Markanddonna

I discovered that on our last two cruises in 2022. On one, the other social media page had more postings and it was half and half this past November. We have somewhat backed away from being with strangers onboard the ship. We still enjoy dinner with others but meeting for drinks and games isn't on our agenda anymore. COVID was spread in the games CC group in April, and we learned from that experience (didn't participate in that activity.)

We find that booking small excursions with CC or the other groups is still a great benefit. I had no problem filling two vans of 15-16 people each in Ashdod, Israel. The other two excursions had one full van. Others who tried to get CC roll call folks interested weren't as lucky.  I don't think they made their minimum. 

I agree that I don't like posting my travel plans on social media.

13 hours ago, amygutman said:

We rather like booking our own excursions - our favorite is to find a local friendly looking taxi driver and ask him / her to show us their favorite non-touristy places to eat / sea for 2-4 hours and invite them to have a meal with us. Have had AMAZING experiences this way. 

We did that in Fiji and the young taxi driver invited us to his home. His grandmother served us tea and desserts. What a wonderful way to see how others live!

Would they put in the daily in the slot by the outside of your door?

It was like this for a twelve day eastern Med cruise in November. Excursions were few until about 60 days before. That probably caused folks to book privately.

I agree about breakfast in Taste. Quiet, very few passengers, attentive, and you avoid unhygienic behaviors at the buffet. 

7 hours ago, iuki said:

To avoid Shabbat, I’ll check the itinerary to be sure we’re not in Jerusalem on Friday and Saturday!  😂  I enjoyed your post.

Actually, experiencing Shabbat is very interesting. We stayed in an ultraorthodox area of Western Jerusalem and it was like a ghost town on Shabbat. Find things to do, like the museum, and observe the locals walking to attend services. No cars, buses, taxis or trains!  If desperate, YOU can get an Arab taxi driver, but Jews can't. Just do your research on how to prepare.

We have a one way SW flight in mid January- nonstop to FLL from CMH. While it is likely that SW will have things close to normal by then, we are looking to book a flight on Spirit that same day Jan 18) and change our current SW flight on Jan 18 to the next day(19). The cost of the flights have decreased significantly, therefore the financial motivation to change. We will go on the Spirit flight if it takes off on the 18th and then cancel the SW flight and get the credit for future travel (credits no longer expire.) 

The scenario again:

Current flight SW on Jan 18

Change SW flight to Jan 19

Book Spirit flight on Jan 18

If we take off successful on Spirit, cancel the SW flight on Jan 19 and get the credit.

Does anyone see any pitfalls in our logic besides the opinion that Spirit is not the greatest?  We prefer SW with the two bag policy, but have lost confidence in them. Also, we are concerned the government is going to start to dictate things to SW and that never goes well. 

Travel Agents are supposedly great until they are not. That is why we manage our own bookings.

I called NCL premium air and they only allow the two day pre and post deviation but will customize for a fee which they said is likely equivalent to my booking my flights independently. So, the second person flying free deal doesn't work in this scenario.  I can't see why I would want to book through NCL because everything would be over the phone.

I like to see my dates, times and flights like Air2Sea on Royal or Celebrity allows. Celebrity is allowing me to do a two week post cruise deviation out of a very different city.  The cost for two from CMH- TPA and then WAW to CMH is just over $1,100. The flights are great and with the fewest connections.

Where do you find this program. Here is there regular program and I don't see an premium offered.https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards

2 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

In general, I would think that using it to fly home can make better sense.  Let's face it, NCL's 2 day deviation can easy turn into only a day and a half and when you arrive you can be so jet lagged that you can't even truly enjoy the little time you are getting for sightseeing.  I wish they would extend the deviation to more days because I know the savings can be substantial.   

Celebrity and Royal's air is so superior. For an upcoming trip, I have a two week deviation out of a distant city.  I knew the days, flights, times, airlines, and dates when I booked.  

1 hour ago, Travelling2Some said:

We always have this problem so we have never used the cruise-lines' airfare deals.  I don't like flying and, once I've endured the flight and the expense to get somewhere interesting, two days to see the place is just not going to cut it.  We also will only take non-stops so I don't want to risk NCL booking us with connections.

I agree. Only looking at NCL flights for a more detailed and expensive trip is sort of penny wise and pound foolish. Pay a few hundred more to get the trip you really want.

