denny girl

We've just completed our first Costa cruise.

Pacifica to Norwegian Fjords out of Hamburg.

We expected English to be in minority but were surprised there was about 3000 German speakers.

Were told that there was 100 English speakers aboard but these turned out to be English as a second language.

Met our first native English speakers the second of last day.

We found Costa to be fun and enjoyed the food although in the early days it arrived at the table cold.

Staff was great.

It`s not permitted to name travel agencies on Cruise Critic and there is no PM function.

I'd sent out a couple of queries with mixed results. Getting in touch with the Costa agency in Perth was a particular waste of time with neither of us being able to understand each other.

After receiving a phone call about my cruise from an agent in Belconnen I made a booking.Have found him responsive so far. If we can`t sort out the cancellation will get him on to it.Not many agencies in Australia seem to know or want to know Costa!

Made the first booking with a European agency because I wanted the included drink package which is not included in Aussie packages. Have given up on it for the new booking and will just buy it onboard.

Of course getting things sorted isn`t going well.

Have booked a similar costa cruise that goes where we want and at the moment actually have two cruises booked through different agencies.with overlapping dates and different booking numbers.

Having a lot of trouble cancelling the first cruise booked through an international European agency. Have contacted the agency numerous times, so far to no avail. and of course Costa just refers us back to the Agency. Wonder who actually has our money.

We`ve now booked the new cruise through an Australian agency as once we started looking at the new cruise most of the agencies were only offering inside or some particular suite.so when something suitable came up we grabbed it.

Must say cruising with Costa is turning out to be a real challenge and it`s early days yet.

We normally prefer to book direct but as we never intended to cancel or change thought we`d be ok.

We received this email from Costa this morning 16th It was in Italian but thanks to google translate this is it.

<Dear Agent,

We inform you that the itinerary of the cruise with Costa Mediterranea departing on 18/06/2018 from Bremerhaven has been modified for operational reasons.

The itinerary in Norway has been modified with a new one in Iceland and the United Kingdom.

We'll take you back to the new itinerary:>

Modified doesn`t really seem to cover it and I was extremely disappointed. We were in Kirkwall last year when a cruise ship arrived and we don`t want to repeat that.

Our agent doesn`t know anything either and is chasing it up for us.

There`s a similar shorter cruise we`d take but if we can`t get a decent swap we`ll cancel

Our booking was made last September and we have flights and hotels booked so this is a major inconvenience

Bremerhaven 18th June

Just got an email from Costa that our Norwegian fjord cruise on the Mediterranea has been modified and no longer visits Norway!!!

Chose this cruise as it didn`t visit Britain and that`s where the changed cruise goes. Assume it`s going to be complicated but really want to cancel. It`s certainly nothing like the cruise we booked.

Is this a regular Costa thing?

You may need to be almost first but thought this was a good package popped into my inbox this morning,

Flying to Los Angeles and staying one night before embarking cruise for a 14 night voyage visiting Vancouver, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Cruise Glacier Bay to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and disembarking back in Los Angeles for your flight home.

Carnival Splendor 24th August. $2599

With these special specials I think you have to pay the whole thing upfront and it vanishes pretty quickly

Oh, that is news! Are you sure? Did you try to book on the EU site and your valid non EU credit card was NOT accepted?

Other experts said that you can book on another country (cheaper) site like UK or EU, because Western passports don't have any address in them

Have tried to book but when you reach the payment you get a dropdown of European countries for your credit card.

Have been in touch with the Perth office to no avail. They have trouble understanding us:(

Seems the European prices aren`t available without a European credit card

After reaching Rudesheim at 6 we had 3 hours to wander the village before we left at 10 for Mannheim where we arrived at 7 the next morning

We did the optional Heidelberg tour leaving at 9 am so didn`t see anything of Mannheim

After the tour we had 1 1/2 hours free time to wander the town.

Back to the ship for 12 departure. At 3.30 we docked at Speyer where we could walk to town and visit the cathedral.

Sailed at 8 leaving someone behind. So many different departure times you needed your wits about you if you wanted to do your own thing.

Next morning Strasbourg 9 am city tour by bus, followed by walking tour 1 hour of centre and 1 hour free time before returning on the bus. We were given good instructions how to catch the bus between town and port and many took advantage of this,

Left at 10 pm.

