, we are in a different phase of life and we are more concerned with: is it going where we want to go, when we want to go, and do they have an accessible cabin. These prices do not reflect any discounts given us, or OBC, or insurance, they do include port fees and tax. Nor were any of them shopped, they were just booked, some way in advance, some a few days before sailing. The prices are per cabin for 2 people per night. SS Moon 12 night 2022 $992 (2/3 capacity) Cunard QM2 Queens Grill 9 night 2022 $1676 Cunard QM2 Queen's Grill 7 night 2023 $1791 (sold out cruise) Royal Harmony Loft Suite 7 night 2022 $1176 Royal Harmony Jr Suite 7 night 2022 $583 (Our daughter and BF) Celeb Edge Concierge Infinite Balcony 2023 $580 Celeb Edge Sky Suite Retreat 2023 $1280 SS Nova Premium Balcony 2024 $1423 (Upcoming GV SA) Notes: Cunard does not include Wi-Fi Silversea is the only one to include shore excursions. I can not remember if it included Wi-Fi Royal Jr Suite and Edge Concierge do not include drinks, wi-fi, or gratuities. As an additional comment - Wi-Fi on Royal was excellent, on Celebrity decent, on Silversea fair, on Cunard only worked in public places. @canderson see next post.

We took 5 cruises on 4 cruise lines in the last year. (Listed in chronological order). We were first time cruisers on both Silversea and Cunard. Long time cruisers on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. While some things will be universal to all cruises on a given ship such as layout of the cabin, and common areas; others will be specific to the cruise we were on such as food, service, and itinerary. I am happy to elaborate on any of these observations if anyone wishes. Please remember this is one women’s opinion and may not reflect other people’s experiences. Each cruise was both unique and a wonderful time. Silversea Moon – Norwegian Fjords 2022 – Vista cabin 409 A note on Vista cabin: the cabin does not have a balcony which we did not miss one due to the port intensive itinerary and the weather. The location is odd, to get to the entrance to the restaurant or the aft elevators one must walk through either Salt or the main dining room as there is no hall. We also did not do any ship organized tours so cannot comment on those due to misinformation about accessibility from land-based SS sources. We did book our own tours in every port, some of which were the same as offered by the ship and some that were more unique. At the last port several people joined our tour as opposed to what the ship offered. What was Excellent to Very Good: Itinerary- wonderful ports. Cabin Layout Accessible Cabin Bathroom- the best of any ship I have been on Cocktails, Caviar, and bar snacks Observation Library Food, fresh and well prepared however a bit bland and uninspired (Main dining room) What was Good to Average: Service – staff was over extended as Covid was still on the ship and our butler was the first to let us know how overworked she was. The wait staff was spread thin. I assume this will improve as Covid is less virulent and staffing numbers are up. What was Weak: Entertainment – even the few musicians, while skilled, lacked any passion in their performance. Accessibility of the ship in general- no automatic doors to any outside areas, one public accessible bathroom, thick carpet making it hard to roll. Cunard Queen Mary 2 – Westbound Transatlantic – June 2022 and June 2023 – Queens Grill Cabin 8127 A note on the QM2 – This is an ocean liner and not a cruise ship .It is a bit of a throwback in tiny ways to a bygone era of crossing the Atlantic. She is also a class-based ship with 4 classes providing different levels of service, separate dining areas, and benefits. We were in the highest class, Queen’s Grill, which is all suites, a butler, a separate main dining room, a concierge lounge, a shared bar with Princess Grill, a separate sunning area, drinks and gratuities included in the price. For dinner you are assigned a table in the Queen’s Grill, which is yours for every meal throughout the cruise, there is no assigned seating time, and the same wait staff. We always opt for a large table, 6-8 people, as we enjoy other’s company at meals. What was Excellent to Very Good: Food – exceptional. It was so good and the company so enjoyable we did not even use our complimentary specialty dinning certificate. Service in the dining room – seamless Outdoor promenade – real teak with teak deck chairs, 3 laps equal 1.1 mile. Lectures Bridge classes Embracing of dressing up for meals and formal nights ship wide People we met. What was Good to Average: Service in general Cabin bathroom design - dated. What was Weak: The ship is showing her age with dings, scrapes, chipped paint, and worn carpet. (My husband says this is part of the charm, I would prefer less charm). Accessibility of the ship in general due to its overall length and some unique level changes Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas – Caribbean – July 2022 – Loft Suite 1746 Suites come with butlers, Wi-Fi, drinks, gratuities, dedicated restaurant, dedicated bar, dedicated concierges, reserved seating at shows, priority boarding and departure, and priority tendering If applicable. What was Excellent to Very Good: Traveling with our daughter and her now fiancé Cabin, a Two-story suite with 2 full bathrooms, an interior elevator, an amazing space Things to do. Entertainment from shows to live music in bars. Private Islands What was Good to Average: Service What was Weak: Food Celebrity Edge June 2023 Mediterranean B2B infinity balcony cabin 9230 and Retreat Sky Suite 11123 This is the newest Celebrity class ship, it is asymmetric, very modern, it as a mass market ship or premium depending on who you ask. An infinity cabin is a cross between an ocean view and a balcony cabin, to best understand I suggest finding a video. This was our second time on The Edge, the first in 2019 when we found it new and exciting, our response was meh the second time around. For us, the best category is Aqua class which we did NOT have as it was not available when we booked, has its own main dining room, standard cabin, and spa privileges. We found the concierge class to be a waste as it really did not provide any additional benefits other than a concierge which was unnecessary. We were in Retreat, suite class the second week, while I really enjoyed this in 2019, I do not think it is worth the extra cost. We were using up Covid FCC so it did not matter but other than a few times having cocktails in the lounge and having a separate main dining room I would only consider this on an itinerary that I did not plan to go to port. What was Excellent to Very Good: Buffet – of all things, I have not eaten in the buffet in decades, we tired of the served meals as we ate often in port and wanted something quick, light and simple. They made fish to order on the grill, some of which was loaded on the ship that day and not frozen. Ship accessibility The people we met on leg one. The Retreat concierge in helping us with faxes, printing etc. when we had an unexpected and unpleasant situation at home to deal with. What was Good to Average: Service Infinity cabin layout and bathroom The Retreat suite balcony What was Weak: Food The Retreat suite layout was average and the bathroom accessibility layout Bonus: Two Exceptional Hotels in everyway: Waldorf Astoria Rome and Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam Conclusion: Given a choice we would rather be on a cruise than not be on a cruise therefore we enjoy all of them. Different ships suite different people, situations, and itineraries better. For us, we will take the QM2 across the Atlantic home any time we are in Europe and it is available. While I have heard that Princess Grill is the sweat spot between service and price, as long it is available and we can afford it, we will continue to do Queen's Grill. Silversea is our next cruise for 71 days, it checks the boxes on itinerary and is the right size for port intensive cruises. Royal Caribbean is our go to for the family fun cruises and we will continue to try the bigger ships as they come out, though we will now stick to suite class. Celebrity Edge class ships have fallen out of favor with us for the moment and I believe we will not gravitate to them any time soon. Feel free to ask questions and your thoughts.

