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Everything posted by gnome12
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I remember reading something. The UK used to do this (and maybe still do); they would add the extra time to the new passport. Then, post Brexit, Schengen was giving them issues about passports with greater than 10 year validity, and people were being denied entry.
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If you look at a map of the trip and see little black lines coming off the river, that indicates that there is probably a bus involved. The current problem is due to the proliferation of river boats, even if there is docking in the centre of town you might be relegated to a more distant dock. This can also happen in high or low water situations.
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Booking the train for this year on Norway's Best began in mid-December of 2023. The timetable for 2025 should be available here some time in December (look for R45 in red near the bottom of the list of trains) https://www.vy.no/en/traffic-and-routes/times?item=2893#item-96c83897df82 Trains were available on Norway's Best a few days after the schedule was posted. Don't worry if you get a message that all trains are booked and to choose another date. Just keep checking daily and they will appear. Book fast. However, some train times will show as sold out. They may be not have any allocations from vy.no because they have been allocated to the cruise companies.
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Westjet International flights - how was your experience?
gnome12 replied to debfed65's topic in Canadian Cruisers
Are you sure that the flight is operated by Westjet? Perhaps it is a code share flight. -
Review of Silver Dawn - Norway. August 02-12, 2024
gnome12 replied to goldengatecruisers's topic in Silversea
Just book any excursions right away. Then, if they change from included to select you will be grandfathered in (unless there is a major change to the itinerary - at SS's discretion of course). You can always adjust them later. You don't pay for any extra cost excursions until just before the excursion departs. -
Review of Silver Dawn - Norway. August 02-12, 2024
gnome12 replied to goldengatecruisers's topic in Silversea
The times will change closer to the departure date. For popular tours there will be a number of different departure times. However, for my cruise I don't think there were really any new excursions added later, just more departures of the same excursions. The only exception was, of course, where they changed the port. -
I only found the information once we boarded. I don't know if there is any other way.
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Personally, I would much rather get a regular cabin with no or small single supplement than a single cabin which, from what I have seen (mostly on ocean cruises) are very small. Most river cruise cabins are already fairly small.
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Which Fjords ports to self-tour vs. excursion?
gnome12 replied to CruiseMelissa's topic in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea
For me, the highlights to see in Kirkwall (or rather outside of it) are Skara Brae and Maeshowe. You would need either a ship sponsored or locally provided excursion to get to them. -
I think the “otherwise” meant not returning through Dublin.
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Line most likely to have table for two for dinner
gnome12 replied to Breckski's topic in River Cruising
Or mushrooming supply? -
Line most likely to have table for two for dinner
gnome12 replied to Breckski's topic in River Cruising
Me too. However if at a table for 6 I prefer it to be a round table rather than rectangular; to me it works better for conversation. -
The days are fairly short. Days can be cold and rainy or nice. You would need to be prepared for anything. In most places I think you would be too early for Christmas markets.
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Question re timing of theater entertainment on Silver Shadow
gnome12 replied to AtlantaCruiser72's topic in Silversea
I can't speak for the Shadow. On the Dawn in June almost everything started at 9:45. For my 8 pm reservation in Silver Note I let them know that I needed to leave and was OK. Some friends of mine arrived a little later, and they never made it to the show; they were still waiting for their mains when I left. I had no problem getting to shows arriving in Atlantide or SALT Kitchen at about 7:15-7:30. They also had a few shows start at 6:15 because some people complained that the shows were on too late. -
Viking travel insurance vs. choosing own insurance
gnome12 replied to Janie1229's topic in River Cruising
CFAR is generally built into a policy. It is either there or it isn't. I don't think you usually select it like an option. Its terms will be listed in the cancellation section. There are covered reasons for cancellation (where you get 100% back in cash) and other reasons. If there is coverage for other reasons it is CFAR. Generally less than 100% (on a stand-alone policy) it could be up to 100% on a cruise line policy but the benefit is paid as FCC not cash. -
Canadian Websites to learn how to maximize travel points
gnome12 replied to skatie's topic in Canadian Cruisers
Try looking at https://www.rewardscanada.ca -
Canadian Websites to learn how to maximize travel points
gnome12 replied to skatie's topic in Canadian Cruisers
That was what I thought until my last flight from Frankfurt on Lufthansa. I found myself with a fare code that didn't qualify for points. I had booked it directly on the Air Canada website (I chose it because it was the most convenient departure time) and nothing ever said that it didn't qualify for points. -
Are there any bottled waters in the restaurants?
gnome12 replied to MarkWiltonM's topic in Silversea
There are still 2 bottles, but they are now refilled with filtered water. The same is served in all the restaurants. I don't think that any bottled water was available in the restaurants. -
I was on a Silversea included excursion so it wasn't an issue for me. I don't know what the panorama bus tour does, or how many buses they might have available.
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Canadian Websites to learn how to maximize travel points
gnome12 replied to skatie's topic in Canadian Cruisers
And I hated them for it. Expedia doesn't show all the possible air classes, for example. And you aren't even on the actual Expedia site; you are stuck with Expedia for TD, which actually doesn't show all the same choices. -
The Næroyfjord cruise is already all-electric and zero-emissions. But after 2025 you won’t be able to get to Flåm on a regular cruise in order to take it. And I believe it is still unclear whether regular cruise boats will be able to access Hellesylt either.
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I can't answer most of it, but here are my comments. I know you probably think that this will be your only trip to Norway. However, cruising to Flåm and Geiranger will be very limited after 2025. The same is not true for Olden and Loen. So that might influence your decision. I went in June. The weather at Geiranger and the sail-in was lousy, foggy and damp or rainy. Despite that I enjoyed the sail-in from the ungodly hour of about 5 am. However, when we went to Flydalsjuvet there was very little visibility. At the top of Mount Dalsnibba there was absolutely none. Flåm, on the other hand, was a glorious day, and I very much enjoyed the Næroyfjord cruise in lovely sunshine. The 2 areas looked totally different because the skies were different. I didn't go to Olden, so can't comment on that.
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If both Hellesylt and Geiranger are on the itinerary, then Hellesylt is usually just a technical stop for people doing an overland tour to Geiranger and the ship only stops to let those passengers off and continues on to Geiranger. Check your scheduled times. Personally I would recommend the second option which goes to both Flåm and Geiranger.