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We’re late to the party as usual , just booked this week, anyone out there? or are we to do this alone! :o

Waiting to board train in Vienna to Rome , we are finally on our way,

This is so much more civilised than flying nice and slow, no check in, no queueing, no luggage restraints, no hustle and bustle......

Most of you already in Italy see you on board tomorrow......

Well, all packed, a few errands tomorrow then we r off.

We dumped taking tuxes a while back since our trips are usually extended ones, no way giving up valuable shopping space. Of late generally have the formal dinners in the stateroom.

"Bon arrive in Rome" to all

Well, spoke to Austrian Rail today and was assured that the International overnight trains are running , will just have to take our chances as for leaving 2 days earlier is not possible.

On the up side if we miss civitavecchia it's not far to Livorno on the next day.

We are down to three large cases and two carryons :eek: two people = 4 hands the fifth case will have to do a "Carmen Miranda"

When are you all flying out ?

Hi fellas with just under a week before we board the train to Rome, getting the garden ready for the winter, the luggage up from the cellar, going over packing check lists (5 weeks worth to pack) plus the everyday stuff am real happy it's about to happen.

Have been monitoring the strike updates for Friday 4th and it seems like they are going ahead with the planned nationwide strike.

It's down to crisis management on this one, sure hoping we don't have to do a one way rental from Austria to Rome.!!!!!

Looking forward to my cruise on the Equinox next May. Especially pleased I was able to book with such a great price last July when they repositioned her to the Caribbean during the summer. I've started looking at excursions, and will book most on my own. However, really would like to visit Jost Van Dyke but since it's on another island from the port, I feel a little more comfortable going with the celebrity excursion.

 

Any feedback....has anyone taken this celebrity excursion. If so, what did it include. For those who went on their own, advice please!

 

So excited and can't wait for May to get here!

Take the celeb excursion or rent a local boat to take you over( cost a packet more) as for wanting to get there on your own "mission impossible".

A cab ride to Sopers Hole then a ferry boat to JVD then a cab ride to White Bay.

This route on a one day stopover is just not possible given the connecting times to and from JVD

Ed and Jeff here from San Francisco. We will also be on the T/A 11/05.

 

We are sailing on the QM2 from NYC on the 24th of Oct to Southampton, then flying to Rome.

 

See you all at the Martini Bar, etc.

 

E/J

Hey Ed & Jeff

A Bon voyage for the first crossing,🍸 Martini Bar it is then.

Actually, NO! Civitavecchia is a "closed port" which means that you cannot drive into the port in a rental car. This is much different from some other ports (like Livorno or Barcelona) where one could drive to the pier. We have been in situations in Civitavecchia when we had to drop a rental car and then drag our luggage onto the free Port Shuttle buses. Another option is to drop your rental car and ask the agency to call you a taxi (that is permitted into the port). But taxis hate these short hauls and may want to overcharge you (20- 25€). We once asked a local rental car agency (might have been Europcar) if they would just give us a ride to the pier (we were willing to tip generously) and they explained that even they were not permitted to drive to the pier.

 

Hank

Spot on!!! We had the same experience with trying to drop off luggage and then park an absolute no go.

Greetings Sailors ,

 

Ron and Brian here from San Francisco very anxiously waiting for this cruise to get here!!!! As with most of our travel, this was rather last minute. It would be nice to have a hang out on board and from what I'm reading here there are some good ideas. I forget if Celebrity organizes any LGBT meet ups....

In any case, we look forward to making some new friends!

 

Brian and Ron

Email =

Xrayguy at live dot com

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Ahoi Brian & Ron

We too booked last minute, we were so involved with summer, slipped my mind "cruising that is"

The martini bar seems to be the place that most people gather for drinks before dinner, we enjoy being out at Sunset bar. As far as hosting by celeb goes it only gets a mention in the daylies.

Ian & Franz

Hi Michael

 

We normally out on Sunset deck drink in hand for sail away, weather permitting.

Most evenings do the cocktail hour then head off for dinner ( stagger ) usually around 7.

The last TA a couple from our group started a trend by renting an alcove which turned into the venue for "Cocktails" others followed suit for the entire crossing.

On approaching the US the lawn was shut down for about 4 days, apparently regulation, due to disinfecting the lawn???? 20 unhappy cruisers.

