sattva

Like many, I'm sorry to see Lincoln Center go.  Last time on Oosterdam, it was SRO every night after first dinner sitting.  Most of what they played was really light "classical," but at least they varied their programs.  B.B. King, on the other hand, did same songs over and over.  

Music was a draw to HAL for us.  With music choices reduced, I expect DW and I will be drifting more towards Celebrity and Oceania in the future.

Haven't been on an Azamara ship since 2010 but am considering a Med cruise for next year.  DW and I are now both rely on canes, sometimes need rollators; don't use wheelchairs.  Getting on/off tenders can be challenging.  Specifically, does anyone remember how many steps there are from the lowest deck on the ship  down to where one steps/hops/jumps onto a tender?  Or have a picture?

Thanks in advance!

Sad to see such dreary decor in the Atlas bar.  When that space was the library it was one of the nicest rooms at sea.

Article has so many grammar and spelling errors that I do not trust it. Does nobody proofread?

My wife and I would like to do a Mediterranean cruise again (we're been going to Europe frequently for 50 years).  However, we both now have limited mobility in our mid-70s. We both use canes and sometimes rollators; no wheelchairs or scooters yet.  With these new challenges, we're looking at Med ports differently and need advice.  Which ones do you consider fairly easy to access with limited mobility?  Which ones are difficult?  We'd welcome any advice--and thanks in advance!

+1 for Il Gato Nero in Burano.  Didn't have pizza but did have outstanding risotto and grilled branzino.  Be aware that pizza in Italy takes many forms and, often, isn't much like American pizza (in any of its forms).  So be ready to be surprised--and happy eating!

You might want to consider an alternative to the Courtyard.  When we go in or out of Venice airport, we stay at the Hotel Bologna in Mestre, directly across the street from the Mestre train station.  It's a modern, pleasant hotel with a good restaurant for lunch or dinner.  Next morning, take a shuttle or taxi to the airport (hotel will arrange).  Current advertised rate for a room for two is about 50 euros cheaper than similar at the Courtyard.  

Thanks for all the helpful and encouraging reports.  We are going to go for it! 

We're thinking about going on the May 2022 first voyage on Azamara Onward.  We know it's likely to be a shake-down cruise, but the itinerary appeals.  Is it likely to be cancelled if rehab gets behind schedule?  Who is doing the rehab? Did Pacific Princess have a history of mechanical problems?  Is crew likely to be new to Azamara?   Any opinions on pros/cons on doing this trip would be helpful.

Thanks!

Am US resident, but Azamara web site seems to be quoting prices only in Canadian dollars today.  Anybody know a way to make it go over to USD?  Thanks!

We're on Medicare with Medigap N that covers foreign travel.  Given that, is there a good reason to buy "comprehensive" trip insurance?  What we're mainly looking for is coverage for cancellation of prepaid cruise fare and emergency evacuation.  Our current credit cards don't provide those coverages.  So how to proceed?  Any advice would be really helpful!

We have stayed at the Abbazia twice and will gladly go back when we can.  For an Italian hotel, the rooms are large and welcoming with good bathrooms.  In good weather, you can take your breakfast to the large and lovely garden.  Helpful and friendly staff, too.  It's our favorite Venice hotel.

Do beware of having to drag suitcases over the awful Calatrava bridge.  If coming from the airport, take the bus to Piazzale Roma, then the vaporetto to in front of the train station.  Hotel is very close but on a quiet little street away from the station and all the tourist chaos.

Am considering cruises on both R and O ships with several tender ports.  I vaguely remember that the tenders were easier to reach on O ships than on R's, but we were younger then.  How easy is it to reach the tenders on either kind?  Is the tender exit deck reached by steps or an elevator?  Are crew giving help getting on/off tenders?  Any advice or photos would be helpful.  Thanks in advance!

Am considering a cruise on Quest with several tender ports.  We were last on the ship eleven years ago--eleven years younger and more spry.  How easy is it to reach the tenders?  Is the tender exit deck reached by steps or an elevator?  Are crew giving help getting on/off tenders?  Any advice or photos would be helpful.  Thanks in advance!

Any idea when the HAL schedules for spring/summer '22 will be issued?  Or when they usually come out?  In these crisis times, lots of things are unpredictable, but I'd like to start planning.  Thanks!

No

Fully agree.

We have an early departure from Barcelona El Prat, so am looking for a hotel near the airport.  Don't see anything right on site.  Can anyone recommend a hotel near the airport?

Thanks!

Cruisemom makes some excellent points about the pros and cons of cruising in a location-rich area such as Europe.  Back in June, we were on Prinsendam's final voyage for HAL.  That allowed us to visit ports such as Honningsvag, Narvik, and Tromso that would have been much more difficult to reach on a land tour.

But that may have been our last cruise in Europe because we are very concerned about the ecological damage cruise ships do.  We thoroughly enjoyed sailing in and out of the Bay of Kotor ten years ago.  These days, with 450 ships bringing more than half a million passengers, the Bay is an ecological disaster waiting to happen, especially when Montenegro (not an EU country) has lax environmental protections.  We hate to see the Adriatic coast go the way of the Caribbean and Southeast Alaska.  We think it best not to participate in this degradation.

Will be in Naples next spring (8 hours).  We've been to Pompeii and the archaeology museum.  This time, we'd like to go to Herculaneum and the villa at Oplontis.  We're mid-seventies, intellectually curious, but creak and have some mobility problems.  Are these two locations a reasonable DIY or do we need a tour?  If a tour, can anyone recommend a reliable one that isn't grotesquely expensive?  Thanks in advance for any advice!

If you're thinking of a day-trip or two from Venice (Padua? Verona?), then consider staying in Mestre.  We stayed at the Hotel Bologna right across the street from the train station.  Nice business hotel with a good restaurant at around $85/night. Clean, modern, helpful staff.  Mestre itself is nothing much, but it's on the main line to the rest of Italy.  The train takes 10 minutes to get into Venice; trains run about every 10-15 minutes.  And you can easily get a taxi at the hotel to/from both airport and cruise port.   

Thanks to sailco and Ashland for the helpful advice!

Am considering Celebrity cruise with an overnight in Cannes during the film festival next year.  Not particularly interested in the festival but looking for a base for tours around Riviera..  Is Cannes extremely busy last week of festival?  How hard will it likely be to arrange tours or DIY to Nice and Antibes?  Any advice from travelers who've been in Cannes during the festival would be appreciated!

Getting back to the original topic: recently back from two weeks in Norway with every day and port fascinating.  Would also gladly go back to Charlottetown and St. John's in Canada, Kotor or almost any port in Croatia, Valletta, Amalfi, and Venice.

We never get off to go to Rome.  We know the city pretty well from 50 years of visits, and it's much too huge and rich in sights for a one-day stop.  We've been to Tarquinia and Orvieto from Civitavecchia but now just stay on the ship.