Ncl only allows a two day pre or post cruise deviation. So, you can do the first part one way, but not the second. We had that issue on a recent cruise with wanting to spend a week post cruise and so booked independently.

I have been on two cruises with Israel's ports as a destination and I don't recall the ship offering shuttles into any town. Ship excursions, but not shuttles. Someone said it is part of Israeli law that ships must provide shuttles to the town areas they dock in. What is the real story?

This topic was discussed on "Ask a question."  We noted it was true on our November cruise when there were absolutely NO shops open at all. They changed vendors and every item had been removed. A new vendor opened up the shops about a week later and only personal care items were available: diapers, sanitary products, toothpaste, deodorant. Nothing medicinal.

It appears they want everyone to go to the medical center and not self medicate COVID, the flu, RSV, etc.

2 hours ago, kurdav said:

I must have been sleepy when I did online check in.   DH has a 9:30-10:00 check in and I have a 10:00-10:30.   Weill we be both be able to enter the check in area at say 9:45 or will I be forced to wait until 10:00?   Last cruised 10 years ago and I don't remember picking a check in time then.   

Same thing happened to me on the Epic in Nov. They never checked.

13 hours ago, 90scruzer said:

@ontheweb - why not to visit virgin mary's house?   It's one of the places i wanted to go, but missed.

I'm not ontheweb, but I have been to the Virgin Mary's House in Ephesus/Kusadasi. I'm glad I went just so that I could give a first hand, experienced answer. 

If you are a Roman Catholic who tends to believe in traditional stories involving visions rather than solid history and archaeological proof, you might enjoy the site. The background on the site: a nun in 1800s Germany had a vision of where the Virgin Mary's house was in Ephesus. Note that this nun had never been to Turkey. Decades later, a team of researchers dug in the area and found a small house they claimed was the House of the Virgin Mary. There was no indication it was Mary's house. So, now it is venerated, where you can buy holy water and souvenirs.

Those who understand archaeology know the concept of a tel where layers of civilizations are buried on top of one another. Many areas in the Middle East are like that; build, grow successful, get conquered or wiped out by natural causes, and then another group comes along and builds on top of the rubble.

The only facts we know for sure is that the Apostles John and Paul converted many people in Ephesus (according to the book of Acts.) Since Mary was entrusted to the care of the Apostle John, many guess she followed him to Ephesus. The problem is that John didn't go to Ephesus until about 70 AD (probably after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.)  By that time, Mary would have been 80-90 years old. Also, the earliest sources claim that Mary died in Jerusalem. It comes down what you choose to believe. Personally, I believe she died shortly after Jesus' death somewhere in Jerusalem because she isn't mentioned in the book of Acts after the scene in the Upper Room in Acts 1:14. 

12 hours ago, bseidman88 said:

Did you do one of the ship tours and if yes which one?  (any good?) or Did you just walk around Fira most of the day and then return to ship? We are there end of Oct 2023 as part of our cruise stop. 

 

We took a tour with Marinakis Tours in Santorini. We had a group of about 15. We tendered off the ship together, walked to the cable car, and then met the guide at a hotel near the top. There, we got in a van and were taken to various locations around the island. Most wanted to see the sunset, which was about 5:00 PM in early November. The lines for the cable car were negligible in both directions.  I don't know of anyone personally who took the donkey path, but understand it is pretty treacherous in the dark. The reports are that the steps slant down and any "moisture" causes the steps to be tricky. I've read reports that the trip down can take far longer if those conditions are present.  

I took a very interesting tour that covered Caesarea Philippi, the Nimrod Fortress, Safed (disappointing), and other stops such as Katzin and some that covered Israel's history. It was with Bein Harim which I would not recommend because of our horrible guide/driver.  See if other tour companies might cover this area. There is no public transportation up there (only local buses.)  

You didn't mention going to Jerusalem. We stayed there for several days basing our hotel to the west of the old city.  We walked most everywhere.

2 hours ago, mpk said:

 

Hmmm  does that suggest that there are people hanging around there trying to charge for the free showers?

 

Thanks for your posts, a lot of great info.

No, the showers are out in the open. The changing rooms and restrooms in the public area leave a lot to be desired. There was no one around wanting to charge anything. The hotels to the north are private beaches. There weren't a lot of people swimming. You are cautioned not to be in the water more than 15 mins.  Some people told us that the salt and mineral content hurts the entire skin area. Everyone we were with said it wasn't a problem. I imagine if you have a cut or open wound that your skin would be irritated. These "experts" also said that the minerals were very hard to get off your skin. That also proved to be an exaggeration. 

