Mimosa09

One more question, is there a list on Cruise Critic that describes what all the abbreviations that different people use mean? I have figured out several of them, just would like to be accurately decipher them all. ;) I have not figured out JMHO yet.

 

I really appreciate the knowledge that everyone shares here. Thank you all so much.

 

Karen

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_acronyms

Karen - try this link. It should take you to a page of acronyms & what they mean here on CC.

-Rose

No.

 

Your cruise was in 2009 before they started the free soft-serve and eliminated the buffet ice cream hour.

:-( Oh well, it's calories I don't need. Soft-serve is NOT real ice cream to me.

-Rose

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I didn't see it listed on this 'Secrets' thread, but back in the day, free scooped ice cream was available with cookies at the Horizon Court 3:30-4:30. Maybe this has gone the way of many freebies ;-(

I saw this on the Diamond on our NZ-AU cruise. On the same ship on the Alaska cruises we didn't see this. So does it depend on the itinerary?

-Rose

Versailles is huge! I don't know how it could be done in less than 6 hours (we arrived at 9:15 and didn't leave until almost 3 while spending next to no time inside. Nor did we see the Grand or Petit Trianon). But it's definitely easy to do for less than $80USD !!:D

Well, $80 is less than what Vantage wants to charge $129:eek:!

I think you got a good tour doing it on your own & even if it was just the gardens - so much to see is right. As we saw Versailles back in 1974 we may pass on that optional tour. I'm interested in the Louve tour as we missed that on our '74 trip.

Some small group tours are worth it & some are not. We really liked our private tour of the Vatican (just 4 of us) 10 yrs ago. The tour guide was well versed in tile paintings which there are so many of at the Vatican. There was huge crowds, but we didn't feel crushed. We learned so much and got some decent pictures.

-Rose

don't forget a corkscrew :) they don't usually have them to loan.

Love the pdf on all the secrets! Thanks CulverCity!

As a way not to forget the corkscrew - just put one in each suitcase you own as standard equipment, then it's always there. I put other "standard" equipment in that upper compartment of the suitcase so I don't forget them like Q-tips, scissors, banaids, etc. You know what you want. Just remember NOT to do that on carry-on suitcases.

-Rose

Thanks again for continuing on with your postings. One of the reasons we reserved a French river cruise is for the wines. We have been to many wine tastings :D (loved the ones in New Zealand & Australia!) & look forward to being educated on the french ones.

Thanks for posting the wine list. Although we are not cruising with the same company you did, it does give us an idea of what to expect. Hope your car gets charged up soon.

-Rose

So sorry to hear about the disappointing tour at Versailles. I am imagining that there was such a crush since it is summer? Anyone? I was able to see Versailles many moons ago, but missed out on the Louvre.

Just wanted to let you know that we booked a cruise similiar to your itinerary for May 2014 on one of the Vantage's ship - ms Discovery II. Someone here on this thread confirmed that Tauck is wonderful but it is a bit pricey. Kept going btx AMA & Vantage - Vantage finally won out with their "personal travel guide specially prepared for...." and their online videos. I'm sure AMA is wonderful from the great reviews they get here on Cruise Critic. Maybe someday we will find out personally ;).

Thanks for your help in making our decision. Enjoying your pictures and thanks also for selling my husband on the whole concept! Hope the next tour will be more pleasant.

Will also write down the names of the Paris restaurants you are visiting :)

-Rose

Just received notification that we are being offered $200pp as a good will gesture from GCT for the interruption to our sailing schedule. Valid for 2 years.

Considering some of the other river cruising threads I have been reading, this sounds like a nice offer.

I have been following a thread labeled "Europe River Cruising worst ever company". What that poor couple from Australia went through sounded awful:eek:!

Long story short - They spent $16,000 on a 14 day cruise (only cruised 7) and they are being sent a check for $550. They haven't received the check yet since it went to the wrong address.

The best remark I have read regarding a river cruising company is "A true measure is not what happens when things go well, but when things go bad".

Thanks again for all the pictures and daily reports. It has been extremely helpful in deciding what we may be doing next spring.

-Rose

Thanks for posting this thread about your trip. The photos are wonderful! We are considering this itinerary, just not sure which company to go with (Tauck, Vantage or AMA). Your pics of the food have been quite helpful selling my husband on the idea (such a foodie!), however your mosquito bite has confirmed his fear of bugs getting on a river boat:o. Wonder if there is a mosquito problem in April or May? Anyone know?

