topcop

Crazy Kruizers

Thank you very much for your response. HAL would have a real problem if it included the tips, but I wanted to be sure.

Tomorrow we are heading to Alaska where we will eventually meet up with the land tour and then cruise on the Noordam.

Our cruise package included a beverage package and I understand it can be used for drinks up to $9.00. Any drink over that price means we have to pay the entire cost. In other words we cannot buy a $12 for $3.00. I am hearing that drinks are about $7.95 plus 15% gratuity. So a $7.95 drink and gratuity comes to $9.14.

Can anyone tell me if I will be able to buy a $7.95 drink with my beverage package?

I am trusting that HAL means the $9 limit does NOT include the gratuity too.

Unlimited for $49 7 day cruise on the Noordam.

That is very reasonable. Thanks for the info. Our trip package came with a $400 onboard credit and a drink package that includes drinks of $9 or less. So we might as well use that credit for laundry.

The $20 per bag is easy and quick - we usually get it back, folded or on hangers, the afternoon of the next day; and, you can fit an amazing amount into the bag. We did it four times on our 18 day Westerdam cruise in February -$80 vs the $126 the $7 daily deal would have come to, and that was plenty.

Thank you

There will be a laundry bag and order sheet in your closet. Mark on it whether you want unlimited for $7 per day per cabin or the $20 per bag option - and send out what you need to on the first day. It should be back the next evening. The laundry service is great!

Thank you.

I know this question has probably been asked many times, so I apologize. I tried doing a chat with HAL but I waited over an hour and was not connected.

We are leaving Monday for Fairbanks and will meet up with the land tour before eventually embarking on the Noordam. It has been awhile since we last cruised HAL and want to know about the laundry service. We hope to cut down on what we must pack.

Can someone please tell us about the availability, cost and if we can sign up before the cruise? Years ago we used a 'fill the bag" type of service that worked well for us. Thank you.

Any experiences or ideas on what to do or see in Juneau outside of what the cruise offers? I think we are going to wait and do the whale watching once we get to Victoria. Has anyone done the whale watching there? I see they get to see a lot of the orca's!

We were in Victoria a few years ago and took a whale watch tour. The Captain said it would take about an hour to get to the whales, but we were not out of the harbor 15 minutes when we ran into a pod of 60 orcas. They were all around us.

The riverboat tour is very interesting and educational. Pioneer Village is interesting for a couple of hours.

Also, if you have a rental, take a ride up into the wilderness along the pipeline. But, you cannot take a rental beyond the paved portion so you cannot go as far as the arctic circle. Once the pavement ends it is gravel and the trucks send rocks flying breaking windshields and denting cars.

Santa's Village in nearby North Pole is a nice place to shop for Christmas things and you can arrange to have a letter sent from Santa to children and grandchildren.

A friend who researches everything, did so for an Alaska cruise. He found that historically the best weather is around the solstice. He went then and had fine weather. My son lived in Fairbanks and said the best weather is usually in June.

So we have booked a cruise tour for June.

Thank you for the responses.

Will be in St. Martin and want to spend the time in port at Orient Beach. Although we have been there before, it has always been with a cruise booked tour and I forgot where they dropped us off.

Can anyone recommend a good location to rent some chairs and umbrellas with drinks and food readily available? Also, if you know, the cost of the chair and umbrella rentals?

Thanks for the info. Don't drink enough to be worthwhile. And wasn't planning to "cheat" the system or steal. Just curious as to how they monitor and prevent it.

Are you really a police officer?

Yup...Retired

What is the average price of a mixed drink (cocktail) on RC?

We are cruising on the Navigator and for the most part drink Tangueray Gin and Tonic and perhaps one or two of their "drink of the day" like a Bahama Momma.

My wife and I usually have about 4-5 alcoholic beverages a day and wonder if the beverage package would be worth it.

If you have the package what prevents me from buying two drinks and giving one to my wife?

Thank you all for the information. The wash and fold will suit us fine.

Have not sailed RC is ages but will be on the Navigator in March. Do they have laundry packages and if so, what do they cost? Do they have laundromat facilities?

Our career paths are amazingly similar…i started on my 20th birthday but after 4 years in the cold and snow i had a enlightened moment and deduced that living in Florida made getting out of the car in ..January at 0300... much more palatable.

2 other quick thoughts on Paris…from your ship...at least consider walking down the seine to the "batobus" dock very near the tower…its a great way to see the city highlights from a river boat that makes a circle up and down the river with 6 hop on/off stops along the way…Get off at Notre Dame and from there you can do st. Germain area…..for 11 euros it is a great sightseeing experience, particularly at night…

viking always feeds you well but you got to try a real french baguette for a local boulangerie…they are everywhere...

i have always been impressed with the presence of the local Gendarme but pickpockets are always an issue there, as in every large city full of tourists.

i hope you enjoy it as much as we do…be safe, terry

I know all about those cold nights. Worked several years on the midnights.

We like to walk, so will do the walk along the river, for sure.

