richchap

Just noticed this entry and couldn't help myself. My impression of Russ is identical to that expressed by Excitedofharpenden. He's a multi talented performer with boundless energy. Coupling that with a desire to please and a personality that allows him to spend a great deal of time with the guests. It's all genuine.

You couldn't ask for a better cruise director.

I always seem to be thanking you for your wonderful advice. However that's because you always seem to enjoy sharing your vast knowledge with me and anyone else who beckons. Thank you again.

I'll be traveling alone on this trip. Nancy unfortunately has to work. Have a ball on your upcoming cruises. They all sound great. Land tour in Italy also sounds like an exciting eating and drinking adventure. As I recall your rather fond of Italy. Enjoy.

I want to thank you and Upwarduk for your suggestions on Manchester. Your right about the times and costs. Cheaper to fly than rail. Perhaps I'll spend a day in the area and visit Winchester as suggested. Catch a plane the next day. That's all up in the air right now.

Isantom perhaps next November we meet on the T/A. I've never done one and have always been interested. By the way it's about 85 here in Dallas.

Excitedofharpenden thanks for the hello and sorry I'll miss you but your cruise looks equally as nice. Have a wonderful time. Perhaps another time.

My sincere apology for not having gotten back to you sooner regarding our trip in October. I just realized that you wrote me. The cruise was wonderful with beautiful weather to boot. Your suggestions were all outstanding. The only agenda item not accomplished was visiting Lucca. My sister in law was ill until about 11:00 am and thus a large portion of the day was lost. We hired a car and driver for an afternoon in Pisa. We enjoyed it. Lucca's on the list.

I just booked another cruise on Quest departing Nice to Southampton on May,30. Stops are Barcelona,Gibraltar,Seville,Lisbon and St. Peter's Port. I am not familiar with Lisbon,Hornfleur or St. Peter's Port. Any thoughts on these would as always be appreciated. We spend nights in Barcelona and Seville. I'm weak on Seville having spent only a few days there in the past. With respect to Hornfleur and what's around...the Normandy beaches seem popular. Nancy and I have been. What about Deauville? I'll be arriving Nice the day before sailing and I booked a hotel in Villefranche.

I'm considering visiting a friend in Liverpool at the end of the cruise. Is the best way from Southampton to Liverpool via train? Any thoughts? Can't thank you enough for all of your advise. Your taste level is appreciated and doesn't go unnoticed.

How did your trip to Vegas go? Hopefully you left the $'s with the stores and not the casinos. Any scheduled cruises in your future? Azamara cruises? Have you any information on Quest's refit?

Dr. Joe, thank you very much for the link to tomsportguides. I'd heard about this site a few years ago and had completely forgotten about it. I intend rouse it next month.

Thanks again.

Lottie, you exceed my already high expectations of your travel expertise. You really are amazing. We were ecstatic upon learning there's a Tate gallery in Liverpool. We will certainly have enough to do as you have laid out a full agenda for our long weekend.

Britcruiser, I sincerely appreciate your added suggestions and will try to incorporate as many of those ideas as you and Lottie have so kindly served up.

An American huh? Again you show exquisite taste. I am a bit bias of course. Enjoy!

Lottie, si sono magnifici!

Your suggestions are appreciated and will be followed closely. Going back into the city as you recommend via taxi and eating at a later hour will totally satisfy us until our next visit. The route that you outlined sounds just wonderful. I'm hungry already.

Your trip to Las Vegas and a cruise on Silversea sounds like an over the top set of getaways. Wish that we were joining you in your decadence. Sounds great. Where are you going on your cruise? When to Vegas? It's hot out there as you know. Here in Dallas we're baking in 100+ days. We just escaped for 5 days to Vancouver. Beautiful city and cooler. Took a side trip over to Victoria and thought I was in England when we went to the Empress Hotel at tea time.

Glad to hear that you had another great weekend in Rome. Sounds like you found an interest in the Eternal City.

I actually have another question for you. We are flying to Manchester and intend staying in Liverpool/Manchester area for three nights before flying home. One afternoon and evening will be spent visiting with a couple we met on an Azamara cruise a few years ago. The rest of our time is free. Any ideas? We will be staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Liverpool.

Thank you as always.

I just knew that I'd be coming back to you Lottie. Our situation is such that our plans now schedule us with two nights in Carcassonne with train as transport to and from Barcelona. This would ideally have us arrive Barcelona train station around 6:00 pm. We have a flight out of BCN for MAN at 10:20 am the following morning. It seemed logical to find a hotel at the airport so I reserved a room at the Barcelona Airport Hotel. Lottie, will I have time for a good dinner in the city? Taxis or trains? Any special suggestion for dinner under these circumstances?

As always, I'm most appreciative of your experience and responses.

Thanks again Lottie. You are both knowledgeable and well traveled. Your recommendations are quite insightful and highly regarded.

I'm sure I'll be asking you another question or two before our trip. Take care and have a wonderful summer between London and Rome.

Lottie, you have a wicked way with my senses. Sounds delightful and we will try and make it a destination in our travels around the city. Especially good that it's near the Forum. Very central. Thank you again and it sounds like your Roman holiday was a success.