Thank you. We are very happy and excited. Hard giving them space to enjoy the engagement. I so want to call and say take off work so we can go look at venues. I shall resist I’m working on the comparison. I wrote it in my head while doing the track on the QM2 - seemed so easy then. 😂 now I’m writing it and trying not to be long winded. I do keep getting distracted by the sun on our condo balcony and chores that have to be done. ..

My husband had some decent steaks on X. You can always ask for them without salt and then they will make them to order if you get a decent waiter. You can always add salt at the table if you want it. 😂 I know you’re not keen on the buffet… they have a nice selection of cheese which they slice for you, the blue cheese in particular was good. Some of the buffet is not typical buffet in that it’s not pre cooked. It’s like cool to order stations.

Thank you. I shall post it on the main thread. Sad to hear that some would like to see the water cooler go away. I so enjoy it. The jokes, the banter, and the information. By the way our daughter got engaged last Saturday. We have only been home for a week from our cruise so things are very exciting. Though the unknown wedding date does make cruise booking a challenge. 🤣

I don’t know where to post this. I feel most comfortable posting in SS thread because in general people are thoughtful and funny. Should I post it as it’s own post or in the water cooler? Here is the title. I need to finish writing it but would appreciate posting advice. I plan to list a couple things that each cruise did well. One year, 4 cruise lines, 5 cabins, 3 cruise ships and an ocean liner .

Totally with you on buffets until this cruise. Because I don’t eat salt the grill master would go back in the frig for a fish for me and grill it while I waited. I’m a fish person Lower expectations will help with the specialty dinning too. I just got off the QM2 - Queen’s grill where the food is some of the best I’ve had on a ship so I’m a bit less enthusiastic about other ship’s food. Eden is gimmicky and has some hits and misses. Went in 2019 and they’ve change it up a bit. Go for the atmosphere- not the food. Good cocktails Raw on 5 which the exception of fresh oysters is pretty bad (we were in the Med so this so the oysters may very) Fine Cut is good. My husband liked his meat and my lobster was decent. Not rubbery. The service was nice. Le Petite chef/grand bistro we have never been to. The grill on the roof is pretty good but make sure you don’t go on a windy night. I liked my food there. magic carpet - have to sign up right when you get on the ship. They only do this once a cruise and the night is determined by the weather. We did this in 2019. Way too much food but good and fun. room service is mediocre at best main dining is 4 smaller dinning rooms. We had not done main dinning in more years than I can remember except on SS Moon and Queens Grill QM2. We did it the first leg of the edge cruise and there were some decent dishes. Maybe because I don’t eat meat and I don’t eat salt, more things were made to order for me. It is banquet preparation not to order in general. Just in case you decide to give it a try. We ate in port as often as we could. if you go with the expectation of the food being edible to good you will be fine.

I would add now that I have read your post that CC doesn’t always attract a reflection of the people on the cruise. This is the upside of a large ship. Lots of different people. You will find your people.