Mezzaluna

I'm on Reflection right now. I've sailed on this ship at least 3 times and sad to say, in spite if the 2022 drydock, it looks a bit shabby in some respects. The upholstered furniture is worn and in some cases stained in public areas (ex.: outside Sushi on 5). Our cabin on deck 8 has peeling vinyl upholstery on the sofa and stained carpet. The closet doors barely slide. The decking on our veranda has bubble-like heaves. Time for a major repair job, folks. Happily the crew is as wonderful as always!

I stepped up to the machine, popped in my U.S. Visa card and without even noticing there was a visitor version of the Oyster Card, bought a regular one. Oh well... I've visited once since then and have topped it off several times. Easy-peasy.

Glad that worked out for you!

I've used Twelve Transfers in March 2017 from central London to Heathrow and plan on using them again for our cruise in July. They'll take us from Heathrow to London, and from London to Southampton sea port. They are priced very competitively, very professional, punctual, excellent service.

We've cruised twice on Oceania: a week on Regatta in the Mediterranean and 34 days in the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand on Marina, so I've been on both size ships. I liked Marina a bit more for the size, but the culinary center was amazing. I took three or four classes there plus a couple of excursions connected with the chef. We don't drink much except for an occasional glass of wine, but we took advantage of the specialty restaurants. We almost always sat with other people and enjoyed meeting others from all over the world. The cabin was wonderful and the bed.... heavenly comfort. Service was excellent.

Our first Azamara cruise was on the Quest in March of '16, the last voyage of that vessel before going to dry dock. The Asian itinerary was shortened by several days so that the ship could get into the dock sooner, but while we were on board, electricians and electronics technicians were already busy working in public areas. There was dust everywhere in the hallways and people lined up in the medical office with coughs. (Thank goodness I travel with my own asthma nebulizer and medication, because I needed it.) The crew were very apologetic about the conditions, and the company certainly compensated us for the inconvenience (discounts, onboard credits, etc.) but I have to say it was unpleasant. We took advantage of the offers to book a 13-day UK (golf) cruise this year for July on the Journey so I'm withholding my opinion until we complete that voyage. I do think the food wasn't as good as on Oceania- not even close. The fruits and vegetables (especially the fruit) were just plain terrible, right down to the limes in drinks. Since I'm not a pastry fan and rely on fruit as my dessert, this was very disappointing.

We took our tour of Hobbiton with Zealandier Tours (our guide was Pete). One other couple from our ship, Oceania Marina, was in the van with us.

Pete was an excellent driver and knew the vicinity very well. He suggested some possible additional stops on the way back to the ship, since the other couple added the tour literally at the last minute. Having flexibility like that was great.

The site has unpaved paths with uneven, sometimes a bit steep surfaces.

The tour included entrance to Hobbiton, a cold beverage at the Green Dragon, and a very nice "Hobbit-sized lunch" served family style. The meal included baked chicken, meatballs in sauce, green salad, vegetable slaw, bread and butter, potato salad... I've lost track! There was plenty of food. The facilities (including rest rooms) were clean and attractive, although not easily-accessible for people with mobility issues, as the woman of the couple is. But they managed.

The tour was $179 NZ per person. The company was very easy to work with and to communicate with. I would recommend them without reservation.

Merci, canuk.qc. We're hoping to get enough WiFi signal to use the Google Sky app, too. That would be great, as we won't recognize the constellations that far south. I thought the ship's lighting would be too bright at night for seeing much of the sky, so I assumed we'd need to get off the ship to see much of anything. For $100 US pp, I hope I'm wrong! But if that's what it takes to do this, that's what we'll do. :rolleyes:

No response from Philip as yet.

Thank you for the lead. I've contacted Moana tours and await a response. I have no idea of what a reasonable price for a 2-hour or so private tour would be. Can you give me some idea? We've never done anything like this before.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll dig around and see what I find. Do you have any experience with the hotels there or know of anyone else's?

We'll be overnighting soon on Oceania Marina at Bora Bora when the moon is very new, so the sky will be quite dark. The chance to see that many stars has been on my bucket list for a very long time.

Can anyone suggest how best to get away from the port and enjoy the celestial show? My husband and I also have concerns about safety; a known tour operator or guide would be preferred.

I usually eat like a diabetic when I cruise and find it easy to stick to plan. (It helps keep me from gaining too much weight.) Since we're going to go on our first multi-week cruise soon, this is a big concern.

I cruised on Oceania several years ago when I was in ill-health and was actually on blood sugar medications, which I no longer need. I found both the dining room and the other venues met my needs easily, and the staff were helpful in answering questions about ingredients, etc.

