cirpi

The same thing happened to me on the Metro years ago. I was fortunate that my passport was in a safe at our hotel along with a small stash of lire and just enough U.S currency for the train tickets to Verona where we had an an apartment.  

On 1/15/2024 at 9:52 AM, marazul said:

Trattoria Cammillo is a classic. Cross the Ponte Vecchio and turn right on Borgo San Jacopo.  It is a couple of blocks down on the left.

If Cammillo is as good now as it was for my wife and me 46 years ago, it should be good bet now.

Has Celebrity changed the deadline for final payment from 90 to 60 days? 

My wife and I need to arrange for a car and driver for door-to-door service from Rome to Perugia. Any suggestions?

On 8/4/2021 at 12:16 PM, Sascol said:

Maybe this thread can be unpinned?  It is over a year old and has not been active in weeks.  It’s also not really cruise related.  

Well, then, how is your weather?

4 hours ago, MarkWiltonM said:

We ate at the Lawn Club on Silhouette last year (Feb. 2020) and the food was horrible.

Please tell us what was horrible about the food. 

33 minutes ago, CTSandy said:

Cruising September 17 to September 24 this year on Millenium.  It’s been three years since I’ve flown out of SeaTac.  Our choices are a flight that leaves at 1:40 PM and a flight that leaves at 9:45 PM.  We would prefer the earlier flight but concerned about whether the timing will work.  We are sailing concierge so we will be off early.  Appreciate any input!

I'd opt for the earlier flight. The port is roughly 17 miles from the airport but you can expect heavy traffic and slow going, especially since you disembark on a work day. I'd plan no less than an hour travel time.

On 6/29/2021 at 7:08 PM, jelayne said:

I don’t know what the “Timeless Starters” are but Blu does have off menu things that are frequently requested.  Shrimp cocktail, escargots, baked potato French fries, Cesar salad come to mind.  
 

The distance between Blu and  the MDR kitchen makes it impractical to get menu items from the MDR to Blu.  If you would like to try one of the MDRs ask the host or MaitreD in Blu and they will arrange that for you. 

While that may be true on the Apex, we've ordered MDR items in Blu several times on the Reflection and Solstice.

On the other hand, the cruise line should have little control over passengers ending cruises at, say, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, or almost any other port.

6 hours ago, Banjo said:

I don't know if you ever been to FCO (Rome Int'n Airport), they have security measures that are a little more involved (you go to one terminal and then transfer to another) then other European Airports that have flights to USA.

 

Taking that in consideration and the chaos at Civtavecchia I would recommend a overnight. I usually stay at the Tulip Rome Airport. Good shuttle service, clean, nice breakfast, several nearby good Italian restaurants within walking distance and a reasonable price. 

I second Banjo's recommendation for the Tulip. Rooms are modern, clean and spacious, but  the restaurant is average at best. We've dined twice at La Locanda, about 250 yards north of the hotel. It's typical Roman fare with pasta and seafood. Check ahead because it could well be among the zillions of restaurants shuttered Sundays and Mondays.

Decades ago,t I overhead a man at a bar in Lusaka, Zambia tell another that he was from Seattle.

I butted in, mentioned that I, too, was from Seattle. He introduced himself as Bob Strom. When returned home, my then teenage daughter introduced me to Bob Strom, her new boyfriend, and the son of the Bob Strom I met in Lusaka. . 

On 4/10/2020 at 11:29 AM, omeinv said:

Oh indeed.  All the major US carriers have been doing the same thing (either denying refunds, or making them nearly impossible to request).  The US DOT's position is clear as well, the outbreak is not a valid excuse not to provide refunds as required.  That is exactly why I suggested the OP file a credit card dispute if the circumstances, in fact, warrant it. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

We were in a similar situation with TAP which refused to issue a refund on a canceled flight to Lisbon. We filed a credit-card dispute and, after six weeks or so, we got our money back.

On 7/14/2020 at 12:23 PM, cirpi said:

I've used Choice Air several times for return flights to the U.S. from Europe and I have had no problems except for this week. After a May TA, we plan to spend a few days visiting extended families in Italy, then fly home from Venice.  The Choice Air website lists $577.48 as economy fare for several flight options. The Choice Air agent, working from home, yesterday quoted us $2,500 p.p. for the flights. I think we need to get on the same page.

Update: The agent checked further and found the fare still stands, but economy plus is at least $1,500 on most carriers and don't even think of business class unless you have around five grand to spare. Also, be aware that fares are changing -- mostly up -- almost by the hour. 

I've used Choice Air several times for return flights to the U.S. from Europe and I have had no problems except for this week. After a May TA, we plan to spend a few days visiting extended families in Italy, then fly home from Venice.  The Choice Air website lists $577.48 as economy fare for several flight options. The Choice Air agent, working from home, yesterday quoted us $2,500 p.p. for the flights. I think we need to get on the same page.

31 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

Brasserie Four. Best bouillabaisse I've ever had. And I've tried it all over the world.

Thanks for the suggestion, Mercruiser. If things settle down with the virus by fall, we might do a road trip to Walla Walla. We have cruised half a dozen times with an elderly couple who told us they live in Walla Walla. If we can remember their names, we will look them up and perhaps we can join them for dinner at Brasserie Four.

On 6/27/2020 at 8:58 AM, Prost Seattle said:

One of my favorite land vacations is Walla Walla, Washington.  There are some great wineries and a lot of amazing food.  You can rent bikes, there’s nice trails around town to ride on, and friendly people.   The bed and breakfast we stayed at (Inn at Blackberry Creek) was charming and the people were great there.  it’s in a historic neighborhood with a large park nearby that had an aviary.  If you go for a drive to the north you’ll get into the rolling hills of wheat farms, and when it’s time for harvest the contrast of the blue skies and golden hills is startling.

