Gilly

Thanks @RachelG! I really enjoyed your choice of excursions too. Nice choices!

Sending good wishes and positive thoughts but mostly hoping you feel better soon @asnaleah

@RachelG shame - we didn't plan that one too well, did we?! Hopefully next time!!

@RachelG I agree...though I think it might be the one before? 🤔 We leave Tokyo around the 13th March? We're just booking hotels and sorting out the details.

We are also on a Tokyo-Tokyo round trip next March (maybe the same one as you @RachelG?) We plan to build some independent travel around it using a Japan Railpass, which we have done several times previously and highly recommend. The last time we were in the country was pre-pandemic Regent cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver in 2019, which I blogged about at the time here. I write my blog for myself and my family so keep it going - though of course, there's more to write about when we are travelling! A "cruise" tab on the menu soon sorts out the relevant posts though 😉

Rachel, I'm pleased you shared the experience of the new terminal, where Splendor was berthed last November too. It is indeed a stiff walk to reach the exit and our pleas to take the shortcut to avoid the Duty Free shop (there was an open door which would have cut the walk by half) were denied on every occasion 😒 But we, too, had a great tour whilst in the city and felt really happy that the excursions cater so well for those of us who are already familiar with Istanbul. I will note the evening tour for "next time"!! (Our recommendation is the Go Local tour of Beyoglu and Moda, btw)

Excellent advice, @flossie009 !

One reason we always try to remember to request hot food is served on a hot plate.

I echo the comments above and add my sincere condolences, @RachelG I had read the news but made no connection until now. Hope your travels allow you some time to reflect and recover.

The situation regarding the health requirements of individual countries and the associated paperwork is ever changing and having experienced the need to complete additional forms at last minute ourselves (whilst travelling independently and not on a cruise ship), I understand the stress that arises from such things. However, I am firmly of the belief that it's far better to have a form completed to the best of my ability ready and accessible to whoever requests to see it than to be tripped up and have my travel plans upset because of some small condition I failed to fulfil. I do not believe for one minute that "they take great pleasure in having their passengers jump through hoops" @FengShui@Sea, but advise according to the best information available at the time and given the number of people involved, wisely err on the side of caution. Incidentally, the forms we were advised to complete on the night before we travelled (by an email from the Spanish immigration service) were never requested either. C'est la vie right now.

I seem to remember (but can't be precise) that one of the sockets by the dressing table on Explorer/Splendor has a "hairdryer" label above/below it. Though I always plugged the hairdryer in at that point (because I'm that sort of person) I never asked why or if I could use it elsewhere! @FengShui@Sea is correct in saying there's nowhere nearby to store it - I usually ended up winding the cable around the hairdryer and tucking it tidily under the table, ready for next time. Not a particularly good solution but at least it was a powerful dryer and I'd trade that for the ease of use that comes with one of those dreadful bathroom fitted dryers any time. I'll look back in my photos to see if I have any reminders of how it was...I'll edit this post if I find something. (That was Explorer PH in 2017...)

I frequently order an espresso coffee, a scoop of ice cream and occasionally a shot of something interesting (!) as an affogato alternative to dessert too!

An alternative to bunting? I once had to wash a pair of Indian churidar (those very loose fitting cotton trousers which fit tightly around the ankles) - a long story...but anyway, my hero suggested I offer them to the Captain to hang from the mast somewhere as they would make a very effective mainsail 😎