Glad to hear you were able to continue on with your trip after they resolved the lock problem. Love all the pictures of what you are seeing too. I am also intrigued with the idea of eating at the various host families along the way. Really nice!

Thanks again for posting this thread - so helpful!

-Rose

The two times I got a free upgrade was when I traveled with my mom (she is in her 80s). First time, I booked an OV & we got a balcony cabin (BA category)! The second time was going from a BD to a BA. I think we got upgraded because she is elderly. We also got free appetizers. They were in the room when we arrived. I try to send them back & was told to enjoy them :-).

- Rose

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BCS?? What event is this?

- Rose

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A taxi will cost about $30 plus tip, from airport to Il Lugano, and a little less to port.

Yes, I have figured that out from all your wonderful info you have been posting. Believe me, I have actually read most of the posts (starting back in May) and have gotten a lot of wonderful info to consider from you. I have sent for info thru the Sunny website - map & vacation playbook.

We will be cruising on HAL until the 17th - take a taxi to Il Lugano from the port, spend the night - washing some things since they have the laundry facility in the room. Then leave for the Oasis on the 18th. Unless we find someone to share the limo with (& if they still offer it!) we will take a taxi back to the port. I will look up the taxi number that you have repeatly given on this thread. Thanks so much for all your help and info. I will continue to read this thread until our cruises in January :).

-Rose

Tried 3 times to book 3.5-4 star Ft. Lauderdale Beach area up to $99 but no luck on Priceline. January 6th 2014. Anyone else trying for this time frame? I see others have gotten good deals for other dates. Sad for me. :(

Having never done this yet, but following this thread, I hope you get lucky. We will be trying for Jan 5th. Haven't had the time yet to sit down, study it and attempt it. Good luck! I'll be reading :).

-Rose

Is it easy to get a taxi from most FLL hotels to the port? We are leaving on 1/20/2013 for a 2/1 cruise and will take a taxi from the airport to the hotel but wondered if we need to make prior arrangements for transportation from the hotel to the port? Our hotel Il Lugano Suites does not offer transportation.

I find this interesting since we booked this back in May for a night in January 2014 (1/17/13). When DH called them, they quoted him a price of an expensive limosine ($45) to get us to port. We plan to get a taxi.

-Rose

Alcoholic Beverages Brought on Board

Except for wine and champagne, alcoholic beverages

purchased in the ship’s stores or otherwise brought on the

ship cannot be consumed on the ship. Bottles and other

containers will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to

your stateroom on the last day of the voyage. The ship’s stores

sell liquor for take-home only at reduced tax-free prices.

These purchases will be delivered to your stateroom on the

last day of the voyage. A corkage fee of US$18.00 (subject

to change) applies to wine and champagne brought to the

restaurants or bars for consumption. In-Room Dining offers

reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom

consumption of alcoholic beverages. (A 15% Service Charge

on all beverage items and packages with beverages will be

added.)

This is what I printed up from the "What you need to know" sometime btx May 26th - June 24th when I was completing the online-check-in documents.

Alcoholic Beverages Brought on Board

Each guest 21 years and older may bring one bottle of wine or

champagne (no larger than 750ml) onboard in their

carry-on luggage at the beginning of the voyage. Guests

are not allowed to bring beer, boxed wine, or other liquors

and spirits onboard. Holland America Line reserves the

right to remove all alcoholic beverages from guest luggage

that violates this policy. Any alcoholic beverage found

will be removed and returned on the last evening of the

voyage. Guests will not receive any monetary compensation

for alcoholic beverages that were removed from luggage.

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of calls or

from onboard shops will be stored and returned on the last

evening of the voyage. A corkage fee of US$20 (subject

to change) applies to wine and champagne brought to the

restaurants or bars for consumption. In-Room Dining offers

reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom

consumption of alcoholic beverages (a 15% Service Charge

on all beverage items and packages with beverages will be

added).

Guests who violate any of our alcohol policies (e.g., attempt

to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check

points or any other time, provide alcohol to guests under age

21, over consume, or demonstrate irresponsible behavior),

may be denied boarding or may be disembarked at their

own expense.

This is what I printed up earlier today from the "What you need to know" today.

