MSMcDuffy

I'm resurrecting this old thread instead of starting a new one...

Does booking the Flexible Fare through EZ Air still lock in the price or can it go up until it is ticketed?

The fares to Europe have been so high for '23 but just went down quite a bit on EZ air.  I would ticket it now, however, this route uses multiple airlines and 2 stops on the way home so I'm hoping for something better to come along.  If nothing better for the same price comes along, we can live with it.

Thank you!

Hello,

We're flying from MSP to FCO and then ATH to MSP next May '23.  The actual flights are on Air Canada equipment but can be booked with their partner, United.  Even though there appears to be no difference in price, is there any advantage to booking with either one of them?  If the flights get cancelled or changed would United be the better one to book through since they have more flight options (connecting cities) in the US?....or does it not matter because they are partners and AC would offer the same flight options?

Also, do you think $1080 is a good price for this flight (regular economy, not basic)?  Delta does offer a similar price but we do not want to fly out of ATH at 6AM so will pay a little more for a better time.  Delta's better flight times are in the $1500's.

Thank you!

My heart goes out to you.  I'm so sorry for your loss.  Life is so uncertain.  May he live on in your heart and how wonderful that you two were able to travel so much and build those memories.❤️

Yes!  The older ones have the wrap around promenade deck that I really miss. 

Could someone please clarify something for me regarding the definition of fully vaccinated and Greece?  I called Princess several times before booking our cruise and got different answers from different reps (all very nice but seemed as confused as a lot of us).  Our cruise disembarks in Athens and we'll visit a few Greek ports.

A few in our group have the double dose of Pfizer and one booster.  However, the booster was at the end of 2021.  Cruise is May 2023.  Is the 270 days (9 months) only applicable from the 2nd of the two shot series, hence not needing an exemption (since they have 1 booster), or from the booster, making an exemption needed?

One rep said exemptions aren't needed because only 1 booster is available in USA at this time, so the timing of the booster doesn't apply, just so you have a booster.  Another rep thought it probably includes the lapse of time since the booster so an exemption would be needed.  Another rep incorrectly told me medical exemptions were needed for Greece!!--we almost didn't book!.  The 4th rep confirmed medical exemptions are not needed, just a  Princess exemption, which they've been giving out without any problems.  Finally, I felt comfortable enough to book but when I called back to see who all would need exemptions, I could tell that rep wasn't 100% sure either, so I got one for all of us even though most might not need it.

I know a lot can change by then, but the exemption letters are quite intense (a lot of testing possible throughout the cruise, might only be able to take certain Princess excursions, etc).      

Hi,

I can't find much info on the Enchanted Princess since it's so new.  Does anyone know if these deck 8 cabins, E411-E421 will get a lot of noise from Gigi's Pizzeria below or the Al Fresco Dining Area?  (Looks like these places are right below - per deck plan.) 

We're also considering E334, E324 (looks like they are above the shops) and E614-E620 (looks like they are above the Crown Grill).  Am I correct to assume the noise should not be bad?  

Also, would the life boats & tender boats be in an identical location as on all of the other royal class ships or is this one a little different?

There will be 3 of us in a cabin - one gets a bit of motion sickness and another a light sleeper so we're trying to find a happy medium.  A bit of extra room and a sofa would be great so that's why I'm looking into this category rather than a regular balcony, which I've had before. 

Thanks for any input! 🙂 

(Sorry if this question gets asked a lot - I haven't posted on these boards in about 4 yrs and I can't figure out the search function.)

We thought Nynashamn was the most beautiful port on our Baltic cruise as far as the landscape. It reminded us just a little bit of Alaska (Sitka minus the mountains). My sister wanted to stay there but ended up going into Stockholm with me. We were hoping to explore Nynashamn afterwards but there was not enough time.

Have fun! :)

We got them on the Regal a couple weeks ago. I use them if I have extra stuff to carry that won't fit in my purse (i.e. umbrella, maps, water bottles, etc) and especially if it's raining because I don't care if it gets ruined....but they actually do a good job of keeping stuff dry even if part of it can't fit under my umbrella.