Capt BJ. Whoever explained it that way did a great job. They explained exactly as they should what you were undertaking, and what you were accomplishing.

 

That is an accurate description of the PADI Advanced Diver (or the SSI Advanced Adventurer) rating. It indeed shows the diver has been formally exposed to several specific aspects of diving beyond the basic Open Water course; and thus has shown an interest in progressing beyond the minimum required knowledge. That is always an worthwhile accomplishment.

 

If it came across that I was against the idea of it, I apologize. My only concern is the idea that the single short presentation, and participation in 5 dives with emphasis on those 5 areas selected would render a diver "advanced". I definitely think the program has merit - I have conducted more Advanced Adventurer courses than any other instructor in the shop where I teach. As your instructor obviously did, I spend time with those students on the subject that the exposure is just that, and not thorough training in the specialty at hand. To point out the difference, SSI's "Advanced Open Water Diver rating requires completion of four specialty courses (in their entirety, and a minimum of 24 open water dives. The number of dives is critical in my view as there is no substitute for experience.

 

There is certainly value in the five dives after one's open water training, with an instructor, and with a focus on specific aspects of diving.

 

I hope my - perhaps hasty - comments didn't lead anyone to think that there was not.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

You said it correctly in both of your posts. Couldn't agree more.

Thanks for the update and enjoy the day.

That's an offer I will gladly accept. My email address is richachapman@sbcglobal.net

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Thank you again Lottie. Enjoy your Roman holiday.

Nuneham you are so right about getting tickets in advance. On our last trip to Barcelona we didn't get tickets in advance and did not have the patience to wait in the rain like the other 5000 people. Advanced tickets to both the Sagrada Familia and the Picasso Museum are on our lists of to do's.

I just looked at the menu and got famished just gazing. Dinner isn't till 7:30 tonight.

Another question regarding a guarantee cabin. It's the first time I've done this and I booked a balcony. Do these sort of arrangements usually work out and how long before sailing do you know what you've got.

Thank you so much for the above. Those tapas sound great.

Can you recommend a restaurant or two in Nice for lunch. Hopefully in old town. Before heading back to the ship perhaps a nice spot for drinks and a snack in Monaco in late afternoon before departure?

Thanks again.

Lottie, I can't thank you enough. I knew you would be a good source. We could possibly be as many as six or as few as two when it comes to tours other then Rome.

Your description of Lucca sold me. I hope our friends join us on this excursion while our sister and brother in law most likely will go Florence. Perhaps not after reading your description of Lucca.

Our cruise is Sept 8-15 and hopefully the weather in the Med will be good. I look forward to some new destinations. The itinerary is Barcelona/ Monte Carlo,Monaco/Portovenere/Livorno/Rome/Sea/port Mahon,Menorca/Barcelona. We are arriving Barcelona two days before cruise departure and just taking in more of one of our favorite cities. We also intend extending after our departure from Quest for at least another 3-4 days. That's where the idea of Carcassonne came from. Perhaps take in that area of France where we haven't been.

My wife and I along with my sister and brother in law have rented an apartment thru A.....for our two night stay in Barcelona. It's the first time that I've used this service. The apartment is exactly where I wanted it which was in a quiet section of the Gothic. It looks great. I'll let you know.

Thank you again for your wonderful response to my questions. I hope you don't mind if I bother you again in the future.

Thank you nordski and nuneham for your most helpful and prompt replies. As you said nordski ...Lottie A has already responded.

I'm always amazed at the high level of travelers who are willing to share their expertise on these forums. You are wonderful examples.

You were the first person to help me on our maiden cruise. That was on the Quest from Civitavecchia to Athens back in Oct. 2011. Your answers to whatever the questions helped greatly. Onboard you were most gracious to me and my wife. I have since that first cruise taken an additional six of which three have been on Azamara. We like you are sold on Azamara and especially the Quest. Perhaps it's Captain Carl and Russ...well the whole crew.

Two other couples will be joining us . One has been to Europe many times and the other (my brother and sister in law) have never been anywhere outside the U.S. Our cruise is Oct 8-15 and I'm trying to figure a few things out. We have spent some time in Rome in the past but I certainly wouldn't mind repeating. Suggestions for a tour that day sound appropriate. It's the design of the day that concerns me. Should we consider a car and driver and if so from whom and how many people are we talking about? This would probably be for six. Florence is a spot that we have been to and would consider Pisa and or Lucca as I seem to recall you suggesting to someone on the CC boards. Should we hire a car and driver for this or train and taxi it ourselves? Another question. When we dock in Portovenere our plan was to see the Cinque Terre towns. Any suggestions?

Wanted to let you know that from prior posts that you've made we have decided to spend the day in Nice. Been to Monaco. Nice is so much more interesting.

Also interested after the cruise going from Barcelona up to Carcassonne and perhaps Toulouse or Montpelier. Train or just rent a car? Any and all ideas appreciated.

Thank you for any assistance you care to share.

Richard

Thanks everyone, I will make and upload the first spreadsheet after the weekend

A wonderful suggestion uktog. I sailed on the Quest about a year and half ago and am sailing again on her in three weeks. Will report both cabin experiences after our trip. I'm happy to say that our past cruise on Azamara is the reason we booked it again and included some friends. Can't say enough good things about the entire experience.