In an effort to standardize our policies with industry practices, Holland America Line has adopted the following policy regarding guests bringing alcoholic beverages on board their cruise, effective on sailings departing on or after January 31, 2014:

Each guest 21 years and older may bring one bottle of wine or champagne (no larger than 750ml) onboard in their carry-on luggage at the beginning of the voyage. Guests are not allowed to bring beer, boxed wine, or other liquors and spirits onboard. Holland America Line reserves the right to remove all alcoholic beverages from guest luggage that violates this policy. Any alcoholic beverage found will be removed and returned on the last evening of the voyage. Guests will not receive any monetary compensation for alcoholic beverages that were removed from luggage. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of calls or from onboard shops will be stored and returned on the last evening of the voyage. A corkage fee of US$20.00 (subject to change) applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption. In-Room Dining offers reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom consumption of alcoholic beverages (a 15% Service Charge on all beverage items and packages with beverages will be added).

Guests who violate any of our alcohol policies (e.g., attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time, provide alcohol to guests under age 21, over consume, or demonstrate irresponsible behavior), may be denied boarding or may be disembarked at their

own expense.

Updated: 07/29/2013

And this is what is posted under FAQ - Shipboard Life - Onboard Policies - separate part of the website - not in the "What you need to know" pdf file. An obvious response to passengers complaints & questions.

I am assuming I can go with the first paragraph (policy) until January 31st, 2014. Certainly glad I copied it when I did. Will bring it with me in January to Ft. Lauderdale.

-Rose

Mid-July, I started the process of online check-in. When I agreed to the contract, this is the Alcohol policy I agreed to:

"Except for wine & champagne, alcohol beverages purchased in the ship's stores or otherwise brought on the ship cannot be consumed on the ship. ......A corkage fee of US$18.00 (subject to change) applies to wine & champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption......"

I guess I thought the corkage fee was "subject to change", not the whole alchohol policy!!:eek:

As others have stated, it would have been nice to phase in the policy!

I haven't made the final payment yet (Oct is when it's due), but after looking at the option of "jumping ship" for a different cruiseline - it is going to cost us more. We have a second cruise to follow the HAL we booked, plus we booked our flights there & back. This is our first HAL cruise and we are not having warm fuzzy feelings so far. The itinerary is still the most appealing to us. We decided to just pay more for mediocore wine rather than cruise a mediocore itinerary.

-Rose

We really enjoy a glass of wine each evening before dinner on our balcony. In addition to the new wine ruling, HAL has discontinued something else we love. They have are not having bridge directors on most cruises. I am a stockholder and don't understand their reasoning as having bridge available doesn't cost them much money. Guess they only want to have things available they can bill to our accounts.

Guess there is more than one change in their policy. Guess we should read the "what you need to know" docs now to see what else changed.

-Rose

Just spoke to HAL in Australia, they were as shocked as I was, they hadn't even been told of the change themselves. My phone call was the first they heard of it.

 

It really impacts on us, my DH and I had booked our New Zealand trip, which is past final payment, on the premise that we could buy interesting NZ wines in Port to bring back on the ship. We can't do that now, and the HAL wine list is appallingly bad and expensive. I'm actually afraid to tell my DH, he will be devastated. If we had not made final payment we would have cancelled and gone Princess.

 

It won't impact on our South Pacific trip, not only did we get the Explore 4 package added but because of the warmer weather my DH drinks more beers and mixed drinks on that cruise.

 

However the 'upper' I got from the Explore 4 has now been slammed by the 'downer' of the new wine policy.

Oh... and the the wines on the South Island out of Dunedin - Otago Peninsula - loved them! Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir! Very, very good. I hope by the time you sail, HAL will have modified this present wine policy so you can enjoy them back on board.

-Rose

The sniffer dogs are all St. Bernards. Searching for vino and booze only.

Not in New Zealand. They are cute little Beagle dogs. (Don't pet! They are working dogs!). And they are searching for plant & animal material that may carry something that can affect their honeybees.

-Rose

I've read repeatedly in this thread how great Celebrity's wine list and wine prices are.

What I don't understand is if they are so much more to your liking, why are you not sailing their ships? :confused: Even before HAL's policy change if you liked Celebrity's choices so much, why were you lugging wine to HAL when you could have simply enjoyed the wine list on board "X's" ships?

 

Doesn't make sense to me.

