hallasm

Late name and first letter of my given name - using hallasm for all communities.

The company Flåm Utvikling has assumed responsibility for ticketing, but NSB (and others) is today selling tickets - If nothing has changes by June this year a ticket bought through NSB or any other provider than Flåm Utvikling is an open ticket. You might be asked for a specific departure - but you end up with an open ticket valid for two months. If the trains are fully booked you will not be able to get onboard with an open ticket! It must be validated by Flåm Utvikling ticket office!

Flåm Utvikling is obviously having other rules than NSB!

You cannot buy a ticket for a specific departure except at the ticket counter in Flåm - you can only buy open ticket at NSB, scandinavian Rail or other providers - not for a specific departure - this is the conditions when buying an open ticket:

"Please note that this is an open ticket and does not include seat reservations for a specific train or time."

"This open ticket will allow you to board any train with available seating on the Flåm-Myrdal route."

If no available seats at a sold out train you will not be able to enter the train.

If you have a smart phone and WiFi or data access, you can also buy the ticket through the NSB app. In that case you should be able to just go straight to the train. :)

When I did visit Flam in June, I did have a valid ticket, however i were denied access to the train and asked to get the ticket validated at the ticket office because the train was sold out.

I normally arrange shore excursions on my own - but for St. John i decided to go with a ship excursion - don't want to be late for the ship

Here is a short video from our January 2012 visit to St. John:

Here you will find a short video showing the Royal Family Suite at Vision - it's a little bit bigger at Grandeur - in addition there is a walk-in closet not shown in the video. Link:

If you do go, buy tickets on your own...much cheaper than Princess. .

Just be aware, that trains might be sold out - be early at the train station to buy tickets - I do not recommend to buy in advance at the web - tickets must be validated on busy days.

watch the short video from my trip in June this year:

Each new day - one day less

Three cruises booked - the countdown clock will show where and when

A friendly advice from a Norwegian: Be careful if you want to buy something here. The prices for basically everything is higher than most other places in Bergen.

Nice atmosphere - for the fish market - good being at a cruise - it's not allowed (or necessary) to bring food onboard - I also realized that canned fish were from Bornholm in Denmark.

The funicular as suggested above - and then don't miss Bryggen and the Fish market - easy walking from the port.

this is a very short Bergen video from my June visit:

I love St. Croix - I have visited the island four times - but I'm probably not the right to speak as a Dane since it which fascinates me is the Danish past - walking through Christiansted and Fredriksted and to visit Whim v and the Botanical Garden is a delight.

here are two short videos from my last visit - click at the link

Fredriksted:

Christiansted;

I have done two great Asia cruise - the first was RCCl from Shanghai with stops in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand with end in Singapore - the second was Celebrity from Singapore to Bali, Lombok, Komodo, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Phuket and then back to Singapore.

My recommendation is a one-way cruise visiting Vietnam and Hong Kong

There won't be a Concierge Lounge on Vision until after her Oct 2013 dry dock.

Thank you for the update - Here are some more detailed information.

When no Concierge onboard the Vision of the Seas, the Suite Coordinator will be the point of contact for special requests or needs.

Suite guest, are offered the following additional amenities and services :

• Exclusive Nightly Event in the Viking Crown Lounge (picture below) , Deck 11 from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm for Diamond, Diamond Plus, Pinnacle Members and Suite Guests. There is served complimentary wine, champagne, liquor, beer and fountain soda drinks.
  
• Luxury Bath Robes for use onboard, and upgraded bathroom amenities.
  
• “Suite breakfast with specialty coffees” in an exclusive part of the Aquarius Dining Room deck 5.
  
• In-Suite full Room Service experience (available when Dining Room is open)
  
• Reservations for Excursions, Salon & Day Spa appointments, etc.
  
• Arrangements for private parties (please provide 24 hours notice for this service).
  
• One Special Suite Cocktail party or brunch during the cruise
  
• Exclusive VIP seating areas for production shows.
  

I was just re-reading what you posted. I think you're saying there is a Concierge Club onboard. Is that correct? It didn't look like there was from the deck plans.

No - there is no Concierge Club as such - I do not know if there is a Concierge by now.