Hi there Michael

Went rummaging through my pics of the Dxb - Sia to refresh my memory in the event of just walking by and not recognising 😱you, lo and behold came across a pic of you and yours at the Sunset bar on Solstice. Franz in the foreground and you just happened to be in the rear of the shot.

With the departure date galloping towards us finally getting into cruise mode, it helps to go through past trips i.e. photos to get the hang of it.

Hi all,

 

My husband, Iain and I will also be on the TA crossing. We have done a number of TA's and really love them.

 

We have been together 27 years and were married the first day it was legal in California in 2008. We live in the San Francisco Bay area.

 

Look forward to meeting all of you. We will be hanging out in Michael's Club if other's are traveling in suites. The TA's usually attract a rather large LGBTQ following so is uncommon that we don't bump into people we have met before.

 

Look forward to meeting all of you.

 

Jim

Hi Jim & Iain

Clever countdown clock to pension, 🍾

We too enjoy the TA ( only 2 thus far ) especially the last week with no land in sight.

As for bumping into people for us has been mostly crew members, one such, a young assistant server came up to greet me, she recalled looking for feta cheese on the entire ship for my lunches.

Not long to go now

Ian

That was probably us. My husband is Asian and I am a pasty white ginger. We were traveling with friends from the UK and their mothers. The Hawaiian night was probably a "theme" night which our group does on occasion. Sadly, one of the ladies is no longer with us. She passed about four months after the cruise.

 

In any event, I look forward to seeing you again on this voyage. If there is a LGBT gathering after sail away, we'll attend. If not we usually start the evening off at The Martini Bar around 7:00pm.

 

Michael

Hi Michael

We normally out on Sunset deck drink in hand for sail away, weather permitting.

Most evenings do the cocktail hour then head off for dinner ( stagger ) usually around 7.

The last TA a couple from our group started a trend by renting an alcove which turned into the venue for "Cocktails" others followed suit for the entire crossing.

On approaching the US the lawn was shut down for about 4 days, apparently regulation, due to disinfecting the lawn???? 20 unhappy cruisers.

Hi Reload,

 

Michael from San Diego here. I noted on your post that you were on the 2012 Mid East/Asia cruise on the Solstice. Was that the Dubai to Singapore leg? My husband Edward and I were on that cruse so I am sure we met in Michaels Club a few times.

 

I will be traveling with a good friend from Ft. Lauderdale this time as Ed is unable to join unfortunately.

 

Looking forward to seeing on Silhouette.

 

Cheers...Michael

Well hello there Michael & Edward...went on a search through the roll call and Indeed remember meeting a group with three ladies, the ladies being the what I recalled plenty martinis and guys in Hawaiian shirts in Michaels Club.

We were the only group patronising the club on the Dubai Singapore route....the bar staff would line up our favourite drinks on us entering..and knew us all by name now that what I call knowing your customers.

I am terrible with names but never forget faces so will be on the lookout for you.

I am hoping someone on this forum will volunteer to be a cheerleader and organise an initial gathering...also pretty rotten at this i'm afraid.

a wave.......

Happy New Year everyone! Soooooo looking forward to this trip!

Have a great year

 

Ted and Kim

Hi there Ted & Kim hope it has been a happy one.

We sailed together on the Reflection and dined in Qsine with you Walter, Iain etc etc..

Look forward to catching up on board.... Drinks anyone?

Hi everyone,

 

It is with great sadness that we let you know that we have had to cancel this sailing on Silhouette.

 

Hope you all have a FABULOUS time on the crossing, and hope to see you in the future.

 

All the best,

David & Larry

Thnx we will, I see you are already booked for 2017 TA something to look forward to.:)

Well hello there all,

Franz & ian here from Austria, booked today now have to get excited about this decision.

Over 200 pages to read on the other roll call:eek: to catch up on the hype.

Ian

We are here! Bumped into a couple at the luggage carousel that we sailed with on our first TA small world and they are sailing on the reflection . After a lengthy lunch relaxing on the terrace drinking wine enjoying my nieces chatter ah nothing like good weather good food and good company. La dolce vita comes to mind. Incredible how just 24 hrs ago we were stressed and now calm

Mmmmm must be the wine. Everyone having a good time it seems, except for you all with flight delays and missed connections lost luggage, our sympathies we maintain its all down to the perils of modern travel no exception.