 

Having yet to sail on one of the Dam ships (hope to in January if we make the final payment & not switch to another cruiseline), I have always thought that HAL had very good itineraries. Love the food and wine selection on Celebrity, but HAL always seem to have better itineraries. I don't have experience with HAL's menus or their wine selection, but we were planning to just bring 2 bottles on & purchase some in the MDR. We also were planning on purchasing some in port after we finished the 2 we bring. Reading this thread has us a little concerned. Please tell me that the coffee is still from beans and not from "coffee syrup". I was hoping to leave the French Press behind on this cruise.

-Rose

I really don't understand how the new policy prevents anyone from sampling local wines. It just means they cane be sampled in your room. There is nothing to prevent anyone from buying local wines and packing those wines home for enjoyment there. I have done that when I toured the Barossa Valley. I use a product called WineBags to pack them in my luggage safely. There are other, similar products on the market.

 

I fully intend on buying a couple of bottles of ice wine while I am in Quebec for this cruise, just as had planned before the policy changed. I will have one bottle at sail-away and will pay the corkage fee, the other bottle I was always planning on bringing back with me to Australia. And there is nothing in the new policy that will prevent me from doing so.

Kuddos to you for being successful in bringing back wine halfway around the world in these new WineBags! I would worry anyway about wine bottles breaking in my suitcase despite this new product & I wouldn't even be traveling as far as you. The other problem I have with packing wine in luggage is the weight and the lack of temperature control which, by the way, could affect the quality of the ice wine you are planning to take back.

Had some lovely wine when we were in Australia. Need to go back to try more......

-Rose

Celebrity also relaxes the rules about bringing wine on in ports on some itineraries. I'm taking a 9-night coastal wine cruise in September, and as far as I know they will allow wine to be brought aboard in port from the various vineyards.

 

This will be my first Celebrity cruise...the wine list is fantastic, and because we have the Premium drink package we can get a 30% discount on any bottle on their list.

 

I second what others have said about Royal Caribbean's wine list. It has improved a great deal over the past few years, and is now very good. They have a partnership with Caymus, and feature all their wines as well as many other good selections. You also have the option of a fantastic selection of wines by the glass or bottle at Vintages (the wine bar).

We took this cruise in 2011 and they did NOT relaxed the rules. We brought back wine after visiting some Canadian vineyards and they were taken to be given back at the end of the cruise :(. Saw this done through-out the cruise. Hope they will relax the rules for your cruise since there are many wine excursion opportunities on this cruise.

On a more positive note - yes, the wine selection on Celebrity is very good.

-Rose

Thanks for posting the wine list with the prices - not bad prices as I thought I was going to see. Some are "over the top" marked up & others are what one might expect for a mark-up. MIGHT try to squeeze in an Alaskan cruise on HAL in August - we'll see!

- Rose

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Many consider the Princess coffee sub par. I suggest you give it a try. Some like it. I tolerate it. I find it is not too bad if:

 

It is hot

I dump the last 1/2 inch or so.

On a coastal cruise out of Vancouver, I watch a woman fill up her small french press with hot water from the buffet area, sit at a table, press & within minutes enjoyed her own coffee. On the next cruise, I packed a small french press & our Maui blend coffee. DH was a little leery about the process, but now his routine is to go upstairs to fill it, bring it back to our room to enjoy before going to breakfast.

I do like the coffee after dinner in the MDR & in Sabatinis - I think this thread explained why the coffee earlier in the day isn't so good - coffee syrup??!!:eek:

-Rose

I know I probably shouldn't be admitting this, but I have always taken an extra stretchy laundry line, inflatable hangers, and some clothes peg hangers, and soap powder and I wash everything by hand every few days and just fill up the bathroom with my dripping wash (broke my wrist and so don't yet have much strength in my left hand - if something is really soaking, I roll it up in a bath towel and stomp on it!) I will be very happy to be in a Neptune suite this next cruise, and then - 4 stars, and free laundry!:D Oh, happy life. This last cruise I sent 2 blouses to the ship's laundry because they needed ironing - $7.00, I think. They came back just fine, except I didn't notice the little laundry tag was ironed on to the front of one of them!

Yes, Vict0riann, that is one idea for washing capris. I have done this for hubby's running shorts and our underwear. I guess we need to get over that feeling of being "gouged" :( that we felt when we send a small bag of underwear, socks & a T-shirt (6 items!) when we were on the Millie and got charged $16 :eek: At the most, it would have cost us $6 to do it ourselves on a Princess ship!

-Rose