Saturday was a change of itinerary and we docked at Schonau took a bus to Maginot Line museum and then on to Breisach where we had an hour walking tour up a very steep hill. Some felt it wasn`t worth the effort.

Ship arrived at Beisach moored just next to town.Left at 7.going to Basel where we disembarked at 9.30

Lot of the Aussies on the tour and they were all wondering <what`s the catch> and all were happy to find it wasn`t <too good to be true>

I always do lots of preparation but really didn`t know what to expect on my first river cruise.

Next time I`ll look at the towns and be more prepared for extra things I want to see.

Great postings, thank you so much. We are going on our first Gate 1 Amsterdam to Budapest in October. I have been on APT Amsterdam to Budapest and had a great time. Taking along 8 first time river cruisers with me so hope it's as good as it sounds. We are Aussies, don't expect too much and are looking forward to not having to dress up and the relaxed feeling. Have had the glitz and glamour of ocean cruising but don't need it. Please keep posting as you travel along Denny girl as we are on Monarch Baroness.

If you get a chance would you mind posting the length of time you are in each port for me? We like to do our own thing at ports but will go along on the included tours then hopefully have some time after to explore.

Do they have the groups of walkers, fast, average and slow walkers? What if anything do they provide for the very slow walkers? What I am meaning is that on APT at some places they had a mini van to take those with major walking issues to still be transported around the towns. We had a gentleman on 2 sticks who went everywhere and the cruise director or whatever he was called made mention often that he wanted everyone to be able to participate and he ensured they did. Obviously everyone has to be aware of their own limitations and not book a cruise they can't cope with. 2 of our group are ok walkers but both have had knee replacements so a bit slower than mr or mrs average. Either way they will cope but I think if there is a slow walkers group it would suit them better, enabling their partners to go off with the fast walkers.

Hi T J

There are about 20 Aussies on this trip and more younger people than we`ve seen on past Gate 1 tours.

We boarded in Amsterdam about 1 pm and there were sandwiches and cakes if you`d missed lunch.

Times have been tight at the ports but the berths have all been excellent.

Our Amsterdam tour was next morning and consisted of bus tour round, walking tour in centre

and canal ride. The ship left at 1 pm

There`s not a slow or fast group.

We were just told to go to the buses and as each one was filled, it left.

We haven`t really felt slowed by the group and with the whisper system you can

wander away a bit. A few are mobility challenged but they haven`t impacted

on the group and just keep up as best they can.

Cologne We arrived about 1 and left the ship at 1.30 for our included tour

When it finished we wandered round town on our own and found our way back to the ship which left at 10 pm

Koblenz. Docked at 8 am and left for the tour of Marksburg Castle that we had booked.

The downside was the ship left at 12 so there was little time to visit the town and the

confluence monument even though it was 5 minutes away.

Loren the cruise director kindly took us for a quick walk thrugh the town.

Dining tables are mostly 8 or 6 people

Breakfast and lunch are buffet style. Tea and coffee are available in the lounge 24/7

There`s been a bit of dancing in the evening but I guess every sailing is different

Arrived at Rudesheim at 6 pm

Denise

To any of you who have enjoyed Gate One, do any of their boats have a second dining area, like the Aquavit lounge on Viking, or Captain's Club on the newer Vantage ships?

 

I really enjoy having a place to eat dinner where it won't take 1-2 hours, and be so loud. Thanks.

There is a second smallish dining area on the Monarch Baroness that costs I think $15 each

River cruising is certainly a whole new ball game.

Love having wifi which we don`t normally have on ocean cruises

Our cabin size on the Monarch Empress is 170 sq ft so I guess that`s reasonable.

The upgrade cost to base level french balconies was $200 each,

not too exorbitant for a seven day cruise

Not really helpful to mjthecruiser who`s looking for Viking info, but perhaps someone else may find this info useful

Not on Viking but I`m loving our french balcony. Just floor to ceiling windows really.

Fairly snug but we have a lounge chair and I love the sound of water lapping at the boat, and watching slide past.

We`re sailing on the Monarch Baroness at the moment and I know it`s a great price but really wonder what we could be missing out on.

Unlimited drinks are all I can think of!

Room with french balcony is great and I know it`s only day 2 but dinner last night was amazing. Have photographed the menus and food. It tasted as good as it looked

Small serves but 6 courses including cheeses.