Back to wine

oops forgot to turn off the lights!!!!!!!!! no need cause you guys still want to write and read you will have to do from Roma:p

ciao raggazzi a presto!!!!!

franz en ian

hey there all we are staying over at afriends in vienna tonite and he is taking us to the airtpot in the am, my holiday just started 5 mins ago, no more cooking cleaning shopping driving working, roll on cabin made up twice a day food 24/7 which i dont have to hunt kill skin and cook, no drying down the shower, dont have to drive a car am being ferried over the ocean with somrone else in charge for a change, roll on veg time.

thnks for the cool weather pic walter we have been having an extraordinary warm oct for central europe, yes did the whole police thing and have put in a claim.

bart glad you can see past the negatives that plague italy and that you still enjoy Bella Italia we too look forward to meeting al you interesting folk, if you you happen to stumble over me lying prostrate on the deck :eek:please be kind to me and inform franz where to pick me up, cannot gaurantee will be standing much on this trip.

see you at sailaway

we are still in Austria leave thurs morning for Rome, you all have had long and harrowing flights to get to Rome , we in turn will have a one and a half hour flight and will arrive rested and ready to go to the apple store to investigate the new ipad air which will hopefully be avaialble in MIami when we det there.

Spent last weekend in Venice for a family gathering and ipad stolen out of hotel room, hence the new one. Our turn for long flight back after spending 10 days in Sunny Isles after the TA.

will be stressing till we leAVE, am so ready for this trip after eight months of selling and buying a home which we took over the keys yesterday, handymen all lined up for renovations on our return, had to sign a POA for our lawyer to continue with the payments and regitering of property whilst we on vacation.:) phew talk about the eleventh hour!!!!

you all enjoy Rome with all its wonderful historic sights and not to forget the food, the people can be a touch rude and short, happens all over though where there are milions of tourists, had the pleasure of living there for 2yrs in one stretch, also have a brother and extended fam living there which we visit ocassionaly.

just shout if it should be I turn of the lights;)

I can have a communication sent to your stateroom if that would help. ;-)

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE network using Tapatalk 4 Pro

Wow now that is what I call service!!!!!!

Yes, if you would be so kind. I realise am pushing it , thank you.:D

Hey guys

Read with interest the various comments on travel companions on board a ship i.e. the über talkers, the domineering self appointed leaders, the Nationality blame game, the aloof, have encountered all of the above if I may add my two cents worth, for me the absolute get up my nose "Types" are "overtly rude queens" it costs nothing to be polite.

We enjoy cruising not only for the stops primarily though for the ship experience, meeting people from across the globe with different outlooks on what we understand as communication and culture. I hasten to add we are not looking to befriend each person we encounter or exchange a few words with, however if there is a mutual understanding of the universe look to foster yet another encounter.

To those who are flying out soon pleasant trip, we are leaving at the last minute with an overnight in Rome.

Hey there Walter

Thnx for organising the Qsine dinner have it chalked up in the travel calendar.

I hope that I remember to look at it everyday !!!!!!!

franz & ian

Hello...

 

I indicated in my previous postings that I would leave this invitation open through the end of this week. So far, there has been interest from a total of 12 persons. This will make for a nice sized group - not too small or too large. With that said, I will close this open invitation and work with those individuals that have communicated to me by email to provide their contact info, name and room number.

 

Thanks to all... and looking forward to dining with many more of you in Blu and other venues around the ship! :D

 

 

Hey Walter

 

As previously communicated a public thanks for your efforts.

 

Went over to the other roll call for a peruse, gave up speed reading after a few pages, wow!! Info overload.:confused:

i & f

no worries, there are still many many people in the lounge enjoying the atmosphere and fellow guests. there was even a good jazz ensemble in the lounge during the cocktail hours on last spring's reflection transat. the "chits", so called, are just a courtesy to those who might feel crowded crushed or claustrophobic if everyone was in the lounge.

 

john

Thnx for info John

Nothing like rubbing shoulders;) guess will have to wait en see no sense in speculating, as that is all it is

ian