Thanks to everyone for your replies, much appreciated!! I'll consider all of this in my research.:D

Hi,

I'm exploring the possibility of a trip with my 85 year old mother in the next year or so since she has always been interested in river cruising. We have been on several large ship cruises but she has not joined our small group of relatives on the past couple cruises because it has become harder for her to get around. She is not in a wheelchair, however, she is a very slow walker, gets tired easily, and it would be hard for her to keep up with a group.

In the case that she would not be able to go on any excursions I'm wondering if there are any rivers that are scenic enough to enjoy the scenery from the vessel? I realize these cruises are pricey and some might look at this as a waste of money but there is a chance she could handle some excursions that include others with mobility issues (so as not to slow the group down). She is someone who has pushed past her fears (she's actually afraid of water but that hasn't stopped her from cruising and even excursions on smaller boats) so she's a trooper but I want her to be comfortable, too. If you think it would not be worth it, please let me know (I can handle the truth and realize her cruising days might be over:().

I heard that the Rhine has the most scenic stretch of castles at one point but that the rest is industrial. Is this true? Are the Danube, Seine & Maine rivers any more scenic? I'm thinking of 8-12 days max as I shouldn't take more than 2 wks off of work at a time.

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter!:)

To Danish viking and anyone else from Denmark lurking -

We returned from our trip last week and Copenhagen ended up being one of our favorite cities on the cruise. Everyone we met was friendly and the city is beautiful & clean with quaint areas. My FB pics of the city got a lot of compliments from friends. On our first evening we walked through a park near our hotel and it was refreshing to see numerous groups of people of a wide range of ages sitting on the lawn socializing & communicating with each other rather than on their phones. We rented bikes from our hotel for 1/2 day and had the time of our lives riding in the most bike-friendly city in the world. Of course, the fantastic weather helped - 72 degrees F the day we went bike riding was perfect.

Also, it was one of the better airport experiences I've had. The airport workers are very friendly & helpful and they even have separate counters for Princess cruises to expedite check-in and I loved the stations for dealing with liquids so you don't have to guzzle down your beverage at an awkward place before going thru security.

Cheers :D

While all my cruises were special it would have to be my very first one - 12 night Venice to Barcelona on Star Princess in 2004. Whenever I hear Enya's Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) it always reminds me of sailing away from Venice at dusk--magical!!

I wouldn't necessarily rule it out, particularly if flying on Air France and in La Premiere class. They meet you at the incoming aircraft and drive you to the lounge, then drive you on to the next flight as well.

 

This turns a pretty tough connection into a very straightforward one, similar with Lufthansa at FRA, another not fun airport to connect through, typically...

That would be nice. I guess I can only vouch for economy, which I always fly.

Hi,

I'm reporting back here after my trip. The 1 hr 50 min layover was no problem. When we landed we found out our next flight was running 2 hrs late so we didn't have to rush but even with a bathroom break we got there in good timing even if our next flight would have departed on time.

Just thought I'd mention, though (if it helps anyone else in deciding on a layover airport) CDG is just not the best airport for a layover, especially if you have no window for things going wrong. At the time I booked, the flights connecting at CDG were less expensive than other cities but after one really bad experience a while back and hearing enough of other people's bad experiences (including a relative who lived in France) I did not go for the cheaper fair to connect at CDG on the way to our cruise. But on our return flight we were not pressed for time so I went for it. Not to my surprise, our flight left 3 hrs late after 3 gate changes. We were okay with this but some of our fellow passengers were stressed and I'm pretty sure they missed their connections at MSP. I spoke to a few people at our gate(s) and they were very frustrated because when they inquired with airport personnel they were getting no help and I heard a lot of "never again am I connecting through this airport." I was even given the wrong directions by an unfriendly airport worker (such a difference from the workers and organization of the Copenhagen airport--that was the best foreign airport I've ever experienced).

So my two golden rules of airport travel are: Never fly in the day of the cruise and never connect thru CDG on the way there. :)

Thank you for the replies! I would not have used my hair dryer at the hotel based on your feedback but as it turns out I contacted the hotel and they said they have hair dryers and adapters for people to use. As the previous poster said, both types will work but it sounds like the type E/F has a bit of a better fit according to some reviews.

Hi,

Thank you for all the wonderful, helpful information!!

I have a couple questions about an adapter/converter for use in my hotel in Copenhagen (Please let me know if I should be asking these questions somewhere else.)

Do you know which of the following 2 adapters sold on Amazon would be better?

