djacobson

Arthur Frommer recommended Burger Queen in Ketchikan. Great Halibut and Chips.  It is located at 518 Water Street in Ketchikan. 

I appreciate all the information! My wife and I are excited about cruising on the Jade on November 7. 

Is the cruise line offering travel from the ship to the airport?

All the COVID testing requirements I have read so far are very confusing. We are staying overnight in London before returning to Dallas post-cruise. From what I have read on the UK government web site, you have to book and pay for a COVID test to be taken before "Day 2" if you are fully vaccinated. I am confused about this because we are not staying in the UK more than 24 hours. 

I appreciate your information, Lois. My wife and I are traveling to Athens in November.  

My wife and I are cruising in November on the Jade. We are excited and looking forward to learning more about the ports of call. 

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

with the Canada government closing the cruise ports to the fall, the cruise line had to cancel all of the Canada/New England and Alaska cruises. It is disappointing that the cruise line is still accepting new booking and refusing to cancel existing bookings. The government already said they dont wait ships,so why delay canceling everything

I am booked on the Breakaway for September 20 and it is disappointing that the cruise line has not cancelled the cruise to Canada and New England. Today I got an e-mail offering me an opportunity to bid for an upgrade to my stateroom.

SS Minnow:

Captain - Jonas Grumby (Skipper)

1st Mate - Gilligan

Purser - Thurston Howell III

Assistant Purser - Lovey Howell (Wentworth)

Entertainment Director - Ginger Grant

Chief Science Officer - Roy Hinckley

Director of Hotel Services - Mary Ann Summer

Quite a set of officers for a three hour tour :confused::confused::confused:

A lot of the Havana tours I’m looking at take cash only in Cuban currency. How does one go about getting enough for the day? I’m so used to charging everything internationally I don’t know what the up to date procedures are

 

 

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Once you clear customs (showing your passport and visa) and pass through a security check, you will see a currency exchange area ahead. You will have a full day and a half in Havana. I was able to get money in the mid afternoon for my evening tour and the one the next morning before the ship left Havana. The exchange was really busy the morning we sailed away, so I would not try to get more than what I could spend because you won't likely have time to exchange the money back to dollars.

Why replace it? It's fine.

I thought I read that NCL is considering replacing Moderno to cut food costs. They contend there is too much wasted food at Moderno.

The Dawn has Los Lobos and it is very good!

Los Lobos has great food, especially the grilled corn!

I thought I read that NCL was considering replacing Moderno with Los Lobos or Q.

Captain is Paul Von Knorring

Hotel director is Cary Turecamo, he is great, known him for years.

Tony Rosa. Food and Beverage manager, great guy. Started with Prem on the Pearl 6 years ago.

Concierge is Yahira Suazo Atiles

Cruise Director is Gio, sorry can't remember his last name. " good times, good times" his favorite quote.

Hope this helps. Just off the Pearl today.

Thanks for the update. I was wondering who the cruise director would be for my cruise on November 10 on the Pearl. His name is Giovanni Artavia. I have cruised with him before, on the Dawn this past April.

Last week I was on the Triumph. The cruise director is Jessica Brandt, known as Jess From the US. She was great - very personable and outgoing and has a tremendous attitude. She has prior experience with RCCL and one of the river cruise companies. She is a great addition to Carnival.

Although he has passed, my all time favorite is: Corey "Birdman" Schmidt.

My first cruise in 2003 was on the Conquest with the Birdman. I am sure if he had not made a good impression, I probably would have had second thoughts about going on another cruise. He was an outstanding cruise director.

I don't really have a preference, but a man named George (pronounced Hor-hey) Something-or-Other, on the Triumph several years ago, was funny and funny in an original way. He is really the only one who has made an impression on me.

You are referring to Jorge Soldano, who I believe was a comedian before he became a cruise director. As I remember, he left Carnival to return to comedy full time.

My one favorite cruise director from the past was Big Tex and among the current cruise directors, Jaime Dee is my favorite.

Hey guys is FTTF worth it for this cruise??? Thanks

 

 

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If this is your first time to Progreso, you may want to check out AutoProgeso's web site and take their tour to Dzibilchaltun. It costs $32 pp and will take only four hours of your day. This site has an interesting museum. You can add a tour to Merida for $7 dollars extra.

The other maya ruin sites (Uxmal, Chitzen Itza) take more of your day, but are also worth seeing.

You can also go into town and have a nice lunch. There is a nice restaurant named Le Saint Bonnet which has good seafood.

Hope you will have a great time on the Triumph and enjoy your visit to Progreso!

I used ALLA Tours in SPB in May 2017 also; it was excellent overall. It was A LOT of walking but I expected that.

 

A couple of thoughts;

ALLA added a couple of people on to our tour at the last minute so did not have tickets for all of us when we went to the places on the tour. We did have to wait while the tour guide stood in line to get to rest of the tickets; about 20 minutes each time which added up to the time missed on our tour.

There was a couple with some disability issues on our tour. From what I understand, they communicated this to ALLA before they booked and was told it would not be a problem. Well, it was a problem from what observed. The couple with the disability issues were made to think they were a bother; for example, the guide did not know where the elevators were to accommodate them. It was difficult to watch at times; I myself do not have a disability. She appeared to be a experienced tour guide but certainly did not have experience with people with disabilities. It was a 2 day tour; the couple asked ALLA if they could get a refund for the 2nd day because the tour was not accommodating and difficult for them, but ALLA said no. They were there on the second day struggling on to see SPB; I was very happy to see them giving the rest of the tour a try. I hope they enjoyed it.

 

JMHO and observations :)

Were we on the same tour? I do remember Alexandra having some difficulties with tickets to some of the places and we had quite a wait.