Unlimited french wines (red or white) or beer or soft drinks with dinner.

We are currently on Tauck Inspire heading North on the Mosel. Next port of call was supposed to be Cologne, but the captain has informed us that we will dock in Bonn tonight due to low water at Cologne.

Assume this was just an isolated glitch as I haven`t seen any similar reports.

Sailing in a week and keeping my eye on the River Cruise App but don`t really understand how low is too low and I guess it varies with different towns. The levels look to have risen in Cologne anyway in the last day or so :)

Thanks for this thread golden rod. It turned out a lot more interesting than I expected

.Has given lots of us food for thought I`m sure,

A Gate 1 Rhine cruise in a couple of weeks will be our first river cruise apart from a Russian one that we knew would be pretty basic.

We`ve paid nothing like you so will be interested to see what our meals and experience are like.

I`m another who`s pretty flexible as long as I get what I expected after doing the research.

For anyone missing Century, I've priced a good deal for an inside, and to more 'exotic' destinations, with a full service airline (BA). You only have a week though, so only good for the retirees!

 

8th Feb, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia, Celebrity Century, with flights 7th and 23rd back. $1,764.00/person for an inside, so basically a little more than $100 night INCLUDING flights. Flights are ex Sydney.

 

Usually it's hard to get good deals on last minute flights, so pretty happy with this one. (You could go even cheaper with Scoot/AirAsia, but why would you?)

 

Itinerary is: Singapore, Asia, Phuket, Thailand, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar, Langkawi, Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, Port Kelang, Malaysia, Singapore, Asia

Very tempting.

Great deal to include flights and goes to some wonderful places.

Did something similar last year and the ports were amazing.

Fortunately can`t find this great offer and I assume have to get to Sydney which adds to our cost.

The only time we`ve finished up with a damaged bag from numerous international flights was the transfer between cabin and dock in Singapore.

It wasn`t a large bag and definitely under 45lb so I wouldn`t think it was a weight problem

Firstly Luxury Vietnam and Thailand for only $1499pp

16 nights 8th November

Deal includes your return flights to Hong Kong and home from Singapore with 14 nts onboad the 5* Celebrity Millenium

Thanks for this thread.

Found the Dizolve laundry detergent sheets at Gilles Plains Adelaide.

They had plenty.

Our Qantas flight from LAX last month was a bit late landing. Then took nearly 90 minutes for baggage and customs clearance.

Bags took ages and there was a huge queue to enter customs.

They were filming Border Patrol and a large part of customs seemed to be roped off.

I missed my onward flight (along with a lot of others) but they just put us on the next flight.

This is probably unusual but I didn`t have to include the taxi and drive like you do.

24th November Voyager from Singapore to Sydney

Took a similar cruise last year with sister but needed it out of Adelaide which is always more expensive. Think in the first place I was told it was Virgin via Darwin but it finished up through Melbourne with Jetstar and baggage fees and meal were included. Doubt a flight to Singapore would go via Malaysia. A lot of people who use these packages would find that too complicated.

Apart from the crazy queues at Jetstar boarding it was a comfortable flight on a fairly new plane. Probably newer than some Qantas planes I`ve been on

Flight home from Sydney was also included and at the time of booking (Probably about now) an outside was the same price as an inside.

It was only including one overnight in Singapore and as the hotel they were using was a bit inconvenient we just included some extra days and paid for a different hotel that I booked myself but no refund was given for not using the supplied hotel.

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowForum-g1-i10703-Cruises.html

It`s a sister site so I assume it`s permitted to be mentioned here.

It`s hard to find without a link or like OzKiwiJJ mentioned you just finish up on CC.

There`s never any difficulties naming names as long as it`s not advertising.

It`s certainly not near as busy as this site and off topic stuff is strongly discouraged!

We went to NZ with Hal a few years ago and found the price of their excursions ridiculous.Maybe they`re a bit more reasonable now.

Gardens are my thing and I organised a garden tour in Picton with the other couple we were travelling with. I gave the local company a list of gardens I wanted to see and they organised the tour for me.

One of the gardens was part of a HAL tour and the owner told us she was getting just a few dollars per head. (It included morning tea and sheep) for something that was priced in the 100s

I prefer to put my money in the pockets of people doing the work for me, rather than the cruiselines.