jklc123

Here's one on an excursion from a popular river cruise. Name the river and what it is -- exact place not necessary.

Just want to complement Pearl Seas Cruises, which had to cancel our Great Lakes cruise, scheduled to sail at the end of this month. We opted for a full refund instead of a voucher and were told it would arrive in about 10 business days. It was more like 15, but that was fine. We have deposited for the same trip next year, not wanting so much money tied up for so long and wanting flexibility in case family health problem impact future travel.

Having cruised on three of these itineraries, it makes me a bit exhausted to think of doing so many cruises one after the other. I’m not sure I would appreciate the last few rivers, different as they are. Too much of a good thing all at once. But....to each his own!

Uniworld certainly has been innovative during the last few years.

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The 'QuietVox' or 'Whisper' devices are so great on river cruises in Europe, especially for photographers who can stray from the group without getting left behind and also for those of us whose hearing isn't what it used to be.  I'm surprised they aren't widely used on US river cruises.

I have the same appreciation for the listening devices, especially being able to step a bit away from the group, plus my husband has hearing issues. We have a fall 2021 cruise with ACL booked, after numerous European river cruises. We’re looking forward to an enjoyable cruise but not expecting the same level of luxury.

We were looking at Tauck’s Black Sea to Budapest for spring 2022 but will wait until 2023 as we had to rebook a cancelled Great Lakes cruise from this spring to 2022. Has anyone sailed on the MS Treasures, Esprit or Savor? Comments welcome. 

We were notified Friday that our Pearl Seas “Great Lakes and Georgian Bay” May 30 sailing has been “suspended.” I was offered a voucher for the full amount paid that could be used through 2022 with Pearl Seas or their sister line American Cruise Line.  We opted for the return of our money and to rebook today, paying just the deposit to not tie up a large sum of money for so many months. I suspected that when I made the final payment in  February that Canada wouldn’t be ready for us by May, but waiting for  Pearl Seas to cancel on us, we wouldn’t have to pay the $900 cancellation fee. We were hoping to cruise in Europe in 2022 but now feel like waiting another year to see how things are going by then. We do have American Cruise Line’s Hudson Bay cruise booked for this October (postponed from last October.) That should be safe!

Yes, thanks! It’s at the edge of the Alexander Gardens, next to the Kremlin.

Well, I’m going to be out and about, away from computers, so someone go for it or you’ll have to wait awhile for confirmation. 😀

So notamermaid mentioned the country.

2 hours ago, dogs4fun said:

Clever photo @jklc123 - your photo depicts three horses whereas this fountain is actually comprised of four horses that symbolize the four seasons. Interesting factoid: the annual opening of the fountains in this city begin at this particular fountain.

I didn’t know that about the annual opening.

So several people know the fountain. I thought I’d wake up this morning with the answer posted.

13 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

OK I feel better. Found it and I have never been here. Plus you took a very creative picture, probably with a zoom lens because the horses are pretty far from the two large buildings. Your zoom lens compressed the distance, making them appear closer. When I wandered this park using Google street view, I had to go clear to the other side to find the horses, then angle back and zoom in to duplicate your shot. Nicely composed!

 

And I'm wrong; it has nothing to do with Neptune. Scratch that.

Thanks. I just snapped it with my simple Canon Power Shot, using its zoom. . Right, no Neptune here.

Even better. Just trying to move it along! 😀

PS I should also have asked for the river.

I'm curious, too.

Tell us the city to post the next photo:

17 hours ago, jpalbny said:

OK, since nobody else has jumped in yet, and it's my birthday tomorrow, I'll go ahead and name the site.

 

This is the "Queen's Hamlet" or L'hameau de la Reine in the gardens at Versailles. It's a cute little place to stroll through and we enjoyed it. But you'll never see it if you're on a standard tour I suspect, because there isn't time to see the palace and the gardens and all of the fountains, and the Trianons, and then come here too.

 

But it's a fun place. They grow grapes for wine, so it's my kind of hamlet!

 

 

And, here's the building in Robin's picture of the reflection. It was a bit windy when we were there I guess, so no nice reflections for us. It's supposed to be a mill.

 

 

We did Versailles separately from Paris, before a 2012 cruise. Flew to CDG, took the RER directly to Versailles, and stayed right there (a nice Ritz-Carlton near the park gate). We had pretty much two full days to explore the grounds and we went all over. Very nice way to start a vacation (what is a vacation again?)!

Now that’s the way to see Versailles!  These photos are REALLY making me want to travel.

Joyeux Anniversaire!

JPalbany read the clues very well (I’m not surprised.). Renmar is correct, though I saw it at the Coptic Museum in Cairo, where the description said it had been removed from the monastery.

so it’s a wild card.

City and location in the city.

The person who guesses correctly posts the next photo.

Budapest Parliament, Red Star placed on the building by the Soviets, removed in 1990 and on display in the building

59 minutes ago, Mitina said:

I wanted to see the neighborhood, so I searched for it on Google Earth.  I'm pretty sure the address is on Sint Jansstraat about one block away from De Wallen.  Of course, this house doesn't fit with that neighborhood.

 

Name what is in the photo. First guess the river. After that name the town/city/place. The person who first guesses correctly gets to post the next photo.

 

 

American Cruise Lines is now requiring vaccination proof before boarding. According to posts on the ACL forum, passengers on a cruise leaving this week were just notified this past Friday; there is nothing on ACL’s website about this requirement.

Switching continents, American Cruise Line is now requiring vaccination proof before boarding. A post from a cruiser booked with 5 others was told Friday that their cruise, I believe on the Mississippi, which leaves in a few days, is suddenly affected by this new requirement. Luckily the poster and 4 of her party are vaccinated but her brother is not. I’m wondering how many other cruisers will be unable to go and request refunds. I’m in favor of ultimately requiring vaccinations, but not with such short notice.

I’m following this thread because we have a Pearl Seas Great Lakes Cruise set to embark May 30, which I expect to be cancelled as half the ports are in Canada, and a Hudson River cruise on ACL in October. We decided to stay in North America this year. We booked both cruises in July, of course not realizing how long this crisis would last.

I was surprised a couple days ago to receive an email from Uniworld offering 50% off the price of four European cruises embarking in early June 2021. Would seem a bit early to me to be allowed.

watching and waiting with all of you.

24 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

So it is the Ilz in the first photo.

 

A lovely way to spend Christmas Eve. You spent Christmas in Passau on the ship? I am sure it was a great experience.

 

notamermaid

 

25 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

So it is the Ilz in the first photo.

 

A lovely way to spend Christmas Eve. You spent Christmas in Passau on the ship? I am sure it was a great experience.

 

notamermaid

 

It was wonderful. We spent Christmas Day in Salzburg and Oberndorf and New Years Eve in Budapest.

I was just looking for the port where we were docked, so gnome12 has it. We were indeed hiking up from Passau along the River Ilz but I don't know the name of the castle. The photo is of the little celebration at the end of the hike, which was the afternoon of Christmas Eve. DH was having fun with his sparkler and delicious gluhwein was helping warm us up.

So gnome12, it's yours.