Hi djacobson

Sounds like you done what we hope to do. Do you remember pickup time?

I think it was around 3:30 to travel back to the ship. I remember getting to the ABBA museum around 11:30 because of all of the stops on the HOHO. The drop-off point we had was at the Royal Opera House, stop 3. The ABBA museum is stop 14 and the Vasa museum is stop 13.

Nynäshamn is not close to the city. Abba museum and Wasa museum is a 10 min walk between eachother.

 

Where will the tour drop you off/pick you up?

 

Stockholm is my home town, ask me anything you want to know!

 

 

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I loved my brief visit to Stockholm and hope to return in 2018!

Hi

We have booked the hoho bus which includes entrance to the Abba museum (big fan:D)

This was through Viator using the official 'Red City Sightseeing Bus'. We also hope to do the Vasa museum and then some time in the old town...is all this possible given the time we have?

So that we could have the maximum time in Stockholm we also booked the 'Stockholm on your own excursion' through the ship. While it may seem expensive I thought the longer stay in the city and guaranteed return to ship not to mention peace of mind justified this. We have booked a two day tour in St Petersburg independent of the ship and then plan to do our own thing in the other ports. I just wanted to see what others thought of the transfer into Stockholm and if I really have made the right decision. What has others done?

Thanks :)

On the Getaway back in May, the ship docked in Nynäshamn rather than Stockholm. I did not learn of the port change until about ten days before the cruise. My original plan was to take the HOHO in Stockholm, which NCL sold, and then get off at the ABBA museum. With the change in itinerary, NCL provided a shuttle service to Stockholm and honored my purchase for the HOHO. I think the shuttle was $50, NCL did not charge me again because I bought the HOHO ticket from them. The drop off point for the shuttle was at or near the beginning point of the HOHO. The ABBA and Vasa museums are in a different part of the city and it took a while to get to the ABBA museum.

I purchased my ticket to the ABBA museum before I traveled to Copenhagen and that saved some time. The Vasa museum is just down the street, about a 10 minute walk. Both were outstanding.

I felt a bit hurried because we needed to be back at the shuttle drop off point to travel back to Nynäshamn. I was only able to visit both museums. Guess I will have to go back :).

Confused...how much is a visa?

Can you just walk around on your own?

Is it worth it? How long does it take to get off the empress of the sea if you are not going on a tour?

How was empress of the seas? How was the ship? All that is left is a guarantee ocean view. How was the entertainment?

Thank you

The visa is $75. You may be able to obtain one from RCCL. I ordered mine from a company that NCL recommended and got mine in two days. Unfortunately I know nothing about the Empress of the Seas.

I am hesitant myself to walk around Havana without a tour planned, but I have a week to figure out something to do before my evening excursion.

Hi. We are sailing 1st September with NCL Getaway and Alla Tours have been highly recommended (by very good friends of ours) as the best option to tour St Petersburg. Any feedback appreciated. Kevin

I booked with Alla Tours for Berlin, Tallin, St. Petersburg and Helsinki when I was on the Getaway in May. Fantastic tours each day. Highly recommend them- best tours I have ever had. Hopefully you will have Alexandra or Polina for the St. Petersburg tour.

The World Association of Chef Societies (WorldChefs) declared Cuban cuisine an Intangible Heritage at a planetary level, for having safeguarded the identity and continuity of a gastronomy with deep national roots and contributed to promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.

 

I have collected 6 samples of each categories in order to give you a visual reference of how they looks like. I left intentionally the local names and let you find the translation and meaning. Paladares are the best places for ordering them, sometimes there are not in the menu. I have tested all of them and they are really good.

 

Thanks for providing these lists. I have imported the pdf files to my tablets and will review them them before my cruise to Cuba next week. Mucho gracias!

We were on the Sky July this year to Cuba. Open Bar- specialty dining restaurants were ala carte pricing- they use to be a surcharge, but now pay as you eat. NO COFFEE MAKER IN OUR BALCONY ROOM. Bottled water and specialty coffee (espresso) was a charge. Charged a daily service charge of $18.99 a day per person.

So does the $18.99 include the gratuity of 18% I would normally pay for a beverage or did NCL raise the daily service charges for steward, waiter, etc. to $18.99?

It is disappointing that there is no coffee maker in balcony cabins.

Going on the Baltics cruise in mid-September. I searched and it seems that there is no body lotion normally given in the cabins. Is that true? Can I ask the steward for some? I use a lot and I really don't want to bring it across the pond.

 

Anything else I need to know? Don't often cruise NCL.

 

Thanks.

I would recommend the show Million Dollar Quartet. Easily the best show I have ever seen on a ship. If you sit on the left side of the theatre, you will have the best view of the show.

Howl at the Moon is hilarious and I recommend that as well. Whenever they are playing, you will want to see them.

The Baltic cruise was my best cruise, but also the most intensive. You will have five straight days of ports and there is so much to see. Hope you enjoy the cruise!

Hello,

Booking reservations tonight and am curious which you think is better.

I'm going on the Getaway.

 

Thanks!;p

I would choose Teppanyaki. I thought the chefs were very entertaining. Food is great - I chose the filet mignon.

Also, don't miss Million Dollar Quartet and Howl at the Moon. Million Dollar Quartet is the best show I have ever seen on a ship. If you do go, sit on the left side of the theatre. Such a great show, I saw it twice. Howl at the Moon is lots of fun. Enjoy your cruise on the Getaway!

Hi! His name is Kurt. He is in Million Dollar Quartet and plays Carl Perkins. This is his 2nd contract on the Getaway.

I was on the Getaway May 16-25 and saw Million Dollar Quartet twice. Best show I have ever seen on a ship and your son was outstanding!