For breakfast an area in the MDR is reserved to Suite guests - nothing for lunch - but from 5pm to 8:30 pm an area in the Viking Crown lounge is reserved for Suite guests as well as C&A.

Enjoy you stay

Thank you for your reply - and you comment about walk.in closset missing in the video. Here is at least a picture of part of the layout.

I originally booked two balcony staterooms for our Norwegian Fjords Cruise from Copenhagen on Vision of the Seas.

When prices did drop I got the chance to convert the two balcony staterooms to a Royal Family Suite at no extra costs.

The Vision suite is 480 sq. ft. - two separate bedrooms with twin beds, two bathrooms (one with shower, one with bathtub) and a walk-in closet.

A nice sized living area with two chairs and double sofa bed, and then a 59 sq. ft. balcony. The Family Suite is ideal choice for four people, acceptable for six but can accommodate up to eight people.

Tour the

...or click on picture

The suites does vary in size for the different ships in the Vision Class:

480 sq. ft., balcony 59 sq. ft .on Vision and Rhapsody

486 sq. ft., balcony 58 sq. ft. on Grandeur and Enchantment

515 sq. ft., balcony 75 sq. ft. on Legend and Splendour

In addition you get the 'Enhanced Program for Suite Guests' including priority check-in, lounge access with complimentary drinks,

Hors d'oeuvres and petit fours, Priority tender tickets, Reserved prime seating in the main theatre, Continental breakfast served in a reserved area daily from 8am until 10am and more.

A minimum number of guests may apply for a reservation.

Vision Class of ships: Vision of the Seas; Grandeur of the Seas; Rhapsody of the Seas; Splendour of the Seas; Enchantment of the Seas; Legend of the Seas

You cannot do both - We did KL on our own - took the monorail/metro to China Town and walked back to

You can se a short videofrom our walking here:

.. or Click on picture

So some people say the dragons come down to the beach and tender dock, and others say not. Maybe they do sometimes and not others.... Will have to investigate further.

I would love to go to Komodo village, does anyone have any suggestions on finding a private tour, as there are only 2 ship tours on Millennium, both expensive, and both involving dragons?

Dragons are coming down to the beach in front of the ranger station - but they will not be at the pier - so a Kampung Komodo / Pink beach tour will be 'dragon free'.

You can not just buy a private tour - you can either buy the ship tour or check the roll-call section for the cruise and check if someone is organizing a private tour - might very well be.

Komodo tours are expensive - only few providers. The Kampung Komodo does include a donation to the school project in the Kampung - and number of participants very limited - will sell out early. Hence more expensive.

When I checked the 2015 schedule no tours available for Komodo at the Celebrity web - this year they did offer a Dragon Adventure Tour and a Kampung Komodo/Pink beach tour - the last one was 'dragon free'.

You will be a Komodo once in your lifetime - suggest that you join the ships Kampung/Pink Beach tour - but book early.

You ned to arrange a tour with an tour operator. When going to Pink beach you will depart from the jetty and you will not go to the beach the Komodo Park and you will not have any chance to meet any dragons!

An option is to go to Kampung Komodo and Pink Beach - completely 'Dragon free'

This is a short video from Kampung Komodo:

And you can also watch a video with the dragons:

No - you'll need to walk down the corridor and take the Elevator to deck 15

I just did a walking tour in Fredriksted.

join me in the short video:

Just be aware of rules and practices being different from country to country.

There might or might not be a fee associated with changes.

If you are used to cruise line that HAL and other you will not ind the same 'cruise standard' at Hurtigruten - I'm on a RCCL Norwegian Fjords cruise in June - considered Hurtigruten but found that dining, entertainment and cabin standard is different from what I do expect from 'cruise line standard'.

Thanks for the info do you have any info about the massages that are available on the beach that is something I would like.:)

Just go there and get the massage - I do not have any details info but a lot of 'tents' at the beach where you can get massage.

We just did Beno Bali (Celebrity Millennium)

- tendered (see my tendering video - link below).

I would expect that tendering is the only posibility for bigger ships at Benoa.

Visa was taken care of by the cruise line - I beleive we paid US$ 10 and going ashore was easy - apart for some problems with local tender boats.

Link to