My TA has celiac disease and cruises frequently. I cruised with her once on Oceania and many times on Celebrity. She's never been sick any of the times I've traveled with her. I do have to note here, though, Celebrity and RCCL are superb in meeting the needs of people who have to eat gluten free. Fortunately, they're pushing the other lines in that direction. They're very accommodating and the menus all diners receive are coded for gluten, sugar, dairy and other food allergies. Best of all, the food is actually good.

My husband and I both use CPAPs and full-face masks. We use lightweight cotton mask liners called REMzzzs that greatly reduce the heat of the mask against your face. They have the added benefit of stopping the flapping sound the silicone sometimes makes, especially when your skin gets moist because of perspiration or excess humidifier moisture. They're the same price no matter where you buy them and are widely available on line. My husband uses them twice; I discard them after one use.

We always bring extension cords and also wide plastic tape to secure the cord across the carpeting so it's not a trip hazard. The ships' engineers are happier when they see this extra care taken for safety. We also carry them onboard the planes as others have noted. CPAPs are medical devices and don't count as carryon baggage. Neither of us needs our humidifiers, although I carried mine for years.

Incidentally, we discovered all water on cruise ships is distilled so you don't need to ask for distilled water especially for your humidifier. Since the water is desalinated, it's pure enough to use in your humidifier. (Otherwise we use Aquafina or other reverse osmosis water if we can't get distilled water.)

Enjoy your cruise!

We've booked a private excursion from Tauranga (Rotorura) to the Hobbiton movie set near Matamata for February 26 through Zealandier Tours. If anyone else is interested please contact me. My e-mail is mezzaluna@wi.rr.com .

The tour is about 5.5 hours. It's not stopping at the hot springs, just the movie set. I don't know if any other people are in the vehicle, but Oceania Marina is the only cruise ship in port that day so there are not other vessels bringing in crowds of people. Departure is 10 a.m., meet-up at 9:45. They guarantee return before sailing. The cost for two adults is $358 NZ and includes a box lunch.

Here's the link to this particular tour: http://www.zealandiertours.com/cruise-ship-visitor-tours-html/port-of-tauranga-rotorua-day-tours/hobbiton-movie-set-only/

I'm kind of zeroing in on Shore Trips and Tours. Does anyone have any information in favor or against this company? It's hard to get ratings, at least how I've been looking. I'm most concerned about reliability of vehicles and schedules so we don't miss our ship. It departs Tauranga at 7:45 PM.

We're from the U.S. and have used "debit" everywhere we've been in Western Europe and the Caribbean. We'll check with our bank and do as they recommend. At this point I believe they say to click "debit, or we'll be charged interest as if it were a short-term cash advance (a/k/a a loan). We have a small percentage charge for overseas transaction, but our card is at a level such that the fee is minimal.

I think it's best to check with the institution which issued the card. There's too much variation involved to make a generalization on something like this. Better safe than sorry. :)

The films are wonderful and I enjoy them tremendously. But the books still surpass them in my mind so far as characters and story are concerned. What gets me to put those DVDs back into the machine again and again is the landscapes, the scenery in which they were filmed. The music is outstanding, the actors are amazing (Ian McKellan, Christopher Lee especially, Bernard Hill, Sean Bean, Miranda Otto to name a few) but it's the landscape that brings me from Pewaukee, Wisconsin to your countryside.

If I'm lucky enough to be able to return, it'll be to visit by land and not by ship. Even though this cruise will take us to more ports than most cruise lines do, we won't see much of the interior, I know. We'll just have to come back. :)

Te Aroha, I have to say, it was beyond my expectations to find someone who lives so close to the site and who knows so much. Thank you for your help and insights!

Yes, we're docking at Tauranga. Our ship arrives at 8:45 AM and departs at 7:45 PM. I haven't booked a tour yet but expect to shortly.

As you can probably tell, I'm quite excited to visit. I first read the Tolkien books as a teenager in the '60s and was captivated. The films are wonderful in their own way, not the least for the otherworldly (to me) settings. Yes, there was an awful lot of computer generated background in the LOTR films, but when I saw "The Hobbit" and learned so much of the outdoor filming was actual New Zealand landscape, I resolved to visit and see the country for myself. It's the reason I sought out the cruise line I did (Oceania): because it makes more stops in NZ than any other international line I could find.

Yes, we're also going to The WETA Cave in Wellington when we're there as well. :)

We've been leaning toward Zealandia Tours but Flipper, your mention of Iain's experience here isn't reassuring, I must say. :confused: bconley we had considered the option of staying an additional day in Auckland if it was more accessible to reach Matamata from there, but after investigating, found Tauranga was the way to go. I'm happy to hear Te Aroha confirm that.

Now I'll have to save my pennies so I can hit the gift shop. I'd love to have one of those Leaf of Lorien pins....