That review was very informative and generally accurate. A few things to note:

Because that review is so old, some things have changed. The guy in charge at GTI is Leo and the procedure to interview ship passengers is no longer onboard the ship.  It happened THE MORNING OF OUR FIRST EXCURSION.  We didn't know that until two days before Ashdod.

Yardenit is not the authentic site of Jesus' baptism. The site considered the most reliable by most Christian communities is Bethany on the Jordan which is being redeveloped. It was severely damaged during the wars in the 1960s and 70s and couldn't be used. Jordan is spending millions on developing it to make it appealing for pilgrims. Personally, I would ask to skip Yardenit. It is owned by a local kibbutz and very commercial.

Mount Tabor is the "traditional" site of the transfiguration, but Mt Herman is a likely candidate. The events just before the transfiguration happened at Caesarea Philippi (now Banias) and Mount Herman is close by.

While in Capernaum, be sure to appreciate the dark basalt stones below the white synagogue ruins. This was likely the synagogue where Jesus preached, revealing himself with the Isaiah scroll.

Most people don't research swimming in the Dead Sea and are surprised by the sink holes, sharp rocks, and rather icky restrooms. Our group came prepared with swim shoes, terry cloth washcloths and a towel. Also, there is a modern shopping center just north of the public beach. They have a very nice, modern restroom.  Shower at the Dead Sea, but know this facility is available and free.

I would recommend anyone whose cruise ends in Israel to stay a few days and base themselves in Jerusalem. Find a centrally located hotel. We stayed at one on Hillel St and could easily walk to the old city and the Israel museum.  It also had a refrigerator and microwave which helped during Shabbat. One couple at a big hotel told us the cafe workers wouldn't make coffee for them because it involved pushing a button (that's forbidden on Shabbat.)

Take a taxi to the top of the Mount of Olives and walk down, go west in the Kidron Valley and walk to the City of David.  Take a lunch break and visit the Old City. Google maps worked great there!

If you are there on Shabbat and never experienced it, be prepared. We were there in the middle of November and things were closed pretty much from 2:30 Friday to some shops and restaurants opening at 7:30 PM.  A long stretch if you aren't prepared. While Shabbat doesn't officially close until sundown, the shop and restaurant owners have to figure in the time it take to close down and prepare and get home before the candles are lit. You see a lot of stressed out folks everywhere. Shabbat when there is more daylight would be less stressful for visitors.

There isn't much to do on Shabbat in Jerusalem, but the open Israel Museum was a sensational day. We walked there. Keep in mind Google maps take you to a cliff but there is an elevator there. But not on Shabbat because that means pushing a button!  It was locked, so we had to figure out a plan B. Fortunately, Google maps adjusted and we found our way. 

An ambulance at the port when first docking in the morning is common. The ship won't typically let you know because of privacy unless it affects the sailing. I have been told what was going on by "reliable witnesses and other passengers."

I agree with the OP. Anything less than a seven day tends to attract partiers who are often locals wanting catch a very cheap cruise last minute. Some pack 4 in a cabin, making the ship seem much busier than usual. 

For those who want to sample cruising this way, it might more turn you off to the nicer aspects of cruising. My longest cruise was a TP for 23 days- about two days too long.

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I loved it; have visited it several times. 

 

I especially enjoyed climbing up to the rooftop (separate ticket) and getting to see the gargoyles and the bells up close, not to mention the stupendous view. I also happened to be up there at noon when the bells ring -- definitely something I consider one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences. 

 

Once when we were there over the week between Christmas and New Years, you could go inside and see an exhibit of all kinds of creches/nativity scenes from the very humble to the fancy. Again, very interesting and something that has stayed with me.

 

I've seen many of the spectacular cathedrals and churches of the world. I'm one of those who love to visit churches. My favorite was a small wooden church built in the 1400s in se Poland. Many of the walls were painted with scenes from the Tartar invasion.

On 5/14/2022 at 10:37 PM, dolittle said:

Love Europe but Paris did not move me like other places in Europe . My wife was dying to see the Eiffel Tower. So glad I did it was way better than I would have thought . Got up way early still waited well worth it. 

I just don't get the hype of Paris and I was there before the Notre Dame fire.