We did the Paris to Normandy cruise in April. While in Paris we were offered an excursion to Montmartre Hill as an alternative to the Paris City Tour. We went by bus to the general area (seeing a lot of Paris along the way), and then went up to Montmartre on the funicular. We had a brief guided tour of the area and then had a couple of hours to explore the area including the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. It was an excellent alternative to the Paris City Tour. I don't know if they are offering this on all of the cruises.

Thank you...that would be great if they offer that. It would be a good way to spend a few hours.

We took the metro from the vicinity of Nord on our Normandy cruise a few years ago. It is easy, fast and inexpensive but as said above, it depends on how much and how heavy your luggage is because of the stairs. The Eiffel Tower is a bit farther away than it looks but not that long a walk. If you want to be sure to go to the top, make a reservation or get tickets online asap. We went on a busy weekend in Dec and could only get as far as the second level and had to wait an hour or so to do that (line for the top way too long). Have fun. It is a great cruise.

TVmovielover.. Thanks for the advice. Been holding off on the tickets because of the weather. The first night we are docked overnight and I think it would be something to go up at night. I will certainly look into the tickets.

where you are docked has a great view of the tower ...and it is an easy walk…farther than it looks tho due to size of the eiffel tower….

 

on the left bank (eiffel tower side) not to far away is a area called Montparnasee which is known to have an artists district…easily accessible from bus or metro from your location (let me know if you want route #'s…)

 

i think your wife may be talking about the area on the right bank behind the sac lacoure called Montemare….they have sort of a town square where there are always a dozen or so artists painting and selling their work…very much worth the trip, but again to maximize your time i would do a taxi ,metro or bus…metro probably being the quickest…

have you been to Paris before? my wife had to drag me there the first time…now its every year for the month, usually before or after a river cruise…

 

for us there is no cure for paris and i will be glad to help with any directions, or help you need.

best regards, terry

PS: given your screen name i suspect we were in the same business.

Yes....Montemare is it. And as for the left bank, it is Quarter Latin and St. Germain des Pres that she read about.

Thank you Terry for this valuable info.

Never been to Paris before. Our only experience in Europe has been a river cruise from Amsterdam to Vienna and another around Holland and Belgium.

Perhaps we are in the same "business." Thirty-three years with one department and the last 14 at the top. At that time I longed just to be back on patrol. Since retiring I teach at the academy and manage a program for reserves.

Jin,

Hope that you and Joan have a safe trip. Brugges is a place that I have always wanted to visit, so I hope to hear your opinion onboard. How nice that you are reconnecting with friends! We are starting to get very excited about the trip. This will be our first river cruise. We booked fairly recently, and have a tiny, low cabin, but I hope to find many more interesting spots to enjoy the scenery!

Nancy

Nancy,

This is our third river cruise, the second with Viking. Our last was Amsterdam to Vienna in 2004. Spectacular! The first was Tulip Time in Holland and Belgium and that is when we visited Brugges for only 4 hours. That is why we want to return. Joan does not know about that little side trip and the hot air balloon ride I have booked. This trip is for our 25th Anniversary and on our wedding fay we flew away on a hot air balloon.

We will probably be neighbors in the steerage section because we too are in the same category. On our last ship our window was right at water level and you sleep under water. But the sloshing sound will put you to sleep.

Jim

Hi Topcop;

 

My wife and I will be sailing that ship and tour in September.

 

If you are arriving in the Nord train station, you might be able to take the Paris metro "there and back" if you're departing by the same train station.

 

general hint... once at the metro station (or just before) look for an automated machine that sells tickets in booklets of 10 (cheapest rate)

 

Take care and I hope you have a good trip

 

MM

thank you for the advice and you too have a nice trip.

my wife and i spend the month of April every year in Paris, and my daily walks include a daily stop at the docks where the river cruise ships dock on Grenelle….IF and thats a big IF…you are familiar with the metro ...and all its significant stairs…. and ...you don't have a lot of luggage…the metro can be a good way to go.

we love the metro and use it several times a day …but in this case i would use a taxi.

Thank you for the advice.

I just found out that we will be only a short walk to the Eiffel Tower.

Can you please tell me where the artists' district is located on the west bank? My wife read something about it and wants to visit there.

Hi topcop!

My husband, Charlie, and I will be joining you on the Spirit. We leave next week (6/10), and will be in London, followed by a few days in Paris prior to boarding. Hope to meet you onboard!

Nancy

Hello Nancy,

My wife Joan and I leave on the 13th for London. After a few days there we will go to Brugges before heading to Paris.

We are from Massachusetts and will be joined on the ship by Jack and Debbie from Oregon. We met them in 2004 on a Viking cruise and have remained friends.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Jim

http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/my-trip/about-my-ship/docking-locations-ports.html

 

Depends on which boat :)

Thank you for the info. It is Port de Grenelle/Quai de Grenelle 75015 Paris. I did a Map Search and it is only about a 7km, so yes, a taxi would be much easier and less expensive.

I am really getting frustrated with my TA as it seems I am finding better prices on everything we plan to do on this trip from airfare to lodging in London.