I am a contrarian in that as soon as I get to my destination, I usually take a nap for an hour or so and then if possible, get out in the daylight (with sunblock, of course). It then takes me about a day to adjust.

This works very well for us too. We live just north of Chicago, and whether we travel to Europe or to Israel, this strategy works: take a one-hour nap, then get up and walk. Eat dinner, stay up at least until 10 PM, than sleep. Set the alarm for a normal wake up time and start enjoying your trip.

We're flying to your part of the world in January, first to Papeete then meandering gradually through Polynesia to Australia and then on to New Zealand. We're flying from Milwaukee to California and overnighting there (trying to outwit any possible snowstorms), then flying via Air Tahiti Nui the following day. We return from Auckland via Air New Zealand. We're biting the bullet and have bought business class seats. We have noise-cancelling headphones, are loading our tablets with movies and- I haven't seen this one yet- may use our CPAP machines on board. There are outlets, so it's possible. I suppose it's not the most stylish look, but we both sleep better (and much more quietly!) using them.

This thread makes very interesting reading. Thanks, everyone, for the great insights!

My husband and I will be sailing on Oceania Marina January 24 - February 28, 2015. We'll be visiting New Zealand and while there we'd like to see Hobbiton, the now-permanent film set used in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" movies, just outside Matamata.

We looked on the location's website http://hobbiton.centaman-apac01.net/Home/tabid/38/Default.aspx to try and find a way to reach it, since there's no excursion from the cruise line. Several companies were mentioned, and I'd like to know if anyone has experience with any of them. They are:

• Shore Trips and Tours
  
• Zealandia Tours
  
• Elite Limousines
  

I sent an email to Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, the company which runs the set location and the administrator (who answered almost immediately) mentioned only Shore Trips and Tours. Any information about visiting this place would be greatly appreciated. Zealandia Tours makes a point of guaranteeing a timely return to the ship, and the timing of the tour would confirm that (barring mechanical problems, of course).

Thanks in advance,

Ann

What beautiful photos! Reminiscent of our trip in September to Norway, yet clearly NOT Norway.

We're going to New Zealand (among other places) on our cruise this winter. I read the articles above with interest. I'm eager to find ways to see some locations from the Hobbit and LOTR movies primarily for the scenery, but I admit I wouldn't mind getting to Mata Mata to see "Hobbiton". We'll be on Oceania Marina and although the excursions aren't posted yet for our January sailing, I rather doubt they'll cater to interests such as mine.

If you or anyone else has any recommendations for how best to reach some of the more easily-reached locations (I am always in fear of missing the ship when hiring independent tours!!), I'd be happy to hear of them.

I'll begin by saying I haven't read the entire 5-year old thread. :o Also, although I don't have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, my dear friend (and travel agent) does. I've traveled with her many times and have learned a lot from her about how to enjoy cruising while eating gluten free. (I also love to cook and bake, so I've learned to bake some goodies for her as well.) She was diagnosed 7 years ago and cruises several times a year. She has NEVER been sick while cruising because she follows some of the advice I've read here, and also learned a few tricks of her own.

As has been noted, some lines are better than others at providing a happy culinary experience for GF customers. Some of the ships in a line are better than others, as I read of Driftwood's experience on RCCL's Jewel. Still, RCCL/Celebrity were better at it earlier than most of the rest. Their regular dining room menus, which everyone receives, are coded for gluten, lactose, sugar and vegetarian needs. Nice start.

Hats off to the member who advised starting your trip by choosing a particular table in the dining room and always eating there. I might also suggest befriending the maitre d' in that dining room FIRST. S/he can help select the best service team for you, the one who knows the dishes best and can tell you if the sauces and other ingredients are appropriate or not, as well as if that team is willing to ASK if they don't know. The maitre d' will know who's a little too lazy and might just say, "It's okay" and not understand that a little flour can cause a night of agony.

That maitre d' can also do things like help you get cheesecake for tomorrow night's dessert when GF cheesecake isn't a usual dessert item. Hey, if you don't ask, you don't get, right? Sometimes a dish that's not typically GF can be made GF if you ask, or can be ready for you the next evening. (Sometimes they just can't make it to their standards and will tell you "Sorry, no.") The maitre d' can also connect you with managers who can help you find out what's okay to eat at other venues on the ship, such as the poolside grills, etc. (The burgers are great! Don't miss the hot dogs, either.)

I've seen buffet managers escorting people in the buffets, pointing to appropriate dishes to enjoy, but it does take time and you have to be patient for the buffet. I do see GF waffles and pancakes offered at the buffet at breakfast on Celebrity ships. They're prepared on dedicated grills in the kitchen, not out front with the rest of the regular stuff. Same goes for the GF toast, etc.