Type C:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DTRHB2G/ref=emc_b_5_i

Type E/F:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SY5O5K/ref=emc_b_5_I

Also, do you know if I would also need a converter to charge a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and an 1875 watt hair dryer (I don't think it's dual voltage)?

Thanks much!!

Hi, just got home from Copenhagen we were on the Regal. We chose walk off with our luggage at about 6am cabs were waiting outside,no lines and headed straight to the airport with time to spare. The fare was $60 or 70 and we felt it was worth it. It was very easy to walk off the luggage too.

Thanks for letting us know how it went! Glad the early walk-off worked well. There had been mixed reports here on cc about the availability of taxis at the port but it sounds like it's not a problem, especially for those who disembark early.

This response might be a little late for you - I inquired with Princess about their shuttle upon disembarkation in Copenhagen (because we have a flight just a little bit later than yours) and they said they do have the shuttles running early for people who have flights leaving at 9:30am and that it should be no problem. However, I probed a little further asking about the shuttle having to wait to fill up before it leaves the port and she said that is the case but it should still be okay. I personally don't want to take a chance and am planning on doing the self-disembark as early as possible and take a taxi. A taxi for two is a little less than two Princess transfers.

If you don't mind, could you please come back here when you have time and let us know how it went?

Enjoy your last few days on the cruise!:)

Is anyone sure the outlet in the bathroom on the Regal will support a hair dryer? On other ships people have said there is an outlet in the bathroom but those outlets only support electric razors.

Thank you.

I think bad things can happen anywhere and it's always a good idea to be aware of your surroundings, stay away from any known problem areas, and as others have said, try not to look too much like a tourist, don't wear flashy attire, etc. and you should be fine. I've been to Europe several times and Egypt once and the scariest part of most of my trips was the taxi/shuttle ride from my apartment to the airport (when I lived in L.A. - those drivers drove like a bat out of hell:eek:).

We went on the Holland America Veendam in Aug 2016 for 7 days from Montreal to Boston and had a great time. The water was completely calm the whole time. I thought the weather was a little cold for August but it is far up North. The first day in Montreal was actually really hot & humid; the next day overcast/drizzling. Quebec City was cloudy/lightly raining at times. We had great weather in Charlottetown; pouring rain & windy all day in Sydney; great weather in Halifax, Bar Harbor & Boston. It's one of those cruises you need to prepare for all different kinds of weather, even in the summer, and I'd say it was more windy than not. I enjoyed all the ports but I think Bar Harbor was the favorite for our party of four and it was the most scenic. All that I read about this itinerary beforehand was positive with a lot of good reviews and the people in all the Canadian ports we visited were wonderful (probably some of the the friendliest of my cruises) and we saw a lot of cool lighthouses. I'm really glad I went but after having been to Alaska several times, Norwegian Fjords & Mediterranean, it was the least scenic cruise (while on the ship) and I probably wouldn't do it again just because I like to explore new places.

I can't compare the two because I've only been on a few United flights a while back but I fly mainly on Delta (living in a hub city) and have never had a problem on any Delta flight that I can think of. In fact, they are almost always on time. Also, whenever I've had to call the airline with questions they've been helpful & friendly.

Thank you, both, for the information! We'll be in the main cabin so will select a seat closer to the front and will skedaddle at CDG.

One last question - you say there will be immigration & security - will we need to retrieve our luggage or does it go all the way through to MSP?...it's been a while since I've had an int'l connection so I don't recall.

Thanks again!

Hi,

I've avoided layovers at CDG after a bad experience there in '07 (workers' strike) but I found a really good fare for a flight stopping there on the way back from Copenhagen to Minneapolis. Any thoughts would be appreciated on this connection, which would happen on a Thurs in July.

Depart CPH 9:50am DL 8425 (operated by Air France)

Arrive CDG 11:50am

Depart CDG 1:40pm DL 8510 (operated by Air France)

I called Delta to maybe at least find out which terminal these flights use but they didn't have this info. I know sometimes people on this board are really savvy when it comes to this stuff so thought I'd check here before making a purchase.

Thank you!

This thread is a little old so thought I'd check from any recent travelers. Do you know if there are any free wifi areas near the ports in Aruba, Cartagena Colombia, Limon Costa Rica, or Ocho Rios Jamaica?