 

I always feel like Walla Walla might be what Napa was like in the mid-1960s.

I agree that Walla Walla has much the same feel and vibe that Napa Valley had in the 60s and 70s. Can you recommend a restaurant or two?

18 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

We have May 2021 booked and think we have a slim chance of sailing.  Hope I’m wrong and it’s a 100% go.

Our Apex sailing is next May 1 and we have the same concern. Fingers crossed.

7 hours ago, oceangoer2 said:

I'm all for sailing in a non-disease environment..but...that is impossible.  Someone could walk on board feeling perfectly healthy and check virus free and become ill next day.  There's no perfect world at sea or otherwise.  I know the ship is considered an incubator, but even if you don't sail, walk through the park and touch anything that is contaminated or breathe in another's cough when either of you isn't wearing a mask, you may contract the virus.  My thoughts are to wait this out (moved sailing 1 1/2 years away), practice the medical science advice (not just any advice) and continue to live life as I have in the past following the new recommendations which are sure to come.  There was no surety I wouldn't get any of the modern day diseases then either.

After after a Reflection TA last May, we spent two days in Dublin, then flew to Italy to visit friends near Asti. I felt fine when I arrived, but within a couple hours, I spiked a 103.8 fever and for the next 72 hours I was in the hands of the village doctor and parish priest with double pneumonia. A temperature check at the Dublin airport would  have been useless because I did not have fever then.

My wife and I live in Olympia, WA, two counties removed from the Seattle/Kirkland area, the original U.S. epicenter for the coronavirus. Everything except for grocery stores  is in lockdown. Bars and bistros are shuttered, events canceled, parks closed, and the fishing season shut down. We order groceries and medicines online. We are frequent Celebrity cruisers and truly love the line, but we are in our 80s and had to cancel a June Adriatic cruise because of too many uncertainties. We hope to return with a spring transatlantic to visit several Italian friends who have been severely impacted by the virus.

23 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

I checked all the posts here and then did searches and can’t find it, but does anyone know how extensive the Italy guarantee is. one site said it covers all the Italian regions, but does that include Italian regions that are islands such as Sicily and Sardinia? 

 

I assumed so, but we all know what ‘assume’ means!

 

Den

I read that ALL 20 regions would be affected, so that would include Sicily and Sardinia. 

We are booked on the Infinity for an Adriatic cruise in June,  but likely will cancel and do a two-week West Coast road trip. We are not planning to cancel a September Alaska cruise on the Solstice.

14 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

I'm trying to just keep cool, play wait and see, etc...BUT, with final payment due in less than a month...and with flight reservations through Celebrity Air, we've got back-to-back cruises in July from Italy--Rome to Venice and Venice to Rome...

 

Celebrity extended the final payments for earlier cruises--but not yet for July.

 

We don't know, therefore, whether the cruises are on or off...or if the itineraries will be changed r remain the same...So, we're sort of waiting to see what shakes out...and I guess so is Celebrity...

 

I saw the new notices today...and this is interesting.  They say, in part:

"We have also increased secondary health screening requirements. The following guests will need to undergo extra screenings at the cruise terminal: 

• Any person who is uncertain about contact with individuals who have traveled in the 15 days prior to embarkation to, from, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, or Thailand."

So, basically, you can't go to Italy and you can't even be in contact with anyone who's been to Italy...But, wait a second:  These cruises both embark and disembark in Italy!  So, assuming these cruises are a go, isn't EVERYBODY going to have to have both been in Italy AND been in contact with people who have been in Italy???  Sort of hard to avoid that!

 

Okay, we also have flight reservations that we made some time ago (at a considerably lower rate than what is available today) to fly into MILAN, 10 days before the first cruise.  I am assuming that, if the cruise remains a go, either 1)  It could be a bad idea to fly into Milan--since Northern Italy is where the numbers are...But, OTOH, the cruises each end or start in Venice...so, if they were still on? 2)  It could be a bad idea to spend a long pre-cruise in Italy?  If they do cruise out of Italy, should they tell everyone to fly in, be in minimal contact with people as possible and just go airport to ship?

 

Of course, in the meanwhile, I've got to worry whether the cruise is on or not...whether I can fly into Milan...or change to FCO...and, if so, would I be just messing with my reservations for nothing?  And, assuming we have to do the final payment, we are supposed to pay for the Flights by Celebrity as well...Will they even complete the booking to Milan?  Or, if they later cancel everything, are we stuck with the air flights anyway?

 

Hoping things change and everything is cleared up...but, right now, they're about to ask for final payment and airfare from thousands of people into a country they are also telling us not to go to or even be in contact with people who have been there!

Steve, Our predicament is similar. We are booked on the June 28 Infinity sailing from Venice with hopes of visiting Italian friends in Rome and Padova. To complicate matters more, we also are expected to attend our granddaughter's wedding in Portugal a few days before the cruise. If we cancel before  March 30, we will have no hope for a refund on air fare. 

17 hours ago, villauk said:

 

 

Is the Washington State ‘outbreak’ not near a port for ships to Alaska?

Yes, less than 20.

We probably will cancel a June 28 sailing from Venice and not attend our granddaughter's wedding in Portugal. I was hit with a severe case of pneumonia in Italy last year and I  have  no desire to risk another pulmonary disease. We just hope Celebrity will move the final-payment date closer to sailing date.

Wife and I will have to cancel an Adriatic cruise and a family wedding in Portugal. I've had two near-fatal bouts of pneumonia since 2017 and damned if I want to risk another pulmonary infection. We ;just hope the virus will fade away. Besides, I don't like Mexican beer.