This is Celebrity I'm talking about, because it's the only line I've witnessed operating like this. I can't say others might not as well. There's more to my friend's bag of tricks, but I've run out of time and you're probably getting eye fatigue if you held out this long.

I have to watch carbs too and test my blood sugar but don't take meds. (I tested four times a day for six years and for various reasons it's now twice a day.)

If you have real concerns about your meals, begin your cruise by having a chat with the maitre d' of the main dining room. Have him/her select a wait staff that is most helpful for diners who are watching their food and who know the menu best. Those are the people who can answer your questions about what's in a particular sauce, how something is prepared, etc. and who are willing to ASK when they don't know.

To be perfectly honest, some lines are better at this than some. I've seen this in action on one particular line most often, as my travel agent is a very good friend with whom I have cruised numerous times. One line is very responsive to dietary needs (food allergies like gluten, dairy, etc.) and even codes all its menus given to every diner at every meal; no one has to ask for the "gluten free menu" or the "diabetic menu". They also will honor most special requests and have made a commitment to continuing to improve culinary service for guests needing special dietary changes. I have personal experience with only one line, but I bet some others are trying as well. My friend has celiac disease and must eat gluten free. She has NEVER been ill on this line's ships.

As for myself, I've always had a great variety of delicious options in the main dining room and in the buffets and other venues because I've been at this for years and know what to choose and avoid. Once you're "at home" eating a healthy carb way, you'll see how really, really easy it is to eat well at sea.

Happy cruising!

I freely admit I haven't read all the posts since 2006 :eek: so I may be repeating others' opinions. As you can see by my signature I've cruised a bit and over a period of time. I, too, like Oceania's food a great deal, but I've become a fan of some of Celebrity's as well. It does vary from ship to ship, I must say. The best meal I've had on a Celebrity ship was in the Normandy restaurant on Celebrity Summit in 2012.

But I'll say they turn themselves inside out for people who have special dietary needs in terms of gluten free, etc. If you've sailed with them you know their menus are always coded for gluten, dairy, vegetarian, etc. My friend has celiac disease and cruises very, very frequently, sometimes as many as six times a year, mostly on RCCL and Celebrity. She has NEVER become ill. Yes, she's very careful and doesn't take chances. But that could mean she eats very plainly and doesn't enjoy meals. No true at all. She usually eats in the MDR, where the maitre d' works closely with her wait staff and the kitchen to make sure she gets nearly everything she asks for. She may get, say, cheesecake the next night (because it's not gluten free) but she can have it because all she has to do is ask. If they don't think they can make a dish on their menu gluten free to their standards, they won't serve bad food just because it's gluten free. Their weak spot as my friend sees it on Celebrity is the bread. She says RCCL has delicious bread, but for some reason, Celebrity's bread (they're the same company, mind you) isn't nearly as good. If she wants to go through the buffet, someone from management will come and take her through to assure her what's safe to enjoy. There, too, they'll make things for her. They offer GF breads, waffles and pancakes routinely at breakfast in the buffet, although you have to ask for them. They're trying hard to accommodate people.

Now if they'd just have a dependable supply of caffeine-free Diet Coke, I'd be a very, very happy passenger! :D

We were just on Celebrity Equinox (Solstice class) in Norway and have sailed on Solstice herself (eastern Mediterranean). They're big ships, no question. Good food, good service, good facilities. While on Equinox in September we looked at Australia-New Zealand itineraries. Since we are interested in having a fair number of New Zealand ports of call, the limited number of itineraries of any length were not what we wanted. If we were going to fly from the midwestern U.S. to the South Pacific, we wanted to have a rather extensive voyage. When we looked at the number and variety of options on Oceania, there was no comparison.

We booked the Spotlight on New Zealand 34-day Grand Voyage last night (Papeete - Auckland, January 24, 2015). We're eager to see the natural wonders and, I must admit, also the movie locations from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. We're unabashed fans. It was the scenery from the films that made me realize I should look seriously at traveling to New Zealand and Australia. Now that I've done more research, I can see these lands as places I'll want to visit repeatedly.

Steak on Majesty of the Seas, 4-day cruise in June, 2001. They looked like beef, tasted like liver, chewed like mush. :eek:

Bangers are English-style sausages, sometimes served with mashed potatoes ("bangers and mash").

They had them a couple of times on Coral Princess on our last cruise. They also had chorizo, regular link pork sausage and turkey link sausage.

Lox? Love it! I had some on Coral that was buttery-tender, Nova-style lox (as opposed to "belly lox", which is very much saltier).

I went to the dining room on our first day out to have the eggs benedict and experienced the same problem Carolyn mentioned: cold hollandaise. After that we went to the buffet. My favorite item there is pain au chocolat (croissant dough baked around chocolate). Mmmm! The bacon was particularly good this time out so I'm afraid I indulged in that quite a bit.